Liu Xun's wife had previously appeared alongside her arrogant and domineering daughter, Liu Ajiao, when Lu Kang was still the prefect, and had bullied Qiao Jingjing once.
At that time, Qiao Jingjing didn't even know what this lady's surname was.
Upon arriving at the mansion, Qiao Jingjing finally understood that Prefect Liu's wife's surname was Wang.
Qiao Jingjing then addressed her as Madam Wang.
After reporting her morning work to Prefect Liu, Qiao Jingjing returned to her room, ate some snacks, drank a bowl of meat soup prepared for her by the cook at Prefect Liu's residence, and then began working on her plan.
Didn't we say we'd hold a meeting and training session for all the agricultural officials, big and small, within three days? Qiao Jingjing can't write the seal script here, so she has to have Xiao Qiao write it for her while she dictates. First, make a draft, then take it to Prefect Liu and have his scribes make dozens of copies.
As it turned out, Madam Wang didn't care what Qiao Jingjing was busy with.
Madam Wang, accompanied by her numerous concubines, personally came to find Qiao Jingjing.
"Pull that vixen out of me!"
Aren't there a few servants standing at the door of this house, responsible for guarding Qiao Jingjing?
Under Madam Wang's imposing presence, the servants were like mere decorations.
Then Qiao Jingjing and Qiao Manman were treated like objects and shoved out by the plump maids around Madam Wang.
Qiao Jingjing's face was still covered in ink, and Qiao Manman's sleeves were also splattered with ink.
Look at that!
The concubines, who had been feeling quite apprehensive and uneasy along the way, chuckled upon seeing this.
"What are you talking about, Madam? They're just two little girls who haven't even grown up yet!"
"She'll learn those seductive tricks to seduce our philandering husband!"
"Hmph, our master is used to taking pity on women. It doesn't matter if you're younger or from a poor and ordinary family. If you fawn over him and say a few nice words, our master will give you a meal."
Madam Wang looked at the two Qiao sisters with an unfriendly expression.
"Tell me! What methods did you use to seduce my master? He even had the steward prepare a room specifically for you, saying that you, Mr. Qiao and his brother, should also move in! What, has the world changed for you two? Not only do we have to support you two freeloaders, but also your father and brothers, a whole bunch of idlers?"
"Come, come, let me see if you, you vixen, have given birth to a son or gotten pregnant after serving the master all morning! Come, come, let me take a good look! Such a grand display. Are you trying to put on airs in front of me, Madam Wang!"
Qiao Jingjing and Qiao Manman were suppressed by Madam Wang and forced to kneel on the ground.
Lady Wang sat gracefully in her chair, holding a cup of hot tea in her hands, with a group of favored concubines standing behind her.
She stood high above, looking down at the two beautiful young women below.
I felt a mix of emotions.
She was neither as young nor as well-endowed as the other favored concubines.
None of them were as pretty as the two sisters in front of them. Look at their eyes, so clear and bright, their faces so beautiful, their hair as black as a waterfall, their fingers as slender as scallion roots. Even kneeling there, they looked so pitiful.
"Madam, you've misunderstood! My sister lives in the mansion, not as a concubine for the prefect..." Qiao Manman felt wronged on Qiao Jingjing's behalf after being teased by Madam Wang.
As soon as Qiao Manman opened her mouth, an old woman directed by Madam Wang raised her hand and slapped her.
That hard slap slowly knocked Qiao to the ground.
Qiao Jingjing tried to help, but couldn't.
Qiao Jingjing glared at the old woman.
The old woman was even more impolite, and was about to slap Qiao Jingjing again.
This time, Qiao Jingjing reacted quickly and grabbed the old woman's hand.
During her university years, her military training instructor taught her grappling techniques. All she had to do was press down on the old woman's wrist with her other hand, and the old woman would scream in pain.
Madam Wang simply couldn't believe it.
Madam Wang was furious.
"You bitch, you really are a bitch! You bitch, you provoked my Ah Jiao, and now you've come to my house again to annoy me? Come on, guards, hold this bitch down and beat her."
Qiao Jingjing was still holding the old woman's hand; she had already stood up.
He twisted his arm around her neck and strangled her.
"Madam, can't we talk this out properly? You keep calling me a 'bitch,' is that befitting your status as the wife of the prefect? You've been so aggressive and accusatory towards me this morning, what evidence do you have? Did I offend the prefect, or you, or anyone else in this household?"
"Madam has immense power over the affairs of the household and its inner courtyard. Does she not know that my sister and I are merely guests here, not members of your household, and therefore not subject to your beatings and scoldings?"
"Your mother laid a hand on my sister; she has to apologize!"
Qiao Jingjing was choking the old woman, who was about to suffocate. Her face turned red, her neck bulged, and her veins stood out.
Lady Wang was so anxious that she jumped up and down, and her appearance was quite similar to that of Liu Ajiao.
They really are mother and daughter.
"Make my men apologize to...to...this brat?"
"Apologize! If you don't apologize, I'll strangle her."
"What? You bastard...you dare threaten me?"
“Madam, we just made an agreement! Please watch your mouth, it’s better to act like a lady. I’m easy to talk to. If someone treats me with the utmost respect, I will treat them with even more respect. If someone doesn’t distinguish right from wrong, I won’t give them any face.”
This old woman had been with Madam Wang for many years.
In front of everyone, Madam Wang couldn't be so heartless; she would lose face watching her old maid being strangled to death. Madam Wang finally softened her tone: "Speak, what do you want? You... don't hurt my people."
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
