The moment those words were spoken, the entire hall erupted in uproar.
No one had expected that old scandal to involve a life being lost.
Wei's Mother and Wei's Maternal Uncle turned pale with shock, interrupting Pei Liang without regard for decorum: "You're lying!"
"The archives at the Shuntian Prefecture office still hold the records. The truth can be verified with a simple check," Pei Liang replied. "This is Tianxiang Lou’s main hall, not a courtroom. There’s no need for the two of you to rush to defend yourselves."
She then smiled faintly. "I merely mentioned a life was lost, without even specifying the details, yet you’re already so agitated. Does this remind you of certain incidents from when you managed the branch location?"
Wei's Mother had the appearance of an honest woman, but in truth, she was sharp-witted and quick-tongued.
She hastily retorted, "Young Chef Pei, you’re quite the fabricator! Everyone knows the branch was managed by my late husband. It collapsed the moment he passed. If someone died, whose fault is that?"
Tears welled in her eyes as she added, "My poor husband—even in death, he’s slandered by the younger generation."
Wei Yingshu had reached her limit with Pei Liang. "Enough, Miss Pei. If you refuse to hand over Tianxiang Lou, we’ll compete again. No matter how many times it takes, I’ll prove my father was the one truly worthy of inheriting the title of the Empire’s Finest Restaurant."
"My father slaved for the Pei family all these years, only to be driven out in the end, stripped of everything, and dead before forty. If you have even a shred of conscience, Miss Pei, don’t smear my late father’s name. Direct your malice at me instead."
Her brave, stubborn demeanor softened Gao Lezhang’s expression, while his gaze toward Pei Liang turned sharp as a blade.
No matter how renowned the Pei family’s Tianxiang Lou was, at its core, it was just a restaurant—now in decline, barely held together by a young woman. From setting traps to forcing culinary duels, this was all just to fulfill his beloved’s wish to reclaim everything honorably.
In truth, for nobles like them, crushing such a family was no harder than squashing an ant.
But Pei Liang’s repeated distortions of the truth, poking at Wei Yingshu’s pain and grievances, had Gao Lezhang and his companions glaring at her with undisguised hostility.
Pei Liang, however, acted as if she hadn’t noticed, ignoring Wei Yingshu entirely and instead addressing Wei's Mother: "Truly impressive. You had Chef Wei wrapped around your finger—even when his reckless actions led to disaster and his own ruin, you stuck by him. I daresay you’re even better than your daughter at manipulating these young masters around you."
This wasn’t an exaggeration. In Pei Liang’s eyes, while Wei Yingshu was adored by all, when it came to exploiting others’ affections for personal gain, ten of her couldn’t match her seemingly simple-minded mother.
In the original story, this woman had frequently manipulated Wei Yingshu’s admirers into solving problems or securing advantages—always with such finesse that her daughter never owed anyone a favor or made a single promise. The old woman knew exactly how to guide these lovesick young men with subtle hints, leaving no evidence behind.
Wei Yingshu flushed crimson with fury. "How shameless! An unmarried woman like you, obsessed with illicit affairs! My relationship with these gentlemen is purely platonic. They’re merely here as witnesses, outraged by my plight. How dare you tarnish my reputation!"
The young men hastily nodded in agreement, their disdain for Pei Liang deepening.
Pei Liang chuckled. "I meant no offense to Miss Wei. But isn’t Wei's Mother so bold precisely because she’s certain Young Master Gao will prune away any inconvenient truths?"
She turned to Gao Lezhang. "No need to whisper orders to your servants, Young Master Gao. Even if you have the archives removed now, it’s too late."
Gao Lezhang’s face darkened. As the son of Minister Gao, his status was lofty, but he held no official position. Being caught abusing power would give his father’s political rivals ammunition.
Pei Liang stepped closer to Wei's Mother. "Even if the records disappear, the families of those involved still remember. Boss Zhu and Boss Du, the mediators back then, know the full story. Do you plan to silence them all?"
At the mention of the two judges who had favored Pei Liang, the crowd began to suspect that the so-called bribery might have deeper roots.
Bribery had indeed occurred—but the two men were wealthy merchants in their own right. The gifts from Pei Fugui were hardly decisive. The real reason for their bias was their firsthand knowledge of the past. Even if Young Chef Pei’s skills fell short, they couldn’t bear to see Grandpa Pei’s life’s work fall into the Wei family’s hands.
Yet once exposed, with public sentiment wholly on Wei Yingshu’s side, they were left defenseless. The Pei family’s downfall dragged them down as well.
