Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Which Family Has This Type of Daughter?
Chapter 258: Which Family Has This Type of Daughter?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Miss Mu sighed, “I think he’s quite good. We should set it in motion. Can’t you see how many girls are interested in him?”
“But you’re a princess. How can anyone compare to you? If he chose one of those ladies in bad taste, wouldn’t you be wrong to choose him?” “Feng’er should give up studying and focus on martial skills.”
“But we’re not at war anymore.”
“We’re not fighting in the north, but there are still battles in the east, south, and west. Gold always shines. You saw that. With a wave of my future mother-in-law’s hand, it could block thousands and break the defense.
“Hmm, that lady from the Qiao family is enigmatic.”
Miss Mu grinned with pride, “Hmph, it’s not just about that; it’s also about her
family’s food and the exotic goods from the embroidery workshop. I won’t
marry anyone other than Yunfeng.”
Qiao Mai made a disapproving face. She was a princess, yet she had put herself in this situation for food and clothing. She found it amusing.
“Princess, you should think twice. Our side won’t approve of this marriage.”
“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Once I decide on a man, even the emperor won’t question it. Unless my parents don’t care about me.”
Despite the advice from her close attendants and nanny, Princess Mu was determined. It seemed she was dead set on her decision.
“You’d better keep this secret tightly. I have a private arrangement with him. He’s still young and needs to follow the path of the imperial examination. In any case, I returned to pave the way for him. I want him to achieve great success at a young age. Only then will my family look at him differently.” “Sigh, it sounds great. I hope everything goes your way.”
Qiao Mai raised an eyebrow and went to another part of the mansion. She happened to overhear the Duke of Zhenguo and his wife discussing their daughter’s matters.
“You’ve pampered her too much. She’s already at marriageable age, and matchmakers are almost knocking down our door, yet she refuses to agree to any of them.”
“Maybe she’s already found someone she likes.”
“Who? Who has she set her eyes on? It’d be great if she had found someone.”
“I’ve agreed to let her choose her husband. Even the emperor won’t interfere.
We shouldn’t meddle either.”
“If we don’t interfere, she’ll end up an old maid. Who will she marry? All the good ones will be taken by then.”
“We shouldn’t force her into something she doesn’t want.”
Qiao Mai listened and smirked. One side wanted a private arrangement, and the other was eager to arrange a marriage for her. Let’s see how this girl would handle it.
She took on the responsibility herself. If it weren’t for her, Qiao Mai’s son wouldn’t have fallen lovesick at such a young age.
That night, she slept in her space and didn’t go anywhere. She only emerged when it was morning.
The Duke of Zhenguo was one of the pillars of the Ming Dynasty. In his old age, he was resting on his countryside estate. His wife stayed with him.
Princess Mu had three older brothers and two younger ones. Her two eldest brothers died on the battlefield, leaving only one brother and two younger ones, all talented in civil and military matters.
The current Duke of Zhenguo was in his forties. His wife, despite her middle age, must have been beautiful in her youth, considering the stunning appearance of their daughter.
Qiao Mai watched the family having a meal in the dining room. Their manners and conversation revealed their breeding.
“Sister, you’re not young anymore. We should set a date for your marriage.”
“No, let’s wait a couple more years.” “In a couple of years, you’ll be eighteen and become an old maid.”
“Don’t worry. There will be suitors.”
A single sentence caught everyone’s attention. “You already have someone in mind?”
“Yes, but he’s still young. He’s not ready for you all to know yet, so we’ll wait for a couple more years.”
“What? Sister, are you dating a younger guy?”
Qiao Mai almost burst into laughter. This family was quite amusing. The Duchess had a gloomy expression. “Tell me more about this young man.”
“Well, I can only provide a general description. His father is a fifth-rank official. As for him, he’s sixteen years old this year, a scholar, and he’s expected to pass the examination this year. Don’t be fooled by his young age; he’s a talented individual in literary and martial arts. He excels in martial skills even more than his literary abilities.”
“And what does he look like?”
“He’s a tall guy, around 1.8 meters, and exceptionally handsome.”
“Sister, are you attracted to his looks?”
“I like everything. Alright, you don’t need to question me further. I won’t reveal more. I agreed with him to discuss marriage two years from now.”
“Sister, does he know your identity?”
“No, he doesn’t.”
The Duke and his wife exchanged glances, and both stayed silent. Breakfast passed in this manner.
After breakfast, the Duke started using all his connections and tried to match his daughter with all the fifth-ranking officials’ families in the Ming Dynasty.
Several candidates matched Princess Mu’s description, but after a thorough check, they were eliminated.
Unexpectedly, the young man she was interested in was the son of a fifth-ranking county governor. Also, he was in a remote northern location.
Qiao Mai sneaked into the kitchen and managed to grab a pot of well-cooked chicken. She lay back under a tree, enjoying her meal while observing this family’s comedic situation.
This girl had outwitted even her parents. It seemed like the future mother-in-law would need to be on her guard.
However, the Duke and his wife had their ways. To find out who this young man was, they just needed to ask the people around her.
After relentless probing, the Duke and his wife finally discovered the identity of the young man.
They couldn’t believe their ears. Their daughter had met this young man during a recent trip to the northern border.
What was even more surprising was that their daughter had made the first
move. She was doing it all for the sake of living in his house, enjoying his food, and wearing their embroidery.
The Duke and his wife were fuming.
How could their daughter sell herself for mere food and clothing? They angrily confronted her.
“Do we lack food and drink in our family? Huh?”
“Mother, their food is top-notch. Once you taste it, you won’t want to eat anything else. Besides, except for their lower social status, everything else is good in their family. I like them.”
“You… you… you are driving us crazy!”
“It’s true. Everything I said is true. Let’s not talk about the Qiao family’s mistress. Just consider County Governor Yuan. He’s a top scholar, the first-place candidate in the recent imperial examinations. He has made significant contributions to the court during this campaign. Father, when you were stationed at the northern border, didn’t you often praise him?”
The Duke remained silent throughout the discussion. The Duchess saw her husband nearly convinced by their daughter’s argument, so she poked him.
“But it’s not acceptable. You are the County Princess, and marrying into such a family would be an embarrassment for our family in the imperial capital.”
“Do we need others to laugh at us? Our family has been built through military achievements, not through political marriages. The Mu family does not engage in high-society politics. Our daughter will marry whomever she likes.” The Duke finally voiced his opinion, which left the Duchess almost fainting from exasperation.
“You two… You really are father and daughter.”
The Duke, being more thoughtful than the Duchess, led her back to the courtyard. When they sat down, the Duchess was still furious with him.
“Perhaps you don’t understand the Qiao family, my dear. I know them well.
Let’s not discuss how the Qiao family rose to power. Instead, consider Madam
Qiao herself, who is a remarkable person.”
“Humph, you’re taking your daughter’s side. Of course, you’ll support her.”
“Not really. The bodyguard I assigned to our daughter is one of the most formidable martial artists in the martial world. He got injured during my withdrawal from the border region. Can you guess who inflicted those injuries?”
“You don’t mean it was Madam Qiao, do you?” The Duchess rolled her eyes.
“It was her. She incapacitated the bodyguard with a single strike.. Can you imagine how high her martial skills are?”