I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?

Chapter 504: Full Support for Trading with Nanyuan

"I’ll explain the details to you later. You’ve come at the perfect time—we’ve just prepared a seafood feast. You must all enjoy it thoroughly." ’It’s better to let them eat first than to say anything more,’ Ye Qianning thought.

"Little girl, when it comes to business, you come to your Great-Grandpa. Don’t go to Gu Shuo; he doesn’t have the head for it. I may be old, but I’m still a master at making money." Old Man Gu was in no mood to eat.

"Great-Grandpa, I know. Let’s eat first," Ye Qianning said, leading him to a large round table and helping him take a seat.

"But..."

"Grandpa, she hasn’t eaten since this morning," Gu Shuo said.

Old Man Gu froze, then immediately declared, "Then we eat first! Butler, go and see if the meal is ready."

’So that’s how you handle the old man,’ Gu Shuo realized.

Zhan Chi was quicker this time, snatching the seat next to Ye Qianning.

Qian Fu and Qian Fanji also took their seats.

"A seafood feast? Is everything made from seafood?" Qian Fu asked, a bit curious.

"That’s right, all of it. I heard that Grandpa Qian loves fish and has a very discerning palate. You’ll have to give us your expert opinion today, Grandpa."

Qian Fu laughed heartily. "Haha, I’d be glad to."

’The food at the General’s Estate is always delicious. The seafood will surely be no exception.’

Before long, servants brought out the seafood dishes, course after course, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma.

There were nearly sixty different seafood dishes: a variety of fish, lobster, abalone, sea cucumber, assorted whelks, and nearly a dozen different kinds of lobster.

The preparations were just as varied, leaving the guests dazzled.

The General’s Estate was short on maids and servants, so even the butler and guards had to pitch in. It took them several trips back and forth to bring out all the dishes.

The enormous spread on the table left everyone dumbfounded, their eyes wide with shock.

"This... there’s so much," Old Man Gu marveled.

"This is just a small portion of it. We made these first so everyone could have a taste." Seeing their stunned faces, Ye Qianning urged them, "Don’t just stare! Go on, try some and tell me what you think."

Qian Fu was a lifelong lover of seafood and had eaten countless varieties in his time, but he had never witnessed a scene like this. He picked up his chopsticks, not knowing where to even begin.

Although Gu Shuo and Zhan Chi had already heard her mention the many recipes, they were still stunned to see a table so laden with such a variety of dishes.

The mere sight and aroma of the magnificent spread were enough to make one’s mouth water.

It was Qian Fanji’s first time seeing so many kinds of seafood delicacies. He even spotted a few things that people from Nanyuan would never eat. ’And that black, lumpy thing... can you really eat that?’

"Great-Grandpa, try this Prosperity Shrimp." Ye Qianning picked up a whole, large shrimp that her aunt had already shelled.

Old Man Gu picked up a piece with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly. The longer he chewed, the more delighted he looked. When he finally swallowed, his face was filled with astonishment and admiration.

"Excellent! Delicious! Doesn’t this look like a ’little crawler’? I had no idea you could eat them!" Old Man Gu said, beckoning to the others. "You all have to try this! The meat of these ’little crawlers’ is even tastier than lobster!"

’Little crawler?’

The corner of Ye Qianning’s mouth twitched. ’So the local name for Prosperity Shrimp is ’little crawler’...’

"Let me try." Qian Fu’s chopsticks also went for the Prosperity Shrimp.

The others quickly followed suit.

"Delicious! The meat is succulent, the flavor is superb, and the aftertaste lingers beautifully. It’s even more tender than the meat of a *Fo Long*," Qian Fu praised profusely after a single bite.

’Ye Qianning had no idea what kind of creature a *Fo Long* was. It seemed the names for lobsters, fish, and other seafood here were quite different from their modern counterparts.’

’But it wasn’t a big deal. The name didn’t matter; as long as it was delicious, that’s what counted.’

Gu Shuo nodded in appreciation. "It is indeed excellent."

