Chapter 230: You Must Not Confuse Right and Wrong

In the hall only the six of them remained; Zhu Xianling ate heartily, Liu Shifu ate contentedly, and Qian Town Mayor, accompanying Lu San-niang, ate blissfully.

Even Qiao Mai no longer got angry with Yuan Jiaqi over the previous incident.

Full and satisfied, the six were sitting in the Keting to rest when the gate sounded again; Qiao Mai glared at Yuan Jiaqi.

"Go, find yours, solve it yourself!"

Yuan Jiaqi gave a wry smile, stood up and left; Zhu Xianling and Qian Town Mayor followed behind, and Lu San-niang reached out to pull her up.

"Although it was his courting that brought the trouble, this really isn't his fault; you can't mix up right and wrong."

"It just makes me especially angry, having to pick a fight right in the middle of the New Year."

The housekeeper, seeing the masters had all come out, finally opened the Dameng; outside a carriage was parked, and a middle‑aged couple stood at the doorway.

They wore grim faces, watching Yuan Jiaqi and the people behind him, still seeming cautious; the man gave them a bow.

"If she causes trouble again, I have my own way to deal with her!"

"Get used to it, get used to it, let's see what comes of getting used to it,"

"Y-you, who are you?" the Qu Family couple asked boldly.

Master Qu gritted his teeth and said resentfully, "It would be strange if I went back without breaking her leg."

"So it's Master Qu, Lady Qu; is this your Nü'er coming to demand an explanation?"

The old lady cradled two kittens in her arms, "Your easygoing nature shouldn't become petty because of this matter."

"I... she... she wants to die or live, what should I do? How can I just watch her die? Ah? She is my Nü'er, born after ten months of pregnancy; I told her, a forced melon isn't sweet. Yuan County Magistrate is a man of action, he won't divorce his wife to marry her. She wouldn't listen, and came here on her own."

The Qu Family couple shivered all over, about to argue, when Grandmother, dressed in thick clothes, appeared behind Qiao Mai.

Qiao Mai turned and hurriedly supported the old lady, "Why did you come out?"

The old lady held Qiao Mai's hand, "Granddaughter, let's go back; it's so cold outside,"

Outside, Master Qu, who had been kneeling on the ground, quickly stood up and shouted at Lady Qu.

The old lady smiled sweetly at her, "I know you're powerful; you say my old man—if you gave me two cute little ones, would he not be angry?"

"He must get a lesson! Otherwise everyone will copy each other later."

The old lady stood on the stage, coldly watching the Qu Family couple.

The housekeeper snorted, closed the courtyard gate, wedged it shut, and spat.

"Tomorrow, the second day of the New Year, I'll invite the Liu Family for a meal; will you come?"

Qiao Mai took the red envelope from her bosom, placed it on the table, "I still have plenty, more than I can use; I'll give you some, and later give them to the Liu Family children."

He got into the carriage and shouted at the stunned Lady Qu below.

Master Qu's leg went weak at that moment, and he immediately knelt before the old lady.

The servant girl and Momo beside them looked with genuine warmth; the old lady had never been so affectionate to anyone, not even to her own granddaughter Jiaru.

Zhu Xianling spat at them, "She is the current emperor's appointed First-rank Life-bestowing Lady, also the Grand Preceptor's sister; tell me, can your family's Third-rank official hold his ground?"

"Grandmother, spare us, we were wrong!"

"Fine, as long as she doesn't cause trouble in the future, that's enough."

After speaking, he kicked the stunned Lady Qu, who, frightened dumb, involuntarily knelt down.

"You!"

The Qu Family couple's faces flushed with embarrassment, "Then, you also can't hit her, right?"

"Grandmother, you mustn't be biased; later you'll only love them and forget our family's poultry."

"Indeed, Lady Qu still knows how to save face, knows what shame is, knows when to bully too far? This morning..."

"Come, we're all family; let's get to know each other and make it lively!"

