Zhong Youyan: ...
Perhaps she had guessed a little.
Why did Wanwan think no one at the Xie Residence had pursued the matter after she blew up their roof twice?
Hadn't Zhong Youyan quietly smoothed it all over?
This little one really was...
Utterly adorable.
Zhong Youyan couldn't resist kissing her cheek. "Little Princess, let them rise. Lord Qiao is my brother-in-law."
Back then, if her elder sister hadn't eloped with Qiao Zhishu...
The betrothal to the Xie family's Fourth Master would never have fallen to her.
Fortunately, her sister had judged him well. Qiao Zhishu had eventually buckled down, earned scholarly honors, and become Hezhou's local magistrate.
Everything about the Qiao family was fine, except for her sister's parents-in-law.
They seemed a little too indulgent toward their servants.
She frowned slightly, looking at Steward Qiao and Qiao Tianci.
He was clearly a steward, yet he shared the Qiao family's surname. The explanation given to outsiders was that Steward Qiao had served Master Qiao for years and had been granted the family surname because they considered him one of their own. But Zhong Youyan always felt that Steward Qiao didn't seem like a servant.
He seemed more like a master.
"For Sister Zhong's sake, you may rise." Xia Wanwan waved a hand, allowing Qiao Zhishu to get up.
He was indeed fairly handsome, with a touch of scholarly refinement.
The Zhong Family's eldest daughter had fallen for him and abandoned her family's wealth to elope with him. It seemed the man before her did have something going for him.
"Thank you, Princess." Qiao Zhishu rose with everyone else.
He stepped half a pace forward and said respectfully, "Princess Ximing, you have traveled far. Why not first rest at my residence? That would also give me a chance to hold a