Upon hearing the waiter’s words, Gu Jingyu angrily spoke up, “How dare you, a mere waiter, spread such nonsense and tarnish the reputation of the Wei family’s legitimate daughter? My elder brother is already married. The lady before you is my sister-in-law, the wife of Prince Ning’s heir. How could Cousin Wei become my mother’s daughter-in-law again?”
The waiter was taken aback by Gu Jingyu’s words. “You say she is the wife of Prince Ning’s heir?”
He couldn’t help but sneer, “I’ve seen Prince Ning’s heir before. He is exceptionally handsome, unmatched in the world. How could his wife be such an ordinary-looking woman? Who gave you the audacity to impersonate the princess and the heir’s wife?”
Gu Jingyu frowned and said, “Why would I impersonate anyone? My elder brother, Gu Yan, is right next door. If you don’t believe me, go and ask him yourself.”
However, the waiter was convinced that the plainly dressed and less-than-stunning woman before him couldn’t possibly be Gu Yan’s wife. He retorted, “How could the wife of Prince Ning’s heir be such an unsophisticated woman, even hesitating to spend a few coins on chicken? She clearly lacks refinement.”
Yun Xiangye stood up, holding Nuonuo’s little hand, and said, “If you don’t believe it, we can go together to the neighboring room and ask Prince Ning’s heir.”
Since Gu Yan had earlier been unwilling to introduce her as his wife in front of his colleagues, Yun Xiangye was now deliberately trying to embarrass him.
Gu Jingyu also stood up and said, “Exactly. You, this waiter, are truly looking down on people. You don’t even recognize me, the princess, and yet you dare to disrespect your superiors.”
The waiter looked at Gu Jingyu. She was a beauty, and the clothes she wore were luxurious and exquisite. The waiter felt somewhat uneasy but still couldn’t believe that Yun Xiangye could be the wife of Prince Ning’s heir.
Gu Jingyu walked to the neighboring room and pushed the door open, calling out, “Brother.”
Gu Yan had just finished ordering dishes with his colleagues. Several cold dishes were already placed on the round table. Seeing Gu Jingyu enter, Gu Yan asked, “Jingyu, what is it?”
“Princess,” several officials from the Censorate immediately stood up and bowed to Gu Jingyu.
Yun Xiangye entered the room, holding Xiao Nuonuo’s hand, and raised an eyebrow as she looked at Gu Yan. “The waiter in your restaurant insists that I am not your wife. Why don’t you tell him whether I am or not?”
Gu Yan glanced at the trembling waiter outside the door and replied, “She is.”
Yun Xiangye looked at the shivering waiter outside and scoffed coldly. “You may leave.”
The waiter was so frightened that his legs gave way, and he stumbled to the ground as he tried to walk. He quickly scrambled to his feet and hurried off to find his cousin.
The officials from the Censorate looked at Yun Xiangye in astonishment.
Yun Xiangye smiled gracefully at the officials and said, “Gentlemen, my apologies for the disturbance. We won’t trouble you any further.”
However, Gu Yan grabbed Yun Xiangye’s wrist. “Since you’re here, why not join us for lunch?”
Yun Xiangye raised an eyebrow and looked at Gu Yan. Earlier, he hadn’t dared to introduce her as his wife in front of his colleagues, but now he was asking her to stay for a meal.
Yun Xiangye subtly pushed Gu Yan’s hand away. “I came here today to discuss matters related to the restaurant. I won’t be joining you for lunch. I need to go to the kitchen to take a look.”
Gu Yan followed Yun Xiangye’s lead. He had initially intended to keep Nuonuo by his side, but as soon as Xiao Nuonuo saw her mother leaving, she toddled after Yun Xiangye. “Mother.”
Yun Xiangye picked up Xiao Nuonuo and headed into the kitchen.
Inside the Duke of Wei’s residence.
Madam Yan, the Duchess of Wei, listened to the report from a maid beside her and raised an eyebrow, saying, “Really? Did that Yun woman really drive out the four senior maidservants from Gu Yan’s side at the Princess Royal’s residence?”
“Madam, it’s absolutely true. Those maidservants have gone to the censor’s office to find the Prince Ning’s heir. That Yun woman is far too jealous.”
The Duchess of Wei sneered and said, “Does she really think of herself as the heir’s wife? She should consider her own status. If it weren’t for Gu Yan being on the brink of death back then and needing a marriage for good luck, he would never have married her.”
