Old madam Qiao said, “Ruoyi, you made a huge mistake in this matter. Your Mother has never mistreated you. She treated you well and loved you dearly. When you were young, you felt that the female teachers in the Qiao family’s private school were lacking in knowledge.
Your mother also hired a great scholar who originally taught you law to teach you how to read and write.
“The brush, ink, paper, and Inkstone that she gave you are all rare in this world. Other families don’t even have such treatment for their legitimate sons, let alone their legitimate daughters. “Now that you have requested an order from your biological mother, how will your mother retain her face?”
Qiao ruoi said, “I will never forget the kindness that mother has shown me, but…”
An yuanhou said, “There’s no buts. I have already ordered people to suppress the manuscripts from the Imperial Academy. You must not have such thoughts in the future!”
Tears welled up in Qiao Ruoyi’s eyes as she said, “How can you do this?”
An yuanhou said, “Qiao ruoyi, ever since your aunt passed away, you’ve been disregarding me as your father more and more. You’re now a fifth-rank official, but you’re also the daughter of My Qiao Residence!”
Zheng Xiao stopped an yuanhou and said, “Don’t say too much.”
Qiao ruoyi snorted coldly. “Why are you pretending to have deep feelings for mother now? Back then, when Aunt Qian harmed mother, you still went to have a loving relationship with Aunt Qian. Have you forgotten?”
“Qiao ruoyi, do you want to Rebel?”Marquis an Yuan slammed the table angrily.
Qiao lui gave Fu Lu a look.
Fu Lu clutched his stomach and said, “Aiya, Aiya, my stomach hurts. ruoyi, quickly help me back to the courtyard.”
Qiao ruoyi wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief and stood up to help Fu Lu.
Fu Lu’s acting was too bad. Everyone knew that she did not want to deepen the conflict, so Qiao Lui and Qiao Ruoyi helped Fu Lu back to the courtyard.
On the way, Qiao Lui asked Qiao ruoyi guiltily, “Sister, are you still blaming mother for letting you marry cousin Zheng at that time, causing aunt to be seriously ill?”
Qiao ruoyi shook her head. “I never blamed mother. If my aunt did not have the root of her illness, she would not be like this. Besides, if mother did not find expensive herbs for aunt, aunt would not have been able to hold on for so long.
“Brother, I just want my aunt to have a reward. In the future, when people talk about her, she will no longer be a concubine, but a fifth-grade lady. I just want my aunt to get rid of the title of concubine that she doesn’t want the most.”
Fu Lu touched his belly and looked at Qiao Lui.
Qiao lui patted Qiao Ruoyi’s shoulder. “Be Good, Don’t cry. If aunt knew that you’ve become a fifth-grade female official, she would be happy. She definitely doesn’t want you to argue endlessly with your elders over an imperial decree.”
Fu Lu handed Qiao ruoyi his handkerchief and sighed. “Sigh, it’s all your men’s fault.”
Qiao lui said, “No, it’s my father’s fault. It’s not all men’s fault.”
Fu Lu nodded. “Yes, it’s father’s fault. Good Ruoyi, Don’t cry anymore. If you cry again, your nephew will laugh at your aunt for being a little crybaby.”
Qiao ruoyi held back her tears and said, “Thank you, brother and sister-in-law.”
..
Qiao Ruoyi returned to her own courtyard and soon heard Zheng Xiao’s voice.
When she saw Zheng Xiao, Qiao Ruoyi went out to greet him,
zheng Xiao also had a guilty look on his face. “Ruoyi, I was wrong in your aunt’s death. If I hadn’t forced you…”
“Mother, I’ve told brother about this just now. I’ve never resented you. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful to you by requesting an order this time. I just wanted to give aunt an order. I didn’t think it through. I didn’t think it would implicate you and the Empress. I know I was wrong.”
