Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: All Killed by Dong Zhao
Chapter 280: All Killed by Dong Zhao
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
On the day of the proposal, Feng’er brought the steward to Miss Mu’s place. Qiao Mai and Yuan Jiaqi did not show up again.
It was indeed a grand scene. On the way, there were hundreds of people just lifting the betrothal gifts. Accompanied by his soldiers, Feng’er escorted them to the residence of the Duke.
The commoners along the street couldn’t see what was inside the boxes, but just by looking at the boxes, they knew the betrothal gifts were valuable.
The betrothal gift boxes were made of sandalwood, emitting a fragrant scent, indicating the use of high-quality wood.
As the lady of the family, the Duchess naturally had to oversee the reception of the gifts into the household.
Feng’er knew his mother-in-law didn’t favor him, so he didn’t say much. He had the steward hand over the list of gifts to the Duchess and accompanied the Duke.
When the betrothal gifts were counted, the Duke invited his son-in-law to have a meal, expressing his genuine liking for the young man.
When no one was around, he secretly praised Feng’er and even joked that if he had another daughter, he would marry her to Yun’er.
The Duchess often retorted, “One daughter has jumped into the fire pit; you want another one to follow? No way.”
The Duke was not willing to be outdone. “Go inquire outside. Which girl doesn’t want to jump into this pit? It’s just you. Even the princess is eyeing Qiao Fengyun. Who do you think you are?”
“Hmph, they are all blind.”
“Be careful not to bring trouble upon yourself.”
One sentence scared the Duchess into silence. There were indeed princesses and county princesses interested in Yun’er. Disparaging the royal family was disrespectful.
Although this matter was not a big deal, it was not small either. If the Emperor wanted to deal with her, it could be a serious offense that led to confiscation and exile.
The Duchess, no matter how arrogant, was aware of this.
In short, the family feared the Duchess playing tricks. They watched her closely, and even her sons had changed their views. They highly valued Feng’er.
Now that the betrothal was settled, they only waited for the wedding day.
It was the busiest period for the Duke’s family. They had to prepare the dowry and make wedding clothes for their daughter.
The groom’s side only needed to wait until the date approached, hire a chef, set up the banquet, decorate the house, and arrange the staff.
They were not in a hurry. Seeing her husband and son going smoothly, Qiao Mai decided to go home and take a look.
Old Master and Mistress Wang enjoyed their time here, so they didn’t mention going back. However, there were still matters at home, and Qiao Mai couldn’t neglect them.
She could only reluctantly arrange things at home and planned to return to Tianshui Town the next day.
The family was reluctant to part, but the affairs there had to be dealt with. Others might not be needed, but she had to.
Chuan’er watched this scene. He decided to study hard for another two years, pass the imperial examination, and then obtain a leisurely position in the court to help his mother on the side. He couldn’t let his mother suffer anymore.
Otherwise, when would she have a baby for his father? The other day, the Duchess secretly said that Qiao Mai couldn’t have children. He was furious after hearing that.
He couldn’t let his parents be separated for such a long time, affecting their relationship and not conducive to pregnancy. His little mind was thoughtful for his age.
Of course, Yuan Jiaqi was more reluctant to let her go, “Wife, I can’t accompany you during the day, but I can at night.”
“I see you have many things to do at night. When I’m not here, you can focus on your official duties. I’ve arranged everything at home. I will come back before the New Year. Besides, Ling’er is there. She will come to live here when the time comes. It’s better than having someone constantly eyeing her.”
“Then there will be only you at home in the future?”
“Ah, that’s even quieter. Moreover, it’s to handle affairs when I go home, not for enjoyment and play.”
“Okay, my wife is independent. Just remember that I am lonely every night.”
Qiao Mai smiled. “I will remember, but you must remember that I am not easy to mess with. If you dare to fool around, I will clean you up.”
“I dare not forget for a moment.”
