The family took their seats.

Men and women were separated into two tables.

The men’s side had only four male masters.

On the women’s side, Old Madam Liang sat at the head seat, with Luo Meixiang at Old Madam Liang’s right and Lady Meng at her left, the other four sitting in order.

Old Madam Liang ate rather plainly, so the morning meal was basically prepared according to her preferences – red bean and barley soup, steamed bass, stir-fried vegetable shreds, filling the entire table.

Luo Meixiang and Qin Shuying stood on either side of Old Madam Liang.

Luo Meixiang picked up a piece of bass for Old Madam Liang, glancing at Qin Shuying. “Old Madam loves fish.”

Qin Shuying nodded.

Luo Meixiang then ladled a bowl of red bean and barley soup for Old Madam Liang. “This soup strengthens the spleen and supplements the lungs, clears heat, promotes dampness drainage, increases urination and strengthens bones, and aids digestion excellently.”

Qin Shuying nodded.

After serving the dishes, Luo Meixiang sat down.

Qin Shuying also sat down.

Luo Meixiang was first stunned, then smiled. “You child, didn’t you say you would serve Old Madam during her meal? How can you just sit down? If you were unwilling, you shouldn’t have agreed earlier – I don’t know what to say about you.”

Qin Shuying also looked puzzled. “Didn’t you sit down, Madam? I was following your example – could I have learned it wrong?”

Luo Meixiang said: “What I did just now was a demonstration for you. Next, you should follow along and do the same.”

Qin Shuying thought for a moment and asked: “Madam’s meaning is that however you just acted, I should act the same way next. Is that right?”

“Exactly.”

Qin Shuying stood up and positioned herself beside Old Madam Liang. “Then I’ll follow exactly what Madam just did.”

Old Madam Liang deliberately ate very slowly.

Just one piece of fish, yet she took a very long time to finish it.

Since she hadn’t finished eating, naturally Qin Shuying had to stand there obediently.

Everyone else began eating their meal, only Liang Zhe remained sitting motionless.

“Big brother, why aren’t you eating your morning meal?”

Liang Jie grinned and picked up some food with his chopsticks for Liang Zhe.

Liang Zhe glanced at him coldly without speaking.

Liang Jie and Liang Qiong exchanged smiles.

Luo Meixiang raised her eyebrows. She didn’t believe that the word “filial piety” couldn’t crush this couple!

After a while, Old Madam Liang finally finished the piece of fish that Luo Meixiang had served her.

Qin Shuying immediately picked up chopsticks and placed an even larger piece of fish in Old Madam Liang’s bowl – a full half-palm sized piece.

Old Madam Liang frowned, and Luo Meixiang said: “First daughter-in-law, Old Madam has already eaten fish. Why are you still serving her this? There are so many other dishes here – you could serve anything else.”

Qin Shuying shook her head. “Whatever Madam does, I do the same. Didn’t Madam just serve fish?”

Luo Meixiang was speechless with anger, finally understanding why Qin Shuying had agreed so readily – she was waiting here to set a trap!

“Smack!” Old Madam Liang slammed her chopsticks on the table with a dark expression.

Luo Meixiang quickly stood up to comfort Old Madam Liang. “Old Madam, the first daughter-in-law is senseless – please don’t be upset with her. First daughter-in-law, you’ve done poorly! Quickly apologize to Old Madam.”

Qin Shuying complied readily: “Old Madam, it’s all this granddaughter-in-law’s fault. Please calm your anger.”

Seeing her so agreeable and having to admit her mistake in front of so many people, Luo Meixiang became pleased and said with a beaming smile: “Good, since you know you were wrong, serve Old Madam properly and stop playing tricks. We’re all family – there’s no point in being overly clever.”

Qin Shuying nodded: “Madam is right.”

Then she continued standing properly behind Old Madam Liang.

As soon as Old Madam Liang finished her red bean and barley soup, Qin Shuying immediately picked up the ladle and served Old Madam Liang another bowl of red bean and barley soup – a full bowl.

Now everyone at both tables looked over.

Old Madam Liang could no longer contain herself and said: “I’m not eating anymore!”

Luo Meixiang immediately supported her. “Old Madam, please calm your anger! First daughter-in-law, quickly apologize to Old Madam!”

Qin Shuying immediately said: “Old Madam, it’s all this granddaughter-in-law’s fault.”

Then she nimbly picked up the bowl and ladled another bowl of red bean and barley soup, placing it before Old Madam Liang. “Old Madam, it’s all because this granddaughter-in-law is too stupid and didn’t understand Madam’s meaning well enough. Madam said I should follow her example exactly, and that’s exactly what Madam did just now. Old Madam, one bowl isn’t enough – please have another bowl.”

Luo Meixiang was so angry she almost laughed. Qin Shuying was such a clever and sharp person – how could she possibly not understand her words? She was doing this on purpose!

She found it strange – Qin Shuying’s coldness toward her made sense because she wasn’t Liang Zhe’s birth mother. But this was Qin Shuying’s first time interacting with Old Madam – why didn’t she show Old Madam any respect either?

This didn’t make sense!

Liang Zhe could ignore Old Madam, but how could Qin Shuying? How dare she? Where did she get such courage?

Old Madam Liang’s gaze shot toward Qin Shuying like sharp swords. “Are you unwilling to serve me?”

Qin Shuying shook her head and pointed at the food. “Old Madam, don’t you like this fish and soup? This granddaughter-in-law only dared serve more after seeing that you ate everything Madam served you. Madam, I was learning from you – if I did anything wrong, please teach me again.”

These words were completely faultless!

Old Madam Liang threw down her chopsticks, her face dark as iron. “So it’s all my fault then!”

“First daughter-in-law, look what you’ve done – making Old Madam so angry! When the Marquis returns, who knows how furious he’ll be!”

Qin Shuying shook her head. “It’s all because I’m too stupid. Even with Madam teaching me step by step, I still can’t learn properly.”

Luo Meixiang was fuming with rage but still had to maintain her patient guidance: “You child, I don’t know what to say about you. Don’t tell me this is how you served Old Madam Qin at the Qin residence?”

Qin Shuying’s position happened to give her a view of the outside activity. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a corner of blue clothing, and her lips curved slightly as she shook her head. “Great-grandmother valued propriety highly. It was always eldest aunt and second aunt who served her – it had nothing to do with me as a granddaughter-in-law, much less with me.”

Luo Meixiang quickly seized on the flaw in her words. “Oh, first daughter-in-law, do you mean our Old Madam has no propriety?”

Just then, an extremely authoritative voice came from outside: “Who dares speak such nonsense!”

As the words fell, Liang Yunshan strode in with large steps. He looked very angry and made no attempt to hide his emotions.

After all, he was a great general who had commanded hundreds of thousands of troops on the battlefield. When he was angry, his imposing presence was overwhelming, his eyes like sharp blades. The maids and servants all trembled with fear, afraid that the Marquis’s rage might implicate them.

Luo Meixiang hurried to “smooth things over.” “Marquis, the first daughter-in-law speaks bluntly and says whatever comes to mind – please don’t be angry.”

Liang Yunshan immediately looked toward Qin Shuying, but saw her expression was calm and fearless, smiling at him peacefully.

“Is that so?”

Liang Yunshan’s tone was gentle, yet clearly carried doubt and anger.

Liang Zhe slowly rose, his hands clenched into fists within his sleeves, his eyes cold as ice, his entire being radiating an imposing presence no less than Liang Yunshan’s.

The nearby maids and servants, sensing his anger, couldn’t help but step back several paces.