Chapter 102 - The Zheng Family's Plots
Chapter 102 – The Zheng Family’s Plots
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Although the Duchess and Qiao Lu were dying, Qiao Ruoshui was healthy, and Old Madam Qiao asked to take her granddaughter back first.
However, the Zheng family said that in case the Duchess would have an emergency, it would be better for her baby girl to stay with her.
At that time, Old Madam Qiao felt very guilty for her daughter-in-law, so she agreed.
Old Madam Qiao felt a terrible headache when she recalled this, and pressed her temples with her fingers.
“Tf you want to find evidence for this, you have to start with the mammies who served Ruoshui in the Zheng family, but it’s been 16 years, and I’m afraid it will be difficult to find any evidence.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “No matter how difficult it is, I won’t give up. If the daughter of the Zheng family replaces my younger sister who died early to become the daughter of a duke, then how can we just let the Zheng family make Mother suffer in guilt for the rest of her life?”
Mammy An’s panicking shouts suddenly rang outside. “Madam, Madam, wake up!”
Qiao Jinniang went out, only to see the Duchess, who had fainted.
She had planned to tell the Duchess euphemistically after obtaining solid evidence, but unexpectedly she had heard it now.
Old Madam Qiao ran the Buddhist beads through her fingers and sighed. “Alas.”
In the main courtyard.
After taking the Duchess’s pulse, the imperial physician said to Qiao Jinniang, “County Mistress, your mother fainted because of sudden rage and agitation. After I gave her acupuncture treatment, she has already woken up. Remember not to stimulate her anymore.”
Qiao Jinniang paid the imperial physician and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
After the imperial physician left, Qiao Jinniang entered the room.
The Duchess held Qiao Jinniang’s hand tightly and said, “Is what you just told your grandmother true? Qiao Ruoshui is your aunt’s daughter, not mine?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “It’s true, I wanted to tell you after I get conclusive evidence. Mother, you must believe me.”
The Duchess said bitterly, “I believe you. Now all my doubts have been answered.”
“After giving birth, I was very weak, and it took me three months to recuperate before I could barely get out of bed. I wanted to hug Ruoshui, but my sister-in-law refused me with the excuse of my poor health.
“Tcould only take a look at her from a distance.
“My sister-in-law’s attitude towards Ruoyun and Ruoshui has always been very different. I wondered why my always snobby sister-in-law fawned on Ruoshui instead of Ruoyun who was my eldest daughter and was treated more carefully by them.
“Two years ago, Zheng Bo molested Ruoshui, but was scolded hard by my sister-in-law. She warned him that he shall never touch Ruoshui.
“Zheng Bo said that since my sister-in-law liked Ruoshui, he could marry Ruoshui, but no one expected that my sister-in-law would flatly refuse it and say that he could not marry Ruoshui.
“My sister-in-law was originally reluctant to let Zheng Bo leave her to work out of the capital, but not long after that, she begged me to find a job for Zheng Bo in Shu to completely separate Zheng Bo from Ruoshui…”
“Looking back on it now, I just feel I’m too stupid to guess that Qiao Ruoshui is her biological daughter! And I even feel guilty for her for 16 years!”
Qiao Jinniang comforted her. “Don’t blame yourself, Mother. After all, who would have thought that your mother and your sister-in-law would trick you like this!”
Thinking of her poor little daughter who died early, the Duchess just felt that she didn’t deserve to be a mother. She let others ruin the lives of both of her daughters!
“Where is your sister’s corpse?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “I’ve entrusted the corpse to a temple to enshrine it. Mother, do you want to announce Sister’s real identity and give her a proper funeral or keep this family scandal a secret?”
The Duchess asked Qiao Jinniang, “Jinniang, what do you think?”
Qiao Jinniang only said, “Although it’s said that family scandals should not be made public, it depends. We are the victims. Even if people laugh at us, it’s not our fault.”
“But if this matter is known to everyone, Qiao Ruoshui’s life will be even more difficult.”
