Ch 158: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

On the day of the birthday banquet, Shen Yunxuan arrived early at the Lin residence to begin preparations. She personally inspected all the ingredients, ensuring they were handled properly beforehand. At first, the Lin family’s chef was displeased, but after seeing her skillful techniques and learning that she was preparing dishes he had never seen before, he couldn’t help but move closer to watch.

Shen Yunxuan let him observe without hesitation, showing no fear of him stealing her techniques. She even generously prepared breakfast for Old Madam Lin and her family first. After tasting her cooking, the chef was fully convinced of her abilities and willingly assisted her.

The county magistrate, being a devoted son, had invited various prominent figures within his jurisdiction to celebrate his mother’s birthday. The men and women were seated in separate halls, and the ceremonial greetings went on for quite some time, creating a lively atmosphere.

As the banquet began, dish after dish was brought to the tables, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma. Seeing the unfamiliar dishes, guests murmured in surprise, “Has Magistrate Lin hired a new chef? These dishes seem quite novel.”

Magistrate Lin smiled. “I invited a talented young cook my mother favors to oversee the banquet. Some dishes are specialties from the capital, while others are from the southern regions. Please enjoy them while they’re hot and let me know your thoughts.”

The phrase “talented young cook” was cleverly chosen—it did not imply a mere servant or a hired chef, but rather a young person whom the Lin family regarded as a friend. The guests quickly speculated that this person must be a junior acquaintance of Magistrate Lin from the capital. Naturally, the appropriate response was to offer praise.

With that mindset, everyone began to taste the food, preparing to compose compliments. However, as soon as they took their first bites, their prepared words became unnecessary. Their praise came naturally and sincerely.

“This is truly delicious! I don’t think anyone in our county has ever had such refined cooking!”

Master Li, an esteemed elder, casually agreed, “Indeed, such skill at a young age—this person has a bright future ahead.”

Another guest chuckled, joining in the praise, “Magistrate Lin, you must not keep such talent to yourself. Would you be willing to introduce this skilled chef to us? Perhaps we could request their services for our own banquets in the future?”

Magistrate Lin smiled. “This young friend is actually from our very own county—from Qingshan Village, to be precise. Whether they agree to cater for you is up to them. They are quite busy running their own eatery, and they only came today out of respect for my mother.”

Someone in the crowd found the information familiar. “Magistrate Lin, are you referring to the young lady who was recently praised by the emperor?”

“Which young lady? The one who provided the ‘compressed bread’ formula?”

Magistrate Lin nodded. “Yes, that’s her.”

Master Li recalled hearing his wife mention the Shen family before—how the Li family had once helped them. Thinking of that connection, he added, “Truly remarkable! Who would have thought that Miss Shen, at such a young age, possesses such exceptional culinary skills? I heard she is self-taught? Such talent is truly rare!”

Magistrate Lin glanced at Master Li and said, “Miss Shen is not only talented but also hardworking. I hold her in high regard. The emperor even rewarded her with books from the palace, hoping she would achieve great things. However, talent must be honed through experience, which is why she opened her own business. Unfortunately, she has recently encountered some difficulties.”

Then, Magistrate Lin turned to his steward and instructed, “Go and invite Miss Shen in.”

The guests were taken aback. A moment ago, they had been making lighthearted remarks, never expecting that the person they were discussing would actually be invited in. More importantly, Magistrate Lin had specifically mentioned her recent troubles.

What was his intention? Was he suggesting that they should help her?

Who exactly was this Miss Shen, and since when had she become so close to Magistrate Lin that he would personally intervene on her behalf?

The more astute guests quickly pieced things together. If Miss Shen had been recognized by the emperor, then she must have contributed something significant—something that benefited Magistrate Lin. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be offering her such public support. As long as assisting her wasn’t troublesome, they would certainly want to extend a favor to the magistrate.

Not long after, Shen Yunxuan arrived, following the steward into the hall. In her past life, she had been rigorously trained in etiquette at the Li residence, and later, as a noble matron, she carried herself with grace and composure. Thus, her greeting to Magistrate Lin was flawlessly executed, followed by polite bows to the gathered guests.

The guests were still waiting for Magistrate Lin to explain the nature of the issue when, unexpectedly, Shen Yunxuan raised her cup toward Master Li and offered him a toast.

She smiled and said, “My elders were once ignorant and, seeking to return a favor, tried to push me into servitude in the Li household. That was quite improper, and I thank Master Li for his tolerance in not taking offense.

