Chapter 351 Peacemaker
Min Qiao looked at Jiang Hongling strangely, "What are you talking about? I don't know anything about this."
Jiang Hongling said with an expression that said, "Grandma, I know everything. Are those rumors outside deliberately spread by the Min family to force you to hand over Min Pan'er?"
Min Pan'er looked at Jiang Hongling in astonishment. "What rumor? Is it related to me?"
During her stay at the Qiao residence, Min Pan'er never left the house. She was always attended to by the Qiao family's maids.
She knew nothing about what was happening outside the manor.
Hearing Jiang Hongling's words, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Madam Min Qiao glanced at Min Pan'er reassuringly, "Don't listen to her nonsense. This has nothing to do with you. Someone is deliberately targeting me, trying to make me back down."
Yes, that's what Min Qiaoshi thought.
In Huizhou, the Min family is like a local tyrant; without their permission, those rumors wouldn't spread to the public.
She had previously guessed that the Min family wanted to recruit her. But once she was on board, who would be in charge?
As a destabilizing factor, will she be able to obey the Min family's orders and be of one mind with them?
Ultimately, the Min family in Beijing and the Min family in their ancestral home of Huizhou were too far apart, so even if they had connections, they were too far away to be of any real influence.
Moreover, she had been neglecting to keep in touch over the years. As a result, the relationship between the two sides became increasingly distant.
If we want to force a merger at this point, we must first make the other party submit.
The Min family probably had this in mind.
First, Min Pan'er brought her to her side, then there was the difficulty during her first visit, and now.
As for how Madam Min died, it is no longer important.
The important thing is that the Min family wants her attitude.
She dared to say that if she just softened her stance, all the rumors circulating about her would vanish in an instant.
Unfortunately, having been reborn, she was used to being unrestrained and didn't want to be bound by anyone, much less be used as a pawn.
In particular, he took advantage of her for her entire life, destroyed her family, and ultimately caused the death of her Min family!
"Grandma, what exactly happened? Did I really cause you trouble?" Min Pan'er looked very uneasy, her eyes brimming with tears, a pitiful sight.
She's truly a natural beauty!
Madam Min shook her head, telling a white lie, "In Huizhou City, the Min family is the only powerful family. They are afraid that my arrival will affect the balance of power in Huizhou City."
"After all, my reputation in the capital isn't very good."
"So they want me to back down and to follow their rules."
"This is a contest between me and the Min family, and it has nothing to do with you."
Min Pan'er's expression softened slightly, but the worry in her heart was not completely dispelled.
Seeing Min Qiao's words, Jiang Hongling didn't argue. In any case, she had already given the necessary reminders.
Her grandfather said that all she needed to do was befriend Min Qiaoshi. She didn't need to worry about anything else.
Well, speaking of this, Jiang Hongling felt that her grandfather was very knowledgeable.
Previously, while still under house arrest, she disregarded the servants' obstruction, rushed out of her home, and stormed into the Min family, publicly humiliating her stepmother, Xiao Qianshi, and Jiang Yingluo. She thought that when she returned home, her father would surely skin her alive.
And that is indeed the case.
After returning home, Xiao Qianshi and Jiang Yingluo told her father about the incident, embellishing the story.
It's said that she not only disregarded sisterly affection and disgraced the Jiang family, but also offended the Min family matriarch, completely alienating them. It's feared that even the marriage between Jiang Yingluo and Min Yongmao might fall through.
Then Jiang Fu invoked the family law and was about to use force against Jiang Hongling.
Jiang Hongling was never an honest child to begin with, and when she saw the whip coming, she immediately dodged it.
When Jiang Fu became enraged and ordered his servants to tie up Jiang Hongling and whip her, her grandfather, Prefect Jiang, arrived.
Then, instead of hitting her, her grandfather lashed out at her father with a whip.
Then, her grandfather took her away.
Her grandfather told her that she liked Min Qiaoshi and that she was free to associate with her. He supported her decision.
With her grandfather's support, her scumbag father and stepmother could no longer control her.
Although she didn't understand why her grandfather supported her association with Min Qiaoshi, as long as he didn't stop her from coming to learn from him, everything was fine.
Oh, there's one more thing.
Jiang Hongling, recalling what she had overheard before leaving, couldn't help but share with Madam Min Qiao with a hint of schadenfreude: "Grandma, the Min family wants to annul the engagement with Jiang Yingluo."
"The engagement is called off!?" Min Pan'er was startled.
Min Pan'er could see how much Xiao Qianshi and Jiang Yingluo cared about this marriage.
Why the sudden change of heart?
It seems that a lot has happened in the Min family during her stay at the Qiao residence!
Unlike Min Pan'er's surprise, Min Qiao was not surprised at all. After all, Min Pan'er had made such a vow that day, and Jiang Hongling had exposed it in public.
Good grief, anyone with a modicum of sense would find it hard not to feel disgusted.
Moreover, judging from the attitudes of Old Madam Min and Madam Jiang that day, Madam Min Qiao guessed that this marriage would not last long.
Sure enough, less than a month later, the Min family was preparing to break off the engagement.
I just don't know what the Jiang family's attitude is.
Soon, Madam Min Qiao learned what the Jiang family's attitude was.
Three days later, Jiang Hongling came to the Qiao residence looking sullen. Upon meeting her, she said that the marriage between Jiang Yingluo and the Min family had not been called off.
Upon inquiry, it was learned that after the Min family withdrew from the engagement, Prefect Jiang personally visited the Min family. After returning, the bride's family was changed from Jiang Yingluo to Jiang Hongling.
Good heavens, this really infuriated Jiang Hongling.
This marriage was originally intended for her. It was only because she disagreed that the marriage was given to Jiang Yingluo.
Now look what's happened! The marriage proposal that we finally managed to turn down is back!
If it weren't for her grandfather's promise that she could freely come and go from the Qiao residence, that he wouldn't stop her from taking a maid as her apprentice, and that he personally instructed the servants to prepare a gift for her apprenticeship, and that he would even agree to let her wait until she turned eighteen to get married, she would definitely have turned against him and run away from home.
After listening to Jiang Hongling's endless lament, Madam Min Qiao said meaningfully, "It seems your grandfather dotes on you."
Jiang Hongling thought for a moment, nodded, then quickly shook her head, saying with a troubled expression, "My grandfather didn't care about me before, and he rarely cared about my brothers and sisters either."
"I don't know why, but recently he's suddenly been really nice to me."
As she spoke, she leaned closer to Madam Min and asked in a furtive whisper, "Grandma, do you think my grandfather is plotting something? Is he planning to scheme against me?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Min Qiao couldn't help but laugh.
This silly girl, she really dares to say anything!
However, judging from Prefect Jiang's actions, he is hedging his bets and trying not to offend either side.
He tried to get close to Jiang Hongling while simultaneously facilitating a marriage alliance between Jiang Hongling and the Min family.
Suddenly, Min Qiao was stunned.
Is Prefect Jiang planning to act as a peacemaker?
Sure enough, the next day, Madam Min Qiao received an invitation from the Jiang family.
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