Jiang Qingyu instinctively glanced at the old master and plastered on a fake smile. "Hot pot and a family reunion dinner are two different things."
Song Yutang raised an eyebrow. "If even sharing a meal with your own family is unhygienic, wouldn't a whole family gathering for the holidays be even dirtier? When you entertain people, do you always eat individually portioned meals? Even with serving chopsticks, aren't you still sharing a table? You're just like that mistress mother of yours-not a scrap of manners, and nothing but nonsense spilling from your mouth."
Jiang Qingyu's face darkened. "Song Yutang, don't go too far. This family's surname is Jiang, not Song."
The old master, who had remained silent all this time, also darkened his expression and said sternly, "Song Yutang, do you think you're in charge of this family now?"
Song Yutang whipped toward him and slapped the table with a crack. "You have the nerve to question me? You're the one who favored a concubine over your wife and blurred the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, turning this household into a haze of smoke and filth. I don't care whether this man is adopted or born of a concubine. My father-in-law is still his elder brother, the legitimate son. An elder brother personally preparing a meal and inviting his younger brother to share it is a matter of family propriety and affection. It's one thing not to appreciate it, but he actually dared to insult him?"
The old master choked at her rebuke, his words stuck in his throat.
The more Song Yutang spoke, the angrier she became, until she wanted to point at his nose and berate him. "Didn't the whole family sit around one table for the reunion dinner on our wedding day? Those are rules handed down by the ancestors, a tradition of the Jiang Family. How did it become pig swill in the mouths of this father and son? As his father, you failed to teach him and indulged him until he dared spout such outrageous nonsense before his elder brother. Today he's talking rubbish at home. If he's just as loose-tongued outside tomorrow, you might not care about that old face of yours, but I still care about mine."
"No, you... I..." The old master felt he ought to say something, yet for the moment he could find no way to refute her.
Song Yutang swept a cold glance toward Jiang Qingyu. "When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam follows. It's all because that old concubine worships everything foreign and can't be shown in polite society that her descendants turned out this way. Butler Wang, please escort Second Master and Third Young Master to the small dining room. They can return to this table when they've learned propriety, righteousness, integrity, shame, and the natural order of family relations."
Butler Wang instinctively looked toward the old master.
"Yutang, isn't this a little too..." The old master looked at Song Yutang awkwardly.
She shot him a cutting glare, her voice suddenly rising. "To raise a child without teaching him is the father's fault. That old concubine is, after all, only a mistress unfit for polite society, so that's understandable. In the end, Grandpa, you're the one who failed to teach your descendants properly. Even kindergarten children understand that children with poor character whose parents blindly defend them are the most detestable. No one wants to associate with them.
"Your concubine-born son is already this old, yet you still blindly shield his faults. My parents-in-law can give way to him, and I can show him respect, but outside this house, people will only say the Jiang Family has no proper upbringing."
The old master was stunned senseless by her scolding.
He instinctively shrank back, quiet as a chicken.
Seeing this, Butler Wang immediately stepped forward. "Second Master, Third Young Master, this way, please."
Jiang Qingyu and his son's faces alternated between green and white with utter humiliation.
But they couldn't outargue Song Yutang, nor did they dare lay a hand on her.
With the old master remaining silent as well, they had no recourse but to let themselves be led away, their faces dark.
Only when he heard the door close did Old Master Jiang gradually come back to his senses.
His expression was unpleasant. "Song Yutang, you keep talking about rules. Do your rules mean belittling your elders however you please?"
Rather than answer him directly, Song Yutang signaled to the blond-haired young man sitting opposite her. "Boyan, please escort Grandpa to Dining Room Eleven."
Dining Room Eleven was where the servants and drivers ate.
Jiang Boyan's hand shook in fright, and his beef tripe nearly fell back into the pot. "Wh... what?"
Song Yutang set down her chopsticks and said unhurriedly, "I told you to escort Grandpa to Dining Room Eleven."
Old Master Jiang could hardly believe his ears. "Song Yutang, you... you're throwing me out to the servants' dining room?"
Song Yutang glanced at the blond again. "Didn't you hear me?"
Jiang Boyan shuddered in fright.
Instinctively tossing down his chopsticks, he bounded forward and took Old Master Jiang by the arm. "Grandpa, this way, please."
