Ever since General Ge revealed his shameless nature, Qiao Zhen has never dared to look him in the eye again.
Fortunately, everyone returned to the capital within half a month. Pan Zhao wanted to pawn his jade pendant for some money, but Qiao Zhen stopped him, saying, "You don't have to give up something so important for me. Besides, I can still do embroidery. I promised to share some of the burden with you. If coming to the capital is just adding to your burden, then I'd rather go back now."
Pan Zhao simply stroked the patterns on the jade pendant with his large hand. He pulled Qiao Zhen into a hug and said, "No matter how important the jade pendant is, it's not as important as you. Even if you weren't pregnant today, I wouldn't let you suffer because of me."
Undeniably, such blunt truths are more powerful than sweet words. Even Qiao Zhen, who was used to the ways of the world, couldn't help but feel a tremor in her heart. She snatched the jade pendant from Pan Zhao's hand and then took out several dozen taels of silver from her bosom. "My private stash. Didn't I say before that I could embroider? Those are all double-sided embroidery. Last time I was lucky enough to run into a sucker who raised the price of a handkerchief to fifty taels."
She then became somewhat smug, saying, "I'm not bragging, but I sell my embroidery skills. I used my own savings to come to the capital this time, and as for your jade pendant, consider it collateral."
Pan Zhao hugged Qiao Zhen and kissed her on the left and right, his joy and affection growing with each glance. "The best thing that ever happened to me was marrying you," he said.
So Pan Zhao rented a courtyard in the capital. The courtyard was small but complete, and everything inside was neat and tidy. However, Pan Zhao still spent a lot of effort cleaning everything in the courtyard.
After Qiao Zhen took Pan Zhao's jade pendant, she rummaged through the room for needles and thread, then hung the pendant around her neck. Such an important item, of course, had to be worn around her neck every day to show how much she cherished it!
Pan Zhao took Qiao Zhen out for a walk and bought some vegetables and fruits. He protected Qiao Zhen like a mother hen, and his overprotective attitude sometimes drew sidelong glances from others.
Chu Chu: [Drink some multigrain soup! Black beans, millet, rice, peanuts, and green soybeans. Black beans nourish the kidneys, millet helps with sleep, and peanuts are good for brain development. Plus, all the plants here are completely natural, with no added drugs, so you don't have to worry about food safety.]
Qiao Zhen: [How do you know so much? Aren't you just someone who eats peanuts?]
Chu Chu glanced at the small pregnancy and childcare book she was holding. "You are my master, and the child in your belly is my little master. How can I let you fight alone in that world? That doesn't align with the original intention of our Divine Pet School."
Qiao Zhen: [Tell me, how many candies did you take from God Taibai this time?]
Chu Chu: [I'm the one who beeps—]
Qiao Zhen: [You lied, got banned, right?]
Chuchu, the timid girl: [The God Taibai said that as long as the child in your belly is born safely, he will give you all these candies.]
A hamster paw print appeared in Qiao Zhen's mind. [Five?]
Qiao Zhen's mind conjured up another image of a plump peanut. [Fifty...fifty peanuts!]
Chu Chu: [That's right, how about we split it 20/80?]
Qiao Zhen: [Excellent!]
After Pan Zhao and Qiao Zhen finished dealing with the matters in the courtyard, he took Qiao Zhen to pay his respects to General Xie Ge.
Mao Yuan was also at General Ge's mansion, and General Ge and his subordinates all seemed to have a certain respect for Mao Yuan.
At least that's what Joe really thinks.
Pan Zhao knew perfectly well that Mao Yuan was the current emperor, Emperor Maoyuan. He already knew this when he met Emperor Maoyuan in the military camp, but he did not tell Qiao Zhen.
It can only be said that Qiao Zhen's image as a gold digger was deeply ingrained in Pan Zhao's mind. Pan Zhao was afraid that Qiao Zhen would do something irreversible in a moment of impulsiveness, and Pan Zhao also dared not easily reveal the emperor's whereabouts.
Don't let Pan Zhao's naiveté fool you; he's actually quite shrewd. He understands that some things can be done more effectively when the other party's identity is unknown, or that certain positive images can be cultivated without knowing the other party's identity.
Qiao Zhen stood gently and considerately beside Pan Zhao, trying her best to shrink her neck to appear timid and cowardly.
Then a man who looked like a butler entered. He pointed at Qiao Zhen and said, "Master! This is the double-sided embroidery done by this lady. The First Madam is very pleased with it."
Qiao Zhen looked at the fool in front of her who was better left unseen, and covered her face with her sleeve. "Are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else? I'm just a rough servant."
The butler said firmly, "Impossible! When I was young, I followed my master in his campaigns, and I judge people by their eyes. Although your appearance has changed a lot, your eyes can't lie to me! Oh dear, I know you feel that your embroidery is not worth the price, but that's just my old eyes failing me. My mistress said that your double-sided embroidery would be worth a hundred taels in the capital. My master and mistress are not people who are greedy for cheap things. I will send fifty taels later, hoping that you will embroider a few more pieces for my mistress in the future."
After learning the truth, Qiao Zhen immediately put down her sleeves and said bluntly, "It's good that you know you've wronged my embroidery. But good embroidery cannot be measured by money, while money can directly reflect its value. If you refuse to reflect its value, then you are burying it. If I hadn't been in urgent need of money that day, why would I have sold it to you in such a hurry?"
The housekeeper hurriedly apologized.
Mao Yuan chuckled and put his arm around Pan Zhao's shoulder. Looking at Qiao Zhen's lovely face, he couldn't help but lean close to Pan Zhao's ear and say enviously, "Brother Pan's love star is in an excellent position. With Sister-in-law Pan being so capable, Brother Pan will have great fortune in the future."
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
