Chapter 27 Reconciliation and Warning
Just when the group was at a loss, they saw the Dowager Lady of the Duke of Jin's mansion leading a group of people toward them.
"Madam Qiao, you've really surprised me today! I never imagined you'd be so daring!"
Upon approaching, Madam Zheng immediately began with sarcasm.
Without any hesitation, Madam Min stood up and retorted with a smile, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you. With your brilliant work as an example, I'm just picking up scraps."
Madam Zheng stared wide-eyed in surprise, "Hey, you've really changed your ways today?"
“Having died once, wouldn’t one live a more enlightened life?” Madam Min Qiao smiled and gestured for someone to sit down. “Would you like to sit with me?”
Madam Zheng assumed that when she said she had died once, she was referring to her previous serious illness, and didn't take it seriously.
Seeing that she invited him to sit down, he didn't stand on ceremony and readily sat down next to Min Qiaoshi.
Only then did Madam Zheng remember why she had come to find Madam Min on her own initiative. She pointed to Ajiu, who was following Granny Guan, and said, "When I came in, I saw your girl running around everywhere. I was afraid she had gotten lost, so I brought her here to you."
"Thank you so much." Madam Min thanked her politely. "I was just wondering if I had lost sight of this girl, and you just happened to find her. Thank you!"
"Do you know that you have already displeased Princess Jiaoyang today? The Princess Consort of Chang'an is a magnanimous person and will not hold it against you. But if you run around in the Prince's mansion and cause trouble again, even if the Princess Consort is good-natured, she will hold a grudge against you."
Madam Zheng kindly reminded her.
Madam Min smiled and replied, "What the Grand Madam says is true. Thank you for bringing the person to me."
Madam Zheng felt a tickle in her heart; wasn't Madam Min's attitude towards her too good today?
Of course, it's not that Madam Min's past attitude was bad. It's just that in the past, when facing her, Madam Min always maintained a respectful distance. She was courteous, but it revealed an undeniable coldness and aloofness.
Today, not only did Madam Min speak to her politely, but she also took the initiative to invite her to sit together, and when facing her, she showed an unprecedented level of intimacy.
Madam Zheng hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Isn't your thanks a bit too perfunctory? Is it just a few words and that's it?"
After thinking for a moment, Madam Min tentatively suggested, "How about I invite you to the Huajiaolou Theater to watch a play tomorrow?"
"Hmph, who wants to go out in this freezing weather?" Madam Zheng's tone was full of disdain, but she couldn't suppress the upward curve of her lips.
"Then it's settled. I'll pick a sunny day, book a private room, and then come pick you up."
"Hmph, do you think I need you to pick me up? It's not like we don't have carriages in our household."
"Since I'm thanking you, I should naturally provide you with the best service."
"Oh well."
Looking at Madam Zheng's awkward expression, Madam Min Qiao couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Having not noticed in her previous life, Madam Min Qiao only realized this after being reborn: Madam Zheng was actually a proud and arrogant old lady.
They're all over fifty years old, yet they act as awkwardly as little children.
The others in the warm room were so shocked to see the two chatting and laughing that their jaws dropped.
While Madam Min Qiao and Madam Zheng were talking, Wei Jia pulled A Jiu aside to speak quietly. Only Granny Fang was left to wait by Madam Min Qiao's side.
"Where did you just go?" Wei Jia asked sternly, her face grim and her voice low.
Ajiu shook her head, feigning innocence as she explained, "I didn't go anywhere. I just got separated from you and lost my way, and that old lady found me."
"Don't lie!" Wei Jia stared sharply at A Jiu. "When Zhang Yiren left at the door earlier, you secretly followed her! Do you think I didn't notice?"
Ajiu's expression cracked for a moment. She quickly regained her composure and said, "Sister Weijia, what are you talking about? I just left early to use the restroom."
“Ah Jiu, I’ve been in the brothel longer than you. I know exactly how you got there. After that, you were bought by different people several times, and then returned to the brothel each time. I’ve seen all of that.”
Wei Jia glared at A Jiu with a warning look, "I don't know what your past was like, but I'm warning you, if you dare to cause trouble for the Grand Madam, I will make sure you regret it!"
The old lady gave her a place to stay and the opportunity to find her sister. The old lady was her savior, and Songhe Hall was her home. She would never allow anyone to disturb the peace and tranquility she had finally obtained.
"I would never cause trouble for the Grand Madam!" Ajiu bit her lip, her eyes full of determination.
The old lady was the kindest person she had ever met. Only the old lady cared whether she had eaten enough, whether she had eaten meat, and why she was so thin and couldn't gain weight.
Only the Dowager Madam would, upon seeing that there were only two steamed buns and a chopstickful of pickled vegetables in her bowl, instruct the kitchen to ensure that she had meat to eat every noon and could eat her fill at every meal.
Perhaps to others, this is just a trivial matter, but in Ajiu's world, the Grand Madam is the only person in the world who is kind to her.
So how could she possibly cause trouble for the Grand Madam? She would only try her best to repay the Grand Madam.
Seeing Ajiu's confident demeanor, Weijia had no choice but to suppress her doubts for the time being and solemnly warned Ajiu a few more times. Only then did she compose herself and lead the group back to Min Qiao's side with an air of nonchalance.
***
The birthday banquet at the Prince of Chang'an's residence lasted until evening, and only ended after dinner.
Min Rong, however, left the Dali Temple early, before the official business was over, and returned to the Xuanping Marquis's residence.
Ever since he heard Min Qiaoshi's words at the gate of the Prince of Chang'an's mansion from his confidant, he had been on pins and needles, as if everyone in the Dali Temple was laughing at him.
Forget about reading case files or investigating cases, he even felt suffocated just trying to breathe.
Especially when the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review told him to go home early, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon and couldn't wait to rush home.
But after he left the Dali Temple, he suddenly wondered if the Dali Temple Minister was planning to target him.
After all, since he came to the Dali Temple, the Dali Temple Minister has clearly been closer to the Left Vice Minister than to him, the Right Vice Minister.
Min Rong returned to the Xuanping Marquis's residence with a feeling of unease and depression.
"Why did you return so early today, Lord Marquis?"
When Wu saw Min Rong, she was quite surprised.
Min Rong had no interest in arguing with Wu Shi and silently went back to her room to change into casual clothes before coming out.
Before he could even sit down, Madam Wu said, "My lord, you don't know, the old lady actually went out to a banquet today. Tsk tsk, at a time like this, it's really amazing that she dares to go out..."
Wu's words were like a spark igniting a fire in a pile of firewood. In an instant, they transformed all of Min Rong's anxiety, hesitation, repression, and sorrow into a raging inferno.
Before Wu could finish speaking, Min Rong raised his hand and slapped her across the face.
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