Jiu Zhang Ji: The Daily Life of the Reborn Daughter

Chapter 117: Disaster is Coming

After a day of fermentation, today, rumors that Duke Dingguo suffered a defeat at the border and that the emperor was furious and wanted to confiscate his property and exile him became rampant, overshadowing the rumor that the Sixth Prince failed to control the flood a few days ago, resulting in more than a thousand people drowning in twelve villages.

Both rumors were related to the Duke Dingguo Mansion, and the Duke Dingguo Mansion was pushed to the forefront.

Early in the morning, the old Duke's wife sent someone to the East Palace to invite the second master and the three masters to come to the palace to discuss countermeasures.

Not only these gentlemen came, but also the second old lady and three ladies. However, these people changed their usual docility, all looked up, and didn't even know how to greet. Qiao Lili stood up and hurriedly greeted them one by one, but they sat down without paying any attention.

The old Duke's wife acted as if she didn't care, wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and tears flowed down her face.

Damn Ah Hui, you put too much chili water.

Nanny Hui was so heartbroken, she had never done such a thing before and didn't control the amount well, making the young lady so spicy. It was such a sin.

After the tears had stopped flowing and her eyes felt better, the old Duke's wife said, "I guess you've heard the rumors in the capital these two days. The Duke Ding's mansion is probably going to be in trouble this time. There's only me, an old woman, a maid, and a useless boy at home. I hope you can come and help us."

"What help do you want me to provide? Do you want me to be exiled with you?" The second old lady said with a smile on her face, but her voice was full of sarcasm.

During this period of time, she has been getting a lot of news from Chuntao. First, she said that Duke Dingguo was injured, and then she said that the whereabouts of the prince was unknown. Yesterday, she heard the rumor and came to ask Chuntao. Chuntao said that in fact, the situation was much more serious than this. Two hundred thousand troops were wiped out. Chuntao also begged her to take her away from the mansion, saying that she did not want to be exiled.

"Second brother, how can you say that? We are a family. We prosper together and suffer together." The old Duke's wife acted as if she was going to rely on the East Palace.

"We have not been a family for a long time. We have been separated since the death of that old witch." The second old lady might have felt that the Duke Dingguo's Mansion had run out of luck and had given up pretending. She even called her deceased mother-in-law an old witch.

Qiao Lili stood up and said angrily, "How dare you insult my great-grandmother? You are disobedient and disrespectful to the deceased elders. You said that the family was divided, so it was divided? Who can testify for you? You have been living in our East Mansion all the time. We said that there was no division, and no one else knew."

The old Duke's wife also echoed Qiao Lili's words and said, "Yes, if you don't believe me, just go ask anyone in the capital and ask them if your East Mansion and Duke Ding's Mansion are one family. Since we are one family, we must share weal and woe. We are powerless now, so your East Mansion must contribute."

"Qiao Yuan, Qiao Gun, the two of you go back and pack your bags and go to Xiguan immediately to help find the prince who disappeared in front of the two armies. As the saying goes, brothers fight together and fathers and sons fight together in battle. Once you go, the injury of Duke Dingguo will definitely heal. With you here, I'm afraid the prince will be found soon."

"Qiao Yi, aren't you a businessman? Gather your shop and liquid funds and dispose of what needs to be disposed of. Otherwise, they will be confiscated. Hand over all the money you have earned. If you are really exiled, I don't know how much money you will have to spend on this journey."

"Are you planning to keep holding us back?" said the second master, who had been silent the whole time.

"I'm not going." said Uncle Qiao Yuan.

"I won't go either. What does the prince's disappearance have to do with me?" Qiao Gun said.

"Why are we the ones dragging you down? Haven't you been living in the East Mansion all this time and refused to move? Why, now that you see our mansion is in trouble, you want to cut off ties with us? Let me tell you, it's impossible." After saying this, Qiao Lili threw the teacup in her hand to the ground. This was not her cloud-patterned azure cup, but an ordinary teacup shared by the five eldest sons.

"Can't we move now?" The three ladies were women after all, and they were really afraid of being caught and exiled. They came to watch the fun, to see how panicked the Dingguo Mansion, which had always been high and mighty, was now, and why suddenly, their own family would be abducted.

"It's too late to move now. When disaster strikes, will everyone flee? You've lived in our house for so long, do you want to live there for free?" Qiao Lili stood on the broken porcelain pieces with her hands on her hips, looking like a pig that is not afraid of boiling water.

The second old lady saw that Qiao Lili was deliberately not wanting to let them go and didn't want to see them have an easy life. She wanted them to follow her into exile. She was so angry that she raised her hand to hit Qiao Lili.

Cai Qi and Cai Xing quickly stood in front of Qiao Lili to protect her. Cai Qi grabbed the second old lady's hand which was about to fall and pushed it back, causing the second old lady to sit down on the ground.

The young lady has ordered that you are not allowed to use violence today. If you do, it will ruin her good deeds. Otherwise, she will slap you in the face in the morning.

"God has eyes, no wonder you have to suffer retribution, you guys in the Duke of Dingguo's Mansion are all wicked, you just want us to suffer with you." The second old lady sat on the ground and started to make a scene, slapping her thighs, crying and cursing.

The old Duke's wife ignored him and only spoke to the men: "Qiao Yuan, Qiao Gun, when can you set off?"

"They won't go," the second master said, "Don't count on my sons to work for you. Two hundred thousand troops are gone, why are they going to Xiguan? How can the two of them still go to the battlefield?"

"What about going to the battlefield? It doesn't make sense that my sons and grandsons can go to the battlefield, but your illegitimate nephews can't." The old Duke's wife said, "Duke Ding's mansion hasn't been confiscated yet? I am still the head of this family, so why can't I order my two illegitimate nephews around?"

"Then let's let the Jingzhao prefect come and judge. As long as the Dingguo Mansion is not overthrown, you will have to obey orders obediently."

The teacup in the old Duke's wife's hand also fell to the ground. Alas, five more big coins were gone.

"You, you are going too far." said the lady.

"Even if we are caught by the governor of Shuntian Prefecture, we will not go to die. Once you fall, we will be released naturally." said the second lady.

"Okay, let him out and go into exile with us, it's just right that he won't be left behind." Qiao Lili said to the Second Lady.

"You little girl, do you still think you are the future consort of the Sixth Prince? The Sixth Prince can't even protect himself, why are you still being so arrogant?" The Fourth Lady originally wanted to wait and see, but now they were asked to sell the shop, who could tolerate this.

"You can be arrogant as long as you can protect him. As long as the emperor does not issue an edict, this place will still be the Duke Dingguo's Mansion, I will still be the future consort of the Sixth Prince, and you will still be a bastard's branch. It won't take a day to deal with you." The tone was so infuriating that it made people choke and unable to breathe.

In the Great Yan Kingdom, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children is very clear. Illegitimate children are like slaves in front of legitimate children. They have to do whatever they are told to do.

"You are still here to laugh at our jokes. Have you forgotten that if the Duke Dingguo's Mansion and the Sixth Prince are not safe, can you deny your involvement?"

"Is there still a place for the Second Master to be an official? Can the young men and young ladies in the mansion still get married? Humph, you are dreaming."

Qiao Lili's words could be said to be an epiphany for them.