Chapter 332: Better to Kick Him Dead

"My father is a scholar, but unfortunately he never passed the provincial exam."

"A scholar? And you have to sell flowers?"

"His leg was broken by thugs, and his stepmother knows how to grow flowers; the whole family depends on her for livelihood."

"She treats you badly?"

The little girl shook her head, then nodded again, and Qiao Mai continued, "Do you have any younger brothers or sisters?"

"I have a younger brother, born to the stepmother."

No wonder; the whole family dines with the stepmother, and even though the daughter suffers grievances, this father of his can't say anything, especially since he's also disabled.

Qiao Mai sighed, "If I buy you and you become my Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl, serving me daily, never having to sell flowers again, would you agree?"

The little girl lifted her head, looking at her seriously, "Will I be able to eat a full Meal?"

"Leave it to Jin Mama?"

"Does her husband know about this?"

"Hmm, how to procure this food, you figure it out yourself."

"I didn't expect you to be so perceptive; this time is a warning to the royal family, but if it happens again, it won't just be broken ribs."

He pulled the whole day, so busy that at night he couldn't even talk to Qiao Mai, and exhausted, he just fell asleep.

"Are you sure my daughter is yours?"

"They said they're here to acknowledge kinship."

"Speak!"

As a wife, she packed some luggage for him at night; the next day, Yuan Jiaqi led a large contingent away from Jingcheng.

"Go back; she's not your child."

"The emperor knows what kind of conduct his grandson has, merely supervising his ministers, while his own household is slacking; this Dog Emperor gets impatient, and someday I'll give him a taste of his own medicine."

Yuan Jiaqi swallowed, "That should be enough; there are several hundred thousand jin already."

The servant hurried away; shortly after, Ling'er arrived at the front hall, looking at the unfamiliar couple in the Keting.

"If you keep staying in that house, your father hasn't died yet, but you'll die first; you can't even protect yourself, how could you protect your father?"

"You've worked hard; go rest."

After the couple finished their Meal, Qiao Mai gave him a, 000 Tael Silver Note, then led him to the doorway.

"With me at home, you take the winter dates and Longxue out, the Ma'er can swim; they will protect you."

"Acknowledge kinship?"

Yuan Jiaqi's hand trembled; has his wife become so formidable? Even the emperor can be moved at will?

Seeing him stunned, Qiao Mai sneered, "Do you want to be the emperor?"

"I've already applied to the emperor for disaster relief; I might be away from Jingcheng for a month or two."

"Old Zhang, take her back home, buy her from her family for fifty taels of silver, then after returning hand her over to Jin Mama, have her help with training for a month, and then send her to Yuexian Pavilion."

Qiao Mai was startled, then curled her lips into a smile; her own biological daughter, and someone came to claim her—how absurd.

She waved her hand, and piles of grain as tall as small hills materialized in the courtyard, bag after bag, each about a hundred jin.

Her face was like ice, bearing a fierce aura as she entered the front hall, seeing a couple close to her own age.

The subordinate, upon hearing, turned and left; she, seeing this, hurriedly called the subordinate back, finally reduced it to fifty taels, and he still wasn't pleased.

She could only do it this way; if anything went wrong, she could appear before him instantly.

"Speak in detail: what was the weather then, how old was she when you abandoned the child, what kind of blanket was used, and what clothes was she wearing?"

"Where did you hear that the princess's daughter was taken in?"

The couple immediately knelt before her; Qiao Mai watched their performance, assuming someone behind had investigated thoroughly, almost flawless.

The two sat at the kang table; after a while a servant brought the Meal, set it down, then withdrew.

"They came to acknowledge the princess's kinship; they claim to be the princess's biological parents."

"But what about my father? Though his leg is broken now, he used to be quite good to me."

Thinking that her husband would be away for a month or two, it would be a perfect chance for Seclusion to improve her cultivation.

"Madam, you are a good person; if that's the case, I am willing to sell myself to you."

