Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Just Like Her Mother
Chapter 307: Just Like Her Mother
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After the guests left, Yuan Jiaqi and Qiao Mai stared at each empty table. The plates were wiped clean.
They were indeed not polite; every plate was wiped clean.
Servants cleared the tables, and the family members took a break. Marrying a bride was tiring and not easy at all.
Seeing the banquet at the Qiao family, Madam Wang went back to Penglai Pavilion with Old Mistress Wang.
“Mother, can we have the same banquet as the Qiao family for Zihan’s wedding?”
“You should discuss this with Qiao Mai; she provides the ingredients for the kitchen.”
“Alright, I’ll talk to her.”
Qiao Mai, who was resting and drinking tea, heard Madam Wang calling her in the courtyard. Yuan Jiaqi’s eyes met hers, asking a wordless question.
“Let her in; you don’t need to leave. Just listen.”
Yuan Jiaqi welcomed Madam Wang into the house, and she sat across from Qiao Mai.
“I came to discuss something with you.”
“Go ahead.”
“On the day of Zihan’s wedding, can I borrow your chef and have you provide the ingredients like today?”
“Sure, I can provide the ingredients and the chef.”
“Thank you.”
“Consider it a gift from our Qiao family. Is that acceptable?”
“How much did you spend on today’s banquet?”
“The ingredients alone cost at least a hundred thousand taels of silver.” Madam Wang took a sharp breath. “I thank you on behalf of Zihan.”
“You’re welcome.”
After Madam Wang left, Yuan Jiaqi escorted her to the courtyard gate. When he returned, he saw Qiao Mai with a gloomy expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“I was wondering who Jiaru learned from. Turns out it’s her mother.” “What did she mean by asking about the cost of the ingredients?” “Humph, she was checking the price, examining the weight of our gift.”
“I didn’t expect Madam Wang to have such a narrow mind.”
“Although she looks generous, she is calculative.”
“I think her family is also a prominent official in the court. I wonder who it is.”
“I don’t care who it is. At most, it’s a first-rank official. Even if she’s ennobled or made a princess, I’m not afraid. I only gave her face out of respect for the Old Master and Mistress.”
“Sigh.”
Completing another task, Qiao Mai felt a bit more relaxed. Both daughters-in-law were devoted to the Qiao family, which pleased her.
She appreciated how they considered this place their home. Moreover, the eldest daughter-in-law and the second daughter-in-law, once best friends, were now sisters-in-law, getting along harmoniously.
Shortly after, Miss Mu handed over the family affairs to Xiao Qingling.
“Mother, I feel heavy now. Managing the family is a bit challenging. With Qingling’s arrival, I can hand it over to her. If there’s anything she doesn’t understand, I can teach her.”
“You two figure it out. Whoever manages the family is fine; take care of things at home.”
Thus, the new daughter-in-law started managing the household on the second day of her arrival. When news spread to the Xiao family, they thought their daughter married into a good family.
On the day of Xiao Qingling’s return to her maiden family, Qiao Mai prepared a gift similar to the one Miss Mu received. She was impartial.
This story became a well-known tale in the capital, and even the emperor sighed upon hearing it.
“Your Majesty, why are you sighing?”
“On the day I attended the Qiao family’s wedding, I didn’t see Madam Qiao.”
“She looks quite ordinary, but there’s one aspect where she stands out.”
“What aspect is that?”
“She has snow-white skin. Describing her as having skin like ice and jade is not an exaggeration.”
“Well, fair skin hides ugliness. I see. Thanks to Madam Qiao, Yuan Daren is not interested in other women.”
“Yes, that’s true. I heard Mr. Yuan is not involved with other women, thanks to Madam Qiao.”
“I know that. Many years ago, Princess Heyi insisted on marrying him. He refused to marry anyone else, even at the cost of his life, just for that woman.
Truly a virtuous husband.”
“Speaking of this matter, it seems strange.”
“What’s strange?”
“When Princess Heyi returned from the north, she seemed to have completely forgotten about Mr. Yuan. She accepted the arranged marriage obediently. This isn’t like Princess Heyi’s usual character.”
