Qiao Zhen glared at him, "I've served important people before, why can't I serve her?"

Mrs. Qiao thought about it and agreed, so she placed the swaddled baby in Qiao Zhen's arms. "A-Liang, quickly go to the fields and call your father and grandfather back!" Mrs. Qiao pushed open the door and entered the house, only to see a richly dressed man sitting on her kang (heated brick bed). She then went back out and closed the door behind her. "A-Zhen, who is that man?"

Qiao Liang peeked out, "It's my uncle!"

Qiao's mother, along with Qiao Zhen, gave her another thorough beating, yelling, "You brat! You got married and didn't even send a message home! Do you look down on your family?!"

Qiao Zhen had to protect the baby in her arms, so she could only let her mother hit her, which really hurt. "Mother, you know where I work. Marriages are all arranged by imperial decree. How could I dare to disobey? Besides, I just brought him here to see him. How am I looking down on my family? Please be gentle. If you accidentally hurt the one in my arms, you might blame me!" She raised her head and gestured towards the direction of the Night Palace.

Mrs. Qiao instantly understood the implication; the man in the room was from the Night Palace, most likely a minister. She calmed down as well, "Would you like to stay for lunch?"

"Liu, it's been so long since I've had Mom's cooking!" Qiao Zhen grinned and coaxed her mother.

"Okay, you wait here, Mom will go out to buy groceries."

"Mother, don't tell the neighbors I'm back." Qiao Zhen frowned and winked into the house, lowering her voice, "He likes peace and quiet. You know how those nobles are; they're quick to punish people and even threaten to kill them."

Mrs. Qiao put her finger to her lips and said, "Shh!"

Qiao Zhen fell silent.

Qiao Liang went to the field to call his father and elder brother home, while his mother went back into the house to get some money to buy some nice things.

Qiao Zhen saw that only she, Ye Shangzhou, Sister-in-law Qiao, and the baby in her arms were in the courtyard, so she carried the swaddled baby into the house.