A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 568: Chapter 568 Lady Yao Gets Beaten

Old Master Xia grew angrier the more he thought about it.

Lady Yao didn’t dare to curse anymore, so she carefully tried to soothe him.

It seemed about time. If they didn’t open the door soon, the neighbors would start gossiping. It would tarnish their reputation if word spread.

So, Rat reluctantly and slowly opened the door.

”Who is it! Making a fuss so early in the morning!”

As soon as she saw the door open, Lady Yao hurried forward. She mustered her courage, straightened her back, and then haughtily said, ”Who are you? I am looking for our Second Young Master! Where is Xia Jingfeng? I heard he arrived yesterday! Hurry and call him out to greet us; tell him his father and mother are here!”

After speaking, she even straightened her clothes and adjusted her hairpin.

Old Master Xia also heartily agreed, adding, ”Hurry and call him out! I want to ask this unfilial son if he still has any regard for me, his father!”

Rat’s eyes darted around, and he quickly stepped forward, politely saying, ”Lord Xia, please calm down! Second Young Master Xia did come, and he stayed here last night, but unfortunately, he’s not here now!”

”Not here?” Lady Yao’s voice suddenly rose. With a cold and stern expression, she demanded, ”Where could he have gone so early in the morning!”

Rat looked left and right. After hesitating for a long time, he said, ”I don’t know! He’s...probably at Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion!”

Heh, Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion. Do you dare go there?

Ever since Lady Yao had stubbornly refused to hand over the Emperor’s reward, Xia Tingfeng no longer recognized her as his stepmother. In Xia Tingfeng’s eyes, his legitimate mother—Old Master Xia’s first wife—was the mother of Xia Ruqing and Xia Jingfeng. As for his own mother, she was Maternal Aunt Wen. He simply did not acknowledge any others.

Old Master Xia, accompanied by Lady Yao, had tried to visit several times but was always blocked at the door by Xia Tingfeng’s personal guards. Later on, whenever Old Master Xia wished to see Xia Tingfeng, he dared not bring Lady Yao along. Lady Yao threw tantrums a few times, but in the end, she didn’t dare to say too much. Xia Tingfeng was a military general, prone to violence and not overly concerned with his reputation. If things truly came to a head, she knew she would be the one to suffer. It was better not to provoke him lightly.

As for... Xia Jingfeng. He’s a scholar, concerned with face and respectability. He certainly wouldn’t dare do much.

So, since she couldn’t harm Xia Tingfeng, she turned to make trouble for Xia Jingfeng instead.

After mulling it over, Lady Yao straightened her back, mustered all the courage she had, and declared, ”So what if he went to Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion?! Even if he went to the ends of the earth, I am still his mother! But speaking of which, whether he’s here or not, I have to see for myself to be sure. Your word isn’t enough!”

Having said that, she strode towards the door.

Rat blocked her way at once. He was very impatient. ”Aye, my word, Lady Yao, this courtyard is small and rundown; it can’t possibly accommodate a grand Buddha like you! I said he’s not here, so you should just go back!”

After Rat spoke, he tried to close the door.

Lady Yao paid him no mind. She clung to the door, refusing to let it close, and gritted her teeth as she said, ”I, Madam, must search it myself!”

”No entry! Madam, please leave!”

”No way!”

As the door creaked open and shut, they were at a stalemate.

Suddenly, a firm voice came from inside. ”Let her in!”

Rat whirled around. ”It’s you!” So Xia Jingfeng hadn’t actually left!

Dressed in plain green robes, Xia Jingfeng stood with bright eyes and white teeth, his handsome brows slightly furrowed. His voice was resounding as he repeated, ”Let her in!”

Lady Yao was triumphant. ”Look at that, you gatekeeping servant boy! You want to meddle in our family affairs too? Who do you think you are!”

Having said that, she glanced at Old Master Xia, her face filled with smug satisfaction as she walked inside.

Old Master Xia coughed lightly, his face gloomy, as he too entered, his large belly preceding him.

Only Rat was left, completely flustered. He stood as dumb as a wooden chicken, pointing at himself.

Me? I’m the gatekeeping servant boy?!! I... God damn it, I’m filled with rage! Xia Jingfeng, you little brat, you...

Rat glanced over.

At that moment, a SMACK! sounded. A solid slap resonated through the air, piercing everyone’s eardrums.

A slap? Who slapped whom?

Rat immediately grew excited and quickly looked in the direction of the sound.

He saw...

Xia Jingfeng, with his sleeves rolled up, his face icy cold, looking at Lady Yao with disdain. Lady Yao was still clutching her face in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief.

”You...”

”You hit me...”

Xia Jingfeng narrowed his eyes, his tone low. ”So what if I hit you? This slap is for my elder sister. You tormented us siblings enough, and then you maliciously sent her to the Imperial Palace! You know it’s a place that devours people!”

At the mention of his elder sister, Xia Jingfeng’s eyes became bloodshot, his emotions impossible to contain. His teacher had taught him ’a gentleman uses his words, not his fists,’ but damn it all, this time he just wanted to be the villain!

SMACK!

Another slap rang out, even louder than before; Xia Jingfeng clearly used all his strength.

”This slap is for my elder brother! My elder brother nearly lost his life, and you didn’t search for him. Instead, you coveted wealth and status, attempting to monopolize the Emperor’s rewards! You think my brother’s life had a high price tag, is that it? A woman like you, and you dare to dream of being our mother! Pah!”

Xia Jingfeng’s words were forceful, each one landing like a stone. Hitting someone was wrong, but Lady Yao’s actions could no longer be considered human. At this moment, he wasn’t considering anything else. He just wanted to teach her a thorough lesson!

SMACK!

Xia Jingfeng slapped her again, his eyes red with fury. ”This third slap is for myself! Back then, to seize the silver my elder sister gave and the courtyard Uncle Zhou provided for us, you sent servants to harass and bully us relentlessly! You feared my studies, afraid I would achieve scholarly honors, so you concocted lies about me being weak and sickly, preventing me from studying until I was seven or eight years old! You used every trick in the book to torment me and my elder sister, then turned around to slander and insult us in front of Father. Lady Yao... your heart is truly vicious!”

”Now... my elder sister has escaped that pit of fire, and my elder brother has been granted an official title, yet you run around Capital City currying favor, trying to pave the way for your own son and daughter? Do you think we are all fools!”

As he spoke, Xia Jingfeng slapped her again.

”This fourth slap is for my future sister-in-law! Had she shown the slightest weakness, she might have been lost by now! Insulting and tormenting us was bad enough, but you didn’t even spare my sister-in-law! You dared to slander the reputation of an unmarried young woman; what else wouldn’t you dare to do! Lady Yao!”

Xia Jingfeng’s eyes were bloodshot, his body trembling. A perfectly good family, how had it been destroyed by one rotten apple! If it weren’t for Lady Yao, how wonderful it would have been if Father had made Maternal Aunt Wen his legitimate wife.

Now, what was all this!

Awkwardness... stillness... a chilling tension... the atmosphere seemed to freeze solid.