Chapter 673 The Attitude of the Qiao Family
They had only just arrived in the capital and had not yet established themselves there. Jing Lian, the head of the household, was only a lowly eighth-rank official.
No! An eighth-rank official is not even considered an official in the capital!
Therefore, their whole family still depends on Qiao Qinghe for survival!
Therefore, they absolutely cannot sever this family relationship!
Jinglian's wife also looked at Qiao Qingping with a nervous expression and said anxiously, "Father, our family can't sever our relationship with Aunt!"
Qiao Qingping pondered for a while, then looked at Jing Lian's wife and said, "Repeat every single word that Cao Shi said to you from the moment she got off the carriage until you came here."
Although Jinglian's wife was unaware of what was going on, she obediently repeated what she had already said before.
This time, she even managed to mimic Wei Jia's tone of voice quite well.
Finally, after she finished repeating it, the last glimmer of hope in Qiao Qingping's heart completely disappeared.
Cao's attitude was very clear: once the matter was resolved, he would still be the eldest uncle, and Jinglian's wife would still be the cousin's wife.
If things aren't handled properly, they'll end up like the old lady, going from being her elders to strangers.
Qiao Qingping slumped back in his chair, rubbing his forehead with his hand, his expression conflicted, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Xiao Li, were afraid of disturbing Qiao Qingping, so they even softened their breathing.
Because of Qiao Qingping's silence, the entire room fell into a state of stagnation.
Meanwhile, after learning that Cao Weijia had come to visit, Old Mrs. Qiao did not come to pay her respects immediately. Instead, she went to Jing Lian's wife's room to drink tea, showing that she did not take Cao Weijia seriously at all.
Grandma Qiao, who had initially felt guilty for saying things she shouldn't have to outsiders, immediately forgot all about her guilt.
All that remained in my heart was resentment and anger.
Hmph, she'd like to see if that lowly servant Cao would actually come to see her today!
When she arrives, she'll teach her a lesson about the inviolability of an elder's authority!
However, it was not good that Old Madam Qiao was thinking about her. At this moment, she was talking to Qiao Wangshi, Jingyi's wife.
"You mean, the old lady was bewitched by the Qian family's old lady?"
Wei Jia looked at Qiao Wangshi with a half-smile, "Are you trying to excuse the old lady?"
Ever since the old man and his family went to Beijing, Qiao Wangshi's management of the household has been handed over to Jinglian's wife.
In order to avoid being looked down upon by the servants in the mansion, Qiao Wangshi had no choice but to put aside her resentment and return to the old lady's side to enjoy her company.
It was precisely because she frequently visited the old lady's place that Qiao Wangshi noticed the unusual interactions between the old lady Qiao and the old lady Qian.
Qiao Wangshi waved her hands repeatedly, "I'm not trying to excuse the old lady, I'm just stating the facts."
"If it weren't for Old Mrs. Qian's ulterior motives, deliberately getting close to the old lady and deliberately deceiving her into trusting her, the old lady wouldn't have told Old Mrs. Qian everything."
"So, if we really want to investigate, the real culprit should be the old lady of the Qian family."
Wei Jia scoffed, "What you said seems to make some sense."
Just as Madam Qiao was about to be pleased, Wei Jia continued, "However, if the old lady hadn't harbored resentment towards my mother and our Qiao family in Nancheng, she wouldn't have so easily listened to outsiders. Nor would she have said anything detrimental to my mother and the Qiao family."
"Everyone says that family scandals should not be aired in public. The old lady is over seventy years old. Doesn't she even understand this principle?"
"Before my cousin and sister-in-law speak up to defend the old lady, they should think it through carefully before they do."
“I…” Qiao Wangshi’s face turned pale as Wei Jia’s words were used against her.
Did she really have no ulterior motives at all in defending the old lady?
No! She had ulterior motives!
The third branch of the family now relies on the old lady's favor to maintain their position in the mansion. And the entire Qiao family depends on the Qiao mansion for their livelihood. Therefore, she wants to divert attention from the conflict and minimize the damage. A win-win situation for everyone.
It was clear, however, that the Qiao family was unwilling to back down this time.
Just as Qiao Wangshi was in an awkward and embarrassing situation, Jinglian's wife returned.
Madam Qiao quickly got up and welcomed the person in.
Jinglian's wife naturally noticed the unusual situation in the room, but she didn't ask about anything and walked towards Weijia with a faint smile.
“Sister-in-law, Father-in-law happens to be free and asked me to invite you to the study in the front yard to talk.”
Wei Jia smiled and stood up. "Then I'll trouble my second cousin and sister-in-law to lead the way."
"This way, please, cousin-in-law."
Soon, the two went out and arrived at the study in the front yard.
At this moment, Qiao Qingping was already waiting in the study.
After the two entered the room and greeted each other respectfully, Qiao Qingping said, "Jinglian's wife, you can go out first. I need to have a few words with your cousin-in-law alone."
"Yes," Jing Lian's wife replied and left.
To avoid gossip, she did not close the door when she left, but simply sent the servants and attendants waiting at the door away to a distance.
From here, one can see what's happening in the study, but cannot hear the conversation between the two people inside.
Because she knew that this conversation would determine the future of the relationship between the Qiao family and the Qiao family mansion in Nancheng, she didn't dare to leave and waited with the servants.
Inside the house.
Qiao Qingping didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Was coming here today your own idea, or Qinghe's?"
Wei Jia smiled and said, "I don't know about the situation in other households, but in the Qiao family in Nancheng, my mother and I have always been of one mind."
Qiao Qingping looked deeply at Wei Jia, "I understand."
Wei Jia didn't ask Qiao Qingping what he had figured out, but said with her smile unchanged, "I think my eldest uncle has already heard about everything that the old lady has done for my mother and the Qiao family since she came to the capital."
"Then my eldest uncle should know that my mother has been tolerant enough of the old lady."
"At its worst, this incident only adds another charge of filial impiety to Mother's already tarnished reputation. It's insignificant!"
"To put it bluntly, this is betrayal by one's closest relatives! This is irrefutable evidence that leaves the mother with no room for argument!"
"This alone is enough to strip Mother of her title, force the Prince Qi's mansion to take away the young prince, and make the Qiao family of Nancheng lose everything, becoming penniless, and even be convicted of a crime because of it!"
"I suppose my eldest uncle must have heard about how those people in the court impeached Mother earlier!"
Wei Jia's words were forceful and resounding, every word a condemnation of Old Mrs. Qiao, a rebuke to the Qiao family for their inaction and indulgence of the old lady.
Qiao Qingping never imagined that one day he would be lectured by a junior.
Although this younger woman is her nephew's wife, considering her age, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her grandfather.
Qiao Qingping felt that he had lost all face in this one moment.
"Now that things have come to this, I'll lay everything out in the open."
Wei Jia, of course, had no idea how much Qiao Qingping was suffering, and said to herself, "If Uncle cannot manage the Qiao family and the old lady, then the Qiao family can pack their bags and return to Jiangnan."
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