newbobooks Chapter 155 Going to the Xiao Family
Chapter 155 Going to the Xiao Family
The next day
As soon as it was light, Qiao Qingshu went to the Xiao family.
Despite it being the New Year, the Xiao family home was unusually quiet, and even the servant boy who used to squat at the door was nowhere to be seen.
Inside the door stood a servant boy on duty, his nose already red from the cold and shivering.
Knowing that it was Qiao Qingshu who had come to pay New Year's respects, he hurriedly went in to announce her arrival, and Qiao Qingshu was led inside in no time.
Qiao Qingshu was led directly to Madam Xiao's courtyard. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard several girls standing on the porch, breathing heavily and stamping their feet as they talked.
The two loudest voices belonged to Xiao Chengyan's two younger sisters from the first wife's side.
Both of them had their backs to each other and didn't notice Qiao Qingshu approaching, continuing to talk to themselves.
Xiao Qianqian said with great displeasure,
"Why is Qiao Qingshu here again? She's such an annoying person."
Xiao Yirou also said disdainfully,
"Of course she came to curry favor with our grandmother during the New Year, but little did she know that the things she brought were completely beneath the notice of our Xiao family. Yet this poor woman treated them like treasures and eagerly sent them over."
The maidservant beside the two noticed Qiao Qingshu's arrival and quickly reminded her mistress in a low voice.
Xiao Yirou and Xiao Qianqian then turned around, their faces showing no sign of panic, but rather their attitude became even more arrogant.
Xiao Qianqian put her hands on her hips and glanced sideways,
"Oh my, just like that, speak of the devil and he appears!"
Then I saw that the maids and servants behind Qiao Qingshu were carrying several large boxes.
Xiao Qianqian smiled crookedly at Xiao Yirou and said,
"Yi Rou, it seems you were right. You really have come to give a gift to our grandmother."
Xiao Yirou also squinted and sized up Qiao Qingshu, then laughed out loud.
"Miss Qiao, you're not even married yet, and you're already trying to curry favor with our family. It's just a pity that the things you bring might not be what our grandmother likes."
Xiao Yirou guessed that the contents of Qiao Qingshu's boxes were nothing more than tonics, pastries, and wine.
Given the Qiao family's financial situation, the food wouldn't be of much quality. Even if they accepted it, their matriarch probably wouldn't eat it; she might give some to the servants instead.
Qiao Qingshu simply smiled without saying a word, not intending to waste her breath arguing with the two of them.
She tried to walk past the two of them and go straight into the main house, but Xiao Qianqian blocked her way.
Xiao Qianqian said arrogantly,
"Did you hear us talking to you? How dare you ignore us! You have no manners at all."
Qiao Qingshu glanced at her coldly, her face full of disdain, and said...
"Based on age, you should call me 'older sister.' Who are you talking to here, being so disrespectful?"
These words infuriated Xiao Qianqian, who jumped up and tugged at Qiao Qingshu's sleeve, yelling...
"What did you say! Say it again!"
Xiao Yirou, standing to the side, didn't try to stop them; instead, she fueled the fire.
"Qianqian, can't you tell? She's looking down on the two of us."
Xiao Qianqian immediately frowned and started scolding Qiao Qingshu, pulling and tugging at her.
"Who do you think you are! How dare you talk to me like that?"
Several maids immediately rushed up and pulled their mistress away, and for a moment the corridor became very noisy.
At this moment, the curtain in the main courtyard was lifted, and Madam Xing from the first wife's family and Madam Gu from the third wife's family came out.
Madam Xing said angrily,
"What's all the noise about! It's Chinese New Year!"
She initially thought it was her own daughter arguing, but it turned out to be Qiao Qingshu and her daughter having a fight.
She had just received a good scolding from the old lady in the main house because the Xiao family's charcoal reserves were running low due to the cold weather these past few days.
As the eldest daughter-in-law of the eldest son's family, she was severely reprimanded by the old lady for failing to buy charcoal in the market for the past two days.
Madam Xing was currently seething with anger and had nowhere to vent it.
Seeing that Qiao Qingshu had run into the line of fire, he immediately spoke to her.
"Oh my, who do we have here? Isn't this the eldest daughter of the Qiao family? You've come to visit my Xiao family, and you're arguing with my Xiao family's daughter? Who's the one who's so rude and ill-mannered here!"
After saying that, he reached out and pinched Xiao Qianqian, who was standing close to him. The pinch was so hard that Xiao Qianqian screamed in pain.
"Oh dear! Mother! It's Qiao Qingshu who has no manners and no upbringing! She provoked us first! I was just trying to be nice to her, but she treated us like we weren't there and didn't respect the Xiao family at all."
Since Qiao Qingshu broke off her engagement with her son, Madam Xing had caused him to lose face in the capital for quite some time.
She harbored a grudge against Qiao Qingshu, and naturally wouldn't give her a friendly look when she saw her again.
She stood on the steps with her arms crossed, giving Qiao Qingshu a disdainful look, and then noticed the servants behind her carrying several large camphor wood chests.
Knowing that Qiao Qingshu had come to deliver a New Year's gift to Old Madam Xiao, she scoffed.
“Miss Qiao, you are a young lady from a noble family, and you probably don’t know much about the situation outside. This year is a once-in-a-century cold winter. The food and tonics you sent are really useless. Nowadays, only charcoal is the most valuable. I’m just reminding you that even if our old lady accepts these things, she won’t use or eat them. Her daily meals are always of the standard of the palace, and she wouldn’t even look at ordinary things.”
These words were expected to hurt Qiao Qingshu's pride.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Qingshu maintained a calm expression throughout, completely unaffected by Madam Xing.
She waved and smiled.
“Madam Xing, you are mistaken. If Old Madam Xiao sees my gift, I think she will be very happy.”
Madam Gu, who had been standing behind Madam Xing, spoke up to dissuade her.
"Miss Qiao, you may not know this, but our matriarch is currently worried about the charcoal supply. No matter if the gifts you sent are gold, silver, jewels, or rare animals, they are not as valuable at this critical juncture."
"Let me give you a piece of advice: don't think about visiting relatives and friends right now. Take the goods back and exchange them for money. Use all the connections in your Qiao family to exchange for coal. I heard from the palace that this cold winter has only just begun, and the weather will be even colder later."
Gu Rong and Qiao Qingshu were not related, and Gu Rong had witnessed Qiao Qingshu annul her engagement to the first wife and then arranged for a second wife.
Although she felt nothing for the girl, she could sense that the girl was a rare good child.
She had only offered this advice out of good intentions; if it had been someone else, she certainly wouldn't have said a word more.
Upon hearing this, Madam Xing was displeased and clicked her tongue at Gu Rong.
Her eyes were full of resentment, as if to say, "Why did you tell her such a confidential thing!"
Madam Xing was too lazy to say anything more, and simply waved her hand to tell the servant to take the person out.
Just then, the curtain in the main courtyard was lifted again.
Su Yunzhen from the second wife and Madam Yan from the fourth wife helped the old lady of the Xiao family slowly walk out.
Madam Xiao's brows were still tightly furrowed. She had been discussing the matter with several families in the room for a long time but they still couldn't come up with a solution.
She was very anxious, wondering if the Xiao family could survive this harsh winter.
Hearing the commotion outside, and noticing that the eldest and third wives had been gone for so long without returning, she was so angry that she came out to check on them herself.
As soon as they came out, they saw Qiao Qingshu standing under the eaves, while Madam Xing was standing with her hands on her hips, scolding people to drive them away.
Old Madam Qiao was so angry that she scolded him.
"Xing Yu! What are you doing!"