Chapter 7

When Zhang Yuying accompanied Qiao Ling to the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion, she had advised her.

“Lady, your great kindness, Yuying will keep it in her heart. But I beg you to reconsider whether you really want to take me to the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion.”

To be blunt, if it were a marriage between equals, it would be fine. Even if the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion was unhappy with the future Duchess’s initiative in saving someone the Third Prince wanted, they would at least consider their in-laws and show some respect to the new bride.

But clearly, that wasn’t the case now.

Qiao Ling herself, this rushed bride, was already a dependent. If she brought another troublesome burden along, life in the mansion would likely be even harder.

Qiao Ling listened and asked her back: “Where else do you have to go?”

Zhang Yuying’s expression faltered for a moment, and then she said: “Renting a house, there will always be a place to stay.”

Qiao Ling shook her head: “You’re different now. That prince isn’t someone who cares about face. You’re alone, he has plenty of ways to deal with you.”

Zhang Yuying was bought by Qiao Ling as a family member of a convicted criminal.

From the day she was imprisoned, she became a slave.

And a state slave at that.

This meant that unless she was pardoned, she, her children, and all future generations would be slaves, at the mercy of others.

If a commoner kills another commoner, they must pay the price. But if they kill a slave, it’s not like money can solve the problem, but even if they go to jail, they probably won’t stay for long.

Even ordinary people killing slaves is like this, let alone a prince like the Third Prince!

Qiao Ling told Zhang Yuying: “If the people of the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion are willing to take us in, we’ll stay at the mansion. If not, we can rent a house together later.”

Zhang Yuying said: “What if the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion is worried about offending the Third Prince and wants you to send me to his mansion?”

Qiao Ling’s face changed instantly: “What, do I have no face? To be so obsequious after being arrogant, how will I ever live with myself!”

Seeing this, Zhang Yuying laughed, but her eyes welled up: “If this affects the marriage…”

Qiao Ling said lightly: “Then let’s forget about this marriage. Three-legged stools are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere, right?”

Zhang Yuying was moved, but she heard Qiao Ling ask again: “Speaking of which, is there any chance your family can turn things around? Was your father wrongly accused?”

“Oh, that’s not the case,” Zhang Yuying answered with certainty: “He wasn’t wrongly accused at all.”

Looking at Qiao Ling, she sighed slightly and said: “The Beijing is a tangled web of connections and entanglements. The moment you chose to save me when you entered the city, your future enemies and friends may have already been decided…”

Qiao Ling was very open-minded: “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Before entering the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion, she had already prepared herself to be kicked out.

She had played the role of a beautiful woman saving a handsome man, and there was no reason to make the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion bear the risk together. If she was really kicked out, it wouldn’t be a shame.

But to her surprise, Mrs. Liang didn’t drive her away.

She just used her slightly long, gorgeous eyes, as bright as jewels, to coldly sweep over her, and said: “Get out, don’t bother me if you have nothing to do!”

A beautiful tabby cat came out from behind the curtain with light steps. Mrs. Liang bent down and picked it up, adding another sentence: “Don’t bother me even if you have something to do, deal with it yourself!”

She turned and went into the inner room.

The maid explained beside her: “Lady, our mistress never interferes with matters in theDuke of Yue of  Yuecourtyard…”

She was speaking for her mistress – Mrs. Liang never cared about the Duke of Yue of Yue’s affairs, it was all managed by the Old Madam. Now that the Duke of Yue of Yue’s wife seemed to have made a formidable enemy, this mess had nothing to do with her. She could just go to the Old Madam, she wouldn’t get involved.

Before she finished speaking, she saw the lady in the red dress smiling brightly and shouting towards the curtain: “Mother-in-law, you’re so nice, you’re not like what people say at all!”

There was no movement behind the beaded curtain.

Qiao Ling didn’t mind, she called out again affectionately, “See you later, mother-in-law!” and contentedly took Zhang Yuying to the backyard to wait for the Old Madam to return to the mansion.

At first, she found it strange: “According to seniority, shouldn’t we go to see the Old Madam first after entering the mansion?”

Zhang Yuying told her: “Lady, even if you go now, you won’t see the Old Madam.”

“The Duke of Yues of this dynasty are different from those of the previous dynasty. They all hold real titles. Some are stationed in the provinces and on the border, and those in the Beijing also have positions. At least they have a job to do.”

“The Duke of Yue of Yue has been weak since childhood and can’t bear the responsibility. Someone in the mansion has to take over theDuke of Yue of  Yueauthority. If no one can succeed him, the title will be revoked. So, as long as someone can take over, they will never let the authority be vacant.”

“When the old Duke of Yue of Yue passed away, Mrs. Liang had only been married into the family for a few years. It was inappropriate for her to take over from her mother-in-law, so the Old Madam took over the authority temporarily.”

Qiao Ling couldn’t help but ask: “Does Mrs. Liang have any children?”

Zhang Yuying looked at her, her eyes filled with meaning: “Mrs. Liang has a son, who is probably about twelve or thirteen years old now. So she doesn’t need to compete with the Old Madam, and she doesn’t need to interact with her stepson too much.”

