Chapter 298: The Mouse Meets The Cat
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Do you want me to promote him?”
“Yes, this is not forming a faction. It’s about promoting officials with good character.”
“After the New Year, I’ll take care of it.’
“If Chuan’er and Zihan pass the imperial examination after the New Year, it would be best if they could stay in the capital.”
“Shouldn’t they be sent to the rural area first to experience the hardships of the commoners?”
“The capital is like a dyeing vat. Let them learn to deal with all kinds of tricky people first. Then, it’s most suitable for them to become local officials. It’s a kind of training, especially since they haven’t had much contact with society and don’t know its dangers.”
“Sir, you’re right.’
“Well, there’s nothing else for you to do now. You don’t need to accompany us.
Your wife has been sleeping for almost a day; she should be awake now.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
As soon as Yuan Jiaqi heard his wife was waking up, he immediately ran back to Yuxian Residence. Indeed, when he entered the room, he saw Qiao Mai drinking water.
“Wife, you’re awake. Are you hungry?”
“A bit. It’s almost dinner time. Let’s eat together later?”
“No, I can’t let my wife go hungry. Tell me, what do you want to eat? I’ll go to the kitchen.”
“Cut some sausage. I haven’t had it for a long time. Also, get some boneless chicken claws and whatever else you think of.”
“Alright, wait a moment, wife. I’ll be back soon.”
As a high-ranking official, Yuan Jiaqi cared for his wife with great dedication. All the people in the family envied this exemplary couple.
It was widely known in the court that Yuan Jiaqi was a live-in husband because when someone wanted to visit their house, he immediately declined.
He said he was a live-in husband, and any guest needed his wife’s approval. If there was anything she disapproved of, he wouldn’t do it.
Everyone knew Yuan Jiaqi was not only a live-in husband but also feared his wife like a mouse fears a cat.
At first, people were skeptical, and some even asked the servants of the Qiao family to verify.
Upon hearing that Mr. Yuan personally took care of his wife, from boiling water to serving meals and anything related to his wife, they had to believe it.
Many people were itching to see the luxury of Lucky Garden, but unfortunately, they never got the chance.
Only the Duke and the Xiao family had visited.
Xiao Qingling, the future second daughter-in-law, also liked the Qiao family.
She often came to stay with the Qiao family for a few days, usually living in Ling’er’s courtyard.
Qiao Mai didn’t mind and rarely appeared before them, fearing they might feel uncomfortable.
Miss Mu and Ling’er were good friends. They got along well, sometimes wandering around the garden together and occasionally going to the amusement park to play like children.
Although Miss Mu had married into the family, she never felt restricted. On the contrary, she felt more comfortable in her in-laws’ homes than her own.
Xiao Qingling felt the same way. Coming here for the first time, she had the opportunity to meet Yun’er. The two would chat casually, and staying here felt exceptionally comfortable for her.
Even though she would soon be married, Qiao Mai didn’t have any reservations and told her she could stay until the wedding.
However, she didn’t have the nerve to stay for the New Year and returned to the Xiao family. She probably wouldn’t come back until she got married.
The Fengyun brothers were satisfied with these two marriages. They thought highly of Qiao Mai as their foster mother.
She treated them with the utmost sincerity. Especially with their wedding, she conducted it in a dignified manner, spending a whopping forty thousand taels of silver for each brother’s marriage without any compromise.
They had inquired and discovered that even in the capital, there were very few families that organized weddings with such generosity.
For them, it was an honor to be Qiao Mai’s son.
Miss Mu also handled the role of daughter-in-law quite well. She knew her mother-in-law had returned home, so she had been waiting outside. If not for fear of disturbing the harmony between her father-in-law and mother-in-law, she would have rushed in earlier.
Seeing her father-in-law go to the kitchen, she immediately entered the room, greeted Qiao Mai, and sat across from her.
“Mother.”
“Thanks for your hard work at home.”
“It’s not hard at all. I enjoy a comfortable life. You can’t imagine how easy it is.”
Qiao Mai glanced at her belly. “Give me your hand.”
Miss Mu widened her eyes, and her hand involuntarily reached out. “Mother, you know how to take pulses?”
“I’ve gained some insights from recent medical readings. Let me try them out on you.”
“Haha, sure. Go ahead.”
She obediently placed her hand on the table, and Qiao Mai took her pulse, carefully assessing it.
“You’re about to be a mother, yet you’re bustling around every day.” Miss Mu widened her eyes. “A mother? What do you mean?”
“You’re two months pregnant.”
“Huh? Why don’t I know about it?”
“You don’t have morning sickness; that’s good.”
“Mother, am I really going to become a mother?”
“Yes, you need to take it easy. Even though you can handle your affairs, you’re going to be a mother now. Protecting the child should be your top priority.”
“Haha, I’m going to be a mother. That’s great! Mother, I need to tell my husband about this.”
“Remember to find a physician to check your pulse.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Miss Mu had a fiery temperament, arriving in a whirlwind and departing in the same manner.
It was considered a joyous occasion during the New Year.
Feng’er was in the room reading a book on military strategy when his wife rushed in, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him excitedly.
“Husband, Mother just checked my pulse. I’m pregnant with your child. Our child. Are you happy?
Feng’er was stunned for a moment, then hugged her joyfully, tears streaming down his face.
“Great! I have a successor. My parents can finally rest in peace.”
Miss Mu pushed her husband away. “Husband, do you still want to reclaim your ancestry?”
“No, it’s just a saying. After all, my parents are watching from above. Although I’m now part of the Qiao family, my blood still carries the lineage of the Jiang family. This is something that cannot be changed.” “Husband, we must not become ungrateful.”
“Wife, don’t worry. There will never be such a day.”
Miss Mu looked at her husband with a strange expression and nodded slowly. With the news of Miss Mu’s pregnancy, the entire family was overjoyed. Qiao Mai even wrote a recipe for pregnant women and handed it to the kitchen staff, instructing them to prepare a variety of dishes for her three meals a day. Being the daughter-in-law of the Qiao family was indeed a good life.
Upon hearing the news, the Duke and the Xiao family immediately sent valuable gifts. With her due date set for early August, she would soon add another member to the Qiao family.
While the Qiao family was celebrating, Royal Physician Liu, the owner of the famous Mingren Medical Hall in the capital, paced back and forth in the living room of his home.
Standing next to him were his three sons. “I heard that Princess Mu is pregnant?”
“Yes, Father. They didn’t consult the royal physicians but used the physician from the Duke of Zhenguo’s residence.”
“Hmph, sooner or later, they will come to me. When that day comes, I will make the Qiao family taste the consequences of offending us.” “Father, why not let us use some tricks before that day?”
“Your idea is to do something to Princess Mu?”
“Yes.”
Royal Physician Liu gritted his teeth. “Go ahead, but do it cleanly. Since they harmed the financial interests of my Liu family, I will never let them off.”
Late at night, a shadow slipped into Lucky Garden. The three sheep immediately spotted the intruder.
The head sheep gestured for the other two to continue guarding while it followed the shadow into Tingfen Pavilion.
Before the shadow could touch the ground, the leader had pierced his heart with its horns.
The head sheep, carrying the dead body on its head, arrived at Yuexian Pavilion and stood in the courtyard, reporting to its master through telepathy.
“Master, I caught a big baddie. After he arrived here, he went straight to Tingfen Pavilion.”
By now, Qiao Mai had already gotten up and arrived in the courtyard. She looked at the body carried by the sheep and rummaged through his body to retrieve a packet of medicine.
She opened the medicine packet and took a sniff. Her face immediately darkened.
“Scoundrel, you dare to play such tricks..”
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