Crybaby Transmigrated into a Little Husband Chapter 73

Chapter 73: 找茬【修】

Finding Fault [Revised]

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At first, Tang Xiaobao thought that day’s incident was just a fluke. Little did he know that the same pattern repeated over the next few days—either items vanished entirely or inferior replacements were brought back. Even someone as laid-back as Tang Xiaobao sensed something was off. Yet, seeing the servant grow increasingly nervous each time he fetched supplies, Tang Xiaobao couldn’t bring himself to press the matter.

 

Staring at the vegetables in his hands once more, Tang Xiaobao agonized over whether to tell Ji Ling. But then he dismissed the thought as overreacting—after all, it was just some worthless vegetables. Besides, while the kitchen wasn’t providing what he’d requested, the produce they did give was still perfectly fresh. After some consideration, he decided to endure it for now.

 

Ji Ling had been busy with social engagements lately, so he wasn’t home for every meal. Still, glancing at the dishes, Tang Xiaobao vaguely recalled mentioning yesterday that he hadn’t had perch in ages. Normally, that would have been on the menu the very next day. But looking at his plate, he double-checked—no perch. Instead, there was some unidentifiable small fish. Though he wasn’t overly particular about food, he couldn’t help but feel a little bothered. So, he casually asked, “I don’t recall us ever having this kind of fish before?”

 

Hearing Ji Ling say this, Tang Xiaobao actually felt a bit uneasy. The kitchen had sent over this dish, and he thought it looked decent, so he’d cooked it without hesitation. But seeing Ji Ling’s apparent distaste, he stammeringly asked, “Don’t you like this dish? I thought it was quite tasty.”

 

Noticing Tang Xiaobao’s nervous expression, Ji Ling stopped teasing him and picked up a pair of chopsticks to eat. Evidently, whatever dish came from Tang Xiaobao’s hands tasted exceptionally good.

 

Watching Ji Ling eat as usual, Tang Xiaobao silently breathed a sigh of relief. But then he noticed he wasn’t eating as much as he normally did. After some thought, he decided to ask about it himself tomorrow. He didn’t want such carelessness to continue, ruining Ji Ling’s appetite.

 

The next day, before the servant went to fetch food, Tang Xiaobao instructed that he would accompany him. Seeing Tang Xiaobao’s earnest expression, the servant looked somewhat alarmed. Yet, bound by Tang Xiaobao’s status as his master, he ultimately didn’t object and instead led him to the kitchen steward.

 

The main kitchen of the Ji residence not only prepared meals for the household’s masters but also served the vital function of distributing ingredients to the self-catering courtyards—a position that must have been a plum job. Thus, whoever occupied this post was, if not exceptionally shrewd, at the very least a smooth operator.

 

At that moment, Steward Guo sat there, leisurely directing his young servants to distribute the day’s fresh ingredients to various quarters below. A cup of tea rested beside him. He sipped his tea, issued a few commands, and the work was done—all with an air of profound ease.

 

Tang Xiaobao led Lühe along as they followed the servant to this place. Observing the servants rushing in and out, he thought to himself how vast the Ji residence truly was—even preparing meals required so many servants working together. Even those servants who hadn’t seen Tang Xiaobao before recognized his status from his attire. They promptly bowed in greeting before hurrying off with their respective courtyard provisions.

 

Stepping inside, he immediately spotted the steward seated prominently at the center. The man was looking up, directing servants behind him to fetch the required items and hand them to the attendant standing guard before him.

 

Noticing this, the attendant beside him promptly said, “Young Madam, please wait here. I’ll go ask.”

 

Originally, Tang Xiaobao had come to investigate why the provisions for his courtyard had been so oddly distributed these past few days. Hearing the servant’s words, he nodded and stood there waiting.

 

The servant strode over to the steward with great deference, his tone tinged with flattery. “Steward Guo,” he said, “I’ve come to collect the provisions for the Third Young Master’s quarters. Here is my list.” With that, he handed over a note he’d prepared in advance.

 

The steward took the note, raised his eyelids in a look of obvious disdain, then picked up a brush nearby and began scribbling on the paper. He calmly remarked, “I see some items here are insufficient in quantity. You may substitute them with something else.” Speaking swiftly, he made alterations to the paper. A nearby servant promptly took it and began gathering the items listed.

 

Tang Xiaobao stood in an inconspicuous spot, watching helplessly as the servant responsible for fetching supplies passed by several baskets overflowing with ingredients. Instead, he picked up an item Tang Xiaobao had never requested. Just as the servant had said—it wasn’t that the ingredients didn’t exist, but that they weren’t being given to them.

