Qiao Mu’s father and second uncle personally handled the elderly lady’s cremation and funeral arrangements.

  Qiao Mu didn’t meddle, and the Qiao Zhongbang couple had also ordered the servants to keep their lips sealed about what had happened in the small courtyard on Hualing Street that day.

  That’s why Qiao Mu simply didn’t know that the elderly lady had kicked up another row before passing away.

  She merely made a show of observing ceremony and propriety to outsiders by fulfilling her filial duty as the eldest granddaughter.

  Frankly speaking, however, the elderly lady’s funeral wasn’t all that grand, but everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

  After having these few days freed up, Qiao Mu had been drawing talismans the entire time.

  Today was her grandmother’s encoffining ceremony, so Qiao Mu and her siblings had been busying about with their parents and second uncle until this hour.

  They had just eaten a light dinner when someone hurriedly came in and announced that there was a messenger from the palace.

  Qiao Mu didn’t even raise her eyelid, resting on the small divan with her eyes closed in the same manner as before. “I’m tired. Go and tell her that as I am in mourning for my grandmother’s passing, I fear that entering the palace may agitate their eminences and taint them with bad luck.”


  “Yes.” Shaoyao promptly curtsied before quickly walking out.

  Nanny Qing, who waited upon the queen, was waiting outside, and she raised her head haughtily. “What did the crown prince consort say?”


  Shaoyao merely repeated what Qiao Mu had said in a neither obsequious nor supercilious manner.

  Nanny Qing harrumphed. “That is indeed so. Then this old one will go back to report to Her Majesty.”


  Yet Shaoyao abruptly clutched Nanny Qing’s wrist and kicked her, causing that old biddy to trip and eat the dirt beside the flower pots.

  “It seems like you still haven’t paid obeisance to my master and kowtowed?” Shaoyao crossed her arms as she coldly looked askance at Nanny Qing.

  “You should kowtow three times before leaving. So as to avoid other people from casually gossiping about how the people serving Her Majesty the Queen don’t follow the rules, not even observing the slightest bit of etiquette in front of the crown prince consort! This may disgrace Her Majesty’s repute, after all.”


  Nanny Qing’s whole face had turned ashen by this point, and gritting her teeth, she knelt down crossly as she unwillingly kowtowed three times toward the shut doors. Humiliation overwhelmed her, not to mention the pent-up anger in her heart. She secretly thought about how she would instigate conflict and rebuke this hot-tempered crown prince consort in front of Her Majesty after getting back.

  Shaoyao approached that old woman and sneered with creased brows, “Take more care! The sword in this lady’s hand doesn’t have eyes! Be careful that it doesn’t slash your throat!”


  Jolting in fright, Nanny Qing involuntarily took a step backwards.

  “If I find out that you dare to wag your tongue before the queen, next time won’t be as simple as making you kowtow to apologize for your offence.” Shaoyao drew her gleaming flexible sword from her waist and directly flicked it in a circle to threaten Nanny Qing.

  Nanny Qing quickly cowered, replying obsequiously, “W-What are you talking about. Miss Shaoyao, you truly know how to joke around.”


  “You know yourself whether it is a joke. My master isn’t someone the likes of you, a procuress who likes to stir up trouble, can offend!” Shaoyao then kicked her butt.

  The old biddy wanted to scream, but she only felt pain in her mouth as a medicinal pill abruptly slid down her throat.

  “Ah, ugh, cough cough.” The old biddy’s face had turned green with anger, and she clutched at her throat as she turned back to ask in horror, “W-What did you make me eat.”


  Shaoyao chortled, her lips parted slightly as she responded, “Poison.”


  “Don’t worry, as long as you behave yourself, this poison won’t break out in your entire lifetime.” Afterwards, Shaoyao escorted the stiffened old biddy out with a grin before returning to wait on Qiao Mu.