Chapter 1012: It’s All For Me

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

She had a strong intuition that getting closer to Qiao Xuan would be beneficial, not a loss…

As for the Qiao Family and the Tian Family? Definitely not! Qiao Xuan didn’t need to ponder over it to realize that.

They weren’t the only ones. Even Noble Consort Mei, residing in the palace, felt a sense of ennui.

Tian Shanshan was her own niece, and witnessing her endure such grievances pained her deeply.

Initially, she believed that Qiao Xuan had taken the initiative to marry Shao Yunduan, resulting in Tian Shanshan losing her opportunity. In her eyes, Qiao Xuan wasn’t worthy enough to even lace her shoes.

However, she never anticipated that Qiao Xuan would be praised and rewarded by the Emperor and the Queen!

Listening to the Empress’s words, claiming that Qiao Xuan possessed dignity and magnanimity, and was in no way inferior to a legitimate daughter… What did she mean by that? Wasn’t she openly and covertly targeting Shanshan?

To put it bluntly, they were indirectly talking about her!

Nevertheless, since the Empress had rewarded Qiao Xuan, Noble Consort Mei had no choice but to begrudgingly follow suit. The mere thought of it left her feeling incredibly stifled!

Noble Consort Mei couldn’t let it slide. She urged her son, the Fourth Prince, to teach Ms. Qiao a lesson, no matter what. Shao Yunduan didn’t have to lift a finger, but Ms. Qiao couldn’t escape so easily! Otherwise, Shanshan would be left in utter misery.

Moreover, by dealing with Qiao Xuan, it would be a way to slap the Queen’s face.

Contemplating the Queen’s remarks about Qiao Xuan, Noble Consort Mei couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger.

The Fourth Prince was also growing restless.

Editor Shao had escorted Ms. Qiao to meet the Crown Prince. Over the past couple of days, his father had been heaping praises upon the Crown Prince, emphasizing his kindness and filial piety, which had left an impression on the Fourth Prince.

He had clearly sent someone to establish a connection with Editor Shao and extend goodwill, but Editor Shao feigned ignorance and rejected his father’s kind intentions. Instead, he turned around and sought favor with the Crown Prince. It was truly despicable.

Given the circumstances, the Fourth Prince didn’t mind teaching Editor Shao a lesson.

Weren’t they on the verge of leaving the capital to return to their hometown for ancestral rites? Once they departed, there would be ample opportunities…

Soon enough, Hanlin Academy withdrew Shao Yunduan from his position and instructed him to return to his hometown for the ancestral rites.

That was precisely what Shao Yunduan desired, so he departed from the capital alongside Qiao Xuan.

As the Primus, he was returning to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors. Following the established protocol, the Ministry of Rites arranged for an escort of honor, horses, and guards. A grand procession of over 30 individuals embarked on their journey.

The Ministry of Rites had provided for the expenses of the trip, relieving Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan of any concerns.

However, the allocation provided by the Ministry of Rites was just sufficient, leaving no room for surplus.

On the day of their departure from the capital, Qiao Xuan handed 500 liang to the manager responsible for the logistics, instructing him to enhance the quality of everyone’s meals and accommodations throughout the journey. Additionally, each individual received a red packet containing 10 liang.

Initially, the members of the escort team had reservations about undertaking such a demanding task. However, now they expressed their gratitude wholeheartedly.

They took great pride in escorting the Primus back to his hometown for ancestral rites!

Although the Imperial Court had dispatched personnel to accompany them, it was unlikely that any bandits or troublemakers would dare to rob or cause trouble along the way, unless they had a death wish.

Everyone had absolute confidence in their safety!

Any individual foolish enough to lay a hand on the Primus or the officials from the Imperial Court was effectively signing their own death warrant.

However, Qiao Xuan remained vigilant and cautious. Whenever they traversed through remote regions, she would employ her heightened senses to scan the surroundings within a radius of five or six hundred meters.

She also conducted periodic checks of their surroundings.

For Qiao Xuan, it was merely a reflex that occurred whenever the thought crossed her mind. It was not a futile effort. Developing such a subconscious habit proved beneficial and provided a sense of security.