A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 912: Regardless of Monarch and Subject
Zhao Qichen quickly stepped forward.
"Mother said today we only acknowledge family, disregarding rank and status!"
"Kichen here pays respects to Grandmother, Uncle, Aunt, and Auntie!"
Saying this, he respectfully bowed.
Everyone was surprised, retreating repeatedly saying they did not dare.
Xia Ruqing smiled mischievously.
"Second aunt, elder brother and sister-in-law, as the saying goes, filial piety comes first among all virtues!"
"No matter how noble his birth, he cannot be unfilial!"
"If you refuse to accept, then you do not regard us mother and son as family!"
These words made everyone embarrassed.
"Madam, you..."
Lady Wen’s eyes were moist.
"How could I not regard you as family!"
"If it weren’t for having such a sister, Cai Yang wouldn’t have such a good marriage!"
"And Tingfeng...!"
Xia Ruqing quickly interrupted her.
"Second aunt, you nurtured me, and second sister is my blood sister, it’s only right!"
"Moreover, elder brother achieved everything on his own!!"
Now this third-rank Marquis is what elder brother earned with his life, after all! 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
How can it be said it was because of her!
Lady Wen wiped her tears and still wanted to say something.
Lady Ni quickly interrupted her.
"Mother, today is a good day, no crying!"
"Madam rarely comes, let’s quickly go inside to get something to eat!"
Coming early this morning, surely hasn’t eaten well!
Xia Ruqing also laughed.
"Still elder sister-in-law cares for me! Second aunt no longer does!"
Lady Wen laughed through her tears.
"Not at all! Never!"
"I want to eat the pancakes second aunt makes!" Xia Ruqing half-cajoled.
"Alright, alright!" Lady Wen responded repeatedly.
Ni Manxue also laughed.
"Come, let’s go inside!"
Laughing and joking, the four women went inside.
Meanwhile.
Already ’abandoned’ Xia Tingfeng and Chenchen, the big and the small, exchanged a helpless glance.
Both shrugged their hands.
’Women!’
"Come, uncle will take you to the front courtyard!"
Chenchen’s eyes lit up.
"Alright, uncle!"
Saying this, he reached out his little hand, eagerly looking forward.
"Can I meet my little cousin?"
Having heard Mother say that Uncle’s family welcomed a little brother.
Figuring he should be past one year old, yet he hasn’t met him!
Xia Tingfeng smiled.
"Of course you can!"
"Let’s go!"
"Okay!"
Chenchen was very happy.
The big and the small headed towards the front courtyard.
...
In the inner courtyard.
Because Xia Ruqing expressed she wanted to eat Lady Wen’s pancakes.
Lady Wen dried her tears, rolled up her sleeves, and went into the kitchen.
Only Lady Ni and Cai Yang were left.
Xia Ruqing looked at Cai Yang and said.
"When you and second aunt return, you will surely face some grievances!"
"Second aunt is accustomed to enduring, but you must not tolerate and retreat!"
"Next year you will be leaving for marriage, you should stand firm!"
She knew Xia Caiying seemed fragile but was in fact full of talent, exceptionally wise.
Indeed, Cai Yang blushingly nodded.
"Rest assured, elder sister!"
Xia Ruqing nodded satisfactorily, and then took out a letter from her bosom to give her.
"This is my letter to father!"
"Nothing else but to claim my mother’s dowry!"
According to protocol.
The Family Matriarch should pass her dowry to her eldest legitimate daughter.
The Xia Family’s original wife’s dowry should belong to Xia Ruqing.
But back then, the original was too weak and manipulated by Lady Yao.
Trying to get the dowry was simply a fantasy.
Now it’s different.
Xia Ruqing coldly smiled.
"What she consumed, I will make her return in full!"
"I don’t want any of it, will give it to you to add to your wedding gifts!"
Xia Caiying hastily refused.
"How can that be right? It is Madam’s dowry! Elder sister, you surely mustn’t..."
Xia Ruqing quickly gestured.
"No need to refuse!"
"Second aunt nurtured me, we are blood sisters!"
"And there can be no dowry in the palace"
"If my mother were still alive, I’m sure she would do the same!"
Xia Caiying finally accepted.
"Thank you, elder sister!"
Xia Ruqing nodded.
Half an hour later.
A table of sumptuous breakfast was brought forth.
Xia Ruqing quickly got up to thank.
"Second aunt has worked hard, and even before leaving, you labor for me!"
Lady Wen was flattered beyond words.
"Madam, please don’t say that, I dare not accept..."
Xia Ruqing helplessly smiled.
"Alright, alright, just dawn, surely none of you has eaten!"
"Everyone sit down, let’s treat it as a family reunion meal!"
No longer able to decline, everyone sat down upon hearing.
Xia Ruqing glanced at the table.
A pot of thin rice porridge, a stack of delicately transparent pancakes, a dish of aged sauce, a few pieces of fried salted fish, a dish of scallion scrambled eggs.
Other than that, it was a normal sumptuous breakfast.
Her gaze fell upon the fried salted fish.
A strong wave of emotion surged within her, almost bringing tears to her eyes.
Memories from childhood rushed in like a tide.
Xia Ruqing frowned, clutching her chest, with emotions uncontrollably overwhelming her.
Involuntarily, with tears, she said.
"In childhood, we often had nothing to eat!"
"Elder brother often went to the river to catch fish! Second aunt ingeniously preserved the unevenly sized fish!"
"When we were really craving, she’d take out a small piece, and I, elder brother, and Jingfeng, three kids, shared it!"
Those days were bitter.
Lady Yao had total control, wishing to drive us to death.
Lady Wen, through sheer resilience, raised four kids despite adversities.
The original is beyond words, pale and thin, entered the palace less than a year and ’died’.
Jingfeng was also as thin as a bean sprout.
Elder brother was somewhat better, often roaming outside, yet still had a sallow complexion, malnourished.
Cai Yang when she arrived was also thin and weak, with hair like dried grass.
Lady Wen was worse off.
In her thirties, already slightly hunched, unable to stand straight now!
All because of nutritional deficiencies in youth.
Then look at Lady Yao.
Plump and prosperous, full of vitality when scolding, tut tut! Such disparity!
Such past is just unbearable to reminisce!
Not even the original, just Xia Ruqing as an ’outsider’ felt unbearably cruel!
Recalling this.
She increasingly felt appreciation for Lady Wen, adversity reveals true character.
And increasingly felt, Lady Yao is a vile person!
Thinking about it, Xia Ruqing instructed Zi Yue.
"The gifts I brought, leave them for second aunt! A single feather, Lady Yao shan’t receive!"
Zi Su finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Madam, this is how it should be!"
Lady Wen was puzzled.
"What gift?"
Xia Ruqing waved her hand.
"Second aunt, don’t worry about such, I’ll explain to Cai Yang later!"
Lady Wen couldn’t ask further, nodded nervously.
Lady Ni urged from the side.
"Hurry and eat, the dishes will turn cold!"
Xia Ruqing nodded.
"Alright! Let’s eat!"
...
After breakfast and as daylight was clear.
Xia Ruqing found a chance to call Cai Yang aside.
"I brought two boxes of gifts, all fine jewels and adornments, meant for distribution upon return!"
"But now I’ve changed my mind!"
"It all stays with second aunt!"
"After returning, wear it yourself, give it for social exchanges, just don’t give any to Lady Yao!"
"She doesn’t deserve them!"
Cai Yang bit her lip.
"Yes, elder sister!"
