Meeting Old Madam Deng’s heavy gaze, Li Jiǎo shuddered.

Over the years, Great Liang’s moral teachings had become quite loose, and one rarely heard of any family’s daughters losing their lives due to compromised virtue. Not to mention distant cases – just look at the one sitting beside her, who had been kidnapped for many days before returning home, yet was perfectly fine.

Hanging on trees like preserved fish…

Just thinking about it made Li Jiǎo shiver with cold, even feeling nauseous.

She couldn’t help but glance at Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao sat on the other side of Old Madam Deng, her brows and eyes cold and condensed, her expression heavy.

Li Jiǎo sneered inwardly.

Li Zhao spared no effort to please Grandmother, putting on this empathetic appearance – didn’t she find it ridiculous?

Old Madam Deng was gratified by Qiao Zhao’s understanding. She reached out to pat her and sighed, “The older ones hanged themselves, while the younger ones were hanged by their fathers and brothers. Girls like flowers hanging in a row, just gone like that!”

She glanced at Li Jiǎo’s pale face and sighed, “Don’t think the families were cruel – you must know that once they fell into the hands of those beast-like Northern Qi people, that would truly be a fate worse than death!”

“What happened afterward?” Qiao Zhao asked.

Her afterward was waking up in the prosperous and peaceful South – what about others’ afterward?

“Afterward, afterward, fortunately, our Great Liang soldiers fought with blood and sweat to drive away those wolves! Otherwise, after Shanhai Pass would come Heyu County. If those Northern Qi people had broken into Heyu, there probably wouldn’t be any of you now.”

Old Madam Deng swept her gaze over her two granddaughters, her tone solemn, “Every inch of mountains and rivers costs an inch of blood. Remember this – without those soldiers who died wrapped in horse leather, we wouldn’t have our good days. Never again use such frivolous language to discuss them!”

“Yes, granddaughter understands.” At this moment, Li Jiǎo and Qiao Zhao spoke in unison.

What followed was a moment of silence.

Li Jiǎo didn’t know what to say in such an atmosphere. Qiao Zhao spoke up and asked, “Grandmother, I’ve heard that Northern Qi people are fierce warriors, like wolves and tigers. It must have been very difficult for Great Liang soldiers to drive them out of Shanhai Pass back then?”

Old Madam Deng nodded, “More than difficult – I won’t tell you young girls about the tragic situation back then. But fortunately, we had the Heaven-blessed talent of Marquis Zhenyuan, who turned the tide.”

“Marquis Zhenyuan?”

But Old Madam Deng suddenly stopped talking, picked up her teacup for a sip, and slowly said, “Enough, these are all old matters, better not to mention them.”

Qiao Zhao’s eyes flickered slightly.

The name Marquis Zhenyuan seemed familiar – she thought she had heard her grandfather mention it.

“Grandmother, is Marquis Zhenyuan still alive? Granddaughter seems never to have heard of any noble family in the capital having this title.”

Old Madam Deng’s expression changed slightly.

Li Jiǎo, having been at a disadvantage all day, now observed and said meaningfully, “Third Sister, since Grandmother doesn’t want to mention these past events, you shouldn’t keep asking.”

“Oh.” Qiao Zhao responded calmly, looking at Old Madam Deng with quite regretful eyes.

Old Madam Deng’s heart immediately softened, and she couldn’t help saying, “He’s no longer here. The entire Marquis Zhenyuan household was executed twenty years ago…”

Li Jiǎo’s face went pale.

Qiao Zhao was equally shocked.

Executed entirely?

She remembered now!

Back then, she was still young and had inadvertently overheard a conversation between her grandparents.

Grandmother asked Grandfather: Why arrange this marriage with Marquis Jing’an’s household for Zhaozhao? One is from a scholarly noble family, the other from a military household – it’s completely inappropriate for the two families to become in-laws.

Grandfather said: Marquis Jing’an is upright in character; his son can’t be wrong. Zhaozhao will be happy marrying him.

Grandmother said: Military generals are different from civil officials. When civil officials offend the ruler’s displeasure, at most, they’re demoted to commoners. When military generals arouse the ruler’s suspicion, that means execution of the entire family, like that Marquis Zhenyuan…

Qiao Zhao closed her eyes slightly, the information in her mind becoming increasingly clear.

Marquis Zhenyuan – he was someone like the current Shao Mingyuan. How had he brought about the catastrophe of family extinction?

For some reason, thinking of Marquis Zhenyuan’s fate and then of Shao Mingyuan’s current prominence, Qiao Zhao felt somewhat heavy-hearted.

Regardless, she didn’t want to see someone who fought bloodily against the barbarians meet such an end.

Seeing that Old Madam Deng didn’t want to say more, Qiao Zhao tactfully didn’t ask further, deciding to ask Father about it after returning home.

At this moment, Second Madam Liu’s voice came from outside the carriage, “Old Madam, may daughter-in-law come in? I have urgent matters to report to you.”

“Come in.” Old Madam Deng, her mood dampened by mentioning past events, said flatly.

Then came a commotion. As the carriage curtain was lifted, letting in a gust of wind, Liu spoke rapidly, “Old Madam, Third Miss—”

Seeing Qiao Zhao sitting beside Old Madam Deng, Liu swallowed her remaining words, opened and closed her mouth, then forced out a smile, “So Third Miss has returned—”

Sixth Miss Li Chan, who entered with her, pouted and squeezed beside Old Madam Deng, pushing Qiao Zhao aside, “Grandmother, Third Sister went too far! Not only did she rush up to that young and handsome Marquis Guanjun in broad daylight, but after leaving, she didn’t come back to find us, making Mother search everywhere for us!”

“Chan’er, don’t speak nonsense!” Liu stopped Li Chan and quickly glanced at Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao observed coldly, surprised to discover that this second aunt, who usually opposed Lady He at every turn, was looking at her with several parts panic and wariness.

This was quite curious.

Qiao Zhao raised an eyebrow.

Liu quickly averted her gaze, her expression becoming even uglier as she secretly pinched Li Chan.

This dead girl was truly breaking her heart!

All along the way, she had repeatedly warned her two daughters never to cross Third Miss again, yet Chan’er hadn’t listened to a single word!

Ever since Li Zhao returned to the residence, it was as if she had divine protection – whoever provoked her met with misfortune.

Previously, when First Miss and Second Miss joined forces to frame her, they were exposed on the spot and left utterly disgraced. She had heard the servants in the residence gossip about First Miss more than once. Today was even more extreme – the Lady lost face in front of all the noble ladies in the city, and Second Miss’s reputation was completely ruined.

The consequences of provoking Li Zhao were becoming more severe each time!

Liu was quite adept at reading the wind. Since the waves were too fierce, she couldn’t let her own daughter rush forward and bring trouble upon herself.

“Third Miss, don’t mind your Sixth Sister – she’s young and doesn’t understand,” Liu said with a face full of smiles.

Li Jiǎo’s eyes were about to pop out.

What was wrong with Second Aunt today?

Liu didn’t even glance at Li Jiǎo, instead turning to Old Madam Deng, “There were too many people then, quite crowded. The third Miss was pushed out by the crowd. I was worried about getting separated again, but since she’s back, that’s good. This aunt can rest easy now.”

Li Jiǎo: “…” She was certain Second Aunt was possessed!

Damn it, she had originally wanted to find an opportunity to tell Grandmother about Li Zhao’s disgraceful behavior of flirting with Marquis Guanjun in the street!

Qiao Zhao curved her lips slightly.

Who was it that had pushed her out at that time?