“Later, after my parents formally transferred me to another family, I happened to encounter members of the Li family again, and they kindly offered me a position as a household chef. I was deeply grateful, as the Li family is known for its generosity.

However, I was unwise and failed to appreciate the opportunity, instead choosing to focus on my humble eatery. I am not skilled with words, and I fear this may have caused misunderstandings. My small business cannot withstand unnecessary turmoil. If I have ever offended Master Li in any way, I ask for your forgiveness.

This toast is for Master Li. May you enjoy health and longevity.”

With that, she raised her cup and drank it in one go, her demeanor straightforward and composed.

The guests, however, were left bewildered. What was going on?

Had Master Li been the one causing trouble for Shen Yunxuan? Why would someone as wealthy and established as him go out of his way to target a mere young woman running a small business?

A few guests, already aware of the recent rumors surrounding Yunlai Eatery, realized the gravity of the situation. Allegations concerning food safety were extremely damaging. If Master Li had truly orchestrated such slander, it was indeed disgraceful.

Master Li himself had felt that something was off from the moment Shen Yunxuan began speaking. At first, her words sounded like praise for his family, but there was no reason for her to bring up past events so suddenly. Then, as she continued, he understood—this was a veiled accusation.

She was saying that the Li family had wanted to take her in. When she refused, they retaliated by sabotaging her business. And now, Magistrate Lin was stepping in to support her.

Master Li sensed the eyes of those around him and felt a surge of anger, but he couldn’t openly refute the situation. Instead, he raised his cup and said, “I was completely unaware of this matter—truly shameful. Miss Shen, rest assured, if anyone in my household has acted improperly, I will discipline them severely and give you a proper explanation.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “Master Li flatters me. As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up, it’s all fine—it was never a big deal to begin with.” Then she turned to Magistrate Lin and respectfully said, “Sir, I will return to the kitchen to prepare some digestive desserts for the banquet.”

Magistrate Lin stroked his beard and nodded with a smile, taking the opportunity to further elevate her status. “Be sure to prepare an extra portion for my mother—she is especially fond of your cooking and always speaks highly of it.”

Shen Yunxuan nodded. “Of course, I will ensure it suits her taste.”

With just a brief appearance and a few well-placed words, Shen Yunxuan left a lasting impression on everyone. From then on, subtle glances continued to land on Master Li, making him increasingly frustrated.

Trying to salvage the situation, Master Li discreetly explained himself to Magistrate Lin. But Magistrate Lin simply waved it off, calling it a small matter and saying nothing more.

Yet, Master Li could clearly sense a change in Magistrate Lin’s attitude—he had become noticeably distant. It was evident that he was displeased. Master Li had originally planned to bring up the matter of securing a position for Li Yaosheng after the banquet, but now that opportunity was lost.

Shen Yunxuan had managed to publicly shame Master Li while still giving him a dignified way out. She had framed the Li family as kind-hearted, claiming that she herself had been clumsy with words, leading to a misunderstanding. If Master Li handled it wisely, he could simply place the blame on a scapegoat and remove himself from the scandal entirely. No matter what others truly thought, at least on the surface, his reputation remained intact.

After the banquet, Shen Yunxuan formally expressed her gratitude to Old Madam Lin and Magistrate Lin. Old Madam Lin patted her hand and sighed. “For a young girl to manage everything on her own like this—it must be incredibly difficult.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “It’s alright. Every hurdle can be overcome. I am fortunate to be able to do what I love and live freely. That already makes me luckier than most—I am content.”

“Good! What a determined young woman!” Old Madam Lin genuinely admired her and had her attendants bring out some of her favorite jewelry as a gift.

In return, Shen Yunxuan presented a high-quality ginseng root she had found in the mountains.

When she returned home, her three elders immediately gathered around with concern. “Are you alright? Did everything go smoothly?”

Shen Yunxuan reassured them. “It went very well. Everything should be fine now, so don’t worry.”

Meanwhile, back at the Li household, Master Li was seething with anger. The moment he stepped through the door, he roared, “Summon everyone here—immediately!”

Old Madam Li, puzzled, came over and asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen at the banquet? That shouldn’t be the case—you said your relationship with Magistrate Lin was still good, didn’t you?”

Master Li sat down and slammed the table. “Good? Hah! My standing is fine—but what have all of you been doing behind my back?”

Old Madam Li was caught off guard. “What did I do? I knew you wanted to strengthen ties with Magistrate Lin, so I paid special attention to preserving our reputation. Helping that farm woman with a trivial favor wasn’t anything major—”

“This is exactly the issue!” Master Li slammed the table again. “Did you try to bring that girl into our household? If she refused, so be it—but why resort to bullying her?”

