“Leave this to me,” Xie volunteered. “My daughter-in-law will keep a close eye on things. As long as we find a little something to hold against them, we’ll take them down.”
“I believe you,” Jiang Nuan patted her shoulder, “then it’s up to you.”
She discovered that her second daughter-in-law was not only strong in combat but also exceptionally sensitive, able to detect even the slightest abnormality.
"I guarantee it will be handled perfectly!" Xie patted her chest and assured her.
“Mother,” Wang’s gentle voice interrupted the two, “You’ve had a long morning, go back to your room and rest. We’ll take care of today’s meals.”
“Learning the rules together isn’t easy for anyone,” Jiang Nuan pondered for a moment, “Let the eldest brother and his brothers help with today’s meal.”
Washing the dishes only occasionally seems a bit too lenient for the kids.
I didn't go out to work today, so it's only right that I help with the cooking.
“I’ll go tell them,” Kim’s urgent voice rang out, “I’ll go right now.”
He left immediately after saying that.
The sisters-in-law were all trying to impress her, which made Jin feel a sense of urgency.
After Jiang Nuan noticed these things, she sighed inwardly but said nothing.
Appropriate competition can promote progress, as long as it doesn't affect the relationship. Let's leave it at that for now.
When Jin arrived, Huang Xiaosan was being whipped. Hearing her husband gasp for breath, she immediately ran over and asked, "Husband, are you alright?"
"It's nothing," he smiled nonchalantly, "It just hurts a little, but it won't affect my movements."
She paused, then asked, "Why are you here? Are you done?"
“Mother asked me to come and call you to cook together,” Jin said, lowering her head guiltily. “I thought you would be treated the same as us.”
Without comparison, there is no harm. Seeing Huang Xiaosan being beaten, Jin Shi finally understood how good Hong Gu was.
"Cook together?" Huang Xiaosan subconsciously looked at Fang Qianhu. "We're not done yet."
"That's enough for now, we'll continue this afternoon," Fang Qianhu said, though he was a bit rigid, he wasn't inflexible. "You all go and help...cook."
Towards the end, his tone became strange.
Since ancient times, gentlemen have kept their distance from the kitchen. It is rare to see a family where men would voluntarily enter the kitchen. He would only cook when he was forced to because he was on a military campaign.
Although I don't reject it, I find it very novel.
"Commander Fang, you should go and rest in the backyard too," Old Huang said very politely. "You've been a great help this morning."
“No need,” Fang Qianhu pointed to the door, “I cannot leave my post without permission.”
"Then how will you eat?"
"There's dry food!"
After saying this, he strode away and returned to his previous position, standing straight at the door.
"Watching them eat dry rations," Huang Lao Er touched his nose, "isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
“Definitely,” Jiang Chao’s lips twitched slightly. “They’re already at our doorstep, and you still expect them to eat dry rations? That’s inhuman!”
Huang Lao Er glanced outside the door. "So many people. Do we have enough food at home?"
"Didn't Mother say someone would deliver the ingredients? It's almost noon, why hasn't it arrived yet?"
No sooner had he said that than there was a commotion outside the door, and four people came over carrying two wooden frames.
"Young masters, this was sent by Eunuch Qi. It was purchased according to His Majesty's allowance. It's all fresh, but since this place is quite remote, some ingredients were not available here, so other ingredients were used as substitutes."
"Thank you for your trouble," said Boss Huang, taking the bag and tentatively asking, "I see a huge crowd outside the door, how many are there?"
The visitor didn't hide anything, saying, "A little over a hundred."
"Okay, I understand. You can go ahead and get back to work."
"It's not easy to cook for more than a hundred people," Huang Lao Er said with some worry. "We'll have to make several pots."
“We have two big iron pots at home that can be used to boil people, you can use those.”
"Where are the bowls and chopsticks? This isn't enough, is it?"
"We can use what we have left for now, and let them go out and buy the rest themselves."
"Alright."
After the brothers discussed and agreed on the plan, they carried the basket to the backyard.
Huang Xiaosi and Huang Xiaopang followed behind listlessly.
The two children had been experiencing setbacks all morning and had no energy at all.
The side rooms in the front yard.
As soon as Hong Gu returned, she saw Yun Gu leisurely playing with her paintings.
"Young lady."
"Hmm?" She frowned. "What is it?"
When Yun Gu is painting, she doesn't like to be disturbed.
"I have violated the taboo of the master's family, and I may be rejected."
"What taboo?" Yun Gu didn't turn around, nor did she stop what she was doing. "What did you do wrong this morning?"
"This morning, the master learned the rules from me."
"I know that, anything else?"
"The host is learning the rules!"
"What's wrong?" Aunt Yun stopped what she was doing. "Is there a problem?"
"Don't you understand?" Hong Gu said, trembling. "We've been living a really comfortable life these days, eating fine pastries and drinking fragrant tea. Apart from doing some chores to pass the time, we've spent the rest of our time lying in bed fattening up..."
"And then?" Yun Gu didn't react. "Is there something wrong with it?"
“Sister,” Hong Gu asked, biting her lip, “have you forgotten that we are just tutors invited by the master family, not the masters of this house?”
Upon hearing this, Yun Gu froze, her face turning pale. "What? Is the master going to hold us accountable?"
"Not yet," Hong Gu said dejectedly, "I feel it's not far off."
It's all her fault for being so short-sighted, blinded by the good life she was living. She hadn't enjoyed any happiness in her life, and once she became comfortable, she forgot all about her responsibilities.
"It shouldn't be," Yun Gu tried to reassure herself, "The master hasn't said anything in all these days."
“That’s because they don’t know the taboos,” Hong Gu buried her head in her hands. “I will have to teach them these things sooner or later, what am I going to do?”
"Could we," Yun Gu bit her lip, "hold off for now?"
She realized the seriousness of the situation.
Not to mention that getting past the Huang family would be difficult, if word got out, their reputations would be completely ruined.
To enjoy wealth and honor that is not rightfully one's own without having rendered any merit is not only an overreach of the rules, but also a tantamount to deceiving one's master.
"How can we drag them out?" Hong Gu was completely panicked. "Look at those people at the door, will dragging them out do any good?"
"No way," Aunt Yun stood up abruptly, "Everyone has a role to play in this, why should only we care?"
They're all seasoned veterans; who doesn't know these tricks of the trade?
"That's right, they were involved too. Let's go find them!"
In another room, the accountant was half-reclined on the bed reading a storybook, occasionally letting out a soft laugh, while the old scholar frowned as he pondered his own writing.
Outside the door, Yun Gu's voice rang out: "Grandpa, the three of you come out for a moment, I have something to discuss."
"What is it?" the old scholar asked, displeased. "You interrupted me just as I was getting into a train of thought."
This was the essay he was preparing to submit to a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations.
"Important matter!"
After uttering those two words, Yun Gu fell silent.
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