She has to eat this bowl of dumplings? Ha!

Good manners are for those who value etiquette.

Regardless of who is behind the painting, there's no need to give them face.

Xie Zhaozhao put down her chopsticks and said to Ruhua, "This bowl of dumplings is a reward for you. Eat it and I'll give you fifty taels of silver."

Manman and Yuanyuan also noticed the problem. Manman picked up the dumpling with a grin and stuffed it into Ruhua's mouth: "Sister Ruhua, this is a gift from my wife, you can't refuse it."

Ruhua repeatedly declined, then said with an awkward laugh, "Please spare me, Third Madam. If I were to take advantage of your good fortune, how could I possibly survive?"

Xie Zhaozhao smiled faintly and said to the old lady and Tu Shi, "This bowl of dumplings was brought by Ruhua. I didn't touch it and gave it to her. Mother and sister-in-law don't have any objections, do they?"

Madam Lu was green with envy. She was given fifty taels of silver just for eating a bowl of dumplings for Xie Zhaozhao? This was like a windfall!

She wanted to eat it all.

Ru Hua didn't dare to eat it at all and kept making excuses.

Manman was furious and said, "Ruhua, how dare you refuse your master's reward?"

Yuanyuan shouted, "Or is there poison in this bowl of dumplings you brought?"

The word "poisonous" startled everyone, causing them to stop eating and stare in their direction.

The old lady was even more furious and said, "Ruhua, what are you doing making excuses? Eat the dumplings."

The commotion inside attracted the attention of those outside, and Gu Shaoyu strained his ears to listen to his wife's voice.

When he heard Xie Zhaozhao order Ruhua to eat the dumplings, he said from outside with an air of authority, "Mother, whoever brought the dumplings, eat them!"

He then ordered Yuan Yuanman: "Put two dumplings out of Madam's bowl and show them to me."

Yuanyuan used her chopsticks to transfer two dumplings into a small bowl and presented it to Gu Shaoyu. Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, the old lady shouted at Ruhua, "Eat them, or your father, mother, and brother will all beat you to death."

Gu Chengyan also said, "Ruhua, what's so special about a big pot of dumplings? Your third aunt is telling you to eat, so just eat. This is a blessing, you should accept it."

With no other choice, Ruhua, resigned to her fate, ate a bowl of dumplings in front of everyone.

She had expected to die from poisoning after eating it, and was prepared for stomach aches and headaches, but—

It didn't hurt at all, and it felt incredibly comfortable. I felt dizzy and soft, as if I were seeing an endless garden and a gentle spring breeze!

Her parents said to her, "We don't have to be servants anymore. We have our own yard now. Look how big it is."

In a daze, she saw Gu Chengyan gently say to her, "Ruhua, I have always loved you..."

Ruhua appeared languid and dreamy in public, displaying a multitude of alluring charms.

The women present were all experienced, and even the maids understood the situation quite well.

There was indeed poison in these dumplings, the kind that makes people look ridiculous.

Xie Zhaozhao angrily said to the old lady, "Mother, the manor must give me an explanation. Why was my bowl of dumplings poisoned?"

The old lady was furious. She and Madam Lu ate dumplings. Except for Ruhua, everyone else was perfectly normal.

Need I say more? The conspiracy is aimed at Xie Zhaozhao.

Gu Shaoyu was outside "dissecting" his own bowl of dumplings and Xie Zhaozhao's two dumplings.

This is the first meal of the Lunar New Year. We eat vegetarian dumplings in the morning, which symbolizes "eating vegetarian food and not eating meat." Not eating meat means not getting angry or upset, and having a peaceful and carefree year.

The vegetarian dumplings at the Hou Mansion were made by slicing raw radishes, blanching them, squeezing out the water, chopping them, and adding dried tofu, dried vegetables, chopped beans, chopped vermicelli, and so on. Gu Shaoyu spread out all the ingredients in the dumplings and called over the cooks from the main kitchen to identify them one by one.

The cooks in the main kitchen were almost terrified. The dumplings had caused a disaster, and they were even specifically targeting Third Master and Third Madam. They were going to die.

Before getting married, Grand Secretary Gu almost never ate in the mansion. After the marriage, a small kitchen was opened in Qingpu Courtyard. When he went to the main kitchen, he would take some food from the servants or bring some dishes with him. Everyone else cooked their own meals.

The only New Year's meal they had was dumplings, which turned out to be poisoned, and they were all terrified.

The cook identified more than a dozen kinds of fillings in front of Gu Shaoyu.

Gu Shaoyu's bowl was fine, but Xie Zhaozhao's bowl was the problem.

Each dumpling contains five or six tiny amber-colored particles, which are not noticeable unless you open them up and examine them carefully.

Even the cooks didn't know what this was.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, this was definitely not placed here by me. I have no knowledge of such a thing."

The cooks kowtowed desperately.

Gu Shaoyu tossed the small bits he had collected from the two dumplings to the cook: "Eat them."

The cook dared not eat it and kowtowed, begging for her life.

Zhang Qing, limping on one leg, led two servants to hold down the cook and stuff small grains into her mouth, forcing her to swallow.

Fifteen minutes later, the cook showed a happy expression.

Gu Shaoyu already knew what was going on.

He stood up and said to Gu Boyu, "Brother, investigate where these things came from. Give me an explanation. Also—"

Through the screen, he said to the old lady and Madam Tu, "Mother, sister-in-law, from now on, no one from the three branches of the family will eat in the main kitchen, nor will they use any ingredients from the main kitchen. My salary will be halved! The income from the estate and shops will be reported separately to Qingpu Courtyard."

After this incident, who would dare to eat dumplings anymore? Everyone went back to their own courtyards.

The old lady assured Gu Shaoyu and Xie Zhaozhao that she would investigate thoroughly.

"Third son, Ruhua plotted to harm her master. Just kill her or sell her off. Don't become estranged from your elder brother and sister-in-law. What do you mean by the third branch cooking separately and handing over half of their salary? I'm still alive. Do you want to cause trouble and divide the family property?" the old lady scolded.

Gu Shaoyu said seriously, "It has already reached the point where servants forced my wife to eat poison, and Mother is still using filial piety to criticize me? I would like to ask, Mother, how do you manage the household?"

Gu Shaoyu refused to budge an inch, leaving the old lady helpless. She asked Xie Zhaozhao, "Third Madam, I will personally investigate this matter and give you an explanation, okay?"

Xie Zhaozhao was almost poisoned, but she still upheld propriety and filial piety.

"Mother, if I were to eat that bowl of dumplings today, I would surely have nowhere to stay in this household. At home, one obeys one's father; after marriage, one obeys one's husband. I have no objection to the Grand Secretary's decision," Xie Zhaozhao replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Very well, you are quite filial, so you want to separate the kitchens? Fine, then! But you can't just hand over half your salary! How are you going to support such a large family if you don't give them money?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoyu smiled coldly.

“Mother, I have never spent a single tael of silver from the Marquis’s mansion since I was a child. All my food, clothing and daily necessities have been provided by my master.”

"I entered officialdom at the age of seventeen. All my salary, estates, and shops were given to the government. For more than ten years, I have not kept a single penny."

I even ate my daily meals in the palace, and every year when I presented treasures to His Majesty, my household never contributed a single tael of silver.

At most, half of the salary will be left to the household! If Mother disagrees, then we'll summon all the clan elders to judge the matter.”

He paused for a moment and then said calmly, "Mother, if you don't agree with my opinion, I will move out and build another house!"