Chapter 54
- Ginseng vs. Ginseng (3)
"Ooooooh?"
Yeonsangun's fingertips trembled as he tasted the Nuohua Rejuvenation Soup.
'This is swift! Like a seabird flying against the ocean breeze, building its nest with seaweed!'
The soft, subtle texture of the bird's nest melted on his tongue.
'And this is shark! The bold, intense sensation of swimming through the deep ocean!'
The elastic gelatin of the shark fin subtly stimulated his sense of taste.
And enveloping all of this was the intense flavor of Huotui, salty and savory as if a whole jar of seasoning had been poured in.
In addition, the spicy and hot taste of the Sichuan sauce, including Sichuan Peppercorn, blended exquisitely.
Besides, there were all sorts of bizarre tastes from the numerous ingredients, along with the deep and brilliant aroma of barley malt from the Shaoxing Wine.
Each and every flavor and aroma of the precious ingredients caressed Yeonsangun's tongue.
Finally, he felt a subtly bitter yet luxurious flavor.
Korean ginseng.
Even just one spoonful made his whole body naturally warm, thanks to the gently simmered Korean ginseng.
'I, it can't be... This is the most delicious thing in the world...'
Yeonsangun seemed unable to escape the storm of flavors that crashed like waves with each ingredient.
The Ming envoy Liu Jin could not possibly miss the expression on his face.
He himself knew the power of the special Nuohua Rejuvenation Soup made by Dang Baek-ryong all too well.
Liu Jin smirked, a look of superiority on his face.
'A heavenly taste that you can never experience in this remote land of Joseon. Feel the insurmountable wall of the Great Wall. And despair, King of Joseon.'
It was no exaggeration to say that what Yeonsangun had just eaten was the essence of Chinese cuisine compressed into a single bowl.
And the flavor of Korean ginseng was so naturally blended within it.
There was a hidden intention in that.
'In the end, Joseon is part of China! The place for Joseon ginseng is not in humble Joseon cuisine, but in the splendid and rich cuisine of China!'
In this very place, where the officials of both countries were gathered, Liu Jin was practically saying so through food.
Moreover, the one proving it was none other than the King of Joseon, known as a gourmet.
Could there be a more perfect setup in the world?
Yeonsangun's shocked expression after eating the Nuohua Rejuvenation Soup was proof that everything was proceeding according to Liu Jin's plan.
A triumphant smile slowly spread across Liu Jin's face.
At that moment.
A sharp voice shattered his reverie and struck his ears.
"Our food is ready as well, so please enjoy it before it gets cold!"
It was the voice of Ji-young, the Royal Cuisine Master from the Joseon side.
As the meaning was conveyed through the interpreter, Liu Jin chuckled in disbelief.
'Tch. What can you possibly show with mere chicken broth?'
Liu Jin picked up a spoon and stirred the Samgyetang broth.
A black Silkie chicken, half-submerged in the milky white broth.
A unique aroma wafted from the thinly sliced, unfamiliar ingredient scattered on top like fallen leaves.
It wasn't without its peculiarities.
But its essence was just a common chicken soup after all.
'How laughable! You dare to challenge the great Chinese civilization with something like this.'
Thinking so, he reached for the chicken with his spoon.
'...Huh?'
The meat crumbled so softly without even applying much force.
'The bone and flesh are separating?'
Sensing something unusual, Liu Jin hurriedly placed a piece of meat, broth, and a slice of truffle on his spoon and brought it to his mouth.
The moment he put it in his mouth and rolled it on his tongue.
A shock like a lightning bolt struck his mind.
"Yowai!!!"
The meat melted in his mouth without almost any chewing, and the thick broth clung to his tongue, creating a rich, savory taste.
Moreover, the deep aroma of truffle, like smoking fallen leaves, rose through the retronasal passage, filling his mouth.
It was the ultimate combination of everything.
But it didn't end there.
'The ingredients inside this chicken are creating another flavor.'
With a slight touch of the spoon, the glutinous rice, which had been gently cooked inside the chicken in a pressure cooker, revealed its glistening form.
But what caught Liu Jin's attention was the dark substance embedded between the pearl-like glutinous rice.
Liu Jin's pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
'C, could that be... what I've only heard about...'
Black Ginseng.
Seeing the trembling in Liu Jin's eyes, Ji-young smiled with satisfaction.
What she had put in when she first started cooking the Samgyetang was definitely 6-year-old 'Red Ginseng'.
'Red Ginseng' refers to ginseng that has been steamed and dried repeatedly, concentrating its essence and turning it red.
Among them, the highest quality is 'Nine Steaming and Nine Drying', which means it has been steamed and dried nine times, turning its color black.
In other words, it was called 'Black Ginseng'.
'The technology of steaming and drying ginseng itself has existed since the Goryeo Dynasty. But the 'Nine Steaming and Nine Drying' technology was only completed in the late Joseon Dynasty.'
So, 'Black Ginseng' in this era was a rare and precious item.
However, the Red Ginseng inside the Silkie chicken had been further concentrated and transformed into Black Ginseng in the high-temperature, high-pressure environment inside the pressure cooker.
This was actually similar to the principle of making Black Ginseng with 'smart herbal medicine makers' or high-pressure simmering machines that are sold on modern home shopping channels.
'T, this is...!'
While savoring the exquisite taste of the Silkie chicken broth, truffle, and Black Ginseng cooked in the pressure cooker, Liu Jin's consciousness was floating in an infinite universe.
And at the same time, a word, almost like a groan, involuntarily came out.
