Chapter 529 The Scheme in King Qi's Words
Qiao Qinghe spoke to Madam Zheng and then walked to the side, asking Shiyi, who had already been brought over, "What happened in the manor?"
Shi Yi quickly said, "The Lady of Enping has arrived. She spoke with the First Madam alone for a while, and then the First Madam asked me to invite the Old Madam back to the mansion in a hurry."
Qiao Qinghe frowned. "Didn't the First Madam say what it was about?"
He shook his head in genuine concern: "She didn't say. But, judging from the way the First Madam looked, she seemed very nervous."
"Nervous?" Qiao Qinghe asked, puzzled.
Shi Yi nodded, then thought for a moment and said, "Oh, right, when Lady Enping came, her eyes were red, she must have been crying."
Qiao Qinghe no longer needed to guess; the matter definitely involved Su Rongrong, something that could make Su Rongrong sad and Wei Jia nervous...
Qiao Qinghe suddenly thought of a possibility.
She froze, her expression changing drastically. Could it be?!
She was both shocked and frightened, and no longer caring about anything else, she hurriedly ordered, "Have the carriage ready at the gate. I'll go tell the princess that we'll return to the manor."
"Yes." A Shuang responded and ordered someone to find a coachman, while she herself quickly followed behind Qiao Qinghe, protecting her at all times in case she fell if she walked too fast.
Qiao Qinghe quickly went to Madam Zheng's side and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, something happened at home, I have to go ahead."
"I must now bid farewell to Princess Huaiyang. Would you like to stay here a little longer, or come with me?"
"Let's go together." Madam Zheng patted Qiao Qinghe's hand. "Don't rush, the more you rush, the more chaotic things will become. You've never been an impatient person, so stay calm, there's always a way to solve things."
Qiao Qinghe knew that Madam Zheng was trying to comfort her, so she forced a smile and sincerely thanked her, "Thank you."
When the two returned to the reception hall, Li Sanqi and the King of Chu were already there, and even the King of Qi was present. However, Princess Min Yuexi of Qi was not there.
There were also a few more guests in the flower hall.
Qiao Qinghe glanced around and saw that, apart from Qiao Yuanyao and Qiao Ning, all the guests at the banquet were elderly ladies from various families.
It's clear that besides Li Sanqi's fondness for interacting with the old lady, there's also the Empress Dowager's influence at play.
Of course, only a few families who were close to Li Sanqi came; there weren't many people.
Upon seeing Qiao Qinghe and Madam Zheng enter, Li Sanqi quickly greeted everyone and stood up to welcome them.
"I just said I would send someone to look for the two old ladies, and coincidentally they have returned."
Li Sanqi said with a smile, "Everyone has arrived, and it's getting late. Let's prepare to start the feast."
He then reached out and took their hands.
Upon seeing this, Qiao Qinghe quickly said, "Princess, please forgive me. Something urgent has happened at home, and I'm afraid I can't stay for the banquet. I have to rush back now."
Li Sanqi asked in surprise, "Did someone from the manor come looking for us?"
Qiao Qinghe nodded: "I'm afraid I'll spoil the princess's good mood. Please forgive me, princess."
Li Sanqi waved his hand and reassured her, "It's alright. I'm living outside the palace now, and we'll have plenty of opportunities to get together in the future. Things at your residence are more important. I won't keep you any longer."
"Thank you, Princess." Qiao Qinghe curtsied. "Then I will take Yuanyao and Qiao Ning and leave now."
Li Sanqi pouted and said, "I haven't even spoken to Yuanyao yet. Let her stay and play with Miss Qiao for a while. I'll personally send a carriage to take them back later."
Then he added, "Don't worry, I promise to take good care of them and make sure they don't lose a single hair."
Qiao Qinghe quickly replied with a smile, "Your Highness is too kind. Our girls are not that delicate. However, we will still need Your Highness's help in the future."
"No problem."
"Then I'll take my leave now."
After saying her goodbye, Qiao Qinghe nodded to Madam Zheng and left two maids and two old women to look after Qiao Yuanyao and Qiao Ning. Then, she quickly left the flower hall with A Shuang.
However, Qiao Qinghe had only walked a short distance from the flower hall when she heard someone calling her from behind.
"Grandmother, please wait."
Qiao Qinghe frowned, turned around and saw Prince Qi hurrying up to catch up. She subconsciously reminded him, "The Empress Dowager is His Highness's biological grandmother. I am not worthy of Your Highness addressing me as such."
King Qi chuckled awkwardly, "The old lady is the Queen's grandmother, and naturally she is also my grandmother."
Qiao Qinghe was in a hurry to get back, so she didn't intend to argue with him. She said "I dare not accept such praise" and asked directly, "Did the Prince of Qi call me back because he has something to say?"
The Prince of Qi quickly got to the point: "I suppose the old lady already knows that my mother wants to take a concubine for me?"
Before Qiao Qinghe could answer, he quickly pledged his loyalty, saying, "Don't worry, Madam, my love for the Princess is genuine. No matter how many women enter the Prince's residence in the future, the Princess will always be the Princess, and she will always be the person I care about most!"
Is this to show loyalty and, incidentally, to inform her that a new woman is coming to the Prince's mansion's backyard?
Qiao Qinghe scoffed inwardly, about to say something to brush it off and get away as soon as possible.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, and she forcefully suppressed her anxiety to rush back to the manor.
Seeing that Qiao Qinghe remained silent for a long time, King Qi thought that Qiao Qinghe was angry and was about to say something.
But before he could even open his mouth, Qiao Qinghe's eyes suddenly turned cold, and she looked at him with a mocking expression.
"Madam..." Prince Qi was about to ask Qiao Qinghe why she was looking at him like that.
Then Qiao Qinghe said in an icy tone, "The Prince of Qi said that the Princess Consort will always be the Princess Consort?"
King Qi nodded: "I guarantee it..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted again.
"So, is the King of Qi planning to use the Queen and then forget about her?"
King Qi was taken aback and before he could react, Qiao Qinghe mocked again, "Or is it that King Qi never even considered that position?"
"Or perhaps, the Prince of Qi is trying to deceive the Princess and me?"
"The princess will always be the princess. So, if one day Prince Qi gets what he wants, shouldn't the people standing by his side be replaced by daughters from the Zhang family, the Wang family, or even the Liu family?"
Qiao Qinghe deliberately emphasized the words "Liu family girl," almost instantly exposing the Liu family and Prince Qi's scheme.
Upon hearing this, King Qi's expression instantly froze.
I was trying to play dumb just now, but I can't keep up the act anymore.
"Madam, you've misunderstood. I didn't mean that," Prince Qi quickly promised. "Don't worry, Madam. As long as the Princess and you both fully support me in ascending to that position, I can guarantee that the only person standing by my side will be the Princess. If you don't believe me, I can..."
Qiao Qinghe raised her hand to interrupt Prince Qi, "That's all too far ahead. I know Prince Qi came today to inform me that the Liu family's daughter will be brought into the palace soon."
"Please forgive me, Madam," King Qi said politely.
Qiao Qinghe didn't stop her, but said with a half-smile, "Whether the Prince Qi is sincere towards the Princess, I don't know. How things will develop in the future, I also don't know."
"But right now there is one thing that can prove Prince Qi's feelings for the Princess and the Qiao family, but I don't know if Prince Qi is willing to do it."
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