"No, it's not that the child was lost; the mother was being pursued, and in desperation she could only leave the child at the doorstep of a household in Tianshui Town, then hurried away."

"I've seen the princess."

Seeing his sleepy expression, Qiao Mai let out a soft sigh, reached out and lightly tapped his ear, imprinting her own consciousness.

"Master, the lady of that household is infuriating; when she heard I wanted to buy the little girl, the lion opened its mouth, demanding a thousand taels of silver."

"Hmm, don't rush to acknowledge kinship; first tell me who you are and where you live."

"Later, investigate the Playboys of Jingcheng, compile a list, and hand it to me."

He and Chuan'er are both very clever, but despite their intelligence they lack the ability to discern people's intentions.

"We currently reside in Jingcheng; I am surnamed Yu, and this is my wife, Yu Family, whose family has been in trade for generations."

"Where was your child lost?"

"Ming'er, have someone inventory it; if it's insufficient, I'll give you more."

Qiao Mai curled her lips into a smile; the little girl was interesting, so she took her back to Jixiang Yuan and summoned the Steward.

"It's not confirmed; we just have this clue and wanted to come verify; we ask the princess to fulfill our couple's wish."

Soon after, Yuan Jiaqi returned, "Madam, have you been burdened today?"

"Understood."

"Yes."

Qiao Mai pressed her fingernails together and nodded at the servant waiting nearby.

The couple sitting there quickly stood up and, somewhat stiffly, bowed to her.

"Ha ha, you know?"

"Do you need food?"

"Princess! Please grant it!"

And so, Yuan Jiaqi went to court early the next day, and after returning began sending people to inventory the food, loading it onto carts and hauling it away.

The little girl ate a bun while shedding tears.

"The Emperor called my husband into the palace; he didn't make things hard for me, he just mentioned it. Wife, you kicked him well; it'd be best to kick him to death. Letting this dog live another day means the women of the capital suffer another day. You have no idea how foul this fellow's reputation is."

Qiao Mai ate her meal without lifting her head.

"The Playboys in the capital ought to be dealt with severely; they rely on money and influence to oppress the people, and those who suffer don't dare to raise a voice, grinding their teeth and swallowing it."

Yuan Jiaqi, frightened, shook his head quickly and said, "Everyone in this world wants to be emperor, but not everyone can sit on that throne; without a family fortune or troops, ascending it is a death sentence."

"Has disaster struck somewhere in the South again?"

"I don't know; they called us outside to tell us."

He was about to shut the door and begin Seclusion when a servant came to report.

"She really dares to ask, she isn't even afraid of dying of exhaustion," Qiao Mai said leisurely.

"Princess, a couple outside is requesting an audience, they say it's okay, they say it's okay."

"They'll be fed three meals a day, and won't have to work at night."

Steward Zhang led the little girl away. It's been a long time since any servant entered the Master's courtyard to serve; it's rare that the lady in charge is willing to take a servant. Though small, a loyal servant must be cultivated from a young age.

"My wife, after recalling this matter, we started searching in Tianshui Town; it was the locals who said that after hearing your family arrived in Jingcheng, they rudely came looking for you."

"Yes, Master!"

"If the wife definitely takes action, the more the better."

"The common woman, after narrowly escaping death, suffered a period of amnesia; she only vaguely remembers, truly doesn't recall the specifics."

"Oh, wife, then what, shall I give the husband 100,000 taels of silver?"

"Indeed, several places have been hit by heavy rain; if relief isn't timely, a plague might break out, sigh~"

At dusk, Steward Zhang returned, reported to Qiao Mai, and handed over the Sale Contract.

"Ma'am, who are they?"

"I've seen the Princess!"

"They said you were their daughter, so I called you over; not to mention, you do look a bit alike, really made the people behind you worry."

The couple, feeling guilty, pretended not to understand, "Princess, the Princess really looks like us."

(End of chapter)