Chapter 179: The Son‑in‑Law Is a Xiucai

The Qiao Family's five mu of land, after she had the greenhouse taken down, was planted with sweet potatoes, and she didn't plant any delicate things.

She was just afraid that if something happened, the crops she planted would be wasted.

Yuan Jiaqi finished the exam and went straight home; he didn't return to the Academy, wanting to wait for the results before speaking.

After the results were posted, an official messenger came to his house with good news; he had again taken the top spot, which was truly delightful.

It was the same official messenger from last year, who also collected several red envelopes, and this time he seemed to have taken note of the Qiao Family.

Such a big matter instantly caused a stir throughout the whole town.

Last year's top spot, this year's top spot, the top among the juvenile scholars has the best chance to become a licentiate; and the top among the licentiates is the most likely to become an imperial scholar.

Moreover, Yuan Jiaqi never missed a year, taking first place every year, and now some people couldn't sit still.

Who? Naturally it's the Yuan Family, and also the Yuan Clan's Clan Head who said he would never come again.

So they took advantage of the chaos, slipped in, found a conspicuous table, sat down and ate.

"I let you speak, I let you speak!"

Although they could do nothing, they were still swaggering in the village, constantly hanging the phrase 'the son‑in‑law is a Xiucai' on their lips all day.

Alas, what to do, our own family can't catch even a bit of glory.

Qiao Mai was quite happy; she didn't set a banquet at home, but booked a feast at Jingtai Restaurant.

After they discussed, they decided not to go back at noon and secretly went to have a meal.

She came to the table with a cold face, "Get out!"

He is a traditional native man; despite saying he is heartless on the surface, he cannot act like Qiao Mai.

Qiao Mai rolled her eyes, "I don't care about other families; my family's things, they cannot touch at all."

The Tian Family, angry, smashed pots and broke bowls, resented Qiao Mai for leaving the Tian Family as their days grew better, resented her for taking a good husband, and resented that she had now become a Xiucai Lady.

These two pairs of old folk quickly got up, reluctantly glanced at the dishes on the table, then turned and ran out.

He is not like Qiao Mai, this new‑era woman who is both a spy and an orphan, able to do this to her biological parents.

"You shameless scum, from now on whenever I see you I'll beat you each time."

Qiao Mai also calmed down and began cultivation; since her space was upgraded last time, she has been very busy. Although she also farms, she hasn't been able to tend it properly.

This little woman, she's too fierce!

Some people think Qiao Mai doesn't recognize any of her six relations, but most people think Qiao Mai is simply true‑hearted.

"Mai? You'll at least let us have a meal?"

This time, hearing that the Qiao Family was treating guests at Jingtai Restaurant, and that it was ten taels of silver per table, drool started to run down the corners of my mouth.

"We are your parents and in‑laws; we aren't asking for anything, can't we at least have a meal?"

It made Shopkeeper Tong overjoyed; ten private rooms, eight people per table, that's eighty; the main hall had ten tables, also eight per table, making twenty tables, one hundred sixty people, how many guests does that require!

Qiao Mai invited Mayor Qian, also invited Guard Brother, invited the whole Lu Sanniang family, including Xiuhong, Xiuyu and Liuyè, invited the whole Qin Shopkeeper family, and also invited all the merchants in the small town who contributed to this snow disaster.

Shopkeeper Tong could no longer stand it, "Qiao Lady, stop beating them; after all they are your biological parents, and two of them are Yuan the Xiucai's parents."

So, by the time Qiao Mai saw them, those people had already eaten most of the food.

At night, she entered her space; of the fifty million mu of land added, she planted trees on all of it, and any land added in the future will also be planted with trees.

"People need face, trees need bark; even now you still fantasize about taking advantage of me, get out!"

"That's what they say, and you think the same, but the world doesn't think so; your husband becoming a Xiucai should pay attention to his reputation."

Lu Sanniang was the first to clap and cheer; everyone standing outside the door saw four disheveled figures and burst into laughter.

She sat cross‑legged by the pond, lotus blossoms stretching to the sky, fish swimming in the water, mature lotus pods, shrimp as thick as a finger, and the space's spirit energy density had reached fifty percent; not bad, not bad, she felt very pleased.

