After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 136 So Arrogant
Bai Wanqing acted quickly, and the next day she found people to partition off a small courtyard in their existing courtyard.

To test whether the courtyard could isolate the poisonous gas, Bai Wanqing specially refined another batch of hallucinogenic powder. Because of the experience from last time, this time it went relatively smoothly.

She was also eager to try other poison formulas, but before she could even start testing the second one, Bai Chenming's letter arrived.

The letter said that her father had prepared the medicinal herbs for the next season for her, and he had arranged for someone to go to Huai'an County the next morning so that she could prepare in advance.

So early the next morning, Bai Wanqing took Fengniang out in a carriage.

They came out early; there were hardly any people on the streets of Huaizhou City yet.
"Fengniang, let's wander around the city for a while before leaving!" Bai Wanqing instructed.

Fengniang thought for a moment and said, "Madam, why don't we go to Baiwei Restaurant for breakfast? Perhaps we'll actually run into the person we're looking for!"

Bai Wanqing smiled slightly and said, "Alright! Let's go to Baiweilou then."

Feng Niang drove the carriage herself, and the two arrived at Baiwei Restaurant in no time. The waiter at Baiwei Restaurant had a good memory and remembered the distinguished guests who had visited their restaurant a couple of days ago, so when he saw Bai Wanqing get off the carriage, he greeted her with a smile.

"Madam, you seem to be in a fine mood today. What would you like to eat?" The waiter led Bai Wanqing to a private room on the second floor, where Bai Wanqing specially found a seat facing the street.

"Two bowls of rice porridge, and a basket of steamed buns, please!"

"Alright!" The waiter bowed and left.

“Madam, look, the manager of the Fang family pharmacy seems to have seen us just now,” Feng Niang said to Bai Wanqing, turning her head to look at her.

Bai Wanqing didn't move, and said to Fengniang, "I heard from my father that the Fang family has been inquiring about medicinal herbs in Huai'an County these past few days."

“My father also announced yesterday that the medicinal herbs would be delivered today.”

"I think the Fang family will definitely not miss this opportunity."

Feng Niang immediately smiled and nodded, "Now that the Fang family manager sees you at Baiwei Restaurant, just 300 meters east of the city gates, he must be even more convinced about the medicinal herbs."

Bai Wanqing smiled slightly, "We've done enough for now. Let's see how much guts the Fang family really has."

Soon, the waiter brought over a basket of steaming hot buns. Just as Bai Wanqing and Feng Niang were about to pick up their chopsticks, they heard a woman's voice from next door.

"Waiter, I already ordered these steamed buns, why were they served to them first?" The woman's voice wasn't quiet, and everyone in the private room on the second floor heard her.

The waiter bowed and said with a smile, "Madam, we serve dishes here according to the rule of first come, first served. The lady in this private room arrived first, so naturally we should serve her first."

The woman next door snorted coldly, "First come, first served, that's a rule for ordinary people. Who am I? Are you blind? Why are you using that kind of rule to judge me?"

The waiter bowed his head and quickly apologized, "Madam, I'll serve it to you right away, please wait a moment."

The waiter turned to go downstairs, but was stopped by the woman's maid. "You don't seem to have understood what I said. I said that basket of buns was mine, and you need to bring it to me now."

The waiter was at a loss for what to do, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

Seeing this, Bai Wanqing spoke up, "Madam, we've already eaten these buns. If you want to go over there again, wouldn't you be at a disadvantage? Why don't you ask the waiter to bring you a fresh basket?"

The waiter quickly chimed in, "Yes! Yes! I'll bring you a fresh one, it'll be right there."

But the woman persisted, saying, "Can't either of you understand me?"

"I said I want that basket of steamed buns, bring it to me right now."

The waiter looked at Bai Wanqing pleadingly. Bai Wanqing glanced at the half-eaten basket of buns and nodded. "Since Madam wants them, waiter, you can take them to her."

The waiter, looking embarrassed, came in and took the steamed buns out. The woman next door, seeing that only half a basket remained, gave the waiter a thorough dressing-down.

Finally, he threw a huge tantrum and stormed off Baiweilou.

Bai Wanqing saw from the window of the private room on the second floor that the woman's clothes were extraordinary and the sedan chair she was riding in was also very luxurious. When the waiter brought Bai Wanqing and her companions another basket of steamed buns, Bai Wanqing asked, "Waiter, who is this lady?"

There was a rule in the restaurant that they were not allowed to talk about the guests' affairs.

But since Bai Wanqing had just come to his rescue, he made an exception and said, "Madam, don't you know her? She's been quite the celebrity in Huaizhou City these past few days!"

"Oh?" Bai Wanqing raised an eyebrow.

The waiter continued, "This woman is a new concubine of our Lord Meng. I heard she comes from a prominent family in the capital, so she's quite arrogant."

Bai Wanqing had also heard about this. She never expected that the young lady of the Yang family would have such an arrogant and domineering personality. This was going to give Madam Fang a hard time.

Seeing that their stay was about over, Bai Wanqing and Fengniang got back into the carriage and headed out of the city.

After the housekeeper saw that the person had left, she cleverly relayed the message back to the Fang family.

On the other side, Yang Peiran came out of Baiweilou in a bad mood, and she threw a tantrum as soon as she got home.

