Ye Zhen was unaware of the Marquise’s thoughts.
She brought Wan Xing to the Wang Family Estate.
They were received by Granny Cui, who served by Old Madam Wang’s side. That day, Granny Cui had been ordered to go to the Marquis Estate to stop the Marquise from making a foolish mistake but was pushed by the Marquise.
In that critical moment, Ye Zhen, disregarding her own capture, turned back and supported Granny Cui in time. Granny Cui was deeply grateful for this.
Otherwise, if her old bones had fallen, they might have shattered.
Learning that Ye Zhen had prepared vegetarian dishes to express her gratitude, and that there were portions for her and the female physician as well, Granny Cui treated Ye Zhen with great kindness.
“Shaofuren is very thoughtful, but my Old Madam is currently performing her evening prayers…”
Old Madam Wang believed in Buddhism and insisted on performing morning and evening prayers.
Ye Zhen expressed that she only wished to show her gratitude and would leave after delivering the dishes.
And true to her word, she left right after delivering the food.
Granny Cui found her increasingly agreeable—she didn’t flatter or ingratiate herself; she was genuine.
Thus, after Old Madam Wang finished her prayers, Granny Cui couldn’t help but praise Ye Zhen in front of her.
The Wang family had deep roots, and Old Madam Wang was someone many younger generations in Jingcheng sought to curry favor with.
But she rarely ate food sent by outsiders, and ordinary people couldn’t get their offerings past Granny Cui, who would turn them away.
This old maidservant wasn’t kind to just anyone.
It was clear that Ye Zhen had truly won her favor, which piqued Old Madam Wang’s interest.
When she saw the dishes laid out on the table, she understood Granny Cui’s sentiments.
Wensi Tofu Soup, Vegetarian Crab Meat, Mino Vegetarian Abalone—the ingredients were ordinary, but each dish required immense patience and effort.
She heard that Ye Zhen was quite injured and had even suffered a high fever last night. Her sincerity was evident.
She tasted each dish separately, her eyes lighting up, and said to Granny Cui, “Not bad. You should try some too.”
Granny Cui covered her mouth and laughed, “To be honest, she sent portions for this old servant and the female physician as well. I’ve already tasted them behind your back.”
Having served by Old Madam Wang’s side for decades, their bond had long transcended that of ordinary master and servant. Coupled with Old Madam Wang’s indulgence, Granny Cui spoke and acted with a bit more familiarity.
“Many young ladies in Jingcheng exaggerate their efforts threefold to tenfold, making a mountain out of a molehill at the slightest hardship. Flattering those above and stepping on those below is the norm. Someone like Shaofuren is truly rare. This old servant isn’t praising her lightly.”
Granny Cui was proud of her judgment. “I’m just a servant. That day, she didn’t have to save me. And even if she hadn’t sent these dishes today, you wouldn’t have blamed her. By sending them, you still wouldn’t have any connection with her. She must have considered this, yet she sent them anyway. It shows her gratitude is genuine.”
It wasn’t an attempt to climb the social ladder.
“I heard she learned these dishes in the south from temple masters. I have some knowledge of cooking and know how much effort it takes to master such dishes. It’s clear she frequented the temple often and has a heart for Buddhism.”
Then she sighed, “It’s just a pity…”
“A pity for what?”
Xie Tingzhou walked in from outside, smiling as he picked up Granny Cui’s words.
Seeing him, Old Madam Wang smiled warmly and beckoned him to sit beside her. “She was pitying your sister-in-law, saying she seems like a good girl.”
It was a pity she would waste her life like this.
Xie Tingzhou neither agreed nor disagreed, his gaze falling on the dishes on the table.
Old Madam Wang asked, “Would you like to eat with me?”
“Alright.”
While they spoke, Granny Cui had already set out bowls and chopsticks.
Xie Tingzhou sampled each dish in turn, paying particular attention to the Vegetarian Crab Meat, which he scooped three times. “Was this made by Ye Zhen herself?”
Having been staying at the estate, he had naturally heard about Ye Zhen cooking, yet he still asked.
Old Madam Wang smiled. “It should be.”
An unimportant Shaofuren surely wouldn’t dare play tricks at the Marquis Estate’s villa.
“If you like it, I can have Taozhi learn how to make it from her, so she can prepare it for you later.”
Xie Tingzhou shook his head. “There’s no need to trouble yourself, Grandaunt. I was merely curious.”
