Meng Shuyang's injuries had not yet healed. Seeing Meng Shuping dare to confront him again, he shot upright, but the sudden movement sent a searing pain through him, forcing him to slump back down.
He grimaced, teeth clenched in anger, and demanded, "What are you doing here?"
Meng Shuping, even more disgruntled than Meng Shuyang, retorted sarcastically, "What am I doing here? Why, I've come to thank you, of course!"
Baffled, Meng Shuyang asked, "Thank me? Are you out of your mind?"
Their relationship certainly hadn't progressed to the point of exchanging thanks.
Meng Shuping feigned sincerity. "Doesn't Sixth Brother know yet? His Highness Prince Zhao just visited—oh, the prince who gave me silver that day. He said he greatly admires me and wants me as his personal guard. He even promised to recommend me for an official position later! If not for you, Sixth Brother, how could I have stumbled upon such good fortune? Naturally, I had to come and express my gratitude properly!"
Meng Shuyang abruptly straightened up, wincing in pain. "Hiss… Impossible! How could that be?"
What incredible luck had Meng Shuping stumbled into? How did all the good things happen to him? And the most infuriating part was that he himself was the unwitting cause of it all!
Watching Meng Shuyang's face contort with shock and envy, Meng Shuping thought with dark satisfaction, *Tsk, jealous, aren't we? Good! That's exactly how it should be! He ruined my chance to enjoy life at home—there's no way he should be comfortable while I suffer!*
*Damn it! Why is it that at the same age, he gets to lounge around at home while I have to work my butt off? Argh! I want to lie flat too!*
Meng Shuyang was so consumed by jealousy that he felt a bitter taste in his mouth. How could such a person exist? An opportunity others would kill for, and he actually had the audacity to complain about it!
Seeing Meng Shuyang in such a rage, Meng Shuping instantly felt a surge of elation. *Ha ha ha, seeing him unhappy immediately lifts my spirits! It's true—happiness really is built on the suffering of others!*
He said cheerfully, "Since Sixth Brother has heard the good news, I shall take my leave now!"
With that, he practically skipped out of Meng Shuyang's room. Sure enough, as soon as he stepped outside, he heard the furious crash of objects being thrown from within.
Meng Shuping shook his head. *Tsk, what's the big deal? Getting so worked up over nothing!*
But once he left the courtyard, a wave of dread washed over him. Who could understand? For a socially anxious person like him, going to work and facing so many colleagues every day was suffocating just thinking about it!
He returned to Liuming Yard listlessly. Soon after, a young servant girl brought his meal.
The moment he saw the food on the table, Meng Shuping felt his already sour mood worsen. *Heh, I'm fine, truly. It's probably because the tiger hasn't bared its fangs, so they think I'm a sick cat!*
*Hahaha, since I'm suffering, no one else should have it easy either!*
He stared blankly at Jinzhan, making her shiver nervously. She stammered, "F-fifth young master, what's wrong?"
Though she had initially been somewhat arrogant towards Meng Shuping, she had since changed—truly changed! Surely the fifth young master wasn't still holding a grudge?
During her time by Meng Shuping's side, she had long realized that he wasn't the pushover she had first imagined.
Just as her heart pounded, Meng Shuping spoke with clear displeasure, "Go summon the kitchen supervisor here."
Jinzhan was overjoyed and immediately replied, "Yes."
She had finally waited for the fifth young master to speak up. Honestly, she had long wanted to make a scene in the kitchen. After all, the poor-quality food the kitchen sent never reached Meng Shuping's mouth—she ended up eating all of it. Over this period, she had nearly vomited from the sheer monotony.
She had initially planned to raise a ruckus in the kitchen, but after inadvertently hearing from Meng Shuping that some people would spit in food when displeased, she was too disgusted to make a fuss.
Though she didn't know why Meng Shuping had suddenly decided to confront the kitchen today, she believed he would never let such a thing happen!
With inexplicable confidence, Jinzhan strode out of Liuming Yard, head held high.
After Jinzhan left, Meng Shuping instructed Miaobi, "Miaobi, go tell Auntie Lu and the others to catch a cockroach. The first one to catch one gets a hundred coins. Anyone who catches other insects gets twenty coins each—consider it a reward for their trouble."
