What Do You Mean by That?

One shichen had passed since Kang Yeon left the inn.

Beyond the bamboo-covered hills on the outskirts of West Lake stood an old farmhouse. Drawing on faint memories of visits he had made there as a child with Jo Hwan, Kang Yeon found the place.

"Is anyone home?"

The quacking of ducks drifted over the weathered gate. Soon a stooped old ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠man appeared, leaning on a walking stick.

"Who's there? No one comes looking for me uninvited…"

Kang Yeon clasped his hands in a polite martial salute.

"I am Kang Yeon, a cook from the West Lake Number One Inn. I've come seeking the native West Lake ducks you raise, Elder."

The old man's eyes flashed sharply.

"Ducks? Hmph. Young man, I no longer sell these ducks. So turn around and go home."

Kang Yeon fell silent for a moment in thought, then spoke again.

"Elder… do you happen to know a man named Jo Hwan?"

"Eh? Jo Hwan? Don't tell me… the youngest of the Jo family?"

The old man's expression softened.

"So you're that boy's son. No wonder you looked familiar."

Kang Yeon smiled.

"Not his son, Elder. We've met a few times, though. I'm a cook who works alongside him."

"Is that so? Ahem… these old eyes of mine are getting dim."

The old man cleared his throat and returned to his gruff tone.

"Anyway, I don't sell ducks anymore, so be on your way. When you get back, give Jo Hwan my regards."

"There is a cooking duel at West Lake Plaza today. The pride of West Lake is at stake. With your ducks, Elder, I wish to show everyone the true taste of this place."

The old man studied Kang Yeon for a long while, then turned away.

"Follow me."

On the path toward the duck pens, the old man spoke slowly.

"These ducks are special. They grow eating water plants found only around West Lake. That's why their meat and flavor are nothing like ordinary ducks."

By the pond, ducks with glossy plumage paddled lazily. They looked truly well cared for; their condition was excellent.

"The ducks look so happy."

The ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠old man's eyes widened as he looked at Kang Yeon. Then, little by little, he began to talk.

"Long ago, when West Lake was still poor, these ducks were a precious food reserved for holidays. But now…"

Regret colored the old man's voice.

"Now no one seeks them out. Everyone only wants expensive mountain and sea delicacies."

Kang Yeon gazed at the pond as he answered.

"Then today I will revive that precious tradition."

"And what do you plan to cook with my ducks?"

"The most traditional dish I can. A dish that focuses entirely on the taste of the ingredients themselves."

The old man held Kang Yeon's gaze for a long time, then nodded.

"Very well. Take a few. But…"

"Yes, Elder. Please speak."

"Bring out their true flavor properly. These aren't just any ducks. They are the history of West Lake."

Kang Yeon ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bowed deeply.

"I give you my word."

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Meanwhile, West Lake Plaza was already packed shoulder to shoulder.

"Everyone! The cooking duel of the century is about to begin!"

Baek Un-seong's booming voice rolled across the square. At one of the two cooking stations prepared on either side, Jin Seol-hyang had already arrived and was arranging her ingredients.

"If this is for West Lake's finest, only the very best will do."

West Lake was one of the Central Plains' most celebrated cities of pleasure, filled with inns that showcased every kind of cuisine imaginable. Jin Seol-hyang had called the place the countryside, yet she could not help feeling impressed as she looked around.

Bird's nest, abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin.

The onlookers gasped at the ingredients laid out on display.

"Whoa, those ingredients alone must cost more than a hundred silver taels."

"She gathered all of that in such a short time?"

"As expected of Baek Mi-ong's disciple."

Jin Seol-hyang checked her knives with a confident expression. Just then Kang Yeon appeared, carrying something wrapped in cloth.

"Forgive me for being late."

He set the bundle on his cooking station and unwrapped it. Inside were a few ducks, some green onions, and a single small jar. That was all.

"Huh? That's everything?"

"The ingredients look so shabby…"

Whispers rose ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the crowd. Jin Seol-hyang glanced at Kang Yeon's ingredients and curled her lip in a sneer.

"You intend to challenge me with mere ducks? How amusing."

Kang Yeon gave no reply and simply began examining the ducks. His gaze grew serious.

"Then let us begin!"

At Baek Un-seong's signal, both of their hands began to move.

Swish, swish, swish!

Jin Seol-hyang's knife work was dazzling. She cleaned the bird's nest with exquisite precision and sliced the abalone paper-thin; the spectators cheered.

"Look at that! Her knife is dancing!"

The dish she had prepared for this day was Eight Treasures Immortal Soup—a soup of the immortals in which eight supreme ingredients came together. Because it used so many components, balancing their flavors was extremely important. Yet Jin Seol-hyang understood the character of each ingredient perfectly.

"I'll show you my finest cooking."

In contrast, Kang Yeon's cooking was so understated it made people tilt their heads.

Thuk. Thuk.

His handling of the ducks looked ordinary. Light and unhurried, his expression remained utterly calm. But if one watched carefully, every angle at which he removed the bones and every direction in which he cut the meat was perfect.

Few people, however, could recognize that.

"What's that guy even doing? He just looks like he's prepping a duck."

"The ingredients are plain and the method is ordinary… Is this going to be all right?"

More and more eyes drifted toward Jin Seol-hyang. Only Baek Mi-ong continued to watch Kang Yeon steadily, taking in every movement of his hands and occasionally letting out a soft murmur of admiration to himself.

"If he's going to cook like that, why bother with a duel?"

"Even if he is from the West Lake Number One Inn, this time looks rough."

Then Kang Yeon spoke.

"Do any of you know of the native West Lake duck?"

