Quick Transmigration: Not My Story

Chapter 5 The Cook Mistress（part 4）

Lin Dan had just settled Qi Shi when a group of people arrived outside the inn, shouting that they were looking for her. The innkeeper, worried that these people would cause a scene and damage his property, refused to let them in. Unable to enter, they stood outside, crying and howling, drawing the attention of passersby who gathered to watch.

Lin Dan opened the window just a c***k to look out and saw that the leader of the group was an elderly woman, wearing a worn-out dress that had faded to white, with no hairpin on her head. She looked extremely disheveled. Yan Yikuan was helping her, calling her "Mother" with great sorrow, as if deeply upset.

It seemed that this was Yan Bo's wife, Lin Baotian's master’s wife. By all rights, Lin Dan should address her as "Master's Wife," but she couldn't bring herself to say it. This was because the elderly woman’s actions now were enough to drag down the reputation Lin Dan had so painstakingly tried to clear for Lin Baotian.

The elderly woman beat her chest and cried out, "Damn Lin Baotian, it's bad enough that he bullied us orphaned women, but now he's sending his daughter to do the same! His daughter said that you took care of my husband in his old age, that you were dutiful, ha! Were you not conscience-stricken when you said that? My husband was in bed for months, and as for Lin Baotian, he didn't serve him at all, not even handing him a glass of water. I had to take care of everything inside and out. I asked Lin Baotian to send a letter to my son, but he was afraid my son would return and argue over the inheritance. He agreed to do it on the surface, but once he left, he burned the letter, preventing my son from coming back in time to see his father one last time. Can you say he’s not cruel? A son should inherit the family business, what right did he have to stop him? When my husband died, with no son to smash the bowl, he used this as leverage, forcing me to give him all the family wealth. If I didn’t, he wouldn’t let my husband be buried. What was I supposed to do, with no one to rely on? My husband's coffin is still at home, I can't just leave him without a resting place..."

The elderly woman's appearance, utterly heartbroken, caused the bystanders to shed tears. If this continued, Lin Dan's effort to clear Lin Baotian's name would be completely undone.

Qi Shi, who had just managed to close her eyes, woke up, and in a fit of anger, she said, "She's lying! She's completely making things up! When your master fell ill, your father immediately wanted to send a letter to Yan Yikuan, but your master's wife prevented him, saying that Yan Yikuan was preparing for the imperial examination and couldn't afford any distractions. How could she know that your master’s condition deteriorated so rapidly?

Within half a month, he was delirious, unable to take care of himself, and by then, Yan Yikuan had already left for his travels and no one knew where he had gone. Your father had to serve your master, helping him with all his bodily needs, administering medicine, and still managed to provide for the family. All the work, inside and out, was done by him alone, while your master’s wife stayed away, complaining of the dirt and the work. When your master died, she said she had sent all the money to her son for his studies and couldn’t afford to handle the funeral expenses. She begged your father to find a solution. In the end, your father took all his savings and borrowed fifty taels of silver to bury your master properly. To pay off the debt, your father worked tirelessly without rest, leaving the next day to earn money. He eventually came to the capital and has been sending money back every year, but unfortunately, he didn’t keep any receipts, so we can’t explain it, even if we had a hundred mouths!"

Qi Shi opened her bundle and took out two memorial tablets, crying, "Your father is a good man, but why do good people always receive such bad returns?"

She also wanted to rush out and argue with the elderly woman, but the latter was Lin Baotian's master’s wife and had raised him. With both seniority and affection on her side, any argument would only make her seem disrespectful and sharp-tongued, ultimately putting her at a disadvantage. That’s how the world works—elders can scold and reprimand younger ones as they wish, but younger ones can’t even show the slightest hint of disobedience. A single word of "filial piety" can crush someone. Moreover, Qi Shi wasn’t eloquent enough, and she feared that, if she kept arguing, she might end up making things worse for her late husband.

Compared to the crowd outside, Lin Dan naturally believed Qi Shi. Besides, in her memory, Lin Baotian had indeed

been a good man, never having done anything wrong. Since Lin Dan was carrying the title of his daughter, she naturally had to find a way to protect his reputation. But arguing wasn’t a good idea—no matter how well she spoke, just the fact that she was a disciple's daughter already made her lose half the battle. Winning an argument with elders was not something to be proud of.

"Mother, pack up the bundle. We’re leaving the capital," Lin Dan decided firmly. "Give me the memorial tablet, and I’ll return it to them."

Without hesitation, Qi Shi handed the items over. Unknowingly, her daughter had already become her main pillar of support.

Lin Dan wrapped the memorial tablets in white silk, carefully holding them in her arms as she descended the stairs.

“They’re coming out! They’re coming out! The Lin mother and daughter are coming out!” Someone recognized Lin Dan and Qi Shi, quickly shouting. The curious onlookers, who had been interested in the matter, gathered even closer to see what would happen.

"Well, you’re finally willing to come out!" The elderly woman wiped her tears and rushed forward, ready to grab the two women and ruin their reputation. After all, she was Lin Baotian’s master’s wife and Lin Dan’s master’s wife, so whatever she said was justified. She wasn’t afraid of them causing any trouble.

Lin Dan raised the memorial tablet to block her and, as the elderly woman reached out to grab her clothes, she swiftly handed the tablet to her, then knelt down and bowed three times. She said slowly, “Master’s Wife, my mother and I are leaving the capital. Please take care. This is my master’s memorial tablet. Please take it back. We are not qualified to continue honoring him.”

The elderly woman, already full of hatred for the Lin family, barely listened to her words. Without thinking, she threw the memorial tablet to the ground.

