Luo Sheng returned to her room as if nothing had happened, while Sheng Jiayu knelt before the Grand Madam, sobbing bitterly.

“Mother, it’s all daughter’s fault for being useless—I couldn’t stop Elder Cousin—”

Looking at her daughter’s red and swollen eyes from crying, the Grand Madam felt both heartache and frustration.

She had thought Sheng Jialan’s scandal had been suppressed, but now it had become known to everyone. Why couldn’t these girls ever give her peace of mind!

After feeling stifled for quite a while, the Grand Madam stood up. “This concerns the Sheng manor’s reputation. Come with me to your grandmother’s.”

Sheng Jiayu followed the Grand Madam step by step to Funing Hall.

Old Madam Sheng had grown accustomed to the food sent from Luo Sheng’s quarters these past two days. Today, with nothing sent over, she was feeling rather bland and tasteless when the senior maid Caixia reported that the Grand Madam had arrived.

The old madam raised her eyelids slightly. “Invite her in.”

A moment later, the beaded curtain tinkled lightly as the Grand Madam entered with Sheng Jiayu.

Old Madam Sheng glanced at Sheng Jiayu’s red eyes and couldn’t help but frown. “What happened?”

“Apologize to your grandmother at once.” The Grand Madam scolded, then explained the whole story to Old Madam Sheng.

After hearing it, Old Madam Sheng’s face darkened.

It had only been peaceful for a few days—why was there trouble again!

Since her granddaughter arrived, the Sheng manor had actually been laughed at by outsiders countless times. However, at most they laughed at the Sheng manor’s bad luck in having an inconsiderate cousin stay with them. But this time’s laughingstock was brought on by the Sheng manor itself.

Old Madam Sheng felt a wave of frustration and shot the Grand Madam a look. “Eldest daughter-in-law, you should bear most of the responsibility for this matter.”

The Grand Madam nodded shamefacedly. “Indeed, it was this daughter-in-law’s lax household management that allowed those servants to gossip recklessly, leading to today’s incident.”

If those servants hadn’t spread rumors that the cousin had pushed Sheng Jialan into the lake and couldn’t tolerate anyone, there wouldn’t have been today’s incident of Miss Su the Second defending Sheng Jialan.

After that day, the servants who knew the truth had been warned and kept their mouths shut. However, servants who had only seen the cousin and Second Miss fall into the lake together without knowing the details began gossiping behind everyone’s backs.

There are no walls without cracks in this world. The rumors quickly spread outside the manor. By the time the Grand Madam heard of it, it was too late to stop them.

For the sake of the Sheng family’s reputation, she couldn’t possibly step forward to clarify the truth. After punishing several gossip-loving servants, the Grand Madam could only secretly hope this storm would quickly pass.

She never expected the cousin to be someone who wouldn’t suffer even the slightest loss—standing on the main street and laying everything bare.

Old Madam Sheng seemed to guess what the Grand Madam was thinking and glanced at her. “You reap what you sow. Today’s matter cannot be blamed on Sheng’er.”

“This daughter-in-law understands.”

However, Sheng Jiayu felt somewhat indignant. “Grandmother, Elder Cousin didn’t think about our family’s reputation at all—”

Old Madam Sheng’s expression grew slightly stern. “Jiayu, are you thinking in your heart that since your cousin’s reputation is already poor, one more scandal doesn’t matter?”

Sheng Jiayu froze and lowered her eyes.

Truth be told, she did have such thoughts in her heart.

Since Luo Sheng’s reputation was already bad, taking on another black mark—what loss would that be? Better than dragging the Sheng manor down with her.

Old Madam Sheng shook her head. “Your grandmother and your parents have spoiled you too much.”

“Grandmother?” Sheng Jiayu looked up in shock.

Old Madam Sheng’s expression grew more solemn, her gaze at her granddaughter unable to hide her disappointment. “Grandmother believes that distinguishing right from wrong is something you should have learned from childhood. Your cousin came to Jinsha with a poor reputation—that was caused by her improper words and actions, consequences she should bear. But Jialan’s matter was throwing dirty water on her. Do you expect to hold a basin and pour dirty water on her without allowing her to dodge?”

