Why was she crying? She didn’t know why, but just thinking of that dignified and beautiful face in her dream, her heart inexplicably clenched, as if a hand had gripped it and squeezed it hard.

After the Wen family’s incident, the beautiful Madam Wen in the original owner’s memory didn’t even have time to say a word to her before being taken away along with the other women of the Wen family.

On the night of her arrival at the Yeting Palace, the original owner had a high fever all night. When she woke up the next day, she heard that all the women of the Wen family had hanged themselves!

Madam Wen was beautiful and gentle on the outside, but she was strong on the inside. Not everyone was like Wen Xiutang. Madam Wen was strong-willed. How could she endure such humiliation? It’s not surprising that she hanged herself! Looking at her fingers wrapped in thick gauze, Wen Mingtang’s brows furrowed subconsciously: it was probably because that girl was as beautiful, gentle, and dignified as Madam Wen that she was reminded of that Madam Wen.

The familiar aroma of scallion oil wafted from the kitchen. Taking a break from her work, Tangyuan glanced out, a little worried, and saw Wen Mingtang staring at her bandaged finger. She quickly reassured her, “Don’t worry, Chef Wen! It’s just a superficial injury, nothing serious. It’ll heal in a few days!”

Wen Mingtang looked up, thanked Tangyuan for her concern, and, smelling the familiar aroma of scallion oil, smiled and stood up, saying, “In that case, I’ll be a hands-off manager for the next few days and come taste Tangyuan and Ah Bing’s cooking!”

…

Breakfast was scallion oil noodles, lunch was the same three-sauce braised pot from yesterday, and dinner was the pickled fish she had made earlier.

The three meals were still quite good, but… glancing at the serious-looking Ah Bing and Tangyuan behind the counter, Liu Yuan, who had just returned for dinner after a long day, picked up his dinner plate and asked the two, “Where’s Chef Wen? Did she take leave?”

Didn’t Chef Wen eat hot and sour noodles with Lin Shaoqing last night? “Why haven’t I seen her today?”

Tangyuan said, “Master Wen cut her finger with a knife, so she took leave!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuan casually asked, “What did she take leave for?”

He had only asked casually, not caring whether Tangyuan would actually answer him, but to his surprise, Tangyuan replied seriously, “A few days later is Laba Festival, and Master Wen said that Laba Festival is her mother, Madam Wen’s, birthday! She’s probably too busy to get away on Laba Festival, so she took advantage of today to visit Madam Wen in advance!”

…

…

“Sister Mingtang!”

Before she arrived, her voice preceded her.

Wen Mingtang looked up at Xun Zhou, who was rushing over carrying sacrificial offerings.

Ever since Huang Shizhong had been keeping an eye on her, Wen Mingtang hadn’t seen Xun Zhou for quite some time. She had heard that Huang Shizhong was keeping a close eye on this “future son-in-law,” to the point that Xun Zhou didn’t even have time to come to the Dali Temple’s public kitchen for a meal.

Wen Mingtang called out “Senior Brother Xun,” then looked at the pretty young woman behind Xun Zhou, carrying two candles.

Having likely noticed Wen Mingtang’s gaze from afar, Xun Zhou hurriedly explained as they approached, “This is Third Miss Huang. If we hadn’t come out together, Huang Shizhong would probably still be following us today!”

Third Miss Huang mirrored Xun Zhou’s eagerness to avoid misunderstandings, quickly saying to Wen Mingtang, “You must be this junior sister surnamed Xun! Don’t worry, I have nothing to do with him. It’s all my ‘marriage-worrying’ father’s fault. If we hadn’t come out together, my matchmaker father probably wouldn’t have let her go!”

Wen Mingtang looked at the two people in front of him who were “extremely avoiding” each other, paused for a moment, and said, “I have nothing to do with Senior Brother Xun. He was just my father’s student back then!”

Miss Huang was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. After she came to her senses, she glanced at Xun Zhou beside her, pouted, and couldn’t help but laugh twice: “Then you are really useless! You are not ugly, nor are you without talent, yet no young lady likes you. Tsk tsk, how pitiful!”

Xun Zhou glanced at her without even blinking: “Same here. Isn’t Miss Huang the same?”

They were both equally bad. It was as if Miss Huang had someone who liked her!

Upon hearing this, Miss Huang immediately snorted coldly, saying, “A young lady should have a purpose in life, not be confined to the boudoir! If it weren’t for my father’s constant meddling, I would have already caught that scoundrel surnamed Yang and the villains behind him!”

Xun Zhou, not to be outdone, immediately patted his chest and said, “If it weren’t for Huang Shizhong dragging me here, I would have already infiltrated the criminals and perhaps even found crucial evidence!”

Both of them seemed extremely regretful about being interrupted by Huang Shizhong.

Wen Mingtang shook her head, looking at the two with identical expressions on their faces. Thinking about Madam Wen’s matter, her mood inevitably became somewhat low. She didn’t reply, only saying, “Let’s go!” before turning to lead the way.

The Wen family had been convicted of a crime years ago, and their women had committed suicide.

Although no one paid attention to the women of the Wen family at the time, Wen Mingtang later managed to find out their whereabouts through Zhao Sishan and Zhang Caimai. She spent a considerable sum to “buy” their remains from the clerk in charge of burial and rebury them.

The burial site was in a secluded cemetery outside the city. Wen Mingtang cleared some weeds, wiped the tombstones, and arranged the incense and other offerings before walking aside to wait for the incense and candles to burn out.

After Wen Mingtang finished, he calmly went to wait.

Xun Zhou, who had prepared a lot to say, seemed to have something stuck in his throat. He looked at Wen Mingtang and murmured, “Mingtang, my sister…”

“Hmm?” Wen Mingtang hummed in response, looked up at Xun Zhou, and said, “Senior Brother Xun, please do as you please. You don’t need to pay attention to me.” She paused, took two steps to the side, and asked, “Should I leave a little way?”

Xun Zhou: “…” He usually had the most contact with his teacher, not his teacher’s wife. How much could he possibly have to say to Madam Wen? However, Wen Mingtang’s reaction was quite unexpected!

Mingtang, who had been raised in the inner quarters for many years, had the best relationship with his teacher’s wife when she was young! He originally thought that Mingtang would have a lot to say to his teacher’s wife, but unexpectedly, the girl didn’t say a word and walked to the side, looking at the sacrificial ceremony as if it were a routine matter!

Meeting Xun Zhou’s gaze, as if she understood his meaning, Wen Mingtang spread her hands and explained, “I don’t have anything to say, but… Senior Brother Xun, I do have something I want to ask you!”

Upon hearing this, Xun Zhou quickly looked at Wen Mingtang.

Wen Mingtang thought for a moment and said, “Do you know my mother’s birth date and time?”

Yesterday’s dream was inexplicable; perhaps it was a case of thinking about something during the day and dreaming about it at night. After seeing the fate of that woman, she was overthinking things! But thinking of that face looking at her, for some reason, Wen Mingtang felt a strange unease!

Xun Zhou: “…” He was his teacher’s student, but still an outsider; how could he possibly know something like his teacher’s wife’s birth date and time?

However, meeting Wen Mingtang’s gaze, Xun Zhou thought for a moment and said, “I can inquire about it. Although the main branch of my teacher’s family is no longer there, the collateral branches are still there; it shouldn’t be impossible to find out!”

(End of Chapter)

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