Miaobi quickly replied, "Yes."
However, not long after, Jinzhan returned alone, complaining indignantly, "Fifth young master, Auntie Guan, the kitchen supervisor, said she's busy preparing tomorrow's breakfast for the household masters and will come a bit later. I think she has no intention of coming at all—she'll probably just leave without showing up!"
Meng Shuping sneered. "Go back again and tell her I originally planned to reward her, but since she's busy, forget it!"
Hearing this, Jinzhan immediately ran back. This time, she finally managed to bring Auntie Guan over.
Upon hearing that Meng Shuping wanted to reward her, Auntie Guan was both proud and delighted. *Hmph, so what if he's a young master of the household? Doesn't he still have to give me some benefits?*
With so many people in the household, if he didn't curry favor at every level, how could an expendable illegitimate son like him expect to live comfortably?
Look, after giving him leftovers for so many days, he finally knows his place.
Auntie Guan put on an enthusiastic, fawning smile. "Fifth young master, please forgive me. The kitchen has been very busy, so I'm a bit late. What did you need me for?"
Meng Shuping was utterly scornful. *Tsk, she clearly came for the money but still pretends not to know, putting on airs worse than an old lady!*
*She's just a mere kitchen supervisor, but her attitude is bigger than mine, a young master! What, is walking a few steps going to tire her out? Just watch me teach her a lesson!*
He tried his best to imitate Jiang Cihe's stern expression but nearly lost his nerve when he met Auntie Guan's gaze. Instead, he lowered his eyes to the ground. "You ask what it's about? Let me ask you—why was there a cockroach in my food?"
Auntie Guan was startled by the sudden question. Had the fifth young master just spoken? Why did it seem like Meng Shuping had only said one thing?
But now she understood—Meng Shuping had never intended to reward her. She had been tricked!
Enraged by this realization, Auntie Guan suppressed her anger and said, "Fifth young master, you must be joking. How could there be a cockroach in your food? We keep the kitchen immaculately clean—there isn't even dust. Perhaps it fell in elsewhere?"
Meng Shuping tilted his head. "Then come take a look for yourself."
Auntie Guan stepped forward and glanced at the food on the table. She said haughtily, "Fifth young master, where is the cockroach? This old woman doesn't see it."
Meng Shuping shook the paper packet in his hand, letting the cockroach inside fall onto the plate. Then, with even greater arrogance, he said, "Isn't this it?"
Auntie Guan's eyes widened in disbelief, her face flushing red with anger. "Fifth young master, this is a blatant false accusation!"
Meng Shuping looked at her with mockery. "You say it's false, so it is? Do you have any proof?"
*No way, no way! She doesn't actually think I'm going to reason with her, does she? Hah, after feeding me leftovers and rotten food every day, she expects me to fight fair? If I don't punch her, it's only because I respect my elders! She can't possibly think I'd let her off that easily, right?*
*Honestly, I'm the most magnanimous person—I keep a little notebook to remember everyone who crosses me!*
Jinzhan shuddered upon hearing this and immediately said, "Exactly, Auntie Guan! It's clearly your kitchen's fault for preparing unclean food. How can you accuse the fifth young master of framing you? Everyone in our courtyard can testify that the cockroach was in this dish when it was brought over!"
The others joined in, "I saw it too! It was there when the food arrived! Auntie Guan just doesn't want to admit it, right?"
"Ugh~, the things their kitchen makes are so unclean!"
Meng Shuping looked at everyone in the courtyard in surprise. *Whoa! Why are they speaking up too? Could it be that they're actually loyal to me?*
He couldn't help but doubt himself. *Do I really have that much charm?*
Jinzhan gave Meng Shuping a look of mixed feelings. *Is it possible that everyone else has also been eating poorly? Now that Meng Shuping is taking the lead, of course they'll seize the chance to put Auntie Guan in her place.*
Then, a new suspicion arose in Meng Shuping's mind. *Ah, I get it! Maybe the kitchen occasionally has cockroaches in the food normally? Ugh~ No wonder she's provoked everyone's anger!*
Auntie Guan's face turned livid with rage. "Hmph, you're all in this together! Don't think you can say whatever you want and expect others to believe you. Even the Old Lady has praised me for my competence—do you think anyone will take your word over mine?"
