Chapter 406 Qiao Jingyuan's Dilemma
Min Qiao's eyes narrowed slightly, and her expression immediately became serious.
"What exactly happened?"
"It was Marquis Pingyan, that old thief who tricked my brother!" The old woodcutter clenched his fists, hatred surging in his eyes.
It turns out that more than 30 years ago, shortly after Min Qiaoshi married into the Xuanping Marquis's mansion, Min Ji used his connections to transfer Qiao Jingyuan out of the assassin organization.
This is also why Lao Qiao later replaced Qiao Jingyuan in the assassin organization.
After Min Ji transferred Qiao Jingyuan out of the assassin organization, he secretly trained him under the guise of saving the Qiao family, leading him through several twists and turns until he finally entered Emperor Xiaozhao's secret agent organization.
At first, Qiao Jingyuan thought that Min Ji represented Emperor Xiaozhao.
Therefore, he told Min Ji everything about his situation in the spy organization and the information he obtained from it.
In other words, Emperor Xiaozhao was his official master, while Min Ji was his master in secret.
He had always thought that the two were actually the same thing.
Therefore, even after Min Ji arrived in Daxi, Qiao Jingyuan continued to provide Min Ji with information.
Until the intelligence network in Da'e malfunctioned and the Second Young Master Yuan died in battle, he was also sent to Da'e by Emperor Xiaozhao.
He then discovered that the real reason why the Second Young Master Yuan died in battle was that Min Ji had carried out a major purge of the spy organization on Da'e's side.
He eliminated all those who remained loyal to Dayan.
Qiao Jingyuan's arrival was tantamount to a lamb entering a tiger's den.
Qiao Jingyuan never dreamed that Min Ji would abandon his wife and children in Dayan and the Min family's ancestral legacy, completely betraying Dayan.
However, by then it was too late.
The information he revealed to Min Ji over the years has become irrefutable evidence of his betrayal of Dayan.
Therefore, whether he was willing or not, he was branded with Min Ji's mark from the very beginning! When Min Ji betrayed him, he was destined to follow in his footsteps and become a rebel.
Moreover, Min Ji also firmly holds the lives and deaths of everyone he cares about in his hands!
Min Ji had made it very clear to him that if he didn't cover it up for him and didn't follow his orders, he could make Zhou Shi and Qiao Yuanyao die quietly.
It could also instantly turn the Marquis of Xuanping's family into rebels, leading to their confiscation of property and extermination of the clan.
Even the main Qiao family, located far away in Jiangnan, could be wiped out by him overnight.
At that moment, Qiao Jingyuan had no choice but to compromise!
However, Qiao Jingyuan did not show any hostility or indignation. On the contrary, he remained quite calm, regarding Min Ji as a god and respecting him as a benefactor.
He repeated the same words he had used to persuade Min Qiaoshi to Min Ji.
He said that it was Min Ji who helped the Qiao family escape the quagmire of Jiangnan and avoid the disaster of having their property confiscated and their clan exterminated.
It was Min Ji who married Min Qiao, which led to Min Qiao's meteoric rise from a merchant's daughter to the matriarch of a noble family.
Min Qiaoshi's noble status also brought protection to his mother and sister.
Therefore, he was genuinely grateful to Min Ji! He was willing to follow his lead without question and be utterly devoted to him!
"So, he fooled Min Ji." This is a statement of fact.
Madam Min recalled the day she met Qiao Jingyuan in the inner study of the Marquis of Pingyan's residence, the words Qiao Jingyuan had said to her, and how Qiao Jingyuan remained unfazed when Min Ji stabbed him.
That's truly excellent acting!
Because he even fooled her.
The old woodcutter nodded. "My elder brother said that only if you believe he betrayed us will Marquis Pingyan believe he truly betrayed us."
"Aunt, please think of a way to save my elder brother!"
The old woodcutter suddenly said emotionally, "My elder brother knows that his crimes are unforgivable, so he wants to sacrifice himself to kill Marquis Pingyan at the crucial moment and buy us a way to survive!"
So that's how it is?