 

Unable to comprehend this, Tang Xiaobao stepped forward directly. He approached the steward, looked him straight in the eye, and asked bluntly, “If the ingredients are available, why don’t you give it to us?”

 

The steward stared at the young man before him in confusion, unsure of the situation and hesitant to speak rashly.

 

Lühe, who had been following Tang Xiaobao, immediately stepped forward. She addressed the steward, “This is the husband of our Third Young Master.”

 

Suddenly, as if remembering something, the steward sprang to his feet. He bowed deeply to Ji Ling with utmost respect and apologized profusely, “My deepest apologies, sir. I was blind not to recognize your presence.”

 

Tang Xiaobao observed the steward, who now seemed like a different person compared to his demeanor with the servants. He decided to ask his question directly: “I just want to know, since you still have ingredients here, why can’t you supply our courtyard?”

 

Hearing Tang Xiaobao’s accusatory tone, the steward looked aggrieved and visibly distressed. After a moment’s thought, he explained, “Normally, the estate’s daily procurement is strictly rationed. Generally, the daily allotments are sufficient, so there’s no issue. However, certain rare ingredients are always procured in limited quantities. Therefore, the allotments for each courtyard aren’t always exactly what they desire.”

 

After speaking, he cautiously glanced at the young master before him, then continued, “When such situations arise, certain courtyards are supplied first, and only then are the remaining provisions distributed. Originally, the Third Young Master’s courtyard enjoyed priority selection. However, the First Lady has recently stated that the household’s funds are strained, so the Third Young Master’s courtyard has been stripped of its special treatment.”

 

Tang Xiaobao listened for a long while but still couldn’t grasp why insufficient funds meant certain ingredients couldn’t be supplied to them. The only thing he understood clearly was that their privileges had vanished, even to the point where they now had to wait until others had finished selecting before they could choose. Considering Da Fu Ren’s attitude toward them, Tang Xiaobao wasn’t actually surprised—he understood it quite well.

 

Having received his answer, Tang Xiaobao glanced once more at the steward before him, who appeared exceedingly meek. He said nothing, merely leading the servants who had come to fetch the vegetables straight back. As for such people, he’d deal with them when the opportunity arose.

 

Watching Tang Xiaobao leave, the steward who had been stooped over finally straightened up. His eyes held no trace of reverence, only a hint of disdain. He muttered, “This Third Lady certainly knows how to behave. No wonder the Third Young Master took a fancy to her.” With just that one remark, he turned to the servants behind her and bellowed for the next one.

 

Leaving the chaotic courtyard behind, Tang Xiaobao paused briefly before instructing Lühe at his side, “Don’t tell my husband about this. Also, can we go out to buy things ourselves?”

 

Seeing Tang Xiaobao showing no sign of anger, Lühe’s earlier irritation instantly melted away. After hearing his request, she considered it for a moment before replying: “I understand. But if we wish to go shopping ourselves, we’ll have to use our own silver.”

 

Tang Xiaobao considered this and decided it posed no problem. After all, before coming here, Ji Ling had given him a large stack of banknotes to use as pocket money. However, judging by the kitchen’s stockpile, it seemed ordinary items wouldn’t run out, but slightly pricier ones might be another story. With that thought, she still instructed Lühe, “Continue collecting the courtyard’s rations as usual.”

 

“Yes, Madam.” Lu He observed Tang Xiaobao, whose mood seemed entirely unaffected, and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

 

They hadn’t walked far before encountering servants sent by the second branch to collect supplies. Coincidentally, the matron leading them was the very same elderly woman Ji Ling had dealt with upon his return last time.

 

Clearly, the matron recognized Tang Xiaobao as well. Instantly, a flood of thoughts surged through her mind—old grudges and new grievances mingled together. Seeing Tang Xiaobao personally bring his servants to such a filthy place, and hearing that he even cooked for himself in his own courtyard so she surmised that he couldn’t be much favored in Ji Ling’s eyes either.

 

Since she couldn’t take on that big shot, it didn’t mean she couldn’t have a few words with this one. With that thought, she approached Tang Xiaobao, offering a feigned greeting whose tone betrayed no hint of sarcasm or anything else. “Good day, Madam. I never imagined I’d have the pleasure of seeing you here. It’s truly an honor for a lowly person like me.”

 

Tang Xiaobao studied the elderly maid before him, a vague sense of familiarity lingering. He couldn’t quite place where they’d met, so he merely gave a faint nod before preparing to lead Lühe and the others away.

 

But the matron, seeing his indifference, mistook it for a lack of courage to argue. She pressed on: I hear the Third Young Master is soon to take another wife. I imagine you must be quite pleased?”

