Chapter 340: Courtesy first, then attack
Old Mrs. Min pulled Min Qiao to sit in the main seat. Min Qiao could not refuse, so she sat down.
After they were seated, the three wives of the Min family also found their own seats.
Jiang was busy arranging for the maids to serve tea and snacks, not daring to relax for a moment.
When the tea was served, Madam Min Qiao symbolically dipped her cup in it and then began to chat with Old Madam Min.
At first, everyone was friendly and talked about trivial things.
It wasn't until a maid called Jiang out that her face visibly darkened when she returned.
Everyone was happy, but she was the only one with a cold face, which naturally made people suspicious.
Grandma Min glared at Jiang Shi with displeasure and scolded, "What happened? Why are you back with such a long face? Anyone who didn't know better would think you didn't welcome your aunt to our house!"
Jiang immediately protested her innocence, saying, "Grandma, how could I dare? You're saying that, and I feel wronged!" As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
Seeing this, the eldest wife quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Alright, the old lady didn't mean to blame you. What are you feeling wronged about? Just say what's on your mind. Your aunt isn't an outsider, so there's no need to hold back."
"Yes, what happened? Why do you look so pale?" the second wife asked as well.
Jiang looked at Old Madam Min, then at Min Qiao, her expression hesitant.
Seeing this, Min Qiaoshi, who had been silent all along, curled her lips slightly and asked in a surprised tone, "Is there something I have to do with this?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang's hesitant expression became even more pronounced.
Seeing Jiang's appearance, Old Madam Min immediately became furious. She glared at her and shouted angrily, "Why aren't you speaking yet?"
The first wife also urged, "Just tell me quickly, what is it?"
Jiang reluctantly said, "A servant just came to report that the fourth mistress from Red Leaf Lane has arrived."
Upon hearing this, everyone present fell silent.
Only Min Qiao seemed to be deep in thought.
If she remembered correctly, the Min family, whose personal maid she had beaten to death, was the source of much gossip recently, and they lived in Red Leaf Lane.
Thinking of this, Madam Min Qiao couldn't help but smile and voluntarily followed everyone's wishes.
"Since they are from the Min family, why not invite them in to talk? So I can get to know them too."
Grandma Min hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Go and invite them in. After all, they're family; it wouldn't be right to turn them away, would it?"
That sounds very high-sounding.
Min Qiaoshi naturally had no grounds to refute it.
She knew that this was a show that Old Madam Min had specially arranged for her to take place.
Yes, let's try diplomacy first, then resort to force.
From the moment she entered until now, the more enthusiastic and polite the Min family has been to her, the more determined and embarrassing the confrontation will likely be in the future.
Jiang accepted the order and went out, quickly bringing the person in.
The newcomer was a middle-aged woman around forty years old; it was clear that she had been a beauty in her youth.
However, what concerned Min Qiao more than the woman's appearance was the woman's timid expression and her shifty eyes.
Upon entering, the woman was about to bow tremblingly when she seemed to sense Madam Min's scrutinizing gaze. She froze, glanced at Madam Min out of the corner of her eye, and then, disregarding all decorum, knelt down in front of Old Madam Min with a thud.
"Grandma, you have to stand up for me!"
As he spoke, he glanced timidly at Madam Min.
Anyone who didn't know better would think that Min Qiao was some kind of monster!
Seeing the woman's undignified manner, Old Mrs. Min was immediately furious. She scolded her rudely, "You have no manners at all! What are you yelling about? Stand up and say what you have to say!"
The woman quickly shook her head, "Grandma, please let me speak while kneeling. I know I shouldn't have come today and disturbed your hospitality."
"But my good maid was beaten to death just because she had a few words with someone."
"That's my personal maid who's been with me for over ten years! How can I not demand an explanation for her?"
At this point, the woman was already crying with tears in her eyes.
She wiped away her tears and continued, "Seven or eight days have passed, and the family that killed the person hasn't sent anyone to give an explanation."
“I know that we don’t have any capable people, we can’t uphold the family’s reputation, and no one takes us seriously.”
"But I thought the old lady was always reasonable and fair. That's why I shamelessly came to her door to beg her to help me."
After speaking, he glanced timidly at Madam Min.
Grandma Min glared at the woman with annoyance, pretending not to understand, and asked, "Why do you keep staring at your cousin's wife for no reason?"
The woman said, feeling wronged, "The one who beat my maid to death was my cousin's man."
Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Min immediately roared in a fit of rage, "Don't talk nonsense!"
The woman quickly retorted, "Grandma, I'm not making this up. Many people at the city gate saw my sister-in-law enter the city that day. If you don't believe me, just ask anyone who was there that day."
Grandma Min still looked at her daughters-in-law with an expression of disbelief.
The three ladies looked at each other, and finally nodded with troubled expressions, "It is indeed as Fourth Sister-in-law said."
Seeing that her three daughters-in-law also said the same thing, Old Madam Min finally frowned, turned to look at Min Qiaoshi, her eyes full of doubt and incomprehension.
Watching the Min family put on a show, Madam Min Qiao remained calm inside, but her face showed shock and anger as she glared at the woman. Acting, after all—who can't do that?
Seeing that Old Madam Min was looking at her, she immediately beat her chest and stamped her feet in grievance, saying, "Heavens above, if my men really killed this person, what would he be called?"
The eldest wife of the Min family kindly introduced, "This is Zhao, the fourth sister-in-law of the third grandfather's branch."
"Thank you." Madam Min Qiao thanked her politely before continuing, "Heaven above, if my men killed Zhao's personal maid, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"
She had confirmed this with the old woodcutter several times, and he said that his kick would definitely not kill anyone.
After saying that, Madam Min Qiao pointed at Madam Zhao and said, "I have already sworn an oath. You keep saying that my people killed your maid, so do you dare to curse and swear that if your maid was not killed by my people, then your descendants will be slaves for generations, and your daughters and granddaughters will be prostitutes for eternity?"
Zhao froze, her face turning deathly pale. "You, you..."
"What? You don't dare?" Madam Min snorted leisurely. "If you don't dare, then you should honestly admit that you are slandering me. Then serve me tea and apologize. I will let this matter drop. Otherwise, I will ask the old lady to stand up for me!"
"Don't you think so, old lady?"
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