He then changed the subject. Learning that he would be returning to Jingcheng tomorrow, Old Madam Wang was quite reluctant to see him go and engaged him in lengthy conversation.
Finally, she asked, “Is there someone you fancy?”
Xie Tingzhou laughed. “I spend most of my time with the army, and there are few women at the border. If I said I had my eye on someone, you’d probably worry, Grandaunt.”
“Still as irreverent as ever.”
Old Madam Wang lightly tapped his hand, her eyes full of affection. “I’m old now, and have few regrets in this life. My only wish is to see you marry and have children, so that I can account for it to my elder sister in the future.”
His parents had passed away early, and his elder sister had taken a husband to support the family and raise him and his younger brother, but she exhausted herself doing so and died young. She had brought her young niece to Jingcheng to raise her and arranged a marriage for her with the Zhongyong Hou Estate.
Unexpectedly, when her husband was assigned to a post elsewhere, she accompanied him. Only a year after leaving the capital, the niece she had raised as her own daughter died in childbirth.
The child left behind cried constantly to be fed and grew up plagued by numerous ailments. Then, in his teens, his face was disfigured. She always felt there was some conspiracy behind it all.
Yet she could find no evidence.
In the end, she had no choice but to pressure the Marquis Zhongyong: either let Xie Tingzhou be raised in the Wang family, or take him under his personal care.
The Marquis chose the latter. Although Tingzhou had been safe these years, he was now twenty-three and still unmarried.
She had privately sought potential matches for him, but with his damaged appearance and a stepmother managing the household, families of good standing would hesitate.
Those from lesser families, if married into the Marquis Estate, would not only fail to be an asset to Tingzhou—she feared they might not survive the mistreatment from Liu Shi, which would only lead to causing an innocent girl’s death.
After this great victory, Tingzhou had directly burned and killed fifty thousand enemy prisoners, earning him a reputation for cruelty and bloodlust.
Though she was but a woman, she knew that Da Yuan’s current national strength could not support feeding those fifty thousand prisoners.
Releasing them would only give the enemy nation a chance to recuperate and attack Da Yuan again.
Her child had done what was beneficial for the country and its people, but the world was foolish.
Finding a match for Tingzhou had become even more difficult. Now, with the matter of Xie Yunzhou arising, Old Madam Wang felt extremely heartbroken for Xie Tingzhou.
Xie Tingzhou comforted her, “Don’t worry, Grandaunt. Your grandson is excellent—such a day will surely come.”
Old Madam Wang seized the opportunity to ask, “Then what kind of young lady do you like? I can keep an eye out for you.”
Xie Tingzhou seemed to ponder for a moment, then chuckled lightly. “She would have to be the finest woman in the world.”
Hearing this evasive reply, Old Madam Wang knew she couldn’t press further. She went along with his words, chatted a while longer, then let him return to rest so he could set off early the next morning.
After returning to the villa, Xie Tingzhou had Xing Ze go to the kitchen to inquire and confirmed that the Vegetarian Crab Meat was indeed made by Ye Zhen.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.
Meanwhile, after delivering the dishes, Ye Zhen received some roasted meat sent by order of the Marquis Zhongyong.
Still injured, she ate until seventy percent full, then washed up early and went to bed.
The night passed peacefully.
The next day, after finishing breakfast, the mistress and her maid boarded the carriage returning to the capital.
Xie Tingzhou also mounted his horse and followed them back to the capital.
Having received the news, Xie Jinyao had been waiting outside the main gate of the Marquis Estate early with her younger brother and servants.
When she saw the procession approaching, Xie Jinyao quickly led her younger brother to Marquis Zhongyong and bowed, “Your daughter pays respects to Father.”
Having been away for a long time, Marquis Zhongyong was quite pleased to see the children and promptly asked them to rise.
The younger son Xie Lanzhou looked at the carriage behind him, “Why hasn’t Mother gotten off the carriage yet? Lanzhou misses Mother.”
Marquis Zhongyong bent down and picked him up, “Your mother is unwell and will return after recuperating at the estate for some time.”
As he spoke, he took out Marquise’s letter from his pocket and handed it to Xie Jinyao, “This is a letter from your mother to you. Read it to your brother later.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Lanzhou burst into loud sobs.
Just then, Ye Zhen emerged from the carriage. Xie Lanzhou pointed at Ye Zhen and shouted, “It must be this wicked woman who made Mother ill! I’m going to beat her to death!”