Chapter 202 The Crown Princess Arrives
Mrs. Liu, who was standing nearby, chimed in, "That's right. My eldest nephew has already entered officialdom, and with my eldest niece looking after him, his future is limitless."
"You should be burning incense in gratitude if your niece can become my nephew's concubine."
"You don't actually think your niece is some kind of precious treasure, do you?"
Those who had initially hoped to arrange a marriage alliance lost interest after hearing the Wu family's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law speak ill of Qiao Yuanyao.
She seems like a decent person, but as the Wu family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law said, she's so old and still unmarried, there must be something wrong with her.
Moreover, the Wu family has the Crown Princess backing them up. With the relationship between Min Qiaoshi and the Wu family so strained, marrying Qiao Yuanyao might bring trouble upon herself.
Those who originally came to watch the show were now watching the situation unfold with great interest, and some even echoed the sentiments.
"It is better to resolve enmity than to let it fester. If this marriage can be arranged, the past grievances between the two families can be resolved, which would be a good thing."
"Who can argue with that? Miss Qiao is getting on in years, and the young master of the Wu family is quite promising. It doesn't seem like anyone would be getting the better deal or the worse off if Miss Qiao became the young master's concubine."
...
The Wu family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked down at Min Qiaoshi with arrogant disdain.
The people in the hall were all chiming in, fanning the flames, and the atmosphere was like a powder keg, just waiting for someone to ignite it.
Qiao Yuanyao, who had been sitting silently next to Zhou Shi, tried several times to stand up and do or say something, but Zhou Shi held her arm tightly each time.
Feeling the tight grip on her wrist, Qiao Yuanyao knew that her mother was also angry. However, this was the Xuanping Marquis's residence, her aunt's place, and they had to save face for her aunt and not do anything excessive.
Qiao Yuanyao, seething with resentment, fixed her gaze on Min Qiaoshi.
What will her aunt do? Will her aunt, as she said before, not let her suffer any injustice?
Qiao Yuanyao quickly received the answer.
Just as everyone was waiting to see Min Qiao's attitude, they saw Min Qiao stand up with a smile, walk past Old Madam Wu, walk up to Madam Liu, the third wife of Wu, raise her hand, and slap her across the face.
"Do you have the right to interrupt when your elders are speaking?"
Min Qiaoshi wiped the hand that had just slapped Liu Shi with a handkerchief, then threw the handkerchief on the ground with a look of disgust, stomped on it, walked back to her seat, and sat down again, her posture relaxed.
Liu covered her face in disbelief, "You, you dare to hit me?" And in front of so many people!
Liu had never been so humiliated in her life. Her eyes reddened with anger, and she looked pleadingly at Old Mrs. Wu.
Old Mrs. Wu was so angry at Min Qiao's slap that she was furious.
Min Qiao's slap landed not only on Liu's face, but also on her face, on the Wu family's face, and on the Crown Princess's face.
"Well done! Before, when my good-for-nothing third daughter-in-law said that Madam Qiao didn't respect the Wu family or the Crown Princess, I just thought she was talking nonsense. Now it seems that I wronged her!"
Old Mrs. Wu roared angrily, "Ms. Min, let me tell you, if you don't apologize to my daughter-in-law today, this matter is not over!"
As soon as Old Mrs. Wu finished speaking, Madam Min raised her hand and slapped her across the face.
"I respect you because you are Old Madam Wu. If I don't respect you, you're nothing!"
Madam Min Qiao retorted without holding back, "Don't think that just because you have the Crown Princess backing you up, I'm afraid of you!"
"I'm not afraid of the Lu family, the Sun family, or that whole bunch from the Annan Marquis's mansion, so why would I be afraid of your Wu family?"
"She's just taking advantage of the Crown Princess's power to act arrogantly. Does she really think she's the King of Heaven?"
"How dare you humiliate me and my niece like this! Slapping you two, mother and daughter-in-law, would be too lenient!"
Just then, a sudden voice rang out from afar.
"How about you slap me a couple of times too?"
The voice was both gentle and shrill; gentle in its timbre, shrill in its tone. It was a beautiful voice, yet the shrill tone made it harsh.
As everyone looked over inquiringly, they saw a young woman dressed in fine clothes, adorned with pearls and jade, and exuding an extraordinary air, walking slowly towards them, supported by a female official.
Those of low rank had never seen the woman before and were curious about who she was.
Then someone in the crowd exclaimed in a low voice, "Why is the Crown Princess here?"
As soon as the Wu family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law turned around, they saw the Crown Princess approaching gracefully. Their eyes immediately welled up with tears, and they went straight to the Crown Princess.
Madam Min Qiao also saw the Crown Princess. Just as she was wondering why no one had come in to announce her arrival, she saw a little maid who had been stopped at the door so anxious that tears were streaming down her face.
Madam Min Qiao understood immediately; it seemed the messenger had been stopped by the Crown Princess's people. That's why she hadn't received the message beforehand.
The same thing happened with the Wu family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law before. She had just received the news and hadn't even invited anyone in yet, when the person walked in on their own.
Now the Crown Princess is behaving like this again.
It seems that the Wu family is all of the same ilk, with no regard for rules.
Just as Madam Min was inwardly criticizing the Wu family, the old lady of the Wu family was already wiping away tears and complaining to the Crown Princess.
"My life is so hard! I've raised my son and granddaughter, working so hard all my life. And now, in my old age, I've been humiliated in public! How am I supposed to live like this?"
As she spoke, the old lady of the Wu family knelt down before the Crown Princess, saying, "Crown Princess, you must let me stand up for you!"
The Crown Princess could not allow her own grandmother to kneel before her, so she immediately ordered someone to help her up.
"Grandmother, please calm down. Your granddaughter will never let you suffer injustice for no reason."
The Crown Princess gave Old Madam Wu a reassuring look.
Turning around, she looked sharply at Madam Min Qiao and said, "Madam Qiao, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Madam Min curtsied and then asked in a calm and unhurried manner, "May I ask in what capacity Your Highness the Crown Princess is questioning me now?"
The Crown Princess frowned slightly, her eyes filled with displeasure. "What does the Grand Madam think?"
Madam Min smiled and said, "If Your Highness were to question me as the granddaughter of Old Madam Wu, I would only slap you and tell you that when elders are speaking, juniors should not interrupt."
Upon hearing this, everyone gasped in shock.
That's really bold of you!
Is Lady Min Qiao out of her mind? She actually tried to slap the Crown Princess!
They're truly courting death!
The Crown Princess's face instantly turned ashen, and her beautiful eyes blazed with fury.
But before she could speak, Madam Min Qiao continued, "If Your Highness questions me as the Crown Princess, then I will have to speak with the Crown Princess."
The Crown Princess suppressed the surging anger within her and asked in a resentful voice, "What did you say?"
Madam Min Qiao chuckled and said, "Old Madam Wu came uninvited, and the moment she arrived, she demanded that my niece become her grandson's concubine. What? Does she think I, Madam Min Qiao, am so kind-hearted that I can be humiliated like this?"
"So what? Isn't it your niece's good fortune to be my elder brother's concubine?" The Crown Princess said dismissively.
Madam Min Qiao sneered, "My niece may not be a daughter of an official, but she is still a daughter of a wealthy family! Why would she give up being a proper wife to become a concubine in your family?"
"Such a blessing, if I offered it to you, would you want it?"
As she spoke, Min Qiao looked around at the onlookers.
"Here you go, do you want it?"
Everyone shook their heads and backed away.
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