“Bull—bullying?” Old Madam Li stammered. “How can you say that? It was they who clung to us, trying to exploit our past favor! I only showed them some courtesy—”

Just then, the rest of the household arrived. Li Yaosheng, hearing that it was about the Shen family, looked confused. “The Shen family? Didn’t they send their grandson and granddaughter here to work? They’re already serving at my side—what happened now?”

Master Li recounted the events at the Lin residence, then swept a sharp gaze over his household. “Who is responsible for this? Step forward!”

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, having no idea what had happened. Finally, Li Yaosheng furrowed his brows and said, “Grandfather, when Miss Shen mentioned encountering members of the Li family, she must have been referring to me. I noticed her bearing was extraordinary and suggested that she come work in our household. She declined, and I simply told her that she was welcome to come if she ever changed her mind. I never forced her.”

Master Li stared at him. “Can you guarantee that you never took further action?”

Li Yaosheng hesitated for a moment. Seeing this, Old Madam Li scolded him, “Speak up! Do you think we can afford to offend Magistrate Lin?”

Only then did Li Yaosheng speak in a low voice. “Fine, I admit it—I was interested in her. I hinted to Shen Zhong that he should use her supposed childhood engagement as leverage to bring her into our household. But Grandfather, I had no intention of forcing her, and I never showed my hand. The Shen family has always sought to climb the social ladder—arranging a marriage for one of their juniors is perfectly reasonable.

Besides, those few days when I accompanied Grandmother to the temple for a retreat, Miss Shen suddenly got married. By the time I returned, I had already let go of the idea—I understand basic principles.”

His words sounded refined and reasonable—claiming he hadn’t pressured her, hadn’t revealed himself, and had merely let the Shen family pressure her instead. If things had gone wrong, the blame would fall entirely on the Shen family, leaving the Li family untouched.

Everyone present understood the implications, but since this was a common tactic, they saw nothing particularly wrong with it. Li Yaosheng was reckless, but not to the extent of deliberately sabotaging someone’s business.

Li Yaosheng’s mother tentatively asked, “Father, could this be a mistake? How can we be sure that our family was responsible?”

Master Li considered this for a moment, then asked, “Regardless, the only person in this household with any involvement with that girl is Yaosheng. The moment you returned from the temple, she rushed into a marriage—clearly, she knew of your intentions and wanted nothing to do with it. She must have resented you for it. After that, what further interactions did you have with the Shen family?”

Li Yaosheng decided to lay everything out, detailing his grievances, including how he had punished Shen Zhong with ten lashes out of frustration, how Shen Zhong had cunningly brought Shen Yunlian into the household as a maid, and how he had subsequently promoted Shen Yunlian to a first-class maid while reducing Shen Zhong to a mere errand runner. He also emphasized that Shen Zhong had mentioned Shen Yunxuan’s recent affairs, but he had immediately dismissed the topic, telling him not to bring it up.

“In short, I really have nothing to do with Shen Yunxuan’s troubles,” Li Yaosheng declared, looking directly at Master Li, his tone open and unwavering.

Master Li suddenly recalled something from Shen Yunxuan’s earlier statements. “What did she mean when she said she was adopted into another family?”

Li Yaosheng was aware of this. He explained how the Shen family had always prioritized sons over daughters and had oppressed the third branch of the family. He speculated that Shen Yunxuan had orchestrated her own adoption into the Wu family with the help of Old Madam Wu. Later, when the Shen family tried to make trouble at the Wu residence, it had just so happened that Shen Yunxuan was receiving praise from the emperor, and the officials had promptly arrested the Shen family members and detained them for several days.

Old Madam Li interjected, “I knew about this as well. Shen Zhong came to beg for my help, but when I looked into it, I found out they had been caught stealing, so being locked up for a few days was nothing. I didn’t intervene, and I haven’t paid attention to their matters since.”

Li Yaosheng’s father suddenly spoke up. “Then the Shen family must bear a grudge against Shen Yunxuan! Could it be that they were the ones sabotaging her eatery while using our Li family’s name?”

Everyone analyzed the situation and found this highly plausible. Master Li was relieved. Having a different suspect to investigate was far better than discovering the culprit was within his own household—it also provided an excuse to present to Magistrate Lin.

At that moment, Li Yaosheng remembered something. “Shen Yunlian often speaks highly of Shen Yunxuan. It seems they have a good relationship. However, she did mention that Shen Zhong resents her.”

