Old Madam Qiao turned the Buddha beads in her hand and said, “If the news spreads out, it may implicate the imperial grandson. This matter must be concealed.” About half an hour later, the voice of Qiao Jinniang calling for Hongling finally sounded in the room.

  Old Madam Qiao said sharply at the door. “Hongling has been tied up. Jinniang, come out quickly.”


  When Qiao Jinniang heard her grandmother’s voice, she blushed red and glanced at Lu Chen. “Damn!”


  Lu Chen had been practicing martial arts, so he had very acute hearing. He had long heard the noises outside.

  He also heard the Qiao family planning how to hide from him the fact that Jinniang had “cuckolded” him…


  Lu Chen: “What are you afraid of? You are not committing adultery anyway.”


  Qiao Jinniang pinched the flesh on Lu Chen’s waist. “My reputation has completely been ruined by you.”


  Lu Chen held Qiao Jinniang’s hand and chuckled. “We are a legitimate husband and wife. Why are you afraid of your grandmother?”


  Qiao Jinniang pushed Lu Chen away, picked up the clothes that scattered on the bed, and put them on, but without the help of maids, she couldn’t put her hair in a decent bun, so she could only open the door with a loose bun.

  As soon as she opened the door, she saw the dark-faced Duke Anyuan, Old Madam Qiao who was clenching a string of Buddhist beads tightly, and Zheng Xiao who looked quite worried about her.

  Qiao Jinniang was so ashamed that she just wished she could find a hole on the ground to hide in…


  Old Madam Qiao huffily wanted to enter the room, but was blocked by Qiao Jinniang at the door.

  Qiao Jinniang begged, “Please, Grandmother, save me some face.”


  Duke Anyuan took a deep breath and said, “Jinniang, get out of the way. Your wedding is imminent, and the adulterer’s life cannot be spared!”


  Old Madam Qiao rushed in only to see Lu Chen, who was now dressed properly. Just as she was about to scold, her legs softened and she had to lean against a mammy beside her.

  Feeling a little relieved, she hurriedly saluted. “Your Royal Highness, we didn’t know you arrived and didn’t come to greet you. Please forgive us.”


  There was a touch of complaint in her words.

  She was almost scared to death today. She never imagined that the dignified Crown Prince would climb over the wall to date his fiancee right before their wedding!

  Lu Chen certainly could tell what Old Madam Qiao meant. He coughed awkwardly and said, “Grandmother, you don’t need to be so polite. Don’t blame Jinniang. The fault is all mine.”


  Old Madam Qiao slowly got up with the help of a mammy.

  The Duke and Zheng Xiao entered from the outside and looked extremely embarrassed too.

  Especially Duke Anyuan, he never imagined that the wise and genteel Crown Prince would break into his daughter’s boudoir at night like a burglar!

  And where had the guards of the Duke Mansion gone? How could they let the Crown Prince enter the Jin Garden completely unhindered?

  Lu Chen was a bit embarrassed and said, “I came to discuss the wedding with Jinniang. It was too late and I didn’t want to disturb you, so I rudely climbed over the wall. Please forgive me.”


  Duke Anyuan certainly didn’t dare to blame him, and hurriedly said, “No, Your Royal Highness, I should apologize. Please forgive me for my offense.” Lu Chen said, “Well, I shouldn’t have broken in, sorry.”


  Seeing them apologizing to each other awkwardly and looking at the poor maids who were still tied up, Qiao Jinniang said to Lu Chen, “It’s time for you to go back to the imperial palace. The door will be locked soon.”


  Lu Chen nodded slightly and was about to climb over the wall as usual when he realized that he didn’t need to do it and could go out from the front door.

  After Lu Chen left, Old Madam Qiao ordered to untie Hongling and other maids and said to Qiao Jinniang, “You, you…”


  Old Madam Qiao wanted to blame Jinniang but on second thought, she said, “Forget it. You are both young and husband and wife, so I don’t blame you.

  “But the wedding date is approaching. To avoid trouble, behave yourselves before the wedding, okay? Even if your husband is the Crown Prince, you two can’t ignore the rules, and you better not meet before the wedding!”


