Adorable Food Goddess - Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Helian Jing noticed Xia Chunyu watching the lady with Assistant Minister Mu with great interest . He teased, “Brother Chunyu, do you like her? Do you want me to ask which family she’s from?”

Xia Chunyu threw him a cold glare . “Your brother asked me to pick a wife for you . I am checking out which family is suitable . ”

That sobered up Helian Jing quickly . “He’s not even married himself! Why would he care about me?”

Assistant Minister Mu spotted Xia Chunyu and Helian Jing so he came up to them to say hi .

“Official Xia, Young Royal Highness,” he greeted .

Xia Chunyu returned his greeting politely .

“Little Jing, congratulations,” Mu Qinchu said, using Helian Jing’s nickname casually .

Helian Jing rolled his eyes at him . This little rat . Even your dad called me ‘Young Royal Highness’ .

Assistant Minister quickly rebuked, “Don’t you have any manners? Have you forgotten how to properly address our royalties?”

“I apologize, Young Royal Highness,” Mu Qinchu said, properly embarrassed and chastised .

Trying to shift the attention from his cousin, Wei Liujiang greeted, “I wish Young Royal Highness and Officer Xia good health . ”

“This is my nephew . He was the scholar who won first place in the provincial imperial examination and he’s now come to Jin Ling to take the examination,” Assistant Minister Mu introduced proudly .

“Minister, let’s have tea inside,” Xia Chunyu said, ignoring Wei Liujiang completely .

Mu Qinchu and Wei Liujiang were upset . It seemed that Xia Chunyu still remembered the mishap that happened between them and his friend . Even Helian Jing didn’t pay them any attention .

Ye Jinrong was dressed especially elegant today . She wore white silk lingerie, a pale pink and grey coat with a matching pale pink watery patterned dress . The delicate scattered flower patterns were made of gold silk that cost about 100 silver per unit . She was also wearing a gold necklace adorned with jade and pearls . The beads and gold hairpins she was wearing were also the most popular ones at the time .

She figured that this was the only chance she would get to dress this extravagantly so she made certain that she would dress well .

Madam Mu Qie walked ahead of her looking faint . She didn’t want to take her nephew’s wife here . This kind of occasion was a good chance to get their own daughter into the limelight and show her off to other nobles . However, Liujiang begged her to take Jinrong here so she had to acquiesce .

The housekeeper led them to drink some tea in the flower hall .

The flower hall was filled with the rich women of the capital city . It was said that all the most powerful women, except those from the palace, were here .

Qie knew some of them so she went over there to say hi . Ye Jinrong followed her and dutifully say her greetings from behind Mu Qie . Her gestures and mannerisms showed her good upbringing so some young women went ahead to chat with her .

Qie saw that she was doing well on her own so she left Jinrong behind to chat with some familiar madams .

“I’m the first daughter of the Yang governor . My mother’s house is also in Yang Zhou . Maybe I have some connections with your family,” one scholar madam said with a smile .

Ye Jinrong smiled back . “What’s the surname of your mother?”

“Zhu . ”

“The Zhu family that had been famous for a century?” Ye Jinrong tried to look surprised .

The madam smiled . “That is right . ”

Ye Jinrong said happily, “We do have a real connection . I remember Zhu’s first madam eating with my family before . ”

“Is that right? First Madam is my mother…”

The two quickly got familiar with each other as they exchanged stories and gossips .

The servant girls came in and out with tea and fruits . The housekeeper reported progress and such to Princess Yu De from time to time to keep her apprised of how the guests were doing .

“Old Ancestress is ready . Are we going to a theater?”

Yu De smiled . “Yes . You can take the madams to the theater and I will welcome Old Ancestress by myself . ”

Everyone moved to the back garden .

There were an inner garden and an outer garden in the royal mansions . The outer garden was for a variety show and the inner garden was holding a troupe .

“Second Lady?” a servant woman called in a stunned voice .

Ye Jinrong was chatting with Zhu so she wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings .

No one knew who the servant was calling for so they ignored her .

Suddenly, she chased up and blocked Ye Jinrong . She exclaimed excitedly, “Second Lady, it is really you! I thought I was seeing things . Second Lady, ever since the First Lady married to the Wei family in Ji Nan, you also disappeared . We thought you’ve been harmed . Second Lady, where have you been for half a year?”

Horror settled into Ye Jinrong as she recognized her as a servant in the Ye household . How did she get here?

“You… who are you? I don’t know you,” Ye Jinrong stuttered in panic . She never thought that this would happen!

“Second Lady, why do you say that? Of course, you know me . I am Lee! I took care of you when you were young . I can still remember the red mole on your nape . ”

Xia You turned around upon hearing the commotion . “What’s going on?”

