A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

The New Year had just passed.

All through the second month, the whole Capital City kept talking on and off about Miss Jiang.

After everyone gossiped back and forth,

they finally figured out where this Miss Jiang who suddenly appeared at the Shi Mansion had come from.

”So she’s the eldest young lady of the Jiang Family of Dengzhou!”

”Exactly, she’s from a prestigious clan too. No wonder she’s talented and beautiful, tsk tsk!”

”Isn’t that so? She may not have been born in the Capital City, but Dengzhou is a wealthy place as well. This young lady’s status is quite noble too!”

”That’s right! For her to come all the way to the Capital City, she must be here to talk about marriage. I wonder which young master is so blessed as to marry her home!”

...

”Hmph? Which family can marry her? Obviously ours!”

”She’s from a mere little Jiang Family, do they really dare go against our Duke’s Mansion?”

The Fuguo Duke’s Mansion was rather scornful of the recent rumors circulating in the streets, especially that old Madam whose eyes were already failing with age.

Sure enough, when they went to pay morning respects that day, she couldn’t help lecturing her daughters-in-law again.

”You lot, why aren’t you hurrying to propose a match!”

”The New Year is over, my precious grandson is another year older; we can’t delay any longer—go, quickly!”

The daughters-in-law were all terribly embarrassed, including Lady Sun, mother of Lv Zhaoliang of the second branch, who also wore a deeply aggrieved expression.

”Mother!”

”That Miss Jiang is indeed a good one, but... we might not be able to marry her!”

The old Madam’s expression changed at once; she burst out angrily.

”What nonsense is that coming out of your lazy mouth!”

”You’re just too lazy to run errands, that’s what I see!”

”The children of the eldest and the third branches have all properly married their wives home; only you are the laziest and most useless, delaying my Liangliang to such a state!”

”Tell me, aren’t you lazy!”

”Every time I take a fancy to someone, you always say it won’t do! Fine!”

”If you won’t go, I’ll have someone go myself!”

As she spoke, the old Madam braced on her cane and tried to get up.

Lady Sun was so frightened she rushed forward to support her.

”Mother, please calm down, it’s all my fault. I’ll go right away!”

”Please, sit down and rest!”

Only then did the old Madam’s anger subside. She shot her a glare.

”That’s more like it!”

Shaking off Lady Sun’s hand, the old Madam settled back down onto her seat.

She swept her gaze over the other daughters-in-law and gave a mild sort of consolation.

”And don’t complain that my words are unpleasant to hear!”

”I’m doing this for the sake of our Lv Family!”

”The ancestors were right: many children, much fortune. My Liangliang is indeed a bit wild, but once he’s older he’ll settle down sooner or later!”

”We can’t have the child staying single all his life over these trivial matters. How is he supposed to live in the future?”

Whenever she mentioned this still-bachelor grandson, the old Madam’s heart ached.

From within her luxurious, elaborate robes she drew out a withered hand and rubbed her somewhat aching chest a few times before feeling a little better.

”So!”

”Now that we’ve finally run into such a well-matched girl, we absolutely have to make a proper proposal and strive to marry her back for Liangliang as soon as possible!”

”Yes.” Lady Sun swallowed her resentment and answered with utmost respect.

The old Madam nodded in satisfaction, then looked to the other two and admonished them.

”You two shouldn’t idle about either. Don’t think everything is settled once the daughters-in-law are married in!”

”You must keep an eye on them, make sure the young couples put in some effort so that I can hold chubby, fair great-grandsons as soon as possible!”

”That way, when I go over to the other side, I’ll be able to give our ancestors a proper account!”

”Yes, Mother, your daughter-in-law understands!”

None of the Madams dared say more; they only answered properly and obediently.

Now the old Madam was completely satisfied.

She chatted idly with them for a bit about household matters, then, feeling tired, dismissed them to go about their own business.

...

On the way back from the old Madam’s courtyard, Lady Sun of the second branch wore a face full of worry and couldn’t help complaining.

”Liangliang is far too unruly, and the old Madam just happens to look down on girls from humble backgrounds, insisting on a noble-born bride!”

”None of the respectable young ladies in the Capital City are willing to marry him, so now she’s set her sights on that Miss Jiang!”

”But she has no idea that standing behind Miss Jiang is the Shi Family—that’s not a clan you can easily provoke!”

Still, complaining was one thing; going to propose the match, she had to go all the same.

...

At the beginning of the third month, the Shi Family received a formal invitation from the Fuguo Duke’s Mansion.

Madam Shi held the gold-stamped, red-lacquered invitation, feeling rather baffled.

”Flower viewing?”

”Aren’t they Civil Officials who have always looked down on our Military General background? Our two families have never had any dealings, so what flowers are we supposed to be admiring together?”

Because the Shi Family had spent several decades stationed in the southwest, they weren’t very familiar with the power clans of the Capital City.

On top of that, coming from a Military General line, they were habitually despised by that circle of Civil Officials.

Madam Shi herself didn’t care to vie for attention in those social circles, so their connections were not particularly extensive.

After mulling it over a bit, she quickly understood.

”They’re most likely coming for Wanrong!”

Madam Shi immediately grew alert and had the Maid at her side go ask around.

”Does the Fuguo Duke’s Mansion still have any unmarried young masters of a suitable age?”

The Maid, hearing this, didn’t even go out before answering on the spot.

”Yes!”

”What’s the situation? Tell me the details.”

Because she didn’t know them well, Madam Shi wasn’t especially resistant at first.

But the Maid’s reaction was much more intense; sarcasm instantly appeared on her face.

”Madam, you must absolutely not agree to any proposal from the Fuguo Duke’s Mansion!”

”Their second branch has an unmarried young master of appropriate age, named Lv Zhaoliang!”

”That one is a true devil incarnate, a thoroughbred wastrel if there ever was one—no one in the Capital City doesn’t know his name!”

”He’s already past twenty and still hasn’t taken a wife. They say it’s because their old Madam aims too high and yet too low!”

”None of the well-matched noble young ladies are willing to marry into their family, and as for concubine-born girls or those of lesser birth, the old Madam looks down on them. Back and forth like that, things have dragged on until now!”

”So, Madam, this so-called flower-viewing banquet of theirs is definitely just a pretext for targeting the Young Miss!”

”You must think twice—that’s a literal fire pit!”

Madam Shi stared at her personal Maid’s vehement words in some astonishment. Her own feelings were a jumble, like a jar of five flavors overturned—she couldn’t even tell what she was feeling for a moment.

”Is he really that bad?”

”Madam, you can go and ask around yourself!”

The Maid was still very worked up.

Madam Shi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

”If that’s the case, then they must indeed be coming for Wanrong!!”

”Hah, what a joke. Just because other noble young ladies won’t marry him, they think we’d be willing?”

”What do they take us for?”

The Maid finally let out a long breath of relief.

”Madam, why don’t you go and ask around some more!”

Madam Shi casually tossed the invitation aside and yawned.

”No need!”

”Since their family is no good, we’ll just refuse them!”

”There’s no point in asking around and around. Our Wanrong has no shortage of suitors.”

Having finally brought her over, she wasn’t about to let her own niece suffer any grievance.

The Maid was utterly at ease now and said with a grin,

”Exactly.”

”No matter how powerful the Fuguo Duke’s Mansion is, they can’t force a marriage, can they?”

Madam Shi gave a faint smile.

”They’d have to actually have that kind of ability first!”