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  It's already mid-August, the sweltering heat is dissipating, and although the wind blowing in my face still feels slightly warm, at least it's no longer the scorching sun of the hottest days. In front of the window of Jingyi Courtyard's main house, a pear blossom tree has been planted, its tall branches and dense leaves blocking out the remaining heat waves. When a gentle breeze blows by, it feels especially cool.

  Ming Xuan was sitting in front of the window, using a charcoal pen to draw new shoe designs. Since she married into the family and took over Pei Jingxun's clothing, shoes, and socks, he refused to wear anything with embroidery done by needlework artisans. Even his outer garments were fine as long as they didn't have any embroidery, and he would only wear insoles that she had personally sewn.

  She painted seriously and suddenly heard some complaints and quarrels in the yard, frowned and asked, "Dan Hong, what's going on outside?"

  Dan Hong hurried out to inquire and soon came back to report, "It's Ah Jiao who is quarreling with the vegetable delivery person from He's family. For several days now, all the rice, grains, and vegetables that He's family has delivered to our courtyard have not been fresh. Previously, you, Madam, instructed us to be cautious and prudent in our words and actions. Ah Jiao endured it without speaking out, but those people became more and more overbearing. Today, they even sent rotten vegetables!"

  Her face was full of resentment, "Those arrogant people in the He family, who rely on being the wife of the eldest son, dare to bully us openly like this. Eldest sister, if we tolerate this again, it's likely that one day they will secretly withhold from us the shares that should be given to us."

  The Zhen Guo Gong Fu Pei family had many rooms, so all the married children set up their own small kitchens in the courtyard. Except for the first and fifteenth of every month when they would gather together to eat a reunion dinner, those who were not yet married would have food allocated by the main kitchen, while the rest would take care of their own meals. Every morning, fresh ingredients would be sent over by the purchasing staff from the main kitchen. As for how to cook them, it was up to each individual's preference.

  Since entering August, the small kitchen in Jingyi Courtyard has been set up and opened. These days, Mingxuan has been living comfortably, if there are no banquets outside. She would only stay in her own courtyard to practice calligraphy, paint, embroider, and sew clothes. Occasionally, when she's in a good mood, she would also personally go to the kitchen to cook two small dishes.

  Since the Crown Prince took in Huaying Yue Die, these two maidservants, Princess Yang was convinced that Ming Xuan was playing tricks on her. As a result, the supplies for Jing Yi Yuan have been somewhat inconsistent over the past few days. Either there's not enough firewood or rice, and now they've even brought over rotten vegetables. It seems like they're trying to pick a fight.

  Ming Xuan's eyebrows slightly furrowed, "Is Ge's family still outside?"

  "Let the old ladies drag her away, and ask Madam to give an order, so I can go and scold that old woman. Otherwise, she'll think we're afraid of her!"

  The maidservants of the wealthy families are mostly arrogant and condescending, now that the young master's wife is in charge at home, if the first lady continues to swallow her anger, then in the future perhaps anyone can bully the people of Jingyi courtyard, she knows that the first lady has money on hand, actually it doesn't matter about this thing, at most just think about what to eat and go out to buy it.

  It's inevitable that one will interact with others in the household. If you go out and haven't even opened your mouth, you'll already be at a disadvantage compared to others; how can you get anything done like that?

  This principle is obvious, how could Ming Xuan not understand? She was the mistress and could ignore what happened outside. She could be carefree and idle in her room, but the people below had to worry about these things: firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea. With money, everything can be bought, but if the people at the second gate deliberately made things difficult, then going out to buy things would become extremely difficult.

  She thought for a moment and said, "Well, take me to the small kitchen to have a look."

  As soon as she walked out of the west wing, there was a row of low and flat houses, and the small kitchen was set up in one of them. Ming Xuan hadn't even entered the house yet when he heard a middle-aged woman's sharp voice coming from inside, all sorts of coarse and unpleasant curses that made people feel uncomfortable when they heard them.

  She frowned and said to Dan Hong, "Go, go inside and smash a few plates, let them calm down."

  Dan Hong went as soon as he was called, and in a short while, the small kitchen emitted a burst of crackling sounds, and those coarse and dirty words finally stopped.

  Ming Xuan slipped through the crowd of servant women blocking the gate, preventing the He family from leaving. She looked at the broken porcelain scattered on the ground and picked up a basket of vegetables that had been knocked over, not saying a word. Looking at the small kitchen in disarray, she thought that before Dan Hong smashed the dishes, these people must have already taken action.

  Her eyes were sharp and she looked up to the left side where a middle-aged woman was being held down by Yan Niangniang and others, carefully examining her for a moment before asking in a low voice, "What happened here?"

  He's family struggled fiercely, and she said with a thick neck, "The old lady is indeed good at turning black and white upside down. I came in with good intentions to deliver vegetables, but it was these old ladies in your yard who caught me, just short of tying me up with ropes. This is something that anyone can understand at a glance, but when it comes out of the old lady's mouth, I become the mastermind?"

