Chapter 519 Old Mrs. Qiao's Scheme
"Mother, what are you doing?"
Qiao Qinghe looked at Old Mrs. Qiao with a calm expression.
Grandma Qiao looked at Qiao Qinghe, then at Wei Jia and Feng Yuerou behind her, and the twins being held in the arms of two maids, before saying, "Are the ancestors of the Qiao family enshrined in the ancestral hall?"
Qiao Qinghe was taken aback. Although she didn't know what the old lady wanted to do, she still said truthfully, "Only my grandfather and grandmother are enshrined in the ancestral hall."
Grandma Qiao frowned, wanting to ask something, but then held back.
She said seriously, "Since the ancestral hall enshrines the ancestors of the Qiao family, as an elder of the Qiao family, I have to say a few words."
Qiao Qinghe asked calmly, "What does Mother want to say?"
Old Mrs. Qiao glanced at Wei Jia and said, "Although the Qiao family comes from a merchant family, there has never been a precedent of a maid becoming the mistress of the house."
"If you acknowledge the Feng family and their two children, I won't say anything more."
"However, I will never agree to you acknowledging Cao Shi, this lowly maid, as the first wife of the Qiao family."
Qiao Qinghe's expression turned slightly cold. "Then, according to Mother's wishes, what should we do?"
Grandma Qiao raised her chin slightly. "I think Jingyi is a good boy, and Wang Shi is also a likable person. Moreover, they have a full family of children, so they are obviously blessed. If you want an heir, why not have Jingyi's branch of the family adopted into your name?"
"It's better than having a dead person and a lowly maid occupying the title of the eldest branch of the Qiao family, making us a laughing stock."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Qinghe's face darkened completely.
Wei Jia also slowly lowered her head.
Standing next to her, Feng Yuerou thought she was sad, so she reached out and held her hand, wanting to say a few words of comfort.
But then I caught a glimpse of the faint smile on Wei Jia's lips.
Indeed, Weijia isn't someone who gives up so easily. Moreover, given how much her mother cares for Weijia, she certainly wouldn't allow Weijia to be wronged.
She was worrying unnecessarily.
Sure enough, Qiao Qinghe sneered and said sarcastically, "So that's what Mother was planning to do when she came to the capital?"
"No wonder Mother targeted Weijia the moment she arrived!"
"I originally thought that it was Wei Jia's background that displeased my mother. I never imagined that what really bothered my mother about Wei Jia was her status as the eldest wife of the Qiao family."
"What? Mother has repeatedly tried to force Wei Jia to kneel. Is she planning to abort the child in Wei Jia's womb?"
"Without the child, Weijia won't be able to secure her position as the eldest wife of the Qiao family. Was that what Mother intended from the beginning?"
Grandma Qiao didn't speak, but her face was terribly gloomy. It was clear that her thoughts had been exposed.
Qiao Qinghe continued, "Mother, do you know that the dead man you mentioned is named Qiao Jingyuan? He is also your grandson!"
"The lowly servant you speak of is also your granddaughter-in-law, and she is carrying Jingyuan's only child!"
"Did you consider your sister-in-law's feelings when you did this?"
"Is it only your eldest brother's branch of the family that is considered your son and grandson? Are all the others insignificant?"
Grandma Qiao frowned and argued, "I didn't mean to disown Jingyuan, nor did I disregard his bloodline. Otherwise, the child in Cao's belly wouldn't still be safely inside her."
“I just feel that since Jingyuan is already dead, there’s no point in you adopting him again.”
"Wouldn't it be better to replace him with Jing Yi?"
“Jingyi is smart and capable, and Wang is also filial and virtuous. If you adopt them, they can help you manage this huge Qiao family mansion.”
"What knowledge or skills could Cao Shi, who was just a maidservant, possibly have to help you?"
"I'm doing this for your own good! Don't be ungrateful!"
Qiao Qinghe scoffed, "Is Mother doing this for my own good, or for my elder brother's, or for the Qiao family's?"
