Chapter Eleven: Spoiled Food

Chaochao had sharp ears and bright eyes; how could she not hear? She simply chose not to care.

She busily tied up a bundle of straw, stacking it into the shape of a sofa. With a plop, she sat down, spreading her little legs out long. "Mmm, comfy!"

Only a fool would argue with a fool.

Li Wenxin, seeing the little simpleton sprawled on the straw pile, leaning back and shaking her legs with such an air of contentment, felt annoyed. Feeling her authority challenged, she glared viciously at Chaochao and rose, intending to do something about it. However, no sooner had she moved than she received a sharp slap from her mother beside her.

"Enough! Why must you bicker with a little fool? You have no sense of the bigger picture..."

"Mother, who are you saying has no sense of the bigger picture?"

Lady Luo was momentarily choked, her hand itching to strike again.

At that moment, a commotion echoed from the corridor. Everyone turned to look as a strange jailer with a large, hairy black mole on his cheek approached.

"Come, come! Time to eat, time to eat."

Oh, finally, time to eat.

Eating was a good thing. Before the man with the black mole could even set down the large basket, Chaochao darted over and lined up first. Her eagerness was as if she hadn't eaten in three hundred years, which earned her another series of eye-rolls from Li Wenxin—and immediately, another slap from Lady Luo.

This time it hurt. Li Wenxin couldn't help but complain, "It hurts! Mother, why do you keep hitting me?"

Lady Luo was weary. "Xiner, you are the legitimate eldest daughter of a Count’s household. You are noble and precious. Even if the family has fallen into misfortune, even if we are mired in mud, you must never forget your manners, etiquette, or dignity."

"Mother!" Li Wenxin hated being lectured.

Lady Luo had a headache. "Enough!" Seeing her daughter was about to whine further, Lady Luo, having no patience to coddle her, urged, "Didn't you say you were hungry? Now that there is food, hurry up."

Li Wenxin looked reluctant, muttering under her breath.

However, catching sight of the small heap crouched like a silly dog by the bars, Li Wenxin’s eyes flashed, and she lunged forward.

Upon reaching her, she didn't say a word, just raised her foot and kicked. She shoved Chaochao aside without mercy, taking the spot Chaochao had been occupying. Not content with that, Li Wenxin smiled triumphantly at Chaochao, who had landed hard on her bottom.

Chaochao hadn't expected it and fell squarely, crying out in pain. In return, she only received more arrogant mockery from Li Wenxin.

"Can't even squat properly, you little fool!"

No one in the prison made a sound. Chaochao, however, was not afraid. She clenched her small fists and stood up indignantly, her gaze fixed on her grandmother and eldest aunt, whom her silly father had entrusted her to.

Yet, the old matriarch acted as if she were invisible, her eyes devoid of ripples; the so-called eldest aunt avoided her gaze, remaining indifferent.

Chaochao loosened and tightened her small fists, grinding her baby teeth with a huff. A wise girl does not fight with a fool. She turned resolutely back to her straw sofa, mentally adding a heavy mark to her little notebook, her eyes smoldering with fire.

Seeing the 'cowardice' of the fool, Li Wenxin held her head high, retracting her gaze like a victorious rooster. She reached her hand through the bars toward the man with the black mole.

"What kind of food is this? Bring it here quickly."

The black mole-faced man grunted. Without a word, he reached into the large basket and grabbed a yellowish, blackened bun, handing it over.

In the daytime dungeon, the torches had long since extinguished. They relied on the narrow skylights at the top of each cell for light—dim and cold, making things hard to see clearly.

Starving, Li Wenxin took the bun and shoved it into her mouth. No sooner had she tasted it than she gagged and spat it out, throwing the bun at the man.

"Ugh! What is this rubbish? Even dogs wouldn't eat this!"

The man, who had been holding two more buns, paused. He gave a cold glance at the bun that had rolled off him, staring menacingly at the person in the cell.

