Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Qiao Jinniang said, “Is there anything I can do?”
Prince Mediocre was considered a good person in the minds of folk literati. Otherwise, he would not have been able to deceive Qiao Ruofeng and other women.
He was probably not so easy to deal with.
Lu Chen touched her earlobe and said, “Yes, do I have to wait until after the Lantern Festival?”
“Mommy.” Tuan‘er stumbled into the study and threw himself into Qiao Jinniang’s arms. “I miss you so much.”
Qiao Jinniang quickly stood up, picked up Tuan’er and kissed him on the face. “I miss you too. I bought a house not far from the East Palace. You can go to the house to play with me when you are free.”
Tuan’er said happily, “Okay, I’l go play with Mommy.”
Being interrupted by Tuan’er again, Lu Chen felt that he really should make Tuan’er copy the Historical Records now.
“Xer, go out first. I have something to do with your mother.”
Qiao Jinniang glared at Lu Chen and said. “You promised to wait until the Lantern Festival. You should keep your word.”
Lu Chen counted the time. When he found that the Lantern Festival was still about 100 days away, he sighed.
If he had known this, he shouldn’t have said anything about making her his concubine. Now it was he who suffered.
Lu Chen and Tuan‘er sent Qiao Jinniang home together.
Arriving at the Duke Mansion, Tuan’er was still reluctant to let go of Qiao Jinniang’s hand.
Qiao Jinniang said, “Can I sleep with Xi‘er tonight? I’ll send him back tomorrow morning, okay?”
Looking at Tuan’er’s expectant eyes, Lu Chen didn’t refuse. “Okay, I’ll pick him up after the levee tomorrow.”
‘When Qiao Jinniang entered the Jin Garden, Hongling hurriedly came up and said,
“Miss, Madam heard about what happened to the Zheng family and fainted several times from grief.
“And after she calmed down a bit, the Duke brought her out of the city to handle the funeral of the Zheng family.
“Old Madam has gone to the temple to pray for Madam’s deceased child.
“But Miss Ruoyi’s mother is seriously ill, and the imperial physician said that she might not be able to survive today. No master is home now, and Fifth Miss is still young…”
The Duchess was the only survivor of the Zheng family, so only she could handle the Zheng family’s funeral.
Qiao Jinniang couldn’t help but have a headache. Was her grandmother forcing her to manage the Duke Mansion?
Did she really trust her so much?
Qiao Jinniang went to Qiao Ruoyi’s yard. Her mother had been seriously ill for a long time.
Although the ginseng Qiao Jinniang gave last time made her last for some time, she couldn’t last any longer.
“Second Miss, cough, I’m so worried about Ruoyi… I hope you can find her a good husband for the sake of your sisterhood, cough. She is a very good child, but unfortunately, she was born from me.”
“Mom, no. Iam lucky to be your daughter, and you will get better,” Qiao Ruoyi said with tears.
Lying on the bed, Ruoyi’s mother stretched out her hand and slowly stroked Qiao Ruoy”s face. “Don’t disobey your father and mother in the future, and don’t come to a concubine’s belly in your next life.”
After Ruoyi’s mother finished speaking, her hand slowly drooped.
“Mother!” Qiao Ruoyi shouted loudly.
A mammy wanted to remind Qiao Ruoyi that she shouldn’t call a concubine her “mother”, but was stopped by Qiao Jinniang. Her mother had died. Why couldn’t she call her “Mother” for the last time?
“sister, I’m sorry for your loss.”
Qiao Ruoyi cried out of breath. “It’s my fault. If I had discovered what Concubine Qian did to my mom earlier, she wouldn’t have died so early.”
“Qian Shi hated that Madam made her drink a sterilization drug, and hated that my mother, who she despised, could have a child, so she poisoned my mother.”
“She died too early, and she died too easily! I shouldn’t have exposed what she had done so early! I should have let her die slowly and painfully.”
From Qiao Ruoyi’s words, Qiao Jinniang could tell that the downfall of Qian Shi was because of Qiao Ruoyi.
No wonder. After all, the Duchess had fought her for eighteen years to no avail.
