He went to the capital, to the residence of the Minister of Works.
Madam Cheng gripped the armrests tightly, struggling to support her swaying body. She swallowed the metallic taste in her throat with difficulty, and pointed at Granny Cheng with trembling eyes, "You...you say it again, what...what did Yuan'er do?"
Granny Cheng lowered her head, unable to bear looking at Madam Cheng's expression, and whispered, "The eldest young master sentenced the young master of the Pei family to beheading. Now, the young master Pei's body has been transported back to Yuzhou."
Finally, Mrs. Cheng couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed into her chair, trembling all over: "How could he... He only committed arson, and no one was killed. Even the greatest crime should only result in exile. Why... Why! Why did he do this! Why!"
"Did he even consider my feelings as his mother? I am his own mother, his own mother! For another woman, he didn't hesitate to let his own mother be blamed and cursed by her relatives. Is his heart made of stone? Tell me, why did he do this! Why?!"
Madam Cheng clutched tightly at the hem of Granny Cheng's clothes, on the verge of collapse.
Granny Cheng gently patted Madam Cheng's back, pursed her lips, and said, "Madam, there is something I'm not sure if I should say."
Madam Cheng looked up at Granny Cheng with tearful eyes, speechless before tears streamed down her face.
"Madam, I think the eldest young master may have remembered something, otherwise why would he be so resolute?"
Madam Cheng trembled. "You mean...? Yuan'er and that woman might be old acquaintances?"
If she hadn't remembered their past relationship, why would she be so furious at Pei Wang's actions?
“That woman… she’s a menace! I can’t let her stay by Yuan’er’s side any longer! Someone, someone!” Cheng suddenly shouted.
Granny Cheng said anxiously, "Madam! The most urgent matter is how to resolve the conflict with the Pei family. Have you forgotten what the old lady said?"
As she pounded the chair, Cheng broke down in tears, crying, "How can I face my mother now?"
Granny Cheng lowered her voice and said, "Madam, you need to understand one thing right now: you are a member of the Fu family, and the Old Madam is a member of the Cheng family. Although the Pei family is your maternal family, they are not that close to you. You need to think about the future for the Eldest Young Master! What will you do if the Pei family keeps pressing you? The Old Madam is your own mother, and she will definitely argue with the Pei family for your and the Eldest Young Master's sake. You need to think carefully about how you will handle this!"
Cheng's crying gradually subsided. She gripped Cheng Mama's hand tightly and murmured, "Yes, the Pei family will definitely not let Yuan'er go. They will definitely put pressure on my mother. I want to go back. I want to see my mother!"
A horse-drawn carriage carried Madam Cheng hurriedly to the Cheng residence.
But this time, she was turned away.
The servants in the mansion told Madam Cheng that the old lady was not receiving guests or anyone else.
Madam Cheng pounded on and kicked the gate of the Cheng residence, cried and made a scene, disturbing passersby.
The steward of the manor could no longer bear to watch, so he went to inform them again, and finally welcomed Madam Cheng inside.
"Mother, Mother! You must help your daughter this time!" Cheng cried out as she rushed over and hugged Old Madam Cheng.
Madam Cheng looked at her expressionlessly, her gloomy eyes scrutinizing her no longer young but still foolish daughter for a moment before slowly closing her eyes.
"Mother, you can't abandon me and Yuan'er. Yuan'er is my only child. You are my own mother. You can't just stand by and watch your uncle force your daughter, can you?"
“Mother, Wang’er’s situation can’t be entirely blamed on Yuan’er. He just…”
Old Madam Cheng interrupted Madam Cheng: "Are you trying to say that although you asked your cousin to help you get rid of that country woman, you didn't let him hurt anyone or set fires!"
"You still want to say that Yuan'er was just upholding the law impartially, without showing favoritism, and that it was understandable to put aside family ties for the greater good!"
"You still want to say that Wang'er is already gone, and we can't let Yuan'er go down with her too? As her mother, I should persuade the Pei family to prioritize the bigger picture!"
Madam Cheng stared blankly at Old Madam Cheng, wanting to say something, but lowered her head and didn't dare to utter a sound.
The moment her daughter lowered her head, Madam Cheng had already looked away, and said calmly, "Back then, for my daughter's sake, I didn't hesitate to drag the entire Cheng family down to pave the way for her. Now, for your son's sake, you've caused chaos in the Fu family, the Cheng family, and even the Pei family. It's true what they say, karma is swift!"
Madam Cheng bit her lip, her eyes gleaming, and said, "Mother, I only have one son. Please have pity on your daughter's hardships all these years and help me! The Pei family is large and powerful, with many children and grandchildren. My uncle has more than just Pei Wang as a grandson!"
Old Madam Cheng said coldly, "Do you know why I refuse to see you?"
Cheng kept her lips tightly pressed together and remained silent.
Old Madam Cheng lowered her eyes and closed them, unwilling to look at Cheng Shi even once more.
"Pack your things, and come with me to Yuzhou in three days."
No matter how unwilling Madam Cheng was, three days later she still set off with Old Madam Cheng and boarded a ship bound for Yuzhou.
After Madam Cheng left, Concubine Li was taken back to the Minister's Mansion by the steward to temporarily manage the affairs of the inner quarters of the mansion on behalf of the mistress.
When Aunt Li saw Fu Ting again, her eyes no longer held the scheming and affection of the past.
Across the artificial hill, Aunt Li gracefully curtsied to Fu Ting.
Fu Ting walked up to her and stopped, offering a hand to help her up. He said calmly, "If Chen'er can stay peacefully in the Imperial Guard, with his abilities, he can be promoted to a sixth-rank official in the capital in three to five years. That would be the greatest blessing in your life! Take care of yourself. He is the only one who truly belongs to you!"
Aunt Li's eyelashes trembled slightly as she softly said, "Thank you, sir. I will remember your instructions and will not dare to forget them."
Fu Ting nodded slightly. When they reached the artificial hill, Aunt Li stepped forward and said hurriedly, "Sir, Sister Mei... wrote me a letter years ago. It should be within the territory of Yuzhou, near the mountains and the sea. Why don't you...?"
Fu Ting reached out to stop Aunt Li, without saying a word.
Amidst the turmoil of the world, Jiang's Private Kitchen in Chongqing opened for business.
The flyers have been distributed for five days, and posters of all sizes have been plastered all over the busiest streets and most crowded places in Yuzhou City, making it dazzling to look at.
No restaurant in Chongqing has ever advertised its signature dishes with pictures and text. That's blatantly letting people peek at your dishes by looking at your brochure!
Therefore, while some restaurants became wary of Jiang's private kitchen, they also dismissed him without a second thought, thus not considering him a worthy opponent.
Amidst the anticipation of countless people in Chongqing, Jiang's Private Kitchen has been presented to the people of Chongqing in an unconventional, flamboyant, and glamorous way.
There are no grand fanfares, but there are light songs and dances you've never seen before; there are no fireworks, but your senses of sight, smell, and taste are treated like never before; there is no discrimination based on gender or status, but you can enjoy aristocratic treatment and service, and you'll feel the urge to spend a fortune.
Here, you can fully understand what "God" means.
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