Chapter 249: First Time?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After Madam Wang left, Wang Jiaru was so mad that she swept everything off the table onto the floor.
Early the next morning, she had a carriage prepared, left her two children home, and took two maids and guards to head straight to Tianshui Town. Yuan Jiaqi had taken a day off from his duties at the court. After making the necessary arrangements, he returned home to celebrate the New Year with his wife and children.
At this moment, he was inside their home writing couplets while Qiao Mai was reading a book. Their children were playing happily in the garden.
The Fengyun brothers had grown up, and they often played with Ling’er and Chuan’er.
They felt that life was peaceful and it would be great to continue like this forever. Just then, a maidservant rushed in with a worried expression.
“Master, the princess is here.”
Qiao Mai glanced at her. “Why the panic? She’s just a royal consort.”
She put down her book and was about to go ahead. Yuan Jiaqi put down his brush.
“My lady, I’ll go with you.’
The two arrived at the front hall and saw Wang Jiaru sitting in a commanding manner in the main seat of the Qiao family’s house.
The Qiao couple stood at the hall’s entrance, and they locked eyes. “It’s been several years. The princess is becoming more and more accomplished.”
A maidservant stepped forward immediately and scolded, “How dare you!
Hurry up and come to pay your respects to our princess.”
Qiao Mai slapped the maidservant across the face, and she tumbled to the ground, unconscious.
Yuan Jiaqi witnessed Qiao Mai’s martial skills for the first time and was surprised by her prowess. Wang Jiaru glared, “Qiao Mai, you have quite the audacity to hit my servant.”
“Do you believe I would hit you too?”
“Get my things ready quickly. I want to take them with me. I’ll let the matter of your assault on my servant slide.”
“I don’t have them. The Qiao family can’t accommodate a princess like you. I suggest you go home now.”
“I won’t leave until I get what I want.”
Qiao Mai looked at her, annoyed by her stubborn behavior. She regretted indulging her over the years.
“In that case, do as you wish. I haven’t been out in a long time and haven’t contacted my overseas friends.”
After Qiao Mai turned to leave, Wang Jiaru rushed over in frustration, grabbed her by the shoulder, and shook her forcefully.
“I know you have it. Give it to me. Give it to me!”
Yuan Jiaqi wanted to intervene when he saw this, but Qiao Mai lightly flicked her hand. Wang Jiaru, who was behaving like a shrew, was thrown to the ground.
Just then, someone came to the courtyard gate. The maidservant opened the door and saw it was the magistrate. She immediately stepped aside.
Wang Zongsheng had his guards wait outside, and he hurried into the main hall.
“Ru’er, you…”
Qiao Mai stared at Wang Zongsheng coldly. “She used her identity as a princess to press me, demanding things. If I don’t have them, she won’t leave. You handle this.”
Wang Zongsheng was livid. Her arrival had nearly severed the ties between the two families that had been previously harmonious.
“Ru’er, come home with Father.”
“No, I won’t leave until I get what I want.”
Wang Zongsheng clenched his fists and turned to Qiao Mai. “Do you really not have them?”
“I don’t lie. If I don’t have them, I don’t have them. These past two years, I’ve been dealing with snow disasters and supporting my husband in his new position. I haven’t had time to contact overseas merchants.”
“I’m willing to pay a high price.”
“If you want to buy what your daughter wants, it will deplete your wealth. At the very least, it will cost a million or more taels.”
Wang Zongsheng couldn’t believe it. He turned around and looked at Wang Jiaru with disbelief.
“Why are you asking for so much?”
“Why not? Each year, you’ve protected her, and my grandfather taught her husband. You’ve given her a twenty percent share of your profits. With all that money, my brother and I have nothing. We don’t owe anything to an outsider.”
Qiao Mai sneered. “Since the princess treats me as an outsider, let’s end our sister relationship here.”
“Who wants to be your sister?”
