Chapter 83: Unsuccessful Instigation
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Unable to gain anything from Qiao Mu, Madam née Li angrily pulled up her screaming daughter and charged toward Xu Jiao’s residence with a spurt of energy.
She found it unbelievable that Xu Jiao, after learning about all the treasures in Qiao Mu’s residence, would not be sick with envy and covet them. At that time, if Xu Jiao spearheaded the endeavor, then she and her daughter could follow her. They would certainly be able to snatch some treasures home with this method.
However, if that box of precious jewelry landed in Xu Jiao’s hands, Madam née Li could not guarantee that she would be able to take a few home. The more she thought about it, the more painful she found it. Nevertheless, she was unable to tolerate her anger, so she headed straight for Xu Jiao’s residence.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she called, “Sister Xu Jiao!” Immediately, she was greeted by a bucket of dog blood!
Madam née Li instantly turned as dumb as a wooden chicken.
The delicate miss, Qiao Yingchun’s, face was also splattered by a few drops of dog blood. As though she was infected by some corrosive liquid, Qiao Yingchun started shrieking like a ghost and clutched her face with one hand, furiously wiping it off with terror in her eyes.
Madam née Li was also jolted from shock. When she focused on the scene before her, she discovered an incense burner table placed in the courtyard, and there were three joss sticks as thick as a fist lit in broad daylight. A middle-aged Daoist priest was swinging his peach-wood sword in front of the table, hopping up and down as he recited with forceful conviction, “The Immortal Venerate and Heavenly Monarch commands the fiendish demons and spirits in all directions to immediately disperse! Roar… hah!”
Madam née Li: …
What was going on? Xu Jiao was ensconced inside a quilt on such a hot day, hiding behind the incense burner table. When she looked over, her face was deathly pale, and there was not any focus visible in her eyes.
Another look revealed the dozens of yellow talismans pasted on her quilt, and even her hands and legs, as well as her forehead, were covered in talismans. She had an extremely weird appearance, almost as if she were possessed.
Seeing the bleak situation, Madam née Li promptly tugged on her daughter’s hand and hastily escaped from the courtyard without even saying hello to Qiao Zhongheng. Her next stop was the neighboring residence of Elderly Lady Qiao.
How unlucky! Who knew whether the misfortune tainting Xu Jiao would contaminate her daughter and her. For their own safety, it was better to stay as far away from her as possible.
It was no wonder that Xu Jiao did not go to Qiao Mu’s home to steal things! As it turned out, she was possessed, so she could not go out!
However, Elderly Lady Qiao was weird today as well. Xu Jiao’s home was connected with the old woman’s, so there was no way for her to not have heard any of the commotion, especially with Xu Jiao causing such a large disturbance.
Entrenched in dog blood, Madam née Li headed next door with her daughter in tow. After haggling with the doorkeeper for half a day, they were finally able to enter the residence. Madam née Li questioned the older female servant responsible for welcoming guests, and oh my! It turned out Elderly Lady Qiao had been sick since last night!
Realization dawned on Madam née Li. As she was saying, with Elderly Lady Qiao’s embezzling habits and greedy personality, how could she not do anything after knowing? It turned out she was as unfortunate as Xu Jiao—one was possessed and the other one was ill.
Madam née Li and her daughter arrived at Elderly Lady Qiao’s room with great familiarity. Without waiting for the maid to finish announcing her, she immediately started howling “Oh, my Elderly Lady!” as she rushed through the doors in a whirlwind fashion. Then, she knelt next to Elderly Lady Qiao’s bed and started wailing, but there were hardly any teardrops that fell from her eyes. Her bark was certainly worse than her bite.
Elderly Lady Qiao immediately became light-headed from anger. “I haven’t freaking died yet, what are you bawling for!”
Madam née Li’s wails caused the already sick Elderly Lady Qiao to feel even worse, and the old woman irritably snapped, “Quiet. What in the world happened?”
Madam née Li told her the story of the boxes being carried into Qiao Mu’s home while adding excessive embellishments to the story. As she spoke, she paid attention to Elderly Lady Qiao’s expression but noticed that the old woman remained very calm, as though she did not care about those supplies at all.
Was the world coming to an end? Why was Elderly Lady Qiao acting so odd today? Shouldn’t she immediately jump up and rush to Qiao Mu’s home to loot the treasures!
How could Elderly Lady Qiao actually be calm, she was so choked with bitterness that she nearly fainted. However, Qiao Mu’s family was divided yesterday night, so no matter how far her arm could stretch, she could not reach it toward her granddaughter’s possessions.
After hearing Madam née Li’s instigation, Elderly Lady Qiao repressed the fury boiling in her and frowned as she kindly advised the woman. Then, she sent Madam née Li home with an impatient expression so that she would wash away the dog blood she was soaked with. The stench of the dog blood had nearly caused her to vomit.
Seeing how Elderly Lady Qiao easily gave up on such a large amount of wealth, Madam née Li found it unbelievable.
As Madam née Li was escorted outside by an old female servant, she kept muttering about how strange everything was. Then, when she recalled how she had run all over the village today but did not manage to gain anything, she grew infuriated. Seeing the conspicuous openwork vase made from Qingtian stone standing next to the door of Elderly Lady Qiao’s room, she snatched it into her arms, making the escorting servant flabbergasted.
With the vase in her arms, Madam née Li prattled, “Elderly Lady Qiao, then I will leave now. Get well soon,” before dragging her displeased daughter out of Elderly Lady Qiao’s court. When the old servant told Elderly Lady Qiao about this upon her return, Elderly Lady Qiao angrily smashed a cup on the ground on the spot.
That g*dd*mn biddy, she truly seized any opportunity without fail and was unwilling to spare even the flower vase by the door!