“I asked her about it. She said she couldn’t remember anything. It’s better that way. It avoids making a fool of herself by thinking about someone else’s husband”
Yubao lowered his head and didn’t say anything more. His eyes flickered as if brewing something.
After coming to the capital for over two years, many families wanted to send their daughters to be concubines to Yuan Jiaqi. Some high-ranking families even wanted their daughters to become principal wives. Yuan Jiaqi scolded them all away.
If he explained nicely, these people wouldn’t listen.
Only by scolding could he have a fallout with them and discourage them from sending their daughters. Yuan Jiaqi didn’t care about these imperial, wealthy, powerful, and noble families. As long as they sent women, he scolded them.
He cursed others for ill intentions, sending women to sow discord between him and his wife, intentionally making him appear unfaithful, and deliberately disturbing the peace of his household.
Who would dare to continue? In these two years, almost everyone had been scolded by him among the civil and military officials.
Many people privately complained to the palace. Upon hearing these complaints, the Emperor dropped the idea of rewarding Yuan Jiaqi with a few palace maids.
He scolded those who complained and protected the officials he valued. Not accepting women was not a fault. If they persisted, it was inviting scolding.
Therefore, for these two years, the Qiao family lived quietly.
Unable to send their daughters to Yuan Jiaqi, some people wanted to send them to the twin brothers. Someone even wanted to send their daughter to be a concubine after Xiao Qingling got married.
When the three women found out, they drove the matchmaker away together. Standing at the gate of Lucky Garden, the mother-in-law and daughters-in-law acted like three tigresses, leaving a reputation in the capital.
Lucky Garden was like an unassailable fortress. Many people envied it, wanting to enter but could not.
Yuan Jiaqi even posted a notice at his door, advising those in the capital not to send women to his home. Otherwise, he would report them to the authorities for disturbing the peace.
When Miss Mu and Miss Xiao were alone together, they often expressed gratitude for having a good mother-in-law.
She never forced them to pay respects, and they discussed household matters together. She always spoke to them in a gentle and harmonious tone.
Any good things that came into the house were first given to the daughters-in-law. If they made reasonable requests, she never refused.
Chuan’er and Zihan were assigned to the Hanlin Academy, one as a sixth-rank official and the other as a deputy sixth-rank official, a slight improvement from Yuan Jiaqi’s initial rank.
In June, the rainy season arrived in the south, but living in Lucky Garden was refreshing.
The rain fell and cleared, leaving the ground consistently clean. Accustomed to living here, Madam Wang didn’t want to return.
She had her eyes on the eldest daughter of the Minister of Rites, but the matchmaker came for Chuan’er, which angered her.
She thought, “Although my husband is only a fourth-rank official, that’s because he doesn’t want to return to the capital. Otherwise, he would have reached the first rank by now. Why should we be looked down upon?”
Others weren’t looking down on her. In ancient times, the emphasis was on compatibility between families. The Minister of Rites and the Minister of
Personnel were first-rank officials, making them a suitable match.
But Madam Wang had a lofty attitude, wanting a high-status daughter-in-law. After looking around, she chose the main branch of the Qian family, which was also the legitimate daughter. The Qian family held the highest rank of second rank.
Miss Qian had good character and appearance, just turning sixteen, a suitable match for Zihan.
Fortunately, the Qian family didn’t mind Zihan. After they met, both parties were satisfied. Madam Wang then wrote a letter to Wang Zongsheng, asking him to hurry to the capital.
In mid-June, the matchmaker went to the Qian family to propose the marriage. At the end of the month, Wang Zongsheng brought his wife and son to the Qian family to finalize the engagement.
In July, Wang Zongsheng moved to Bichun Garden with his wife and son. He was about to send the betrothal gifts and couldn’t do so from Lucky Garden.
Even Wang Zongsheng understood this principle. Although he had a good relationship with the Qiao family, he wouldn’t act inappropriately.
But Madam Wang, who cared deeply about face, wasn’t happy. It was too prestigious to marry from Lucky Garden; she enjoyed the attention she gained from it..