Chapter 88: Fooling Jiang Yunshu
Jiang Shiyun was the first to pick up her chopsticks and taste it. "Delicious, delicious, even better than what I make or what Mingyue Tower makes, isn't it, second cousin?"
Cheng Qingmeng took a bite and savored it carefully. "It's crispy but not greasy, and the aroma melts in your mouth. My cousin's culinary skills will not only pass the test, but she will also be able to shock everyone in the future exams and get an A."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shiyun quickly took another bite and savored it carefully, and it was indeed true.
Cousin Meng is worthy of being a fourth-rank noble lady. She only knows how to say something is delicious.
"Cousin Meng." It was the first time Song Yu had been praised like this, and she was a little overwhelmed for a moment. "Is it really as you said?"
"Of course. I wonder how the peony fruit cake my aunt makes tastes?"
"Of course it tastes better than what I make."
Jiang Shiyun: "Then when can we taste my aunt's cooking?"
"Maybe I can have it at dinner. By the way, I can't say I can pass the entrance exam with just a peony fruit cake, right?"
Cheng Qingmeng said, "Cooking is just a minor skill. The main test is on music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Take the one you are best at. If you get a B grade, you can pass the entrance exam. What is your best skill, cousin?"
What are you good at?
She studied a lot of different things.
"My handwriting is pretty good. I took the exam for cooking and calligraphy that day. Cousin Meng is a fourth-rank noblewoman. Doesn't that mean she's the highest-ranking among her peers?"
Hearing this, Cheng Qingmeng frowned slightly and shook her head gently, "Du Zhihuan from the Weiyuan Marquis's family currently has the highest rank. She is a third-rank noblewoman."
She now feels that she loses in family background, but is no worse than Du Zhihuan in other aspects.
"She's so amazing, won't she be awarded the title of First-Rank Noble Lady when she reaches the age of marriage?"
Cheng Qingmeng pursed her lips tightly. "The Marquisate has put a lot of effort into preparing her, hiring many teachers to teach her. If she takes first place in every subject in the spring exam next year, it won't be difficult for her to be crowned a First-Rank Noblewoman. However, her cooking skills are average, and she's definitely not as good as my cousin."
Cheng Qingmeng was looking forward to seeing Du Zhihuan being humiliated because of her inferior skills.
"She's now engaged to a royal family member. If we run into her on the street in the future, we must greet her politely and not offend her. She's the darling of the Weiyuan Marquisate and we can't afford to offend her."
Song Yu took note that Du Zhihuan should not be provoked and should be kept away from.
"Cousin Meng, Cousin Yun, I'm new to the capital and don't know anything. In order to avoid bringing trouble to my parents, grandfather, and uncle, could you please tell me in detail about the temperaments, personalities, and family backgrounds of the noble ladies of each family, so that I won't run into trouble in the future."
"I know, I know, I'll tell you in detail..." Jiang Shiyun seemed to have opened a chatterbox, holding Song Yu's hand and talking incessantly.
Cheng Qingmeng didn't expect Song Yu to be so cautious. He was indeed taught by his aunt.
The news of my aunt returning to Beijing will spread quickly, and there will definitely be unpleasant rumors.
Even if my cousin performs well in Chaofeng Palace Academy, she may not be accepted by these snobbish ladies and may even be envied.
It is conceivable that Song Yu’s life in Beijing will not be easy in the future.
She can protect a few, but she is also a lady from the Earl's family.
If her father achieved merit and was granted the title of nobility, she would be a marquis's daughter and would be able to protect her cousin more.
"Miss." Bai Lan came in and leaned forward slightly. "Young Master Xiao Nuo is already waiting outside the courtyard. Should we let him in now?"
Song Yu looked at the two of them, "Cousin Meng, Cousin Yun?"
Cheng Qingmeng said, "Please ask him to come in."
After a while, Cheng Qingmeng and Jiang Shiyun saw that the visitor was also wearing a mask and looked at each other.
No way?
The sight of my cousin wearing a mask was enough to make them curious about her appearance.
Here comes another person wearing half a mask. Is there something wrong with his face too?
Hey, my cousin and Master Wen Nuo are really a perfect match.
Wen Nuo approached, took off his mask, and bowed to the two of them. "I am Wen Nuo, and I pay my respects to you two sisters."
Cheng Qingmeng and Jiang Shiyun were stunned for a moment.
They were wrong, Wen Nuo had no injuries on his face.
Is it just my cousin's face?
Young Master Wen wants to share the joys and sorrows with his cousin.
The two sisters immediately took a liking to Wen Nuo.
