E19 - The Feelings Entrusted to the Duck

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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
SIGN    Chrysanthemum Tower
[00:04] Luan
    The sacred cooking contest to determine
    which chef will cook for the prince
[00:10] Luan
    will now begin!
[00:14] Mao
    I refuse to lose to you, Zhu Qi!
[00:18] Zhuqi
    Please go easy on me, Mr. Super Chef.
[00:22] Luan
    First, the subject and judge
    of this contest shall be—
[00:25] Meili
    Wait, please.
[00:32] Mao
    M-Mei Li!
[00:34] Luan
    What is it, girl?
[00:35] Meili
    Governor Luan, forgive my insolence,
[00:40] Meili
    but for the battle between
    Guangdong Super Chef Master Mao
[00:43] Meili
    and Master Zhu Qi of Inner Mongolia...
[00:46] Meili
    I request that I be allowed
    to judge their contest.
SIGN    True Cooking Master Boy
[02:27] Luan
    Mei Li, do you understand
    how important this contest is?
[02:31] Luan
    To start, you're Mao's traveling companion.
[02:34] Luan
    Wouldn't your judgment be biased?
[02:38] Meili
    Master Mao is merely my traveling companion.
[02:40] Meili
    I have no further feelings for him.
[02:43] Meili
    Furthermore, I am the daughter of Zhou Yu
    of the Yang Spring Restaurant in Guangdong.
[02:47] Meili
    I swear by Heaven and Earth that my tongue
    will not be affected by any personal biases.
[02:55] Luan
    What a fortunate coincidence!
[02:57] Luan
    It just so happens that I have
    a terrible sense of taste!
[03:00] Luan
    And if it comes to it, I can dump
    all responsibility on this girl.
[03:05] Luan
    Very well!
[03:06] Luan
    Mei Li, I appoint you judge of this contest.
[03:10] Meili
    Thank you.
[03:14] Shirou
    Sis, what do you mean you're
    just traveling companions?
[03:17] Shirou
    What was all that time we spent together?
[03:21] Shirou
    Mao's gonna be too shocked to cook—
[03:28] Mao
    Thank you, Mei Li.
[03:30] Mao
    I've made up my mind.
[03:31] Mao
    Once I've cooked a dish
    tastier than Zhu Qi's,
[03:34] Mao
    for the first time, I'll be able
    to tell you how I truly feel.
[03:38] Mao
    I'll cook you a dish that
    will reach your heart.
[03:42] Mao
    All right!
[03:44] All
    He's really fired up!
[03:46] All
    That's it, Mao!
[03:47] Keling
    Keep it together, Mao!
[03:49] Shirou
    They're competing both for
     the right to cook for the prince,
[03:51] Shirou
    but also for Mei Li.
[03:54] Shirou
    Zhu Qi possesses some kind of
     strange power, though.
[03:57] Shirou
    It might be a struggle.
[03:59] Fei
    I wouldn't worry about that.
[04:00] Shirou
    Huh?
[04:01] Fei
    Nobody can compete with that spirit.
[04:05] Fei
    Just like I couldn't then.
[04:09] Shirou
    You're right. There's no way Mao will lose!
[04:12] Shirou
    You know what you're talking about, Mister!
[04:16] Zhuqi
    I can't believe you're judging this contest.
[04:21] Zhuqi
    But there's no turning back now.
[04:23] Zhuqi
    This must be fate.
[04:25] Zhuqi
    Forgive me, Mei Li.
[04:30] Luan
    I shall now announce
    the theme of this contest.
[04:32] Luan
    An ingredient as high-class
    as pork or chicken...
[04:36] Luan
    Duck!
[04:39] Shirou
    They're so big and round!
[04:42] Keling
    I've heard of these high-class ducks...
[04:45] Keling
    They're Peking ducks!
[04:47] Luan
    Indeed. I had the genuine article shipped
    in from Chengdu this morning.
[04:52] Luan
    You have two hours to cook.
[04:54] Luan
    You may use any and all ingredients.
[04:57] Luan
    Let the cooking begin!
[05:05] Mao
    All right. These will do.
[05:06] Keling
    He's choosing fat ducks
    with lustrous feathers.
[05:10] Shirou
    Mao's full of determination.
[05:12] Shirou
    How about Zhu Qi?
