Chapter 229: Mother Tiger Is Too Terrifying

Qu Guniang was hurt by her words; the longing she had endured for many days, together with her weak body, made her spit out a mouthful of fresh blood and faint to death.

Qian Town Chief and his companions swallowed their saliva, but none of them stepped forward to intervene.

Qiao Mai pointed at the gate and shouted, "Take your master and get out of here; if you dare appear at my house again, or repeat such conduct, I will treat her as a bandit and kill her."

Two servant girls, one carrying Qu Guniang on her back and the other supporting her beside, left the courtyard gate, got into a carriage, and fled like the wind.

Qiao Mai shouted, "Close the door; if she dares come again, I'll beat her mercilessly. You shameless scoundrel, daring to trouble me during the New Year, I won't let her live in shame."

Qian Town Chief and Zhu Xianling both witnessed Qiao Mai's ferocity; their voices sounded timid and hesitant—mother tiger is truly terrifying.

"What's going on?"

"Hmph, what's up? You ask him, okay?"

Qiao Mai stormed off to the kitchen, leaving Yuan Jiaqi behind; he had no choice but to explain the whole matter.

"So Yuan's younger brother's romantic luck is really flourishing, huh?"

Yuan Jiaqi smiled, "I've learned a lesson!"

"No wonder the Wang family makes so much money; it turns out the recipes all leaked from you."

Qiao Mai smiled without a hum, and Zhu Xianling tilted his head and asked Qian Town Chief.

Zhu Xianling ate while envying, "Tell me, younger sibling, do you share your family's dishes with outsiders?"

When he poured the wine, the fragrant aroma almost made him spill his saliva into the cup; Zhu Xianling gave him a disdainful stare and hurriedly wiped his own drool with his sleeve.

"Who is that young lady?"

It was just his daughter‑in‑law serving him; he had never done this before and thought a man attending to a woman was indecent, but now, watching the two couples before him, the notion of impropriety vanished, and he could even see their affection.

"You followed me here to bask in glory; you're in charge of pouring the wine!"

"It's because you saw my potential. I'm now an official, but back then I was a poor lad with a child; a rich girl like her would never have given me a second glance."

"Sly head!"

Seeing him drool, everyone mocked him.

"That lady truly has courage, charging alone into the tiger's den for you?"

"Ah, you all have it, how could I not? Not to mention others, but you, Qian Town Chief—your elder brother is a renowned figure in Jingcheng, and you, Yuan County Magistrate, don't think I'm unaware; the old lady in your family is a First‑rank Life‑bestowing Lady, and her natal family, Grand Preceptor Pang's clan, is also powerful and influential."

When the dishes were set and the wine poured to the brim, Zhu Xianling asked.

"I tell you, Yuan's younger brother, your family's cuisine is truly excellent—these are things you can't even get in Beifang."

"Of course; how could an incompetent person be a county magistrate? Within my jurisdiction I know every family's hidden affairs—that's what they call knowing oneself and the enemy, winning every battle."

"Nonsense, I tell you, without power a good official can't last; you need influence to do real work for the people and the country, otherwise it's all empty talk."

"Your jurisdiction is so lax, I'll eat you up; you treat this as your own government office, adjudicating cases—if that's the case, you'd better get out of here quickly!"

Qian Town Chief, fearing Lu Sanniang might misunderstand, said, "Isn't it because Qiao Niang saved my life? I should show my gratitude, shouldn't I?"

"Do you have any high‑ranking officials in your family?"

"Are you trying to steal money?"

Zhu Xianling glared, "Do you think I don't know? How much under‑the‑table favor did you give Qiao Niang?"

Don't be fooled by his quick eating; it's not vulgar at all, his movements are quite graceful.

"Yes, sir!"

Zhu Xianling curled his lips, "Rest assured, Zhu still follows the rules; I never take free meals at anyone's house."

As they spoke, the old women began setting out dishes in the side hall.

"You younger sibling are truly formidable."

"Can't I just buy it?"

"She has a relative serving as a Third‑rank official in Jingcheng."

"Indeed, once you're older you don't like mingling with the younger ones."

"This wine smells wonderful, younger sibling; when you leave, could you give brother two bottles?"

The children ate in silence, quietly watching the county magistrate opposite who looked like a country bumpkin, and hurriedly finished the rice in their bowls.

