Chapter 249: First Time?

When Mrs. Wang left, Wang Jiaru was so angry that she swept everything on the table onto the floor.

Early the next morning she had a carriage prepared, left the two children at home, took two maidservants and two guards and headed straight for Tianshui Town.

Yuan Jiaqi took the early leave from the Yamen, made the arrangements, and then returned home to accompany his wife and children in preparing for the New Year.

At this moment he was inside writing a couplet, Qiao Mai was reading a book, and the children were playing in the amusement park with great delight.

The Fengyun brothers have grown up; they usually accompany Ling'er and Chuan'er in play.

Feeling that the years are peaceful, living like this for a lifetime would be fine, but at that moment a maidservant, looking flustered, ran over to report.

"Master, the Princess has arrived."

Qiao Mai glanced at her, "Why the panic? It's just a Princess,"

She set the book down, rose to go forward, and Yuan Jiaqi put down his brush.

It seemed this matter passed that way; after the Wang Family retrieved Wang Jiaru, they swiftly dispatched guards to protect the mother and child, heading to Jingcheng to hand them over to the Little Prince, and they could not let her stay any longer.

"Baa baa baa, fine, you two go wild, we're leaving."

"What's wrong with you?"

Damn, Qiao Mai almost shouted, "What do you mean 'you two go wild'? Can you speak properly? If not, shut up."

"You, hurry and give me the thing?"

"Why are you afraid? Her family receives your protection every year; Zu Fu taught her husband to become accomplished; you also give her a twenty percent bonus each year. With so much silver, the household's silver belongs to me and my brother; there is no place for an outsider."

"Seems so."

"Jingcheng is a huge dye vat; even the good get stained bad. Miss Wang's nature is decent."

"No wonder the Little Prince wants to take a consort."

"Ru'er, you really are..."

"These years the Little Prince has probably been worn down by her temperament and lost patience,"

Yuan Jiaqi, seeing this, tried to come over to stop it, but Qiao Mai gave a light flick, and the shrewish Wang Jiaru was tossed onto the ground.

"A bit, she seems crazy. In Jingcheng all these years she hasn't learned anything else, only learned to compare. The things she asks from me are all for showing off; if I were her, I'd make good use of them, after all I have such connections that others can't obtain."

"It's fine."

"Even if I buy at a high price, it still won't work."

"How does it go from dealing with it to cutting off relations?"

"And that Lu Shopkeeper, who was originally on good terms with Qiao Mai, why has the relationship gradually become distant?"

"Madam, she has chilled your heart, hasn't she?"

At that moment the courtyard gate sounded again; a maidservant opened the door, saw the Prefect, and immediately stepped aside.

"Who dares to form a brotherhood with you?"

Wang Jiaru's behavior truly overturned Wang Zongsheng's worldview; at that moment he could no longer hold back and slapped her.

"If I don't get the thing today, I won't leave."

"You, quickly prepare the thing I want; I'm taking it away. Dealing with my servant's matter ends here."

This lifted Qiao Mai's lingering frustration considerably; the three goats were now at her waist.

Qiao Mai coldly looked at Wang Zongsheng, "She, as Princess, pressures me, demanding things; if she doesn't have them, she won't return. You handle it as you see fit."

The two arrived at the front Keting, and saw Wang Jiaru sitting majestically on the Qiao Family's main seat.

"No, the Qiao Family temple cannot accommodate the Princess; please, Princess, return home early."

Qiao Mai slapped through the air, sending that maidservant flying, who fell to the ground and fainted.

Qiao Mai sneered, "Since the Princess treats me as an outsider, our brotherhood ends here."

Wang Zongsheng ordered the guards to wait outside, then rushed into the Keting.

"I'll get you something to eat later; now there's no time."

"I, Qiao Mai, never lie; if it's not there, it's not there. These past two years I've been fighting snow disasters, supporting Jiaqi's appointment, and have no time to deal with overseas merchants."

"Madam, I will go with you."

Qiao Mai wrapped her arm around his waist, "That way, no one gets snow on them."