[05:17] Shirou
    He's so fast.
[05:18] Shirou
    He already finished removing the feathers
    and is starting to boil his duck.
[05:23] Zhuqi
    Here we go.
[05:25] Zhuqi
    You can't have duck without these.
[05:29] Shirou
    Century eggs?
[05:30] Keling
    What's he going to do with those?
[05:35] Man A
    He's crushing the yolk of the century eggs
    and mixing it into his dough?
[05:39] Man A
    Which means...
[05:40] Shirou
    Noodles.
[05:41] Shirou
    He's using century eggs instead
    of normal eggs as a thickener?
[05:45] Keling
    I'm not sure what's happening,
    but it's amazing.
[05:50] All
    His long chopsticks are stretching
    the noodles right before us!
[05:53] All
    Duck broth and century egg noodles!
[05:55] All
    A duck noodle dish
    featuring all kinds of duck!
[05:57] Zhuqi
    Watch this, Mei Li. This...
[06:01] Zhuqi
    is how I feel!
[06:03] All
    Showoff!
[06:05] All
    That's it, lady-killer!
[06:06] Zhuqi
    What do you think, Mao?
[06:09] All
    He's hanging his plucked
    ducks by their necks!
[06:12] All
    Which means he's making
    the quintessential duck dish!
[06:15] Mao
    Exactly.
[06:17] Mao
    China's most luxurious dish, Peking duck!
[06:23] All
    Peking duck...
[06:25] All
    The extravagance of roasting a whole duck
[06:27] All
    and consuming only the crisp fatty
    skin, discarding the interior.
[06:32] All
    The moment you stuff your mouth full of duck
[06:34] All
    wrapped in thin skins with onions
    and soy mash is supreme bliss.
[06:39] Shirou
    It's truly the most quintessential dish!
[06:41] Shirou
    Impressive as always, Mao!
[06:52] Fei
    This aroma...
[06:54] Fei
    This is no ordinary Peking duck, Mao.
[06:57] Mao
    Mei Li, you won't be disappointed
[07:00] Mao
    by my special Paradise Peking Duck!
[07:07] All
    Zhu Qi's ingenious duck noodles versus
    Mao's quintessential Peking duck!
[07:11] All
    Neither one is backing down!
[07:13] All
    What kind of Peking duck will you cook, Mao?
[07:17] Zhuqi
    You've become self-complacent, Mao.
[07:20] Zhuqi
    You're about to lose everything.
[07:24] Zhuqi
    That's right. Everything.
SIGN    Chrysanthemum Tower
[07:30] Luan**
    Time's up.
[07:32] Luan
    Chefs, have you finished cooking?
[07:35] Zhuqi
    Yup, I'm all done!
[07:37] Zhuqi
    Judge my dish first.
[07:41] Meili
    Why are you sticking
    your face right in mine?
[07:45] Zhuqi
    I want to see your cute look
    of surprise up close.
[07:49] Meili
    Don't try to flatter me.
[07:51] Zhuqi
    I know.
[07:52] Zhuqi
    Come on. Taste my noodles
    before they get soggy.
[07:58] Zhuqi
    Zhu Qi's special Sunshine Dandan Noodles!
SIGN    Sunshine Dandan Noodles
[08:01] Meili
    It's... It's beautiful...
[08:02] Zhuqi
    I modeled it after your
    sunflower-like qualities.
[08:07] Shirou
    He's using tricks she'll fall for again.
[08:10] Meili
    What are the petals made of?
[08:13] Zhuqi
    Ground duck breast and steamed duck feet.
[08:18] Zhuqi
    It's a Zhu Qi original.
[08:20] Meili
    D-Duck feet?
[08:27] Meili
    The texture is so soft and springy!
[08:30] Meili
    Have these always tasted so good?
[08:32] Zhuqi
    Now try some of that mashed fish
    underneath the sunflower with the noodles.
[08:38] Meili
    O-Okay.
[08:44] Meili
    The noodles are endlessly rich
    and powerfully springy.
[08:48] Meili
    It's the power of the century
    eggs he mixed in.
[08:51] Meili
    The mashed fish was fried
    with plenty of chili bean paste,
[08:53] Meili
    and the rich duck broth soup
    comes oozing out.
