"Husband! What's the matter with you calling me here?" Qin Mei's sweet and crisp voice came from outside, and soon she walked into the hall with a smile on her face.
"So it's a family dinner? Why didn't you tell me in advance? I could have asked the kitchen to add a few more dishes. I wonder what a good day today is? Why are you suddenly having a family dinner?" Qin Mei just glanced at the dishes on the table and asked in confusion.
Obviously she didn't look at the dish carefully, otherwise she wouldn't have said such a thing.
Qin Mei asked a few questions before greeting Luo Changqing and Xu Shichu.
"Why are we having a family dinner? Take a good look at the food on the table!" Luo Rui couldn't help but said angrily when he saw that she was still stupid.
Qin Mei heard her husband's blaming tone, and then she pouted and looked at the food seriously. She screamed: "What's going on? How did the people in the kitchen make something like this? Are they feeding pigs?"
"So the Madam also knew that these things were for pigs?" Xu Shichu sneered and glanced at Qin Mei, "Then why were they sent to my yard? Or does the Madam think that I am only fit to eat pig food?"
Qin Mei's rising anger was extinguished in an instant, and she denied it in panic: "No, I, I don't know who sent such a meal to your yard. It must be the servant who took the initiative!"
Then she pulled Luo Rui's sleeve and hurriedly explained: "Husband, I really didn't do this, you must believe me..."
In fact, her reaction was already an admission of guilt. After all, if it was really not her who ordered anyone to do it, her first reaction should be to find out the cause of the matter and punish the culprit, rather than trying to clear herself of suspicion without any evidence.
"Qin! Do you think I'm a fool?" Luo Rui said gritting his teeth. He didn't expect that his wife was so stupid. Even her way of making trouble for others was so superficial and full of loopholes.
"Master, the people from the kitchen are here." Shuqi called all the people in the kitchen.
When Qin Mei saw it, her face turned pale and sweat broke out on her forehead.
"Interrogate!" Luo Changqing said to Shu Qi expressionlessly, "If you refuse to tell the truth, punish you severely."
Luo Changqing's handsome face was as cold as heavy frost and snow, and his aura was intimidating. Not to mention the servants, even Qin Mei and Luo Rui were unable to resist his anger. They clenched their fists to stop themselves from trembling.
The only exception was Xu Shichu. She seemed to have not noticed Luo Changqing's expression at all. She sat aside, drinking tea slowly, reading a book and interrogating the people in the kitchen.
Luo Changqing lowered his eyes and looked at her, as if she was not in the same world as the others. He felt helpless, guilty, and a little unwilling without realizing it.
In fact, he found it difficult to understand Xu Shichu. She was good at business, loved to enjoy life, was shrewd, knew the times but had a cold personality. She had long forgotten about her parents' home, and except for her little nephew, she seemed to ignore everyone else.
The same goes for her nominal husband. She treats herself no differently than she treats other people, neither humble nor arrogant. Even if she wants to use his power, it is a fair deal and the benefits are clearly divided. She won't take advantage of him, but she will never let him take advantage of her either.
Is it true that I have lost my charm? Luo Changqing rarely began to doubt himself. He thought he looked good and was not very old. He was in his prime and already held a high position.
Then why didn't his step-wife love him like other women? Although he had married his son, there were always many women who wanted to throw themselves into his arms... Why didn't she like a man like him
If Xu Shichu knew what Luo Changqing was thinking at this moment, he would definitely sneer at him. Men are so despicable. He clearly warned others a long time ago not to have any improper thoughts about him, but when others really have no thoughts about him and stay away from him peacefully, he starts to wonder why others don't come to cling to him. He is so self-satisfied and despicable.
Xu Shichu looked at Luo Changqing suddenly. Luo Changqing was stung by her sharp eyes, but then he looked away as if nothing had happened. For some reason, he felt a little guilty when facing Xu Shichu.
Fortunately, Shuqi saved him from embarrassment: "Master, the interrogation is over."
"What did you find out during the interrogation?" Luo Changqing regained his composure as a prime minister and asked.
"After interrogation, it was found that the head chef Zhang accepted a sum of money from Hongxiu, the maidservant beside the young lady, saying that the meals sent to the lady in the future would be downgraded, implying that the second lady was not favored by the master and that the young lady was the rightful mistress of the prime minister's mansion. Zhang was greedy for profit and used the inferior ingredients discarded in the kitchen every day to make meals for the second lady..." Shu Qi said one by one.
"No! It's not me. I didn't do these things!" A maidservant beside Qin Mei knelt down immediately and explained in panic.
"I have no grudges against my stepmother, how could she do such a thing? It must be that Zhang who wronged me. I had some disputes with her before, and now she is accusing me! Master, please understand..."
Thinking that this must be the Hongxiu, Xu Shichu looked at her with interest. She was quite eloquent and her explanations were very coherent.
Qin Mei over there had already started to tremble with fear, her whole body covered in cold sweat. She stared at Hongxiu intently, hoping that she would be sensible and take the blame instead of betraying her.
"It's you! I haven't spent all the silver you gave me. It's in my room. By the way, the handkerchief wrapped in the silver is also yours. There's a word 'Xiu' embroidered on it! Who else in the mansion can embroider this word except you?" When Zhang, who was beaten with a stick, heard Hongxiu's words, she immediately retorted fiercely.
She hated Hongxiu so much now. If Hongxiu hadn't bribed her with money, she wouldn't have suffered this kind of pain. Now she can still be her chef.
Hongxiu became even more panicked after hearing her words. She didn't care about anything else and looked at her master Qin Mei pleadingly, hoping that Qin Mei could save her.
But how could Qin Mei dare to speak for her? She was busy with her own affairs, so she bit her lip and stared at Hong Xiu, shaking her head at her implicitly.
Hongxiu's face turned pale in an instant, and her eyes suddenly became determined, as if she had made some decision. Qin Mei was so anxious that she opened her mouth and silently said a few names to her.
When Hong Xiu saw the shape of her lips, she was immediately heartbroken, as if she had lost all hope. She fell to the ground and said, "This servant did it... This servant couldn't bear to see the step-mother making things difficult for the young mistress, so she took the initiative to trip up the step-mother."
Xu Shichu said sarcastically: "You said I was embarrassing the young lady, but I didn't agree to give her the flowers for free, so I was embarrassing her? You are really loyal..."
Qin Mei seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw, and angrily scolded Hong Xiu: "How could you do such a thing? A little girl like you can control the stepmother? Do you still have me as your master in your eyes?"
Then she said to Luo Rui indignantly: "My husband, you must punish these slaves who bully their masters!"