There was a round table in the room.
On the table were four dishes and a large pot of stewed chicken and mushroom soup.
There were two sets of bowls and chopsticks; one set had not been touched at all.
There was a pot of wine, and only Cai Wenting was drinking it.
Although he had a few cups, he was not drunk!
Although Cai Wenting had a flat face, he wasn't unattractive; his eyes weren't small, clean, and carried a hint of sadness.
He was like a ball of dough that needed careful kneading, but even dough has a temper!
Filial impiety—he could not bear that accusation!
Ye Man sat down, wiped herself with a dry cloth, and asked the Waiter to bring a fresh set of bowls and chopsticks.
Although Miss Qian hadn't used them, she found them dirty, so she asked the Waiter to replace all the dishes. Even though she had already eaten dinner, traveling this far required replenishment, otherwise, it would be a waste and she wouldn't sleep well tonight.
The Servant Boy watched from the side, noticing her trouser legs looked like they had been pulled out of water, and asked curiously, "How did you get here like this?"
Ye Man glanced at him, the useless Servant: "Is something like this something you handle with fanfare? Do you think I am as shameless as Qian Yutong and Tan Xianglin?"
The Servant Boy blinked.
Ye Man took off her shoes and wiped her feet as well, otherwise, she could easily get sick, and she probably hadn't recovered from her illness yet.
She said to the Servant Boy while tending to her feet, "Adulterer and adulteress, even sneaking around is shameless. You, a Servant, know everything, yet you let your Master lose face. Don't you know that a subject who disgraces his Master should die?"
The Servant Boy was startled. Wasn't it the adulteress who should be drowned in a pig cage?
Cai Wenting, leaning back by the window, snapped back to attention and said in a low voice, "Miss Qian was just discussing things with Tan Jiwen..."
Ye Man's look of utter disdain successfully silenced Cai Wenting.
Ye Man was still bent over tending to her feet. After a moment, she straightened up, adjusted her posture, and retorted to Cai Wenting, "Is it fine if the two of them discuss things right up until they are in bed? You believe such Ghost Talk? Do you value your reputation or not?"
Cai Wenting's face flushed red; he didn't believe it.
Ye Man scoffed, "You're an Idiot. Do you think marrying a Talented woman makes you talented? But this is exactly what an Idiot would do. You're stupid; do you think if your fiancée was close with Tan Xianglin, you could just substitute yourself for Tan Xianglin? If you truly think that way, your Birth mother might as well have never given birth to you. After all, raising children carries too much risk."
Cai Wenting quickly cried out, "I didn't!"
Ye Man sneered like a knife: "Qian Yutong isn't your Birth mother, yet you can prioritize her and cause your Birth mother to lose face. Your mother worked hard to give birth to and raise you, only for you to produce a fine son for Qian Yutong."
Cai Wenting was about to explode with anger!
The Servant Boy was about to kneel down and offer his knees!
The Waiter came to serve the dishes; it was still stewed chicken and mushroom soup.
Ye Man could smell that this was not the same batch.
Fresh Chicken soup—it smelled wonderful.
The Servant Boy was quick-witted and came over to ladle a bowl for the uninvited guest. It had plenty of mushrooms, plenty of meat, and plenty of broth.
The full bowl was almost spilling over, showing the depth of his reverence and genuine feeling.
Cai Wenting took a breath and, with a dough-like expression, said, "The engagement was decided by my mother."
Ye Man put down her chopsticks, spat out a bone, and said with disappointment, "You're so stupid you could die!"
Cai Wenting's face turned red again, looking somewhat helpless.
Ye Man was not his mother and wouldn't coddle him: "Does your mother know what kind of person she is? Does she not put on an act in front of others? Are you so stupid that you're covering for her? Do you even know what you're covering up? Even if this were about you, you need the ability to handle it! Since you lack the ability, shouldn't you tell your mother immediately about this situation that might lead to her raising someone else's illegitimate grandson? And you dare to push the blame onto your mother? Are you trying to anger your mother to death!"
Cai Wenting was truly frightened: "How is that possible?" Stop talking nonsense.
Ye Man sneered, beyond saving: "The day you raise an illegitimate son and treat him as your own, you'll be something else."
The Old Ancestor was eating chicken; why bother arguing with this placenta?
Cai Wenting was distressed.
