Chapter 203 The Seventh Princess Arrives
"Does the Crown Princess see this? Even these families are unwilling, so why should I accept your family's 'fortune'?"
"I am, after all, a first-rank noblewoman. How could my own niece be inferior to those families?"
At this point, Madam Min Qiao curled her lips again, saying with infinite sarcasm, "Indeed, the Wu family's fortunes have always been extraordinary."
"They told me before that I should obediently hand over the hot spring resort, saying it was my good fortune."
"Now you want my niece to become your concubine, you say that's good fortune."
"Tsk tsk, if your Wu family had a few more of this kind of 'fortune,' would the entire Great Yan be unable to contain your Wu family's ambitions?"
Upon hearing this, everyone gasped again.
What did Min Qiaoshi mean by that?
Does this imply that the Wu family is all-powerful? Or does it suggest that the Wu family harbors rebellious intentions?
How dare you say that in front of the Crown Princess!
"Shut up!" The Crown Princess's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
She rebuked her sharply, "Madam Qiao, don't spout nonsense just because you're old."
Others might be afraid of your tantrums and outbursts, but I'm not!
Madam Min wiped the smile from the corner of her mouth and said aggrievedly, "Please don't scare me, Your Highness. I'm an old man with one foot in the grave, I can't be frightened."
"If I'm not careful and get scared out of my wits, I'll die right at the Wu family's doorstep."
"I wonder if Your Highness will still be able to hold onto your position as Crown Princess after you force me, a first-rank noblewoman, to my death."
"You, you dare to threaten me!?" The Crown Princess was utterly astonished.
This was the first time she had ever encountered such a reckless old lady. She was even more difficult to deal with than her own grandmother!
No wonder her third aunt and her grandmother couldn't get along with Min Qiaoshi!
She thought that with the title of Crown Princess and the fact that she was pregnant, even if Madam Min was arrogant, she should have some restraint.
Unexpectedly... before she had even done anything to Madam Min, Madam Min had turned around and threatened her.
The Crown Princess was so angry that her heart ached. She was thinking about how to force Madam Min to back down when suddenly a brilliant idea flashed in her mind. She reached out and touched her belly.
Just as I was about to make an issue of the child, I heard a familiar voice coming from the doorway.
"Wow, it's so lively here! Looks like I'm not too late."
Upon hearing the voice, the Crown Princess knew who it was without even looking.
Yes, the Seventh Princess, Li Sanqi.
The Crown Princess suppressed her earlier thoughts, turned around and smiled at Li Sanqi, "Why did you come, Seventh Sister? If I had known you were coming, I should have waited for you to come with me."
Li Sanqi replied with a smile, "I heard that there was some excitement at the Marquis of Xuanping's residence, so I came to take a look. I didn't expect to find my sister-in-law here as well."
As she spoke, she turned and looked reproachfully at Madam Min, "Madam, this is where you are wrong. In such a spacious place, why didn't you offer everyone a seat?"
What are you all doing standing here?
He then reached out to support the Crown Princess, saying, "My sister-in-law is carrying my little nephew or niece. If she gets tired, I'll hold you responsible."
Li Sanqi's interruption instantly eased the atmosphere in the room.
Madam Min Qiao quickly chimed in, "Seventh Princess is right. It's all my fault for not taking good care of her. I was too busy talking to the Crown Princess. We were all left standing there doing nothing."
He then gestured to everyone, saying, "Sit down! Everyone, please sit down! We are all guests, so please don't be shy and sit wherever you like."
Li Sanqi helped the Crown Princess to sit in the main seat, where Min Qiaoshi and Madam Zheng had originally been.
Madam Min and Madam Zheng naturally didn't mind, and sat down with smiles in the seats next to them.
After everyone sat down, Ah Qi tactfully served tea to everyone again.
"Who is the maternal niece of the Grand Madam?" Li Sanqi asked with a smile, scanning the room.
