Chapter 523 On the Way to the Banquet
The next morning, Qiao Qinghe took Qiao Ning out for the banquet as promised.
For this, she was ridiculed by Old Mrs. Qiao for quite a while. She said she couldn't bring them, but in the end, she brought them anyway.
Qiao Qinghe didn't argue with her and got into the carriage with Qiao Ning.
On the contrary, Qiao Ning hurriedly apologized to Qiao Qinghe after getting into the car.
Qiao Qinghe didn't take Old Madam Qiao's ridicule to heart, so naturally she wouldn't hold a grudge against Qiao Ning.
When the carriage turned onto Sanchi Lane to pick up Qiao Yuanyao, Qiao Ning hesitated and said, "Aunt, how about I don't go? I can stay at Second Madam's house for a day. When Aunt returns to the mansion in the evening, I will go back with Aunt."
When Zhou Shi and Qiao Yuanyao saw Qiao Ning, they wondered why Qiao Qinghe would bring Qiao Ning out with her.
Hearing Qiao Ning's words, he was filled with even more doubts.
Qiao Yuanyao was not afraid of trouble, and immediately began to ask questions.
It was Zhou who glanced at Qiao Ning before pulling Qiao Qinghe aside to ask her about the situation privately.
Qiao Qinghe didn't hide anything and told the old lady that she wanted Qiao Ning to attend the banquet, and that if she didn't, the old lady would go to Min Yuexi.
Qiao Yuanyao frowned unhappily. "Grandma is getting more and more senile as she gets older. Bringing people to such occasions without invitation, isn't she afraid of being criticized and losing face?"
Mrs. Zhou glared at her daughter helplessly, "You're not allowed to talk about your elders behind their backs."
After scolding her daughter, she looked at Qiao Ning with pity before saying to Qiao Qinghe, "It's really tough on Qiao Ning. She's so young and has to do things she doesn't like."
Although Zhou had been feigning madness for the past few years, she was not entirely ignorant of the Qiao family.
She had practically watched Qiao Ning grow up. She was a very quiet little girl, well-behaved and never very talkative.
“Since she doesn’t want to go, why don’t we let her stay here with me?” Zhou suggested.
Qiao Yuanyao didn't speak, but looked at Qiao Qinghe.
Qiao Qinghe thought about it and realized that there was nothing wrong with it.
But in the end, she shook her head and said, "I'll take her with me to the banquet."
"It's better to resolve some concerns sooner rather than later."
Zhou looked at Qiao Qinghe with suspicion, but seeing that Qiao Qinghe didn't intend to say anything more, she didn't press the matter.
Qiao Yuanyao was also curious, but she was going to the banquet too, and she would find out what Qiao Qinghe was going to do later. So she didn't press the matter.
The group boarded the carriage and headed straight for the Duke of Jin's residence.
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of the Duke of Jin's mansion.
Upon hearing the news, Madam Zheng quickly came out with her daughter-in-law, Bai.
After exchanging greetings, the two sides boarded their respective carriages.
This time, Qiao Qinghe was pulled by Madam Zheng into the carriage of the Duke of Jin's mansion.
Once in the car, Madam Zheng asked curiously, "Why are you bringing two young girls with you?"
"Those who know you are going to Princess Huaiyang's housewarming banquet. Those who don't know you would think you're taking your unmarried daughter to find a match."
Qiao Qinghe smiled helplessly, "Isn't it just to take them to be matched with potential partners?"
"Is that really so?" Madam Zheng's lips twitched. "Among the people who came today, I'm afraid there isn't anyone suitable?"
Madam Zheng's words were still too euphemistic.
In fact, the people invited to the banquet today are all of very high status and position, far beyond the reach of a mere merchant's daughter.
Unless the Qiao family daughter wanted to become someone's concubine, she might be able to rely on her aunt/great-aunt Qiao Qinghe to make some plans.
But then again, given Qiao Qinghe's personality, would she really allow her own niece/grandniece to become someone's concubine?
If she were truly willing, Qiao Yuanyao wouldn't have been in Beijing for two years and still not found a husband.
Seeing that Madam Zheng was serious, Qiao Qinghe smiled and shook her head, "Alright, I was just joking."
“Yuanyao was invited to the banquet. As you know, she served Princess Huaiyang for a few months back then. It seems that Princess Huaiyang still cherishes the friendship from that time.”
Madam Zheng suddenly laughed and said, "Look at me, I had completely forgotten about that."
"And what about your grandniece? She doesn't look very old to me, does she?"
Qiao Qinghe nodded: "Yes, he will just turn thirteen after the New Year."
"So, this child is of marriageable age?" Madam Zheng asked hesitantly. "You don't really intend to find her a husband among the families of those attending today's banquet, do you?"
Qiao Qinghe shook her head, "How could that be? I just brought her out to broaden her horizons."
“My grandniece is a woman of principle. She said she would never become a concubine. I thought it was because I saw that she had backbone that I wanted to take her out more often to toughen her up.”
"After I get married, I won't be so submissive and let others bully me."
Hearing this, Madam Zheng was somewhat moved. "In that case, this child has a good character. I think this child is also blessed. He will surely find a good family in the future."
Qiao Qinghe sensed the implication in her words and tentatively asked, "Do you have a suitable candidate in mind?"
Madam Zheng smiled, not giving a definitive answer, "No rush. Let me take a look first."
Qiao Qinghe didn't press the matter, and nodded with a smile, "There's really no rush."
Seeing that the two had come to an end to their conversation, Lady Bai, the Duchess of Jin, who was sitting to the side, smiled and said, "Madam, I have had someone deliver the silver notes that you asked me to give to the Yang family girl."
"The person who went there came back and said that the girl from the Yang family cried a lot. She must be grateful for your kindness."
Qiao Qinghe smiled but didn't reply.
She knew that Bai was trying to ease the tension between her and the Yang family.
After all, the reason why Bai's maternal uncle, Gu Juren, would arrange a marriage with the Yang family was mostly because of his relationship with Qiao Qinghe.
However, that previous incident ultimately affected her relationship with the Yang family.
Although she had asked Granny Fang to bring Xiao Hongbao to visit her at the mansion, more than two months had passed, and Granny Fang had only come to wish her a Happy New Year once, bringing with her the shoes, socks, and headband that Liao Shi and her daughter Yang Honglan had made for her. After that, she never visited her again.
Because she had many things to do, and with Old Madam Qiao and others coming to Beijing, she didn't pay much attention to the Yang family and their affairs.
But Ah Shuang was observant and secretly asked Chen San to inquire about the Yang family. Only then did she learn that the Yang family members all had some complaints about her.
After that incident, Yang Zhong and Liao were dismissed.
After that, the two of them kept looking for work.
But finding a decent, easy, and well-paying job like before is not so easy.
Moreover, even if such a job were available, wouldn't every family prioritize sending someone they trust to take it on?
Where would outsiders like Yang Zhong and Liao get a chance?
Therefore, neither of them could find a job that suited their taste for a while.
As Qiao Qinghe broke down Yang An's tasks into smaller parts and found people to take over them one by one, Yang An was completely rendered useless.
Before Qiao Qinghe could even offer to dismiss him, he voluntarily resigned.
After that, the Yang family lost all their livelihood.
With all his jobs gone and his farmland in the suburbs of Beijing sold, and with two scholars, Yang Hongyuan and Xiao Hongbao, to support at home, life was extremely difficult.
As the saying goes, even a hero can be brought down by a penny.
Without a livelihood, the Yang family faced increasing hardship, and their initial guilt towards Qiao Qinghe gradually turned into resentment under the trials of life.
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