"Master Wen, please don't be so polite. My cousin has made a lot of cakes and they are still steaming in the steamer. The peony fruit cake is ready. Come and try it."
Wen Nuo straightened his chubby little body and said, "Thank you, sisters."
Wen Nuo put the mask on his face, but felt it was inappropriate, so he put it back into his arms. He walked to Song Yu in small steps and asked politely in a low voice, "Sister, can I have a taste?"
Song Yu looked at him in disbelief.
How come you changed your temper after not seeing me for just one day?
"Of course, there's still plenty for you to eat slowly."
Wen Nuo's quiet and polite demeanor didn't last long. When the plates of cakes were brought out, his true nature revealed, and he cheered excitedly, "Wow wow wow, so delicious, sisters, come and try some. My sister makes them all, especially the donkey rolls... and the flower cakes... You two are so lucky, my sister made so many at once, I don't even get that much..."
Cheng Qingmeng and Jiang Shiyun pursed their lips and remained silent.
Of course they are my cousins.
"Sister, you are already a first-rank noble lady, and Sister Yu will also be a first-rank noble lady in the future."
Jiang Yunshu ate the snacks that Bai Lan brought over and praised them enthusiastically.
"Shushu, Meng'er will definitely become a first-rank noble lady if you teach her personally, and Yun'er will become an even higher-rank noble lady."
Jiang Yunshu didn't think so. She was rather lazy and not as hardworking as Jiang Yunwan. She was only a third-rank noble lady before she got married.
"Sister, each class can only give out one First-Rank Noble Lady, and sometimes there isn't even one. By the way, why does Sister Yu always wear a mask? Is there something wrong with her face?"
"Shushu." Feng Yingying quickly took over the conversation, "Didn't our mother dream a few days ago that Wanwan was killed by bandits?"
Jiang Yunshu said, "Sister is back. Doesn't that prove that the dream was fake?"
"The scene in my mother's dream actually happened. If it weren't for Sister Yu's warning in the dream and her early precautions, Wanwan and her family of three would have almost been unable to return to Beijing."
"What?" Jiang Yunshu was shocked. "Sister, tell me what happened. Sister Yu'er's face was scratched by the bandits? Is it serious? We can't let her face be ruined."
"Don't worry, Shushu. He's not seriously injured. Sister Yu's dream was that bandits would burn, kill, and loot in the middle of the night at the inn we were staying in. We visited several inns along the way, but nothing happened. We thought it wouldn't happen, but luckily we didn't let our guard down. Bandits appeared in Yunyin, Banshan, near Xuancheng, burning, killing, and looting. Sister Yu's dream came true once again."
"It came true again?" Feng Yingying was surprised. "Are you saying that Sister Yu's dreams always come true?"
"Yes, one time Ming En went to Yancheng to do some shopping, and was bitten by a poisonous snake outside the city. A poisonous snake really appeared that time, but luckily he was prepared and didn't get bitten. If it weren't for Sister Yu's prophetic dream, Ming En might have lost his life."
Feng Yingying's eyes widened. "Really? Why didn't you say anything?"
Jiang Yunwan smiled very naturally, of course it was fake, she was just trying to make Shushu believe it.
"These are all trivial matters, nothing to talk about. There was another time when I was almost hit by a carriage..."
Jiang Yunwan made up several lies in a serious manner, which made Jiang Yunshu secretly shocked.
"Sister, if Sister Yu hadn't warned me in my dream, I wouldn't have been able to see you..."
"It's okay. With Sister Yu here, nothing will happen to me. Oh, by the way, I dreamed about the Wen family and helped them escape danger."
Feng Yingying finally realized what was happening. "Did Sister Yu have any other dreams?"
"After the bandits' arson and murder, on the way to Beijing, Sister Yu said she dreamed of a marquis' wife who, years later, was raising someone else's son without realizing it, and when she finally learned the truth, she was so angry she vomited blood and died."
Feng Yingying looked gossipy, "Sister Yu, which marquis's mansion is she from?"
"Yes, which marquisate is it?" Jiang Yunwan was very curious. "It must be a marquis who has a concubine and secretly replaced the concubine's son with the marquis' wife's son."
"It seems to be the Yongping Marquis Mansion..."
Jiang Yunshu's heart skipped a beat.
Jiang Yunwan observed Jiang Yunshu's expression calmly, "...Sister-in-law, Shushu, has there been any new powerful people in the capital during the fifteen years I've been away?"
Feng Yingying shook her head. "No, Sister Yu, did you remember it wrong?"
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