BDSMST -Chapter 35 The “Storm” at the Marquis’ Dining Table

When Uncle Fu returned to the Yongning Marquisate in the capital, it was already the next evening.

He didn’t even stop to change clothes at his residence. Cradling the treasured basket of vegetables, he went straight to the Songhe Hall to see the old marquis and madam.

The old marquis, Gu Yuan, was restless from his leg ailment, and the gloomy weather made his knees ache again. The old madam nervously twisted her Buddhist beads.

“Uncle Fu is back!” a maid announced at the door, and both the marquis and madam looked up.

Uncle Fu strode in quickly, carrying the basket, and immediately knelt.

“Old Marquis, Old Madam, your servant has returned.”

“Stand up quickly!” the old madam urged, worry etched in her voice. “Where’s Gu Xuan? Have you seen him? How is he? Has he been mistreated? That Jiang woman—has she bullied him?”

A rapid-fire string of questions, full of concern and anxiety.

Though the old marquis said nothing, his eyes, fixed on Uncle Fu, betrayed his own inner worry.

Uncle Fu stood and, without immediately answering, respectfully lifted the vegetable basket and presented it before them.

“Old Marquis, Old Madam, the young marquis is very well. These… these are vegetables he personally picked for you. Your servant was instructed to bring them so you could taste their freshness.”

Their eyes fell on the basket. Lifting the cloth cover, a burst of vibrant green came into view.

The cucumbers were long, straight, and covered with fine tender spines; the eggplants gleamed a deep, shiny purple; and the cabbages were so crisp and watery they seemed ready to drip. Even in the mansion, with estates supplying fresh produce, they had never seen vegetables of such quality.

“Gu Xuan… grew these?” the old madam said, picking up a cucumber. Its cool freshness and clean scent invigorated her instantly.

“Yes, Madam. The young marquis has been at the estate, working with… with Madam Suisui, cultivating land, planting vegetables, raising pigs. These are their harvests,” Uncle Fu carefully chose his words.

“Nonsense!” The old marquis slammed his cane down. “The direct heir of the Yongning Marquisate doing muddy fieldwork? What a disgrace! Is that Jiang woman teaching the child like this?”

Uncle Fu bowed his head respectfully. “Old Marquis, please calm your anger. When I first saw it, I thought the same as you. But…”

He then carefully described everything he had seen at the estate: how Gu Xuan directed everyone’s work, how he lost points for spilling pig feed, and that unforgettable lunch which had left Uncle Fu in awe. He told the facts objectively, without exaggeration.

The old marquis and madam listened, astonished.

Gu Xuan… directing the young masters of the Wei family to feed pigs?

Gu Xuan… competing for points just to earn a meal?

Gu Xuan… taking pride in vegetables he personally grew?

They couldn’t even imagine such scenes. Was this still the same spoiled, moody, destructive grandson?

“Uncle Fu… is this really true?” the old madam asked, still in disbelief.

“Your servant would not speak a single false word,” Uncle Fu said, pointing to the basket. “If you don’t believe me, taste these vegetables for yourselves. Madam says that every meal the young marquis eats here is made with these very vegetables.”

The old marquis stared at the basket, silent for a long moment. Though he cursed with his mouth, Uncle Fu’s words planted a seed in his heart.

“Go, have the kitchen prepare these vegetables in the usual household style, just two simple dishes,” he finally ordered a maid nearby. “I want to see what kind of miraculous thing can keep my grandson so happy he doesn’t want to leave!”

The kitchen quickly complied. After all, it was only two vegetable dishes.

Soon, a plate of stir-fried cabbage and a plate of cold cucumber salad were brought to the table.

No complex cooking, no expensive ingredients—just the simplest, purest preparation.

The old marquis looked at the stir-fried cabbage: vibrant green leaves, jade-like stalks, steaming hot, visually impressive. He scoffed to himself—it only looked good. Could it really taste extraordinary?

With some skepticism, he picked up a piece and tasted it.

The next moment, his expression froze.

The cabbage melted in his mouth, releasing a sweetness and freshness impossible to describe, bursting across his taste buds. It wasn’t seasoning—it was the pure sweetness of the plant itself, infused with sunlight and rain. The stalks were crisp, every bite releasing clear, sweet juices.

His eyes slowly widened.

At over sixty years old, he had tasted countless delicacies, even the best dishes from royal chefs. Yet he swore he had never eaten cabbage like this!

Beside him, the old madam tried a piece of the cucumber salad.

Tossed simply with garlic and sesame oil, the cucumber’s natural aroma exploded in her mouth, crisp and refreshing. The clean, sweet flavor spread from her tongue to her heart, instantly clearing away the fatigue and irritability of the past days.

“This… this really came from a rural garden?” she murmured, taking another bite.

The old marquis did not answer. He had already taken a second, third bite…

The old marquis, usually so averse to vegetables, had astonishingly eaten most of the stir-fried cabbage.

The table was quiet except for the soft clatter of chopsticks and bowls.

By the end of the meal, both vegetable dishes had been completely eaten.

The old marquis set down his chopsticks, lifted a cup of tea, and took a sip before speaking. His anger had dissipated, replaced by deep contemplation.

“Uncle Fu.”

“Your servant is here.”

“Repeat for me—where is that estate? Which direction from Qingshi Town?”

Uncle Fu’s heart skipped a beat. He bowed quickly. “Old Marquis, it’s just thirty li east of Qingshi Town, in Woniu Village.”

The old marquis looked out at the darkening sky, fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.

“Send someone to investigate. I want to know everything—about that estate, about that Jiang woman, everything.”