Chapter 884: Madame Qiao

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

The compensation provided by Officer Qiao seemed to have a positive effect. Both Concubine Du and her daughter were overjoyed and grateful for the gesture.

Madame Qiao and Qiao Wei, on the other hand, were seething with anger. They felt that they had been openly humiliated and disrespected.

While Officer Qiao believed that he had salvaged his wife’s reputation,

Madame Qiao saw it as a direct affront. She couldn’t fathom how Concubine Du, who held a lower status in the household, could be treated with such favoritism.

Before Madame Qiao could even contemplate taking revenge on Concubine Du, her daughter Qiao Wei, driven by her own foolishness, stooped to picking on Qiao Kou. It was an opportunity too tempting for Qiao Kou to pass up. She skillfully played the victim, shedding tears in front of County Magistrate Qiao, ultimately resulting in Qiao Wei’s punishment.

County Magistrate Qiao, now exasperated with Madame Qiao, voiced his dissatisfaction with her lack of kindness and proper manners. He felt that she was undeserving of her position as the lineal mother, as she had failed to guide and nurture not only Qiao Xuan but also Qiao Kou.

Furthermore, County Magistrate Qiao declared that Madame Qiao would no longer have any involvement in Concubine Du or Qiao Kou’s affairs, including Qiao Kou’s marriage. Once they moved to the capital, he planned to seek the assistance of his mother and sisters-in-law in finding a suitable match for Qiao Kou.

Madame Qiao erupted in fury and engaged in a heated argument with her husband. She saw herself as the lineal mother, and the fact that she couldn’t even arrange a suitable suitor for the daughter of a concubine was a humiliating blow to her status and authority. She felt like a complete laughingstock.

Madame Qiao had envisioned making a grand entrance when returning to the capital, but with the current situation, it would be a humiliating affair. She couldn’t bear the thought of such embarrassment befalling her.

Mother? Sister-in-laws? Ha, the so-called Madame Qiao Senior in the capital was not County Magistrate Qiao’s biological mother, and they shared no close bond whatsoever. Besides, if they were to discover the truth, Madame Qiao would lose any position she held in their hearts.

However, County Magistrate Qiao was genuinely angered this time. He treated Madame Qiao with cold indifference and refused to back down.

But so what if she wasn’t his real mother? She had raised him as her own, practically fulfilling a mother’s role. At the very least, she had never mistreated him, unlike his wife, who showed such cruelty towards the daughter of a concubine.

Madame Qiao’s irritation grew, leading her to feign illness as the New Year approached. She avoided taking on any responsibilities in the mansion, curious to witness the chaos that would ensue in her absence.

Her pretense of illness served a dual purpose, not only to avoid encountering Qiao Xuan but also to test the waters of the mansion without her leadership.

County Magistrate Qiao sensed the chilly reception from both Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan. He felt a sense of guilt and discontent in his heart.

While Qiao Xuan had endured mistreatment, County Magistrate Qiao was still her father. No child would easily blame their own father for anything.

He had indeed raised her, hadn’t he? Yes, it was fortunate that they had eventually found a suitable suitor for her!

Furthermore, she was not entirely blameless in this situation.

County Magistrate Qiao had been occupied with numerous banquets and had little time to attend to domestic affairs.

Had she spoken up and sought his assistance from the beginning, he would have come to her aid!

But she chose to remain silent, how unreasonable of her to now blame him for her own silence!

He had taken action by punishing his wife and treating his daughter well, hoping to demonstrate his favor towards her. Yet, she continued to lay blame and even displayed an air of superiority before him. How heartless!

County Magistrate Qiao felt a mixture of anger and disappointment as these thoughts raced through his mind.

However, Qiao Xuan seemed unfazed by his emotions. She soon smiled and expressed her desire to visit Madame Qiao.

Madame Qiao was unwell and needed to be shown concern!

Upon hearing the way she referred to Madame Qiao, County Magistrate Qiao seized the opportunity to remark, “Regardless of what has transpired between you two, she is still your lineal mother! You will have plenty of chances to see each other in the capital! If you address her in such a manner, people will ridicule you for being disrespectful! “