"What a dog, daring to bully my granddaughter and make my granddaughter give up a place to your lady? She doesn't deserve it."

Zhu Xianling curled his lip, stepped forward, "I am the Yi County Magistrate; I can testify to what your lady said."

"Yuan Jiaqi!"

"Exactly! Our relatives, when they show up, aren't they stronger than theirs? They come to our house to flaunt themselves."

Qian Town Mayor patted Yuan Jiaqi's shoulder, "Families like this aren't worth even being relatives, let alone associating with."

Zhu Xianling gave him a bow, "Younger brother, I'll leave now; shall we sit together properly another day?"

"The housekeeper at my home has taken a fancy to you, wants to marry you; quickly dismiss the woman before you, otherwise—hmm!"

"If she can't get on the carriage, after we go back let her die if she must; it's better than letting our whole family die."

"Get lost!"

"Probably not, but she'll definitely ask me for a pet."

On the first day, one session in the morning and one in the afternoon, Qiao Mai and the old lady sat on the warm kang, venting their grievances.

"Yes!"

"Haha, you, don't worry, don't worry! Rest assured, I've been thinking of it."

"Grandmother, I'm sorry, I didn't teach my daughter well; after we return I'll give her a severe scolding. My wife and I came with no other purpose, just to ask about the cause of the matter."

"What kind of thing, with just this little skill, still wants to bully others!"

Without waiting for Yuan Jiaqi to speak, Qiao Mai took a brisk step forward, pointed at Master Qu and said harshly.

"He's just a newly rich fool with two stinky coins in his hand; if he wants to stay alive, be honest, otherwise I'll make his head move elsewhere."

The two turned and left, Yuan Jiaqi watched them.

"Don't worry, I'll have Zongsheng draft a memorial, submit it to the Emperor, and include a copy for the Qu Family."

Qiao Mai gritted her back teeth, "If I don't kill her, that's good enough; you shameless thing, bullying with power—what's the difference from a robber? In this world, your family, if you set your eyes on anyone..."

"It just feels too unlucky!"

"I know, it's just that I prepared too much here."

Mrs. Qu, hearing it, trembled with anger, and he pointed at Qiao Mai, "How can you be so shameless, coming up and demanding that my lord divorce his wife? That's far too much bullying, huh?"

"Seek more blessings yourself; you won't listen to kind words, you have to turn a sour face, hmph!"

Madam Tian was choked by that sentence; the couple felt very awkward, and the young lady, upon returning home, burst into tears, saying something completely different from them.

Yuan Jiaqi hurriedly nodded in agreement, watched Town Mayor Qian lead Lu Sanniang away, then turned and left as well, without casting a glance at the couple outside.

Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl, you were wronged, why didn't you go tell Grandmother?

Just taking a stroll, looking at my little chickens, little deer.

Our family's young lady is a renowned genteel maiden; she wouldn't say that.

Hmph, a relative of a third‑rank minor official dares to threaten an imperial appointment; I will certainly report this faithfully to the Son of Heaven. As it happens, His Majesty is currently investigating corrupt officials, local bullies, and tyrants—who knows whether you belong to any of those three categories?

He just loves reading and isn't really interested in these; these two little cuties are just wonderful, their colors are beautiful, they look so good, and when they chirp, my heart melts.

It's not like I don't have any here.

Town Mayor Qian stepped forward: "I am the mayor of Tianshui Town. When the incident occurred, we were all present and can testify for Qiao Niang. Your young lady indeed spoke rudely, immediately insulting Qiao Niang. Someone like her can be called a genteel maiden, and the village's simple village girl could be called a high‑born lady."

"Alright!"

Qiao Mai, of course, would not get flustered over such a trivial matter; doing so only makes her appear like an ordinary person.

That night, the couple lay on the kang, and Yuan Jiaqi turned his head to look at her.

"Madam, you aren't angry, are you?"

"No, I was angry at the time, but it passed, I don't blame her; why would I be angry?"

(End of chapter)