  Her eyes turned red and her expression was somewhat ferocious, "I dare to ask the great lady, how can I smash your kitchen with my hands tied up?"

  She's a garrulous and eloquent woman, but her tone is really too arrogant and disrespectful. If she hadn't received Yang's instructions, how would a mere second-class servant like her dare to speak so boldly to the mistress of the house? What is Yang trying to do? Is she intentionally provoking me?

  Ming Xuan raised an eyebrow, bent down to pick up a white radish from the ground, carefully opened it and took a look, then casually threw it aside. She picked up another one and examined it seriously for a long time. Suddenly, she burst out laughing, "Are these vegetables really sent by Gong Zhong to Jingyi Courtyard? They're all rotten! What's going on?"

  She narrowed her eyes slightly, glanced at the He family's dishes with a moderate pace, and smiled, saying, "Are these really for people to eat? It's no wonder that my maid looks down on them and doesn't want to let them go."

  He's face turned red and white, he argued, "The big madam is a noble lady, how could she understand kitchen affairs? Now it's summer, these cabbages were stored in the cellar last year, they can't help but be a bit yellow and dry. But as long as you remove the outer leaves, the inside is all good. You're really wronging us, if it was rotten food, even if we had a hundred guts, we wouldn't dare serve it to our master!"

  She twisted her body, trying to break free, and said on the side, "To be honest with you, these are already the best among the selected cabbage. The ones I sent to Ping Sha Tang were not as good as this."

  Ming Xuan couldn't help but burst out laughing, "Auntie, you really are..."

  This is simply treating people like fools. Even if she has never been in the kitchen, can't she recognize the value of the maid who manages the kitchen?

  She narrowed her eyes, coldly smiling and said, "It's really hard for me to think of Hua'er's sake, but as a junior, we haven't even had the chance to taste the good things that the young master's wife hasn't even tasted yet, but they've already entered my mouth. This is a great unfilial sin! Come, take away all these delicious white vegetables and find two sturdy women to send them to Ping Sha Tang for me!"

  He's face was calm, as if he didn't care much, with a hint of arrogance, "Madam, the young master's wife hasn't been feeling well these past few days. I think you shouldn't disturb her peace over such a small matter? It's just a few stalks of bok choy, if you don't like eating it, starting tomorrow, I won't send any more."

  She hummed twice from her nose, "You're letting me be detained here, isn't that a big deal? I still have to deliver ingredients to Wei Niangniang for the Duke's household, and Wei Niangniang has a bad temper. If it's late, who will take responsibility for this crime?"

  Wei Yiniang was one of Pei Xiang's concubines, originally brought in by his first wife. Although she had no children, she had been with Pei Xiang for a long time and was the only well-known elderly concubine in the household. Pei Xiang had a violent temper, but Wei Yiniang was one of the few people who could still speak to him. As a result, the other wives in the household showed her some respect when they saw her.

  This is using Wei Ainiang to bully Ming Xuan.

  Ming Xuan didn't mind at all, instead she smiled and said, "Since Nanny has said so, it's naturally not good to delay the errand. Strict Nanny, loosen your grip and let He Nanny go."

  Yan's mother was taken aback for a moment, "Auntie!"

  He's family but thought they had gotten away with it, a smug smile spreading across her face. She struggled free from the grasp of the servant women and tossed her sleeves back, "After all, only the first wife understands reason, you can rest assured now. If there's anything rare or precious in the future, I'll be the first to think of sending it your way."

  She bumped into several wives, just about to go out, when she suddenly heard Ming Xuan say in a cheerful tone behind her, "You several people, pack these good white vegetables and send them to each of the house heads. Not only Ping Sha Tang where the wife of the eldest son is, but also the places of the second lady, third lady, fourth lady, fifth lady, and Wei Niang's place, all have some sent over."

  "Let's just say, Auntie He specially prepared this top-grade white cabbage for Jingyi Courtyard. Such a good thing, how could I dare to enjoy it alone? We must call all the elders to taste its freshness!"

  He's family footsteps paused, and he hurriedly turned around to see Dan Hong and several others listening to Ming Xuan's instructions, carefully wrapping up the rotten white vegetables one by one. His legs softened involuntarily, and he stuttered, "Big Madam, this... these are for Jingyi Temple's share, how can they be taken out? Each household has its own!"

  Although she was acting on the orders of the young master's wife, if things really got out of hand in the Ping Sha Tang, the young master's wife would still stand up for her. However, it was hard to say what the other wives would do, especially the third wife, who was always waiting for an opportunity to mock others. If things went wrong, the young master's wife would just wash her hands of the matter and put the blame on her, which could result in her losing her current position!

  And Wei Yiniang...

  That's not a good master either!

  She thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Actually, these white vegetables are not that great, if you don't like to eat them, I can change to other dishes in the future. Today's matter will be considered my fault, if you're not satisfied with these white vegetables, I'll have someone exchange them for you. You see, this way we can just let it go and forget about it. If we make a big deal out of it, neither of us will look good, right?"

  Ming Xuan raised an eyebrow, "So now you're saying this? It's a bit late, isn't it?"

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