Qiao Jinniang didn’t have any sympathy for Qiao Ruoshui. Although Qiao Ruoshui didn’t know about the matter, there was nothing innocent about what she did.
But she was afraid that the Duchess still cared about Qiao Ruoshui for the sake of the 16 years of their mother-daughter bonding
The Duchess clenched Qiao Jinniang’s hand and said, “If I still think of her, how can I face your deceased sister and you?
“She is different from Ruoyun. Ruoyun is completely innocent, and her biological parents are very kind to you.
“But the Zheng family is not. I can’t just conceal this matter for the sake of Ruoshui. I want them to give me an explanation! ”
Qiao Jinniang breathed a sigh of relief and said, “You’re right, Mom. If you keep this a secret, it’ll be committing the crime of deceiving the Emperor. I want to go to the government to sue the Zheng family tomorrow.”
The Duchess closed her eyes and said, “Okay.”
‘When Qiao Ruoyun heard that the Duchess fainted, she hurriedly came back to visit her.
She walked in and said worriedly, “What’s wrong with you, Mother? What did the imperial doctor say?”
The Duchess said, “It’s nothing. Are you alright in the Qin family? Does your husband’s grandmother still bully you?”
Qiao Ruoyun said, “No, since my biological father was conferred with the title of Earl Lin’an, no one in the Qin family dares to bully me anymore, but… Mammy Mei offended my husband and was driven to a manor. I begged him to let her return but he refused.”
“Mammy Mei has been serving you since you were three years old. Why does your husband refuse to let her back?” the Duchess asked.
Qiao Ruoyun said in a low voice, “Mammy Mei asked me to choose some concubines for my husband, so I found a few suitable concubines for him, but he rejected. Mammy Mei went to persuade my husband to accept the concubines and annoyed him.”
Qiao Jinniang felt it very strange and said, “Since she is your mammy, why did she ask you to choose concubines for your husband? I felt she was very strange the last time I went to the Qin Family to visit you.
“As your mammy, she let a mere concubine maid bully you. You almost died but she didn’t seem worried at all!
“Now she tried to persuade you to take concubines for your husband and claimed it was for your own good? I think your husband has done a good job! This kind of ill-intentioned person deserves to be driven away.”
The young couple was in love with each other, but this old woman tried to persuade Ruoyun to take concubines for her husband? Qiao Ruoyun was simply too good-tempered!
The Duchess said to Qiao Ruoyun, “It’s all my fault. I trust the Zheng family too much and thought that the mammy your grandmother prepared for you was controlled by Concubine Qian, so I gave you a mammy arranged by the Zheng family.”
“What I couldn’t figure out before, I’ve figured it out now.
“Mrs. Zheng must have been planning the future of her biological daughter long ago. She was afraid that Ruoyun would have a better life than Qiao Ruoshui, so she arranged Ruoyun a stupid and irresponsible mammy.
“On the other hand, Qiao Ruoshui’s mammy used to be Mrs. Zheng’s trusted maid, who was very capable.
The Duchess really regretted it very much. What did she have to compete with Concubine Qian for?
Now she realized that her biggest enemy was her most trusted family.
“Ma’am, not good. The Duke came back with a girl who looks like Concubine Qian, and ordered the housekeeper to arrange a courtyard for her…”
A little maid hurried in to report.
‘When Qiao Jinniang heard this, she felt so disgusted that she wanted to vomit. Duke Anyuan was really loyal to his lover, Concubine Qian, but had he ever thought of her and her mother’s feelings?
Despite the fact that he was separated from his own flesh and blood for so many years due to Concubine Qian, he soon took a woman who looked like Concubine Qian to the Duke Mansion? Is he still missing that concubine?
Qiao Ruoyun said angrily, “How can Daddy do this!”
In the Duchess’s eyes, Qiao Jinniang could not see the slightest loss and sadness, and only heard her say,
“I thought I had won, but it turns out I’m the one who has completely lost!”