Chapter Sixty-Two: This Is Going Too Far

"You!"
Already seething with anger, he grew even more furious. "Your Highness… you’ve gone too far!"
Li Zhi patted his shoulder. "General Cheng, don’t be upset. I was just speaking offhand. Perhaps your first three strikes are simply too formidable—the camp has no one who can match you!"
"Enough, I’ll think of another way."
In the end, Li Zhi abandoned the idea of selecting guards from the military camp.
These soldiers—
They excel at waging war on the battlefield.
But as personal guards, they might not be suited to the task.
"General Cheng, I need to assemble a group of twenty guards. Where do you think I should look for them?" Li Zhi asked as they walked across the training grounds.
"Hmph! With your standards, you’ll never find them in this lifetime!"
"And another thing…" Cheng Yaojin folded his arms behind his back, his chest puffed out proudly. "I’ve fought all my life and rarely suffered defeat. Who wouldn’t call me a master? Yet with you, it’s as if I’m just another face in the crowd."
"From now on, don’t ever underestimate me again!"
Li Zhi laughed heartily.
Did Cheng Yaojin truly care about such things?
"Alright, alright, from now on I’ll praise you at every opportunity: General Cheng, unmatched in martial prowess, invincible in all the land—is that enough?" Li Zhi replied with a wry smile.
"Though it’s a bit exaggerated, it’s not entirely untrue. Aside from Qin Qiong, Xue Rengui, Luo Tong… those top masters, who else can defeat me?"
Such unabashed boasting—
There truly were few in the world who could claim the same.
His skin was thicker than a city wall.
"You still have so many who can best you, yet you dare call yourself the greatest… Fine, I’ll never underestimate you again, alright?"
Li Zhi called Luo Tong over and together they left the camp.
As they walked down the bustling street,
Luo Tong was still brimming with excitement. "Just now in the camp, I forgot to spar with Uncle Cheng. What a shame! I’m confident that I could beat him!"
"Your Highness, shall we… go back?"
Li Zhi rolled his eyes and kicked Luo Tong behind the knee. "Are you addicted to fighting? Cheng Yaojin admits he’s no match for you—what’s the point in competing further?"
"True enough!"
For those who admit defeat, one can show mercy.
…
Unknowingly,
They arrived at the city’s premier tavern.

Across from the First Tavern, the Tianyi Tavern had just opened its doors. The sign above had been replaced with the First Tavern. Clearly, Cheng Chubi had expanded Tianyi Tavern into his own domain.
The Immortal Wine was still wildly popular.
The line for wine stretched from the tavern’s entrance to dozens of meters beyond. Most in line were servants of wealthy households, sent to buy the wine,
or merchants from all corners of the land,
hoping to profit from the price difference, no matter the hardship.
"Brother, I’ll give you ten coins—sell me your spot in line!"
A burly man near the window was queuing. A young gentleman approached from afar, handed him ten coins, and traded places.
This was commonplace.
And perfectly normal.
People eager to earn money would queue all night,
then sell their spot to the wealthy the next day.
Li Zhi saw this and did not interfere. After all, it didn’t affect the tavern’s business, and allowed commoners to earn money—why not?
Cheng Chubi was cooking in the kitchen!
Li Zhi summoned him upstairs to a private room. "Chubi, you’re a young noble. Spending all your time in the kitchen isn’t right. I brought you to the First Tavern to manage it, not to cook all day!"
"Master, if I don’t cook, how can the tavern run? Right now, I’m the only one here who understands the culinary arts. The others in the kitchen can tend the fire or pick vegetables, but if they try to cook… they’ll ruin the tavern’s reputation!"
"Fool! Can’t you teach a few people? Teach them to cook, and once they learn, let them work for you. Wouldn’t that make your life easier?" Li Zhi said.
Cheng Chubi had thought of this!
But the culinary skills Li Zhi had taught him were rare and precious; was it wise to share them? He didn’t dare, fearing Li Zhi’s disapproval.
Unexpectedly—
Li Zhi now encouraged him to pass on his skills to others, aligning perfectly with his own thoughts!
Now, he truly could let go.
Cheng Chubi replied with excitement, "I will obey, Master! Once I find suitable people, I’ll teach them the art of cooking. Then, we can open more taverns and surely earn even more!"
"That’s your business!"
Whether they earned more or less, Li Zhi didn’t care!
As long as he had money to spend, to buy whatever he wished, that was enough.
Nothing else mattered.
More money was just a number—
It had no real use!
"Oh, by the way, do you know if there are any skilled fighters in Chang’an? Not counting the army! Not counting noble families! I need to recruit twenty as guards," Li Zhi suddenly asked.
"There are!"

"Where?"
Cheng Chubi replied, "Outside the city, in the northern suburbs, there’s Loujia Village. I hear the villagers are especially robust and highly skilled in martial arts. The court has tried to recruit soldiers there many times, but not a single one volunteered! Your Highness might try your luck—perhaps it will work?"
"Villagers?"
Li Zhi rolled his eyes. "You rascal… are you joking with me? I want to hire true warriors, not amateurs with mediocre skills, nor brute strongmen!"
Cheng Chubi answered earnestly, "Master, I’m not joking! Loujia Village truly has masters. But they don’t seek fame or fortune, nor do they join the army, so their reputation is obscure."
"I’ve heard of them too…" Luo Tong interjected. "Years ago, my mother warned me never to go to Loujia Village. The people there must be exceedingly fierce!"
…
Hearing these two, Li Zhi’s interest was piqued.
If Loujia Village truly had experts, then assembling a guard team would be much simpler.
"Ahem!"
"Hurry and bring the dishes—we’ll visit Loujia Village tonight!"
Cheng Chubi personally cooked, serving several of his signature dishes. Li Zhi and Luo Tong feasted heartily, their bellies bulging with satisfaction.
"I must say, Chubi’s culinary skills have greatly improved!" Luo Tong exclaimed. "I look forward to his performance in the God of Cooking Tournament. If not for you, Your Highness, he would surely be the first God of Cooking in Great Tang!"
Li Zhi thought for a moment, a trace of worry creeping in.
Cheng Chubi’s skill improved by the day. When the God of Cooking Tournament arrived, could Li Zhi truly surpass him using clay as the main ingredient?
No matter how well clay dishes were prepared, they couldn’t compare to meat!
It was troublesome.
Li Zhi pondered briefly, then shook his head. "Once I finish assembling the guard team, I’ll figure out how to use the yellow clay from the Southern Clay Tribe to win the tournament."
By evening,
Li Zhi and Luo Tong returned to the camp.
They clung tightly to Cheng Yaojin, hoping he would help them leave the city.
Cheng Yaojin, always cautious, dared not do so.
But under Li Zhi’s threats and inducements, he finally relented and agreed to cover their escape. To prevent mishaps, he dispatched over a hundred skilled fighters to protect Li Zhi openly and covertly.
He also instructed the city guards to keep a close eye on the direction of Loujia Village.
If any fighting broke out, they were to investigate immediately.