[08:57] Meili
    It's a luxurious dish that allows you
    to fully experience all the duck's flavors.
[09:01] Meili
    It's ideal for Szechuan-style
    imperial court cuisine!
[09:05] Luan
    Impressive. I'm sure the prince
    would enjoy it, as well.
[09:12] All
    Nice work, Zhu Qi!
[09:13] Zhuqi
    This multi-layered duck dish expresses
    the depth of my love for you, Mei Li!
[09:22] Shirou
    Damn that Zhu Qi...
[09:24] Shirou
    He's getting ahead of himself.
[09:26] Fei
    His dish is certainly excellent,
[09:29] Fei
    but it's too ordinary a dish
    to compete with Mao.
[09:32] Fei
    Could Zhu Qi be up to something?
[09:38] Luan
    Next, Mao.
[09:44] Mao
    Mei Li, I made this dish
    as both a Super Chef
[09:48] Mao
    and a man after your heart.
[09:56] Mao
    Liu Maoxing's special Paradise Peking Duck!
SIGN    Paradise Peking Duck
[10:02] Keling
    How is that Peking duck, Mao?
[10:04] Mao
    They're special steamed dumplings made only
    from stuffed Peking duck wings.
[10:11] Keling
    I see. Peking duck is typically
    eaten by wrapping it in thin skins.
[10:16] Keling
    He reversed the idea by wrapping
    the ingredients inside the skin.
[10:20] Shirou
    What effect will it have?
[10:35] Meili
    It's delicious. Truly.
[10:39] Meili
    The juices ooze out of the duck
    you used for the dumpling skins.
[10:44] Meili
    They're perfectly steamed,
    but they haven't lost their crispiness.
[10:48] Meili
    The stuffing uses vegetables
    such as the mushrooms
[10:50] Meili
    and Manchurian rice
    Szechuan is famous for.
[10:52] Meili
    The rich flavor of the duck is presented
    with an excellent texture.
[10:57] Meili
    Then there's this aroma.
[10:59] Meili
    The sugar water you used to glaze
    and season the duck
[11:03] Meili
    is mixed with the smell of fruit.
[11:06] Meili
    Pineapple, lychee, peach.
[11:10] Meili
    They draw out the flavors of the duck
    in a refreshing and lustrous manner.
[11:16] Meili
    I alone understand, Mao.
[11:20] Meili
    I know the meaning behind
    this dish you made as a man.
[11:25] Meili
    I know why you used these fruits.
[11:29] Meili
    When the restaurant was closed,
    we ate pineapple on the beach.
[11:30] (Flashback) Mao
    This looks just like your hair.
[11:32] (Flashback) Meili
    Oh, come on.
[11:34] Meili
    We secretly ate lychee together on the roof.
[11:38] (Flashback) Mao
    Happy birthday, Mei Li.
[11:38] Meili
    On my 15th birthday, you made
    sweet buns filled with peach.
[11:44] Meili
    This is the sweet and sour
    fragrance of paradise
[11:48] Meili
    that we'd left behind in our
    homeland of Guangdong.
[11:51] Meili
    I understand the weight of all the precious
    moments we spent together, Mao.
[11:58] Meili
    I hear you loud and clear.
[12:03] Meili
    You entrusted your feelings to this aroma.
[12:07] Meili
    Mao, thank you.
[12:12] Mao
    Mei Li...
[12:16] Shirou
    Jeez. Those two are always causing trouble.
[12:19] Shirou
    If Mao wins this contest,
    that'll settle the issue.
[12:37] Mao
    Mei Li!
[12:43] Mao
    Mei Li. Wake up, Mei Li!
[12:45] Zhuqi
    Mei Li!
[12:46] Shirou
    Sis!
[12:48] Zhuqi
    Move!
[12:49] Zhuqi
    She's got a fever, and her pulse is weak.
[12:52] Zhuqi
    Keling, get a doctor!
[12:54] Keling
    Got it.
[12:58] Keling
    Mei Li, hang in there.
[13:01] Mao
    Mei Li!
[13:02] Zhuqi
    Mao.
[13:05] Zhuqi
    These mushrooms you put in your dumplings...
[13:08] Zhuqi
    You know what these are, don't you?
[13:11] Mao
    They're hen-of-the-woods, obviously.
[13:14] Zhuqi
    This is no laughing matter, Mao.
