Chapter 162 Let me show you my skills
After serving tea to my uncle and my brothers-in-law, the two aunts were exempted from the request. As aunts were of lower status, there was no etiquette of serving tea to them.

Xia Youshi said leisurely, "I heard that some families have the custom of a new daughter-in-law cooking for her parents-in-law on the first day after she gets married. Normally, this is not customary in families like ours, but Jinxuan is an extraordinary cook, so let me show you my skills today!"

Xia Chunyu's face changed slightly. Was his mother trying to intimidate Yaoyao by doing this? When did he hear that a wealthy family had such a rule?
The old marquis said, "It's Jinxuan's first day here, so I think forget it. Let her make you some delicious food some other day."

The eldest wife, Xia Qiao, twitched her lips slightly, a gloating smile flashed across her face for a moment, and she felt secretly happy in her heart, thinking that her mother was mocking Jin Xuan for being a cook!

Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "Mother wants to eat the dishes cooked by my daughter-in-law, which means she doesn't treat her as an outsider. My daughter-in-law also has the same intention."

She knew very well that what Xia Youshi said was definitely not a compliment, but was meant to embarrass her and belittle her. It didn't matter. There were many ways to win people's hearts, and what she was best at was starting from the stomach.

Xia Youshi was slightly surprised. She didn't expect Ye Jiayao to agree so readily and without any sign of unhappiness.

"Yaoyao..." Xia Chunyu looked at her worriedly, regretting a little that he was too dissolute last night. He knew that Yaoyao was not feeling well today.

Ye Jiayao said faintly: "It's okay."

After that, he knelt down and said, "Please wait for a moment, father and mother."

"I'll go with you." Xia Chunyu complained to his mother that she was giving him a difficult question, but Yaoyao had already agreed, and he couldn't stop her. Since his mother wanted to make things difficult for Yaoyao, he would go to the kitchen with Yaoyao.

"Chun Yu, please stay. Mother has something to tell you." Xia Youshi said.

Ye Jiayao smiled at him, and could see the worry in his eyes: "Cooking is a piece of cake for me, you can stay!"

As soon as Ye Jiayao left, the old marquis sent everyone away: "Go back!"

After everyone left, the old marquis complained, "What are you doing? Are you trying to embarrass Jinxuan?"

Xia Youshi said, "It's just cooking a meal, what's the big deal? Doesn't she cook for people every day in heaven?"

"That was in the past. Don't forget, she is your daughter-in-law now." The old marquis was angry.

"Because she is my daughter-in-law, isn't it right for a daughter-in-law to cook for her mother-in-law?" Xia Youshi said confidently.

"Chun Yu is willing to offend the emperor for her, and you speak for her everywhere. Will she become even more arrogant? If I don't set some rules for her, will she still take me seriously in the future?"

"Mom, Jinxuan is not that kind of person. She knows her limits." Xia Chunyu didn't know what to say. His mother's thoughts were so strange that he couldn't understand them.

Why do we have to put Yaoyao on the opposite side for no reason? Wouldn't it be better if both you and I are well?

"Silly child, isn't your mother doing this for you? Women need to be pampered, but not too much, otherwise she will climb onto your head and shit on it." Xia Youshi said.

The old marquis blew his beard and glared: "Vulgar, vulgar beyond endurance."

"You are not vulgar and you know how to talk. When a new daughter-in-law comes home, who doesn't teach her to follow the three obediences and four virtues to support her husband and educate her children? But you, you even ask your son to love his wife and be nice to her. When I came home, the rules your mother set for me were much more strict than this. Have you ever farted? Why didn't you know to love your wife at that time?" Xia Youshi retorted.

The old marquis left angrily: "I don't want to talk to you, it's too tiring."

"If you don't want to talk to me, go talk to those two little goblins of yours!" Xia Youshi shouted at his back.

"Mom, be careful that someone outside doesn't hear us." Xia Chunyu was speechless. Something was wrong with his mother these past few days.

Xia Youshi said angrily: "If you heard it, then you heard it. Is there any need to hide something that is known to everyone?"

Xia Chunyu said patiently, "Mom, don't worry, Jinxuan will be filial to you. She even asked me what you like to eat before so that she can make it for you in the future. She knows what's good for her. She will only treat anyone who treats her well better. You really don't have to worry."

Xia Youshi was silent. Is that so?

After leaving Mingtang, Xia Qiao couldn't help laughing.

"It's really interesting. It seems that mother doesn't like my second brother's wife very much! She was humiliated as soon as she came in. I wonder how she will deal with Qiao in the future."

Xia Chunli said, "Don't be too happy too soon. Mother likes my second brother the most. In the future, the mistress of this family will definitely be his wife. It will never be your turn."

"Hmph, mistress, do I care? I'm just happy to see my second brother's wife being humiliated. Isn't she just a cook? If my second brother hadn't gotten her an identity in the Helian Palace, she would be nothing." Xia Qiao said arrogantly.

"Yes, she is a piece of shit, but she can make money. Haven't you seen how booming the business of Tianshangju is? All the Fu Ji Xiangyilou have to stand aside. Can you? The embroidery workshop has been open for a month and it can't even break even." Xia Chunli said sarcastically.

Xia Qiao's face turned green: "That's because you have no ability. What man relies on women to make money? You, as the eldest son of the Marquis's mansion, can't get any benefits. You are not good at civil affairs and martial arts, and you still despise me?"

Xia Chunli quickly begged for mercy: "I was just joking, Madam, please don't take it seriously."

Xia Qiao glared at him fiercely: "How can you joke like that?"

Xia Chunyu was still worried and went to the kitchen. Ye Jiayao was wearing an apron and rolling up her sleeves, busying herself there, and a group of cooks were watching.