The quiet plaza began to stir.

"Native West Lake duck?"

"Is there such a thing?"

As he carefully dressed the bird, Kang Yeon continued.

"Long ago, when West Lake was not yet as prosperous as it is today, the people here raised these ducks and ate them only on holidays or for ancestral rites."

West Lake, nestled against its vast lake, had always been rich in ducks. What began as the hunting of wild ducks had eventually grown into the practice of raising them.

Kang Yeon opened the jar. A deep, rich scent of fermented sauce spread through the air.

"This sauce is a traditional paste made only in West Lake. Nothing but soybeans and the pure water of West Lake goes into it."

Among the spectators, the eyes of the older elders brightened.

"That's right! We used to eat that when we were children."

"But these days no one makes it anymore…"

As West Lake flourished, every manner of lavish cuisine had filled the city. The duck dishes their ancestors once ate had faded from people's memories. Of course people still ate duck; they simply no longer followed the traditional methods that Kang Yeon was using now.

Kang Yeon laid the duck on the grill.

Sizzle.

A savory aroma began to rise. There were no special seasonings—only the duck's own fat rendering as it roasted.

"The ingredients are not glamorous. They are not expensive. This is not a dish that requires elaborate technique. You simply brush on the traditional sauce and roast it well, like this."

As he spoke, Kang Yeon grilled the green onions in the duck fat. The onions sizzled, releasing a delicious fragrance that stirred the crowd's appetite.

Kang Yeon looked around at the people and gave a quiet smile.

"This is the taste the people of West Lake have eaten for generations."

Amid that calm resonance, Jin Seol-hyang finished her Eight Treasures Immortal Soup. In the clear broth the eight ingredients floated like jewels.

She glanced at Kang Yeon's dish and spoke with confidence.

"Well? This is the true high cuisine worthy of representing West Lake."

The fragrant steam of the soup drew sighs of admiration from the onlookers.

And then—

Kang Yeon's roast duck was finished as well. Golden-brown duck, grilled green onions, and a small dish of sauce. That was everything.

Baek Un-seong turned to Baek Mi-ong, the sole judge.

"Will you taste them, Master?"

Baek Mi-ong rose and first tried Jin Seol-hyang's dish.

"Mmm… Excellent, as expected. The harmony among the ingredients is perfect. You've made a truly fine dish."

At her master's praise, Jin Seol-hyang's face lit with triumph. She shot a sideways look at Kang Yeon and lifted her chin slightly, as if to say, Well? Kang Yeon remained unperturbed beneath that gaze.

"Then I suppose I must taste the next dish."

Next was Kang Yeon's roast duck. Baek Mi-ong picked up a piece, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it. In that instant his eyes flew wide open.

"Ahh… this is…"

A dual taste—clean yet rich with fat—seized his tongue. The traditional sauce, carefully brushed on and lightly charred by the fire, was in perfect balance. If there was ever a flavor utterly faithful to the ingredients themselves, this was it.

As if entranced, Baek Mi-ong took another piece of the duck.

"Yes. This is the taste!"

When Baek Mi-ong finished tasting, Baek Un-seong began distributing portions to the people nearby. One West Lake resident who tasted Kang Yeon's dish let out a cry of wonder.

"Good heavens. This is the taste my grandfather used to roast for us every holiday."

An elderly man lifted a piece of the roast duck with trembling hands. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.

"To think I would taste this again…"

Other residents of West Lake began tasting one after another.

"Jin Seol-hyang's cooking is delicious too! Truly luxurious!"

"But Kang Yeon's roast duck is… how should I put it? Like coming home."

"Exactly! This is the true taste of West Lake!"

The mixed evaluations gradually filled Jin Seol-hyang's face with confusion. Then she strode over to Kang Yeon.

"May I try some?"

Kang Yeon grinned.

"Of course."

Jin Seol-hyang took a bite of the roast duck and her expression went blank with shock. For a long moment she could only stare at him in silence.

At last Baek Mi-ong began to announce the result.

"Both dishes are excellent. However…"

The plaza fell quiet. Everyone already sensed what would come from Baek Mi-ong's mouth, yet they waited all the same.

"The value of a dish is not the price of its ingredients. It is the story it carries, the heart it conveys, the tradition it continues… That is true value. And this contest was about creating the finest flavor using the ingredients of West Lake's Number One."

Baek Mi-ong smiled as he looked at Kang Yeon.

"Young Master Kang used the finest ingredients of West Lake to awaken something precious in all of us today—the fading taste of West Lake, and the story of West Lake."

Baek Mi-ong's words were, in effect, a declaration of Kang Yeon's victory. Jin Seol-hyang pressed her lips tightly together, then slowly bowed to him.

"I… lost."

There was no longer any arrogance in her voice.

"I was foolish to judge the value of ingredients only by their price. Thank you… for showing me the true taste of West Lake."

Kang Yeon smiled and held out a piece of roast duck together with a grilled green onion.

"Try it with the grilled onion. They taste even better together."

Jin Seol-hyang accepted it and ate. Wonder spread across her eyes.

"It really is… a special flavor. Not flashy, but deep."

The West Lake Gourmet Alliance soon brought out wine and food into the plaza. They had prepared in advance, knowing a large crowd would gather. As they distributed the food and drink they promoted both the alliance and their respective inns, and the square quickly took on the air of a festival.

People sat in circles and began sharing the food.

"What a fine spectacle we had today!"

"To think our West Lake still held a treasure like this!"

The free-flowing wine and food had the atmosphere in full bloom when Baek Mi-ong approached Kang Yeon, who was packing up his cooking station.

"Young man."