Chapter 7

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Qiao Jinniang nodded. She was never one to swallow insults.

She didn’t want to waste time on these people, but since Mrs. Lin had provoked her, if she tolerated it, others would think she was a pushover.

Everyone in the Duke Mansion all felt guilty towards her. With them behind her, Qiao Jinniang didn’t have to tolerate this person at all.

No matter what kind of a person she was, Mrs. Lin was in no position to lecture her.

And this woman was obviously implying that she was vulgar!

The Duchess’s face darkened. She then said, “Mrs. Lin, you really educate your daughter well!”

With that, she brought Qiao Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyi back to the Duke Mansion.

After they entered the Duke Mansion, the concierge hurried forward and said, “Madam, the Duke is back, and he specifically set aside two hours of his time to see Third Miss today. The spring hunt is just around the corner, so he might not have time to come back in the near future.”

The spring hunt was an important event in the Tang Dynasty where the emperor would lead the civil and military officials to hunt.

Among the four major hunting events in the year, the spring hunt was the most important.

Qiao Jinniang followed the Duchess to a hall and saw a handsome and majestic man who looked still young. In his armor, it seemed as though he had just returned from the barracks.

“Is she Jinniang?”

At those words, Qiao Jinniang immediately knelt and said, “Father, I’m Jinniang.”

Duke Anyuan hurriedly helped Qiao Jinniang up and said, “Get up quickly. Sorry, my daughter.”

The Duchess snorted. Duke Anyuan was to blame for her daughter’s suffering. If he hadn’t indulged that little b*tch, her daughter would not have been separated from her for so many years.

Fortunately, her daughter’s foster parents had treated her well. Moreover, they were in a period filled with peace and prosperity, so Jinniang didn’t have to worry about food and clothing.

Qiao Jinniang didn’t get up. She instead knocked her head on the ground hard, saying, “Father, please help me find Tuan’er back.”

Duke Anyuan asked in surprise, “Tuan’er?”

Qiao Jinniang recounted what had happened in Lin’an. “That jerk brought Tuan’er to Chang’an a few months ago, and what was sent back to Lin’an was only a divorced letter…”

Duke Anyuan clenched his hands. “B*stard, how dare that guy insult my daughter like this! Don’t worry. I’ll have my men to look for your son. Although there are many nobles in Chang’an City, it’s easy to find someone who had been missing for three years and came back with a child.

“Well, I remember His Royal Highness has just come back from the South with a two-year-old child. ”

The Duchess snorted. “Even if you want to be the Crown Prince’s father-in-law, I don’t think my daughter is that lucky. How can the Crown Prince possibly marry into a merchant family? You must be dreaming.”

Duke Anyuan felt very guilty for his wife, so he had been avoiding her in the past few months. He simply said,

“I’m not saying that the man is the Crown Prince. I just gave an example.

“Jinniang, just wait in the Duke Mansion. I’ll have my men investigate this matter secretly, so don’t worry.”

How could Qiao Jinniang not worry? But in Chang’an, all she could rely on was the Duke Mansion.

Although she had money, in Chang’an, money didn’t work as well as power.

“Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad.”

After Qiao Jinniang left, Duke Anyuan said to the Duchess, “His Majesty seems to intend to let Ruoshui marry into the East Palace, but I heard that she is grounded?”

“She is spoiled by you. I’ve already discussed it with Mother. Ruoshui is not fit to marry into the East Palace. Our family doesn’t have to get involved in the harem fight at the East Palace.”

Duke Anyuan thought in the same way. “Yes, it might not be a good thing for Ruoshui to marry into the East Palace. As my daughter, she doesn’t need to marry just for the sake of power.”

“Get her a fiance.”

The Duchess said with a frown, “It’s time to get her a fiance, but Jinniang is older than her. And she has just come back, so I want her to stay by my side longer. I don’t want to let her marry so soon, but if she isn’t married, it’s inappropriate to let Ruoshui marry first.”

“Then get Jinniang a fiance first. Choose a scholar who has a good personality and doesn’t mind her former marriage. You can get them engaged first and hold the wedding for them in two years.”

Qiao Jinniang didn’t know that her parents had already planned to choose a new husband for her.