Wang Jiaru’s behavior had shaken Wang Zongsheng’s worldview. He couldn’t hold back any longer and slapped her.
He struck her hard across the face. “You wretch. Take your children, take your servants, and get out of the Wang family. Don’t ever come back.”
“Dad, why are you treating me like this? I am a princess. I am your daughter.” “Princess? Daughter? What ridiculous things have you done over the years? The one who’s been filial by our side is Madam Qiao, not you.”
“Dad, you should just recognize her as your daughter. Not me. Let’s see how steady your position as the magistrate is without me, the princess.”
Qiao Mai listened to her and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Back when you were still a young lady, Lord Wang was already a magistrate. You have been quite useless. We haven’t relied on your reputation. After you return to the capital, you’re free to spread the word that you’ve cut ties with your maternal family.”
“Give me my things now.”
Qiao Mai didn’t want to hear her shouting, so she walked up and delivered a palm strike to the back of Wang Jiaru’s neck.
“Uncle, take her away.”
“Madam Qiao, I apologize.”
“No problem.”
Wang Zongsheng had his daughter and the unconscious maid placed in the carriage.
They hurriedly left Lucky Garden. The Qiao family finally returned to tranquility.
Qiao Mai’s mood wasn’t good. Yuan Jiaqi knew how much she had done for the princess over the years and treated her like a sister.
How did they end up cutting ties like this?
And Shopkeeper Lu, who used to have a good relationship with Qiao Mai. How did they drift apart?
“My lady, has she hurt your feelings?”
“A little. She seems to have gone mad. During her years in the imperial city, she hasn’t learned anything except for comparison. The things she asked for from me were meant to show off. If I were her, I’d use them wisely. After all, I have these connections that others can’t come by.”
“No wonder the prince wanted to take in concubines.”
“In these years, the prince has probably been worn down by her character.”
“This big melting pot of a city can turn even the good ones into bad ones.
Jiaru’s nature was pretty good.”
“She can’t change now. I proposed to cut ties, and she didn’t even blink. She doesn’t cherish our previous friendship at all.”
As the couple strolled in the snow, a maidservant brought an oiled paper umbrella. Yuan Jiaqi quickly opened it to shield her from the falling snow, but most of his body was still sprinkled with snowflakes.
Qiao Mai embraced his waist. “This way, neither of us will get snow on us.”
Yuan Jiaqi blushed. Qiao Mai playfully pinched his cheek. “You’re so grown up, yet you’re blushing. We’re not young lovers in love.”
“My lady, I feel like we’re in love right now, strolling in the snow under an umbrella. Is this the first time for us?”
“It seems like it.”
The couple heard a rustling sound behind them. When they turned around, they saw three sheep following them. Three pairs of moist, shiny, black eyes looked adorable.
This made Qiao Mai’s mood significantly better. The three sheep came up to her waist.
“What’s wrong with you guys?”
“Baa, baa, master, we ran out of pills.”
“Later, I’ll prepare something for you to eat. There’s no time right now.”
“Baa, baa, all right. Enjoy your walk. We’re leaving.”
Qiao Mai nearly swore when she heard their words. What did “enjoy your walk” mean? Can’t they speak human language? If not, they should stay quiet.
It seemed that this matter had passed, and the Wang family took Wang Jiaru back. They quickly sent guards to escort her and her children back to the city, not letting her stay any longer.
A peaceful life had been disrupted by her.
No matter how clever Wang Jiaru had been in the past, she was now acting foolish. Her high-profile marriage had proven to be utterly useless.
She had become greedy, selfish, arrogant, and unreasonable. It was unclear how Prince Shunqin’s mansion could tolerate such a daughter-in-law.
If he hadn’t genuinely loved her, it wouldn’t have been possible for her to become so uncontrollable.
This time, she was sent away with Wang Zongsheng escorting her. He was worried she wouldn’t be manageable with her guards. After Madam Wang saw them off, she returned with tears in their eyes..
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