"Yo, I didn't realize Zhu Xianling comes from such a lineage."

Zhu Xianling couldn't even bother to clink glasses with others; he grabbed his chopsticks and swiftly picked at the dishes.

"Buy, buy, buy—truly I'm impressed by you."

Zhu Xianling hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, yes, take your seats, take your seats, start eating; this flavor is too fragrant, I can't stand it."

Xiuhong and Xiuyu went to the kitchen to eat; at the table remained Zhu Xianling and his companion, Qian Town Chief and his companion, and six members of the Qiao family.

"My family is also from Jingcheng, so we naturally know."

"Really, truly?"

"Of course, the kitchen maids are personally trained by my wife; if you want to eat, come to Zhu brother, but don't come empty‑handed."

"Alas, Yuan is saying it's about not bullying others with power, relying on a patron? Of course it's needed."

"Hmph!"

Qiao Mai waved her hand and said, "Her elderly self said she won't come to the front at noon; have the kitchen send it over to her."

"It's not shared outside, only for our family; the recipe has already been sold to the Wang family, so stop scheming."

"Hehe, my family can come and eat for free," Qian Town Chief joked at him.

Qian Town Chief gave him a cold stare; Zhu Xianling chuckled, quickly shoved food into his mouth, and then Ba Da slurped a mouthful of white wine.

"One thousand taels per jar!"

"Then I'll give you a five‑jin jar, but you ask whether my fine wine counts as bribery?"

"I'm just a merchant, nothing special."

It gave her another layer of understanding about Qiao Mai, and several people sat down to ask.

Zhu Xianling, after all, can be flexible; he doesn't care about these, sits at the table, reaches out, picks up the Wine jug and hands it to Liu Shiye.

While speaking, Qiao Mai arrived, "Everyone, take your seats,"

"Mother, father, we're full."

"Haha, I forgot about you; you're still young, not old at all."

Town Mayor Qian gave him a cold stare, "You should be content; this Wine's purchase price is fifteen hundred taels, and you're being charged a thousand taels—you're already lucky."

"Then the recipe for your family's pastries—did some of it also get taken from her?"

"Your information is quite sharp, huh?"

Zhu Xianling hurried to his feet, leaned his head against the doorway, stared into the side hall, and swallowed saliva as he watched.

"She apparently saved your elder brother's life, right? I heard he was bedridden for a long time; you sent someone with medicine once, and his illness gradually eased?"

Liu Shiye thought to himself that he was indeed very lucky; such a feast is rarely seen in Jingcheng.

"If you don't buy it, fine!"

Yuan Jiaqi sighed, "She is the daughter of a locally famous wealthy gentry in Shexian."

Here Town Mayor Qian peeled shrimp and crab for Lu Sanniang, and over there Yuan Jiaqi peeled for Qiao Mai, each with their wives; Zhu Xianling glanced at one, then the other, and decided to bring his own wife next time.

There were ten people and sixteen dishes, with seafood, meat, and vegetables paired; the red ones were seafood, the green ones were vegetables, and the golden‑colored ones were meat.

"Haha, Brother Zhu, you're truly witty!"

Town Mayor Qian gave him a cold stare, "Watch your words!"

"I just love her formidable look, so cute, hum!"

When Yuan Jiaqi mentioned that, several people almost vomited; only now has Lu Sanniang just realized what true formidable means.

Zhu Xianling snorted a laugh, "What Jingcheng lacks the most are officials; there's a saying—Jingcheng's powerful families are as many as dogs, and both low‑rank and high‑rank officials stroll about freely."

"Yuan, I am wholeheartedly for the people, unrelated to any backing behind me."

"Stop teasing me, my wife is already angry!"

"Where is the old madam?"

"Of course there is. My old master, the Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat in Jingcheng—impressive, isn't it? He lives modestly in Jingcheng, yet that damn Qu Family, relying on a third‑rank minor official, flaunts power in remote poor villages, even forcibly taking civilian men—no, official men—truly absurd. I'll write a letter later and have my old master deal with them."

"Go play by yourself!"

"Yes!"

When the child was about to leave, they glanced at Zhu Xianling, and that look gave Zhu Xianling an uneasy feeling.

He immediately slowed his eating, indicating that he had seen the world; you little brats need not pity him.

(End of chapter)