Chapter 13: Quarrel

How could they miss such excitement?

Autumn Abundance pulled Huan Huan along, while Pear Moon leaned in to peek through the kitchen’s back door.

It turned out that Granny He, seeing that Shen Shi wasn’t eating and didn’t need anyone to attend to her in her room, had gathered some of her close maids and older servants to come to the small kitchen. She took out one tael of silver and ordered Aunt Cao to prepare a feast.

When favored older servants or maids in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard received a good assignment or celebrated their birthdays, they would pool money to ask the small kitchen to host a banquet. However, Aunt Cao herself didn’t prepare such feasts; they were handled by her subordinates.

Today, Granny He was exceptionally smug. She had Fragrant Grass carry a jar of Huiquan Wine and, upon entering, shouted, “Aunt Cao, I, your elder, beg you to prepare three or four hot dishes properly. If there are any two-catty sheath fish, bring one to stew. We’ll have it with our wine!”

Aunt Cao was in the kitchen overseeing the sealing of the stove fire. Seeing the group arrive, her expression turned sour.

The two had never gotten along. Hearing that Granny He had been whispering in Shen Shi’s ear, making Shen Shi resent her for taking matters into her own hands, Aunt Cao had long been fuming. She planted her hands on her hips and sneered, “This small kitchen in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard serves the Young Master and the Young Mistress, not to take orders from Granny He! Tired of eating fat chickens and ducks every day, and now you come to order sheath fish? If everyone were like you, Granny He, I might as well stop serving the masters and only serve the second-tier masters!”

Granny He had come to pick a fight and knew she’d have to trade insults. Leaning on her cane, she didn’t speak herself but sent Fragrant Grass to argue instead.

Fragrant Grass had prepared plum blossom white porridge earlier, only to be criticized by the Young Master, leaving her simmering with resentment. Now, emboldened by her grandmother’s status, she eagerly stepped forward and spat, “Wasn’t the small kitchen set up in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard for the convenience of meals? Who doesn’t come here for convenience, ordering private dishes to eat? Is it only my grandmother who’s ordering? We didn’t come empty-handed today—here’s one tael of silver. What nonsense are you spouting, Aunt Cao! What’s a sheath fish worth? Who’s asking you for dragon liver or phoenix marrow?”

As she spoke, Fragrant Grass produced one tael of silver.

If Aunt Cao hadn’t seen the silver, it might have been fine. But at the sight of it, she spat right in Fragrant Grass’s face.

“Take back your coffin money and spare me the disgust! Outside, a sheath fish the size of a palm costs two taels. Fresh, tender mutton costs at least five mace per catty. With this one tael of silver, is it enough for the dishes or the rice? That shameless old woman of yours—I’m embarrassed for her!”

Fragrant Grass, young and sensitive, flushed red from Aunt Cao’s scolding and didn’t know how to respond.

She was only twelve this year and had served in a wealthy household since childhood. How would she know the prices of food?

She thought fish, shrimp, and fresh meat were ordinary items, and one tael could buy quite a lot.

In truth, while Fragrant Grass didn’t know, Granny He was no spring chicken—how could she not know?

She was simply relying on Shen Shi’s influence to try and intimidate Aunt Cao.

She figured that once Aunt Cao accepted the one tael, she’d be too embarrassed not to chip in some of her own money.

Who knew Aunt Cao wouldn’t fall for it? Instead, she pointed fingers and exposed the scheme, shaming her granddaughter.

Granny He, exposed in front of so many people, couldn’t save face. Pointing her finger, she cursed:

“What are you, to stand tall in front of me? Just a rented cook from outside! If our Shen family doesn’t like you, we’ll toss you out along with your pots and stoves, leaving you to eat the northwest wind. You’re still dreaming! I’ve served the Shen family for three generations, with two granddaughters as dowry maids for the young lady. Even with our feet up, we stand taller than you! Asking you to prepare a few dishes for wine is an honor for you!”

When Aunt Cao heard Granny He insulting her background, she sneered even more coldly: “I come from a proper, upright family of modest means, unlike those who envy the offspring of servants! Not only do they rely on their masters’ leftovers, but they also secretly incite their masters behind their backs!”

She was a cook for the Shen family but had not been sold into servitude, so she looked down on Granny He, whose family had been servants for generations.

Granny He’s family had served the Shen household for generations, relying on the wealthy family’s patronage and living in great affluence, so she in turn looked down on Aunt Cao for being poor.