Because he inadvertently betrayed information about Dayan, and was coerced by Min Ji after arriving in Daxi, coupled with the fact that the forces within Dayan that colluded with Min Ji were vast and mysterious, Qiao Jingyuan had no choice but to feign betrayal for fear of harming others.
Madam Min patted the old woodcutter on the shoulder. "Get up. I know about your elder brother's matter."
"Does my aunt have any way to save my elder brother?" the old woodcutter asked hopefully.
Madam Min smiled and said, "Okay."
"Really?" Old Woodcutter was a little incredulous. His aunt's answer was too straightforward, making him wonder if she was lying to him.
"You don't trust me?" Madam Min Qiao asked unhappily.
"No, I was just too surprised," the old woodcutter quickly explained. "Auntie's words are too absolute."
"I have my own methods. However, the prerequisite is that we must expose the conspiracy of the marriage alliance, get rid of Min Ji, this big troublemaker, and prevent Dayan from falling into Da Xi's trap!"
Min Qiao paused, then added, "Of course, it would be best if we could safely bring the Seventh Princess back to Dayan."
"Does Aunt want my elder brother to atone for his sins with good deeds?" The old woodcutter suddenly understood.
Min Qiao nodded.
What she didn't say was that not only did Qiao Jingyuan need to atone for his crimes, but she, the old lady of the Xuanping Marquis's mansion, needed to do so even more!
Compared to Qiao Jingyuan's unintentional mistake, she, as Min Ji's wife, is even more unforgivable!
Fortunately, she still possessed a dragon-patterned jade pendant bestowed upon her by Emperor Xiaozhao. Complete pardon was impossible, but at least her life could be spared.
As for your claim that it was bestowed upon Min Ji, and that Min Ji betrayed it?
Then that has nothing to do with Madam Min.
Anyway, the jade pendant was in her hands, so even if Emperor Xiaozhao didn't want to acknowledge it, she could still make it fulfill its proper value.
The old woodcutter spoke earnestly and sincerely, saying, "Aunt, don't worry, just tell me what you need me to do. I'm willing to do anything to save my elder brother!"
Madam Min smiled and replied, "Okay."
After the old woodcutter left and Wei Jia returned, Madam Min Qiao told Wei Jia everything about Qiao Jingyuan before saying, "You probably don't need to do anything with Qiao Jingyuan; he will cooperate with us."
The old lady said this because she was afraid that she might do something extreme that would be irreversible.
“I understand what the old lady means.” Wei Jia smiled and changed the subject. “It’s perfect. Qiao Jingyuan hasn’t betrayed me, so I don’t need to be wary of him anymore.”
"Therefore, Madam, I would like to humbly request your permission for my marriage to Qiao Jingyuan."
Madam Min Qiao was taken aback. "Aren't you already married?"
Wei Jia shook her head. "We only announced to the outside world that we were married, but we didn't actually have a wedding ceremony."
"Now that Qiao Jingyuan's matter has been clarified, I want to marry him and become a real couple."
"I humbly request that the old lady grant my request!"
Madam Min looked at Wei Jia with a probing gaze, "Do you really want to marry Qiao Jingyuan?"
"Yes." Wei Jia said seriously, "I think the old lady has also realized that I have long been in love with him. It's just that I have been suppressing my feelings because he may have betrayed Dayan."
At this moment, Zhen Huan, who had been watching the show, chimed in, "Madam, Sister Wei Jia is not young anymore. It's rare for her to find a man she likes. Please agree."
Madam Min sighed inwardly, but finally nodded: "Okay."
She didn't know why Wei Jia would make such a request at this time, but based on her understanding of Wei Jia, she knew that Wei Jia would never make such a request without a reason.
They are now in a dangerous situation, their future uncertain, surrounded by peril. Now is definitely not the time for romance.
Wei Jia is not the kind of person who would be troubled by love and lose her mind.
Given these circumstances, the fact that Wei Jia still proposed to marry Qiao Jingyuan could only lead Min Qiao to believe that Wei Jia had ulterior motives.
As for their motives, it's actually quite easy to guess.
It's simply that they still don't trust Qiao Jingyuan, so they want to use their feelings to put another shackle on him.
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