NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 75: First Accompany Me Somewhere
Chapter 75: First Accompany Me Somewhere
The next day, Qiao Nian accompanied Madam Lin to the palace.
Noble Consort De had been waiting since early morning.
Seeing Qiao Nian, Noble Consort De hurried to welcome her, her eyes filled with warm tears, “Nian Nian, you’ve come! I thought you wouldn’t want to see me again!”
“How could that be,” Qiao Nian responded gently, as if nothing had happened.
Noble Consort De was delighted and couldn’t help but glance at Madam Lin.
Madam Lin said, “I told you before, Nian Nian hasn’t taken that incident to heart. You just wouldn’t believe me.”
Hearing this, Noble Consort De nodded repeatedly, “Yes, I really didn’t expect… Ah, let’s go inside first!”
Noble Consort De said this while pulling Qiao Nian into the room.
But as soon as they entered, Qiao Nian’s steps halted.
Because someone was kneeling inside the room.
Just from the back view, it was clear it was Prince Ming.
Seeing Qiao Nian’s slight change in expression, Noble Consort De quickly reassured her, “This child is too outrageous. Today, I’ll teach him a lesson in front of Nian Nian. Let’s see if he dares to bully you again in the future!”
As she spoke, Noble Consort De took a bamboo whip handed over by a palace maid and swung it hard towards Prince Ming’s back.
With just one strike, a crisp sound echoed in the room.
Prince Ming let out a muffled groan but still sat up straight.
Noble Consort De immediately followed with a second strike, then a third…
Qiao Nian stood silently watching.
She wanted to see how long Noble Consort De could keep up this act.
As Prince Ming’s clothes began to show blood seeping through, Noble Consort De’s hand clearly started to tremble, and her force lightened. It looked like she was hitting, but in reality, she was just brushing over Prince Ming’s back.
Just as she was unsure whether to continue, Madam Lin spoke up at the right moment, stepping forward to protect Prince Ming, “Alright, alright, this isn’t such a big deal, there’s no need to hit like this! Prince Ming must have realized his mistake by now! Isn’t that right?”
Madam Lin gently pushed Prince Ming, hinting for him to speak.
Indeed, Prince Ming slowly turned his head to look at Qiao Nian, “It’s all my fault. I was confused. I’m sorry, Nian Nian. Mother is right to punish me!”
What a good show.
Qiao Nian coldly watched all of this, meeting Prince Ming’s pretend-affectionate eyes, and even curved her lips into a smile.
Prince Ming was stunned.
He had thought when he saw Qiao Nian again, she would be full of fear, even avoiding his gaze. How could he have imagined that Qiao Nian would smile at him!
But after the initial shock, an indescribable excitement surged to his head.
Prince Ming had to clench his fists tightly to resist the urge to snatch the whip from Noble Consort De’s hand and lash it at Qiao Nian.
The desire in his eyes was too obvious, and Qiao Nian saw it clearly. She immediately said, “Since Prince Ming has admitted his mistake, Noble Consort, please don’t punish him anymore! If you keep hitting, I might not have a husband left.”
As she spoke, the corners of her mouth were constantly curved in a slight smile.
Noble Consort De thought she was being coy and immediately threw away the bamboo whip, stepping forward to take Qiao Nian’s hand, “You child, how can you be so understanding? You make my heart feel…”
So uncomfortable!
Noble Consort De wasn’t a cruel person. Stuck with a son like Prince Ming, she had no choice. But after all, he was her own flesh and blood, so she could only choose to unconditionally side with him.
But towards Qiao Nian, she felt guilty no matter what.
Several young eunuchs came forward to help Prince Ming leave to apply medicine, while Noble Consort De led Qiao Nian to sit down, “To have such a tolerant wife like you, I believe Qi’er will cherish you in the future and won’t dare to hurt you again!”
Qiao Nian smiled without speaking.
She felt that Noble Consort De truly didn’t understand her son at all.
Prince Ming’s eyes just now showed that he wanted nothing more than to beat her black and blue on the spot, leaving her half-dead!
Seeing Qiao Nian not speaking, Noble Consort De felt at a loss again.
After thinking for a moment, she signaled to her head palace maid with her eyes.
The head palace maid immediately nodded, leading the other palace maids and eunuchs out of the room.
In the room, only Noble Consort De, Madam Lin, and Qiao Nian remained.
Madam Lin was curious and couldn’t help but ask, “Noble Consort, what are you…”
But Noble Consort De patted Qiao Nian’s hand and said softly, “Wait a moment.”
With that, she got up and went to the inner room, returning shortly after.
In her hand was a property deed.
“This is a business I acquired outside the palace, a ready-made clothes shop. Keep it safe.”
As she spoke, she pushed the property deed into Qiao Nian’s hands.
Qiao Nian was genuinely surprised. Her purpose for coming today was actually about Prince Ming; she hadn’t expected to get anything from Noble Consort De.
Even Madam Lin was quite surprised, “This is your dowry, it’s too valuable! We absolutely cannot accept it!”
“Nian Nian is about to become my daughter-in-law, why can’t she?” Noble Consort De said. Seeing that Qiao Nian also seemed reluctant to accept, she simply forced the property deed into Qiao Nian’s arms, “Alright, alright, don’t make me do anything more undignified!”
Qiao Nian lowered her eyes, straightened her clothes, and then said, “Then, Nian Nian will accept it with gratitude.”
This was Noble Consort De’s way of buying her own conscience. By accepting it, Qiao Nian would make Noble Consort De feel better.
Sure enough, seeing Qiao Nian accept it, Noble Consort De visibly relaxed. She held Qiao Nian’s hand and spoke many intimate words before finally letting her leave.
When leaving Noble Consort De’s chambers, Qiao Nian didn’t see Prince Ming again.
She thought she had come for nothing today, but unexpectedly, Prince Ming was waiting for her outside the palace gates.
Madam Lin was a bit nervous, her movements stiff as she stepped forward to bow to Prince Ming, “Your Highness, why are you here?”
“I’m waiting for Nian Nian,” Prince Ming said. Hearing this, Madam Lin became even more nervous and immediately glanced at Qiao Nian.
She was really worried that Prince Ming would take Qiao Nian to the west side of the city again, but… she couldn’t say anything to stop Prince Ming.
Then Qiao Nian stepped forward and slowly said, “I’ll talk with Prince Ming. Madam Lin, you can go back first!”
For some reason, hearing Qiao Nian say this, Madam Lin actually felt relieved.
She nodded, but then, as if warning Prince Ming, said, “Well then, your father and I will be waiting for you at the mansion.”
She thought that by mentioning Marquis Lin, Prince Ming would be scared.
But Prince Ming just lowered his head and smiled, without saying anything.
Qiao Nian also found her quite ridiculous and turned to board Prince Ming’s carriage.
The latter clearly hadn’t expected Qiao Nian to be so proactive. He was slightly stunned before bowing to Madam Lin.
A picture of gentility and elegance.
But such a gentle and elegant person showed his true colors the moment the carriage curtain fell.
His eyes, gleaming with a predatory light, were fixed on Qiao Nian, the eagerness in them almost overflowing.
He stared at Qiao Nian, the smile on his lips extremely sinister, “Do you know where I’m taking you?”
“The west side of the city.”
Qiao Nian replied calmly, without a trace of fear.
This caused Prince Ming to frown slightly, looking at her with confusion, “Are you really not afraid?”
Qiao Nian didn’t answer, only smiled at Prince Ming and said, “I am afraid, but before we go there today, could Your Highness accompany me somewhere first?”