Chapter 311: Honoring the Ancestors, Returning to the Clan

"But the incense you should be offering belongs at the Qiao Family's tomb, the soil you should fill is the Qiao Family's tomb earth; that makes you a person of the Qiao Family, and then you become a ghost of the Qiao Family. Honestly, what you're doing is a bit unprincipled."

"Then I, as a minister, also cannot forget my birth parents, can I?"

The emperor saw that he still held this thought, so he shouted at the two of them.

"Get out!"

The two slunk out of the palace, glanced at each other, Qiao Yunfeng—ah, he should be called Jiang Yunpeng.

"Brother took a month's leave; now five days have passed, I'm preparing to go back to tend my parents' tombs. Are you going?"

"I won't go; I didn't get leave, and besides my wife is pregnant. You all go."

Jiang Yunsheng left without even looking at him; he could only wander away, lost and despondent.

From then on, the Qiao Family no longer had the Fengyun brothers; many people disappeared at once, and Jixiang Yuan became much quieter.

After Chuan'er and Ling'er found out, they didn't even go to see them, nor did they visit their house; the two simply cut off relations with them.

This made them wonder how to accept it, so they hurried to the Jiang residence, that is Jiang Yunpeng's house.

"Don't worry, if he comes I won't let him see."

"Then shall I, as husband, go tell the kitchen?"

"Seventeen,"

"No need, you've been tired all day; leave this to me, we can discuss it first thing tomorrow."

"That's not it; this is all the wife's hard work, and I, as husband, don't want to give it to others."

"Haha, since when did you become so stingy?"

"Do you think we should raise them for free? Save them for free? Marry them off for free? You treat everyone as idiots, using them and then discarding them?"

"He has no shame being in the Qiao Family, came out with them; if he were as decent as his older brother, I would definitely divorce him, and only Murong would be reluctant to part with that scoundrel."

"Go, summon her, and wait, first summon Yuan Jiaqi, I will act as matchmaker myself."

Qiao Mai returned to Yuexian Pavilion; shortly after, the kitchen maid arrived with people, and they carried several large baskets of items out of the East Wing Room.

"Alright."

"I heard she wants you to return all the money you spent on them over the past ten years?"

"That doesn't matter; my daughter's marriage is fine."

That night he returned home, looked at Qiao Mai, and laboriously recounted today's events.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Because what she did is right; if it were me, I'd not only demand all the money back, but also have them return their lives to me. The martial arts on my older brother and Xianggong were taught by my mother‑in‑law, ungrateful things."

"Cleaning what? Our house is already clean; there's no need to exaggerate. No matter how, a minister's home can't compare to the Imperial Palace; we should treat it with a normal mindset."

The old master was also very angry; those two people being where they are now also contains his effort.

"If it truly exists, they'd be single‑minded."

"Hmm, we can't let him see something too precious; otherwise he'll open his mouth and demand it—what do you say, give it or not?"

"Now what? In future festivals there will be no gifts sent?"

"Stop it, your family's meals have a reputation for being delicious; I will definitely sample them well, go make arrangements."

"Your Majesty, do you have business with me?"

"Then what shall we do? You really are something."

"Today you go home, tell your Dizi to wait there; tomorrow I will bring Princess Jiamei over, and you accompany us. I've heard your household is fine, so take me to see it, and also I want to have a meal at your place; make the arrangements."

"If you're coming, just come; what's the big deal?"

Here, Qiao Mai planned to rest a while and show Chuan'er the marriage proposal, but matchmakers swarmed in unexpectedly.

"It won't happen, just listen to me."

"Madam, is it the ski field?"

"Hmm, I have a little daughter, just of age, shall we become in‑laws?"

Most of the marriage proposals this time came from wealthy noble families, and even the emperor set his sights on the Qiao Family.

"My son will not become a Prince Consort."

"As husband I don't want my wife overworked; Your Majesty is the ruler of a nation, after arriving there will be countless matters, I'm afraid my wife will be wronged."

"Our household is just like this; whatever further demands he makes we can't fulfill."

"Yes."