 

Before Tang Xiaobao could respond, Lühe, standing beside him, snapped, “Auntie! Our mistress respects you as an elder and chooses not to engage. But what nonsense are you spouting now? Haven’t you learned your lesson from last time?”

 

Looking at the fiery-tempered maid before her, the matron remembered all too clearly that she had been standing right beside her when she suffered that humiliation.The thought instantly made her face flush with embarrassment.

 

Still, she refused to confront the maid directly. Instead, she turned to the young madam, who was still staring at her in confusion, and said with a hint of schadenfreude, “Young Madam, I meant well in warning you. Since you choose to ignore my advice, there’s nothing more I can do. The eldest madam is waiting for me to fetch ingredients for dinner. I shan’t waste further words on you.”

 

Having said that, she didn’t wait for Tang Xiaobao to respond, but instead, the maids and servants behind her strode off with their noses in the air.

 

Watching their retreating backs, Lühe was seething with anger. Seeing her young mistress’s lack of reaction, concern flashed across her face, and she blurted out, “Young Madam, don’t listen to her nonsense! That woman’s mouth spews nothing but filth. I’ll go tell Young Master so he can deal with her.”

 

Only now did Tang Xiaobao snap out of the news the matron had just delivered, a look of confusion crossing his face. Why bring this up out of the blue? But after a moment’s thought, he decided he didn’t want to trouble Ji Ling with such trivial matters, only to cause him unnecessary trouble. So, he said to Lü He, who was still fuming beside him, “She’s merely a servant. Not worth my husband’s concern.”

 

Hadn’t he seen it played out in dramas before? When masters disliked their servants, they simply found a convenient excuse to beat them—no one could fault them for it. But then he thought, if he really did that, the Second Lady would surely take issue with him again. Yet he turned and considered: since she never cared much for him to begin with, what difference would it make if she continued to dislike him? Once he came to this realization, Tang Xiaobao felt a sudden clarity wash over him.

 

Didn’t they show that on TV before? When the master disliked a servant, all they needed was a plausible excuse to beat them—no one could really fault them for it. But then she thought, if she really did that, the Second Lady would surely take issue with her again. Still, she turned it over in her mind: since the Second Lady never really liked her to begin with, it wouldn’t matter if she continued to dislike her. After coming to this realization, Tang Xiaobao felt a sudden clarity wash over him.

 

On the way back, his expression remained relaxed, though a lingering thought kept surfacing: Why hadn’t that servant made up some other lie? Why say this? Could it be that Ji Ling was truly preparing to marry someone behind his back? But the moment the thought surfaced, he immediately dismissed it. He shouldn’t doubt Ji Ling over an outsider. If Ji Ling found out, how heartbroken he would be.

 

He returned to his courtyard while it was still early. Usually, the servants from each courtyard would collect the ingredients before dawn, then deliver them to the kitchen before meals for their own chefs to prepare.

 

Looking at the ingredients brought back today, Tang Xiaobao thought for a moment before calling over Lü He. He instructed, “I’m missing a few seasonings for my cooking. Could you go buy some for me?”

 

Seeing her master as usual, Lü He nodded in agreement. Taking the money and list Tang Xiaobao provided, she turned and headed outside.

 

After Lü He left, Tang Xiaobao noticed Ji Ling standing at the doorway, watching him. He must have gotten up sometime earlier, as beads of sweat still glistened on his forehead—likely from a recent workout. This thought brought Ji Ling’s defined abs to mind, stirring a pang of resentment within him. Why did Ji Ling, who used to be such a weakling, now have abs, while he himself had nothing?

 

Ji Ling knew exactly why Tang Xiaobao had skipped sleep to be here so early. Glancing at him, he immediately spotted the group of people behind him, each carrying something. Seeing their master standing there, they seemed at a loss, not knowing where to put their hands or feet, looking rather comical.

 

Ji Ling observed the group without comment, merely beckoning with a wave. “Since you’re back, let’s have breakfast first. If you hadn’t returned, I was about to send men to search for you.”

 

Hearing this, Tang Xiaobao flushed slightly before replying awkwardly, “I only stayed there for a moment. It’s not like I vanished into thin air.” So sending people to look for me was a bit of an overreaction.

 

Ji Ling led Tang Xiaobao inside. He had already instructed someone to prepare breakfast earlier that day. During the meal, he casually asked, “So, what did you find out when you went to ask?”

 

Rarely seen, Tang Xiaobao’s expression darkened for a moment as he wondered what Ji Ling was implying. Knowing he couldn’t hide anything from Ji Ling, he quickly regained his composure. Looking at Ji Ling, he said, “They said the ingredients there were running low, so the portion they gave us wasn’t very generous.”

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