The Chef

Author：Chang Chao
Publisher：Crown Culture Corporation
Published Date：2010

【Synopsis】

The end of the Ming Dynasty was marked by internal turmoil and external threats. The eunuchs gained unprecedented power over the state affairs. What worsened the situation was the emperor's adoption of loose control over much of the empire which was subsequently turned into a lawless land where Dong-chang, the eunuch-controlled, imperial military secret police agency and Jingyiwei, the secret polices became the sole and ultimate interpreters of the laws.

One day, a disturbance broke out at the celebrated restaurant “Yi Wei Tang” in Guangdong province. A man of Miao ethnicity from Guangxi was attacking a dart-throwing hired thug from the north, spilling a bowl of the restaurant's signature soup of which the recipe was passed down through generations. This was when an apprentice chef named Ruei stepped in, astonishing everyone with his excellent kung-fu skills. The northern thug was hired by Eunuch Cheng from Dong-chang to steal the Miao man's stone statue, which was handed down through his family over generations, so that Eunuch Cheng could present it to the superstitious harem.

After the incident, Ruei knew he could no long stay in “Yi Wei Tang”, for this would endanger the life of the Chief Chef. At the same time, rebel leader Li Zicheng seized the capital city of Beijing, leading the Ming Emperor Chongzhen to committed suicide. Chief Monk Ju Jiouyuan of the Changsheng Monastery in Sichuan province conspired with Eunuch Cheng to took advantage of the power vacuum in the capital city by installing their own puppet emperor. Ruei decided to stop the conspiracy by returning to his birthplace which was indeed the Changsheng Monastery where he had been unjustly accused by Monk Ju of a crime that led to his expulsion.

Along his journey for justice, Ruei encountered many colorful characters with hidden kung-fu skills, including athletic mountain villager Sai Liushing, enigmatic chess player Jian Renlung, and the heir of divination “Qi Men Dun Jia” Master Fu. These people lent their helping hands to Ruei at critical moments, while Ruei also uncovered the secrets of his birth through them.

Master Fu was later revealed to be Ruei's maternal grandfather. Ruei's mother Tsuei Shing was driven to insanity by none other than Monk Ju who turned out to be Ruei's father! Without knowing the identity of the suspect responsible for his daughter's abuse, Master Fu took her daughter to the village and sent Ruei away to the monastery to learn kung-fu while hoping the suspect would reveal himself along the way.

In order to secure his full control of the empire, Eunuch Cheng decided to have Monk Ju ascend to the throne and proposed an immediate arrangement of the royal wedding. Ruei's childhood sweetheart Tsai Yi was chosen to be the next empress. In despair, Tsai plotted a suicide attack by sewing bombs beneath her undergarment, causing a serious injury to Monk Ju. Meanwhile, there suddenly came an ape-like female sniper who fanatically attacked Monk Ju. It was revealed later that the sniper was indeed Ruei's mother Tsuei who, despite her derangement, her grave hatred for Monk Ju had never ceased.

With Ju's life hanging by a thread, the unclear situation in the lowland was compounded by Eunuch Cheng's defeat by Ruei. Eunuch Cheng decided to fled the scene in search for the next candidate for the throne...