pdf-ebookys Chapter 848 Searching for the Qiao Family
Chapter 848 Searching for the Qiao Family
A middle-aged man looked younger, but his demeanor was timid. He had initially appeared somewhat apprehensive among the group, but now his face radiated with hope and anticipation.
He was the reason his family went to the capital, and he was a burden to his entire family. But if they could gain more benefits here, he would be a hero to his family, and everyone should thank him.
He swallowed hard. "Let's go into the city first. Once we find Lian'er, things will be much easier."
The woman beside him said with a look of satisfaction: "With Lian'er establishing a solid foundation in the capital, we can just enjoy ourselves, living in a big house, sleeping on soft beds, and having delicacies at every meal. Lian'er is also the Princess Zhenguo, bestowed by the Emperor. She is not only rich but also powerful. We are not afraid even if those people come to our door."
These words filled the group with excitement.
They had come to the capital with great difficulty, enduring wind and rain, and had encountered robbers several times, almost losing their lives. Wasn't this the kind of life they wanted to live?
An old man with white hair and beard put on a stern face: "Alright, everyone is eager to reveal Lian'er's name. In broad daylight, on the main road, everyone should keep a low profile. If someone finds out that we are Lian'er's relatives and tries to take advantage of us, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?"
"Let's go into town."
The guards frowned when they saw that the group of people had tattered clothes and messy, muddy hair.
Although there are many beggars in the capital, this large group is too conspicuous.
"Halt! Who are you? Where are you coming from? What brings you to the capital?"
I thought these people wouldn't be able to produce a "passport," which is a travel permit, but to my surprise, the old man in front of me actually produced a stamped document, and the whole family had a small stack of them.
The old man said with a fawning expression, "Sir, we are just ordinary farmers who came to the capital to visit relatives. The journey has been quite difficult, which is why we are in this state. Please be lenient with us."
The guard took a good look at the travel permit. This family had indeed come to the capital to visit relatives, and they had come from the southwest, traveling thousands of miles. No wonder.
He pinched his nose and waved them inside.
"Luckily we have this, otherwise we would have been chased away as beggars." The old man solemnly put the travel permit back into his pocket.
When the family entered the city, passersby looked at them with strange eyes, as if they were saying, "Where did these beggars come from?"
However, they were not affected at all. Their relative was the powerful and wealthy Princess Zhenguo, who was very popular with the emperor. Even the most prominent families in the capital had to treat the Princess Zhenguo with utmost respect.
Therefore, even when faced with disdainful and contemptuous looks, they still hold their heads high, their faces filled with pride.
"Grandpa, we're going to see Lian'er. Shouldn't we tidy up first, take a bath or something?" a girl of about fifteen or sixteen said.
The old man seemed to be considering it when his bearded wife said, "I think it's unnecessary. If we go to see Lian'er like this, it will better prove how hard we worked to come to her, and she will have more sympathy and compassion for us."
Everyone agreed with her.
"We need to find out where the Qiao family lives," the timid man said.
The wealthy and powerful families in the capital city certainly lived in the central area, so they headed towards the central avenue, but the exact location of their residences was unknown.
“A family with the prestige of the Qiao family can be easily found out by asking around,” said the bearded man’s eldest son.
Then he stopped a passerby and asked, "Excuse me, where is the Qiao family's residence?"
The passerby pinched his nose and took a step back: "I don't know, I'm a farmer from the nearby suburbs."
He stopped another passerby, who asked, "The Qiao family? There are so many Qiao families in the capital, which one are you referring to?"
"It is Princess Qiao Lian'er, the protector of the nation."
The passerby stared wide-eyed, took another good look at the family, and frowned.
Who are these people who want to cause trouble for Princess Zhenguo? Princess Zhenguo is deeply loved and respected. How can you bring this bunch of beggars to her? Isn't that just causing her trouble?
Moreover, this family actually dared to address the Princess Zhenguo by her given name. What audacity! They clearly have no sense of propriety.
"I don't know." The passerby hurried away.
As they walked, they whispered something to each other and even looked back, clearly showing their disdain.
The family stared at each other in disbelief. Wasn't Qiao Lian'er supposed to be famous throughout the land? Everyone in the capital knew her, so why couldn't they even tell her where her home was?
"They must have seen that we were poorly dressed and didn't know we were related to Lian'er, so they were hiding like this," said the fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl.
"Dujuan, you're the most resourceful of the grandchildren. What do you think we should do?" the old man asked.
Du Juan'er thought about it carefully and came up with an idea.
She observed the pedestrians on the street and saw a kind-looking old woman strolling with her grandson. The old woman looked unhurried and relaxed, and was probably a resident of the capital.
She went over and stopped the person.
The old woman saw a dirty-looking girl blocking her way, and then she saw that there was a whole family beside her. She quickly pulled her grandson behind her, looking very wary.
"Don't misunderstand, Auntie. We just want to ask you about something," Du Juan'er said.
"What is it? Tell me quickly, I'm busy." The old woman remained vigilant.
Du Juan'er looked miserable, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
“Our whole family has been treated unfairly, causing us to be displaced and with nowhere to seek justice. We have heard that Princess Zhenguo is an upright and intelligent woman, and we hope that she can uphold justice for us. We finally made it to the capital, but we don’t know where she is. Please help us, Auntie.”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
Everyone else shook their heads and sighed as well.
The old woman thought that she was just an ordinary person. Although she lived a more comfortable life in the capital, she had suffered some injustices that she could not defend herself against.
Moved by compassion, she told the family the location of the Qiao family.
He added, "A family like the Qiao family has many guards at its gates. If you haven't seen them for years, you shouldn't be rash or unauthorized."
No one listened to this. Once they knew where Qiao Lian'er lived, they had a clear understanding of the situation.
Now I'm starving and exhausted, all I want to do is rush to the Qiao family's house for all the delicacies and feasts.
Under the overpass, Song Ruier practiced diligently for half a month, sleeping only three hours a day, and finally became quite proficient at writing with her left hand.
He couldn't help but want to laugh out loud. Even if he cut off his right hand, he still had his left. As long as the emperor didn't mind that he was disabled, he still had a chance to shine in his official career.
To earn some money, he went to a teahouse and found a job operating an abacus. At first, the boss disliked him because he didn't have a right hand, but seeing that he was proficient in arithmetic and could use his left hand quite well, he kept him on.
As Song Ruier was working on his abacus, he saw a group of people pass by the door. Although they were all covered in dirt and had few pieces of cloth on their bodies, he recognized the family immediately.