Qiao Yuanyao quickly stepped forward, curtsied, and said, "This humble woman, Qiao Yuanyao, greets the Seventh Princess. May the Seventh Princess live a long and healthy life, and enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
Li Sanqi chuckled and took off a gold and gemstone bracelet from his wrist, instructing the lady-in-waiting beside him to give it to Qiao Yuanyao. “Madam Qiao and I are close friends despite our age difference. This is my gift to you. Please accept it if you don’t mind.”
Gifts are usually given by elders to younger people when meeting someone. Li Sanqi's statement that he and Min Qiaoshi were close friends despite their age difference effectively elevated his own seniority.
Qiao Yuanyao naturally dared not object, and quickly accepted the bracelet, curtsied and thanked her, "Thank you, Seventh Princess!"
As she spoke, she happily put it on her wrist. She didn't mind at all that the Seventh Princess was addressing her as an elder at such a young age.
Seeing Qiao Yuanyao's generous attitude, Li Sanqi, who originally only wanted to save face for Madam Min, has now genuinely developed a liking for Qiao Yuanyao.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Old Madam Wu kept giving the Crown Princess meaningful glances and occasionally touching her own face.
Before the Crown Princess could react, Li Sanqi noticed Old Madam Wu's actions.
"Is Madam Wu feeling unwell? Why is she constantly touching her face?" Li Sanqi was genuinely puzzled.
It's also because Min Qiaoshi didn't have Ajiu's strength. The slap she gave Old Madam Wu was extremely insulting, but its actual lethality was really worrying.
One slap, and not even a red mark was left.
Upon hearing Li Sanqi's words, Old Mrs. Wu blushed deeply, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed, angry and aggrieved.
"Your Highness, are you just going to let me suffer this slap for nothing?" Old Mrs. Wu said, pounding her chest and wiping away tears again.
Li Sanqi's lips twitched; he felt a burning sensation in his eyes.
At such an advanced age, still resorting to this kind of nonsense.
Judging from her appearance, her sister-in-law's petty manner in front of her elder brother, the Crown Prince, has a family tradition to it!
"What slap? What happened? Did I miss something?"
Just as the Crown Princess was about to speak, she saw Li Sanqi turn to look at Madam Zheng, "Madam, what happened? Tell me quickly."
Seeing that Li Sanqi was asking about Madam Zheng, not Madam Min Qiao, the Crown Princess did not stop him.
Madam Zheng looked at the Crown Princess and then at Madam Min Qiao, and then told her the whole story.
She recounted Old Madam Wu's rude remarks, Min Qiao's physical assault, and how the Crown Princess, while seeking justice for Old Madam Wu, was humiliated by Min Qiao.
Although Madam Zheng was on good terms with Madam Min, she still spoke impartially. After all, there were so many people watching. She had no need to embellish the story or deliberately say anything biased.
Justice resides in the hearts of the people.
Li Sanqi also had his own set of principles.
"Is what Madam Zheng said true?" Li Sanqi looked at Madam Min Qiao without changing his expression.
Madam Min nodded: "That's true."
Li Sanqi then looked at Old Madam Wu, "Old Madam Wu?"
Grandma Wu nodded through gritted teeth, but her gaze still drifted toward the Crown Princess.
"Seventh Sister, about this matter..."
Before the Crown Princess could speak, Li Sanqi interrupted her with a smile: "Don't worry about such a small matter, sister-in-law. I'll take care of it for you."
He then beckoned to the female official beside him, "Go and give Madam Liu two slaps."
Without any hesitation, the female official stepped forward quickly, took out a small wooden board from her sleeve, and slapped Liu's mouth twice.
The force wasn't too strong, nor too weak. It was just normal disciplinary measure.
However, a clear red mark quickly appeared on Liu's lips.
This scene happened too fast and too dramatically. Li Sanqi had just questioned Min Qiaoshi and Old Madam Wu, but it was Liu San's wife who was beaten.
Everyone was stunned by Li Sanqi's sudden action.
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