Chapter 258: Magistrate Chen: Who am I? Where am I? Can I leave now?
Inside the private room, the three men sat together. Magistrate Chen poured tea and offered greetings to Meng De with enthusiastic flattery, chatting in high spirits. Meanwhile, Wen Xiuyi simply sat off to the side, sipping his tea and eating pastries.
Truth be told, after his daughter had refined the recipes for Zui Xian Tower’s pastries, they really tasted much better.
“Junior Brother Wen, I never expected that someone who once couldn’t even distinguish basic crops would suddenly transform into a master farmer—and even win His Majesty’s favor. You truly have quite the skill, Junior Brother. What a pity, though. No matter what, you can still only deal with yellow dirt.” Meng De appeared warm, but his words were laced with spite, mocking Wen Xiuyi as a mere dirt farmer.
Wen Xiuyi brushed the pastry crumbs off his hands and replied nonchalantly, “What’s wrong with yellow dirt? Isn’t everyone raised and fed by this very soil? Besides, there is no less knowledge in farming than in the Four Books and Five Classics.” Calling me a bumpkin, are you? Then I’ll just say you’re ignorant.
The corners of Meng De’s mouth twitched upward into a derisive sneer. “After not seeing you for a few years, you really seem to have changed a lot, Junior Brother. Unlike before, when all you thought about was eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring, mixing with all sorts of shady, lowlife characters without a care for your family’s survival.”
Wen Xiuyi darted a glance at him. What, can’t hide your fox tail so soon? Cold laughs, huh? Sarcasm, huh? Hitting where it hurts, huh? Well then, don’t blame me.
Wen Xiuyi also flashed a smile dripping with sarcasm. “I heard Senior Brother Meng returned to his hometown to offer sacrifices to his ancestors. However, if I remember correctly, Senior Brother Meng isn’t from Yunwu Town, is he? I wonder what ancestors you came all the way here to worship?”
Unsurprisingly, the flesh on Meng De’s face contorted visibly.
Wen Xiuyi continued, “Ah, I get it. Senior Brother must have come back to visit Master, right? Then what about Junior Sister? She must have returned with you, hasn’t she? Oh, wait—I should call her Mrs. Meng now, shouldn’t I?
“Speaking of which, the three children at home haven’t seen their mother in two years. I wonder which inn Senior Brother Meng and Mrs. Meng are staying at? I’ll bring the children over to visit her sometime. Senior Brother Meng certainly wouldn’t mind, right? After all, a mother and her children are connected by blood, aren’t they?”
As Wen Xiuyi’s words fell, Meng De’s face instantly turned ghastly pale.
Gritting his teeth, Meng De wished he could throw Wen Xiuyi out right now, but he forced himself to endure it and said, “Of course not. As it happens, Wanrong wishes to see the children as well.”
Wen Xiuyi grinned, exposing a wide smile. “Excellent, excellent. I knew Senior Brother Meng was always generous. Come, Senior Brother Meng, I’ll substitute tea for wine and toast to you. Lord Chen, let us join together and toast Lord Meng with tea!”
Wen Xiuyi did not forget to invite Magistrate Chen, who was sitting beside them.
Wen Xiuyi knew his behavior was a bit low. After all, the original owner of this body really hadn’t acted like a human, and since the original owner was dead and he and Lady Liu were divorced, they should theoretically have nothing to do with each other from now on. But at the thought of how this man had treated Datou, Wen Xiuyi felt that his manners were entirely wasted on such a person.
Though it was a bit low, the feeling of poking him right where it hurt was ridiculously satisfying. He finally understood what those young kids back at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences meant by that popular phrase: “Rather than letting others drive you crazy, it’s better to take the initiative and go crazy yourself.”
“S-Sure…”
Magistrate Chen almost failed to hold his teacup steady. He currently wished with all his heart that he had never shown up here, never organized this gathering, and never hosted this meal.
He felt as if he had heard things he shouldn’t have and stumbled upon gossip he had no business knowing.
Good Lord, can someone please let me leave?
With an expression as if he were severely constipated, Magistrate Chen looked at the two men now locking horns and wished he could slap himself across the face. Just moments ago, he had urged Wen Xiuyi to butter up Lord Meng. He had truly brought this curse upon himself!
