Chapter 379 - 373 - _1
Upon hearing these words, Master Wei understood Zhao Lingxiang’s intention, and displeasure appeared on his face. This time it wasn’t directed at Zhao Lingxiang, but rather, he felt that his wife was no longer as virtuous as before, always against Concubine Zhao, probably because she feared the child in Concubine Zhao’s womb.
Thus, it is said that human hearts are difficult to grasp. In the past, Master Wei looked down on Zhao Lingxiang. If Zhao Lingxiang had said what she did now, Master Wei would have only blamed her for not knowing her place and slandering the lady of the house behind her back. But now, he favored Zhao Lingxiang and was dissatisfied with his wife.
"You don’t need to concern yourself with her. What matters is the child in your womb. If the lady makes things difficult for you, just come and tell me. I will decide for you," Master Wei promised Zhao Lingxiang without hesitation. Let alone the fact that he now valued Zhao Lingxiang a bit more, even for the sake of the child she was carrying, he would protect her.
"Thank you, Master," Zhao Lingxiang said with tears of gratitude, pride swelling in her heart. What of the wife’s official status? In the end, women must rely on men. As long as she had the protection of the master, no matter how angry the wife might be, she couldn’t do much. And Zhao Lingxiang was still looking forward to the day the master would reprimand the wife for her sake, to further suppress the wife’s arrogant airs, to show being the official wife meant nothing.
Leaving aside the Wei Residence’s intrigues, Lin Yue had to wait until she had enough staff and finished training them before she set the opening date. She really had to thank Old Lu once more for finding her a good chef who was said to have previously worked in a royal kitchen. Although his cooking skills were not as good as Lin Yue’s, they were still quite extraordinary. At the very least, his dishes were more delicious than those prepared by many chefs in Xin’an City’s restaurants. In truth, Lin Yue felt that if it came to a real contest of cooking skills, she would lose to him. However, she had the upper hand in understanding various condiments and modern knowledge.
This chef was named Wang Dachuan. Lin Yue did not hire him but bought him for thirty taels of silver, thanks to Old Lu’s advice. Otherwise, who would have known Wang Dachuan had this skill and could cook such fine dishes?
Wang Dachuan’s current employers treated him like a handyman. As to how Wang Dachuan, once a master chef in a royal kitchen, fell to his current state, it was due to his bad fortune. He had managed to secure a position in the royal residence with his excellent cooking, but when the prince harbored treasonous thoughts that were detected by the emperor, his family was executed, and even Wang Dachuan, a servant in the royal kitchen, did not escape. Since he had no direct connection to the prince, he wasn’t beheaded, but he was imprisoned and later sold. After being passed through several hands, he ended up in this household, where Lin Yue now bought him back for thirty taels of silver.
In the market, even a girl as beautiful as a blooming flower would only be worth a little over ten taels of silver, let alone Wang Dachuan, who was not only older but also less appealing in appearance and weak in physique. He might only fetch a few taels. This household had bought him as a laborer for six taels of silver, so they were only too willing when Lin Yue offered thirty taels to buy him. They immediately took the money and handed over Wang Dachuan’s deed of sale to Lin Yue.
Seeing Wang Dachuan’s wooden appearance, Lin Yue had some doubts at first. But after bringing him home and having him show his skills in the kitchen, Lin Yue realized the prodigious talent Old Lu had introduced her to. It was like finding a treasure; not just thirty taels, but even three hundred would have been worth it to buy him.