"...Meiwei (Excellent taste)!"
That magic word, which was like a declaration of surrender in this field.
But it wasn't just about the taste.
'If you eat this Black Ginseng, you're bound to have a reaction.'
'Ginsenoside', the active ingredient specifically found in ginseng.
Studies have shown that Black Ginseng contains up to 20 times more ginsenoside than regular ginseng.
"W, why is my body... suddenly like this...?"
Liu Jin's body was gradually heating up.
'Strength... is surging?'
According to some research, ginsenoside is reported to have a partially similar effect to steroid hormones.
'W, what on earth is this...'
Liu Jin was flustered by the sudden surge of energy, his face flushed, and he could only fidget.
Not missing the opportunity, Yeonsangun nonchalantly threw out a word.
"I prepared this especially for you, as you seemed to be very weak, so that you could regain some energy."
"T, that's..."
Liu Jin stammered and couldn't even answer properly, and the physiological phenomenon that comes out when you eat delicious food came out again without fail.
Hiccup.
'This is it!'
Ji-young could sense it. The moment had come to seal the victory.
No matter how delicious the food was, the one who ultimately evaluated it was Liu Jin, so if he insisted that it wasn't good, there was no way to win.
'So, I have to set a trap that he can't escape without admitting defeat.'
Ji-young quietly whispered the ultimate line she had prepared for that final moment into Yeonsangun's ear.
Instantly, Yeonsangun's eyes lit up and the corners of his mouth rose into a smirk.
And without a moment's hesitation, a loud voice flowed out.
"I will present this best health food of Joseon, made by our Royal Cuisine Master, to the Emperor of the Great Ming, so that His Majesty, who is weakened, may also taste it!"
"!!!"
The moment he heard those words, Liu Jin's face instantly contorted.
'Present this food... to the Emperor?'
Food personally presented by the King of Joseon, and the best health food that is good for a weakened body.
There was no way the Emperor, whose health had deteriorated, would not personally eat that food.
Silkie chicken gently cooked in a pressure cooker, truffle with an incomparably deep flavor. And Black Ginseng that instantly warms the whole body.
'If His Majesty eats this, he will surely be completely immersed in its taste.'
As soon as he thought that far, cold sweat began to break out on Liu Jin's face.
If that happened, it would be difficult for this food to lose in the competition.
'...Otherwise, it would mean that His Majesty ate food that lost in the competition and was happy about it.'
A dish that a subject ate and defeated, but the Emperor accepts and likes?
That would be like boasting that the subject's food taste is higher than the Emperor's.
'If someone else doesn't like the food that you think is delicious, there's nothing more unpleasant in the world.'
This was the winning strategy that Ji-young had come up with.
'I, I'm in checkmate...'
Liu Jin was now fidgeting like an animal caught in a trap.
If he was caught on something in the wrong place, the Emperor's political enemies would not leave that good bait alone.
Even now, the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty were looking down on the eunuchs, so if he made a mistake, they would surely bite and tear at him from all sides.
After sweating and racking his brains for a while, Liu Jin opened his mouth with a stammering voice.
"Under the hospitality of the King of Joseon, the three-round cooking competition was successfully completed. I highly appreciate the warm heart and admirable sincerity..."
He had no choice but to admit it in order not to be caught by his political enemies.
The victory of the Joseon food to be presented to the Emperor.
"...I will conclude the final cooking competition with the victory of the Joseon side's dish."
As soon as Liu Jin finished speaking, the cheers of the Royal Kitchen chefs echoed loudly.
At the same time, Dang Baek-ryong's brow furrowed instantly like a tissue.
"Damn it!"
Dang Baek-ryong couldn't hold back any longer and shouted.
Was it anger at the pride he had devoted his life to cooking being used as a tool for petty political struggles?
"Let's go!"
Without looking back, Dang Baek-ryong left the place as it was, and the assistant chefs followed him in a rush.
Yeonsangun looked back at Liu Jin with a triumphant smile.
"Then I hope the envoy returns safely. I won't see you off."
While the interpreter was conveying those words, Yeonsangun added in a low voice.
"...It was dirty being with you, and let's not meet again."
After speaking, Yeonsangun also turned around so coldly that the sound of the wind could be heard,
At that moment, Liu Jin's voice was heard from behind.
"The envoy has one more thing to say."
The interpreter's voice conveying Liu Jin's voice was trembling faintly.
"Tell him to speak."
"T, the envoy said... th, that is..."
The interpreter's face was white. It was clear that the words were ominous.
Yeonsangun's expression slowly began to distort unpleasantly.
"What did he say? Hurry up and convey the words."
"Th, that is..."
After hesitating for a while, the interpreter carefully conveyed the rest of the words while looking around.
"H, His Majesty... orders that the Royal Cuisine Master woman be offered as Tribute women to the Emperor."
Thud.
The moment she heard those words, Ji-young's heart sank as if it had frozen.
Tribute women.
Women sent from Joseon to the Ming Dynasty as concubines.
'M, me... offer me as Tribute women to the Ming Dynasty?'
For a moment, her head spun and dizziness washed over her.
'No, this... this can't be happening.'
Ji-young involuntarily looked towards Yeonsangun.
But...
The figure of Yeonsangun was not to be seen in the place where he had been standing just a moment ago.
And.
What really surprising thing happened was right after that.
The sight that made everyone gathered at Gyeonghoeru freeze with their mouths wide open.
- Thwack
Yeonsangun ran and headbutted Liu Jin in the face.