Zheng Xiao listened to Qiao Ruoyi’s words and said, “Good child, I have wronged you. But there is no overnight feud between father and daughter. Your father is also very proud of you.”
Qiao ruoyi said, “Mother, I understand.”
Zheng Xiao saw that she did not want to say more, so he did not disturb her anymore. He left her courtyard and Zheng Xiao felt a little depressed. She did not even take care of her two daughters previously.
As a result, she did not put in much effort to take care of her daughter.
When she was young, Qiao Ruoshui loved to bully her stepsister. Qiao ruoyi was sensible and did not mind, so Zheng Xiao had to make up for her lack of food and clothing.
Until now, when she had to find Qiao ruoyi a marriage, Zheng Xiao realized that she really knew too little about Qiao ruoyi.
..
Inside the hot spring imperial manor.
It was the time when the azaleas bloomed all over the mountains and plains.
Qiao Jinniang was sitting among the flowers and reading a book. Lu Chen was drawing a portrait of her while Little Lu Xi was also learning from him.
After drawing for about four hours, Qiao Jinniang stood up and moved her muscles and bones. She walked over and first looked at Little Lu Xi’s drawing. When she looked at Little Lu Xi’s drawing, Qiao Jinniang couldn’t help but be envious. “My son is really amazing.”
It had not been long since Lu Xi had learned how to draw. It was already not easy for her to draw the outline of a character.
Lu Chen looked down and felt a little relieved. Fortunately, Lu Xi did not inherit qiao Jinniang’s “Drawing skills”.
Qiao Jinniang walked over to Lu Chen’s side and looked at her. The woman in the Flower Bush had an elegant and educated temperament. Qiao Jinniang was very satisfied. “Your drawing is not bad, but Xi’er’s drawing is still better.”
Little Lu Xi looked at Lu Chen proudly and raised her eyebrows. “Father, mother said that my drawing is better than yours!”
Lu Chen did not want to have this kind of meaningless dispute with little Lu XI.
..
In the yamen of the Ministry of appointments.
Hong Qifeng said to Qiao ruoyi, “A few days ago, I picked up a portrait of the Empress from you. I just remembered that I wanted to return it to you, but the bag of the official robe was too shallow. I don’t know where the portrait in my sleeve fell… is that portrait very important to you?”
Qiao ruoyi said, “That is not a portrait of the empress, that is a portrait of my sister ruoshui. After all, we grew up together. She died at a young age, so I have always kept her portrait by my side.”
Hong Qifeng felt that it was strange. Qiao ruoshui had never treated Qiao ruoyi well when she was alive.
At the banquet, most people laughed at Qiao Ruoyi for being a concubine’s daughter and forbade her to interact with the legitimate daughter.
Even though Qiao Ruoyi had always been famous and talented, she could only interact with her concubine’s daughter because of Qiao ruoshui.
Perhaps it could only be said that sisters did not have any overnight feuds.
Hong Qifeng sighed. “So that’s the case. Then I don’t have to be anxious. It’s good that it’s not a portrait of the Empress.”
Qiao Ruoyi looked at Hong Qifeng and said, “I’ve been sighing when I Saw You recently. Did Something Happen?”
Hong Qifeng naturally couldn’t tell Qiao ruoyi. The Ye family mother and daughter and Madam Hong often told her that the emperor treated her differently, but she said, “My mother has been forcing my elder brother to marry ye suxin. I’ve never liked ye suxin.”
Qiao ruoyi said, “Your elder brother? I don’t think I’ve heard of him.”
“My elder brother is Hong Yinglong. He remembers you.”
Qiao ruoyi remembered Hong Yinglong. She had seen him at poetry gatherings with some scholars in the past.
Qiao ruoyi remembered that an Yuanhou was still the daughter of the Qiao family. If it weren’t for Zheng Xiao and Qiao Lui, she definitely wouldn’t have wanted to return to the an Yuanhou Manor.
“Qifeng, what do you think of me as your sister-in-law?”
