Chapter 322 Leaving the Capital
Inside were deeds to shops and houses worth 50,000 taels of silver, as well as a thick stack of large-denomination banknotes.
"This..." I was truly stunned. "Grandmother, aren't you giving too much?"
Madam Min smiled and said, "Take it. This is your dowry. I gave your third sister a similar amount of dowry when she got married."
Third sister? I still haven't realized it.
Lady Yongning said with a smile, "No wonder Lady Enping had a dowry of 108 loads when she got married! It turns out that the Grand Madam contributed a lot!"
Madam Min Qiao didn't say much more, but only said to Huan Zhen, "You're about to leave with me, so leave these things to your mother to take care of."
"Yes." Without hesitation, she handed the item to Lady Yongning.
Lady Yongning stared in astonishment at the object in her hand, her eyes filled with gratitude as she looked at Madam Min.
At that moment, she actually understood what Madam Min meant.
Once the items are in her hands, isn't it up to her to decide what to do with them? These things are less like a real dowry and more like a pretext to compensate the Yongning Marquis's mansion.
However, she wouldn't touch these things; she wanted to save them as a dowry for Zhen Huan in the future.
Lady Yongning has departed. Madam Min Qiao and Zhen Huan personally escorted her to the gate and watched the carriage disappear into the distance.
Seeing the reluctance in Zhen Huan's eyes, Madam Min Qiao couldn't help but ask, "Since you can't bear to leave your mother, why do you still want to leave with me?"
He answered irrelevantly, "My mother is very good to me. But I still prefer to stay by Grandmother's side."
"and……"
"And what?" Madam Min looked at Zhen Huan with suspicion.
“I fear that one day, my mother will despise me as much as the Marquis of Yongning.”
He gave a wry smile and explained, "Everyone has their own bottom line. When Yu Yin'er died, the Marquis of Yongning did not pursue the matter."
"But Madam Yu was his bottom line. Madam Yu is dead, so he despises me, hates me, and wishes he could kill me."
After a pause, he continued with a wistful expression, "Even if I kill Yu Yin'er and Madam Yu, my mother will still protect me."
"But what if one day I can't resist killing Marquis Yongning?"
Will my mother still stand by me?
During this time, she had seen all of Yongning Marquis's resentment and scheming towards Min Qiao Shi behind his back, as well as his insults and torment towards Yongning Marquis's wife.
She didn't know how much longer she could tolerate the Marquis of Yongning.
So, just in case, it's best for her to stay out of sight!
After hearing what Zhen Huan had to say, Madam Min Qiao couldn't help but reach out and ruffle Zhen Huan's hair, sincerely exclaiming, "My Zhen Huan has grown up. He even knows how to think about problems now. Very good!"
"Madam..."
"Why call her 'Grandma'? Call her 'Grandmother'."
"Yes, Grandmother."
At this point, Madam Min Qiao seemed to remember something and reminded the others, "I am no longer the Grand Madam of the Xuanping Marquis's Mansion, so you should change how you address me."
"If not Grand Madam, then what should we call her?" A-Shuang asked curiously.
Wenxiu was the first to suggest, "Should we call her Madam?"
Ah Shuang chimed in, "Call him ancestor?"
Ah San asked, "Call her 'old lady'?"
Asi chimed in, not wanting to be outdone, "How about we call him Master?"
In the end, Madam Min made the final decision, instructing her subordinates to call her "Old Madam" from then on.
As for herself, well, once she left the capital, she was Qiao Qinghe, Old Madam Qiao! No longer Madam Min Qiao!
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Madam Min Qiao got up early, had breakfast, and got ready to leave the city.
Min Qiaoshi, along with Zhen Huan and Ashuang, sat in the first carriage.
The remaining ten or so maids, including Asi, rode in two separate carriages, while the servants and young men, carrying the chests and belongings, rode in seven more carriages.
The convoy lined up in a row and set off from the entrance of the Qiao residence, looking quite impressive.
Old Qiao and seven others guarded the front and rear of the caravan. The meticulously arranged 200 men would only join the caravan after they left the city.
Many people came to see them off today, but they all tacitly followed behind the motorcade.
Once the caravan had left the city, the original convoy of ten carriages had expanded to more than a dozen.
When they reached a point ten miles outside the city, Madam Min Qiao had the carriage stopped.
The carriages behind also stopped.
She was waiting here for the group that had left the city half a month ago to catch up. She had sent them away earlier in case something went wrong. But thanks to an imperial edict from Emperor Xiaozhao, she was safe. Those who had left earlier had settled in a manor on the outskirts of the capital. Now they were leaving with her.
In addition, she wanted to wait for the people from the Earl of Enping to arrive so that she could say goodbye to the people who came to see her off.
Min Qiaoshi alighted from the carriage and slowly walked towards the back of the convoy.
They had only taken a few steps when the people who came to see them off all got off their carriages.
"Grandma!" "Grandma!"
First to greet them were Min Yuexi and Su Rongrong. They had arrived in the same carriage.
Because of Min Qiao's departure, the two sisters, who were not related by blood and had never had much interaction before, became much closer.
Seeing the two of them arrive hand in hand, Madam Min smiled, a hint of expectation for Min Yuexi hidden in her eyes.
Her departure undoubtedly hit Min Yuexi the hardest.
However, instead of being discouraged, Min Yuexi seized the opportunity to quickly start planning for herself, turning passivity into initiative, and it seems that she has indeed made a lot of progress.
"Good children, it's been hard for you to follow me all this way." Madam Min Qiao smiled and took their hands, saying softly, "Grandmother doesn't know if she will ever have the chance to return in this lifetime. Please be careful in everything you do in the capital."
Su Rongrong said instinctively, "Grandmother will definitely come back! I'll be waiting for Grandmother in the capital!"
After Su Rongrong finished speaking, Min Yuexi said, "Grandmother, please have the carriage travel slowly on the road and take care of yourself."
“Yes, I will.” Madam Min Qiao looked at Min Yuexi. “I’ve already spoken to Doctor Mu. Go back and see her. She will help you regulate your body and completely remove the residue left by the poisoning.”
Min Yuexi nodded, "Thank you, Grandmother!"
As the three generations of the family were talking, the Duchess of Jin, along with Madam Zheng, came up to them.
Following them were Zhou Shi and her daughter Qiao Yuanyao, as well as Feng Yuerou, who was heavily pregnant.
After saying goodbye to everyone, Madam Min Qiao finally approached Feng Yuerou and asked, "You're still not fully recovered, why did you come along?"
With red eyes, Feng Yuerou threw herself into Min Qiaoshi's arms and said in a low, hoarse voice, "I want to go with you."
Madam Min sighed helplessly and gently patted her, "What nonsense are you talking about? You're due to give birth in less than two months. How can you withstand a long journey at this age?"
"I understand." It was precisely because she understood that she couldn't go with them that she felt so lost and helpless.
"As for the Lady of Annam..." Madam Min hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she didn't say anything.
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