The maid beside Madam Yan said, “Madam, this is good news. Since this Yun woman is so unrefined and jealous, her reputation is ruined. Sooner or later, the Princess Royal will not tolerate her as the heir’s wife.”
Madam Yan said, “She was never truly considered a wife in the first place. Without the formal betrothal documents, matchmakers, or even a proper wedding ceremony in the Gu family ancestral hall, what kind of heir’s wife is she?
Even if the position of heir’s wife doesn’t go to my Nian’er, it certainly won’t go to a merchant’s daughter from a small town in Jiangnan who brings misfortune to her parents.”
Yun Xiangye spent the afternoon rushing between Chang’an’s taverns and streets.
As dusk approached, she returned to the residence and went to see the Princess Royal.
When Yun Xiangye arrived at the Ten Thousand Flowers Garden, she saw Gu Jingyu and Wei Nian both present.
Wei Nian was weeping in front of Xie Zhixuan, saying, “Your Highness, I truly had no idea that the servants below were using my name to say such presumptuous things.”
Xie Zhixuan said to Wei Nian, “You have been taking care of your grandaunt in the princess’s residence for the past three years, which shows filial piety, but you are now of age and should return to your own residence.”
Wei Nian said, “Your Highness, ever since Granduncle passed away, Grandaunt has been deeply sorrowful. I wish to stay and keep her company…”
“Mother.” Yun Xiangye walked up to Xie Zhixuan and bowed. “Mother, today I went to the Linlang Tavern and noticed some shortcomings. I would like to revise the tavern’s menu.”
Xie Zhixuan looked at Yun Xiangye and smiled gently, saying, “I have entrusted the Linlang Tavern to you. You may make any changes you see fit and need not report to me in the future. Jingyu has already informed me about the disrespectful waiter at the tavern today. I had no idea that since Xia Lian left, the tavern had changed its allegiance. You have been wronged.”
Hearing Xie Zhixuan’s words, Wei Nian felt a pang of panic. She had inserted people into the tavern under the name of her grandaunt, Madam Gu, even while Xia Lian was still there.
Today, that waiter ruined her plans.
Yun Xiangye said, “I am not wronged. However, I have noticed that the tavern’s poor business is due to its high prices and the waiters’ tendency to flatter the wealthy and powerful while neglecting others. I would like to recruit some new, kind, and attentive waiters…”
“I also inquired about the food prices in Chang’an and the pricing of other taverns. I found that the Linlang Tavern’s prices are excessively high. I plan to reduce the prices by half and double the portion sizes…”
Hearing Yun Xiangye’s words, Wei Nian’s eyes filled with mockery. What does a merchant’s daughter from a small town in Jiangnan know? Does she think the Linlang Tavern is like a small shop in her hometown?
Wei Nian addressed Xie Zhixuan, saying, “Your Highness Princess Royal, I believe Yun Xiangye’s proposal is inappropriate…”
Yun Xiangye looked at Wei Nian and sneered, “I’ve heard from my husband that the Duke of Wei’s household places great emphasis on strict upbringing and pays utmost attention to propriety. So this is how the Duke of Wei’s daughter upholds propriety—I’ve learned something new.”
Wei Nian frowned and glared at Yun Xiangye, saying, “Yun! How dare you speak of my Duke of Wei’s household like this? Don’t forget, the current Empress is my aunt and also a daughter of the Duke of Wei’s household. Are you insulting the Empress?”
Yun Xiangye quickly replied, “Cousin Wei, you’ve misunderstood me. I wouldn’t dare say anything against the Empress or the Duke of Wei’s household.
It’s just that I come from a small rural town and am unfamiliar with the customs of Chang’an’s noble families. I’ve only now learned that in Chang’an, a cousin doesn’t need to address her cousin’s wife as ‘cousin-in-law’ and can simply call her by her name instead.
I must thank Cousin Wei for teaching me this rule. With the New Year approaching, I now know that when visiting other households in the future, I shouldn’t address anyone as ‘cousin-in-law’ and should just call them by their names.”
Wei Nian’s face darkened.
Gu Jingyu chuckled softly, “Sister-in-law, there’s no such rule in Chang’an. You should still address her as ‘cousin-in-law.'”
Yun Xiangye looked at Wei Nian with a smile in her eyes, “Then why doesn’t Cousin Wei call me ‘cousin-in-law’? Is it because you think I’m not worthy of your Cousin Gu?”