Ye Man found his face ruined her appetite: "Are you happy when you are with Qian Yutong? Why didn't you tell your mother about the problem? Do you not even trust your own mother anymore?"
The Old Ancestor thought for a moment, then said, "Your mother wants to marry you to a good Wife, but not to be given a cuckold's hat. She's your Birth mother, not your Stepmother, right?"
Cai Wenting blushed: Of course, it was his Birth mother!
Ye Man was extremely disgusted: "You let your mother be mocked behind her back."
Cai Wenting mumbled, unable to speak.
Ye Man said, "Go home later and tell your mother. See if she believes you! Also, tell her about redeeming that person from Zhichun Pavilion, and see if she breaks your legs. You listen to Qian Yutong so much—is she your Birth mother?"
Cai Wenting gritted his teeth and ordered the Servant Boy, "Go back later."
The Servant Boy excitedly knelt down, wanting to hug his legs and kiss them!
Cai Wenting only had this one Servant Boy with him, but he had other people in the village.
The Servant Boy quickly went to make arrangements, afraid his Master would change his mind and then arrange food for the uninvited guest again.
Ye Man watched. This Servant Boy ran fast, and his footsteps were light; his bone structure must be decent.
Xiao Xian ran back and asked his Master, "We have turtle stewed with Solomon's Seal, fifty Silver Taels, do you want it?"
Ye Man decisively said, "Yes."
Cai Wenting glared.
Ye Man glared back: "Instead of feeding an ungrateful dog, you might as well treat me."
Cai Wenting was very well-mannered and disliked speaking about people this way.
Ye Man sneered: "Putting aside everything else, you took Several Thousand Silver Taels to Qin Lou to redeem someone haphazardly. The Silver isn't yours, so you don't feel the pinch? If you have the ability, use the Silver you earned yourself to show filial piety to your mother with the surname Qian. You truly don't know the hardships of the world, nor do you see the toil of your Father and Mother, nor the white hair on their heads. Tell me, wouldn't it be better to use that Silver to show filial piety to your Birth mother?"
Cai Wenting became sharp: "Several Thousand Silver Taels? How did you know so much?"
Ye Man countered: "Asking so much, can you even figure it out? Ask yourself if your brain is sufficient?"
Cai Wenting was so angry his vision swam!
The Old Ancestor Ye Man's tactics were even better than Qian Yutong's.
Qian Yutong still had some reservations, but the Old Ancestor did not.
The Servant Boy brought up a basin of Solomon's Seal stewed turtle.
Ye Man smelled the Spiritual Energy and was delighted; the Old Ancestor was determined to help with this matter.
She would help the ancestors of the Cai Family shake off this cuckold's hat, and they wouldn't raise the illegitimate descendant either.
Although in the Original Book, Qian Yutong met no good end, Cai Wenting was clearly setting a trap for the Cai Family.
Therefore, the Old Ancestor ate the turtle soup with a clear conscience.
The Servant Boy was happy on the side and asked his Master, "Do you want some?"
How could Cai Wenting have an appetite now? His mind was in turmoil. His brain truly wasn't enough.
He recalled his time with Qian Yutong; she had changed step by step to her current state.
It started from cautiously meeting Tan Xianglin at the very beginning, and now her boldness grew.
The key was that she looked down on him, and Cai Wenting didn't think Qian Yutong was a Fairy either.
It was fine for Ye Man to eat alone; this portion of turtle soup was substantial, and she enjoyed it slowly.
She heard that the atmosphere outside was quite good, and hardly anyone was paying attention to Cai Wenting.
When scholars gather, it is inevitable that the Imperial Court comes up.
Someone, fueled by excitement, said indignantly, "Last year in Linzhou, it wasn't this bad! It's all because of Meng Yingyang, he's practically driving pigs and sheep!"
Someone sober quickly advised, "Keep your voice down. Empress Dowager Meng is not someone you can speak of lightly?"
That true scholar, having drunk too much, said, "Why can't we speak of it? Everyone knows about this matter! Empress Dowager Meng is far inferior to Empress Dowager Guo! If this continues, who knows how many more disasters there will be!"
Another person, also drunk, with a rather heavy accent, said, "An entire family of twenty-six people, Eight Hundred Mu of Field, all forced to death! Men, women, old, and young—it was inhuman!"