There were quite a few people in the small kitchen, and Granny He had also brought many with her.

Seeing their quarrel getting out of hand, everyone quickly stepped in to pull them apart.

Those from the small kitchen persuaded Aunt Cao to leave, while a few who wanted to curry favor with Granny He hurriedly started cooking, hoping to please the upper household. They said, “Aunt Cao, go and rest. We’ll just whip up a couple of dishes to serve with their drinks. We’re all the young lady’s attendants—why make a scene and let others laugh at us?”

The maids and older women around Granny He busied themselves arranging tables and chairs, warming and straining wine, and tried to calm her: “Granny He, don’t be angry. Aunt Cao has always been like this—even the young lady often says so. There are skilled cooks here who will prepare fish for you.”

After Aunt Cao left, Granny He grumbled and took the seat of honor.

The servants bustled about, preparing many ready-made dishes.

In no time, four or five cold dishes were laid out, and the wine had been warmed.

The maids and older women, eager to please, all congratulated Granny He on her promotion to stewardess of the Tranquil Study.

Amidst the lively chatter, they drank and ate merrily.

Pear Moon watched for a while until Autumn Abundance could no longer stand still and went back to her room to fetch money.

Huan Huan quickly stopped her, adamantly refusing to let her go and curry favor with Granny He.

Autumn Abundance grew frantic, hopping in agitation. A string of coins wasn’t enough—she stumbled over to snatch Pear Moon’s money pouch.

“I told you we shouldn’t offend these petty people! Xiao Yue offended Fragrant Grass by sucking up to Jade Ink. Today, we made that wretched dough-slice soup and offended Granny He. While Granny He and the others are drinking, shouldn’t we hurry over to kowtow and offer gifts? At the very least, we should give Granny He more money so she’ll choose the three of us to go to the Tranquil Study tomorrow when she picks maids!”

“Don’t go!”

Huan Huan grew anxious, snatched the money, and threw it onto the kang, then sat on it herself.

Autumn Abundance pushed and pulled but couldn’t move her, growing so angry she kicked and hit, even opening her mouth to bite.

The two rolled on the kang, fighting, while Pear Moon watched with amusement, not bothering to intervene.

She busied herself boiling water to heat the chicken broth, preparing to cook wontons for Jade Ink.

“If Granny He really becomes the stewardess of the Tranquil Study, even offering thirty taels of silver won’t help. I’ll make a bet with you—Granny He definitely won’t go to the study.”

The chicken broth was clear as boiled water, tinged with an amber hue.

Pear Moon quickly ladled it into a large celadon bowl.

Ten delicate, translucent wontons floated on the surface like silver ingots.

A few chopped scallions were sprinkled on top for color and flavor, making it look and smell irresistibly delicious.

Seeing Pear Moon so calm, Autumn Abundance was puzzled: “But the mistress said so—the Young Master can’t easily refuse!”

Pear Moon shook her head, her thoughts clear.

Matters of the inner household should be decided by the women, and indeed, the Young Master couldn’t interfere.

But that didn’t mean the Young Lord was someone his wife could manipulate at will.

It was true that the Tranquil Study needed a stewardess, but why did it have to be Granny He?

After all, this was Ningguo Mansion. If Shen Shi overstepped her authority in managing Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, the Young Master would surely object.

In a marriage, it was often a struggle for dominance—sometimes the east wind prevailed, sometimes the west.

With the Young Lord’s strong-willed nature, he would never obediently comply.

“If you don’t believe it, we’ll see tomorrow.”

Pear Moon placed the wontons in a small food box and carried it out of the kitchen courtyard, intending to deliver it to Jade Ink.

As she passed by the room where the group was drinking, she heard several flatterers offering wine to Granny He.

One of them said, “Granny, both your granddaughters are such fine-looking girls. How come only Miss Fragrant Grass is here? Where is Miss Angelica Orchid?”

Granny He had no tolerance for alcohol and was already drunk, her mouth askew and eyes unfocused.

Fragrant Grass smiled beside her and said, “You sisters and aunties don’t know—the mistress intends to have my sister serve the Son-in-law in the study, so she called her to her room for instructions!”

Everyone suddenly understood that Angelica Orchid was being considered as a chamber maid and hurriedly called for large cups, crowding around to toast Granny He and Fragrant Grass.

Watching them drink and make merry, Pear Moon inwardly sneered.

These people, thinking themselves important as Shen Shi’s dowry attendants, had no idea their own mistress was currently weeping her heart out.