Chapter 341: Tong Family’s Great Grandfather

Translator: 549690339 |

“Exactly, ehm. That green pill can induce hallucinations, after taking it, all things before one’s eyes look distorted. Qiao Changkang, being a countryman with little knowledge, was panic-stricken after taking it, so I just had to bluff him a little, and he believed me.”

“Then even Qiao Chang’an believed it and thought it was effective.”

Qiao Xiaomai “…”

No wonder she thought Ma Dongshu looked like a charlatan that day.

It turns out he was indeed bluffing.

“Anyway, thank you. Dami, go to the kitchen and serve the dishes,” Qiao Xiaomai said with a smile.

Qiao Dami crisply responded with an “okay,” and trotted off into the kitchen.

There was no rule in the Qiao family that women and children couldn’t sit at the table, so after Qiao Xiaomai returned the cloth to the room, she sat down with Qiao Dami.

Ma Dongshu didn’t mind this either, glancing at the full spread of splendid dishes on the table, his smile was like a Maitreya Buddha’s, “I can finally taste Miss Qiao’s cooking again.”

“Just simple homely food. I hope you won’t mind, Master Ma.”

“Sure don’t, not at all,” Ma Dongshu shook his head, opened the wine jug, and poured two bowls of wine.

He set a bowl in front of Qiao Changsun. He took the other bowl, a nostalgic look flashed across his well-fed face, “Your culinary skill, brings back memories of my mentor. He once described a bowl of white rice, saying it had a translucent brightness, and its fragrance could be smelled from a distance.”

“Moreover, the rice’s fragrance was refreshing and delighted the heart. One sniff could make a person feel invigorated.”

Qiao Xiaomai blinked, how could a bowl of rice be translucent and bright?

“The most amazing thing is, this bowl of rice could revive the dead, rejuvenate the bones. Once, the previous emperor was seriously injured, all doctors were helpless. But after eating this bowl of rice, his injuries rapidly healed and in no time, he was back to his original state.”

Qiao Xiaomai “…”

Seeing Qiao Xiaomai’s speechless expression, Ma Dongshu took a sip of wine, set down his bowl, stretched out his finger, and pointed at her, “Don’t believe it, huh?”

Qiao Xiaomai, Qiao Changsun, and Qiao Dami all shook their heads in unison.

Ma Dongshu’s face took on a solemn expression and his tone became mysterious, quite like the day he was conning Qiao Changkang and Qiao Chang’an, “This bowl of rice, was made by a woman.”

“A woman?” Qiao Xiaomai’s heart skipped a beat. She inexplicably thought of Tong Sanlang’s great-grandmother, who had been a mistress before rising to power.

“Yes. This woman, she’s extraordinary, extremely extraordinary.” Ma Dongshu slapped the table, rolled up his sleeves, and his face held a kind of reverence.

“What makes her so extraordinary?” Qiao Xiaomai couldn’t help but ask.

“She mesmerized a generation of heroes to the extent they abandoned their wives and neglected the empire, all for her, the beauty.” Ma Dongshu paused, his gaze sweeping over the trio, seeing the look of intense concentration on all their faces, he nodded appreciatively.

He picked up his bowl and took a big gulp, then picked up a piece of deep-fried small dried fish with his chopsticks and, after a few chews, swallowed it before speaking again, “Have you ever heard of Prince Pingnan, Gu Yu?”

The three from the Qiao family all shook their heads together.

But although Qiao Xiaomai shook her head, she was certain in her heart.

The woman Ma Dongshu referred to was indeed Tong Sanlang’s great-grandmother, who had been a mistress before seizing power.

The surname of Tong’s great-grandfather was initially Gu, but after Daqi was established, the Tong family needed to hide their real surname and assumed their actual great-grandmother’s surname: Tong.

And sure enough, Ma Dongshu had come to question her.

He got straight to the point immediately, he really was rather eager.

“Have you ever heard of how, during the time of war and chaos of the previous dynasty, several powerful landlords each claimed kingship and one faction even stormed the Imperial Palace and looted the National Treasury,” Ma Dongshu glanced at Qiao Xiaomai, then asked again.