Chapter 150: Chapter 150
Chapter 150
"Please, come in," Yueqian gestured to the two teachers. Though not as gentle and polite as she was with the two children, this was the best display of courtesy from the evil Qin.
The two teachers sat in the pavilion, where five separate meals had been prepared, surprising everyone. However, since all the dishes were in covered bowls with hot steamed rice placed beside them, no one knew what was inside.
"As you are the teachers of my younger brother-in-law, I have specially prepared these meals for you. Please, don’t be shy and finish everything," Yueqian smiled faintly. This demeanor prevented anyone from overthinking the situation.
Yueqian was the first to uncover her own meal, revealing five different dishes inside. They looked incredibly appetizing, featuring fried, boiled, blanched, stir-fried, and steamed dishes. Most of the dishes were fish and chicken, with various colorful vegetables, making the meal appear perfectly suited for a woman like Yueqian.
"The food in front of me is special. As a newlywed woman, taking care of my body is quite important. These dishes will help me maintain my beauty," Yueqian said happily. She then looked at the two children.
"Xiao Long, Huan’er, open your sets." Upon hearing that, the two children knew there must be something different. The two teachers also paid attention.
Xiao Long and Huan’er followed the order. When they opened their food, they found fried beef, boiled vegetable sprouts, steamed fish, tom yum chicken, and one boiled egg each. The food looked very appetizing.
"The food I’ve prepared for you will nourish your bodies and help you grow better. It’s mostly meat and eggs. I also added goat milk to the tom yum chicken. I hope you like it," Yueqian said with a sweet smile. The children quickly thanked her happily.
"Teacher Cai, please open your food," the beauty gestured toward the female teacher, who smiled warmly, appreciating Yueqian’s attentiveness. Seeing how she cared for the two children, the teacher realized she wasn’t as bad as she thought.
In front of the teacher was tom yum fish with all the bones removed, boiled pumpkin, stir-fried chives with liver, steamed egg, and fruit salad. Each person had five dishes in total, all looking very delicious.
As soon as the lid was opened, the aroma made the old woman secretly swallow. Since leaving the palace, she hadn’t had such luxurious food. In the past, following the senior court lady everywhere, she sometimes had the chance to eat delicious food.
"Your food is mild and won’t upset your stomach. It also includes vegetables and fruits that aid digestion," Yueqian explained. Her harsh demeanor seemed to soften significantly. The old teacher thanked her twice.
"Thank you very much. Thank you for your care." After she finished speaking, everyone turned their attention to the military strategy teacher.
The other party was equally excited. Everyone’s food was different, and all of it looked delicious. Being a low-level teacher who struggled to find work, so how could he had a chance to eat such food? He thought to himself that this was indeed a stroke of luck.
"Eldest Young Miss, I’ll open mine then." After he finished speaking, without waiting for anyone’s signal, the military strategy teacher quickly opened his lid. His eyes widened as soon as he saw what was in front of him.
"Your food was specially prepared. I hope you like it and finish it all. After this, I’ll cook for both teachers again. I hope you won’t mind and will eat it all. But if you do mind... next time, you don’t have to come teach the children," Yueqian smiled gently. However, the male teacher’s face turned green.
"Eldest Young Miss Qin, what does this mean? Why is everyone else’s food so good, but, but..."
"But what?" Yueqian asked, a cold smile appearing at the corner of her mouth, causing the man to tremble.
"But my food..."
"What’s wrong with your food? I made it especially for you. I thought it was appropriate. Don’t you like it?"
"How could I like this? What... what is this?" The military strategy teacher shouted. Initially, he almost vomited, but his anger overpowered his nausea, preventing him from throwing up.
"Oh, you don’t know? It’s “pig brain.” Pig brain is supposed to nourish people with minds like yours." Yueqian smirked.
"What is a brain? Is it... is it the stuff inside a pig’s head?"
"Yes, it should be. It was taken from a pig’s head. I spent the most time on it because it requires long cooking to be properly done," Yueqian feigned hardship, though her demeanor seemed more like she was looking for trouble.
"You! Then you eat it. Let your siblings eat it too."
"How could that be? The children and you are of different ages. Only you are suitable for this. The more you think like a pig, the more you need to be nourished," Yueqian emphasized each word clearly.
The face of the military strategy teacher froze slightly, his eyes red with anger. Now he realized that the other party was deliberately picking a fight with him. Not to mention placing seven bowls as if offering them to the dead! It seemed she had heard everything he taught while she was at home today!
"Uh, Eldest Young Miss Qin, actually I..."
"Finish eating first, then we can talk. If it gets cold, it won’t taste good. Besides, the children have more lessons in the afternoon," Yueqian waved her hand, not giving the other party a chance to make excuses.
She even started eating first, prompting the children to follow suit. Naturally, Huan’er didn’t notice anything amiss, but after realizing what was happening, it seemed that her second brother’s teacher had issues with her sister-in-law. However, Huan’er sided with her sister-in-law. When the other party told her to eat, she just ate, ignoring whatever was happening in front of her.
