SailorStar9: Well, I've uploaded Chapter 6, and here's Chapter 7. So, read and review. Come on boys and girls, is it so hard for you to leave a review other than putting this on your favorited lists and alerts?

Disclaimers: Me no own, you no sue.

Chapter 7: Dirty Trap! Cornered Mao

"Mao, aren't our dumplings ready?" Mei Li urged, seeing the plates over at the Dumpling Brothers' stall pile up.

"No, I'm starting to fry them now." Mao replied. "Okay, they're ready." he lifted the wok cover.

"Our fight has just began." Mei Li remarked, the others taking a quick taste test of Mao's fried dumplings. "What is this?" she exclaimed. "It tastes awful!"

"What?" Mao gaped. "It can't be... why is this...?" he took a bite.

"This is why." Chouyu replied, scooping up the pot of sauce with a ladle.

"This doesn't taste right." Ya Xue stated, dipping a finger into the ladle to taste the liquid.

"This isn't what I prepared." Mao agreed, tasting the sauce.

"What's going on, Mao?" one of the chefs asked.

"I don't know." Mao admitted. "I've never made anything like this."

"It must be them!" Mei Li glared at the Dumpling Brothers. "I've had enough! I'm going to complain to the Canton Chef Association."

"Forget it." Chouyu stopped the rest of the staff. "We have no evidence."

"We can still make it." Mao declared. "We just have to start over again." he poured out the spoiled sauce. "Whoever they are, and whatever they do, in order to defend my pride as a chef, I'll beat them through cooking."

"We'll do our best too." Mei Li beamed, seeing the two Szuchuanese go back to the wok.

"You cooked the dumplings the way I expected, Mao." Chouyu remarked, giving the finished dumpling a taste.

"Can I have one?" Master Lo Wen inquired, having been rejected by the Dumpling Brothers.

"Sure." Mao blinked. "Welcome. Please eat them without dipping them in the sauce."

"Without dipping them in the sauce?" the aged Master echoed. "They look so simple, unlike the dumplings from the other stands. But they smell good. Let me try. I see." he took a bite. "I've got it. I know the secret of the aroma that I noticed awhile ago. You used soup instead of water when frying."

"Yes, you're right." Mao was surprised. "I wanted to add some flavor to the skins too. I used broken pork bones to make a bone marrow soup."

"So the aroma I smelled was the scent of the soup." Master Lo Wen mused. "Just as I thought. This dumpling definitely won't need any sauce, just as you said. The soup penetrates well into the skin, giving it a savory flavor. But that isn't the only thing you did. The skin is neither stick nor powdery. This light texture... you mixed something extra into the dough."

"What did you put in, Mao?" Mei Li asked.

"Mao-sama had me use..." Ya Xue stated.

"A yam." Master Lo Wen finished the sentence.

"You're right..." Ya Xue blinked in astonishment, bringing out the leftover yam.

"I thought so." Master Lo Wen nodded. "Now, let me try one more. Every time I eat a dumpling, I taste and discover something new. The filling is meltingly smooth. Flavorful juice fills my mouth every time I chew. Its spiciness stimulates my tongue. The secret of this is... that." he pointed to a plate of lard cubes.

"You're right." Mao concurred. "That's pork back lard marinated with chili oil. I mixed it in the filling, and it melts a the dumpling is heated. The lard moistens the entire filling and spreads the spiciness evenly."

"I see." Mei Li realized. "That's why it disappears by the time the dumplings are cooked."

"They look like ordinary fried dumplings at a glance." Master Lo Wen smiled. "But they have many layers of secrets to satisfy those who eat them. The wonder of fried dumplings is drawn out so much. I've never eaten anything like this before."

Who is he? Mao wondered.

This intensity... Ya Xue saw the sheer power hidden behind the aged Master's eyes. Could he be...

"It was very good." Master Lo Wen put down the empty plate. "Thank you very much. You seem to have quite a palate. Then, may I have one more? Drat, they found me." he sighed when a troop of government officials knelt before him. "Would you guys like some ,too? It's good."

"The governor-general of Canton ordered us to escort you." the leader stated. "He didn't want you to come here without proper protection, Master Lo Wen."

"Master Lo Wen, I didn't know you were here." Elder Kuan knelt before the aged Master.

"Chouyu-san, who is that old man?" Mao stammered.

"He oversaw the Emperor's kitchen long before Admiral Lee." Chouyu explained. "He's the legendary authority in China's cooking society, Master Lo Wen. After he quit his government position, he disappeared. It seems he had been traveling China, searching for good dishes and chefs. I never expected to see him here."

"You're Karao, right?" Master Lo Wen turned to the elder of the Dumpling Brothers. "Have you ever thought about what the diners actually want? I asked for one more dish, not because I was hungry. But because, just like Mao's, your cooking was truly good. And you rejected me. I felt very sorry for that. Let me tell you clearly; you better adjust your attitude as a chef before you call yourself a chef."

"Okay, lets catch up to them!" Mao beamed, the crowd having shifted over to the Yousen Shuka stall after Master Lo Wen's recommendation.

"What are we going to do?" Elder Kuan wondered behind the heavy curtain after it was announced that the Dumplings Brothers had tied with Yousen Shuka. "This has never happened before."

"Why don't you do it again?" Maser Lo Wen suggested. "I apologize for making impertinent remarks to the tournament sponsor, Elder Kuan. No one will ever be happy even if we tried to differentiate their dumplings. I would like to eat their dumplings one more time." he stepped up on stage. "How's that?" he addressed the crowd. "What do you think, everybody? I guess it's settled." he nodded as the crowd roared in agreement.

"Good." Elder Kuan stepped up. "The Dumpling Brothers and Yousen Shuka will compete again tomorrow."

"However," Master Lo Wen silenced the crowd. "I want them to compete with dumplings different from the ones they cooked today. It would be boring to eat the same thing again. That's my only reason."

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.