Chapter 249: You Don’t Have to Come Back Anymore (2)

Could it be that Third Young Madam had hidden most of her secret recipes from them when she was back at Songtao Court?

No, that was impossible. Third Young Madam never evaded them whenever she cooked. She even taught them her secret recipes personally. She wasn’t silly, so she had earnestly remembered and picked up whatever Third Young Madam had taught them.

Third Young Madam was just a normal person, how could she have an endless store of secret recipes? Even if she had more than a few secret recipes, after all this time, she should have finished learning all of them. Why were there suddenly even more dishes that she hadn’t even seen before?

Actually, Mingyan had only learned about twenty or so dishes. That number was just a drop in the ocean for the great foodie Chu Lian, who had eaten most of the foods on either side of the Yangtze River.

It was only Mingyan herself who had thought that she had learned all of the secret recipes that Third Young Madam’s family had passed down.

Judging from the scene just now, Guilin Restaurant’s dishes had clearly stolen away Old Duke Zheng’s favour.

How was she going to gain a foothold in the Zheng Estate by Old Duke Zheng’s side from now on like this?

As she continued thinking, Mingyan’s mood worsened. She wasn’t satisfied. She had already bravely taken the first step away from Chu Lian. She definitely wasn’t going to return.

She paced about in the corridor outside the parlour, the handkerchief in her hands had already been wrung into knots. Finally, she abruptly made a decision and quickly strode out of the courtyard in the next second.

She asked directions from a manservant before moving quickly towards the kitchen. However, before she could enter, she was blocked by a tall server guarding the kitchen.

“Miss, please stop there. Outsiders are not allowed in Guilin Restaurant’s kitchen.”

Mingyan lowered her head and trembled imperceptibly. In the next moment, she had already made up her mind. She raised her head and met the server’s sharp gaze. She spoke confidently, “I’m Third Young Madam’s handmaid and I’ve come here with her orders to handle some affairs in the kitchen. How dare you stop me!”

The originally confident server froze for a moment and was at a loss for what to do when a familiar voice sounded from behind Mingyan. “Ah-zhong, go inside and help. Leave this to me.”

The speaker was Xiyan. Xiyan often came to Guilin Restaurant to teach the cooks new dishes, so the staff here were all familiar with her.

The server called Ah-zhong immediately saluted to Xiyan before entering the kitchen.

Mingyan’s body was rooted to the spot. She hadn’t expected Xiyan to come to the kitchen at this time.

However, her next thought calmed her down. She wasn’t doing anything against her conscience here. Furthermore, while serving Old Duke Zheng, he didn’t treat her as a maidservant at all. Even if she claimed to be Old Duke Zheng’s granddaughter, others might believe it. Her current status was higher than Xiyan’s, so she could hold her head high and keep her back straight.

“Miss Mingyan, you’ve been taking care of His Grace all this time. How could I not have noticed when Third Young Madam sent you some orders?” Xiyan mocked.

This Mingyan seemed honest enough in their daily life together previously. Who could have thought that she would have such a disloyal heart? She even tried to fake Third Young Madam’s orders. If she really entered the kitchen, who knew what kind of disaster might occur?

Today was Guilin Restaurant’s first banquet. It was extremely important and there was no space for mistakes.

Mingyan could sense Xiyan’s distance in her tone.

She frowned and scolded Xiyan in her heart. However, she still forced a smile on her face.

She walked over to Xiyan’s side and said, “Sister Xiyan, you’ve mistaken me. I just noticed that the dishes that Guilin Restaurant brought out today were all new, so I wanted to come over and broaden my horizons a little. I didn’t have any other intentions.”

Xiyan tugged her arm away from Mingyan’s hold and looked at her with a cold expression. “You had better not have any other intentions. If there’s nothing, you should go back to His Grace’s side. Guilin Restaurant’s dishes are all made from secret recipes, it’s not convenient for outsiders to enter.”

There was no courtesy left in Xiyan’s very direct words. She wasn’t someone who liked to beat around the bush anyway. Furthermore, this Mingyan was annoying, so she just spoke however she liked.

Mingyan couldn’t hold the smile on her face any longer. She stomped her foot in rage, “Sister Xiyan, what do you mean by that? You’re treating me as an outsider? Even when Third Young Madam was cooking back in the estate, she never minded letting me watch!”

“That was because you were still Third Young Madam’s handmaid back then and was someone serving Third Young Madam. However, your current master is Duke Zheng. Whenever you start serving Third Young Madam again is when everything will be as before.”

After throwing down these words, Xiyan couldn’t be bothered to continue talking to this ingrate. She quickly turned and entered the kitchen, leaving just the sight of her back for Mingyan.

Mingyan glared at the kitchen door for a long moment. However, in the end, she could only spit at the door and stomp her foot once more before leaving.

Following that, Mingyan tried searching for Jingyan and Fuyan. However, they were currently serving by Chu Lian’s side, so she wasn’t able to meet them.

With an uneasy and impatient heart, Mingyan returned to wait outside the parlour with tumultous emotions.

Right as she reached the entrance of the parlour, she could hear Old Duke Zheng’s booming voice from within. After a moment of hesitation, she walked forward and came even closer to the parlour.

“Jinyi, it’s good that you opened this restaurant. This old man will have a place to eat at from now on.” That was Old Duke Zheng’s voice, brimming full of undisguised joy.

“Then Guilin Restaurant will be depending on Old Duke Zheng from now on!” Chu Lian’s voice was uniquely gentle and bright and very pleasing to the ear.

“Oh yes, these few days, I’ve been recovering well all thanks to the maidservant you left in my estate. Her skills aren’t bad at all. However, my body’s almost fully recovered and I can’t keep your personal handmaid away from you. Why don’t you send someone to take her back today?”

Chu Lian blinked and smiled, “It seems like Mingyan has gotten Your Grace’s favour. This junior has enough servants. Since Your Grace likes her skills, there’s no need to send her back. This junior will send over that girl’s contract over to the estate some other day. That girl has learned quite a few of my secret recipes after all. Your Grace, you have to accept this present from your humble junior.”

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