When Xie Jinglan hurried back to Hou Manor, Wen Ning had already left Tingsong Courtyard.
"Master, Miss Wen insisted on leaving. This servant failed to stop her. Please punish me."
Xie Jinglan had not given any instructions before leaving, so Qing Feng dared not force her to stay. This could not be blamed on him.
"Never mind. She has suffered quite a fright these past two days. Let her go for now. After all, she cannot escape from Hou Manor."
Qing Feng was stunned, thinking he had misheard.
His master, his lord—when had he ever spoken such tender, protective words?
Qing Feng had just seen Granny Li bring in a physician, so he asked, "Tang Zhu already had two ribs broken by your kick. Should we let him off?"
At the mention of Tang Zhu, Xie Jinglan’s eyelids did not lift, but his eyes turned icy.
"Order the steward to thoroughly investigate the kitchen accounts—every detail must be examined. Then, deal with him according to the manor’s rules!"
"Yes." Qing Feng had long been disgusted by Tang Zhu’s behavior. Hearing that his master intended to punish him severely this time, he felt a sense of satisfaction.
Old Madam, out of gratitude for past favors, had arranged a lucrative purchasing position for Tang Zhu in the manor. If he had not acted so arrogantly and recklessly, he could have lived comfortably for the rest of his life.
Xie Jinglan was not entirely unaware of Tang Zhu’s conduct in Hou Manor over the years, but Old Madam, mindful of old sentiments, had repeatedly indulged him.
Out of respect for his grandmother, Xie Jinglan had turned a blind eye.
But this time, Xie Jinglan was determined to show no more leniency.
Qing Feng led Xie Jinglan to the study. On the black sandalwood round table, celadon bowls and plates were neatly arranged.
"Why was lunch delivered so early today?" Xie Jinglan asked, puzzled.
"A new cook has arrived in the kitchen and wanted you to taste whether the food suits your palate."
These dishes were actually prepared by Wen Ning in the Small Kitchen of Tingsong Courtyard. Although the small stove was not usually used, a few vegetables were kept there daily for unexpected needs.
Using these limited ingredients, Wen Ning had prepared lunch for the Marquis.
Although Xie Jinglan still had little appetite today, he sat down as usual.
Stir-fried wild celery, bamboo shoots stewed with preserved mustard greens, stir-fried small pine mushrooms, lotus root with floral aroma, and in the center, a celadon lotus-petal bowl held steaming hot fresh mushroom noodle soup.
Xie Jinglan took a cloth to wipe his hands. Qing Feng had already ladled a bowl of the mushroom noodle soup and placed it before him.
His slender fingers, accustomed to wielding blades and bows, picked up the small plain jade spoon. After the steam dissipated, he gently brought the food to his mouth.
The mushroom broth, simmered with matsutake, termitomyces, and morel mushrooms, was clear, bright, and delicious, with a rich, fragrant aroma.
On the snow-white noodle sheets were sprinkled finely chopped pea shoots. The broth-cooked pea shoots were crisp, tender, and refreshing, while the noodle sheets were smooth yet slightly chewy. This mouthful, blended with the fragrance of the mushroom broth, instantly filled his entire mouth.
Xie Jinglan’s brow twitched.
It seemed quite to his taste.
He couldn’t help but try the other dishes. Unlike the heavy, oily, and soy sauce-laden flavors typically prepared by the kitchen, these carried a fresh, clean essence while still highlighting the natural characteristics of the ingredients.
The ingredients were so simple, yet the flavor and cooking were perfectly balanced—truly remarkable.
For a moment, Xie Jinglan wondered if it wasn’t his body that had been unwell before, but that he hadn’t eaten food made by a real person in too long!
Seeing that his master had not only eaten two bowls of noodle soup but also finished most of the other dishes, Qing Feng couldn’t contain his joy.
"Master, how is it?" he asked eagerly, wearing a look of eager curiosity.
Xie Jinglan glanced at him sideways and said calmly, "She may stay."
Meaning this cook—could stay.
"Master, shall we keep this in the kitchen or bring it to Tingsong Courtyard?" Qing Feng asked with a mischievous grin.
Just as Xie Jinglan was about to scold him, Qing Feng quickly added, "This meal was prepared by Miss Wen…"
Miss Wen?
Wen Ning made this!
Xie Jinglan hadn't expected Wen Ning's culinary skills to be so impressive.
But after a moment's thought, his expression turned cold again. "She's still injured. How could you let her cook?"
"This was Miss Wen's own wish. She said she wanted to thank the Marquis for saving her life this morning."
Qing Feng said this without batting an eye, though only he knew how much indirect hinting had preceded this "wish."
Xie Jinglan's eyes deepened, the corners of his lips curling with a faint, ambiguous smile. "Hmph, thinking a single meal can settle things with this Marquis? Not a chance!"
What he wanted was far more than that!
Shortly after Xie Jinglan finished his lunch, Nanny Zhou from Old Madam's side came to invite the Marquis, saying there were matters to discuss.
Xie Jinglan didn't need to think hard to know—it must be Granny Li again, weeping and wailing before his grandmother.