Yuan Jiaqi's face flushed red; Qiao Mai pinched his cheek, "You're an adult and still blush; we're not lovers in a romance."

"Father, why treat me like this? I am the Princess, I am your daughter."

Wang Zongsheng couldn't believe it; he abruptly turned his head and stared steadily at Wang Jiaru,

"How dare you speak so boldly?"

The couple strolled in the snow; a maidservant brought an oiled paper umbrella, Yuan Jiaqi quickly raised it to shield her from the snow, while most of his body continued to be showered by falling snowflakes.

"I know you have it; quickly give it to me, give it to me."

A maidservant stepped forward and scolded, "Bold, come quickly to meet my Princess."

Qiao Mai and her husband stood at the Keting doorway, their eyes meeting, "It's been years, Princess, you've truly become more accomplished."

Wang Zongsheng ordered someone to load his daughter into the carriage, and the fainted Momo was also tossed into the vehicle.

"Believe it or not, I even dare to hit you?"

Qiao Mai, hearing her words, kept laughing in anger, "When you were still a maiden, Lord Wang was the Prefect. This Princess you are is truly incompetent; we never relied on your fame. After you returned to Jingcheng you could have boasted everywhere, yet you have severed ties with your natal family."

"Madam, I feel as if we're in love now; the two of us strolling under an umbrella in the snow, it's our first time, right?"

Wang Zongsheng clenched his teeth in anger; the two families had been on good terms, but because of her arrival they were on the brink of severing ties.

Yuan Jiaqi also witnessed Qiao Mai's skill for the first time, never expecting it to be so formidable; Wang Jiaru glared, "Qiao Mai, you have such nerve, daring to strike my servant!"

The two heard a rustling behind them, turned, and saw three goats following them, each with wet, black, big eyes—so cute and adorable.

Qiao Mai, looking at her streetwise rogue demeanor, truly regretted the habit of always obliging her over the years.

"Ru'er, come home with dad?"

"Qiao Niang, I'm sorry,"

They braved the snow and left Jixiang Yuan, and only then did the Qiao Family become quiet.

He/she gave her a hard slap on the face, "You damned scoundrel, take your child, take your servant, get out of the Wang Family, and never come back again."

Qiao Mai was in no good mood at all; Yuan Jiaqi, knowing how many years she had devoted to this young princess, truly treated her as if she were a close sister.

"Father, then just acknowledge her as your daughter; from now on don't acknowledge me. See whether, without me, this princess consort, your role as Prefect will be stable or not."

Wang Zongsheng clenched his fist, turned around and asked Qiao Mai, "Is it really not?"

"Princess consort? Daughter? What absurd things have you done all these years? The one who is filial to Zu Fu and Grandmother by your side is Qiao Niang, not you."

"It can't be changed now; I suggested severing the relationship, and she didn't even blink, not cherishing the old friendship at all."

"Uncle, take her back,"

"Meh meh meh, Master, there's no Pill left"

Qiao Mai really didn't want to hear her shouting, so she stepped forward and struck her with a palm on the back of the neck.

"No, if she doesn't give me anything, I won't leave."

"If you want to buy what your daughter wants, your household funds will be drained by her; at least a million taels must be spent."

The good days were all spoiled by her.

After speaking, Qiao Mai turned to leave; Wang Jiaru, furious and frantic, rushed over, grabbed her shoulder and shook it hard.

"Then it's up to you; I haven't been out in ages, and I haven't been in touch with my overseas friend."

The more shrewd Wang Jiaru once was, the more foolish she is now; the high-quality match she had when she married is of no use to her at all.

She is greedy, selfish, arrogant, overbearing and unreasonable, and no one knows how Shun Qin Wangfu could possibly accept such a daughter-in-law.

If, back then, Little Prince didn't truly love her, then he could never have spoiled her to such lawlessness.

This time, sending her off was done with Wang Zongsheng personally escorting her, fearing that the guards couldn't control her; after Mrs. Wang sent them away and returned, she wept with the old lady.

(End of chapter)