"You're getting paid but not doing any work, right?" Xia Chunyu became unhappy when he saw this scene.

Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "Don't blame them. I'll take care of all the work today. This way I can show my sincerity, right?" Xia Chunyu drove all the cooks away.

Asked worriedly: "Can you do it?"

Ye Jiayao laughed dryly: "When I was cooking dozens of tables of food a day at Tianshangju, I never saw you worry about whether I could do it."

Xia Chunyu was a little embarrassed: "It hurts in my heart."

"Go, put less honey on your lips and don't disturb me while I'm working." Ye Jiayao pushed him aside, took the soy sauce bottle, and added the sauce to the cut beef.

Xia Chunyu laughed and said, "How do you know I put honey on it if you haven't tasted it?"

Ye Jiayao ignored him and continued to pour cooking wine, salt and sugar, and added a spoonful of cornstarch and stirred evenly.

"Um...are you really not angry?" Xia Chunyu circled around her.

Ye Jiayao said calmly, "What's there to be angry about? Your mother just can't stand you and your father defending me. She feels that the child she raised with great effort was snatched away by someone else, and her husband doesn't stand by her. Her frustration is understandable. Besides, the eldest daughter-in-law is not her own, so she can't make things difficult for her, fearing that people will gossip about her. When Liuli comes in next month, she's a princess, and she can't set rules for Liuli. Your mother is depressed! I'm the only one she can vent her anger on. It's okay. It's not a grievance. Just treat it as a token of my own affection. I won't dwell on it."

Xia Chunyu shook his head and sighed: "Yaoyao, today I realized that you are so sensible and your analysis is so profound."

Ye Jiayao curled her lips: "I understand women's minds better than you."

"Hey, call someone back here. We need to start cooking. Someone needs to light the fire!"

Xia Chunyu said shyly: "I'll go and call him right away."

When it’s time for dinner, we’ll serve the meal on time.

In the flower hall, the round table made of huanghuali wood was filled with all kinds of delicious dishes. Ye Jiayao asked the kitchen maid what the family's taste was like. The old marquis was actually from the north and lived in the north most of the time. He liked to eat northern dishes, but unfortunately the maid in the mansion didn't know how to cook. The old marquis disliked it very much, so Ye Jiayao made an authentic Northeastern sweet and sour pork, pork stewed with vermicelli, and a pot of precious mushroom soup.

My wife is from Hangzhou, and Hangzhou cuisine also belongs to Huaiyang cuisine. Ye Jiayao made sweet and sour spare ribs, West Lake vinegar fish, fish-flavored eggplant, etc.

Then I made dishes that Chunyu liked and Chunfeng liked, as well as a candied apple dish specially prepared for the little boy.

Looking at the table full of exquisite dishes, especially the long-missed sweet and sour pork, the old marquis's appetite grew, and all his previous unhappiness was forgotten.

"Jinxuan is indeed a great cook. She can even cook northern dishes." The old marquis laughed.

"Thank you for your compliment, father. Father, please try it. Is it authentic?" Ye Jiayao served the dishes for the old marquis, because the eldest sister-in-law Xia Qiao was already standing next to Xia You. It seems that the daughter-in-law cannot eat at the table without asking the parents-in-law! Disgusting feudal ethics, what a broken rule.

The old marquis tasted a piece, gave a thumbs up and nodded repeatedly, praising sincerely: "It's authentic, it couldn't be more authentic. The color, the crispness, the sourness, it's even more authentic than what the chefs in the north make."

"Dad, don't praise her so much, otherwise she will make sweet and sour pork for you every day." Xia Chunyu sneered.

"Do you think I only know how to cook these two dishes?" Ye Jiayao disagreed.

"What is this? Why are there so many strings?" The little boy Xia Chunguo took a liking to the candied apple at first sight and was worried about the long and thin strings.

Ye Jiayao hurried over to help him: "This is what my second sister-in-law made specially for you. It's called Candied Apple. The longer the string is, the more capable you are."

When the little boy heard this, his eyes lit up and he tried hard to pull it out. Xia Chunfeng also joined in the fun and the two of them started to fight for it.

"This was made specially for me by my second sister-in-law. You can't snatch it away." Xia Chunguo said.

"Can you finish it by yourself? I'll help you share some." Xia Chunfeng said shamelessly.

"Don't talk while eating." Xia Youshi scolded.

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm happy today. Our home hasn't been so lively for a long time." The old marquis was in a good mood.

"Mother, this West Lake vinegar fish, sweet and sour spare ribs, and fish-flavored shredded pork are specially made for you." Ye Jiayao said flatteringly.

Xia Qiao went to pick up some sweet and sour pork ribs, but Xia You said coldly, "I don't like meat."

Ye Jiayao curled her lips. Don't you like it? The cooks didn't say that. They said that you can't live without meat.

Xia Chunyu stood up and took a piece of fish for his mother: "Mom, please eat fish. This is your favorite sweet and sour fish."

Xia Youshi couldn't refuse the food her son picked up, so she picked up the chopsticks lazily and took a bite.

Uh... it's really delicious, authentic West Lake vinegar fish, I haven't eaten such authentic ones in many years. I really want to feast on it, but today I have to follow the rules and show my power. After eating two bites, Xia Youshi had to reluctantly put down her chopsticks and said indifferently: "It's okay."

Recommended article "The Female Doctor Worth a Thousand Gold: Counterattack on the Famous Family", author Mei Ning, introduction: She can endure living under someone else's roof, and can come up with a prescription worth a thousand gold. She moves forward step by step, and each step is thrilling.

(End of this chapter)