Chapter 140 The Turmoil at the Gate (Part 1)
Upon hearing Ayi's introduction, Madam He glanced at Min Rong behind her. Seeing Min Rong slightly raise his chin, Madam He immediately understood and said with a sneer, "How come the Grand Madam only went back to her parents' home and brought her family here to beg for money? Why didn't she show herself? Is she feeling guilty and deliberately hiding?"
Ayi frowned, about to retort, when she saw Qiao Yuanyao walk up from behind and slap He Shi across the face.
"How dare you, a mere concubine, slander my aunt behind her back? Who gave you the audacity?"
"You...you dare to hit me?" Madam He looked at Qiao Yuanyao in disbelief.
"What's the difference between you, a concubine, and a servant? How dare you humiliate my aunt in public! A beating is too lenient!" Qiao Yuanyao glanced at Madam He with disdain.
While they were still on the ship, Madam Min Qiao had already told her and her daughter about the situation of the masters of the Xuanping Marquis's mansion.
Therefore, she knew long ago that the Marquis of Xuanping's mansion had a weak and incompetent wife and a treacherous and powerful concubine named Aunt He who controlled the mansion.
Before she even got out of the car, she had already asked Min Rong which of the two women beside him was his legal wife, Wu, and which was his concubine, He.
If it had been Madam Wu who stepped forward to say these words, she might have had some reservations. But Madam He was just a concubine; why would she be afraid of her?
Qiao Yuanyao didn't waste any more words with Madam He. She smiled and stepped forward, curtsied to Min Rong and Madam Wu, and said, "I presume you are my cousins? I am Qiao Yuanyao, the daughter of the second branch of the Qiao family."
Min Rong frowned slightly.
He just wanted Mrs. He to test the attitude of the Qiao family mother and daughter so that he could determine how to treat them in the future.
Unexpectedly, his cousin attacked him without hesitation, showing him no mercy whatsoever.
Hmm, he's a bit difficult to deal with! The person who just hit him is now smiling and greeting him again.
Knowing that Qiao Yuanyao was difficult to handle, Min Rong put aside his thoughts and replied with a smile, "My cousin is a guest from afar. Please forgive me for not being hospitable enough."
"but……"
Min Rong originally wanted to say that they had not received any prior notice that the Qiao family mother and daughter were coming, so the lack of proper hospitality was understandable.
However, before Min Rong could finish speaking, Qiao Yuanyao interrupted him, saying, "Cousin really didn't treat you well. He didn't even greet my mother! My mother is, after all, my cousin's elder, isn't she?"
Qiao Yuanyao's tone was reproachful, seemingly joking, but her eyes held a chilling intent.
Min Rong choked, and then heard Qiao Yuanyao continue, "Speaking of which, we disembarked at Linjing Wharf two days ago, and my aunt also sent someone back to the mansion to deliver the message. Why didn't my cousin send anyone to meet us on the way?"
"At the very least, shouldn't my cousin have sent someone to guard the city gate? Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to find out where my aunt is!"
Qiao Yuanyao curled her lip in disdain, "Tsk tsk, it's clear that my cousin doesn't care much about his aunt, his own mother!"
"Sigh, my cousin treats my aunt with such disdain, how can I expect him to respect my mother, my aunt? Ha, I'm overthinking it."
As he spoke, he turned and walked to Zhou's side, took Zhou's arm, and looked at Min Rong with a mocking expression.
On her way here, she had heard quite a bit about the Marquis's mansion. Especially about this cousin, who, for some unknown reason, had caused her aunt to drift apart from him. Not only did she abandon the affairs of the Marquis's mansion, but she hadn't even told him about leaving the capital, causing him to lose face in the capital.
Even her aunt doesn't like this cousin, so why should she give him face?
Hmph, before her second brother comes to find her and her mother, she's going to cling tightly to her aunt's powerful backer!
Min Rong's face turned visibly as black as the bottom of a pot.
What a sharp-tongued "cousin"! He only said a couple of unpleasant things to test her, and Qiao Yuanyao's counterattack was so fierce! It's clear she's someone who won't suffer the slightest loss!
Min Rong was furious, but she couldn't confront him in public. Just as she was wondering what to do, Min Yuexi stepped forward to smooth things over, saying, "Min Yuexi greets her aunt and cousin."
"Father did not mean to neglect his maternal aunt and cousin, nor would he dare to be disrespectful to his grandmother. It is simply that Father has been busy with official duties lately, busy sharing the Emperor's burdens, and has had no time to attend to others."
“Now, Aunt He is managing the affairs of the Marquis’s mansion. It seems that Aunt He forgot to send someone to the city gate to welcome Grandmother’s carriage. After all, she is a merchant’s widow and has not seen much of the world. It is understandable that she did not think things through for a moment. Please forgive her, Aunt.”
Min Yuexi's words both absolved Min Rong of responsibility and elevated his status in the court, thus saving face for him.
On the other hand, they shifted all the blame to the He family and pointed out that the He family came from a humble background.
Upon hearing this, He was immediately furious.
"You're talking nonsense! The person the old lady sent back to deliver the message never even went to my place..."
Before He could finish speaking, Min Rong glared at her coldly. She had no choice but to shut her mouth, feeling both helpless and resentful.
Damn it! The person that old bitch Min Qiao sent back to the manor only delivered a message to Songhe Hall, and didn't say a single word to her!
If it weren't for the servants noticing how busy Songhetang had been these past two days and making a few inquiries, she wouldn't have known that Madam Min was returning, bringing along relatives from the Qiao family. Madam Min had sent a message back specifically to have the courtyard prepared for her relatives' arrival!
Min Qiaoshi doesn't take her seriously at all, so why should she send someone to the city gate to pick her up?
He was incredibly frustrated! But she couldn't disregard Min Rong's feelings, and her face turned ashen with anger.
Min Rong, however, didn't find anything wrong with what Min Yuexi said. He even nodded in satisfaction upon hearing Min Yuexi's words.
He has to share the Emperor's burdens; how could he have time to manage the affairs of the Marquis's residence?
Neglecting Madam Min and belittling relatives are all the fault of the person in charge of managing the household affairs of the Marquis's mansion!
It's not unfair at all that the He family is taking the blame!
Moreover, it was He who provoked the Qiao family relatives first!
Following Min Yuexi's line of thought, Min Rong shifted all the blame onto He Shi. He completely forgot that it was he who initially sent He Shi to probe the depths of the Qiao family's relatives.
Qiao Yuanyao looked at the group of people in front of her with a meaningful gaze, and gained a substantial understanding of the situation of the Marquis's mansion.
It seems that living in the Marquis's mansion won't be boring from now on.
Min Rong is treacherous, He Shi is stupid, and Min Yuexi is shallow...
Min Rong wanted to test them herself, but she encouraged He Shi to step in.
Thinking he was invincible, Ms. He spoke rudely, but ended up getting slapped and suffering the consequences.
Min Yuexi's words seemed tactful, but her disdain for merchants was inadvertently revealed in them!
Although she was implying that the He family came from a humble background and were not respectable, did she ever consider that her aunt also came from a merchant family, and that the Qiao family was also a prominent merchant family?
So, that's why my aunt was so cold and distant to everyone in the Marquis's mansion?
Thinking of this, Qiao Yuanyao looked at Min Yuexi with a deep gaze but a warm smile, "You are Yuexi? I heard my aunt mention you on the way here. You are indeed a clever and quick-witted girl."
Min Yuexi was overjoyed. "Grandmother and aunt mentioned me?"
Qiao Yuanyao nodded with a smile, "Of course."
Yeah, right!
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