The Noble Lady's Rebirth: She just wants to Rest in Peace!-Chapter 184: Opportunist

Shanmoi, known for her straightforwardness, darkened her expression the moment she saw the breakfast brought back by the servants.

"Why isn’t there any steamed bass today, something the young lady has every morning?" It had been a daily routine for years, never once interrupted.

Tingnan was also called by Shanmoi and appeared sullen, "You’re throwing a fit with me here, but I got a bellyful of anger in the main kitchen. They said Fourth Miss went to the kitchen today, trying to show her filial piety by having all the bass steamed and sent to the various courtyards. So, there wasn’t any left for our young lady, thinking she could skip it, as she eats it every day anyway."

Previously, if scolded by Shanmoi, Tingnan would usually feign helplessness, and Shanmoi would quickly soften. However, today she talked back.

Shanmoi, being somewhat oblivious, didn’t notice this change, but rather continued from Tingnan’s words, "Who said that? Take me to them now, and I’ll ask them why. Everyone knows our young lady loves steamed bass, and she’s never broken that habit over the years. Don’t think I don’t know what they’re up to. Aren’t they just looking down on our young lady because she didn’t come from the Lin Mansion?"

At this point, Shanmoi shouted toward the courtyard, "Even if our young lady didn’t come from the Lin Mansion, Mrs. Gu Sr. still cares for her. Those shallow-minded folks dare to step on our young lady’s head, aren’t they afraid of Mrs. Gu Sr.’s wrath?"

"Enough, aren’t you afraid the young lady might hear you? Why are you yelling nonsense in the yard? It’s just food. They’re behaving short-sightedly; why bother with them? If the young lady hears, won’t it just upset her?" Hailan came out from the room, reprimanding Shanmoi.

Shanmoi then quieted down, complaining, "I was just angry at them and didn’t think the young lady would hear it."

"Alright, alright." Hailan naturally understood her, otherwise, she wouldn’t have just given her a look, her gaze shifting to Tingnan with a tone of reproach, "Tingnan, you’re the head maid of the courtyard. You should know better than the younger maids. You should have questioned the main kitchen right away and picked more pleasant words to say upon your return. Everyone in the courtyard knows Shanmoi’s temperament. Now that you’ve pleased yourself by speaking to her, and she’s made a fuss across the courtyard, aren’t you stirring unrest among the servants?"

"Hailan, I’m just furious; I didn’t think it through. From what you’re saying, it’s as if I did it on purpose," Tingnan, unrepentant after being exposed, glared straight at Hailan.

Shanmoi listened on the side, turning things over in her mind and soon realized something, her gaze toward Tingnan growing unfriendly.

Hailan continued, "If I didn’t know you did it unintentionally, such sycophantic servants would have been kicked out long ago."

With that, without giving another glance, Hailan instructed Shanmoi to bring the food inside.

Once inside, she quietly reprimanded her, "You serve by the young lady’s side, how could a few words prompt such a commotion? Did you not consider how those from Shi’an Garden in front would view the young lady? Even if Mrs. Gu Sr. favors her, she might think the young lady is being arrogant just over a dish."

Shanmoi dropped her face, "I didn’t think it through at the time."

"Serving by the young lady’s side requires more thought in everything you do. If you continue like this, even if the young lady remembers your service from childhood, Mrs. Gu Sr. wouldn’t agree to keep you by her side."

Shanmoi’s eyes reddened.

Seeing it was enough, Hailan, intending for Shanmoi to learn a lesson, said, "Let’s end it here. This shouldn’t happen again. I only spoke of the worst outcome just now. Be more cautious in the future, and it’ll be fine."

Shanmoi nodded.

In the Warm Pavilion, Lin Youning acted as if she hadn’t heard Hailan scolding Shanmoi. Not that she didn’t appreciate Shanmoi’s concern, but this kind of personality indeed tends to cause trouble.

With the noise in the courtyard, how could Lin Youning not hear it while sitting in the Warm Pavilion? Since her background was revealed earlier, she had anticipated such things, so she wasn’t surprised.

"Hailan, bring the food box, let’s go to Shi’an Garden." Lin Youning felt that sometimes hiding wouldn’t stop others from taking advantage of her.

In the flower hall, Hailan and Shanmoi heard her, and without saying much, covered the food box again and entered the Warm Pavilion.

Lin Youning, having already washed and dressed, led the two head maids to Shi’an Garden.

Mrs. Gu Sr., having just finished washing up due to her age, looked up to see Lin Youning coming in with a food box, teasing, "When did you start fetching breakfast for me as well?"

"This is my portion, not brought for Auntie. I thought of having it here, or else various things might start arriving at my place, and how could I eat it all then." After Shanmoi’s ruckus, how could the other courtyards not know?

If nothing else, just for Mrs. Gu Sr.’s sake, they would bring all the bass over.

Lin Youning didn’t want to make a scene, so she came to Shi’an Garden first, daring them to send anything here.

"What’s going on? Wasn’t your courtyard noisy this morning just over this?" Mrs. Gu Sr. beckoned her to sit while having Suyi set the meal.

Lin Youning smiled slightly, recounting the main kitchen’s incident, "Auntie, just pity me this once, and let me hide out here."

"That girl’s just protective of her mistress. I think she did the right thing, and you shouldn’t scold her." Mrs. Gu Sr. wasn’t angry upon hearing this, but her tone was unkind, "Who doesn’t know you can’t go without bass in the morning? Yet Fourth Miss did this, and the main kitchen didn’t stop her nor save any for you. It’s like I don’t exist in this mansion."

Thinking about the girl returning to the Zhao Mansion in the future, where she might not get such food, Mrs. Gu Sr.’s mood worsened.

Lin Youning playfully said, "Isn’t it because I was afraid Auntie would be upset? So I came over first. It’s just a dish, and I was raised by Auntie; I’m not that shallow. Auntie, don’t be mad, or else bringing my food box would’ve been for nothing this morning. Besides, with Auntie, what can’t I eat here? I’ll eat whatever I want here."

Mrs. Gu Sr. was amused by her, "Alright, alright. One is ill-intentioned, the other secretly helps. I’ll pretend not to know, saving myself some anger."

Mrs. Dong manages the whole Marquis Mansion; if it weren’t for her tacit approval, how would the main kitchen dare to act?

Mrs. Gu Sr. was disappointed; as the matriarch, Mrs. Dong didn’t have the magnanimity. How could Mrs. Gu Sr. feel at ease to hand the whole Marquis Mansion to her in the future?