Chapter 262: Is This Improper?

This confidence doesn't come from her Fifth‑rank County Magistrate Xianggong, but from herself.

Qiao Mai has one hand behind her back and the other making a beckoning gesture.

She sits high on the main seat, receiving them as the lady of the house, and her bearing alone cannot be underestimated.

Lord Zhen Guo sits modestly beneath her; he hurried his own child forward to pay respects, and Qiao Mai glanced once and gave a soft hum.

Lord Zhen Guo signaled the people behind him, and a stretcher was brought in.

Qiao Mai, with a cold face, said, "This must be the Lord Zhen Guo's wife, right?"

Lord Zhen Guo thought to himself: you keep pretending; we don't even know how long you've stayed at home, and you made people like this, now you pretend not to know.

"Yes,"

"Send the people who called you away, leaving only our two families."

The servants Lord Zhen Guo brought waved their hands, and they had to place the Lord Zhen Guo's wife in the Keting and turn her out.

"Leave a note that night?"

Fine, you're ruthless; you decide. Lord Zhen Guo dares not say anything else. With any more pride he can't beat them; his whole family's lives are in their hands, so he should just obey.

Qiao Mai's grip grew stronger, and both faces turned from red to pale, frightening the Lord Zhen Guo's wife into never daring to argue with Qiao Mai again.

Lord Zhen Guo opened his mouth, and after a while finally came to his senses, "Is that all?"

Just this one move left Lord Zhen Guo utterly shocked; it must require such deep internal power, truly unbelievable.

Mu Guniang, hearing this, immediately knelt before Qiao Mai, "Aunt, I'm sorry; the whole incident started because of me and Feng'er. If you want to punish, come at me."

He glared at his own daughter, saying the child caused the trouble, flirting with someone's son, and now both the lady and troops are lost.

"You made us run this errand?"

"With your family's fate in my hands, is that enough?"

"Of course I have to come at you; otherwise how would you become like this?"

"This, isn't it improper?"

He quickly put on a smiling face, "Qiao Niang, let's sit down and discuss."

Lord Zhen Guo also stood, and while speaking, knelt on the ground; that he could go this far for his wife truly makes him a commendable man.

Having said what needed saying, Qiao Mai waved her hand, and all the windows and doors opened again.

"So, how long will it last?"

When he saw two hands gesturing toward Mu Guniang's younger brother, he didn't see her move; the two's necks were tightly grasped by a 1.8‑meter tall man, who couldn't muster any resistance.

Qiao Mai lightly waved her hand, and all the windows and doors shut at once.

Lord Zhen Guo wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking to himself, "Serves you right for being arrogant; now someone will punish you."

Qiao Mai swung her sleeve, and Mu Guniang was knocked to the ground by the palm wind.

"Has she ever shown mercy to my child?"

"I know, she acts on her own against me, I have already—"

That single sentence left Mu Junzhu speechless.

"No, no, I just think that since our two families are to become relatives, there must be a procedure."

"Did you know that your lady sent assassins to kill my son?"

Lord Zhen Guo, being more perceptive than she, knew Qiao Mai was truly capable; their family couldn't—

"So what if I left it?"

The Lord Zhen Guo's wife's face turned bright red with shame; Qiao Mai flicked her hand, sending her two sons flying.

"And if not?"

Mu Guniang and her two younger brothers hurried over to protect the Lord Zhen Guo's wife behind them.

"No need to discuss; I have poisoned your wife's body. If she harms my son, how could she escape any punishment?"

Qiao Mai turned her back, her rear hand clenched into a fist.

"Qiao Niang, countless mistakes, all my fault, please spare her."

Qiao Mai looked down from her height, "Princess, you think you can do whatever you want? Because of my family's stuff, you can use tricks? Yet your Zhen Guo family claims to be upright, loyal, and you've disgraced yourself."

"Qiao Niang, I was wrong, I'm sorry, please spare my child."

"If you have the ability, come at me."