Qi Shi gasped and hurried to pick it up, but was a moment too slow. The tablet bounced once before the loose silk covering fell away, revealing the inscribed characters. The crowd craned their necks to see that this was indeed Yan Bo’s memorial tablet. The base was blackened by soot but not dirty, and it gave off a soft, oily shine, showing it had been regularly worshipped and carefully cleaned with silk cloth.

But this well-maintained memorial tablet was now cracked by the elderly woman’s forceful throw—it was a tragic sight.

Immediately, someone cursed, “Even the ancestors' memorial tablets are being smashed. Aren’t you afraid of the heavens’ wrath?”

The elderly woman froze when she saw the tablet, and Yan Yikuan was also slow to react. Qi Shi, however, was the first to pick up the tablet and frantically wiped it with a cloth, her fingers trembling as she touched the c***k, showing her deep inner turmoil.

Lin Dan, who had remained expressionless the whole time, finally shed tears. She took the memorial tablet with utmost care, wiping it gently with her sleeve and then placing it reverently on the steps. She pulled her mother down to kowtow three times before shakily walking away.

Both of their foreheads bled, leaving two bright red marks on the steps that were shocking to see. They said nothing, but their actions spoke louder than a thousand words. The onlookers, who had been so eager to support the elderly woman, fell silent and no longer spoke of helping her punish Lin Dan and her mother. The truth of right and wrong, who was loyal and who was treacherous, was all clear from the memorial tablet.

"Old... Old man!" The elderly woman finally regained her senses, her legs giving out as she collapsed to the ground. Yan Yikuan, unsure whether to kneel or stand, looked utterly embarrassed.

None of them noticed the old steward of the Yongding Marquis’ residence standing at the edge of the crowd, quietly observing, nor did they see the young marquis sitting across at the teahouse, watching the entire drama unfold. Staring at the retreating figures of Lin Dan and her mother, he sighed deeply before pulling out several silver notes and handing them to his attendant, telling him to follow them.

Lin Dan naturally refused the young marquis’s help. Her instincts told her that only by staying far away from the young marquis and Yan Langqing could she live in peace.

When the attendant returned, bringing the silver notes back untouched, the young marquis felt a mixture of emotions. He had thought he understood Lin Dan, but only now did he realize how stubborn and fiery she was, willing to walk barefoot through thorns even when she knew what lay ahead.

When the young marquis reluctantly returned home, the old steward was already reporting everything to the marquis: "When I went, that Zhou woman was causing a scene, splashing one basin of dirty water after another on Chef Lin’s head, scaring Lin Dan and Qi Shi so much that they dared not show their faces. When their accusations grew more and more ridiculous, I was about to step in, but Lin Dan and Qi Shi, left with no choice, finally came out. They didn’t say anything in defense, just returned Yan Yushi’s memorial tablet to them and kowtowed three times before leaving. Zhou, knowing full well it was Yan Yushi’s memorial tablet, raised it and slammed it to the ground, cracking it open..."

In truth, Zhou had no idea it was Yan Bo’s memorial tablet. She was so angry and loud, and with Lin Dan speaking slowly and softly, it was unlikely she could discern the details. But unfortunately, everyone was paying attention to

Lin Dan’s words, so they knew it was Yan Bo’s memorial tablet and assumed Zhou knew as well.

Hearing this, the marquis sighed, “She even smashed the memorial tablet of her deceased husband, which shows she’s been talking nonsense all along! She never had any affection for Yan Yushi, nor did she take care of him in his final days, especially with her unfilial son. Without Baotian, how would the Yan family have reached this point?

It all boils down to money, these people are blinded by wealth, losing all sense of morality.”

The old steward agreed, "Exactly! If they didn’t smear Chef Lin, how could they justify taking the golden knife, the recipes, and the restaurant? Chef Lin worked hard to build up the reputation of Yan family cuisine, and they just wanted to pick up the easy spoils, thinking everyone else is a fool and can’t see through their schemes! No matter how they slander Chef Lin as heartless, unfaithful, or unfilial, just this memorial tablet can shut them up! If they had truly committed such treason, would Chef Lin have kept his master’s memorial tablet in his home? But look at Zhou and Yan Yikuan, when they saw the memorial tablet, they were so scared they couldn’t stand, clearly guilty of many wrongdoings.”

“I know what kind of person Baotian was. He would never have done those vile things. Inheriting the culinary tradition isn’t about inheriting the family fortune. If someone gets it, it’s theirs to use, but first, they need the ability. Becoming the master chef’s successor isn’t easy, it shows immediately when you get to the stove whether you have true skill. Unless Yan Yushi was senile, why would he give the legacy to an incompetent like Yan Yikuan? That would ruin his reputation!" The marquis grew angrier as he spoke.

“Exactly! The Yan family thought that since Chef Lin is already dead, he couldn’t stand up to them. Poor Lin Dan and Qi Shi, who couldn’t defend themselves and had to leave in silence.” The old steward shook his head and sighed.

“Send someone to bring them back. It’s not easy being an orphan and widow.” The marquis finally relented and waved his hand.

The old steward immediately set off, and only then did the marquis notice his son standing at the door, frowning, he said, “Send Yan Langqing away. Our marquis’s house doesn’t need people with such bad morals. As for good chefs, I can hire as many as I want. I don’t need her.”

The young Marquis nodded, cupped his hands, and left without saying a word.

Shao Rouqing, who was preparing to stay at the Marquis's residence to make a name for herself, never imagined that the big quarrel between her grandmother and father not only failed to restore the reputation of the Yan family but also ruined her good prospects.