Lord Meng was bound to leave sooner or later, but Wen Xiuyi was currently a favorite before His Majesty—and a sworn brother to Prince Fu! The jade pendant representing Prince Fu’s identity was still sitting right in the Wen household.
“…” Seriously, can anyone come and save me?
Perhaps the heavens truly heard his inner cries and plea for help. Just as his hands were trembling so much he could barely hold his teacup, a knock sounded at the private room’s door.
“Come in!” Magistrate Chen yelled loudly, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
The door opened, and Manager Lu appeared at the entrance, bowing respectfully. “My Lords, these are the new products just launched by the milk tea shop. I’ve brought them over for you to sample.”
Magistrate Chen gasped in relief. “Hurry up and serve them!”
Manager Lu quickly had staff bring the new products inside, then asked, “My Lords, shall I serve the main dishes now?”
Magistrate Chen wanted nothing more than to finish eating and get the hell out of there. Without waiting for the other two to nod, he blurted out, “Yes, bring them.”
Eat, eat, eat! Finish eating and disperse! Good God above!
It was thanks to Manager Lu remaining in the room to wait on the service without leaving that the tension eased slightly. Otherwise, Magistrate Chen would have been tempted to jump straight off the third floor.
“Ahem, Lord Meng, the roasted duck at Zui Xian Tower is absolute perfection. You must taste it properly in a moment,” Magistrate Chen said, trying to use delicious food to break the awkwardness.
Meng De had just taken a sip of the milk tea shop’s new product, and it was indeed delightful. It broke away from traditional tea drinks; this new brew had both the crisp aroma of tea and the rich scent of milk, with a subtle hint of sweetness that never felt cloying. It was exceptionally pleasant.
As for the Yunwu Town roasted duck from Zui Xian Tower, he had heard about it back in the capital. Hearing Magistrate Chen bring it up, Meng De took the opportunity to nod along. “Then I shall certainly give it a good taste.”
Beside them, Wen Xiuyi spoke up faintly, “You definitely should taste it properly. Manager Lu, remember to pack a roasted duck for Lord Meng later.”
“Understood, this humble one will arrange it shortly,” Manager Lu complied.
Just as Meng De was about to say that he didn’t need his fake kindness, he saw Wen Xiuyi turn to look at him with a smile. “This roasted duck is indeed wonderful. Senior Brother Meng can take one back for Mrs. Meng to sample. Oh, right—this roasted duck was actually created by Yao Yao. Consider it her way of showing filial piety to her mother. Lord Chen, I’ll pay for the duck later, alright? It’s on me.”
Magistrate Chen wished he could throw Wen Xiuyi out the window.
Will you please just shut your mouth?!
Xun Feng was almost choking himself trying to hold back his laughter. He had always thought Uncle Wen was the type to strictly abide by the rules. Who knew that when it came to stabbing people where it hurt, he wasn’t behind anyone else? Sure enough, the attribute of verbally roasting people was genetically inherited in the Wen family.
Meng De instantly lost all appetite for roasted duck. He quickly swallowed a mouthful of milk tea to calm his chest.
Wen Xiuyi added, “Oh, this milk tea was also made by Yao Yao. How is it? Tastes good, right? Manager Lu, remember to pack some.”
Manager Lu replied, “Yes, understood. This humble one will arrange it.”
With a mouthful of milk tea stuck in his mouth, Meng De couldn’t swallow it down, nor could he spit it out. His face turned as black as a lump of charcoal.
In a wonderfully bright mood, Wen Xiuyi raised his cup and took a sip. Mm, not bad. This tea-flavored milk tea can actually rival a certain high-end brand back home. My daughter sure is capable.
Ultimately, the meal was never eaten. Meng De stormed off with his attendants in a huff.
Feeling anxious and unsettled, Magistrate Chen nervously saw him off. Only then did he turn back, fuming, intent on settling the score with Wen Xiuyi.
Instead, he found Wen Xiuyi sitting comfortably in the room, sipping tea at ease, while Manager Lu had even served all the dishes that hadn’t been brought out earlier.
“Lord Chen, you’re back? Come, come, sit. If he won’t eat, we will.” Wen Xiuyi motioned for Magistrate Chen to sit down.
Magistrate Chen sat down angrily, looking at the table full of delicacies without a shred of appetite. “Do you have any idea who he is? What good does it do you to offend him?” More importantly, don’t drag me down with you! I still want to stay here for another two years to resolve the new crop situation before transferring elsewhere!