This made the theory even more credible—Shen Zhong could have used the Li family’s name to cover his own actions.

Shen Zhong and Shen Yunlian were summoned. As soon as he realized the inquiry was about Yunlai Eatery, Shen Zhong became visibly tense. His expression shifted slightly before he quickly lowered his head, trying to compose himself. Shen Yunlian, on the other hand, was genuinely surprised. “Something happened at Yunlai Eatery? How could that be? Just a few days ago, my family came to visit me and said the eatery was bustling with customers. Business was thriving! I was even happy for my cousin.

Could this be the work of rival restaurants?”

Her expression showed no signs of deceit. They then asked about her recent activities, and she quickly detailed her schedule—serving tea to Li Yaosheng, embroidering and studying with the other maids, and always sleeping in shared quarters. She never had the chance to be alone.

Master Li then turned to Shen Zhong, who hastily recounted where he had been over the past few days. However, because he frequently left the residence on errands, no one could verify his whereabouts, making him the prime suspect.

Shen Zhong panicked. “It really wasn’t me! Every time I went home, I told my family not to provoke Shen Yunxuan. Shen Yunlian can vouch for me!”

Shen Yunlian nodded. “Yes, Shen Zhong has warned our family multiple times.”

At that moment, the steward entered with his findings. “Master, over the past few days, Yunlai Eatery has faced various troubles. During our investigation, a few revelations came to light.

Firstly, one of the house servants who shares quarters with Shen Zhong reported seeing him acting suspiciously—hunched over, sneaking around, washing his face for an unusually long time, and hiding something. Upon searching his bedding, we found a fake mustache and charcoal sticks.

“Secondly, the gatekeeper at the side entrance reported seeing three beggar children loitering outside. When he went to chase them away, they ran off immediately.”

The fake mustache and charcoal were clear evidence of a disguise, and the beggar children matched the group that had stirred trouble at Yunlai Eatery—it all fit together perfectly.

“You bastard! So it was you after all!” Li Yaosheng kicked Shen Zhong to the ground. “How dare you!”

Shen Zhong screamed in pain and immediately knelt, pleading for mercy. “It wasn’t me! This is a misunderstanding, I swear!”

Li Yaosheng’s voice was ice-cold. “Still denying it? Guards! Drag him to the courtyard and beat him until he confesses. If he doesn’t, beat him to death!”

“No! Master, please! You can’t torture me into confessing, Master—!”

Regardless of how much Shen Zhong begged, the guards still dragged him outside for punishment. Li Yaosheng then turned his gaze to Shen Yunlian, who, terrified, dropped to her knees, pale-faced, and raised her hands in an oath. “I swear to the heavens, I had no knowledge of this! If I did, may I be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!”

Li Yaosheng let out a disdainful snort and let her go. Outside, the courtyard echoed with agonized screams. After only a dozen strokes of the rod, Shen Zhong could no longer endure the pain. Wailing, he broke down and confessed.

He collapsed onto the ground, slapped himself several times, and sobbed, “It was my fault! I was jealous of Shen Yunxuan’s success, of how well she was living, of how much favor she had gained from you, Master! So I hired thugs and beggars to cause trouble at her shop. I didn’t intend for anything serious—I just wanted to scare her. I never mentioned the Li family! No one could possibly know I was behind it!”

Master Li let out a cold snort. “Indeed, no one knew it was you. But all it takes is for someone to follow you and see you enter this residence—and suddenly, it becomes a problem for the Li family!”

Li Yaosheng stomped on Shen Zhong’s back in fury. “You fool! I’m taking you to Shen Yunxuan so you can kneel and beg for her forgiveness!”

He grabbed Shen Zhong, preparing to drag him away, but Master Li called out, “Enough! Do you want to escalate this further? If you go now, how will our family maintain its dignity? You’re a grown man, yet you’re not even as shrewd as that young girl.”

Master Li pondered briefly before ordering, “Send some compensation to Miss Shen in secret. Make sure no one sees it. Inform her of the truth—this should serve as a proper resolution. And while you’re at it, request that she speak well of us in front of Magistrate Lin. This matter must be distanced from our Li family.”

He then turned to the guards. “As for Shen Zhong—he is guilty of stealing from his master. Hand him over to the authorities.”

“No! Please, no—!” Shen Zhong was utterly panicked. His previous actions, though disruptive, weren’t criminally punishable. But now, if he were accused of stealing from his master, he would be thrown into prison without hope of escape.

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