The Old Madam is old, and the stepson is weak enough. All Mrs. Liang needs is to wait, there’s no need to do anything extra.

Qiao Ling’s thoughts turned to another place: “Except for non-holiday days, the Old Madam goes to work almost every day. She’s really very diligent…”

Speaking of the Old Madam of the Duke of Yue of Yue’s mansion, Zhang Yuying’s face became more respectful: “Not everyone who gets old can be praised as being old and respected. The Old Madam temporarily took over the Duke of Yue of Yue’s authority, supervised the Ministry of Rites, and cooperated with the Minister of Rites to do things. She has helped many people. Before, my father and I went to court. Even though there were rules left by the Sage, the debate was very big. The Old Madam had little to do with me, but she still stood up to speak for me. Afterwards, I went to thank her personally, but she refused to take credit…”

Qiao Ling was filled with respect: “No wonder she’s so respected!”

The two left Mrs. Liang’s courtyard and went to the Old Madam’s place in the backyard to wait. The servants there were very polite and warmly greeted them with tea and snacks.

The two chatted all the way, and they were indeed thirsty.

Qiao Ling gulped down a cup of water and ate two snacks. After patiently waiting for half an hour, she heard a clear voice from outside: “The Old Madam is back!”

Some lifted the curtains, some brewed new tea, and others brought the Old Madam’s home clothes. The originally quiet living room seemed to come alive in an instant.

Qiao Ling and Zhang Yuying quickly got up to greet her, and they saw a spirited old lady walking in from outside. Her complexion was rosy, her eyes bright, and her silver hair was neatly combed, without a trace of senility.

Qiao Ling hurried forward and bowed: “Old Madam, I…”

The old lady let out a long “Oh,” and winked at her teasingly, saying: “I know you – your husband is the current Duke of Yue of Yue, Jiang Mai, Jiang Hongdu, right?”

Qiao Ling was stunned: “Huh?!”

The old lady pulled her hand and pulled her up, laughing heartily. While laughing, she said to the people behind her: “Come and meet our Duchess of Yue!”

Qiao Ling saw a young woman in a blue dress with a long face walking out from behind the old lady, looking at her with a smile.

The clothes on her body felt strange, but her face looked familiar.

She exclaimed, “Oh my!” and recognized her as one of the maids who had come down to give her money earlier. She hadn’t realized back then that this maid’s mistress was actually her future husband’s grandmother!

Qiao Ling whispered this to Zhang Yuying, who was moved and bowed down. The old Lady pulled her up with her other hand: “Do I lack people to kowtow to me? Get up!”

The servants brought tea again. The old matriarch must have been thirsty too, and after drinking half a cup, she turned to Qiao Ling and said: “I’m usually busy with work, I can’t leave the government office, and I have to keep half an eye on Hongdu’s affairs. But now that you’re here, I can finally relax a little.”

She was clearly a very straightforward person, and she immediately got to the point: “Hongdu’s health, I won’t hide it from you. The imperial physician came to check his pulse and said it wasn’t good. So, I’m afraid there won’t be much time to prepare for the wedding. In a short time, half a month, or a long time, a month, we’ll get things done.”

“It’s a rushed marriage, but what a daughter-in-law should have, I won’t skimp on it. If Hongdu really leaves me early like his father, and you’re willing, I’ll add another dowry for you, so you can marry from this mansion.”

Very thoughtful, very considerate.

What could Qiao Ling say? “You’ve made all the arrangements perfectly.”

The old Lady considerate and hoped her future granddaughter-in-law would be understanding. Seeing that she understood, she nodded in satisfaction: “Your second uncle is on official business abroad, and his return date is uncertain. You probably won’t see him for a while. And your mother-in-law likes peace and quiet. If you have anything, just tell my people, don’t go and bother her.”

She paused slightly and then said: “Don’t take those rumors outside seriously. She’s cold on the surface but warm at heart, she’s not a bad person.”

Qiao Ling nodded: “I know.”

After finishing with her, the old matriarch told Zhang Yuying: “Just stay in the mansion, don’t worry about anything else. The Third Prince is just a prince, he hasn’t ascended to the throne yet, don’t be afraid of him!”

As she spoke, her expression revealed a hint of sarcasm: “If the Sage had any intention of making him his successor, the Noble Consort wouldn’t just be a Noble Consort. He probably knows this himself, which is why he’s so arrogant!”

Qiao Ling was moved by this, but she didn’t dare to ask. At this moment, Mrs. Jiang, the second wife, came in.

She was a young woman, at most twenty-five years old. Qiao Ling guessed that she must be a second wife, otherwise she would be too young.

But Mrs. Jiang didn’t look very well. She coughed several times after entering the room.

The old matriarch couldn’t help but sigh, and with a look of pity, she told Qiao Ling: “This is my niece’s granddaughter. She used to be a cheerful person, but she fell ill after giving birth two years ago, and she hasn’t fully recovered…”

Mrs. Jiang’s face was a little pale, but her tone was still brisk: “It’s not a serious illness, it’s just a bit of weakness and drowsiness. Mother worries about me, so she thinks it’s a big deal.”

