The Marquis Is Innocent

Xiao Qiao returned from visiting Mrs. Ding. Her father stayed in the study and not gone out. She knew he had something to say, so she went there.

In the study, Qiao Ci was also there. They were talking about the military affairs in Juye City. Xiao Qiao knocked on the door and entered. Qiao Ping let his son out for the time being and said, “How is it? Is your aunt feeling better?”

Xiao Qiao smiled and said, ” Aunt is much better.”

Qiao Ping nodded: “That’s good. She used to treat you like her daughter. Since your cousin is not here, you should spend more time with her.”

Xiao Qiao agreed. Father and daughter said a few words about family life. Qiao Ping took out the letter Xiao Qiao had asked Qiao Ci to bring back and put it on the desk, saying, ” I have read your letter.”

His expression was somewhat grave.

Xiao Qiao knew it was time to get to the point and gazed at her father.

Qiao Ping paced slowly around the room with his hands behind his back and said, “Man Man, tell me the truth, did Wei Shao mistreat you?”

Xiao Qiao was stunned: “No. He…treats me well.”

Qiao Ping seemed unconvinced. His eyes fell on her face, frowned. “Man Man, if you were abused by Wei Shao secretly, don’t hide it. Although I’m incompetent, I won’t sit idly and let him bully you!” His tone sounded rather heavy.

Xiao Qiao knew her letter caused her father to have such doubts. She said, “Father, there is no such thing! Marquis treats me …… properly in every way. I am doing very well in the Wei family now.”

Qiao Ping looked at her for a moment and slowly breathed out: “That’s good. Yang Feng said that during the trip to Youzhou, the Wei family received him courteously, and Mrs. Xu treated people generously. Ci’er’s words are not far off. So when I saw the letter you asked Ci’er to bring back last time, I couldn’t help but have doubts. Since the Wei family accepted my Qiao family as a relative, and my son-in-law is not abusive, why are you so worried, daughter? You advised me to prepare if the Wei family wants to oppose my Qiao family. Could it be that you have heard something?”

……

The letter Xiao Qiao wrote two months ago shocked Qiao Ping.

He knew marrying his daughter might not resolve the Wei family’s grievances against him. But he never thought there would be a day when the Marquis of Yan, Wei Shao, would ignore the marriage and take revenge on the Qiao family.

He was awakened by his daughter’s letter, especially because her tone in the letter was heavy.

As Qiao Ping thought about it, he shuddered at how Wei Shao dealt with another enemy, Li Su, who had fallen into his hands when he was eighteen.

At that time, he beheaded Li Su’s family on the shores of the East China Sea. Li Su was mutilated, chopped into minced meat, and fed to fish after a thousand cuts.

Ten years ago, Wei Jing’s father and son died at the hands of Li Su. But at that time, the Qiao family was also responsible.

Wei Shao hated Li Su so much and laid such a horrifying and ruthless hand. There was no reason to turn the war into peace just because the Qiao family married a daughter.

His daughter was Wei Shao’s sleeping companion, so she knew him well and naturally more than an outsider.

She not only had hidden worries but reminded him. It was not a groundless concern, and she must have perceived something.

From the first day after receiving the letter, Qiao Ping thought in his heart. His daughter had returned home, and he naturally opened his mouth to ask.

……

Xiao Qiao said: “Father, I can’t abandon my father and brother. I dare not hide from you. The night before I got married, I had a nightmare. The nightmare was so real that I experienced it for the rest of my life after. In the dream, my husband, Wei Shao, who would become a great leader in the world, still harbored a grudge against the Qiao family. He took revenge, and the Qiao family’s fate was not far from Li Su’s. I woke up, and I was terrified. I had a dream that lasted all my life, and I felt it was like a vision. At that time, I did not dare to tell you. After marrying into the Wei family, this year, I am always fearful. Grandmother Wei loves me. She is also compassionate and lets down the two families’ old affairs. However, my husband had a deep hatred, so I’m afraid it’s difficult to resolve. Not to mention when he married me, it was not his intention. How will the situation be if Grandmother is 100 years old? I really do not know. The more I think about it, the more worried I am, lest the nightmare of that day become a prophecy. That’s why I decided to write this letter to you. I want to remind you. Even if the Wei family does not hate us, the Qiao family should prepare for it. It is always right to take more precautions.”

Qiao Ping looked at his daughter in a daze, and a shocking wave swept through his heart.

He never thought his daughter, who was not yet sixteen years old, would have a heavy heart and say such things.

As if enlightened, he fixed there on the spot.

“Father, in today’s chaotic world, you should know better than I do. The only way to protect yourself is to have a strong army and horses. The rest, such as alliances, are just fleeting moments. As for the marriage contract, it is not worth mentioning. I am in the Wei family as a woman. Naturally, I will do my best to make good relations between the two families. From now on, Father should find ways to recruit talented people and strengthen the army. If there are changes in the future, plan a backup strategy. To prevent being left at the mercy of others.”

Qiao Ping frowned, pacing again in the room with heavy footsteps, landing on the ground squeaking.

Xiao Qiao held her breath and watched her father’s figure closely.

He paced for a long time, suddenly stopped, turned around, and said word by word: “Daughter, what you say is true! I don’t care what your nightmare is. If you don’t have a long-term concern, you will have a short-term one. My family was once a powerful force in Yanzhou, but it now fell to such a level it has to rely on the marriage of a daughter to find peace of mind. I am glad you have woken me up. Daughter, you do not know, in Yanzhou, many of my family’s generals are still motivated. When your uncle settled for the status quo, I didn’t fight for it either, so I wasted my time, and people got scattered. I know what to do!”

Xiao Qiao sighed with relief.

“Father! I have waited for you to say this! I don’t know how long I’ve been waiting!”

The door to the study was pushed open.

Xiao Qiao turned around and saw her brother rushing in like a whirlwind, thrilled beyond measure, running straight to Qiao Ping and kneeling on one knee.

“Father! Son is willing to serve in the forefront! I want to recruit and strengthen my army, to revitalize Yanzhou! If there is anything I can do, please tell me!”

Qiao Ping grunted: “I am talking to your sister. How can you eavesdrop outside?”

Qiao Ci snapped out of it. He squeezed his eyebrows at Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao smiled and let her brother get up. She said, “Father, I’m afraid Uncle will interfere with this again, and Father will be tied up.”

Yanzhou has been weak for a long time. Uncle Qiao Yue’s side, except for those who do not do real work and often give him the words he likes to hear, actually, he has long been unpopular. But, Qiao Ping was bound to Qiao Yue’s position as both the elder brother and the head of the family, so it was not good to come forward.

Qiao Ping said: ” It is best if he agrees. If not, I will never blindly comply again!” The voice echoed deafeningly.