Chapter 563 Concerns

Lin Yuesha returned to the main kitchen with white tea and Longjing tea. The cooks were already performing their duties and had begun the final step in the process.

"Leave it, I'll do it."

Lin Yuesha rolled up her sleeves and was about to step forward when she was stopped by Yao Dajia, the head of the kitchen. Yao Dajia said very politely, "Miss Yuesha, if you are not feeling well, you might as well rest for a while."

Since Lin Yuesha was brought back to the manor, Lin Yue'e's position has been awkward. In order not to offend anyone, Yao Da's wife is very clever and addresses her by her name directly. This way, she won't offend Qin Shi and outsiders won't find fault with her.

Lin Yue'e insisted that this older sister's cooking skills had amazed the Prince's Palace Flower Appreciation Banquet. Yao Dajia outwardly agreed, but inwardly she was very disdainful. How could a little girl compare to someone who had been in the kitchen for over twenty years? She figured that it was probably a trick Lin Yue'e used to make things difficult for this older sister who had taken over the position. She even instructed her to write down the recipe, but she carefully watched and listened and found nothing special.

"When Yue Sha first arrived at the manor, she always made pastries by hand to show her respect to Madam and to me, her younger sister."

Lin Yuesha saw dried fruit in small jars on the kitchen shelf and decided to make melon seed shortbread. It would be fragrant, crispy, and sweet but not too greasy, making it a perfect snack for women.

"Then you can do it over there."

Yao was afraid that Lin Yuesha might have bad intentions and cause trouble, so he assigned Lin Yuesha to a corner, and the two sides did their own thing, and they lived in peace.

About half an hour later, Xiao He, the maid, came to the kitchen. When the stepmothers saw her, they immediately tensed up, their expressions became slightly abnormal, and they showed some resistance.

Lin Yuesha glanced around casually and immediately understood that the kitchen staff were all from the Qin family.

That makes sense. Madam Qin had been the mistress of the household for over a decade, and her family held a high position. She was the only one who could have the final say in the mansion, and many of the servants in the Lin family were brought from the Qin family.

"Young Miss, what are you doing in the kitchen?"

Xiaohe was shocked to see Lin Yuesha and said, "You are the eldest daughter of the family, you should never lift a finger, how can you do such servant's work?"

Yao Daren glanced at Xiao He sideways, cursing the little hussy inwardly. She acted as if she weren't a servant. Just because she came from the south and had some connection with the master, she was arrogant. The Madam was in charge of the Lin household; sooner or later, she'd sweep this little hussy out of the mansion and sell her to some cheap, destitute place.

"It's alright, I'm used to doing these things. Besides, I've only just arrived at your residence and haven't done anything for my father and grandmother yet, so I don't know how to fulfill my filial duties."

With help arriving, Lin Yuesha was instantly energized, as if she had been injected with chicken blood.

Everyone in the mansion called her Miss Yue Sha, but only her grandmother, Old Madam Lin, and her maid, Xiao He, acknowledged her status as the eldest young lady.

“If you have such good intentions, then spend more time talking to the old lady. There’s no need to do these menial tasks.”

Xiao He revealed a faint smile, her delicate face instantly becoming charming. She was indeed a flower at eighteen, more vibrant and lively than Qin Shi, no wonder Lin Shusheng was so fond of her.

Out of consideration for their pride, the two haven't gotten together yet, but Lin Yuesha estimates that it won't be long.

"Oh my, isn't this little Hehe?"

Yao Dajia is too lazy to listen to Xiao He's flattery of Lin Yuesha. One is a country bumpkin from the south, and the other is from the north. They come from different places, but they are both incredibly rustic country bumpkins.

"The old lady dislikes us for being too clumsy and not serving her well enough. She insists on keeping you by her side. If you leave the courtyard, who will the old lady ask to serve her tea and water?"

It's no wonder that Yao Dajia spoke in a sarcastic tone. Her daughter, Baixiang, also worked as a maid in the Lin family. A while ago, she was sent by the madam to work for the old lady, but she was kicked out after only one day.

Grandma Lin disliked Baixiang for not being able to speak the southern dialect and for being clumsy. She would break a teacup herself and then blame it on Baixiang, causing Baixiang a lot of grievances.

Yao Dajia cursed Old Madam Lin behind her back, but dared not go against her master. However, Xiao He was different. She was just a maid, and a thorn in the side of Madam Qin, so she had no scruples.

"Aunt Yao, the old lady hasn't seen the master all day and misses him very much. She heard that the master is staying at the yamen tonight, so she plans to bring him some food."

Xiaohe carried Grandma Lin out and came to the kitchen to take a look. Everything was Grandma Lin's idea.

"The pastries are quite nice; why don't we pack a plate of them and send them over?"

Xiao He winked at Lin Yuesha, then turned around and spoke to Yao Dajia. Just as she finished speaking, Qin Shi and Lin Yue'e appeared together at the entrance of the main kitchen.

Upon hearing that Xiaohe had come to the kitchen, Qin felt that the naughty girl was up to no good. Sure enough, that old hag in the inner quarters was up to her old tricks again.

“Mother, what did I say? This slut clearly wants to use our things to do favors, and then try to get into bed with us.”

Lin Yue'e was very certain, and squinted at Xiao He, saying, "She can't leave the Lin residence on her own, so she brought up the old lady. You have no reason to stop her."

Filial piety comes first. Old Mrs. Lin is a deity in the Lin family. It's easy to invite a deity but difficult to send one away. It's impossible for her to return to the south. Old Mrs. Lin has long been prepared to settle down in the capital.

"That old woman wants to see your father, and your mother won't stop her, but the journey may not be smooth. Do you think they can get to the Jingzhao Yin's office without any trouble?"

Qin Shi curled her lips into a cold smile, revealing her true thoughts at that moment.

Lin Yue'e was startled. Her mother was very possessive. There wasn't even a concubine in the mansion. Her mother had planted spies around her father. She had also followed her father before, so she was sure that her father didn't have any mistresses outside.

The young maid, Xiao He, made no attempt to hide her desire to climb into bed. She spoke to her father with flirtatious glances, her body almost pressed against him.

Such a person would definitely not survive more than three days in the Lin family mansion.

Unfortunately, Xiaohe was Old Madam Lin's person and served the old lady on a daily basis, so her mother couldn't find an opportunity to make a move.

"Mother, I understand. This time, we'll make sure they never return."

The Lin residence was not far from the Jingzhao Yin's office, but a lot could happen along the way.

"My daughter, what are you thinking about?"

Qin patted Lin Yue'e's head. She meant to trip them up, but not to kill them. Even though Qin wanted to get rid of the two, she had her concerns.

“If the old woman dies, according to the regulations of the Great Qi, your father will have to observe the mourning period, send the old lady’s remains to the ancestral home, and observe the mourning period. This back and forth will take a long time.”

The position of Prefect of the Capital cannot be left unattended. If Scholar Lin is in mourning, it is uncertain whether he will be able to continue in his official position upon his return.

Therefore, Old Mrs. Lin cannot die; not only can she not die, but she must also live well so as not to hold her son back.

"You're just too impatient. Mother isn't in a hurry. Let's take it slow."

Qin taught her daughter that in this situation, the first thing to do is keep an eye on the person. It doesn't matter how much Lin Shusheng lusts after Xiao He's body; as long as he can see her but can't have her, that's enough.

Men are like that; they're only interested in what they can't have. However, Madam Qin would never indulge her man; she was determined to make sure that Lin Shusheng would never get to have him in his entire life.