"What a filthy place this is! It's far worse than Yangzhou, let alone Kyoto!" Yang Peiran angrily smashed the cup in front of him.

Because Meng Tongzhi's courtyard wasn't very big, her commotion quickly reached the attention of Madam Fang and Liu Feifei.

The Meng family hasn't had a peaceful time lately. Ever since this Miss Yang entered the family, she's repeatedly caused trouble for Liu Feifei. Because of what happened during her last childbirth, Liu Feifei has lost all hope in Meng Zhan, so she ignores Yang Peiran's provocations.

This only emboldened Yang Peiran further.

Meng Zhan hadn't even gone to the yamen yet when he heard the commotion in the courtyard, so he rushed over. When Yang Peiran saw Meng Zhan arrive, his temper immediately softened.

"Meng Lang, you've arrived!" Yang Peiran said softly, taking Meng Zhan's arm with a smile.

Seeing her obedient appearance, Meng Zhan's anger subsided by a third. "Ran'er, what are you making such a fuss about so early in the morning? Don't you know that your mother is getting old and prefers peace and quiet? You're disturbing her."

Meng Zhan was actually more afraid that Yang Peiran's voice would get out, and then he would lose face in front of the government.

Yang Peiran pouted and said with a wronged expression, "Meng Lang, you don't know, today when I went to Baiweilou to eat, the waiter looked down on me and took it upon himself to give the food I wanted to someone else."

"Then I asked him to bring it back to me, and he actually brought me the dishes that were half-eaten from the next table."

"Mengli, tell me, do these people not take us seriously at all?"

Meng Zhan rubbed his nose, feeling a bit of a headache. "It's nothing. If you want to eat it in the future, I'll have someone go to Baiweilou to buy it for you. You don't need to go yourself."

Yang Peiran felt a little annoyed. She had never been treated like this when she was in Yangzhou, and even in the capital, she had never been looked down upon like this.

In order to make herself happy, she set her sights on the Fang family's treasures.

"Meng Lang, I heard that my mother has a lot of the finest bird's nest. I've been feeling quite hot-tempered lately. Could you ask my mother to give me a share?" Yang Peiran said softly.

Meng Zhan's brow twitched. Those bird's nests were obtained by Bai Wanqing through her father from a medicine merchant in Lingnan when she first came to the Meng family. His mother had treasured them for a long time and had never been willing to eat them.

"If you like, I'll ask someone to get you some more. Let's not take the ones from Mother's, okay?"

Yang Peiran refused, "Meng Lang, when I was in the Yang family, I ate bird's nest from Lingnan. I can't get used to the kind you've brought from outside!"

"You should talk to your mother and ask her to let me have the bird's nest. When I have the chance to go back to the Yang family in the future, I will definitely make it up to her."

Yang Peiran is from an outer branch of the Yang family. Although the Yang family is famous and powerful, it has little to do with her branch.

As for bird's nest, Yang Peiran had never eaten it before. She had only heard that her cousins ​​and aunts had eaten it, so she wanted to try it.

Meng Zhan knew the Yang family's status, so he couldn't refuse Yang Peiran's request.

"Alright! You wait here, I'll go talk to Mother right away." Meng Zhan got up and went to Fang's courtyard.

Yang Peiran watched his departing figure, proudly raised her head, and a smug smile appeared on her face.

The Liu family was merely a fallen official family; how could they compare to the Yang family, a family with generations of meritorious service?
Even though she was a concubine, she was still the most respected member of the Meng family.

On the other side, when Fang saw Meng Zhan ask her for bird's nest, she was so angry that she jumped off her chair.

"Zhan'er, what do you want?"

“Mother, it’s just a few ounces of bird’s nest. Why don’t you just give it to me? I’ll have someone buy you more later and make sure you get the rest.”

Fang rolled her eyes. "Is this about bird's nest? Was it Liu who used her childbirth as an excuse to make you ask me for it?"

Meng Zhan paused for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "Mother, it wasn't her."

If it wasn't Liu Feifei, then it must be someone else. Fang Shi immediately deflated.

"This Yang family member is clearly from a wealthy family, so why is she so arrogant and domineering? She's only been in our house for a few days!"

"Ever since she entered the household, she's either been vying for favor with Madam Liu or urging you to take her out to play. Now she's eyeing my little secrets."

"What exactly is she trying to do?"

Meng Zhan knew that Fang was angry, so he lowered his head and said, "Mother, it's just bird's nest, it's not as serious as you make it out to be. Pei Ran said that she will make up for it for you when she has the chance to go back to Yangzhou. Why don't you just give it to her now?"

Fang sat down heavily in the chair, glancing at Meng Zhan out of the corner of her eye. "Fine, now is the time when you need the Yang family. If she wants it, let her have it."

Meng Zhan was overjoyed upon hearing this, "Thank you, Mother."

Fang had Mei Zhu fetch the bird's nest and hand it over to Meng Zhan.

Meng Zhan happily took it and left, but Fang's heart was bleeding.

"Madam, you can refuse if you don't want to," Mei Zhu advised.

Madam Fang sighed and said, "Zhan'er needs to rely on the Yang family. It's just a bird's nest. I'll give it to him. When my son gets promoted, I'll have plenty of bird's nest to eat."

Thinking this way, Fang felt much better.

(End of this chapter)