Yu De immediately went ahead to check what was making such a ruckus .

Lee didn’t wait for Ye Jinrong to respond and hurriedly said instead, “Madam, I saw my second lady who had gone missing for half a year and I got too excited . I meant no offense . Please forgive me, my lady . ”

“Nonsense! Who is your second lady?” Ye Jinrong nearly yelled, frantic to get away .

Zhu narrowed her eyes . It was clear that the servant really knew Ye Jinrong because she was right about the mole on her nape . However, why was she denying their association? And the business about the first lady marrying to the Wei’s . . .

“I heard that Ye’s first lady was married to the Wei family . What is going on? How many ladies in your family have been married to the Wei family?” Zhu asked .

Lee answered, “The Ye family only had one lady married . Second Lady and Third Lady were yet to be married . ”

Ye Jinrong could feel sweat beading on her forehead . Backed into a corner, she could only scold meanly, “I don’t even know you . What nonsense are you talking about? Why is there such a graceless servant in the royal mansion?”

Yu De only caught the tail end of the conversation, but that was enough . Who was so arrogant that they dare to reprove a servant in the royal mansion?

She said coldly, “The servant in my royal mansion have been ill-behaved and have offended you, madam . I, as the master of this house, apologize to you . ”

It was clear to everyone who heard this that the ‘apology’ was conceded with anger .

People that have been talking to Jinrong just now all moved back, keeping a distance from her .

Ye Jinrong felt like she was going to throw up . She said in a rush, “Elder Princess, it was not that serious . My temper got the best of me and I made a mistake . Please forgive me, Elder Princess . ”

Elder Princess Yu De glanced at Lee, finding her unfamiliar . She couldn’t remember ever seeing her around the mansion . She might’ve been just someone who was temporarily hired by Manager Liu for the birthday celebration . Regardless, temporary or not, she still belonged to her .

She wanted to teach this arrogant lady a lesson, but she didn’t want to make the Old Ancestress angry over such a trivial thing . Yu De said graciously, “Good show will begin soon, so let’s not waste time . Mum Gui, take this servant and get to the bottom of this . If she really made a mistake . . . well, our royal mansion has its rules . ”

Everyone followed Yu De and the Old Ancestress to watch the show . Ye Jinrong was left alone with no one wanting to talk to her . She barely managed to hold in her sobs . Why am I so unlucky?

Qie, who has been absent for the altercation, saw Jinrong by herself and asked, “What’s wrong? Why don’t you watch a show with them in the courtyard?”

Ye Jinrong’s eyes were red and she looked like she was barely holding it together . However, there were people around her auntie so she stayed quiet .

Those people saw Ye Jinrong’s state and quickly excused themselves .

When there was no one else around, Ye Jinrong relayed what had happened .

“Damn it!” Mu Qie exclaimed angrily . “I told you not to come yet you still insisted . You should’ve just kept silent and walked away! I think you’re forgetting the gravity of what you did . You should’ve just stayed home . Now what? Someone recognized you and revealed your identity . If this gets out, you’re going to ruin Liujiang’s future . Even the Mu family would lose face . . . ”

“Auntie…” Ye Jinrong sobbed .

“Where is the servant?” Qie asked . She has to settle this . If the servant changed her statement and confessed that she recognized the wrong person, it would be just fine .

“She was taken by the people next to the Elder Princess . They said that they’ll interrogate her,” Ye Jinrong answered weakly .

Mu Qie wanted to rage . If they interrogate the servant, they wouldn’t have the chance to bribe her to change her statement!

She turned to their own maid and told her to pass a message to Assistant Minister Mu .

Assistant Minister Mu and some government officials were chatting casually when he got the bad news . His son and his nephew were out with a bunch of young nobles watching a sideshow so he had the servant look for them .

No, no! Assistant Minister Mu felt his body get cold . This could not happen .

Xia Chunyu saw a servant of the Mu family approach Assistant Minister Mu and knew that it was done . He got up and went outside where Song Qi was waiting for him .

“Heir-Son Lord, it was wonderful . That Lee really had some balls and called out the Second Lady in front of so many people,” Song Qi reported .

“It didn’t get too out of hand, right?” Xia Chunyu wanted to rattle Ye Jinrong and Wei Liujiang but he didn’t want to ruin the Old Ancestress’ mood .

“No, no . Second Lady Ye was worried and panicked so she scolded Lee . The Elder Princess heard that and she satirized the Second Lady . Lee was now taken by Mum Gui . ”

Xia Chunyu assured, “Don’t worry, just follow the plan . ”

He knew Elder Princess’ temper . She would never let things go as easy as that without a reason . He was certain that she was planning something to get even with Ye Jinrong and the Mu family .