Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 746 - 745 Let Tang Monk Eat Good Food

"As long as you slept well, that’s good, Master. Please, try our special dishes here," Chen Nuo pointed at the dishes on the table, "Knowing that the Master is an ascetic who cannot eat meat, we’ve even substituted the oil with vegetable oil, so you can eat with confidence, Master."

"In that case, thank you very much, Master," Xuanzang bowed to Chen Nuo, and then everyone began to eat with chopsticks.

When the meal was nearly finished, a few servants arrived, carrying plates covered with lids to the table. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Chen Nuo lifted his chin, signaling the servants to place the dishes on the table.

After all the covered plates were set down, Chen Nuo lifted the lid on one of them, revealing neatly arranged pastries. The moment the lid was removed, steam escaped, indicating that these were freshly made.

"Master, our family is in the pastry business. These pastries have a long shelf life, so we often sell them to the surrounding countries, and we travel frequently between them," said Chen Nuo, as he proceeded to uncover the rest of the plates, "These pastries can be served to guests and used as provisions, which is why so many people buy them. Our family’s fortunes grew because of these pastries."

Xuanzang admired the pastries, which were exquisitely designed, and being freshly made, they still carried the unique aroma innate to pastries. As an ascetic, even he found them delightful, to say nothing of other people.

"Come, Master, please try this chestnut cake, it’s especially delicious when it’s fresh," Chen Nuo pushed a plate of pastries toward Xuanzang.

Since they were offered with such insistence, there was no need for undue courtesy—it was just a pastry, after all.

Xuanzang first expressed his thanks to Chen Nuo, then picked up a piece of the chestnut cake, preparing to take a bite, but was stopped by his disciple.

"Master, you should not eat this pastry," said the Six-Eared Macaque.

Xuanzang’s hand, carrying the cake to his mouth, paused. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t eat it, instinctively thinking the other might be a demon, but looking at that man with the appropriately smiling face, how could he possibly be a demon?

"Wukong, what are you doing?" Xuanzang looked at the Six-Eared Macaque, waiting for an explanation.

"What’s the matter, young Master? Why can’t the cake be eaten?" Chen Nuo tilted his head, looking at the Six-Eared Macaque.

He knew the reason the Six-Eared Macaque was stopping Xuanzang; it was nothing more than the eavesdropped conversation from the night before. Because the chestnut cake was made with lard, and Xuanzang, being an ascetic, could not eat meat, he thus wanted to prevent Xuanzang from doing so.

The dishes on the table were made by local chefs; Chen Nuo, having difficulty searching for good dishes, naturally did not prepare the food for them.

Sun Wukong’s dishes had already been consumed by them; hence, if Sun Wukong were to make the food, they might have discerned his cooking.

Furthermore, the local cuisine had its unique regional characteristics. To replicate them would require a day or two to learn, but Chen Nuo was here for the Magic Artifact, so why would he actually take the time to study cooking?

The pastries were made by chefs he hired, and indeed, they had just been prepared that morning. Chen Nuo had even told the chefs when making the pastries to avoid using animal fat, suggesting they use butter or vegetable oil instead.

Chen Nuo had been considerate, something the Six-Eared Macaque could not have known.

He had merely eavesdropped at a corner and learned that their family did business making pastries with lard. Therefore, when the pastries were served, he assumed that the pastry offered to Xuanzang was also made with animal fat.

His blocking Xuanzang from eating was instinctual, but explaining it would be troublesome.

He certainly couldn’t tell the host that he had been eavesdropping the previous night, heard that their pastries were made with meat, and stopped his master from eating because he couldn’t consume meat.

Thus, the situation became awkward, as the Six-Eared Macaque thought about how to explain, while Chen Nuo and Xuanzang waited for his explanation.

"Uh, the thing is, these pastries are all made with meat fat, and my master is an ascetic who can’t eat meat, not even meat fat," the Six-Eared Macaque, after much thought, could only come up with such an explanation.

But such an explanation really was somewhat feeble, since when you already know that an ascetic can’t eat meat, and you’ve specifically instructed the cook to prepare vegetarian dishes, using vegetable oil for stir-frying, of course, you would consider these things when making the pastries as well.

As expected, Chen Nuo smiled and explained to the Six-Eared Macaque, "Little Master, your worry is really unnecessary. Didn’t I just tell you that our pastries are specially made to be long-lasting? Otherwise, why do you think this pastry is freshly made, rather than taken directly from the storeroom?"

Xuanzang gave the Six-Eared Macaque a helpless look, "Wukong, you’re really making a mountain out of a molehill."

Though he was complaining, he didn’t blame him; after all, his disciple was thinking of him in this matter.

Now, it was because this donor was thoughtful, and had considered all these details, that such a mistake was avoided. But had he not thought of it, that meat fat could have indeed been eaten by him.

"Sorry, I indeed made too much of a fuss," the Six-Eared Macaque said with embarrassment.

"Don’t worry about it. It’s just the Little Master being attentive to his own master. Being able to pay attention to such things—if it were me, I really wouldn’t have thought about them. Great Master, you shouldn’t blame your disciple for this; after all, he truly had your best interests at heart."

Xuanzang replied, "This disciple of mine is just a bit too straightforward, but his heart is very kind."

"That is certainly true, otherwise he would not have been taken as a disciple by the Great Master," Chen Nuo picked up where Xuanzang left off.

Xuanzang smiled, "Donor speaks the truth."

During the meal, Chen Nuo insinuated, "Great Master is traveling to the Western Heaven for scriptures, will you be traveling westward all the way?"

"Yes, westward all the way, until the Western Heaven," Xuanzang answered.

Chen Nuo muttered to himself, and then acted as if he had just realized, "Then Great Master, are you planning to go to Wusizang Country next?"

Xuanzang nodded, not thinking too much about it, still assuming that Chen Nuo had figured it out on his own, "We are heading towards Wusizang Country."

"What a coincidence!" Chen Nuo laughed, "Our family business, you see, has always had dealings with the surrounding countries, mainly relying on neighboring countries for purchases."

"Just recently, I received a letter from a friend in Wusizang Country. He said that one of the royal relatives there tried our pastries and found them exceptionally delicious, wanting to buy a lot. I was just planning to head in that direction in a few days, never expected the Great Master and your party would be heading there as well."

The Six-Eared Macaque, listening to Chen Nuo’s words, furrowed his brow and scrutinized him. If you talk about coincidence, it indeed seemed coincidental, but whether this was truly a coincidence or a feigned one was uncertain.

If their original target had been them, and this coincidence happened only after hearing where they intended to go, then it wouldn’t actually be a coincidence.

Chen Nuo, as if oblivious to the Six-Eared Macaque’s suspicion, said to his servants, "Quick, don’t tidy up the Great Master’s room. Let the Great Master stay for a few more days, and then we’ll set off for Wusizang Country together."

Xuanzang paused, not expecting this person to take such initiative. He hadn’t even spoken, and the arrangements had already been made for him.

"Donor, I..." Xuanzang began, with no intention of departing with Chen Nuo.