She went to tell Duke Anyuan’s subordinates what that jerk looked like.

Qiao Jinniang learned guqin, chess, calligraphy and painting since she was a child. She had learned everything well, except for painting. With that in mind, she drew a rough outline with an ink brush before saying in satisfaction, “This is what he looks like.”

Duke Anyuan’s subordinate took the portrait, feeling sorry for Qiao Jinniang. Why did Miss marry such an ugly man? And he even dared to divorce her!

“Miss, don’t worry. I’ll find the Little Master as soon as possible.”

Before the spring hunt, a flower viewing feast would be held in the palace, and the event was meant to select wives and concubines for the princes.

However, this time the flower viewing banquet was held by the Queen Dowager and Imperial Concubine Xian, with the Queen not participating, so some noble ladies were not quite interested.

No river was wide enough when you had crossed the sea. Which prince could be compared to the Crown Prince?

It just so happened that the day of the flower viewing banquet was the same day that the Duke Mansion would host a banquet for their second miss.

The noble ladies and girls in Chang’an all used the banquet of the Duke Anyuan’s Mansion as an excuse to reject the feast held by Imperial Concubine Xian.

On this day, Qiao Jinniang got up very early and was dressed up by several maids. When she finally stood in front of a bronze mirror, even she was slightly taken aback. Was this noble woman in the mirror really her?

The dress on her was as exquisite and beautiful as what fairies wore. Even her embroidered shoes were decorated with two big pearls. In this outfit, she looked really elegant and noble.

“Miss, not good, the Third Miss of the Duke Qin’s Mansion and Princess Fulu both came today.”

Yingtao hurried in and reported in a panic. Qiao Jinniang asked, “Is that bad?”

Hongling explained to Qiao Jinniang, “There are many large and small cliques among the noble ladies in the capital, and the two largest cliques are respectively headed by Qin Miaomiao, the Third Miss of the Duke Qin’s Mansion, and the only daughter of Princess Shou’an, Princess Fulu.

“Princess Shou’an is the Emperor’s sister and the Queen Dowager’s beloved little daughter. She had a difficult delivery of Princess Fulu, and so she only had this daughter. Thus, she doted on her very much. Princess Fulu was known as the First Female Dandy in Chang’an.

“The daughters of military officials were headed by Princess Fulu.

“On the other hand, the Third Miss of the Duke Qin’s Mansion was famous for her talent in literature and graceful manner since childhood, and had been the model of noble women. Therefore, she is the head of the daughters of civil officials who called themselves aristocrats or those who tried to act like aristocrats.

“Whenever these two parties meet, it was like diamond cut diamond, there would definitely be trouble!”

Hearing this, Qiao Jinniang just smiled. “Chang’an City is really lively.”

At the gate of the Duke Mansion, Princess Fulu got off her horse and spotted Miss Qin who had just gotten off the carriage. She teased, “Qin Third, did you come so early today to see the girl who should have become your sister-in-law? Tsk, you always claim to be the head of the noble girls, but unfortunately, you have a slave girl as your sister-in-law!”

Miss Qin shook her fan hard and said, “I can’t be compared to someone who is obsessed with marrying her cousin, the Crown Prince. Moreover, the Crown Prince actually forbids her from entering the East Palace in case she leads the little imperial grandson astray!”

Fulu and Qin Miaomiao would try their best to humiliate each other every time they met.

Without considering the consequences at all.

Fulu was furious. “I really feel sorry for you. The blood of slaves will flow in the veins of the descendants of your Qin family forever.”

Just then, Qiao Ruoyun happened to get off the carriage, and her eyes were instantly red when she heard this.

Fulu caught a glimpse of Qiao Ruoyun and stomped her feet. “Ah no, don’t cry. I’m talking about Qin Third. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

The quarrel at the gate passed from the mouth of the maids to Qiao Jinniang’s ears. At that moment, Qiao Jinniang had a hunch that today’s banquet would be very lively.

When she went out, the noble ladies and girls were all amazed.

“She’s gorgeous!”

“Girls who grow up in the South all look so gentle.”

“She’s worthy of being the daughter of Duke Anyuan. Look how graceful she is.”

“She doesn’t look like she grew up in the countryside at all.”