Actually, what she did wasn't wrong; some people fixated on that point, thinking she wouldn't act, that she'd obediently comply, but they didn't expect her to pull this move.

Yuan Jiaqi watched his parents become street rats, everyone shouting to beat them; although he hated them in his heart, it still felt very unpleasant.

The wine was her own; each table had a jar of two‑jin Mao Tai Liquor.

After the celebration banquet, Yuan Jiaqi returned to the Prefecture City Academy the next day.

It must be said, she did put effort into celebrating Yuan Jiaqi.

No matter what, one set are Qiao Mai's parents, the other are the Xiucai's parents; they couldn't possibly beat them in public, could they?

The broom in Qiao Mai's hand was smashed by her; she stood at the restaurant entrance pointing at the two pairs of old folk and scolded them.

She didn't expect that she would dare, with so many guests present in the main hall, to actually strike.

Yuan Jiaqi felt happy; the more Qiao Mai was kind to him, the more he thought she also had that intention toward him.

"Breaking bones and tendons, even if it severs kinship, the fact of your birth cannot be changed."

The set banquet, once the kitchen cooks prepared it, the assistants would place it on the tables; they don't handle seating guests, that's the host family's business.

How could it be, with my own cousin working there, when there's a family celebration, we also have to look after Shopkeeper Tong's business, right?

So she booked a banquet there; ten private rooms were reserved, the main hall was fully booked as well, meaning she covered the whole event, all at ten taels of silver per table.

That's the gap, and what Qiao Mai wants is a man who shares her mind; whatever she does, he would support, obviously Yuan Jiaqi is not that yet, nor can he become that.

The broom in her hand swooped toward their bodies; fortunately they were wearing thin jackets, otherwise it would have left purple‑blue marks.

At this moment, Qiao Shicheng was no longer acting as a father, speaking so pitifully.

"Well done, well done, you shameless thing; you get scolded once and don't change, get scolded again and still don't change, you still dare to come, you should be beaten."

"Who? Who else could it be?"

Since the Qiao Ji Snack Shop reopened after the New Year, those two pairs of old folk, shameless, gathered there, brazenly scheming against the Qiao Family, yet they had no way to deal with the Qiao Family at all.

Alas, they were so angry they wanted to hang themselves.

"Ah, spit, the relationship was cut early; they are nothing."

The celebration banquet was held at noon on the second day after his becoming a Xiucai, with a sea of people in front of Jingtai Restaurant; no household was idle, all were happy for Yuan Jiaqi.

"Ah, ah, Mai Mai, we are your parents; if you hit your parents, be careful of being struck by lightning."

"These two old pairs of goods, where does any good reputation come from?"

Now the space already has over one hundred million mu of land, equivalent to one‑fifth of Earth's surface area.

Qiao Mai went to the counter, grabbed a big broom without caring about its head or bristles, and swung it at them.

Such glory naturally belongs to the Yuan Clan, so how could a woman take it away?

Treat her well, and she will repay you a hundredfold, a thousandfold; treat her poorly, and she will return the same hundredfold, thousandfold.

So they came back thick‑skinned again; Yuan Jiaqi had people block them at the door, not even letting anyone in.

Just as Qiao Mai and the others were attending to guests, a few lecherous figures slipped silently into the wine house.

The Qiao Family was even more annoyed; their son‑in‑law won the top scholar rank, which is a glory for the whole clan, and since he married into the family, it should be the Qiao Family's honor, yet they watch helplessly as they cannot claim it.

The Qiao Shicheng couple and the old Yuan couple truly didn't expect her to take action; they thought that no matter what, she would still mind her face.

"Get out?"

She just closed her eyes to begin Cultivation when a rustling sound reached her ears.

"Oh my mother! What is that sound?"

It's true that there are living beings in the space; she knows exactly what sounds they make when she brings them in.

It's not a snake—spitting out its fangs doesn't make that sound; it's not a horse or a deer grazing, the chewing sound isn't like that either.

(End of chapter)