The couple spent the night together intimately. When Yuan Jiaqi went to court the next morning, Qiao Mai summoned Dong Zhao and left Lucky Garden.
Nobody disturbed them or said anything, but everyone knew.
As soon as she left the capital, Qiao Mai felt relaxed. There were too many worldly matters, and she was almost suffocated by the pressure.
It’s carefree to be alone. She reached out and touched Dong Zhao.
“Old buddy, I haven’t seen you for a long time. Your fur has become more vibrant, thicker, and majestic.”
After hearing the praise from its master, Dong Zhao raised its front hooves, neighed loudly, and seemed proud.
It was already October, and the weather in the capital had become cooler. Qiao Mai wore a cloak, mounted Dong Zhao, and clamped its belly. Dong Zhao shook its four hooves, running away.
It could fly, covering the distance in one hour. Qiao Mai wanted to enjoy the journey by riding a horse.
Dong Zhao’s mutation in her space made its speed two or three times faster than usual. Passing by other people’s carriages was like a gust of wind, stirring up a cloud of dust and disappearing without a trace.
Others couldn’t see what happened, but she rode past them. It was enjoyable.
Also, because of Dong Zhao’s mutation, she attracted attention when she stopped in a small town to rest.
“Hey girl, your horse is not bad. I fancy it. Name your price?”
Qiao Mai took a sip of wine, looked at this dandy, and said with a sideways glance, “Get lost. This horse is priceless. You can’t afford it.”
“Heh, there’s nothing in this world I can’t afford. Let me tell you the truth. If you behave well, I might give you three hundred taels. If you don’t behave well…”
Qiao Mai squinted, “I would like to see how you will deal with me if I don’t behave well.”
The dandy waved to the men behind him. “Come on, take the horse away for me.”
This was an attempt at open robbery. Qiao Mai didn’t move. She looked at Dong Zhao and said, “Zhao, someone wants to take you away from me. What do you think?”
Dong Zhao was furious. Who do they think they are? They dared to snatch it away from Qiao Mai. Following its master was more promising than mixing with this group of garbage.
Upon hearing Qiao Mai’s words, it immediately turned its body, not letting anyone get close, and kicked with its hooves.
The person who was kicked either died or was injured, especially the dandy, who had his stomach kicked open by Dong Zhao.
Amidst the chaos, Qiao Mai sipped on a small cup of wine, enjoying a bowl of noodles while watching the spectacle unfold.
At this point, there was nothing to fear for her. Anyone daring to have designs on Dong Zhao and attempting such open robbery should not be surprised if she responded without courtesy.
After finishing a bowl of noodles and draining a pot of wine, all the people brought by the dandy were lying on the ground.
Don’t assume that Dong Zhao only knew how to kick; it had now become a mystical beast, capable of using its mouth to bite,
The scene was chaotic, and the onlookers kept a distance.
They were afraid the horse would go mad and kick or bite them.
Qiao Mai stood up, slapped a corner of silver on the table, and patted Dong Zhao.
“Well done. In the future, if anyone dares to have ill intentions toward you, kick them to death like this.”
She pulled the reins, and with a flip, she mounted the horse. With a pat on the buttocks, Dong Zhao raised a cloud of yellow dust and disappeared.
When the mayor and his men arrived, Qiao Mai had already disappeared. No one knew who it was, only that it was a woman.
After inquiring with the commoners, they found out the men wanted to rob someone’s horse and were kicked to death by the horse.
This matter was difficult to handle. Engaging in robbery labeled one as a bandit, and bandits and thieves were to be eradicated by everyone as per the laws. Moreover, the incident was witnessed by many commoners.
The town mayor found himself in a predicament, so he had no choice but to report the matter to higher authorities and let them handle it.
Incidents like this kept occurring whenever Qiao Mai made a stop, all because Dong Zhao was exceptionally eye-catching, revealing the true nature of those greedy individuals.
Similar events also occurred with those who tried to strike at her during the night at inns.
Without exception, they were all kicked to death by Dong Zhao..