"Since you all seem at a loss for where to begin, why don’t I introduce the dishes?" Ye Qianning stood up and, pointing her little finger at the dish closest to her, began, "This one is Creamy Baked Lobster, then we have Garlic Boston Lobster, Lobster and Pumpkin Bisque, Humphead Wrasse, Huaiwang Fish, Moxu Fish, the Tyrant’s Lobster Hot Pot, Spicy Squid, Snow Crab, Golden Crab Roe..."

Everyone at the table was dazed by her explanation. Not only were the dishes exquisite, but their names were also quite peculiar.

Listening to her youthful, melodious voice, Gu Shuo’s expression softened. ’A feast like this... just from the vibrant colors, it looks too luxurious to afford.’

"Oh, and for those who enjoy a drink, I recommend trying these crawfish. They were all soaked in Immortal’s Drunkard before cooking, so they have a wonderful alcoholic aroma." Ye Qianning pointed to three crawfish dishes in the center, one of which was served chilled on ice.

"You can cook shrimp by soaking it in liquor? I have to try that." Zhan Chi was a huge fan of Immortal’s Drunkard.

"Come on, everyone, dig in!" Old Man Gu couldn’t resist any longer and started eating.

Qian Fu said no more, simply picking up his chopsticks and trying one dish after another. Each new bite was a fresh surprise, its texture and taste completely overturning everything he thought he knew.

’It was as if he had been eating seafood all these years for nothing.’

Zhan Chi fell in love with the drunken crab and the chilled crawfish. In the blink of an eye, a mountain of shells had piled up beside him.

Qian Fanji ate more elegantly, taking only a single bite of each dish. ’Every dish is delicious, but there are over sixty of them. If I eat more than a mouthful of each, I’ll never be able to try them all.’

He also noted that some of the dishes contained spices he had never tasted before.

Gu Shuo also sampled a single bite of each dish. After tasting a dozen or so, he was completely won over. ’With flavors like these, a seafood restaurant is guaranteed to be a hit. No wonder the little one is so confident.’

’With over a hundred different recipes, any single one could be a signature dish.’

Before teaching her aunt how to cook seafood, Ye Qianning had first experimented with making various ingredients herself, like cheese and seafood floss, as well as the seasonings.

The key seasoning was a type of seed described in a book from her pocket space. When mature, the seeds could be ground into a spice that greatly enhanced the natural savory flavor of the seafood.

A typical meal would be over in the time it takes an incense stick to burn, but today, everyone was stunned to find they had been eating for over two hours.

Over half of the sixty-odd dishes on the table had been devoured.

Sated and satisfied, the group at the table didn’t move, each person leaning back in their chair in contentment.

"Delicious, truly delicious! A seafood feast in every sense of the word," Old Man Gu said, leaning back in his chair and savoring the lingering flavors.

"To think even that black, lumpy thing could be so delicious! Is there any seafood that can’t be eaten?" It was Qian Fu’s first time eating sea urchin; he found the first bite strange, but the more he ate, the more he savored its unique flavor.

"That Immortal’s Drunkard-infused crawfish... this whole feast! An Imperial Palace banquet is nothing compared to this. Once these dishes get out, their fame will surely eclipse that of the First Restaurant Under Heaven." Zhan Chi was now incredibly excited for the seafood-themed restaurant.

Gu Shuo remained silent, but his expression was one of clear appreciation and satisfaction.

"No wonder you want to partner with Nanyuan," Qian Fanji said, getting right to the point.

Ye Qianning smiled. "It seems Minister Qian understands."

"Understands what?" Old Man Gu asked, confused.

"The seafood from the other three kingdoms can’t compare to Nanyuan’s in terms of flavor and freshness. Plus, Nanyuan has many types of fish, shrimp, and crab that the other kingdoms lack. Dishes made with their seafood would be on a whole other level compared to what you’ve eaten today," Ye Qianning explained.

Old Man Gu’s eyes lit up. "Is that true?"

"Yes. If these same dishes were made with seafood from Nanyuan, the flavor would be elevated by a whole tier." ’The deep sea fish from the South Sea are the true delicacy.’