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Chapter 41

Li Hui stood up and handed the completed article to Li Ming. Li Ming accepted it with a satisfied nod, "Good, your essay clearly states the main argument from the beginning, and the subsequent support for the argument is well-reasoned..." As he spoke, he heard a gurgling sound.

Li Chou wore an embarrassed expression. He hadn't meant for that to happen. In order to complete the assignment given by Li Ming, Li Chou hadn't eaten a single bite during dinner and had gone straight to studying. By now, he was so hungry that he couldn't hold it in any longer.

Li Hui glanced at the water clock, realizing that the evening had arrived without them noticing. "Father, shall we request some late-night snacks?"

Li Ming was starting to feel hungry too. He instructed Li Chuan, who was attending to them, "Have the kitchen send some late-night snacks."

Li Chuan acknowledged and went to make arrangements. He went outside the courtyard and gestured for the attendant standing nearby to come over. The attendant, Gao Liang, approached, "Master Li."

"Your legs are swift. Go to the kitchen and request that they send some late-night snacks. The master and young masters require them."

Gao Liang ran swiftly to the kitchen. At that moment, a cook lady named Cook Lady Zhang and a fire attendant were chatting in the kitchen. Seeing someone enter, they stood up.

"Cook Lady Zhang, quickly prepare some late-night snacks and send them to the study room," Gao Liang knew all the cooks in the kitchen.

Cook Lady Zhang didn't move. Gao Liang's expression hardened, "Cook Lady Zhang, this is the master's request. If we delay, neither of us can bear the consequences."

"Little Gao, let me be honest with you. Ever since the Third Miss took charge of the kitchen, she has implemented a registry system. Everything we eat and make is decided by the Third Miss. The stoves have been extinguished, and the rice, flour, and other ingredients have been locked in the adjacent room. Only the Third Miss has the key. Even if I wanted to cook, I have no ingredients," Cook Lady Zhang spread her hands helplessly.

Gao Liang wore an expression of disbelief.

"Little Gao, you know I wouldn't dare deceive you," Cook Lady Zhang was truly at a loss.

Gao Liang looked around the kitchen. Apart from the stove and some pots and pans, there were indeed no ingredients. "I'll go find the Third Miss and get the key. You light the stove and wait," With that, Gao Liang ran to the Luhua Courtyard and knocked on the door.

Li Shan was sleeping soundly when she was awakened by someone calling. Cui Liu softly approached and explained the situation. Li Shan's face was full of irritation as she threw a pillow at Cui Liu, "The rules are rules. I won't give the key to anyone." With that, she turned and went back to sleep.

Cui Liu gritted her teeth and cautiously approached again, calling, "Miss." Li Shan rolled over, grabbed a water cup from the bedside table, and threw it at her. Cui Liu narrowly avoided being hit in the head. The sound of the cup shattering could be heard clearly by Gao Liang outside.

Cui Liu came out, her forehead bleeding from the cup. Gao Liang turned and went back to the kitchen. Seeing Gao Liang return empty-handed, Cook Lady Zhang didn't ask for an explanation. Anyone working in the manor knew better than to be foolish. "Little Gao, what if I use the dough for steaming buns tomorrow? I could fry a few sugary flatbreads. Would that work?"

"Thank you for your trouble, Cook Lady Zhang," Gao Liang could only accept that.

Li Chuan had waited for a long time before the late-night snacks finally arrived. Seeing the plate of sugary flatbreads, he glanced at Gao Liang and took the tray inside.

Li Guang had grown impatient waiting. Seeing the food being brought in, he approached and saw that there was only a plate of flatbreads. As he was about to say something, Li Chou stuffed a flatbread into his mouth.

Li Guang took a bite of the sugary flatbread and mumbled softly, "Truly unpalatable." The dough wasn't fully risen, and the taste wasn't great. Li Chou was speechless at Li Guang's remark. Didn't he see how angry Li Ming's face was? Yet he still commented on the taste?

Li Hui took a sugary flatbread and bit into it, washing it down with tea. The taste was truly dreadful. It was hard and astringent, yet overly sweet. He had never tasted such a late-night snack before.

Li Ming looked at the flatbreads but didn't eat any. He waved his hand, dismissing Li Hui, Li Guang, and Li Chou to rest and continue the next day.

After Li Hui, Li Guang, and Li Chou left, Li Chuan brought Gao Liang in. Without any emotion, Gao Liang recounted the entire incident from beginning to end.

"Rules?" Li Ming's anger turned to laughter. Today, everyone seemed to dare lecture him about rules.

Intimidated by Li Ming's imposing manner, Li Chuan and Gao Liang lowered their heads, not daring to speak. After a while, Li Ming dismissed them.

Early the next morning, when Mrs. Lu woke up, Chunlu Granny whispered the news in her ear, "Madam, will the master hold you responsible?"

"Hold me responsible? The Third Miss managing the kitchen was his own request," Mrs. Lu was in a good mood as she compared different hairpins, "Nanny, which one should I wear today?"

"The jade and gold hairpin would complement the Madam's attire today," Chunlu Granny suggested. Mrs. Lu inserted the jade and gold hairpin into her hair.

In the Bingqing Courtyard, after hearing Hong Mei's account, Aunt Wang was at a complete loss for words. After a while, she went straight to the Luhua Courtyard without even washing up, only to find Li Shan enjoying her breakfast.

"You still have the heart to eat, after the calamity you've caused," Aunt Wang's words left Li Shan perplexed. Cui Liu, who had been injured the previous night, was resting in her room and not attending to Li Shan. Li Shan was still unaware of her actions the night before.

"Auntie, what calamity have I caused?" Li Shan looked as if she had done nothing wrong.

"How did I end up with such a blockhead?" Aunt Wang wore an expression of disbelief.

"Auntie, why are you scolding me like this without reason?" Li Shan grumbled unhappily.

Aunt Wang had no desire to talk to Li Shan anymore. She waved her hand, signaling Hong Mei to explain the situation to Li Shan. As Hong Mei recounted the previous night's events, the chopsticks fell from Li Shan's hand with a clatter.

"So it wasn't a dream?" Li Shan's words made Aunt Wang laugh bitterly. She truly wished it had been a dream. But alas, it wasn't. Where had Li Shan's usual intelligence gone?

The more Li Shan thought about it, the more afraid she became. She rose and approached Aunt Wang, "Mother, what should I do? Will Father be angry with me? Will he ignore me? What should I do?" As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face. She was genuinely afraid of losing Li Ming's affection. If Li Ming became displeased and took away her kitchen duties, what would she do?

"Now you know to be afraid," Aunt Wang looked at the weeping Li Shan and calmed down. What's done was done; crying wouldn't help. They needed to find a solution.

"Auntie, what should I do?" Li Shan couldn't think of a solution.

"You should..." Aunt Wang whispered into Li Shan's ear.

"Would that work?" Li Shan had some doubts.

"It would," Based on Aunt Wang's understanding of Li Ming, she believed it would work.

"But Auntie..." Li Shan wanted to say more, but Aunt Wang's stern gaze stopped her.

Since no one had ordered silence on the matter, news of the incident spread throughout the manor. Li Xia even had an extra serving of the pork and pickled vegetable dumplings made by Mrs. Wu.

The servants didn't mention it openly but privately cheered the event. Ever since Li Shan had taken over the kitchen, she had implemented a steady stream of rules and regulations for the kitchen staff to follow, not to mention the declining quality of the food. The servants harbored resentment, and now that Li Shan had made a mistake, the gossip spread joyfully.