Chapter 7: There Will Come a Day When He Needs Her

"Young Miss, please don't be impulsive..."

Shiliu lunged forward, pinning Qiao Niannian's hands down.

One simply does not strike the Crown Prince!

Having been tackled by Shiliu, Qiao Niannian managed to remain standing without collapsing; she was in much better shape than her previous sickly state.

She channeled her spiritual power and discovered that the energy she had exhausted earlier had returned.

It hadn't just recovered; it had increased.

And she had only just made contact with Xia Rongyu.

So, physical contact with Xia Rongyu could rapidly restore her spiritual power. Qiao Niannian’s eyes lit up instantly.

Nearby.

Qiao Yueying hid timidly behind Qiao Chushan, looking thoroughly frightened.

Seeing this, Shiliu’s eyes widened. She then hugged Qiao Niannian’s arm and let out a loud, wailing cry.

"My poor Young Miss, don't be upset. The Madam will be fine. Your health is poor, and after jumping into the river, you couldn't even speak—please, don't do anything rash!"

Qiao Niannian was startled.

That wail had been truly sudden.

Even Qiao Chushan, who was busy coaxing Qiao Yueying, was shaken enough to look over.

The next moment, Qiao Chushan pulled away from Qiao Yueying and came to Qiao Niannian’s side, his face full of concern.

"Niannian, don't be sad. Father will find a way to save your mother."

Qiao Niannian couldn't speak, so after being pinched by Shiliu, she offered a weak smile.

[Oh my, my dear father, you finally remembered you have a daughter. Watching you comfort Qiao Yueying so tenderly, I almost thought it was Qiao Yueying’s aunt who had been taken away!]

Qiao Chushan felt immense guilt.

"It’s all Father’s fault. Let me help you back myself."

As he spoke, Qiao Chushan took over from Shiliu and helped Qiao Niannian walk back.

Behind them, Qiao Yueying gripped her handkerchief, her gaze dark.

Qiao Niannian felt the daggers being thrown at her back and couldn't help but grumble internally.

[My dear father is walking away with me, and Qiao Yueying is furious. She must be looking at me with eyes that wish I were dead right now. What a pity.]

Qiao Chushan didn't believe it.

Qiao Chushan turned his head.

Qiao Chushan saw the flash of gloom in the depths of Qiao Yueying’s eyes.

Qiao Chushan was shocked.

How could the daughter he remembered as obedient, timid, and cowardly show such a fierce expression?

He looked again, more carefully, and saw only timidity and adoration for her father on Qiao Yueying’s face.

Qiao Chushan:...

Is this daughter of his so good at acting?

He had discovered it for the first time after all these years.

Seeing that she was about to be pushed into the pond by Qiao Chushan, Qiao Niannian couldn't help but complain in her heart.

[It’s over. My father must love Qiao Yueying so much that he wants to murder me.]

[He finds me an eyesore and wants to push me into the pond. Shiliu, help!]

Qiao Niannian’s inner voice spiked in volume. Qiao Chushan suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, only to realize he had already helped his daughter to the edge of the pond.

Everyone around was terrified.

Especially Shiliu.

She dropped to her knees with a "thud."

"Master, the Young Miss is your own daughter! I beg you, please spare her."

Qiao Chushan rubbed his forehead.

No, were these people misunderstanding something?

His favorite daughter was Niannian; how could he possibly hurt her!

Qiao Chushan’s face darkened: "Nonsense! When did I ever want to harm Niannian?"

[Father! You probably don't know your own reputation. Everyone in the Marquis's estate knows that you and Mother have a terrible relationship and that you dislike the four children she bore you even more.]

Nonsense.

Qiao Chushan retorted in his heart.

He loved the four children his wife had given him more than anything, especially Qiao Niannian.

Qiao Chushan sent Qiao Niannian back, instructed the maids to take good care of her, and then summoned the steward.

"Have someone investigate why I didn't receive the message when the Madam had someone send word that the Young Miss had fallen into the water."