"Enough suspense, Young Chef Pei! Just tell us what happened!" someone urged.
Pei Liang had been waiting for the right moment. Now satisfied, she declared clearly:
"I’ll never deny Chef Wei’s contributions. In fact, my grandfather never once considered replacing him as his successor."
"When Grandpa Pei semi-retired, and Chef Wei took over Tianxiang Lou, Wei's Mother began acting as the mistress, pushing out the original suppliers alongside her brother, Liu Cai, to monopolize procurement—a lucrative role."
"Many here have supplied Tianxiang Lou for decades. Our standards for ingredients have always been exacting, with long-term partnerships only granted to the most reliable vendors. Though ten years have passed, some might recall a period when suppliers were abruptly replaced without explanation."
"That’s right!" a vendor chimed in. "No warning, no reason. We always gave Tianxiang Lou our finest goods—if anything was subpar, Chef Pei would personally throw it back at us!"
"I thought Chef Wei had found better suppliers. But later, Chef Pei came apologizing with gifts. Honestly, I gloated at the time. Did they really think they could replace us so easily? For years, we’d reserved our best stock for Tianxiang Lou. Where else would they find such quality?"
"So, Young Chef Pei, you’re saying Wei's Mother took over procurement to skim profits?"
With fixed price lists, discrepancies in accounts would be obvious. But charging premium prices for inferior goods? That was easy money. Given Tianxiang Lou’s volume, a month’s fraud could yield a fortune.
"No wonder the quality dipped back then!"
"Don’t you dare slander us!" Wei's Mother cried. "That was so long ago! Yes, we changed suppliers, and the old master was displeased, but it was to cut costs. We’d never compromise on quality! My brother and I worked tirelessly to find the best deals. I deny any substitution of inferior ingredients!"
"Oh, so I’m just making this up?" the vendor scoffed. "Let me tell you—around that time, I booked the second floor for my mother’s sixtieth birthday. Among the guests were old friends from Jiangnan, true connoisseurs. I’d bragged endlessly about Tianxiang Lou, only for them to call it mediocre. Humiliated me in front of everyone!"
"People have always said that my knife skills, cooking techniques, and control of heat were flawless—it was just the selection of ingredients that was careless. I’ve been mocked for years over this, how could I not remember it clearly?"
Wei's Mother and Wei's Maternal Uncle were left speechless.
Pei Liang nodded and said, "Exactly. Back then, it was the Wei family’s shameless greed that damaged Tianxiang Lou’s reputation. Some of Grandpa Pei’s close friends discreetly pointed out the decline in ingredient quality during that period. Grandpa immediately inspected the inventory and exposed the two of them."
"Grandpa was furious. He outright ordered Chef Wei to divorce his wife, warning that if he didn’t act decisively, he would inevitably be dragged down by these foolish and greedy individuals."
"Chef Wei was kind-hearted and soft-spoken, completely under Wei's Mother’s thumb. After a tearful display of remorse—and using their young daughter Wei Yingshu as a shield—Chef Wei defied his master’s orders. He only vowed to strictly supervise them from then on, ensuring they’d never meddle in the business again."
"Naturally, Grandpa couldn’t force the matter, but he was deeply disappointed in Chef Wei. So, he took back Tianxiang Lou and handed over a newly opened branch for Chef Wei to manage—partly as a chance for redemption, partly as a test."
"Who could’ve guessed these two were so cunning? Unable to directly embezzle profits, they bribed the branch manager to collude with them. This time, they were smarter—just as Wei's Mother claimed earlier, they didn’t dare tamper with regular suppliers, only targeting seasonal or small-scale purchases."
Pei Liang paused and sighed. "It happened to be mushroom season. Instead of sourcing from their usual mushroom farmers, they procured a batch of decent-looking mushrooms from some shady supplier."
"But as everyone knows, mushrooms come in countless varieties, many hard to distinguish. A single mistake can lead to poisonous ones being mistaken for edible. For rare types, you must rely on experienced, reputable farmers—otherwise, the consequences can be dire."
Pei Liang’s gaze fixed on Wei's Mother and Liu Cai. "The batch you bought happened to contain a single toxic mushroom. The kitchen assistant who chopped it didn’t notice, and it ended up cooked and served to a customer."
"That customer went home, foamed at the mouth, and died before help could arrive. Their family immediately reported it to the authorities. Fortunately, the magistrate at the time was a regular at Tianxiang Lou and didn’t storm in to arrest anyone. Instead, he first notified Grandpa Pei."
