Chapter 14 When the young master shows this smile, get excited!
On the third day, the kitchen stopped serving food altogether, clearly intending to let Chen Chu go hungry.
Shen Chu handed the silver note to Hong Xiu, "Go buy a roast chicken, and some braised duck intestines that I love. Also, have Tonghelou send in a table of food and wine."
"Buy more, let the whole mansion know we've gone out to buy some good food."
At noon, Hongxiu reported: "The Marquis had his men take away all the cash and banknotes from the concubine's room, saying that she is not allowed to secretly give money to the young master."
The Marquis went to the First Madam's courtyard again, and the concubine cried even more bitterly.
Shen Chu sneered, "Hongxiu, go and bring out all the spoiled food we've been saving. Come on, let's go to the main kitchen."
Hongxiu's eyes lit up, and she turned around to bring in the food box that was placed at the door.
It was finally her turn to shine.
The guard at the door reached out to stop Chen Chu, "The Marquis has ordered that the eldest son be confined to his quarters to reflect on his mistakes."
Hongxiu kicked the two guards away one by one.
"Go to hell."
Shen Chu smiled.
Hongxiu had learned martial arts with her since childhood, and her skills were no weaker than hers.
The master and servant went straight to the main kitchen.
Granny Yang, who was in charge of the kitchen, was standing with her hands on her hips, directing the servants to prepare lunch.
Upon seeing Chen Chu arrive, he slightly raised his chin and gave a perfunctory curtsy.
"It's not even lunchtime yet, and the young master is already so hungry he's come looking for food himself. Anyone who didn't know better would think... ahh!"
Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Chu grabbed her chin and poured a bowl of sour noodle soup down her throat.
"Mmm..."
Upon seeing this, the servants in the kitchen rushed over to try to rescue Granny Yang, but were all instantly knocked down by Hongxiu.
After finishing a bowl of sour noodle soup, Chen Chu let go of his hand.
Granny Yang lay on the ground, retching and cursing, "You heartless bastard..."
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Chu stomped on his face, squeezing his mouth into a circle, turning his curses into muffled whimpers.
"I don't like listening to nonsense. Tell me, who ordered you to feed me spoiled food?"
Granny Yang lay on the ground, wailing and crying, "It's a miscarriage of justice! The food I prepared for each household and courtyard was the same. How come the eldest young master's food was spoiled?"
Instead of checking the servants in his own courtyard, the eldest son came to the main kitchen to cause trouble.
If this delays the lunch prepared for the Marquis and the Old Madam, can the eldest son bear the responsibility?
Chen Chu chuckled and turned to look at the ginseng chicken soup simmering in the large pot, and the braised pig's trotters cooking on the stove next to it.
"Hongxiu, pour it in."
"Yes, young master!"
Hongxiu immediately opened the second food box, and a foul, rancid smell mixed with a stench hit her.
Many of the servants who were lying on the ground clutching their stomachs and groaning were instantly vomited by the stench.
Hongxiu remained unfazed, carrying out a bowl of soup and pouring it into the ginseng chicken soup and braised pig's trotters respectively.
The originally fragrant ginseng chicken soup and braised pig's trotters suddenly became indescribably delicious.
Granny Yang was shocked. "That was lunch prepared for the old lady and the marquis. How dare you, young master?"
Shen Chu sneered, "Since you don't know what's going on, then let all the masters in the manor taste the food you've carefully prepared."
"Mrs. Yang, have you thought this through? It's almost lunchtime. With a meal like this, who do you think can save your life?"
Granny Yang's expression changed drastically in an instant. She secretly winked at her confidante, signaling her to go and fetch reinforcements.
Helpless, Chen Chu hooked a chair and sat by the door, preventing anyone from getting out.
Looking again at the stove, Hongxiu stood there with her arms crossed, blocking the way. Remembering how this girl had kicked two or three people away with one kick, everyone obediently lay on the ground, not daring to move.
Granny Yang was extremely anxious. Lunchtime was fast approaching, and if she didn't prepare the meal on time, it would be a dereliction of duty on her part.
She regretted that she had acted hastily and sent spoiled food to Chen Chu.
Shen Chu is, after all, the eldest son. Even if he does something wrong, he won't lose his life no matter how much he's punished.
But it was different for her, a servant.
"I'll give you one more chance. Who in the manor ordered you to feed me spoiled food?"
"Is the household now so poor that they can't even afford to eat?" Shen Chu's voice was somewhat cold.
Granny Yang's eyes darted around, and she quickly cried out, "The eldest young master has only recently returned to the capital and doesn't know the situation in the manor. Our family has had a very difficult time these past few years."
