Chapter 260: They Are Not Afraid of Authorities

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Duke drove all the servants out of the courtyard and knelt on the ground.

“Please have mercy. My wife said something she shouldn’t have and did something wrong. Please have mercy and let my wife go.”

He kowtowed three times loudly after speaking.

Qiao Mai was a Golden Core Realm cultivator and could already conceal herself in mid-air. Her fingers moved through the air, making golden characters appear.

The Duke watched this magical scene. It said, “To resolve the issue, one must find the source.

He was clever. With these few words, he understood what was going on.

Qiao Mai had achieved her goal and vanished. The next day, the Duke sent someone to bring his parents and submitted a memorial to the imperial court, requesting leave to seek medicine for his wife.

They stopped the New Year celebration and prepared to leave. They left the eldest to take care of the house and went on the road to the north with the Duchess, the County Princess, and the two brothers.

On the way, Princess Mu stayed silent. When they were at home, her father had told her about the situation. Although she felt sorry for her mother, she was angrier.

Inside the carriage, she covered her mother with a blanket. “Mother, your daughter has never lied. I only spoke the truth. I wanted to marry into that family, and I actively approached that young man. What you’re doing is illegal.

Do you realize that?”

At this point, the Duchess’s tears fell.

“Who am I doing this for? Do you speak to your mother like this?”

“Mother, this is the happiness of a lifetime for your daughter. I won’t act recklessly. You only see his family’s low status, but why can’t you see the good?”

“Isn’t it because I’m afraid you’ll be wronged when you marry into such a family?”

“Will I not be wronged when I marry into a powerful and wealthy family? I’ve said it many times. There are no families in the capital like Father treats you. None at all. I won’t be happy with any of them. I will be happiest when I marry the man I love. How can you take someone else’s life in my name?”

“What happiness can a fifth-ranking official’s family bring?”

“Seeing is believing. I hope Mother will pay attention this time.”

After that, Miss Mu let out a bitter smile. Her mother wanted the life of someone else’s son and had even sent assassins. She wasn’t sure if this would be forgiven.

She feared that even Yunfeng wouldn’t forgive her. Miss Mu wiped away her tears. She was a pitiful princess who had high standards. Unfortunately, the man she fell for had an amazing mother.

They weren’t afraid of power and weren’t lacking in wealth. They lived a remarkable life and held immense influence. The Duke had imagined many scenarios along the way.

If he tried to use power to suppress them, with Madam Qiao’s reach, they could probably destroy the Duke’s family overnight. They had no idea about her background.

So, he could only act discreetly, visiting as ordinary people, or the outcome would be uncertain.

The Duke was sure that Madam Qiao had hidden skills. In this world, no one could match her.

He couldn’t fathom how Madam Qiao managed to travel thousands of miles freely. Was she a deity?

The Duke gazed out the window and shook his head, unwilling to dwell on these thoughts further.

When Qiao Mai returned home, it was already the twenty-fifth day of

December. The New Year’s gifts from various families had been delivered. The Wang family had sent 500,000 taels of silver last year, which Qiao Mai had refused. This year, they sent another 1 million taels, insisting she accepts.

She accepted but stated it was a one-time thing. She would cut off ties if they tried to send more.

Lucky Star Academy was also on holiday to allow the twins to relax and prepare for their examinations. The school would have a six-month break.

Yuan Jiaqi was also on holiday. He and Old Master Wang did nothing productive, spending their days enjoying the meals prepared by Qiao Mai.

She used her skill to give them a daily dose of a brain-enhancing elixir she had concocted.

Of course, she gave it to Ling’er as well.

Ever since the incident, Yunfeng has been working hard. He practiced martial arts diligently in the evenings and was especially alert when he slept. Any slight noise would prompt him to draw his sword and patrol the area.

He wasn’t afraid of dying. He was afraid of his family getting hurt because of him.

Fengyun and Chuan’er also had a newfound appreciation for martial arts after the incident. They were enthusiastic about their daily exercise.

Regarding the visit from the assassins, the old couple at Qiao Mai’s home were unaware of it. Qiao Mai hadn’t mentioned it to Yuan Jiaqi either. They were scholars, and discussing such matters would only make them anxious unnecessarily.

For Qiao Mai, such a minor incident was of no concern. Life had to go on.

She had her attendants send the New Year’s gifts to their recipients. Old Master and Mistress Wang decided not to return to the capital this year. Instead, Wang Zongsheng and his family were coming to spend the New Year at their place, so Qiao Mai had prepared extra New Year’s goods.

Lu Sanniang had given birth in mid-November, and she was in post-partum care.

She had given Mayor Qian a plump baby boy. The birth had gone smoothly. Mayor Qian was treating her like a treasure.

As they say, marrying the right man made you a princess, while the wrong one made you a servant.

It was too cold outside, so once Lu Sanniang completed her post-partum confinement, they planned to hold a celebration when the weather improved. She was pampered with delicious food daily and had put on some weight.

As for the Tian family, after Qiao Mai had dealt with them, they had become well-behaved. It wasn’t just the Tian family; even the Qiao and Yuan families had become compliant.

Recently, there was no sign of them across the street from Lucky Garden.

Mainly, Yuan Jiaqi had provided his four brothers with a year’s worth of work. Qiao Mai’s two brothers, having some money in their hands, were not inclined to instigate the old folks or cause trouble. They even helped prevent any issues from arising.

Everyone suspected Qiao Mai was behind it, but there was no evidence. People were reluctant to accuse her openly as it would be considered slander.

Now, the people in Tianshui Town respected and feared Qiao Mai.

Yuan Jiaqi knew that his wife was behind it. As an upright and just official, he could distinguish right from wrong.

Everything his wife did was right. She handled things cleanly, not requiring him to clean up after her. It was great!

As for Tian Sanzhuang, he never dared to have any ideas about Ling’er again after Qiao Mai sent his mother to hell.

He was genuinely afraid that Qiao Mai would have him killed if he made a mistake.

Old Tian had even married a widow twenty years younger than him as soon as his wife passed away.

He welcomed her into the household at the end of the year, and she was enjoying a comfortable life.

Qiao Mai sneered when she found out. It seemed that they still needed a good cleanup. They were afraid right after someone died. Pathetic!

On New Year’s Eve, Wang Zongsheng arrived with his wife and child. This year, Zihan and Chuan’er had become juvenile scholars. Chuan’er had even ranked second, with Zihan taking the first place.

Having children around made the atmosphere in the house less dull. The four young boys quickly gathered to play when they met. There was no need to worry about them.

On the other side, Qiao Mai had prepared food and drinks. The six adults sat around the warm table, enjoying their meal.

Their conversation drifted to the topic of their children’s marriages. Qiao Mai was tight-lipped, refraining from mentioning anything about the Mu family.

She knew that in a few days, they would be visiting her home, but she didn’t say a word about it.

This year, Lucky Garden was livelier than in previous years. County Governor Zhu and Mayor Qian seemed to have an unwritten agreement. They would come to Lucky Garden every New Year’s Day to dine together. This year, they coincidentally encountered Wang Zongsheng.

While Wang Zongsheng had a higher official rank than the other two, their family backgrounds were similar, making it easier for them to get along.

“Madam Qiao, as a resident of County Yi, why do you always support the people from County She? Can’t you give us some support?” “Support comes with a price.”

“Then forget it. We don’t have your extensive resources.”

“That’s for growing my seedlings. The barren land is my purchase, not the government’s. What’s the matter? Feeling envious?”

“Well, yes.. Do you have any plans to bring some benefits to your husband’s county next year?”

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