Naturally it's punishment; your wife must lie down for a year, then go back to eat and be served, she won't die. As for Mu Guniang's remaining matter, I hope you understand, as long as this little couple doesn't break up, our families' marriage arrangement is verbally settled for now.

No need, lock your daughter here and have her grow Warm Shed Vegetables for a year; then I won't hold a grudge, but if you dare repeat last time's deed, don't blame me for being unkind.

"What, think you're at a loss?"

Qiao Mai turned around, "Bragging?"

"Within a year, the poison will dissipate on its own."

"I'm sorry,"

Mu Guniang quickly agreed, "I'll stay, I'll farm for Aunt, and do whatever Aunt tells me."

Lord Zhen Guo felt as if he were dreaming; his own family seemed like subjects, the other like masters, everything dictated by them, which made him uneasy.

Lord Zhen Guo's forehead was slick with white sweat, and at that moment the Lord Zhen Guo's wife let out a cold snort.

"Ah?"

"Nonsense, matters of life and death, you already …? If my son's martial skill weren't good, he would already be dead,"

Mu Guniang knelt on the ground, took a few steps toward her, "Aunt, I'm sorry, my mother already knows the mistake, she now also suffers retribution, please give her a chance."

Their faces turned bright red; Lord Zhen Guo was furious—before coming they had agreed on an apology, but he didn't expect his wife's mouth to be so hard.

Looking at this lady, only in her twenties, one wouldn't expect such profound internal power.

"I truly am sorry; whatever compensation you want, we'll try our best to satisfy you."

Bragging!

Qiao Mai walked over, clutched her throat, "You actually sent people to kill my son. If I were like you, your son would be a corpse right now."

He was utterly disappointed in his wife—what era is this, she still clings to a dead‑duck's stubborn mouth.

Qiao Mai stared at the Duke of Zhen Guo's two sons with angry eyes, "What, you only allow yourselves to kill my son, but you won't let me vent? Is it because you rely on your status as Duke of Zhen Guo?"

Qiao Mai flicked her hand, throwing the Duchess aside; she landed on the ground like a torn rag.

"Is apologizing any use? Or shall I kill your son once?"

"No need. It was your daughter who first flirted with my son. If it weren't for your daughter, my son wouldn't have been dragged into this deadly affair. Punish her by making her stay at my house to farm, and then let her cultivate a good relationship with my son."

The Duchess grew angry as soon as she heard, "You make my precious daughter do farm work for you? On what grounds, on what grounds?"

"Qiao Niang, what is this?"

"Only the servant girl may stay; the rest return to Jingcheng."

"When you sent the black‑clad men to kill my son, I found your house that very night. I'm the type who grins and seeks revenge; that night I really wanted to slaughter your entire clan."

"Your son's life is truly cheap, but my Qiao Mai's son is very valuable. Whoever dares to lay a finger on my son, I will slaughter her entire clan. Duchess, you should be grateful that my son was attracted by your daughter; otherwise, not only would your Duke of Zhen Guo be wiped out, but anyone connected to you, Duchess, I would kill without even blinking an eye."

The Duchess, lying on the ground, was so angry that she said, "You, you are bold."

The Duke of Zhen Guo roared in anger, "Zi Yan, can you say one less thing?"

"If I say it's settled, it's settled. If you keep nagging, I'll slaughter your entire clan."

Qiao Mai scoffed with a smile, "Is that all your ambition? I thought you'd keep your stubborn mouth forever."

To put it bluntly, she's just resentful; she sees herself as noble and can't stand being toyed with by a village woman.

"Qiao Niang, have some mercy."

The Duke of Zhen Guo hurriedly ordered his two sons to lift the Duchess onto a stretcher and gestured for the people outside to come in.

Mu Guniang bowed to Qiao Mai, "Aunt, may I go see off my parents?"

"Fine, after they leave you may return. Remember what I said: only bring one servant girl to attend you; the others must go back to Jingcheng. If you drive them away, don't make me cruel."

"Yes, Aunt."

(End of chapter)