Qiao Qinghe bluntly exposed, "Mother made me adopt my eldest brother's son so that my eldest brother's branch could take control of my family business and my connections, and then turn my Qinghe Madam's Mansion into an asset for the eldest grandson of the Qiao family, right?"
Grandma Qiao stopped pretending and said coldly, "That's how it should be!"
"Since you have abandoned the Min family and returned to the Qiao family, you are now a member of the Qiao family!"
"You yourself said that the Qiao family ancestral hall is dedicated to the Qiao family's ancestors. So why can't you use your connections, assets, and wealth to pave the way for the Qiao family?"
"Don't forget, your dowry originally belonged to the Qiao family!"
"You are where you are today entirely because of the Qiao family!"
"If you weren't a daughter of the Qiao family, would you have had the opportunity to marry into the Xuanping Marquis's household? Would you be the Qinghe Lady you are today?"
"Never forget your roots!"
"Hahaha..." Qiao Qinghe laughed loudly, and it took her a long time to stop the grief in her heart. She looked at the old lady Qiao with indifferent eyes.
"Was I married into the Marquis of Xuanping's household?"
"When I was brought into the Xuanping Marquis's residence, wasn't it because the Qiao family gave me to Min Ji as a concubine for their own benefit?"
"As for the dowry... Ha, wasn't that dowry given to Min Ji by the Qiao family in exchange for benefits?"
"Doesn't Mother know that as soon as I entered the Xuanping Marquis's residence, Min Ji took away my 500,000 taels of silver as my most treasured possession?"
"Therefore, Mother should go to Min Ji to ask for the money!"
"As for the rest of the dowry, didn't I return it to the Qiao family when I went back to Jiangnan last year?"
"You..." Old Mrs. Qiao also thought of something and wanted to refute that those things originally belonged to the Qiao family.
But Qiao Qinghe didn't give her a chance to speak.
She scoffed and said coldly, "Is Mother trying to say that those things originally belonged to the Qiao family?"
"Ha, without me, would the Qiao family have been able to get those properties back?"
"Compared to the dowry I was given, the assets I reclaimed for the Qiao family are even greater, aren't they?"
"In that case, I owe the Qiao family nothing!"
"As for the decline of the Qiao family, if the Qiao family hadn't been so greedy, would they have been schemed against and fallen to this state today?"
"If the Qiao family has anyone to blame, it's themselves, and those who plotted against them!"
"And they shouldn't blame me, the victim!"
Qiao Qinghe's words stunned Old Mrs. Qiao. "You, you...you're just making excuses!"
Qiao Jingyi and Qiao Wangshi were also startled by Qiao Qinghe's incessant talking and broke out in a cold sweat.
How could they possibly think that Qiao Qinghe was easy to get along with, easy to talk to, and easy to fool?
Is it just because she was kind and friendly to them, and greeted them with a smile?
But heaven knows, it was clearly the couple who first acted kindly and harmlessly, always wearing smiles and trying to please Qiao Qinghe.
It is said that one cannot hit a smiling face. Since the couple had gone to such lengths to please them and had not done anything wrong, Qiao Qinghe naturally would not make things difficult for them.
The two carefully supported Old Mrs. Qiao, afraid that she might get sick from the anger.
However, the fact that Mrs. Qiao lived to be over seventy years old, traveled all the way from Jiangnan to the capital, and can still argue with her with such vigor shows that she is a strong and healthy old lady.
Qiao Qinghe had previously asked Mu Jin to give the old lady a thorough examination, and Mu Jin said that the old lady was the healthiest old lady she had ever seen. She even said that the old lady's body was stronger than her own, her daughter's.
It's clear how well the old lady has been cared for over the years.
“Aunt…” Qiao Jingyi looked at Qiao Qinghe with pleading eyes, fearing that something might happen to the old lady.
Qiao Qinghe looked at Old Madam Qiao with an indifferent expression, "As for the matter of worshipping the Qiao family ancestors..."
She paused, then smiled slightly. "I can also move my grandparents' memorial tablets out."
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