Chapter 802: Compensation
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“l will pay 30,000 liang for you, and you will take care of the rest!”
Madame Yuezheng, having considerable wealth, instructed her servant to bring 30,000 liang in cash and handed it directly to First Madame.
First Madame had no objections to this arrangement.
Madame Yuezheng had her own personal funds, and she was free to allocate them as she pleased, as long as she wasn’t forced to dip into the shared savings of the family.
The first section of the family did not require Madame Yuezhengs a.s.sistance in this manner.
“Second sister-in-law, should I have my people collect the remaining amount now or tomorrow?” asked First Madame, indicating that they would retrieve the money the following day.
Ms. Mi Junior became infuriated and responded bitterly, “l will send my people to deliver it to you, Elder Sister-in-law!”
“Very well. I will be waiting.”
“Bah!”
Ms. Mi Junior had 20,000 liang in cash, but it was a substantial portion of her personal savings. Reluctantly, she gathered the cash and requested Auntie Ling to arrange for its prompt delivery. She wanted to put this matter behind her as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, First Madame added some exquisite brocades that her son had gifted to her the previous year, along with a set of beautiful ornaments, to the presents she was taking to the Shao Family. She personally headed there to deliver the gifts.
Qiao Xuan had no intention of accepting First Madame’s presents, but she insisted with a smile, saying, “l am your Aunt, and this is a gesture to help you feel more at ease. I have plenty of these items stored away.”
Qiao Xuan smiled appreciatively and accepted all the gifts.
First Madame engaged in small talk with Qiao Xuan for a while before advising, “You should discuss the management of your lands with the estate manager so they can take care of them in your absence. It’s time for you to return home as soon as possible. Xiao will handle everything else for you. When you visit next time, you can evaluate and select any preferred managers and pageboys to keep here.”
Perceiving Qiao Xuan’s confusion, First Madame responded with a sigh and a smile. “Ting and your sister found themselves in a compromising situation with two men in broad daylight. Just wait and see, the rumor mill will undoubtedly spread.”
“People will mock us, and they won’t know how to handle it! I have always been the one to clean up their messes, but this time, I’m staying out of it. It’s a lesson they need to learn from.”
“That’s why it’s best for you to leave soon and distance yourself from this situation.”
First Madame had no daughters who needed to secure marriage alliances, and her granddaughter was still too young to worry about such matters.
Furthermore, the two branches of the family were distinct ent.i.ties. People wouldn’t be foolish enough to hold the first section of the family accountable for the misdeeds of the second section!
If anyone dared to think otherwise, the first section of the family would simply disregard them.
Qiao Xuan suddenly grasped the underlying dynamics. Indeed, she was tangentially involved, and staying here for too long would only invite unnecessary trouble upon herself.
Realizing that it was in her best interest to distance herself from the situation, Qiao Xuan expressed her grat.i.tude to First Madame. “Aunt, I sincerely thank you for reminding me. I almost overlooked that aspect. We will make the necessary preparations and leave in two days’ time.”
“That’s good, and Qu Shan will accompany you on the journey back home.”
“Thank you so much, Aunt!”
First Madame smiled warmly. “It’s nothing, really.”
Qiao Xuan shared the news with the rest of her family, and they all agreed with the decision. They had experienced and witnessed enough during their stay, and it was time to return home.
They rea.s.sured themselves that they could always come back in the future.
Eldest Uncle, in particular, had been longing for home for quite some time. Although he faced opposition from his wife, he couldn’t hide his joy as they embarked on the journey back home..