The music teacher also looked at the male teacher with sympathy, but in the end, the food in front of her was too tempting. So, she chose to ignore his hardship and focus on her own meal.
The male teacher, on the other hand, felt like coughing up blood in front of everyone. His face turned red as he covered his bowls, not wanting to see what had been prepared for him.
"Oh, I forgot to mention. Starting today, I’ll be increasing the daily stipend by 20 wen. You can collect it on the days you teach. But if you ever feel that Yueqian’s food isn’t good enough, then we might have to part ways," Yueqian said nonchalantly. The music teacher almost expressed her joy openly.
Twenty brass coins a day didn’t seem like much, but with daily employment, it added up to a substantial amount. So, she was very pleased, in stark contrast to the man next to her, whose face twisted in frustration.
He now felt as though he had been hired just to eat these disgusting "fats from a pig’s head"!!
Yueqian had no intention of making the food palatable for him. She simply boiled it in water, resulting in a strong smell. Fortunately, she left it simmering long enough for it to become tender enough to eat.
"Ugh!!" The military strategy teacher nearly vomited, even with the incentive of 20 wen. His eyes reddened, close to tears, not imagining he’d have to endure such torment for money.
For Yueqian, 20 brass coins was not much. If it meant someone had to suffer for it, she would do so!! Unfortunately, this teacher wasn’t greedy enough. After consuming boiled pig brain for three days and earning an extra 60 brass coins, he fell seriously ill and could no longer eat. Ultimately, he quit teaching and was replaced by a new teacher for Xiao Long.
Initially, the little child didn’t want a new teacher, perhaps regretting the cost or fearing that he would hear something strange again. However, Yueqian knew that having a teacher was best for him. She insisted he study with the new teacher and instructed him to report any issues immediately. There were many knowledgeable people in the capital, and her husband’s siblings didn’t need to endure any discomfort. After all, she had enough money to replace the teachers as needed.
After dealing with the vile teacher who dared speak ill of Xiao Long, the post-lunch period brought new teachers. Huan’er learned from a physician knowledgeable about herbs. He spent his afternoons, usually preparing or drying herbs, teaching her. During this time, he had Huan’er help select herbs, learning hands-on.
The girl learned through practical experience, making it easier to understand. Meanwhile, Xiao Long studied basic combat. He trained his body properly, with a conscientious teacher who ensured he was physically prepared before starting. This would prevent him from feeling much pain after overusing his body.
Moreover, Xiao Long had been working from a young age, even though he hadn’t trained the moves like soldiers. His hard work made the training easier.
The boy received many compliments from his teacher. Learning this discipline made Xiao Long very happy. A good teacher made the student more passionate about learning.
In the evening, to show her gratitude to the teachers, Yueqian invited them to stay for dinner. Naturally, this meal was prepared with great care to express her sincerity towards the two teachers.
Mu Heng returned with new wounds on his body again, yet his aura seemed even stronger. Yueqian, being a good wife, tended to her husband as soon as he came home, preparing his bath and taking care of his clothes. The delicious food she made ensured that Mu Heng would never think of another woman.
Even the two teachers, who witnessed her gentleness, had to reevaluate their opinions of her. Yueqian’s reputation for being a different person when with her husband was spreading by word of mouth. One of the teachers, being an herbalist who met many people, often shared his experiences working for the Villainess Qin. When he recounted what he had seen, it surprised many.
Yueqian’s story had already garnered much attention. Her return as the Villainess Qin was a sensational topic that attracted public interest. People eagerly awaited news of her antics. It seemed they wanted to hear amusing tales of her actions after arriving. Everyone was waiting for the fun stories to share.
However, those close to her, except for the military strategy teacher who claimed she bullied him by making him eat pig brains for lunch, spoke highly of her. Most people mentioned the villainess as a woman devoted to her husband.
Previously, this was also the case, but now her husband was a poor young man. Yet, the villagers often saw Mu Heng and noticed that he did not resemble a commoner. His bearing was noble and graceful, unlike the shameless person who would marry for money. Thus, Mu Heng became quite popular among many women in the capital.
Even the daughters of minor nobles admired him!
While Yueqian’s storyline was progressing well, as she wanted, chaos erupted at the General’s manor.
Slap!!
The sound of a resounding slap amplified the tension in the manor several times over. The fingers of the person who delivered the slap trembled with anger, and the face of the woman, red with fury, instilled fear in those around, making them want to flee.
A slender figure in a pale-yellow dress, looking pure and pitiful, sat crumpled on the ground. Her yellow dress was now covered in dust, making her appear even more sorrowful and evoking a desire to protect her.
"You wicked wench!! How dare you harm my child. A deceitful woman like you dares to seduce my husband! You haven’t even been in the manor for long, and you caused me to miscarry!!" The sharp voice, tinged with rage, echoed through the air.The servants kept their heads bowed, not daring to look up at the two mistresses quarreling. Otherwise, they might become collateral damage in the altercation.
