Everything had passed.

Qiao Zhao leaned against Old Madam Deng’s embrace, feeling warmth in her heart.

Some things could pass, while others could not.

Regardless, she should feel fortunate to have awakened with Li Zhao’s identity.

“Grandmother, I’m not afraid,” she said, sitting up straight and smiling at Old Madam Deng.

The thirteen-year-old girl was beginning to bloom with youthful beauty, yet still carried an air of innocence.

Old Madam Deng looked closely at her granddaughter’s serene smile. Those domineering, vulgar, and mean-spirited shadows seemed to fade away all at once.

She had never seriously taken issue with this child before, yet never imagined that one day, this child would become so wonderful.

She was truly unexpectedly wonderful. Even if those noble ladies from prominent families would never consider this child as a potential daughter-in-law due to the kidnapping incident, she still held this opinion.

“Zhaozhao, you may go out from now on, but perhaps you shouldn’t attend the women’s academy at the East Residence anymore.”

Qiao Zhao showed no unusual expression and calmly said, “Grandmother, I still wish to continue my studies.”

Old Madam Deng thought she didn’t understand and explained, “Though you greatly distinguished yourself today, Li Jiāo has ruined her reputation. If you continue attending the East Residence women’s academy, it might irritate others.”

Qiao Zhao smiled, “I understand what Grandmother means, but I believe the Lady is magnanimous and won’t make things difficult for a young girl like me.”

She had no choice but to go to the East Residence.

Her maternal grandfather was the Minister of Justice, while the master of the East Residence was the Vice Minister of Justice. This meant the Li residence and Minister Kou’s household belonged to the same social circle. If she wanted to naturally approach her maternal grandfather’s family and frequently see her brother in the future, she couldn’t sever ties with the East Residence. As long as she attended the women’s academy with the sisters from the West Residence, when the East Residence needed to bring young ladies to various social occasions, they wouldn’t single her out to be excluded.

Moreover, when that cousin returned from investigating the Qiao family fire in Jia Feng, she was even more eager to meet him.

Qiao Zhao understood people like the Lady, Old Madam Jiang, all too well.

Caring more about face than suffering in silence!

Today Li Jiāo had greatly embarrassed herself, and Old Madam Jiang had equally lost face. However, no matter how much she resented her in her heart, as long as she didn’t make any mistakes, Old Madam Jiang wouldn’t make things too difficult on the surface.

Thinking about how those who treated her poorly would hate for her to disappear far away, yet be helplessly forced to endure seeing her daily, Qiao Zhao felt quite pleased.

The Lady being magnanimous?

Old Madam Deng’s mouth twitched.

What sarcastic words was this child speaking?

“Zhaozhao, listen to Grandmother. I can see your calligraphy skills are so exceptional; your other abilities must be equally good. There’s no need to attend the East Residence women’s academy.”

Qiao Zhao sighed.

It seemed that having a grandmother who truly cared for her descendants could sometimes be quite troublesome.

“But I still want to be with my sisters. When they marry in the future, I won’t be able to have such days again.”

Old Madam Deng opened her mouth, then finally nodded, “Fine, since you wish to go, then go.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” Qiao Zhao smiled with pursed lips.

She had figured it out – this grandmother responded to gentle persuasion rather than force.

After a while, Li Jiǎo returned to the carriage.

Since Lady He hadn’t come, the West Residence used two carriages in total – one carrying Lady Liu and her daughter from the second branch, and one carrying Old Madam Deng with the two young ladies from the main branch.

“Why has Jiao’er returned as well?” Old Madam Deng was quite surprised.

“They’re all just coffins upon coffins, quite unsettling to look at. I’d rather return to spend more time with Grandmother.” Li Jiǎo was somewhat surprised by Qiao Zhao’s presence and spoke sweetly.

Qiao Zhao lowered her eyes and imperceptibly curled the corners of her mouth.

This eldest sister usually maintained the demeanor of an elder sister, appearing patient and sensible, but truly couldn’t grasp the gravity of certain situations.

Heroic souls returning to their homeland, and she called them unsettling to look at?

If she had said such things, her grandmother would definitely have given her a sharp look and punished her to sleep with a teacup balanced on her head.

The current grandmother was no fool either.

Qiao Zhao’s thoughts were correct. Old Madam Deng indeed darkened her expression and scolded, “Don’t speak nonsense!”

The old lady’s sudden change of expression greatly shocked Li Jiǎo, who momentarily forgot even to ask questions.

“Grandmother is getting old and prefers quiet, you needn’t rush back to keep me company. As for those fallen soldiers, even if Grandmother personally went to see them off with these old bones, it wouldn’t be excessive.”

Li Jiǎo’s face suddenly flushed red, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

She had once again lost face in front of Li Zhao! More importantly, facing Grandmother’s reproach, she could only remain speechless.

Li Jiǎo truly couldn’t swallow this frustration. After holding it in repeatedly, she finally said, “It’s granddaughter’s fault.”

Grandmother had asked the same question – how had Li Zhao answered? She wanted to know!

Li Jiǎo had been accustomed to concealing her feelings since childhood, so her admission of fault seemed quite sincere. Old Madam Deng couldn’t bear to scold her further and nodded, “It’s good if you truly understand where you went wrong.”

The old lady looked out the window and sighed, “Without those soldiers who protect our country, do you think you’d have such comfortable lives?”

Old Madam Deng turned to ask Li Jiǎo, “Jiao’er, you know where our ancestral home is, don’t you?”

“I know, it’s in Heyu County.” Li Jiǎo replied.

She was a girl and had no opportunity to accompany the elders back to the ancestral home for ceremonies, but she remembered clearly where their ancestral home was located.

“Mm.” Old Madam Deng nodded, glanced at Qiao Zhao, then said to both sisters, “Heyu County is right next to Shanhai Pass. Decades ago, when I was your age, Shanhai Pass was breached by the barbarians… I had a close friend whose maternal family lived in Shanhai Pass city. She had gone to her maternal grandparents’ home with her mother at that time and encountered that catastrophe… Later, only one personal maid who escaped back to Heyu survived. I still remember that the maid was called Little Butterfly. Do you know what happened to my close friend?”

Li Jiǎo hesitated and shook her head.

Qiao Zhao straightened her back and remained silent.

She knew. She had seen it.

Even when those barbarians who captured her knew she was Shao Mingyuan’s wife, they still wanted to violate her immediately.

The barren Northern Territories had shaped the fierce character of the Northern Qi people, yet women were scarce. Therefore, when they faced young and beautiful women from Great Liang, the string called reason in their minds completely lost its function.

In the end, it was their leader who personally killed two uncontrollable soldiers to intimidate the others, temporarily preserving her chastity.

She would never forget how that leader laughed loudly and told his subordinates that if the killing god surnamed Shao didn’t retreat, he would reward them right there on the city wall, letting those Great Liang bastards witness with their own eyes how their Northern Qi men possessed Great Liang women.

The wife of the general they worshipped like a god!

Even if Yan City was recaptured by the Great Liang people, this shame would be forever carved on the faces of the Great Liang people!

Old Madam Deng withdrew her gaze and slowly said, “When those barbarians entered neighboring homes to commit atrocities, she and her female cousins hanged themselves together on a tree in the back courtyard! Just like how every household in Heyu hangs preserved fish during winter, they hung them there one by one.”