"Father, mother, my mother‑in‑law has bestowed upon my husband and older brother both the grace of upbringing and the grace of saving lives. Having been reborn, we should forget the past and serve our current mother wholeheartedly. Yet my older brother eats from the pot while watching the bowl—that's wrong. Moreover, my mother‑in‑law isn't angry; she just wants them to be devoted. If they forget their biological parents, then they should revert to their original surname; why be in Cao's camp with a heart in Han?"

"Your Majesty, you don't even know the top scholar you appointed?"

"Is this a bit excessive? It's not that we won't support her in old age; we just need to tend the graves of her biological parents. What is this nonsense?"

"Aren't you also saving?"

"What jokes are you making? The Old Emperor has countless beauties in his harem; even the best emperor is an old lecher. The fewer affairs the better; with a daughter this fine, it's better not to see her."

"I have so many ministers; how could I remember each one?"

"Sigh, sigh."

"Shouldn't it be?"

Xiao Qingling sighed, placed a hand on her belly, "Indeed, even money can't buy Qiao Family's stuff. Murong was delivered by my mother‑in‑law; when I have a child I need a reliable midwife, and I won't be able to enjoy my mother‑in‑law's meticulous care during the confinement period."

Yuan Jiaqi's face darkened, "The meals at my household are coarse; I'm afraid Your Majesty will find them hard to swallow."

Yubao hurried out to send someone to announce to Yuan Jiaqi; after a short while, he arrived.

"I heard your Xianggong isn't, right?"

"They need to like each other; a minister and his son don't like forced relationships."

"Can your child be the same? Even with money you can't buy Qiao Family's things."

Mainly because he loves the food from Qiao Ji Snack Shop, after finishing the memorial he asked Yu Bao.

In this household, Qiao Mai makes the decisions; as long as she says something, everyone believes it.

"Is that so? Just now at the capping ceremony, we are waiting for you to arrange the marriage."

"Ah, why didn't you say it earlier? If you had, I would have had the servants give the house a good cleaning."

"You child, why are you still leaning toward that woman?"

"How old is he?"

When the Prince of State Defense and the Xiao Family learned of this, it was like a bolt of thunder; the in‑laws went from a first‑rank official to two dead bodies at once.

"My little princess is fourteen this year, isn't she?"

Thus, whatever the Qiao Family servants should do, Qiao Mai had Xianggong bring Dizi to the living room to await the emperor.

"No, you and your Xianggong should go back, okay?"

"That's also excessive; after all, there's a mother‑son bond of over ten years."

Alas, he knows Qiao Mai's temper; pleading on their behalf would undoubtedly upset Qiao Mai.

The next day, while the family ate breakfast, Yuan Jiaqi told the old master and the old lady about this, which Ling'er and Chuan'er had learned of last night.

"Isn't this taking the emperor too lightly?"

"Huh? I heard your Dizi is discussing a marriage?"

So they found Xiao Qingling; after hearing the cause of the matter, they all fell silent, as not everyone shares Qiao Mai's view.

Now Chuan'er is the Qiao Family's only legitimate son, and in the future will inherit the vast family business and the ever‑profitable shop.

"Go back? I have no face; they're twin brothers. The elder changed his name and surname to claim ancestry, and if the younger is still with that family, it's indefensible."

The emperor gave Yuan Jiaqi a deep glance; the fellow still harbored resentment from the time he forced him to marry Yihe.

Ling'er was sent by Qiao Mai to the Xiu Pin Puzi, told not to return for a day.

But a step later, he had already returned to Tianshui Town with his wife and children.

Following the Master's orders, I went back to cook.

Qiao Mai arrived at the Ski Field entrance, waved a hand and laid down a Yinxing Jie; the rest of the house didn't need it, only this spot was left unchecked, especially for the emperor, that old fox.

Today, in a hurry, he came to the Qiao Family; the Old Emperor had no mood for the Morning Court and quickly found an excuse to leave.

Last night he sent someone to tell Princess Jiamei, but didn't mention the match‑making; he only said to accompany him to visit a minister's home.

(End of Chapter)