Jiang Guoqiang and his wife were dumbfounded too.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the two quickly exchanged a glance.
Jiang Guoqiang moved first, taking hold of his other arm.
"You... what are you doing?" Caught completely off guard by this sudden turn, the old master tried to shake them off.
Unfortunately, both father and son had plenty of strength. With one on either side, they simply hauled him out.
"Dad, calm down. Yutang said you're to go to Dining Room Eleven. Please cooperate."
"That's right, Grandpa. My sister-in-law has always understood the rules. She must have her reasons..."
Old Master Jiang: "??? Hey... hey, hey... what are you doing? What are you doing? Let go! Let go of me..."
Li Xiulan followed them with a tray. "Dad, I'll bring your food over..."
Working together, the family of three hauled the old master into the small dining room just like that.
Then, under the servants' shocked gazes, they hurried back to the main dining room.
Still sitting in her original seat, Song Yutang signaled to the blond again. "Close the door and lock it."
Jiang Boyan barely hesitated.
Only after locking the door securely did he suddenly come to his senses. "Did we... throw Grandpa out too?"
Jiang Guoqiang and Li Xiulan also looked at each other. "That's right. Why did we throw Dad out?"
Song Yutang had already picked up her chopsticks again and smilingly beckoned them to sit. "Let's eat first. Whatever it is, we can discuss it afterward."
Jiang Boyan immediately turned and ran back to his seat, his face carrying a hint of excitement at having gotten away with something naughty. "Who cares? If my sister-in-law says throw him out, then out he goes."
Li Xiulan nodded along. "We'll listen to our daughter-in-law."
Jiang Guoqiang said, "Our daughter-in-law is educated. We can't go wrong listening to her."
Jiang Boyan couldn't resist interjecting, "Dad, she didn't even graduate from high school."
Jiang Guoqiang replied with perfect confidence, "I have a second-grade education. Your mother has a fifth-grade education."
Jiang Boyan immediately puffed out his chest too.
Li Xiulan glanced at him. "You're only in your second year of high school. Your sister-in-law nearly graduated."
Jiang Boyan: "..."
"Pfft..." Song Yutang couldn't help laughing. "Let's eat, let's eat. Boyan, have some beef..."
As they spoke, loud banging came from outside the door, mingled with the old master's furious roars. "Rebellion... you're all rebelling against heaven... open this door... Jiang Guoqiang, Song Yutang, do you hear me? Open the door! Open this door..."
Jiang Guoqiang trembled in fright. "Should we let him in?"
Song Yutang turned a deaf ear to it. She rolled a cooked slice of aorta through the sesame oil and minced garlic in her dipping dish before putting it into her mouth, then sighed in satisfaction. "Dad, Mom, this aorta was prepared so well. It's crisp and springy."
Li Xiulan immediately beamed, much of her nervousness melting away. "Isn't it? I specifically had Old Jiang pick out the freshest. I soaked it in ice water for ages, then rubbed it thoroughly with baking soda before slicing it."
As she spoke, she picked up several cooked slices of marbled beef with the serving chopsticks and piled them into Song Yutang's bowl. "Have more meat. Look how thin you are..."
Jiang Guoqiang wasn't good with words. He simply kept pushing the cooked dishes toward the middle.
Watching the family enjoy themselves together, even the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.
"I also squeezed some fresh orange juice and added a little honey. It takes the edge off the spice and whets the appetite." Li Xiulan rose and brought over a large pitcher of orange-gold juice, pouring everyone a glass.
Jiang Boyan raised his glass and happily clinked it against Song Yutang's. "Sis-in-law, finally no one complained today that my table manners were crude or that I reached too far with my chopsticks. This feels great. Here, a toast to you."
"We're family. No need for that." Song Yutang smiled and clinked glasses with him, then raised hers to her parents-in-law. "Dad, Mom, thank you for all your hard work."
The four glasses met with a clear clink.
Old Master Jiang faintly heard the sounds of happy harmony inside and was so furious that he kicked the door. "You still have the nerve to eat? Open the door! Open this door... outrageous. Absolutely outrageous! I, Jiang Dingkun, already have half my body in the grave, yet I've been thrown out of the room in my own home! If word gets out, people will laugh their teeth off... open the door... Jiang Guoqiang, Jiang Boyan, you unfilial descendants..."