"Once Grandpa learned of it, he reached out through Boss Du and Boss Zhu, who had some ties to the victim’s family. Despite his age, he knelt before them and offered a massive compensation to persuade them to settle privately—saving Chef Wei and your lives in the process."
"Yet even then, Chef Wei still worried about Wei Yingshu’s birth mother facing hardship if divorced, so he refused to abandon you two. Back then, the Wei family lived right next to the Pei residence. Wei Yingshu, you must remember those beatings Wei's Mother and Liu Cai endured during that time."
Wei Yingshu and Pei Liang were the same age—six at the time—old enough to remember. But unlike Pei Liang, who was often by Grandpa Pei’s side and knew the full story, Wei Yingshu was sheltered, shielded from adult affairs.
Before being exiled from the capital, she did witness her usually gentle, obedient father striking her mother several times. Her mother would then hug her and cry, claiming that Grandpa Pei was scheming to break their family apart by forcing a divorce.
Wei Qigui never spoke ill of his wife in front of his daughter, but Wei's Mother had no such restraint. Growing up, Wei Yingshu was fed a distorted version of events, leaving her convinced of the Pei family’s cruelty and ingratitude.
Yet today, she was hearing a completely different account.
"I don’t believe it! My mother was honest and principled her whole life—she’d never do what you’re accusing her of—"
"Wei Yingshu," Pei Liang cut in, "Grandpa was utterly disappointed in Chef Wei, but he still shielded him from disgrace. He didn’t even tell my father—who resented Chef Wei over the succession dispute—fearing he’d spread the scandal out of spite and ruin Chef Wei’s reputation for good. Grandpa would rather bear the stigma of driving out his own disciple."
"Your family’s wealth was drained compensating the victim’s family—Grandpa even added a significant sum himself. Those records still exist, untouched."
"Exiling your family from the capital was to let the matter die down. Forbidding Chef Wei from ever practicing his craft again was because Grandpa foresaw that, with his inability to control his wife, another disaster was inevitable in the culinary trade."
"Grandpa acted decisively, but he still left your family a way out, even covering your travel expenses. Chef Wei never forgot his master’s kindness—he sent gifts for every festival and birthday until Grandpa passed. Those records are still in my home, impossible to fake."
"Chef Wei, at least, remembered his debt of gratitude. But Wei Yingshu, in your mother’s telling, Grandpa Pei—who went above and beyond—became the villain. Wei's Mother, with her shameless lies, brought ruin upon her family, drove her husband to an early grave, and raised a daughter blind to the truth."
"A woman like her has no right to call herself honest or principled."
Wei Yingshu was stunned, torn between defending her mother and the flood of evidence Pei Liang presented—every detail corroborated by witnesses, with two of them still present.
The diners around them gasped as the truth unfolded.
Earlier, Wei Yingshu’s claim of a fair culinary duel for the inheritance might’ve seemed justified—a consequence of Chef Pei’s past unfairness. But now? The Wei family stood utterly disgraced.
"Where do they get the nerve?" one diner exclaimed. "Chef Wei was pitiable, but his weakness doomed him. He spared that wretched woman and cost an innocent life, forced his master to kneel and beg—he deserved worse!"
"How dare his descendants come demanding Tianxiang Lou’s legacy? In food service, integrity is everything. I’d rather eat Chef Pei’s slightly inferior dishes than risk my life with the Weis!"
"Young Wei might’ve been deceived, but Wei's Mother—acting all meek and helpless—is the real viper here."
The crowd’s scorn left Wei Yingshu humiliated, her face burning. Gone was her earlier composure.
She shook her mother’s arm. "Mother, say something! Tell them it’s not true!"
Wei's Mother opened her mouth, but the crowd’s jeers drowned her out.
Gao Lezhang, unable to bear his beloved’s distress and convinced of her innocence, shouted, "This is just the Pei family’s side of the story! If the judges colluded with them, they could’ve fabricated this entire tale. Where’s the proof?"
Gu Xiu, who’d been enjoying the spectacle, remarked, "What a coincidence. Chef Pei just had me retrieve the old case files—and invited the victim’s family here."
"Now that everyone is here, it's the perfect time to settle this matter once and for all."
Pei Liang's expression was calm and unruffled, while Wei's Mother and Liu Cai turned deathly pale. Seeing this, the crowd needed no further explanation—everything was clear.