[13:17] Zhuqi
    They look similar, but these
    are east Asian brown death caps.
[13:20] Zhuqi
    They're poisonous mushrooms!
[13:23] Mao
    You're lying!
[13:24] Mao
    I can tell the difference
    between hen-of-the-woods
[13:26] Mao
    and east Asian brown death caps!
[13:28] Mao
    I made sure I was using the right ones.
[13:32] Mao
    This tingling sensation...
[13:37] Mao
    No. That's impossible...
[13:41] Zhuqi
    Hen-of-the-woods and east
    Asian brown death caps.
[13:45] Zhuqi
    Amateurs often confuse the two.
[13:47] Zhuqi
    But it's not a mistake a chef should make.
[13:50] Zhuqi
    Mao, you don't deserve to cook
    for the prince, much less be a chef!
[14:07] Shirou
    Mao!
[14:08] Fei
    Wait.
[14:09] Shirou
    Huh?
[14:11] Fei
    There's something I want to ask you.
[14:20] Mao
    I checked. I know I checked.
[14:24] Mao
    I checked over and over that they
    weren't east Asian brown death caps.
[14:37] Mao
    I've lost everything.
[14:46] Mao
    Mom, I can't keep going.
[14:52] Mao
    If it's going to hurt this much...
[14:55] Mao
    If it's going to be this painful,
    I can't keep being a chef.
[15:02] Mao
    I don't deserve to wear
    this Super Chef's crest.
[15:09] Fei
    You're still just a kid.
[15:14] Fei
    You're playing into the enemy's hands.
[15:18] Mao
    What are these?
[15:20] Fei
    The chopsticks Mei Li used.
[15:22] Fei
    They're coated with a slow-acting poison.
[15:24] Mao
    Poison?
[15:25] Fei
    Mei Li had been using these chopsticks
    since she tasted Zhu Qi's dish.
[15:31] Fei
    The poison finally started
    to affect her after she ate your dish.
[15:37] Fei
    Think about it.
[15:40] Fei
    Who would've thought to use her chopsticks
[15:43] Fei
    and had the opportunity
    swap your hen-of-the-woods
[15:46] Fei
    for east Asian brown
    death caps and frame you?
[15:51] Fei
    It's Zhu Qi.
[15:54] Mao
    Zhu Qi?!
[15:57] Mao
    Who are you?
[16:02] Mao
    Fei.
[16:04] Fei
    It's good to see you again, Mao.
[16:09] Narration
    Said to be China's most difficult
    and fiercest battle,
[16:13] Narration
    Guangdong's previous Super Chef Test.
[16:17] Narration
    Only two participants defeated numerous
    other chefs and passed the test.
[16:22] Narration
    Praised as stars who would someday
    shake the world of Chinese cuisine,
[16:28] Narration
    both were boys still in their teens.
[16:32] Narration
    One was Liu Maoxing, while the other...
[16:39] Narration
    was Lan Feihong.
[16:41] Narration
    After an entire year, the heavens
    have reunited these stars.
[16:49] Mao
    Fei, what are you doing here?
[16:51] Fei
    I'm currently a member of the kitchen
    staff accompanying the prince.
[16:56] Mao
    What? Which means...
[16:58] Fei
    That's right. I cook
    in the emperor's kitchen.
[17:02] Mao
    That's amazing!
[17:04] Mao
    You've already become a court chef, Fei!
[17:07] Fei
    Save your admiration for later.
[17:10] Fei
    I came running when
    I heard a cooking contest
[17:12] Fei
    was being held at the Chrysanthemum Tower.
[17:15] Fei
    I wasn't expecting to see
    you throw the match.
[17:21] Mao
    But, Fei, I refuse to believe
    that Zhu Qi poisoned Mei Li.
[17:25] Mao
    This contest happened
    because he fell in love with her.
[17:30] Mao
    Poisoning her in order to win would be
    putting the cart before the horse.
[17:34] Fei
    That's why I said you're still just a kid.
[17:37] Fei
    Think carefully on Zhu Qi's actions.
[17:42] Fei
    He entered the Chrysanthemum Tower
    and took your spiritual home from you.
[17:47] Fei
    He made advances on Mei Li
    in order to upset you
[17:51] Fei
    and challenged you to a cooking contest.