  Qiao Jinniang didn’t hesitate to pass the buck to Lu Chen. “Grandma, I was unwilling to violate the rules, but he is the Crown Prince after all. I couldn’t disobey him. I promise I won’t do this again.”


  Old Madam Qiao didn’t say anything more.

  Because Old Madam Qiao blocked the news, the relatives of the Qiao family didn’t know what happened in the Jin Garden.

  One of Third Master’s concubines, Huaishan, held a baby in her arms. The baby didn’t sleep at night, and Huaishan gently patted him and crooned him to sleep.

  He was the fourth child of Third Master and the sixth grandson of Old Madam Qiao. He was born in the Southwest last summer. This was the first time he had come to Chang’an.

  Huaishan used to be a maid of the Qiao family. Like Qiao Ruoyi’s mother, she had been serving Third Master since she was a child. However, Third Master was born by a concubine, so the maids preferred to serve Duke Anyuan and Second Master.

  But Huaishan chose to follow Third Master in the end, so Third Master treated her well.

  After Third Madam married into the Duke Mansion, she was sent to serve Third Madam. Later, Third Master went to the southwest border to lead troops, and she followed him to the Southwest and became his concubine.

  It had been almost ten years, and she finally had a child when she was in her thirties. She cherished this child very much.

  Huaishan’s sister-in-law said to her with joy, “Huaishan, I heard from a maid of Second Madam that Second Madam has mentioned to Old Madam more than once that she wanted to adopt a son of Third Master. She wanted to take the chance of the Crown Princess’ wedding to do it.

  “Third Master’s eldest son and second son were both born by his wife and can’t be adopted. His third son is frail and sickly, so Second Madam doesn’t like him. I heard that they want to adopt your son!”


  Huaishan hugged the child tightly in her arms. “No, I don’t want it. I finally have a child at this age. How could I give him to Second Madam and let him recognize Second Madam as his mother?”


  Huaishan’s sister-in-law said, “Don’t be stupid. If you keep this child, he will only be a concubine-born son of Third Master, but if Second Master adopts him, he will be Second Master’s only heir.”


  The baby in Huaishan’s arms held the sleeve of Huaishan with his small fist. Huaishan said firmly, “No, whoever wants to give her son to Second Madam can just do it. I’ll never give my son to anyone.”


  “Even if you keep him, he can never call you ‘Mother’!”


  Huaishan’s sister-in-law, Aunt Liu, rolled her eyes at Huaishan. Huaishan was not young anymore. There was a good chance for her to gain a bright future but she declined it. Wasn’t that stupid?

  Thinking of the money Second Madam gave to her, Aunt Liu continued to persuade Huaishan. “Huaishan, you have to think about whether your son will blame you or not in the future! He could have become Second Master’s heir, but you made him a concubine-born son.

  “Besides, although Third Master is leading the troops in the Southwest on behalf of the Duke, he was not born to the same mother as the Duke, but Second Master is different.

  “When the Crown Princess marries into the East Palace, she must be more willing to help her second uncle’s only heir instead of a concubine-born son of Third Master!”


  Huaishan held her son and said, “I only want my child to live a peaceful and happy life. I don’t want any wealth or power.”


  Unable to persuade her to change her mind, Aunt Liu was annoyed. She returned to her hut and scolded her husband, Old Liu. “You are useless, and your whole family is useless.

  “After staying in the Southwest for ten years, Huaishan has become even more stupid. A good chance to gain money and power was placed in front of her, but she declined it.

  “Back then, Qiao Yu was only a cook, while your father was the butler, but now, he is Earl Lin’an. What about you? Why did I choose to marry you, a useless waste?”


  Old Liu said, “Cut the crap, alright?”


  Aunt Liu asked Old Liu, “What happened in the Jin Garden just now? I heard that someone committed adultery or something?”


  “Shh, if you don’t want to lose your head, don’t talk about it.”


  Aunt Liu curled her lips. She heard that it seemed that Qiao Jinniang committed adultery.

  Sure enough, Qiao Jinniang, who was raised by that slutty bitch, Yuniang, was a slut too!