After finishing her wontons, Qiao Zhen lay down on the table and began writing and drawing on rice paper with a brush.
Emperor Maoyuan leaned over to take a look and was almost amused by Qiao Zhen. On the paper was a drawing of a hideous old woman holding a chubby baby, with a woman beside her weeping.
The old woman had three large characters on her body: Madam Ge.
Qiao Zhen drew and wrote, making dozens of copies of the same picture. Then she went to the inn to buy a bowl of rice porridge, and then went to the streets and alleys to paste those rice paper sheets.
Emperor Maoyuan followed behind Qiao Zhen, providing physical support. He said with a wry smile, "Didn't you say that people's hearts are the most useless thing? These Xuan papers pasted on the wall won't affect Madam Ge at all, and will only anger her. Be careful she doesn't mistreat your son."
Qiao Zhen pretended not to hear what Mao Yuan said. Her waving hand was full of anger. "I'm not going to fight for steamed buns. Even if it doesn't affect Madam Ge, I'll still annoy her. So what if she abuses my son? I can't see it."
Emperor Maoyuan looked at Qiao Zhen with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, "Truly, the most poisonous heart is that of a woman!"
"She took my son away, so what if I stick some paper on the wall to annoy her and damage her reputation? I'm not as ruthless as her!" Qiao Zhen didn't stop until all the Xuan paper in her hand was pasted on the wall. Then she asked in surprise, "Brother Mao, didn't you go to war with General Ge?"
Emperor Maoyuan shook his head, "No, I suffered internal injuries and need to recuperate for a while."
Afterwards, Emperor Maoyuan escorted Qiao Zhen back to the courtyard she and Pan Zhao rented before leaving. Once back, he sent someone to tell Madam Ge to behave herself.
However, Madam Ge pretended to be deaf and dumb to the messages sent by Emperor Maoyuan, and refused to send the child back to Qiao Zhen or let Qiao Zhen into the Ge family.
Qiao Zhen made a scene for two or three months before finally giving up. In her mind, she would give him a taste of his own medicine. Madam Ge held her son and waited for Pan Zhao to return before leaving with him.
To sum it up in one sentence, it's like this: Come on, let's hurt each other!
Mrs. Ge would occasionally bring the baby out to play, and Qiao Zhen would only take a look from afar each time. After confirming that her child was safe, she would quietly leave.
Because Pan Zhao was reborn, the course of events deviated from the expected path, so two years passed in the blink of an eye, and Pan Zhao still hadn't returned to the capital.
Qiao Zhen opened an embroidery workshop in the capital called Mancao Workshop, which now has over a hundred employees. The workshop is full of highly skilled embroiderers who usually embroider large garments or embroidery for birthday celebrations and gifts. The business is booming.
In particular, Qiao Zhen was skilled in double-sided embroidery, and many people went to Mancao Workshop because of her craftsmanship. As a result, Qiao Zhen also made friends with many powerful and influential people in the capital.
Pan Zhao and General Ge conquered half of the neighboring country's territory. They pressed their advantage and captured the neighboring country's wealthy cities. Now, Pan Zhao is a well-known figure in the capital. He is like a dark horse that has emerged from the ranks of the powerful and wealthy.
But no one knew that the dark horse's wife was also in the capital, and that his wife was the same street ruffian whose child had been taken by Madam Ge, who was now the well-known owner of Mancao Fang.
In March, General Ge led his army back to the capital. The people of the city went to the city gate to welcome them. General Ge was in the lead, and Pan Zhao was on the left behind him.
"Mother, I heard the General and the others have returned. Shall we go to the city gate and join in the fun?"
Qiao Zhen was furious and embarrassed, "You're not allowed to call me 'Zhen Niang'!"
Every time someone calls her effeminate, she feels like they are criticizing her for being effeminate.
So, are you going or not?
"I'm not going."
"Alright then, I'll go. I heard that General Ge is followed by General Pan. I've only heard about him from others before, but today I'll finally get to see him in person. Aren't you going? It's quite lively up ahead."
"I'm not going. I mean it."
When the woman heard Qiao Zhen firmly say she wouldn't go, she had no choice but to give up and then went with her friends to join in the fun.
Qiao Zhen put down the embroidery she was holding and sighed wearily. The woman had just said that Pan Zhao had returned with General Ge, which showed Pan Zhao's status. "Axiu, bring me my 'Year After Year Abundance' painting."
No one responded to her.
"Ah Xiu?"
Still no one responded, so Qiao Zhen had no choice but to go out and bring down the "Year After Year Abundance" painting that was drying in the yard. She muttered to herself, "They're all spoiled. It's just a triumphant return to the capital, is it really necessary to leave the yard completely deserted?"
The embroiderers' excited and delighted voices came from outside the courtyard. Qiao Zhen looked up and touched the cloth hanging on the bamboo pole. "Help me take down the pattern when you get back. Are you taking advantage of my short stature?"
A large hand parted the cloth embroidered with the "May you have abundance every year" pattern, revealing a face that had not been seen for a long time.
Pan Zhao strode forward and hugged Qiao Zhen, "I'm back."
Qiao Zhen stared blankly at the person in front of her. She wrapped her arms around Pan Zhao's neck and jumped three feet high. She said happily, "You're back!"
Pan Zhao buried his face in Qiao Zhen's neck and took a deep breath of Qiao Zhen's scent: "Mmm."
Qiao Zhen pulled Pan Zhao into the house and took out all the clothes she had embroidered for Pan Zhao over the years. "Quickly, your clothes must be very heavy. Change into something lighter."
"Okay." Pan Zhao took the clothes from Qiao Zhen's hands, but his eyes were glued to Qiao Zhen and wouldn't look away.
Qiao Zhen pushed him into the inner room, and then planned to go out and tell the cook to prepare some good food. However, as soon as she opened the door, there were five or six embroiderers lying on the ground outside. "You were eavesdropping so intently. You didn't even hear my footsteps."
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