Lüdou covered her face, glaring angrily at Auntie Zhang.
"This is the prince's book. How dare you burn it?"
Auntie Zhang was taken aback for a moment, then instantly laughed.
"You little wretch, you have some nerve, daring to lie like that!"
"You think just by saying it's the prince's book, I'll be afraid?"
Auntie Zhang raised her hand, aiming to slap Lüdou again.
"Don't say it's the prince's book, even if it were the prince's own calligraphy, I'd still dare to burn it!"
"If I don't teach you a lesson today, you won't know how many eyes Lord Horse King has!"
Lüdou closed her eyes, but the painful slap she expected didn't land on her.
Opening her eyes, Lüdou saw Auntie Zhang's hand caught by Li Da's wife.
A glint of triumph flashed in Auntie Zhang's eyes. "Li Da's wife, are you trying to shield her?"
"She's slacking off during work. It must be because you've been indulging her, right?"
"Bullshit!"
With a forceful shove from Li Da's wife, Auntie Zhang was sent spinning away.
Finally, she barely managed to grab hold of the stove to steady herself.
But because the stove was lit, its surface was scorching hot.
The heat seared Auntie Zhang's hands, causing intense pain. She hurriedly plunged them into a nearby water basin.
Unbeknownst to her, someone had poured hot water into that basin.
Auntie Zhang didn't look closely; she just saw water and, without a second thought, put her hands in.
"Yowch!"
Auntie Zhang jumped up from the scalding pain.
By now, her hands were as red as boiled shrimp.
"Wahhh!"
Auntie Zhang cried out in pain.
Everything had happened so quickly that no one in the kitchen had time to react.
Seeing Auntie Zhang's state, Li Da's wife almost burst out laughing.
She swore she had just flung her away casually, never expecting the chain of events that followed.
Noticing the smile on Li Da's wife's face, a surge of malice rose in Auntie Zhang's heart.
"I'll fight you!"
Bowing her head, Auntie Zhang charged straight at Li Da's wife.
Only then did the kitchen staff snap out of it.
Everyone rushed to separate the two. Having suffered a loss, how could Auntie Zhang let it go?
"No! This matter cannot end here today!"
"Call the steward! Li Da's wife is bullying people. If she isn't punished, I quit! It's either her or me!"
Auntie Zhang cried and complained at the same time.
Auntie Zhang's medicinal soups were a daily necessity for Prince Pingyang.
So, the moment she threatened to quit, someone immediately went to fetch the steward.
Hearing such a serious incident had occurred in the kitchen, the steward hurried over at a trot.
The moment Auntie Zhang saw the steward, she thrust out her hands and began her tearful account.
"Steward, look at my hands. Li Da's wife did this to me."
"If you don't uphold justice for me today, I won't work anymore!"
"Even though the prince is accustomed to my medicinal soups, I refuse to make them. Find someone else!"
"Wahhh~!" Auntie Zhang sobbed pitifully, her hands trembling.
Lüdou, who had been helped up by Li Da's wife, retorted angrily.
"Your hands weren't Li Da's wife's doing at all!"
"You burned the prince's book first, then tried to hit me. Li Da's wife stopped you."
"Then, you pressed your hands onto the hot stove yourself and burned them."
"You thought that basin had cold water, but it turned out to be hot water. That's how you ended up like this!"
In a few sentences, Lüdou laid out the whole story clearly.
Hearing that Auntie Zhang had burned the prince's book, the steward's face immediately changed.
"Why did you burn the prince's book?"
Auntie Zhang was utterly aggrieved.
"Steward, don't listen to that little wretch's nonsense!"
"She was reading during work hours. I couldn't get her to move, so in a fit of anger, I burned her book!"
"She's afraid of being punished, that's why she lied and said it was the prince's book!"
"You little wretch, with the steward here, if you lie again, I'll have you sold to a brothel!"
Auntie Zhang threatened Lüdou viciously.
Lüdou shrank back for a moment, then straightened her spine.
"Steward, that book really does belong to the prince."
"If you don't believe me, you can ask the prince himself!"
"Duoduo lent this book to me!"
"And I wasn't neglecting my work. I only read it during spare moments after finishing all my tasks!"
"Auntie Zhang said she called me, but I honestly didn't hear her at all."
The steward's face darkened.
He couldn't possibly disturb the prince over a book.
Otherwise, the prince would surely think him incapable of managing the household.
Yet, this matter involved the prince.
The steward was caught in a dilemma.
Li Da's wife stepped forward and bowed to the steward.
"If we want to know if the book belongs to the prince, we can just have Duoduo come over."
"That won't do! That brat and this brat are in cahoots!" Auntie Zhang protested furiously.
"Then the steward can send someone to ask Duoduo as well," Li Da's wife said calmly.
Hearing this, the steward thought it reasonable.
"I'll go ask about this matter myself!"
"Also, it's almost time for the evening meal. Everyone, get back to your tasks!"
"If the prince and princess don't have their meal on time and blame us later, you'll all be in serious trouble!"
The steward's words caused the kitchen staff to scatter like birds and beasts.
"Steward, my hands are injured. I can't prepare tonight's medicinal soup!"
Auntie Zhang held up her two hands, speaking quite arrogantly.
The steward frowned.
Prince Pingyang's health was poor, and his medicinal soups had never been interrupted.
If there was no medicinal soup tonight, he dreaded to think what the consequences would be once the prince found out.
Li Da's wife bowed to the steward again.
"Steward, Mrs. Zhao is actually quite skilled at making soups. Perhaps let her try?"
A flicker of hope appeared on the steward's face. "Really?"
Li Da's wife nodded. "Absolutely true. Mrs. Zhao, come over here!"
A woman of modest height and honest demeanor emerged from the kitchen.
The steward sized up Mrs. Zhao. "You know how to make medicinal soups?"
Mrs. Zhao immediately understood her chance had come.
Her face lit up with pleasant surprise, and she nodded eagerly.
"Yes! Yes! In my maiden family, we had soup every day."
"I can make any soup you can name!"
"And everyone who's tasted my soups says they're very good!"
The kitchen staff all nodded, confirming that what Mrs. Zhao said was true.
A look of panic appeared on Auntie Zhang's face.
"Steward, she has never made soup for the prince before. If you let her do it and the prince blames us, who will take responsibility?"
The steward shot Auntie Zhang a sidelong glance.
"No need for you to worry. If the prince blames anyone, I'll take the responsibility myself!"
Auntie Zhang panicked.
If Mrs. Zhao's soup once earned the prince's favor, what would become of her?
"Steward, my hands aren't that badly hurt after all. How about I tough it out, make tonight's soup, and then rest?"
"No need. We wouldn't want anyone saying the prince mistreats the servants!"
Seeing Auntie Zhang's sudden change in attitude, the steward understood everything perfectly.
However, the kitchen had always been full of disputes, and he usually turned a blind eye.
But this book matter involved the prince, forcing him to make an extra trip.
The steward was very displeased. With a dark expression, he left the kitchen.
Auntie Zhang's face immediately fell.