"Get to the bottom of this, take good care of the Second Young Miss, and I am heading to the palace now. I will deal with the rest when I return."

The steward was a man Qiao Chushan had promoted himself; he was his confidant.

In the entire estate, only the steward knew how much the Marquis loved his wife.

He had privately warned those servants.

But since the Marquis and the Madam quarreled every few days, everyone assumed their relationship was poor and began to harbor their own agendas; there was nothing he could do.

After Qiao Chushan left, the head maid of Concubine Xu’s courtyard walked over and offered a shallow bow.

"Steward Zhu, I wonder what instructions the Marquis just gave? If you share them, this old servant would also like to help ease the Marquis's burdens."

The steward’s face was calm: "Mother Jia, this is not something you should be worrying about. Just do your own job."

Mother Jia’s expression changed, then she resumed her smile: "Steward Zhu is right. However, Steward Zhu should be clear about which master in this estate the Master truly cares about!"

Steward Zhu couldn't be bothered to listen to her nonsense.

As the Marquis’s confidant, how could he not know the Marquis’s true feelings?

It was just these short-sighted fools who couldn't see the situation clearly.

If the Marquis really had a bad relationship with the Madam, how could he be scolded by her time and again, only to find ways to sneak into her room the next day?

He didn't know who was the one failing to see clearly.

Mother Jia watched Steward Zhu leave, her face twisted, before she let out a cold snort and left as well.

Concubine Xu had long promised her that once she became the Madam, she would make her the manager of the Marquis's estate. She had originally hoped to win over Steward Zhu to serve Concubine Xu.

Now it seemed he was just a short-sighted fool, not worth winning over.

Five days passed.

The Marquis of Mingyuan had not returned to the estate.

Shiliu carried a food box back from the main kitchen, clutching her red, swollen face, crying as she walked.

The main kitchen was becoming increasingly outrageous.

Thinking that the Madam had truly met with disaster, they began to withhold the rations for the main branch and went out of their way to curry favor with Concubine Xu.

Not only did they distribute the legitimate wife’s rations to the concubines, but they also became increasingly careless with the food for the main branch. Today, when she went to the kitchen to get food, they only gave her a bowl of white porridge and a dish of yellowed greens.

Shiliu couldn't take it and argued with them, only to be mocked and beaten by the group of hags. Shiliu, unable to swallow her anger, fought back and gave them a sound thrashing.

In the end, they played the victim, and Concubine Xu had Mother Jia punish her with the rod.

Qiao Niannian had just recovered, and Shiliu didn't want her to worry.

She didn't take the food in, but handed it to Haitang instead.

Haitang was furious.

Compared to Shiliu, Haitang had a more impulsive personality and immediately wanted to go settle the score with those people in the main kitchen.

Shiliu held her back.

"The Madam is not in the estate, the Marquis is not here, and the steward has gone out. If Concubine Xu wants to punish us, we have no choice but to accept it."

"We will talk about this when the Madam returns. Hurry and take the food box in; don't let the Young Miss go hungry."

Haitang gritted her teeth and nodded: "I understand. You go back and rest; I’ll tell the Young Miss."

Inside the room.

Qiao Niannian sat upright at the desk, dressed in white as pure as snow, holding a calligraphy brush. The window beside her was open, revealing a bamboo forest.

A breeze blew in through the window, lifting the hair at Qiao Niannian’s temples and adding a touch of ethereal grace to her.

Ever since Qiao Niannian recovered, she had possessed an indescribable aura—noble, cold, and unattainable.

Haitang set the food box down softly, not making a sound.

Qiao Niannian then spoke.

"Haitang, don't bother setting the table. I’m taking you to the palace to eat."

Haitang:...

No, Young Miss, when did you develop the habit of bragging?

The Imperial Palace isn't a place you can just enter! Not unless you have a royal favor.

In the entire Marquis's estate, the only person who can enter and leave the palace at will is the Marquis himself!!!