Meng Shuping raised an eyebrow. *Well, well, another one using the Old Lady to pressure me. She's so arrogant—should I slap her a couple of times first?*
Auntie Guan didn't take his words seriously at all. She had long heard that the newly returned fifth young master had a very good temper. How could he possibly hit her? She merely thought about it.
Unexpectedly, just as she thought this, Jinzhan rushed in front of her at an extremely fast speed, then raised her hand and slapped her twice. "You wretch! Who allowed you to speak to the fifth young master like that?"
Meng Shuping was startled. *Whoa! Jinzhan has really come into her own today, so perceptive! She deserves a reward, a big reward!*
Jinzhan was extremely pleased. Although she had offended the fifth young master quite badly before, as long as she followed his lead in everything from now on, given time, she would surely gain his trust and be given important responsibilities.
Auntie Guan stared at her in disbelief. "You dare to hit me?"
Jinzhan shook her hand and said arrogantly, "What about hitting you? Who told you to disrespect the fifth young master?"
Meng Shuping excitedly added, "Exactly, exactly! If we hit you, we hit you. Do we need to pick a special day?"
Auntie Guan's body trembled with anger. "You! I'm going to tell Old Lady Fu Shi!"
Meng Shuping immediately called out to her, "Stop!"
Hearing Meng Shuping try to stop her, Auntie Guan became very smug. She proudly turned around. "What, is the fifth young master scared?"
She knew it; Meng Shuping didn't have the guts to bully her. Look, wasn't he backing down now?
Unexpectedly, the next moment, she heard Meng Shuping instruct the others, "You all throw her out! The bigger the scene, the better! Remember to make the reason clear! Everyone will be rewarded when you return!"
When the crowd heard this, they immediately became excited. "Yes!"
Watching the group aggressively approach her, Auntie Guan was furious. "You, you all don't mess around!"
Not long after, some people who were out for a walk heard the commotion nearby. Old Lady Fu Shi frowned and instructed her maid, "Go see who's making all that noise over there? Is there no decorum left?"
Soon, the maid who went to investigate returned to report, "Replying to Old Lady Fu Shi, the fifth young master discovered cockroaches in the food the kitchen sent him. Several maids and old women are currently arguing with Auntie Guan!"
The thought of having just eaten the kitchen's food made Old Lady Fu Shi, Fourth Madam Wu Shi, Meng Ziyun, and others feel utterly disgusted. "Ugh~"
The next morning, Meng Shuping heard that Auntie Guan, the kitchen manager, had been replaced. He wasn't surprised at all. Even if this matter wasn't true, the mere thought of Auntie Guan possibly cooking unclean food would make those people feel uneasy. It would be strange if she weren't replaced!
Of course, if Auntie Guan hadn't gone too far, he wouldn't have been so ruthless.
Jinzhan carefully arranged the meal for Meng Shuping and respectfully said, "Fifth young master, please enjoy your meal."
After this incident, she no longer dared to show any disrespect towards Meng Shuping. Although the fifth young master seemed good-tempered on ordinary days, when he got serious, most people couldn't handle him.
Meng Shuping looked at her in confusion. *What's wrong with her? Did she do something wrong?*
Jinzhan was speechless. Who did something wrong? Was it wrong for her to have a better attitude?
Seeing Jinzhan return to her normal self, Meng Shuping finally relaxed. *Indeed, this is normal. She was quite unnerving just now!*
Jinzhan silently rolled her eyes. Forget it, let it be!
After breakfast, Meng Shuping went out to the street. He planned to have a mask made to wear when he was on duty, so others wouldn't see his face, giving him a full sense of security.
The goldsmith told him that the mask could be made within three days, without any delay. After leaving the goldsmith, Meng Shuping, with nothing to do, began to stroll around the street. He hadn't really explored the area much since he arrived.
Jiang Cihe had business passing through the street today and immediately spotted Meng Shuping. He couldn't help but smile. What a coincidence today!