Even Wei Yingshu stared at her mother and uncle in disbelief, unable to accept the truth.
Her body swayed unsteadily, and Gao Lezhang quickly stepped forward to support her with tender concern. Though the Wei family now faced public condemnation, having the son of a high-ranking minister as her steadfast protector meant she wasn’t entirely without hope.
After all, the incident from years ago had already been settled—the aggrieved party had accepted compensation and agreed to a private resolution. There was no reason to reopen the case. Comforted by this thought, Wei's Mother regained some color in her face.
What she didn’t know was that near the entrance, someone had witnessed the entire scene. With all evidence and testimonies pointing conclusively to Pei Liang’s version of events, leaving no room for doubt, the observer quietly slipped out of Tianxiang Lou and approached an unassuming carriage parked at a nearby street corner.
After reporting what he had seen, a stern voice from inside the carriage responded, "What a disgrace. Once the crowd disperses, have that unfilial son seized and brought home. If he wishes to see that female chef again, he won’t be allowed to step outside."
With that, the coachman drove the carriage away. The speaker was none other than Minister Gao, who, having heard rumors of his son’s close association with a certain woman, had decided to observe the competition after court adjourned.
It was natural for a young man to be infatuated, but Gao Lezhang already had a betrothed—a well-bred young lady from a prestigious family. Even setting that aside, the difference in status made any relationship inappropriate.
In the original storyline, Wei Yingshu had risen to fame through this very competition, vindicating her father’s honor with such moving filial piety that it earned widespread admiration.
Thus, though Minister Gao disapproved of his son’s entanglement with her, he hadn’t actively opposed their association.
But now, seeing the Wei family exposed as shameless ingrates, with his own son foolishly standing by their side and bringing shame to the minister’s household, he refused to let the boy become a laughingstock for his political rivals.
This minor episode went unnoticed by those still inside Tianxiang Lou.
Pei Fugui and his wife, who had earlier feared the loss of their family business, now watched as their daughter methodically turned the tide. With their longtime adversaries, the Wei family, thoroughly disgraced, the couple swelled with triumph.
Pei Fugui, in particular, couldn’t resist jeering at Wei Yingshu. "Exactly! My father explicitly forbade Wei Qigui from using our family’s culinary techniques, yet he broke his oath and passed them all down to his own daughter."
"How dare you challenge our establishment using skills stolen from us? This competition should never have happened in the first place. Get out!"
"You—!" Furious at Pei Fugui’s attempt to nullify the match, Wei Yingshu and the young men who adored her flushed with outrage. Even if Wei's Mother had twisted the truth, in their eyes, Wei Yingshu was still a victim. Now, subjected to the crowd’s scorn, she only earned their greater sympathy.
To them, even if the Pei family had the moral high ground, they were nothing but petty bullies who refused to show mercy.
But before anyone could voice their objections, Pei Liang spoke up. "No. Grandfather only forbade Chef Wei from making a living through cooking—his intention was to prevent further trouble, not to bar him from passing on his skills."
"When Chef Wei left, Grandfather didn’t reclaim the knife or recipes he had gifted him. That alone proves he still considered him a disciple in his heart. Father, don’t misinterpret Grandfather’s wishes."
"Hey, you—!" Pei Fugui sputtered in frustration. "Why must you be so stubborn? Wei Qigui was expelled from the school—he had no right, and neither does his daughter!"
Pei Liang merely smiled. "Father, I am Grandfather’s true successor. The final say belongs to me. If I say I lost, then I lost—fair and square."
"Wei Yingshu may not be entitled to inherit the imperial plaque, but Tianxiang Lou was your own bet in this wager. Exposing the past today was only to protect Grandfather’s reputation from being slandered by that vile woman. But it doesn’t change the outcome of this match."
"Father, hand over the deed. Tianxiang Lou now belongs to Wei Yingshu."
No one had expected Pei Liang to make such a decision when she held every moral advantage. Stunned, the onlookers could only admire Pei Liang’s integrity with newfound respect.
"Truly, the worthy successor personally raised by Chef Pei. We who doubted his character earlier should hang our heads in shame."
At this moment, not only were Pei Fugui and his wife thunderstruck, but even Wei Yingshu and her supporters were left speechless.
Pei Liang arched an eyebrow. This wasn’t just a performative sacrifice of her gains—in her eyes, the trouble brought by Pei Fugui and his wife was no less than that of the Wei family.
After all, in these times, parents held absolute authority over their daughter’s property—and even her very person.