Sure enough, before he even entered Yifu Hall, he could hear Granny Li's trembling voice lamenting, "This old servant's life is more bitter than yellow lotus! The year his father passed, the elder was three, the younger still in swaddling clothes. All these years, I've truly endured with blood and tears!
Who would have thought that the son and daughter I struggled to raise would both fall victim to that little hussy. Old Madam, you saw it too—what kind of things were drawn in that booklet found under her bed! Utterly shameless!"
Xie Wan, sitting nearby, grew increasingly furious. She had only passed that booklet along for her brother's benefit—there was nothing inherently wrong with it.
But hearing Granny Li speak this way felt like being publicly denounced, as if she had committed some heinous act.
Yet she found it difficult to speak up in her own defense. Instead, this maid named Wen Ning had chosen to shoulder all responsibility, refusing to reveal the booklet's origin. Such conduct actually made Xie Wan feel a certain admiration for her.
Old Madam was soft-hearted and couldn't withstand Granny Li's tearful pleas. She immediately comforted her, "Tang Zhu has already broken two ribs—consider that punishment enough.
But if he truly fancies any maid, he shouldn't resort to force. He should come to me first in the future, so I can decide properly for him. Acting recklessly like this—when the Marquis passed by, he naturally wouldn't tolerate such insolence.
As for Táng Lí, since I've already promised her the position of the Marquis's bedchamber maid, I won't give that spot to anyone else before the Marquis takes her in. You can rest assured."
Hearing this, Granny Li quickly thanked Old Madam, then pretended to dab her nose with a handkerchief while sniffling.
When Xie Jinglan entered the room, Granny Li immediately fell silent in fear, joining the other servants in bowing to the Marquis.
Only then did Xie Jinglan notice that Granny Li had brought Wen Ning here as well.
She remained silent, kneeling with her head bowed, revealing a slender stretch of snow-white nape.
Though only a few hours had passed since he last saw her, Xie Jinglan felt as if much more time had gone by.
Old Madam quickly ordered tea for Xie Jinglan. After all, he was her own grandson—the moment she saw him, the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifted.
"Have you been eating well lately? I only learned from the servants that you've had no appetite these past days. Are you trying to break your grandmother's heart on purpose?"
"Grandmother, do not listen to the servants' idle gossip. Your grandson has had a very good appetite these past two days, and I must thank Granny Li for selecting such an excellent cook for this Marquis."
"Cook… cook?" Granny Li was utterly bewildered by Xie Jinglan's words.
"It's this one named Wen Ning. She cooks wonderfully—so much so that this Marquis is considering setting up a private kitchen just for myself."
Upon hearing this, Wen Ning looked up at Xie Jinglan, unsure what scheme he was plotting.
Guiltily, she shook her head. She had only prepared a few dishes in the small kitchen—how could she be called an "excellent cook"?
The Old Madam chided, "You are a dignified Marquis; you should have set up a private kitchen long ago. However… the choice of cook should be carefully considered."
Given that Granny Li had just spoken of Wen Ning as utterly worthless, the Old Madam naturally felt uneasy.
Hearing the Marquis's words, Granny Li was furious.
She never expected that little wench Wen Ning would sneak off to show off her cooking skills in front of the Marquis. That cheap hussy certainly had her tricks!
Granny Li shot Wen Ning a fierce glare, then turned to the Old Madam and said, "Old Madam, my Táng Lí is also quite skilled. When it comes to taking care of the Marquis, it's still our own household-born servants who are truly reliable."
The Old Madam naturally understood the implication and asked Xie Jinglan with a smile, "Could it be that the instructing matron failed to properly train Táng Lí? I heard from Táng Lí that you two… did not share a room last night? Or did someone else enter Tingsong Courtyard and disturb your mood?"
Wen Ning certainly understood what the Old Madam meant—Granny Li had just slandered her in the same way.
Xie Jinglan deliberately put on a troubled expression, as if there were something difficult to say. Seeing this, the Old Madam immediately dismissed the servants, leaving only the three of them in the room.
Xie Jinglan's gaze followed Wen Ning until her slender figure disappeared outside the door. Only then did he snap back to attention and say, "It is your grandson's fault. I… I simply lacked the interest. In fact, I even bought a small booklet specifically for this."
As he spoke, he pretended to be surprised and picked up the small booklet on the table. "This is the one. I accidentally lost it that day, so that night I was completely at a loss. I never expected that some servant would have picked it up and brought it to you, Grandmother."
After saying this, Xie Jinglan even winked at Xie Wan.
Xie Wan never expected that her usually stern younger brother, the dignified Marquis of An Yuan, would put on such an act.
The Old Madam was heartbroken to hear this. Not only could her grandson not have heirs, but even that matter…
Unable to help herself, she cautiously asked, "And now… how is it?"
"Your grandson feels that with a good appetite, the body improves as well."
The Old Madam finally breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly. "That is excellent, truly excellent. It seems that girl named Wen Ning was indeed wronged. In my opinion, you should always have a few more attentive people to serve you. How about this arrangement: on odd-numbered days, let Táng Lí attend to you, and on even-numbered days, have Wen Ning serve. What do you think of this idea, grandson?"