Chapter 152 - Serving Tea (2)

Shen Ziqiao grabbed the cup of tea from the tray in the nanny’s hand. She respectfully lifted to Old Madam Qi’s face. She smiled sweetly and exclaimed, “Grandmother, please drink tea.”

“Okay, okay.” Old Madam Qi smiled and half closed her eyes. She had a nanny bring over a brocade box and exclaimed, “This is grandmother’s gift for you. I want you two to grow old together and support one another.”

“Thank you grandmother.” Shen Ziqiao kowtowed and thanked her.

“Quickly get up.” Old Madam Qi reached over and helped her up. Who knew that a pair of hands were much quicker than hers.

Qi Zheng helped Shen Ziqiao up by her arms, his gaze full of concern. He had tortured her last night quite a lot and then she had to kneel and kowtow today. He felt really bad.

Hong Yu who stood behind Shen Ziqiao didn’t know what to do.

Wasn’t helping the Madam up her job?

“Look at how much you adore your wife.” Old Madam Qi couldn’t help but tease, smiling inside.

Qi Zheng didn’t feel awkward at all. Anyway, he smiled at Old Madam Qi and exclaimed, “Grandmother, stop teasing me. I finally just got to marry my wife.”

Shen Ziqiao’s cheeks turned rosy. Under everyone’s teasing gazes, she served tea to Duke An and Xiao Gu.

While Old Madam Qi was still giving the brocade box to Shen Ziqiao, Xiao Gu’s face turned green. People may not know what was inside but she did.

That was Qi Family’s generational treasure, a rare monarch jade pendant!

It was a top-notch precious stone of all the jades. One could tell just from the name. Monarch jade… what else could be stronger than a monarch?

The great emperor had rewarded this jade and the Qi Family had considered this as their generational treasure. They only passed this down to their eldest son and eldest daughter-in-law. She had seen this in Qi Zheng’s mother’s room in the past.

But ever since she married inside, she had never seen it anymore. She thought that Qi Silin had kept the jade pendant. Who knew that it was in the Old Madam’s hand?

She actually gave it to Shen Ziqiao! How could she give it to her?!

She was the Old Madam’s niece and her daughter-in-law. She actually skipped over her and gave the jade pendant to her grandson’s wife.

Xiao Gu was fuming but she couldn’t express it right now. Otherwise, people would laugh at her.

“Father, please drink tea.” Shen Ziqiao served tea to Duke An. She took this opportunity to look at the man that had raised a mistress outside and angered his legal wife to death.

Although he was a middle-aged man, he was still handsome. Qi Zheng looked really similar to him too. However Duke An had a refined and gentle imposing manner while Qi Zheng had a severe and strict imposing manner. They had completely different feelings.

Duke An gave Shen Ziqiao a thick embroidered pouch and then he said some auspicious words.

After kowtowing, Shen Ziqiao was helped up by Hong Yu. She then went to serve tea for Xiao Gu.

Xiao Gu hid the jealousy and cold glint in her eyes. She reprimanded, “You clearly knew that elders were waiting for you but you just had to stall before coming. You can’t do this in the future…”

“I had them come over later.” Old Madam Qi exclaimed faintly, preventing Xiao Gu from scolding Shen Ziqiao in front of everyone.

Xiao Gu suppressed her unhappiness and gave Shen Ziqiao a golden ruyi hairpin.

She’s really...so stingy! She must’ve done this on purpose.

Old Madam Qi was expressionless. She didn’t even look at her but Duke An’s expression was unwell.

Shen Ziqiao smiled and kowtowed. Next, she greeted the second household’s elder. Even they had given her a much more expensive gift than Xiao Gu.

The late old duke only had a brother. He had retired from his government post a long time ago and started doing business in Liaodong. Because he had captured a great opportunity and was brazen enough, though his status wasn’t as celebrated as the main household, he had much more money than them.

The two households frequently got together and they had a great relationship.

After she finished serving tea to the elders, it was greetings between their peers. Qi Feng walked over and exclaimed, “Elder brother, sister-in-law, congratulations.”

Shen Ziqiao knew that the person in front of her was Xiao Gu’s son. He looked a bit similar to Qi Zheng and had just passed the provincial level of the imperial examination. However, he looked dispirited. Shouldn’t he be really happy?

She murmured in her heart while giving him an embroidered pouch.

“Auntie, auntie, we want too.” Two little boys around five years old had run out and tugged on Shen Ziqiao’s sleeves, exclaiming out loud.

Shen Ziqiao smiled and gave them each a few embroidered pouches.

“Look at these two silly boys.” The first madam of the second household exclaimed. Her surname was Sun and the grandmother of the two boys.

Old Madam Qi smiled. “That’s how children act.”

“Old Madam will get a great grandson soon too.” Nee Sun exclaimed, looking gently at Shen Ziqiao.

The two daughter-in-laws standing behind her also looked at Shen Ziqiao. Seeing that their mother-in-law had the intention of befriending Shen Ziqiao, they also walked over.

Qi Zheng looked at Shen Ziqiao, smiling and his expression gentle. Qi Feng felt bitter seeing this.

His elder brother married the woman he liked and the emperor even bestowed a marriage to them. However, he had to take in a fool as his concubine. Everyone must be laughing at him. Even his superiors thought that he wasn’t capable and they looked at him in disappointment...

Xiao Gu wore a dark face and said nothing, especially seeing Qi Zheng’s proud expression. She clenched her teeth.

It was quickly lunch time. Xiao Gu thought that she finally had an opportunity to humiliate Shen Ziqiao. Therefore, she was extremely spirited.

Even if she was just a second wife, Qi Zheng was still her wife. Shen Ziqiao would have to behave in front of her.

Who knew that they had just sat down when Old Madam Qi exclaimed, “Jiao Jiao, sit by me and let me take a good look at you.”

“You have to eat a lot later on. You must be tired. If you don’t like it, tell me and I’ll have the kitchen cook new food.”

Did that mean that Xiao Gu had to behave in front of Shen Ziqiao?

Xiao Gu widened her eyes but Duke An glared at her.

What? Did he want her to stand up and arrange the dishes for the Old Madam? Her daughter-in-law was still sitting and didn’t even move.

“You may go ahead and eat.” Old Madam Qi ignored their expressions. She smiled and had everyone start eating.

Shen Ziqiao exchanged a look with Qi Zheng. It wasn’t that difficult. She originally thought that she’d be skinned alive trying to deal with his relatives. Who knew that Old Madam had protected her that much?

Even if Xiao Gu wanted to make things difficult for her, she’d have to ask if Old Madam agreed or not.

Qi Zheng glanced at her proud expression and his heart softened. He wanted to kiss her.

Old Madam Qi took their little actions to heart. The smile grew bigger on her face. She believed that her thought that they were a perfect match was right.

She owed Qi Zheng a lot. If he was able to get married to the woman he liked, she could really close her eyes and die in contentment. She wouldn’t need to be able to lose face when she went to see her daughter-in-law.