The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

The carriage emerged from Wei Cao Tang, and Chunxi, sitting opposite her, asked softly, "Miss, shall we return to the manor?"

Yun Jin shook her head: "Let's go to Juxian Pavilion first. I'll go check on the soup kitchen."

Chunxi responded and leaned out to speak to the driver.

The carriage turned a corner and headed towards Juxian Pavilion.

The porridge distribution booth in front of Juxian Pavilion is just a few steps away from the store entrance.

Several long tables were lined up in a row, with several large pots on them, steaming hot.

A dozen or so people lined up in front of the porridge stall with their bowls in their hands. Although there were many people, they were orderly and no one was fighting or cutting in line.

Several workers were busy in the shed, while two guards with knives stood by to maintain order.

As Yun Jin alighted from the carriage, a sharp-eyed waiter spotted her and quickly called out, "Miss Yun Jin is here!"

The manager saw her in the shop and rushed over to greet her, bowing and smiling broadly: "Miss, what brings you here? It's cold outside, please come in and have a seat."

Yun Jin waved her hand, walked to the porridge pot, and glanced inside.

The porridge in the pot was cooked to a fairly thick consistency; a spoonful was enough to fill half the bowl with rice.

"Give me a spoonful, I want to try it," Yun Jin said with a smile.

The person in charge hesitated for a moment and glanced at Yun Jin.

Chunxi had already taken the spoon from the waiter and deftly ladled out three bowls. She handed one bowl to Dongxue, one bowl to Yunjin, and kept one bowl for herself.

Yun Jin took a bite from the bowl; the rice was fragrant and delicious, showing that Lan Qi was indeed doing good deeds earnestly.

As she drank, her gaze swept over the people queuing up.

There were elderly people with white hair, women holding children, men in tattered clothes, and several teenagers.

There were no smiles on their faces, but their eyes shone with light.

"Has anyone come to cause trouble these past few days?" Yun Jin asked.

The manager shook his head: "No. The owner instructed that anyone who dares to cause trouble should be reported to the authorities. Besides, this is a charitable act; anyone who dares to disrupt it will be drowned by the spittle of the common people."

Yun Jin nodded, finished the porridge in her bowl, handed the bowl to the steward, and led Chunxi and Dongxue into Juxian Pavilion.

The steward led them to Lanqi's private room on the second floor, personally poured tea, and then brought over the account book, placing it respectfully in front of Yunjin.

"Miss, these are the accounts for the past few days. The owner said he'd let you see them since you're here. Business has been very good these past few days, and the new dishes are selling especially well; customers are all asking for them. The owner said that if you come, please write down two more of the new dishes."

Yun Jin opened the account book and looked through it page by page.

Revenue has indeed increased significantly compared to before, with new dishes accounting for nearly half of the sales.

She closed the ledger, nodded, and asked, "Where did my cousin go?"

The steward said, "The master has gone to the estate outside the city. He said he wants to check on the harvest there and stay there for a couple of days."

Yun Jin didn't ask any more questions. She had the manager call Chef Liu from the kitchen up and handed him the pre-written menu in front of him, saying, "Take a look and see if you can understand it."

Chef Liu took the food and examined it carefully, saying, "Miss, I'll go to the kitchen and make it for you to try. Could you please give me some pointers on where it needs improvement?"

Yun Jin nodded, and Master Liu turned and went downstairs.

Yun Jin sat at the table and continued to look through the account book. After she finished reading the account book, Chef Liu also finished cooking and brought the dishes to the table.

"Miss, please try some."

Yun Jin tasted it, and then let the steward He Chunxi and Dongxue try it as well. They all said it was delicious.

Yun Jin praised Chef Liu, saying, "The taste is good, but it would be even better with a little more styling. For example, you could add some simple carvings or improve the presentation."

Master Liu understood immediately and hurriedly agreed before going downstairs.

The person in charge prepared two more dishes and then went off to get busy.

When the dishes were served, Yun Jin asked Chunxi and Dongxue to sit down and eat with her. Dongxue was still hesitating when Chunxi pulled her down to sit: "There's no need to be pretentious in front of Miss. If Miss asks you to sit, then sit down."

Dongxue glanced at Yunjin and, seeing that she was indeed sincere, picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

The three of them had lunch in a private room, and then got up to go downstairs with Chunxi and Dongxue. Just as they left the room, the door to a private room on the second floor suddenly opened from the inside.

Several women walked out, chatting and laughing.

Leading the way was a young woman, dressed in jewels, exuding an undeniable air of nobility.

Her appearance wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but she possessed an unforgettable aura, with a sharp edge in her eyes and brows.

Yun Jin stood at the top of the stairs, stepped aside to make way, and lowered her head slightly.

The woman stopped in her tracks.

Her gaze swept over Yun Jin's face, from the hairpin on her head to the embroidered shoes on her feet. The corners of her lips curled up slightly, her smile carrying a hint of scrutiny and disdain.

"This must be the second young lady of Lord Yun's household, right?" she asked, her voice not loud, but each word clear.

Yun Jin raised her head, her gaze lingering on her face for a moment.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the woman's head and read, "Zheng Yu: Favorability -43%".

Her heart sank slightly, but she remained outwardly calm and said indifferently, "Madam, do we know each other?"

"As expected, she's from the countryside; she doesn't even recognize Consort Zheng." A young woman next to her spoke first, her tone full of sarcasm.

The woman was dressed in a pale yellow dress, and her appearance was somewhat similar to that of Consort Zheng, but she lacked the sharpness in her eyes and had a more mean look.

The message "Zheng Jie: Favorability -23%" floated above her head, and judging from her age, she should be Consort Zheng's younger sister.

Yun Jin immediately understood that Consort Zheng of the First Prince's residence had once allowed Zhou Demao to forcibly occupy her house because she had bought the small courtyard in the south of the city.

She had never met Consort Zheng in person, but she had already memorized her name.

She lost face and was even scolded by the eldest prince. She couldn't swallow this insult, and today, fate had brought her face to face with her enemy.

She slightly curtsied and gave a respectful bow: "This humble woman greets Consort Zheng."

Consort Zheng did not tell her to get up, but looked down at her as if she had not heard her words. Several women next to her covered their mouths and laughed softly, their eyes full of schadenfreude.

Yun Jin didn't wait for her to speak before she straightened up on her own.

Seeing this, Zheng Jie, who was standing nearby, said loudly, "Miss Yun, did my sister tell you to get up? Those country bumpkins really don't know any manners..."

Before she could finish speaking, Consort Zheng stopped her with a look, and sneered with a mocking smile: "After all, Miss Yun doesn't understand these rules, there's no need to make things difficult for her."

Yun Jin didn't speak; she just looked at Consort Zheng with a calm and fearless gaze.

Consort Zheng felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, then put on airs and looked at Yun Jin: "I heard you've been quite active in the capital lately. I've also heard about what happened at the Princess's birthday banquet. Miss Yun, you're quite capable."