Unfortunately, Li Wenxin was completely oblivious, continuing her wild tirade.

"You base jailers who bully others, how dare you serve this low-class, spoiled food to this young lady? I am the legitimate daughter of a Count’s house! My grandfather has students all over the world, and we have countless powerful relatives and friends! Even if we have fallen, I will not tolerate being bullied by low-lifes like you! If you are sensible, you will bring us proper food immediately. Otherwise, I will not let this go!"

"Heh, my temper!"

The man was so amused by this arrogant young lady, who still couldn't grasp the reality of her situation, that he laughed.

He tossed the buns back into the basket and sneered, "Oh my, I'm so scared! Do you think you're still the precious young lady of a Count's estate? Bah! Eat it or don't, I couldn't care less! You want different food? Who do you think you are?"

The jailer was quick to anger, but he understood the ways of the official world. He knew the Imperial Prison had a bad reputation and that many eyes were watching. Thus, he dared not be too cruel to prisoners like those from the Count's family, fearing accountability later. But that didn't mean he had to act like a servant.

Not extorting and skinning them alive was already his benevolence; he certainly wasn't going to pay for their food out of his own pocket.

"In the Imperial Prison, there is only one meal a day. You don't like it? You won't eat? Fine! See if you have the guts to never eat again!"

After his angry outburst, the man huffed, picked up his basket, and turned to leave, leaving everyone behind him stunned.

Wait, they didn't say they wouldn't eat!

"Officer, please wait."

"Officer, the child is ignorant, please have mercy..."

The others, who had been starving for a day and a night, finally reacted. Clutching their empty stomachs and looking at their children gazing longingly at the food, they no longer cared about whether it was spoiled or smelly. They stretched out their hands and craned their necks, pleading desperately.

But the man was too angry to listen. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the corridor with the food. The others, left with nothing, turned to glare at the culprit.

Stared at by so many resentful eyes, Li Wenxin felt her scalp tingle. She shrank back and said dryly, "What... what are you looking at? This isn't my fault. It's all the fault of that damn jailer for giving us spoiled food."

Her words were fierce, but her heart was fearful.

Pressed by the weight of their glares, she scurried over to her mother and grandmother, shaking Old Lady Luo's arm and acting spoiled.

"Grandmother, I did it for everyone's sake. Look at them..."

"Shut up!" Old Lady Luo looked at the eldest granddaughter she had once doted on, finding her truly unbearable to look at. "Foolish."

It was the first time she had been scolded by her grandmother. Li Wenxin shrank back, not daring to provoke the tiger, and hurried to her mother's side.

"Mother, I... I didn't mean it. I was just worried about Grandmother and everyone else. I wanted the family to have a decent meal. I didn't intend to cause trouble, Mother!"

This wretched child was her own flesh and blood; what could she do? She had to clean up the mess.

Lady Luo sighed and patted her daughter's hand.

"That's enough. I know you. But Xiner, as I said, you are a legitimate daughter. You must always remember the rules and not lose your dignity or grace! It's just a meal. You won't die if you don't eat it. Why bicker with such base people? It only lowers your own status."

"Yes, Mother, I was wrong. I won't do it again."

Seeing her daughter concede, Lady Luo nodded and turned a humble smile toward Old Lady Luo. "Mother, you see, Xiner knows she was wrong. You've always doted on her, and the child was just frightened by the family's misfortune. Please forgive her this once."

Old Lady Luo glanced at the mother and daughter, satisfied with Lady Luo's tactful attitude. She gave a slow, weary sigh.

"Enough. Let this matter rest here. But Xiner, this is not the Count's estate. Behave yourself from now on, lest you disgrace the honor of our house. The rest of you, keep your wits about you and don't cause any more trouble!"

"Yes."

Everyone bowed their heads to the instruction.

There is a reason they say ginger gets spicier with age!

After this incident, everyone in the cell kept their heads down, not daring to speak another word. As for what they were thinking inside, or whether they held a grudge, that remained to be seen.