High-class maid

"You good-for-nothing spendthrift! You're so young, why do you have to gamble? Are you trying to drive me crazy because your father has lived too long?!"

In the Song family mansion in the capital, Master Song is disciplining his second son.

The people in the mansion had long been used to it, and the servants continued to do their jobs in an orderly manner, as if they were not affected at all.

"Master, please don't be angry. Heng'er is still young and doesn't understand things yet," said Madam Lin.

"How dare you say that! If you hadn't spoiled him so much, how could he have been gambling at such a young age?" Master Song turned his anger towards his wife.

"Master, you, you, I'm innocent! I only have this one son, so what if he's a little spoiled! Where were you when my Heng'er was looking for his father?"

Madam Lin wouldn't allow her husband to blame her, so she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, wiping away snot and tears as she argued her case.

"Hmph! What a woman's kindness! You only have one son, so what about my Yang'er?" Master Song asked Lin Shi angrily, his beard bristling.

“I didn’t mean anything by this. I just mean that Yang’er has been easy to manage since he was little, unlike Heng’er, who is mischievous and naughty.”

Lin paused in wiping away her tears, then began to explain in a flustered manner.

"You're not even half as worry-free as your brother. Why don't you go to Jinling too? I don't think the capital can handle you anymore," Master Song said angrily.

"Mother, Mother, you must protect me! My father wants to send me away! Jinling is nowhere near as good as the capital! I won't go! I won't go!"

Song Wenheng knelt down and walked to Madam Lin, hugging her legs and crying out. Meanwhile, Master Song, standing to the side, was naturally ignored.

"My dear son, don't worry, your mother is here. No one can drive you away," Lin said, holding her son's head.

Those who don't know the situation might think the mother and son are very pitiful.

Seeing how childish they were, Master Song snorted in anger and stormed off.

"Master, have a cup of tea to calm down. Madam is just worried and confused." In the study, Master Song's favorite concubine came over with a cup of tea.

"Hmph, Heng'er has been spoiled rotten by her for a long time! This child is just like his mother now." Master Song took the tea, still immersed in his anger.

"Madam only has this one biological son, so naturally she cherishes him more than her own eyes. You also have an eldest son."

The concubine spoke softly, her voice like a warm spring, slowly flowing into Master Song's heart and soothing his agitation.

"Yes, my Yang'er has always been sensible. The heavy burden of the future rests on his shoulders. As long as Heng'er doesn't go too far, I'll turn a blind eye."

Mr. Song consoled himself.

The concubine walked behind Master Song and gently massaged his temples. Master Song, with his eyes closed, did not see her triumphant smile.

"You wretch! You're such a busybody." After hearing the conversation between the concubine and Master Song, Madam Lin, who was outside the door, stopped pushing the door open and turned back inside.

"Granny, what should I do? I've sent that wretch's child to Jinling, but the master still hasn't forgotten her!" After returning to the courtyard, Madam Lin anxiously sought help from her personal nanny.

“Madam, that’s his own son. Blood is thicker than water. How could Master forget him?” the nanny comforted her.

“He actually said today that the Song family mansion will be handed over to Song Wenyang. Isn’t this like a lamb being led to the slaughter?” Madam Lin said anxiously.

“Madam, you shouldn’t have sent him to Jinling in the first place. How could I feel at ease with him under your watchful eye? If he were to pass the imperial examinations in Jinling, we would be doomed.”

The old woman's words made Lin realize her mistake, and she grabbed the old woman's hand and asked...

"What can we do? We can't let him come back now. The provincial examination is coming up soon. If we let him come back now, the master will skin me alive!"

"Good madam, you yourself said the provincial examination is coming soon. Rather than letting him pass, why not find him something to do so that he fails?" the old woman suggested with an evil smile.

"It's all thanks to Granny's wisdom. Give the order..." After giving the order, Madam Lin seemed to have resolved a major matter on her mind, and hummed a song as she went to her inner room to catch up on sleep.

Once the Mid-Autumn Festival was over, everyone in the mansion relaxed, and Shen Xing'er finally had time to go to the small kitchen to visit Shan Tao and Granny Zhou.

"Granny Zhou, what are you busy with?" Shen Xing'er's sudden appearance startled Granny Zhou.

She patted her chest and replied, "I'm working on a new afternoon tea. You've come at just the right time. Mash the red dates into a paste." Without even looking up, Granny Zhou expertly gave the order.

"I thought you were just letting me try it." Shen Xing'er chuckled and began to mash the red dates into a paste.

"You're such a chatterbox. You'll be the first to eat it once it's ready." Granny Zhou smiled slightly, her hands constantly kneading the red date paste into small balls.

"It's so sweet, what are you making?" Shan Tao, that girl, walked over at some point and secretly pinched one and put it in her mouth.

"Yam and jujube paste cake. The old lady has a bad stomach. This is soft and sweet. I think she will like it."

Granny Zhou then shaped the mashed yam and red dates into balls, placed them into flower-shaped molds, pressed them to release the molds, and finally brushed them with honey. The beautiful and delicious yam and red date cake was ready!

"I feel like something's missing. Shantao, go and pick some osmanthus flowers." It's the season for osmanthus flowers to bloom in August and September, so Granny Zhou instructed.

"I'll go. My back aches from standing, it'll be good to walk around a bit," Chen Shan's wife said, clapping her hands as she finished kneading the dough.

Shantao eagerly picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.

"Mmm, it's delicious, sweet and soft." Shan Tao took a bite and squinted her eyes, enjoying it so much.

Shen Xing'er didn't stand on ceremony and picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.

"It's delicious! You're amazing, Granny!"

"It's good that it's delicious. Make more next time." Seeing the two of them eating with satisfaction, Granny Zhou felt a great sense of accomplishment.

At this moment, Chen Shan's wife came in with osmanthus flowers. After Zhou Mama washed them, she gently placed them on the pastries, instantly elevating their quality.

"Alright, we need to send it to the masters while it's hot, it won't taste good if it gets cold."

As soon as Granny Zhou finished speaking, Lümo walked in as if she had just arrived on time.

"Here I am, here I am. I ran into an acquaintance on the way and we chatted for a bit, so I'm taking it now." The green-clad man's voice preceded his entrance.

"Miss Green Ink, you should try some too," Granny Zhou said modestly.

"No need, no need. Your cooking always suits the old lady's taste, so I won't stay any longer." With that, she picked up the food box and walked out.

Seeing her anxious expression, Shen Xing'er thought to herself: "Is she going to stop the young master again?"

"Xing'er, what are you thinking about? There are still a few pastries left here, let's eat them." Shan Tao patted her and said, holding a plate of yam and jujube paste cake.

Shen Xing'er nodded, and she and Shan Tao sat at the entrance of the tea room as usual, eating and talking.