TPGA - 60

Chapter 60: The Kitchen

Ji Rong changed out of her soaked embroidered shoes and replied, “I wish I could, but the laws of the Sui Dynasty forbid women from practicing medicine outside the home. So, I can only read these books for fun. However, if you ever have minor ailments, feel free to come to me—I won’t charge you for consultations.”

“Then I’ll thank you in advance,” Zhang Shi said. After a pause, Chunxiu rubbed her stomach and said, “I’m so hungry. Let’s go check if dinner is ready.”

“I’ll come with you,” Zhang Shi said, opening her small parcel and taking out some mung bean cakes. “By the way, these are mung bean cakes my mother made. They’re quite delicious. I brought some for you both to snack on while we wait.”

Chunxiu took one and walked with Zhang Shi toward the kitchen under an umbrella. After taking a bite, she nodded approvingly. “Mm, soft and delicate, with just the right amount of sweetness. They’re really good.”

Zhang Shi smiled. “If you like them, I’ll bring more next time I visit.” After a brief pause, she cautiously asked, “Sister, I heard that Ji Rong went to Qingchun Garden yesterday, and today she brought back so many medical books. Is something going on?”

Chunxiu glanced at her. “What do you think is going on?”

Zhang Shi laughed awkwardly. “I don’t know, which is why I’m asking you.” After waiting a moment without hearing a response, she pressed again, “Sister, what exactly—”

Before she could finish, Chunxiu cut her off. “There is something, but I can’t tell you yet. You’ll find out later.”

Seeing this, Zhang Shi stopped herself from asking further and accompanied Chunxiu to the kitchen. When they arrived, Jiang Caiping was also there. She handed some herbs to Cook Li and said, “Cook Li, every night before bed, take some of these, grind them into a paste, and apply it to your lower back. Wrap it with cloth and remove it the next morning. Do this for three consecutive days, and it should help.”

“Alright, alright,” Cook Li said with a smile. “You’re so thoughtful. Even though you’re home for a short time, you still went to gather herbs for me.” She had casually mentioned her sore back to Jiang Caiping a few days ago, and she hadn’t expected Jiang to remember. Now, upon returning, Jiang had brought her the herbs.

“I just want you to get better soon,” Jiang Caiping said cheerfully. “If you find it helpful, I’ll gather more for you next time. There’s plenty on the mountain, and it doesn’t cost anything.”

“Alright, I’ll try it tonight,” Cook Li said. As she spoke, she had already packed their meals into several food boxes. Chunxiu noticed that Jiang Caiping’s portion included an extra dish of chicken and silver ear fungus. Grabbing Jiang Caiping as she was about to leave, Chunxiu turned to Cook Li and said, “Cook Li, isn’t this a bit unfair?”

Cook Li looked puzzled. “What do you mean, Miss?”

Chunxiu snatched the food box from Jiang Caiping’s hands and removed the dish of chicken and silver ear fungus, saying coldly, “The rules state that all of us receive the same dishes. Why does theirs have an extra dish? Is it because Jiang Caiping brought you a bunch of useless leaves?”

Zhang Shi chimed in, “Exactly! If Master Fu hears about this, Cook Li, you’ll have a hard time explaining yourself.”

Seeing their deliberate provocation, Jiang Caiping felt angry but feared causing trouble for Cook Li. Suppressing her frustration, she muttered, “Fine, I don’t want this dish anymore.”

Zhang Shi sneered. “Oh, now that we’ve seen it, you say you don’t want it. What about when we’re not around? Who knows how many benefits you’ve secretly taken?”

Chunxiu scanned the kitchen and asked, “Where’s Master Fu? Where is he?”

Unfazed by Chunxiu and Zhang Shi’s accusations, Cook Li calmly placed the dish of chicken and silver ear fungus back into Jiang Caiping’s food box. “It’s fine. Just take it. Let Miss Wu try it too. If you like it, I’ll make it for you again tomorrow.”

Chunxiu frowned and said, “What do you mean by this, Cook Li?”

Cook Li wiped her hands on her apron and said indifferently, “This dish of chicken and silver ear fungus was originally mine. Now I’m giving it to Miss Jiang. Is there a problem? If Miss Feng doesn’t believe me, she can ask anyone else in the kitchen to confirm whether I’m telling the truth.”

The others working in the kitchen nodded, confirming Cook Li’s words. Chunxiu, who had thought she’d caught them in the act, was now embarrassed and at a loss. She exchanged glances with Zhang Shi, signaling her to think of a way out.

Zhang Shi, being relatively quick-witted, understood Chunxiu’s intention and said with a smile, “Cook Li, please don’t be upset. My sister was just pointing out what she saw. She didn’t mean anything by it. Now that everything is clear, there’s no issue.”

Cook Li looked at Chunxiu and said, “Master Fu is currently with Master Lin. Would Miss Feng like to wait here for him to return?”

That cunning woman! She got away with it and still acted innocent. Chunxiu forced a smile and said, “It was just a joke. How could you take it so seriously? You’ve been in this mansion much longer than I have. How could I not trust you?” With that, she signaled Zhang Shi to retrieve her own food box and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Cook Li shook her head and said, “Miss Feng has such a narrow mind. She can’t let go of even the smallest things. With her as your lead dancer, there will surely be more trouble ahead.”

Jiang Caiping sighed helplessly. “There’s nothing we can do about it. Back then...” Thinking about how Chunxiu had schemed against Meixue made her feel frustrated. Waving her hand dismissively, she said, “Forget it, forget it. Let’s not talk about this anymore. Cook Li, I’ll head back now, or Sister Wu will get worried. Remember to use the medicine!”

After Jiang Caiping left the kitchen with her food box, Chunxiu and Zhang Shi hadn’t walked far when they heard movement behind them. Stopping in their tracks, Jiang Caiping approached, irritated, and said, “What now? Do you want to check my food box again?”

Chunxiu ignored her question and looked her up and down. “Jiang Caiping, you two are quite something. That wild girl Meixue spends all day scheming to seduce Second Young Master, while you’re here trying every trick to ingratiate yourself with Cook Li.”

Hearing her insult Meixue, Jiang Caiping’s expression darkened, and she snapped, “Who are you calling a wild girl? Who are you accusing of seducing Second Young Master?”

Chunxiu sneered. “Wu Meixue was picked up from a tiger’s den. She doesn’t even know who her parents are—what else is she but a wild girl? In my opinion, she must be the child of some immoral couple who abandoned her because they didn’t want her. They left her in the tiger’s den, hoping it would eat her. But she had such a strong fate that someone found her and kept her alive until now. Still, she should think about her origins. Even the Du family looks down on her—how could Second Young Master ever consider her worthy? For the sake of our shared village, tell her to behave herself and avoid humiliation. A person must have self-awareness and stop dreaming of things they don’t deserve.” With that, she strode off, leaving Jiang Caiping speechless with anger.