The Marquis Is Innocent

Father and daughter said a few words. It was late at night, and Qiao Ping was afraid of tiring his daughter, so he asked her to go into her room to rest.

Xiao Qiao had a million things to say to her father. But since she had arrived home, she was in no hurry, nodded, and answered. That night, she lies in the same bed as before she got married. Her heart was excited, and couldn’t sleep. She woke up early the next day. Like when she was not married, Chun Niang came in with a smile on her face and served her to get up and get dressed. After freshening up and having breakfast, she went to the main house, accompanied by her father and brother.

When Qiao Yue got up in the morning, he heard the news of his niece’s return. At first, he was shocked. The first reaction was the niece had offended the Wei family, or the Wei family wanted to break the marriage contract, so they sent his niece home. Not good! On second thought, when Yang Feng returned, he said the Wei family was courteous, treating them as in-laws and not neglecting them. It was only a few months and no offense on their side. How could they suddenly break the marriage and send his niece back? When he heard Qiao Ping brought his daughter to see him, he called her in. He immediately asked, “It’s only been a year since my niece got married, and it’s a long way from north to south. Why did you return to the East County at this time?”

Xiao Qiao could see what was on her uncle’s mind and said, “There is nothing else. Last month I received a letter from my brother and knew that Aunt was ill. I was worried about her, so I asked Grandmother for a favor and came back to visit her.”

Qiao Yue breathed a sigh of relief and said unconcernedly, “Your Aunt is not seriously ill. Her diet is unbalanced, and her body is restless. Our family invited doctors, and she took medicine without stopping. There is no need for you to return home, delay in serving your elder, and cause unnecessary anger.”

His daughter returned home from a long journey, but his elder brother did not like her, and his tone was scolding. Qiao Ping was not happy, so he said, “Man Man is filial. The Wei family is not a minor family. How can you be upset by this? Brother is overthinking!”

Qiao Yue was upset because his brother refuted him. When he looked at his niece, he suddenly remembered Yang Feng had said that Mrs. Xu, the grandmother of the Wei family, seemed to think highly of his niece. If this was true, then the family’s future was tied to her body.

When he thought about it, his face eased, and nod: “It’s good to come back. Go, visit your Aunt. I’m sure she missed you for a long time.”

Xiao Qiao had no affection for this uncle, so she felt nothing for what he said. Once she saw her father, who had always been friendly and respectful, against his eldest brother to protect her, her heart warmed up, so she smiled at her father and nodded. She turned around and went with Qiao Ci to Mrs. Ding’s place.

……

When Mrs. Ding woke up in the morning, a servant told her that Xiao Qiao had returned last night.

Qiao Yue had several concubines. Besides Da Qiao, he had other children in the early years, but they failed to survive and died. Qiao Yue was under fifty years old but injured his lower body due to an accidental fall from a horse a few years ago. Qiao Yue gradually gave up the idea of having an heir and raised Qiao Ci as his son. As for his relationship with Mrs. Ding, the couple rarely shared a room. Plus, the incident between Da Qiao and Qiao Yue last year made the couple’s relationship even colder.

Mrs. Ding has long ceased to expect anything from her husband. She only secretly misses and worries about her daughter, and gradually she becomes restless and sleepless at night. A few months ago, she caught a chill and fell ill. When Qiao Ci returned from Youzhou, he met her secretly. He said his sister, Xiao Qiao, asked him to deliver a message to her that Da Qiao was well and she should not worry.

When she heard Xiao Qiao had returned home, Mrs. Ding was pleasantly surprised, and her spirit, which had been low for months, seemed lifted.

When they met, Mrs. Ding grabbed Xiao Qiao’s delicate hand and looked her up and down. Seeing her face was full of energy, and her eyes were as bright as light. She wore a Hunan jacket and a small shawl of begonia red silk, which made her more beautiful, just like a budding begonia on the branch in March. When she called her Aunt, Mrs. Ding couldn’t help but think of Da Qiao again. She called out, ‘Man Man, my child.’ Her eyes reddened, and she hugged her tightly in her arms.

When Xiao Qiao came to East County for the first few years, Mrs. Ding treated her like her own daughter. Whatever Da Qiao had, she would have it too. Xiao Qiao has always been grateful to her. After a year of not seeing her, she looked worn-out and aged. Xiao Qiao felt sad in her heart, so she let her hug her and listened to her ask how she was doing at Wei Manor and wiped away her tears. Xiao Qiao knew Mrs. Ding must be thinking of Da Qiao. She asked Qiao Ci and the others to go out, closed the door, sat up, and said in a low voice. “Aunt, I’m sure my brother has told you my sister is well now. Some time ago, I received a letter from my sister.”

She told Mrs. Ding about the contents of Da Qiao’s letter, omitting the part Bi Zhi established the land himself and said: ” Sister is pregnant now. Everything is fine. In the letter, she said she often thinks about Aunt. Because she left her parents, she was afraid her father would not be able to forgive her, so she did not dare to come back to visit her mother. This time I came home to visit Aunt and to send a message to ask you not to worry about my sister. In the future, she will come to visit you. She will personally beg you to forgive her for her unfilial sins.”

Qiao Ci brought up a message before, but only a simple sentence. Mrs. Ding wanted to ask again, but Qiao Ci did not know the details.

This time, Xiao Qiao was very detailed. When Mrs. Ding heard her daughter was pregnant, she was stunned. Her heart was happy and slowly turned sour. Even the last trace of resentment she had reduced to nothing, saying: “I can’t understand why she left her parents and ran away with a horse slave. But now, listening to you, I can understand. She is willing, and Bi Zhi treats her well. As a mother, what is there to hold back? If you contact her next time, help me to send a message. Tell her to take good care of herself, I only want her to be well, and I will be well. Don’t worry about me. There’s no need to come back at this time. I still can’t say a word about her in front of her father.”

Xiao Qiao took a handkerchief to wipe away the tears on Mrs. Ding’s face and said in her ear: “Aunt, to be honest, since I have returned to the south, if it is convenient, I would like to meet with my brother-in-law and sister. If you have anything you want me to take with me, you can prepare it in advance. If I can make the trip, I will help you to bring it to my sister.”

Mrs. Ding was stunned and reacted with surprise, nodding her head: ” Aunt will prepare it quietly!”

Once the knot in her heart was relieved and she knew her daughter was pregnant, she felt better. She immediately got up from the bed.

The servants were shocked, she had woken up sickly in the morning, but after seeing Xiao Qiao, she was so energetic she could walk without assistance.

……