The old matriarch snorted: “Then why are you coughing here?”

Mrs. Jiang laughed: “My throat is itchy, isn’t it?”

She then had someone bring over a sandalwood box and handed it to Qiao Ling: “I’m much older than you, there’s a big age difference. I don’t know what you like, and I’m a simple person, so I just gave you a banknote. My niece-in-law can buy whatever she likes.”

Qiao Ling sincerely accepted her kindness: “Thank you, aunt!”

If she had given her something, it would only be for show. But giving her money was more practical!

She took the cloth bundle from Zhang Yuying’s hand, reached in and felt around, took out a porcelain bottle, and handed it to Mrs. Jiang with both hands: “I have nothing much, but I once learned to make pills from a doctor. They’re not bad. If you don’t mind, I’ll give them to you.”

Mrs. Jiang: “…”

Mrs. Jiang actually had a little bit of disdain.

She didn’t lack medicine, and she could also ask the imperial physician for a consultation. At this moment, she was really a bit hesitant to accept this so-called niece-in-law’s pills.

She also thought: This girl is a bit straightforward, who gives people medicine!

The meaning behind it was bad enough, but the key was that this thing was too easy to cause trouble.

However, Mrs. Jiang glanced at Qiao Ling’s bundle, which could be weighed at a glance, and finally accepted it with a smile.

She could just not eat them. This girl didn’t bring much with her, and if she refused, it would be awkward!

Qiao Ling chatted with the two elders for a while. Seeing that the old matriarch was showing signs of fatigue – she had been working all day – she wisely left with Zhang Yuying.

The maid who had delivered the letter to her earlier was named Fangyi. Now, she led them to the residence arranged by the old Lady.

This girl seemed to be a very lively person. She didn’t know how she managed to hold back in front of Qiao Ling earlier, but she chattered non-stop all the way, like a magpie.

“In this mansion, meals are always separated. The mistress eats in one place, the Duke of Yue in another, and the old matriarch, the second master, and the Mrs Jiangeat together. You’ll be eating with the old matriarch!”

“It’s not that we don’t want you to eat with the Duke of Yue, but he’s taking medicine, and he has many dietary restrictions, it’s inconvenient!”

“You haven’t met the Duke of Yue yet, have you? OurDuke of Yue of  Yueappearance is really something else!”

“This courtyard is to the east, it’s the guest courtyard, closer to the front courtyard, so it’s convenient to go out. But it’s far from the main house. After all, you haven’t gotten married yet, it’s not good for unmarried couples to meet each other!”

As Fangyi spoke, Qiao Ling and Zhang Yuying listened. Halfway through, a servant from the front courtyard rushed over in a panic.

Zhang Yuying noticed that he looked at her a little extra, and her heart sank. Sure enough, she heard him say: “The younger brother of Miss Zhang is here!”

Qiao Ling was surprised: “Huh?”

She asked Zhang Yuying in surprise: “Is there anyone else in your family who has been pardoned?”

Zhang Yuying knew what was happening and her expression calmed down.

She shook her head and said, “No.”

How could Zhang Yuying’s brother come here?

Had he also been bought?

Qiao Ling suddenly remembered a crucial question: “Besides you, where are the rest of your family?”

Zhang Yuying sneered, clearly not getting along with the rest of the Zhang family. It made sense, they had completely severed ties, and in the end, because of that family, they were reduced to slaves and almost fell into the hands of their enemies. How could she not be angry?

She told Qiao Ling the answer: “The whole family was confiscated by the Jiaofang Bureau. The ringleader will probably be executed soon!”

Qiao Ling didn’t think about the second sentence. She was still shocked by the first: “Ah?! The whole family??? Your father and brother too???!!!”

Zhang Yuying found her reaction strange: “Lady, didn’t you know?”

Qiao Ling said confidently: “I’m from the countryside!”

Zhang Yuying raised her eyebrows and told her: “At first, only the female relatives of convicted officials would be confiscated as slaves. The Sage once considered abolishing slavery, but because the resistance was too great, he was forced to stop. Perhaps out of spite, since he couldn’t abolish it, he added a clause that convicted officials and their male relatives would also be confiscated as slaves.”

“Although it’s not worth celebrating, it’s actually a good thing for women, at least those who want to humiliate their political enemies won’t go after them anymore – they’ll go straight for the main target.”

She was curious again: “Lady, you didn’t know?”

Qiao Ling was speechless: “I told you, I’m from the countryside!”

After that, she made a “tsk” sound: “Then your father and brother are now…”

“Who cares about their lives!”

Zhang Yuying sneered coldly, seeing Qiao Ling’s eyes widen, round and cat-like, full of curiosity, staring at her. After thinking for a moment, she said with a hint of schadenfreude: “If they’re lucky, they’re singing for a living. If they’re not, they’re probably selling silver!”

Qiao Ling couldn’t help but bite her finger: “…”

Ugh!

Your Beijing city!