Chapter 216 The Show Begins
As soon as Madam Min entered, the two rough-looking old women guarding the little girl lifted her from the chair. They then wiped the chair with ingratiating expressions and invited Madam Min to sit down.
After Min Qiaoshi sat down, she gestured for the person to be released.
The two old women then untied the ropes binding the little girl and removed the gag from her mouth.
After being untied, the little girl rubbed her sore cheeks, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Min Qiaoshi, Min Yuexi, and Qiao Yuanyao with hostility.
"Tell me, who sent you?" Madam Min asked bluntly.
The girl was taken aback, a hint of unease flashing in her eyes, before she said impatiently, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm here to settle scores with Qiao Yuanyao!" The young girl glared at Qiao Yuanyao, who was standing behind Min Qiao Shi. "That shameless woman, she's too old to get married, so she comes here to seduce my fiancé!"
"If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll go to the authorities and sue you!"
Min Qiao ignored the girl's threat and asked calmly, "Didn't the person who sent you here tell you that for a family like ours, making someone like you disappear without a trace is easier than eating and drinking?"
The little girl curled her lip and scoffed, "This is the capital! Under the Emperor's nose! Do you dare to treat human life so lightly?"
"Besides, I told my family before I came!"
"If I don't go back by noon, they'll report me to the authorities!"
"Hmph, let's see how you try to justify yourselves then!"
Madam Min smiled. "It seems you came prepared?"
The little girl gave a soft hum, her smugness evident in her expression.
"Tell me, what was the purpose of that person summoning you here?" Madam Min Qiao looked at the young girl with a calm gaze.
The little girl frowned, suddenly sensing something was wrong.
Damn it, her purpose in coming here today is to ruin Qiao Yuanyao's reputation, to make her lose face and be unable to face anyone.
However, she had only uttered a few curses before she attracted any onlookers and was arrested by the people from the Marquis of Xuanping's residence.
So, did she complete the mission or not?
Just then, someone else arrived at the door. Min Yuexi went to the door and, after hearing the message, quickly walked to Min Qiao's side and whispered, "Grandmother, another man has arrived outside, accompanied by a large group of people. He says he's here to find his fiancée."
Min Qiao glanced at the little girl, a slight smile playing on her lips, and suddenly became interested.
They were definitely prepared.
She said, "There's no one to watch the show, so who is this little girl trying to impress?"
"Let's go, the opera performers are here, let's go out and take a look."
Min Qiao stood up and walked out first.
Min Yuexi hesitated for a moment, "Grandmother, should we call them in..."
If we say it at the main gate, it will probably attract a crowd of onlookers.
At that time, regardless of whether the matter is true or false, the reputation of the Marquis of Xuanping's mansion and Qiao Yuanyao will be affected.
Of course, the Marquis of Xuanping's mansion doesn't have much of a reputation now.
But Qiao Yuanyao isn't married yet, shouldn't she have some reservations?
Madam Min waved her hand and smiled, "Let's go, don't worry about so much."
With that, he went out of the house first.
Qiao Yuanyao followed closely behind.
Min Yuexi no longer hesitated and had the old woman take the little girl out the door.
At the main gate, a simply dressed, handsome young man with a refined demeanor was anxiously gazing at the gate of the Xuanping Marquis's residence.
He was accompanied by a dozen or so men and women, and the group clearly had ill intentions.
"Release them immediately! Otherwise, we'll report this to the authorities!"
"Is the Marquis of Xuanping's residence a den of tigers and wolves? How can a perfectly healthy person go in and never come out?"
"That's right! Chun Ya said she's going to the Marquis of Xuanping's residence to demand an explanation."
...
Everyone started talking at once.
It quickly attracted a crowd of onlookers.
When Madam Min came out, she saw people gathering from all directions.
The Xuanping Marquis's residence is located in the eastern part of the city, a place where even the wealthy cannot afford to live.
Moreover, this area is divided into prefectures and districts, and there are only a few dozen such places in the entire eastern city.
The large crowd that surged in clearly wasn't just ordinary neighbors who had gathered after hearing the news.
Madam Min turned her head and beckoned Wenxiu forward, whispering to her to go and see where these people came from.
Go tell Chen San to investigate what happened today.
Wen Xiu accepted the order and left.
When the people gathered at the door saw someone come out, they immediately rushed forward.
Before they could get close, Ah Jiu, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, picked up the person at the front and threw him away.
Ah Jiu was strong and used a heavy hand; with this throw, several people fell to the ground.
Everyone was startled and immediately took a large step back, no longer daring to rush forward.
"Everyone, stand down the stone steps. Anyone who dares to take a step forward, I'll break their legs!"
Ah Jiu surveyed the crowd from her elevated position. If it weren't for that move just now, no one would have imagined that a girl of about ten years old could possess such strength.
After finishing speaking, Ajiu returned to Min Qiao's side, muttered a few words to herself, turned around and went back to the Marquis's residence. Soon she came out with seven or eight burly guards, who lined up on both sides to maintain order.
Now, that group of people behaved even more.
Madam Min smiled as she looked at the still lingering pain on the face of the lead guard, and then at Min Yuexi, who stood to the side with an unhappy expression.
It seems that these guards are not under Min Yuexi's control.
Someone brought out a chair for Madam Min.
Madam Min sat down leisurely, then looked at the group of people below the stone steps with an air of ease.
"Who is in charge?"
"What leader or whatever? We're here to find someone!"
"Yes, I'm here to find my sister!"
"I'm here to find my daughter!"
"Where have you hidden my daughter?"
"Hand over the person immediately!"
...The group of people started talking all at once again.
In particular, a thin, sharp-looking middle-aged woman jumped up and down, shouting, "Where have you hidden my daughter?"
"Did you kill him to cover your tracks?"
"Your daughter from the Marquis's mansion seduced my daughter's fiancé, and you won't even let her demand an explanation?"
"Damn it, did you guys do something to my daughter?"
Madam Min Qiao waved to the back, and the two old women released their grip and pushed the little girl out.
The little girl, now free, immediately rushed to the woman's side, her eyes brimming with tears, and said, "Mother, they wanted to kill me!"
"Their cousin seduced Brother Junyan. When I went to their house to demand an explanation, they actually tried to kill me to silence me!"
"Waaaaah...I'm so scared!"
The crowd immediately erupted in uproar.
"Such a thing really happened?"
"The cousin of the Marquis of Xuanping's family? You wouldn't be referring to Madam Qiao's niece, would you?"
"Hey, didn't Madam Qiao hold a banquet a while ago to find a husband for her niece?"
"Oh dear, what's there to look at? I heard the banquet was ruined by the Crown Princess's family."
"That's not all. The Wu family has spread the word that Miss Qiao is the concubine chosen by their eldest grandson. They're just waiting for Madam Qiao's approval before they come to take her away."
"Ha! Who would dare to be in a relationship with Madam Qiao's niece now?"
"Isn't that right?"
"Tsk tsk, how pitiful!"
"Hey, what's there to pity! There's always a reason why someone is pitiful. Look, he can't get married, so he's trying to steal another girl's fiancé!"
"That can't be, right?"
“Why not? This young man looks like a scholar, and he is quite handsome. If he focuses on his studies, he may well have a bright future.”
"Marrying a young man like this is better than being an old maid at home for the rest of her life, right?"
...
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