Chapter 656 - 228: He Said, "Me for the Cargo on the Ship" (Part 2)

Liu Translation saw Bernhard still ogling Qin Mei with a lecherous grin. ’She’s about to pin a serious crime on him, and he’s still smiling like that,’ he thought. ’What a moronic pig in heat.’

For the first time in his life, Liu Translation wanted to end his career.

Grandfather cleared his throat. He knew Qin Mei was bold, but he hadn’t expected her to be *this* bold. "Granddaughter-in-law, you can’t say such things. It’s bad for your reputation."

"If I don’t say he attempted to rape me, should I say he attempted to rape Jing Shan?" Qin Mei’s single sentence left her grandfather sputtering.

Grandfather glared at Qin Mei and snapped, "Jing Shan is just a child! You can accuse anyone but her! Besides, why does it have to be an attempted assault on anyone in the first place?"

"It’s simple, direct, and convenient," Qin Mei stated succinctly.

Grandfather fell silent. ’How many heroes throughout history have flown into a rage for a woman?’

"Eldest Young Madam, please reconsider," even the butler couldn’t help but urge Qin Mei. A woman’s honor was no trivial matter. Even if it was a false accusation, sacrificing her own reputation to frame the German Merchant was simply not worth it.

’If they just had a little more time, they could surely handle the matter with the ship. The German Merchant wants money, and the Qiao Family has plenty of it. But looking at the vile way that man is staring at the Eldest Young Madam... I’m afraid he doesn’t want money. He wants her.’

"Meimei, go upstairs," Jie Jingchen commanded, his face grim. ’Just moments ago, Qin Mei had mouthed that she would help him. He hadn’t objected, assuming she had a decent plan. He never imagined she would sacrifice her own honor. This is utterly reckless!’

"Jie Jingsi, if he assaults me and you kill him in a fit of rage, wouldn’t that be perfectly understandable?" Qin Mei said with a wide smile. She was giving the Qiao Family a pretext to kill the German Merchant. If things blew up, the Qiao Family could certainly leverage their status in Xiangjiang to smooth things over. The German Merchant’s backers would surely use the opportunity to extort a large sum of money from the Qiao family.

The one thing the Qiao Family didn’t lack was money, and her grandfather and grandmother wouldn’t mind paying up.

"Understandable, my ass!" Jie Jingchen cursed. He wanted to crack her skull open to see what was inside. ’How could she not see how important a woman’s reputation is?’ Seeing her so nonchalant about it made Jie Jingchen so furious his chest ached.

It had to be said, his eldest granddaughter-in-law’s move was indeed direct and convenient.

After a minute of deep thought, Grandfather said to the butler, "Qiao Fu, go find the Governor’s Wife. You will tell her that the German Merchant, here at the Qiao residence... toward Yan Qiu..."

"Master," the butler exclaimed in horror.

"Grandfather," Jie Jingchen said in astonishment.

"?" Qin Mei was bewildered.

Liu Translation was speechless, and Bernhard was utterly baffled.

"An attempted... assault," Grandfather finished, waving a hand at the butler. "Go to the Governor’s Mansion and say exactly what I told you. Leave the rest to the Governor’s Wife."

"But, Master, shouldn’t you wait for the Young Mistress to come back and discuss it with her first?" the butler pleaded, unable to bear the thought.

’Was he really going to be so reckless?’

Qin Mei felt her mother-in-law’s fate was truly tragic. ’Her own father is about to ruin her reputation for no reason. Is she really his one and only biological daughter?’

’I’ve seen fathers who sabotage their daughters, but I’ve never seen one do it this ruthlessly.’

Watching her grandfather’s ruthless expression, Qin Mei seriously suspected he was using this as a chance to get back at her mother-in-law for disobeying him years ago by insisting on marrying a divorcé who already had three children—three pieces of baggage.

"Discuss what? Did she discuss it with me when she ran off to Huaxia? Did she discuss it with me when she insisted on marrying that divorcé, Jie Jianguo?" The mere thought of his daughter’s marriage made Grandfather’s anger flare.

"Master, those are separate issues. This concerns the Young Mistress’s honor," the butler persisted, refusing to give up.

"Honor? Hmph! Her honor was ruined over twenty years ago when she threw away all of the Qiao Family’s dignity. I’m not afraid of her reputation being ruined again, and I’m certainly not afraid of her shaming our family again." Grandfather’s mind was made up. He waved his hand impatiently. "That’s enough. Stop nagging and go."

Seeing her grandfather grow even more incensed, Qin Mei really wanted to ask the butler, ’Are you sure you aren’t just adding fuel to the fire?’

The butler saw that the old master was truly enraged and didn’t dare press the issue. He cast a pleading look at Jie Jingchen, but when he saw Jie Jingchen remain silent, as if in tacit agreement, the butler gave up completely and turned to leave.

Liu Translation started to fear for his life. ’I’ve heard way too much,’ he thought. ’Are they going to silence me?’

’I should have just ditched the German Merchant and left when Mr. Qiao first tried to kick us out.’

’But now... I don’t dare leave unless Mr. Qiao says so.’

"Jie Jingsi, aren’t you going to try and talk some sense into him?" Qin Mei asked, tugging on the hem of Jie Jingchen’s shirt.

"What’s the point?" Jie Jingchen said, his gaze dropping to meet Qin Mei’s. ’It’s either her or Mom,’ he thought. ’Jing Shan is too young, and Grandmother is too old. The other women in the Qiao Family don’t have the status.’