The Marquis had given instructions early on to streamline the kitchen's meals. The masters were usually very frugal with their food and drink, and they were reluctant to throw away things that had been sitting for a long time. Sometimes, the food they made inevitably had a sour smell.
"This servant truly did not intentionally serve the young master spoiled food."
As soon as she finished speaking, a smile appeared in Shen Chu's eyes.
You've fallen for their trap!
Seeing her young master's familiar smile, Hongxiu couldn't help but rub her hands together in anticipation.
Whenever her young master showed that smile, it meant it was time for her to show off her skills.
Let's get hyped!
“Mother Yang said the household is out of money. Hongxiu, go to the accounting office and check carefully.”
"Alright, I'll definitely check the accounts carefully."
As soon as Hongxiu finished speaking, her figure had already floated outside.
Granny Yang's vision went black as she suddenly had a bad feeling.
Weren't we talking about dinner? How did we end up talking about the accounting department again?
At this moment, Marquis Changning strode in with a gloomy face, followed by an angry Chen Shi.
"You unfilial son! Qing Shuang is still your sister, how dare you force-feed her porridge filled with pebbles?"
As soon as Marquis Changning entered, he launched into a tirade against Shen Chu.
Chen looked at Shen Chu with eyes full of hatred, as if she wanted to tear her apart. "Chu, if you have any complaints, take them out on me. Your sister is weak and can't take this kind of abuse from you."
Shen Chu scoffed, "She's weak, so she can't eat stone porridge. I'm healthy, so I should eat stone porridge and spoiled rice?"
Chen's expression changed, and she was speechless with shock.
Marquis Changning frowned. "What spoiled food? Where can I find spoiled food?"
Chen's eyes darted away.
Shen Chu: "My father made me stay at home to reflect on my mistakes, which means he made me eat spoiled food every day to remember the bitterness of the past and appreciate the sweetness of the present?"
Marquis Changning frowned. "When did I ever say I would let you eat spoiled food?"
Shen Chu pointed to the bowl of spoiled rice that was left in the food box, "The kitchen has been feeding me spoiled rice like this for the past two days."
Marquis Changning's expression darkened slightly, and his gaze toward Granny Yang turned somewhat cold.
He knew about the servants' tendency to fawn over the powerful and belittle the weak, and he wanted to take this opportunity to teach Shen Chu a lesson.
But he never expected the kitchen to be so bold as to serve Shen Chu spoiled food.
"Aunt Yang, what's going on?"
Granny Yang knelt down with a thud and cried out, "My lord, my lady, I'm innocent! The meals I prepared for all the masters in the manor were almost identical!"
The vegetables I stir-fried the other day were only slightly blackened, but Aunt Qiao still brought people over and made a scene. How could I dare to mistreat the eldest young master?
This servant truly has no idea what happened to this spoiled food. The young master, without even asking what happened, led his men in and injured the kitchen staff.
They even poured the spoiled rice into the ginseng chicken soup and braised pig's trotters that the maids had prepared for the old lady and the masters.
I beg Your Excellency and Madam to do me justice.
Marquis Changning then noticed that almost half of the people in the kitchen were lying on the floor. Looking at Shen Chu, he saw him sitting on a chair with one leg propped up, looking like a reckless street thug.
Marquis Changning's face hardened. "It's just a case of the wrong meal being delivered. You could have just sent someone to tell them. Look at you, causing trouble for your sister and making a scene in the kitchen. Where is even a trace of the refinement of a scholar?"
Mrs. Chen sighed, "Mother Yang has managed the kitchen for many years and has never made a mistake. There must be something fishy about the food."
Ah Chu, if you have any complaints about the food, just come to me. Why go to all this trouble?
Marquis Changning's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Shen Chu with suspicion.
Chen Chu smiled and said, "The food has been spoiled for the past two days. I thought we were so poor that we couldn't afford to eat, so I came to the kitchen to ask."
But Madam Yang said that the household was indeed facing difficulties, and the mistress had even said she wanted to reduce the food, clothing, and other necessities of all the masters.
Marquis Changning frowned and looked at Madam Chen.
Madam Chen was in charge of the household affairs, but he rarely interfered in matters concerning the inner courtyard.
Chen's expression stiffened slightly. "There are indeed some difficulties with the accounts, and I do have the idea of cutting back on food, clothing, and other necessities."
Shen Chu responded with an "oh," her smile growing even brighter.
"Father, don't worry, I've already sent someone to check the accounts."
Chen's expression changed, and her voice became sharper: "What?"
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