The funeral of a concubine was usually not grand.
Besides, the Duchess was pregnant, but since the Duchess and the Duke were not in the Duke Mansion, there was no such taboo.
Qiao Jinniang went to invite Second Madam and Third Madam over to discuss how to conduct the funeral.
Although a concubine was not important, this concubine gave birth to a daughter, and she had been serving the Duke since she was a child, so giving her face was equivalent to giving Qiao Ruoyi face.
Qiao Jinniang didn’t have any feelings for the concubine, but she thought that giving Ruoyi’s mother a grand funeral would be good for Ruoyi in the future.
Second Madam was busy with Qiao Ruofeng’s marriage, so she said, “Jinniang, she is just a concubine.
“If the news is released, people who are interested will naturally come to attend her funeral, but if the funeral is too grand, people will laugh at our family for valuing a concubine too much.”
Third Madam also said, “Yeah, Jinniang, normally, when a concubine dies, it’s already kind enough to hire a Taoist priest to perform a ritual for her. It would be inappropriate to hold a large funeral for a mere concubine.”
Qiao Jinniang stroked the tea cup and said, “The funeral won’t be too grand. Now that my parents and grandmothers are not home, it would be too impersonal to give Ruoyi’s mom a perfunctory funeral.
“We’ll just deliver the obituaries to the relatives and friends of the Qiao family. It’s up to them who they will send to pay homage.
“Anyway, Sister Ruoyi is a grown-up. She should be given some face, and we should also invite the relatives of Ruoyi’s mom.
“Thaven’t held any banquets, so I hope you can help me, aunts.”
Second Madam and Third Madam were reluctant, but they didn’t dare to say anything.
Since Ruoyi’s mom was only a concubine, there was no need to hang white silk in the Duke Mansion, but the lanterns in the Duke Mansion were replaced with white ones.
Qiao Jinniang studied the funeral customs in Chang’an overnight.
The banquet at the funeral was also very important.
Qiao Jinniang wasn’t familiar with the Duke Mansion’s kitchen, so she simply transferred two chefs over from Tasty Pavilion.
By the time she returned to the Jin Garden, Tuan’er had fallen asleep.
Nuomi was dozing off at the bedside. Seeing her, she said, “Miss, Tuan’er is already asleep. Why did you come back so late?”
Qiao Jinniang yawned and said, “Go to sleep. There will be many guests tomorrow, and we’ll be busy.”
“Okay.”
Qiao Jinniang lay beside the little boy and slowly fell asleep.
Not long after falling asleep, she was awakened by the sound of the Taoist priest performing a ritual.
Qiao Jinniang got up slowly, and Tuan’er also woke up, clamoring for Qiao Jinniang to hug him.
Qiao Jinniang hugged him and said, “Be good. Mommy has something to do.”
Tuan’er lowered his head and said, “Okay, Mommy come hug me again when you’re free.”
Qiao Jinniang chuckled and rubbed Tuan’er’s little face.
She went to the courtyard where Ruoyi’s mom’s body was placed. Many family members of the Duke’s subordinates had come to pay their respects early in the morning.
Those who came were mostly the daughters-in-law of the family, or favored concubines, but few mistresses came.
‘When Qiao Jinniang came over, she heard some people laugh at her.
“The Duchess actually allowed the slave-raised Qiao Jinniang manage the Duke Mansion. It’s simply a joke.
“She actually issued an obituary for a concubine. My mother-in-law scoffed at it.”
“Twonder how she could give birth to the Crown Prince’s heir. She is really lucky.”
“Tf Qiao Jinniang was aware of the rules, how come His Majesty still hasn’t let her stay in the East Palace?
“Exactly, since she has given birth to the Imperial Grandson, she should at least be the Crown Prince’s second concubine. It can be seen that she is not welcomed by the royal family.
“And she even held a funeral for her father’s concubine who was out of her father’s favor. What a disgrace for nobles!”
“That’s right, she’s not worthy of marrying into the East Palace at all.. When has a decent noble girl held a funeral for her father’s concubine?”
