boyutpedia Chapter 205 It's Up to You
Chapter 205 It's Up to You
Upon hearing that Qiao Qingshu had confirmed what happened last night, Xiao Zhijie felt as if the sky had fallen. He hurriedly jumped out of bed and put on his clothes.
Qiao Qingshu peeked out, propped herself up on her arm, and asked, feigning ignorance,
"Husband, why do you look so nervous?"
Xiao Zhijie couldn't find the sleeves of his clothes, which made him even more anxious. He ripped off the undergarment he hadn't been able to wear for a long time and threw it on the ground.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she pounded her head in self-reproach.
"It's my fault! It's all my fault! I acted immorally while drunk! I shouldn't have treated you like that, I ruined your reputation."
Xiao Zhijie's self-blame and remorse were genuine; from the very beginning, he was certain that he would never touch Qiao Qingshu.
He feared dying on the battlefield, so naturally he had to plan everything for his family beforehand.
If Qiao Qingshu were a virgin, she might be able to remarry into a good family, but if she were to have an affair with him, then what would happen in the future...?
If she gets pregnant again, won't their lives as a widow and orphan be even more miserable...?
Xiao Zhijie had been polite and courteous to Qiao Qingshu these past few days, never overstepping his bounds. He angrily pounded his head, hating himself for getting drunk and causing trouble.
Just as he was feeling angry, resentful, and blaming himself, a soft body wrapped around him from behind, and he froze, too stiff to move.
"Husband, what are you afraid of? We are already married, and it's only a matter of time before we consummate our marriage."
Qiao Qingshu knew perfectly well what Xiao Zhijie had planned, but she was just pretending not to understand.
"My lord, you were so valiant last night. If I could conceive in one go, that would be wonderful."
This is exactly what Xiao Zhijie feared most!
He was shocked that Qiao Qingshu had said it so expectantly. He hurriedly pulled her arm away, stood up, and faced her, saying urgently,
"If that's really the case, why would I go to the battlefield!"
After saying that, he pushed open the door and ran away.
Qiao Qingshu was left alone, smiling as she watched the departing people.
Xiao Zhijie hadn't returned by noon since he ran out in the morning. When the old lady came to call him for lunch, only Qiao Qingshu went.
She had assumed that, as usual, the wives of the first, second, and third wives would all be present, but none of them were there today.
In the huge house, only Old Madam Xiao was resting on the couch, while the maids were setting out the meal in the outer hall.
Qiao Qingshu smiled and stepped forward to pay her respects. Old Madam Xiao frowned slightly, clutching a piece of paper in her hand, looking very worried.
Seeing that only Qiao Qingshu had come, he asked why Xiao Zhijie hadn't come.
Qiao Qingshu replied with a smile,
"He went out early this morning, probably because he has something to do."
Madam Qiao responded, then sighed deeply.
The letter she held in her hand was sent by Consort Xiande. Naturally, the letter expressed her reluctance to see Xiao Zhijie go to the frontier and asked Old Madam Xiao to persuade him again and again.
Madam Xiao was very worried about this matter. She had talked about it with Xiao Zhijie many times, both openly and secretly, in private and at the dinner table.
However, her grandson was so stubborn that no amount of persuasion could convince him; he was determined to go to the frontier and there was no way to dissuade him.
She invited the young couple over for dinner today so that she could try to persuade Xiao Zhijie again at the dinner table.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Qingshu arrived, but Xiao Zhijie did not.
No longer wanting to hide anything, he frowned and started chatting idly with his granddaughter-in-law.
"Shu'er, what do you think about Jie'er going to the border in half a month?"
Qiao Qingshu was sharp-witted and perceptive. Judging from Madam Xiao's expression, he knew that the old lady definitely did not want him to go.
But the old lady probably didn't know he would die in battle beforehand; perhaps she just felt sorry for her grandson, as life on the frontier was hard and truly torturous.
Qiao Qingshu also sighed.
"Of course the granddaughter-in-law was unhappy. How could a wife bear to see her husband leave home after only half a month of marriage?"
Madam Xiao nodded, and then said,
"Have you tried to persuade him? You two are newly married, and you must be very much in love. If you can win him over, he might be reluctant to leave you."
Qiao Qingshu sighed and nodded.
“Who can argue with that? My mother-in-law tried to persuade me, and so did I, but my husband was as stubborn as a mule and wouldn’t budge.”
Madam Xiao understood her grandson's personality well; once he made up his mind, nothing could change it unless he came to his senses and changed his mind.
His eyes immediately dimmed, and his body slumped down, wondering how he would explain this to the imperial concubine's daughter.
Then Qiao Qingshu's gentle voice slowly rang out.
“But Grandmother, don’t worry. Your granddaughter-in-law thinks there’s more to it than meets the eye. I have a method that we can try.”
Madam Xiao's eyes suddenly lit up. Even with the whole Xiao family involved, they couldn't change Xiao Zhijie's mind. How could Qiao Qingshu have such a good idea?
She was somewhat skeptical, but Qiao Qingshu's expression was very certain.
"Grandmother, just watch with peace of mind. I don't want my new husband to leave me for three years either, so I will do everything I can to keep him here."
Old Madam Xiao couldn't help but scrutinize Qiao Qingshu carefully. Her granddaughter-in-law's eyes were firm and confident.
Let's trust her this once, otherwise she really can't think of any other good ideas.
He nodded, then looked at Qiao Qingshu with some seriousness and said...
"Then it's up to you."
Qiao Qingshu gave a sweet smile and said,
"Grandmother, if this matter is accomplished, can you grant me one request?"
Old Madam Xiao stared intently at him, unsure of Qiao Qingshu's intentions, and felt a sense of unease.
"What is it?"
Qiao Qingshu's smile was innocent and pure, like a naive little white rabbit.
"It certainly won't be anything that would cause Grandmother any trouble; to you, it might just be a small matter."
Upon hearing this, Madam Xiao felt relieved. If it was truly a trivial matter, then there was naturally no problem.
The two sat at the table and ate a meal in a peaceful manner. During the meal, Qiao Qingshu kept telling Old Man Xiao about the cola.
These words whetted Madam Xiao's appetite, and she laughed continuously. Even Bixi, who had always served Madam Xiao, was somewhat amazed.
As Bixi saw Qiao Qingshu off, she smiled and said...
"The young mistress seems to get along very well with the old lady. If you have time, you should come and visit the old lady often. The old lady hasn't smiled so happily in a long time."
Qiao Qingshu glanced into the house. The entire Xiao family was managed by Old Madam Xiao, who was truly working tirelessly and never had a moment's rest.
Bixi said she hadn't smiled in a long time, and Qiao Qingshu knew it must be true. The person in charge of such a large family needs to be vigilant at all times, so naturally she doesn't smile.
Qiao Qingshu smiled and nodded in agreement, saying that she would definitely come to visit often if she had time.
When Qiao Qingshu returned to her courtyard alone, she saw someone blocking her way.