[17:53] Fei
    Finally, he framed you
    during your competition.
[17:59] Mao
    No...
[18:00] Mao
    But why?
[18:01] Fei
    You still don't get it?
[18:03] Fei
    He has only one goal:
[18:05] Fei
    to destroy Liu Maoxing the chef
    beyond any hope of recovery.
[18:11] Fei
    You nearly fell for his plan.
[18:16] Fei
    It should be obvious what kind of
    person would be willing to use Mei Li
[18:20] Fei
    to accomplish that goal.
[18:23] Mao
    I see. So that's how it is...
[18:27] Mao
    I'm a fool.
[18:29] Mao
    Why didn't I notice who
    Zhu Qi truly is until now?
[18:37] Mao
    Fei, you saved me again.
[18:40] Fei
    I'm just making sure you keep your promise.
[18:44] Fei
    We swore we'd face
    each other again at the top.
[18:53] Fei
    Endlessly battling against you is my destiny.
[18:57] Fei
    It's my dream.
[18:58] Fei
    And it's also the promise
    I made to Master Bei.
[19:03] Fei
    Mao, if you're defeated here, I won't
     be able to keep pursing my dream.
[19:09] Mao
    Fei...
[19:14] Mao
    Thank you.
[19:15] Mao
    I'll challenge Zhu Qi to another contest.
[19:25] Fei
    What a troublesome kid.
[19:28] Fei
    Your little chick is about to
    take flight again, Master Bei.
SIGN    Chrysanthemum Tower
[19:41] Zhuqi
    Are you serious?!
[19:43] Zhuqi
    You think I'd accept that?!
[19:48] Zhuqi
    What, you're back?
[19:50] Zhuqi
    What's the meaning of this?!
[19:52] Zhuqi
    Explain yourself!
[19:54] Mao
    What are you talking about?!
[19:56] Shirou
    Mao, huge news!
[19:58] Shirou
    Mei Li regained consciousness
    and gave her judgment.
[20:02] Shirou
    She said you won!
[20:04] Mao
    Why?
[20:06] Zhuqi
    Don't play dumb.
[20:07] Zhuqi
    You nearly killed the judge.
    How could you win?!
[20:11] Zhuqi
    I knew you were working together.
[20:13] Zhuqi
    You put on this farce in
    an attempt to set me up!
[20:17] Mao
    No, we didn't do that.
[20:19] Mao
    Things must have been hardest for Mei Li,
[20:24] Mao
    but she trusted me and my cooking.
[20:29] Mao
    Thank you, Mei Li.
[20:31] Zhuqi
    Are you listening to me?!
[20:33] Zhuqi
    I won't accept this.
[20:34] Zhuqi
    No matter how you look at it,
    I won this contest!
[20:39] Zhuqi
    What?
[20:40] Fei
    You can have Mei Li's chopsticks back.
[20:45] Zhuqi
    Could it be?
[20:46] Fei
    If you refuse to accept her judgment,
    then there's only one way to solve this:
[20:50] Fei
    with a rematch.
[20:53] Fei
    The subject will be duck once again.
[20:55] Fei
    We'll have Governor Luan judge the contest.
[20:58] Luan
    What? Who are you?
[21:02] Zhuqi
    Yeah! Who do you think you are?!
[21:05] Fei
    I am the emperor's Dragon Chef Lan Feihong.
[21:10] Fei
    I will oversee this contest.
[21:13] Luan
    D-Dragon Chef?!
[21:15] Luan
    The one said to be
    the imperial court's top chef?
[21:20] Luan
    As you wish!
[21:23] Zhuqi
    I don't believe this.
[21:25] Zhuqi
    Not only did they figure
    out the chopsticks,
[21:27] Zhuqi
    but a Dragon Chef has shown up.
[21:30] Zhuqi
    Just when I'd finally driven
    him to the breaking point...
[21:40] Mao
    Zhu Qi.
[21:41] Mao
    You're one of the Cooking Underworld's
    Five Tiger Stars, aren't you?
[21:47] Zhuqi
    H-He even figured out who I am.
[21:52] Mao
    Now that I know,
[21:55] Mao
    I won't show mercy.
SIGN    Next Time
SIGN    "Like the Phoenix"
[23:57] Narration
    "Like the Phoenix."