“I—” Sheng Jiayu opened her mouth but couldn’t speak.

Old Madam Sheng’s tone grew stern. “Jiayu, remember this—a ruined reputation in others’ eyes isn’t so terrible. What’s terrible is bending your own spine!”

Sheng Jiayu was left utterly ashamed, staring at the floor wishing she could find a crack to crawl into.

Was she really as terrible as Grandmother said?

Aggrieved tears rolled down from the corners of Sheng Jiayu’s eyes.

The Grand Madam sighed. “Rest assured, from now on this daughter-in-law will properly discipline this girl.”

Old Madam Sheng nodded slightly. “Those servants who should be sold off, sell them; those who should be punished, punish them. In the future I don’t want to see such incidents happen again. Eldest daughter-in-law, I entrusted the household to you so I could eat a few more bowls of rice in peace, not to be aggravated.”

After dismissing the Grand Madam and her daughter, Old Madam Sheng had Caixia invite Luo Sheng over.

“Sheng’er, do you know why your grandmother called you here?”

Luo Sheng asked without thinking, “Is it about the dispute with the Miss Sus?”

Old Madam Sheng shook her head. “No.”

Luo Sheng was taken aback.

If not this, then what could it be?

Old Madam Sheng cleared her throat, putting on an air of nonchalance. “Your grandmother just wanted to ask—will you still be sending lunch or not?”

Luo Sheng was momentarily stunned.

Old Madam Sheng explained earnestly, “Frugality and thrift have always been the Sheng manor’s household tradition. What if the main kitchen sends too many dishes, and then you send food over too—wouldn’t that be wasteful?”

Luo Sheng’s mouth twitched slightly.

Seeing the old madam’s perfectly serious expression, she almost believed it.

“Lunch won’t be sent. Sheng’er has other matters to attend to.”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Sheng clutched her chest.

“Is Grandmother unwell?”

Old Madam Sheng let out a long sigh. “Jialan’s matter has become known to everyone, making the Sheng manor lose all face. Whenever your grandmother thinks of this, I can’t eat a single bite of food. In the future, how can I face our ancestors—”

Seeing the old madam showed no signs of stopping, Luo Sheng surrendered. “I’ll send it.”

Old Madam Sheng immediately stopped sighing and coughed. “Braised pork is suitable for elderly people with poor teeth.”

Luo Sheng lowered her eyes. “I’ll send braised pork then.”

Only then was Old Madam Sheng satisfied and let her granddaughter leave.

After such vexing matters, without seeking some good food to ease oneself, life would be too difficult.

After returning to her room, Luo Sheng sat in a daze for a while.

She had thought Old Madam Sheng would give her a thorough scolding, but hadn’t expected this result.

You give me a wooden peach, I return you with fine jade—since Old Madam Sheng treated her generously, she would make a good pot of braised pork.

Luo Sheng entered the small kitchen and began making this dish of braised pork.

Braised pork wasn’t difficult to say it was difficult—a pot of red meat when cooked would never taste too bad. But to cook it well required many tricks.

First was selecting the meat—only choosing pork belly with skin that had alternating layers of fat and lean in seven layers. One layer less would diminish the flavor.

Luo Sheng soaked the evenly cut squares of pork belly in cold water to draw out the blood, then placed them in a hot wok to stir-fry.

Hong Dou watched curiously from the side and couldn’t help asking, “Miss, why don’t you add oil when cooking meat?”

“No oil added, no water supplemented—meat cooked this way tastes better.” Luo Sheng explained casually. When the meat skin turned yellowish, she poured in hot water along with scallions, ginger, vinegar, and other seasonings. When the water boiled, she instructed Qinghong to take a spoon and skim off the foam.

This process lasted a full half-hour, until the water surface no longer produced foam before Luo Sheng called a halt.

She added bamboo strips, covered it, simmered over low heat for the proper duration. When chopsticks could easily pierce through the meat skin, she added rock sugar. After reducing the sauce, a pot of braised pork crystalline and translucent like amber was ready.

Ladling the finished braised pork into a shallow black pottery jar and sprinkling finely chopped scallions on top, Luo Sheng curved her lips. “Send it to Funing Hall.”