The Favored Heiress
Chapter 662: Parma Ming Family

Chapter 662: Chapter 662: Parma Ming Family

Parma Shopping Plaza.

After wandering for a few minutes, Li Qiao happened upon an antique shop and swiveled into it on a whim.

The shop’s décor was quaint and old-fashioned, offering a unique charm amidst the modernity of the mall.

Li Qiao glanced around nonchalantly and pointed at a pair of paperweights for the clerk to bring to her.

Shang Zonghai had always liked using a brush to write, and these traditional paperweights seemed like a suitable choice for his taste.

At that moment, the clerk, wearing white gloves, placed the paperweights on an exhibition tray. Li Qiao’s gaze swept over them, and she unexpectedly noticed the logo printed on the tray’s cloth.

From a distance, it looked like a vase, but up close, it resembled gibberish characters.

Oh, one of Jin Rong’s businesses.

Li Qiao fiddled with the light aqua paperweight and said indifferently, "Wrap it up."

The clerk had never seen a customer so casual about selecting antiques.

She deliberately laid out the price tag and politely reminded her, "Miss, this is a pair of powder blue glazed Bamboo Joint Town paperweights from the previous dynasty, discounted to 830,000."

Li Qiao nodded unhurriedly, "No need for a receipt."

To save that self-proclaimed godfather of hers a bit of tax.

The clerk paused for two seconds, then dazedly carried the pair of Bamboo Joint Town paperweights to the counter to begin packaging.

Just then, several people walked in from outside the door.

Dressed flamboyantly, their manners were frivolous, but their clothes were expensive, the hallmark of spoiled young masters.

The man leading the group was over one meter eighty, with a slightly stronger presence and surrounded by several people flocking to him.

Somebody joked, "Young Master Ming, if the old master knew you came here personally to pick a congratulatory gift for him, he’d probably be moved to tears."

"Definitely, Young Master Ming is usually reclusive. If it wasn’t for the old master’s birthday, he wouldn’t be seen out and about for eight hundred years."

Young Master Ming...

That surname reminded Li Qiao of Ming Dailan.

The information Bai Yan gave her back then was incomplete, with only a few brief introductions.

Not much was known about the Ming family, only that Ming Dailan had broken off ties with them after marrying Duke Charlman.

And in Parma’s current aristocracy, there was no Ming family.

These thoughts flashed briefly through Li Qiao’s mind without her giving the so-called Young Master Ming a second glance, as she stood by the counter waiting for her package.

Soon, the group entered the antique hall, walked around the display shelves for a while, and someone quickly noticed Li Qiao’s presence.

Parma didn’t lack beauties, with many noble-born young ladies possessing ravishing looks.

Li Qiao had a slender figure and her silhouette alone was striking, not to mention she was accompanied by the tall and handsome Luoyu. After a brief appraisal, the group of men began their lurid evaluations.

As for the so-called Young Master Ming, he was examining an Auspicious Beast Ornament when he heard their remarks, looked up briefly, and happened to see Li Qiao turning to speak with the clerk.

From this angle, he caught a glimpse of her exquisite and beautiful profile.

Young Master Ming’s breath caught, and he stared unblinkingly at Li Qiao through a gap in the display shelves.

His intense gaze was hard for anyone to ignore.

Li Qiao swiped her card at the counter and took the packaged bag from the clerk. When she turned, she threw a cold glance over the display shelves.

Because of this, Young Master Ming got a clear view of her cool expression.

His heart tightened, and the Auspicious Beast Ornament in his hand crashed to the ground, shattering with a clang.

That sound drew the attention of the other young masters and the clerk.

Li Qiao left the antique store without any pause, departing at an unhurried pace.

Young Master Ming held onto the display shelf with one hand, his dark eyes staring at them with a hint of shock and disbelief gradually surfacing on his usually impassive face.

Outside the antique store, Li Qiao walked with lowered eyes, calmly asking, "Who were those people?"

Luoyu took the bag from her hand, "That Young Master Ming should be from the Ming family; I haven’t seen the others before, they’re probably just wealthy young masters."

"The Ming family?" Li Qiao tilted her head and raised her eyebrows slightly.

Luoyu nodded, "It’s Madam Xiao’s maiden family. There aren’t many Parma families with the Ming surname, and they’re not very famous. The only exception is the Ming family that married into the Shang’s family years ago, which suddenly rose to nobility. If that Young Master Ming really leads a reclusive life normally, then it’s very likely that he is from the semi-retired Parma Ming Family, the one behind Madam Xiao."

Li Qiao pondered for a few seconds, "Why would the Ming family retire from society?"

"I’m not sure about that, as they have been retired for many years," Luoyu mused for a few seconds, then added, "But from what I understand, the Ming family that was involved in the marriage alliance originally married above their status by joining with the Shang’s, so perhaps the alliance failed, and they were worried about the family head’s repercussions."

Li Qiao was noncommittal about this speculation.

If Shang Zonghai wanted to deal with the Ming family, it wouldn’t matter if they were semi-retired or even if they had moved out of Parma—they wouldn’t be able to escape.

Furthermore, since the Ming family is still intact to this day, and Ming Dailan has remarried into the Ducal Residence, gaining a higher support, why should they be afraid?

This reasoning didn’t hold up.

...

Meanwhile, in an old district guarded by Parma Military security personnel, a black Passat slowly pulled into the deep alley of a large mansion.

In the gold-rich nation of Parma, a vehicle of the Passat’s class was actually quite rare to see.

One was either too poor to afford anything better, or they were extremely low-key.

And the owner of this car was probably the latter.

Because he had a personal driver and bodyguards.

A bodyguard stepped out from the passenger side, opened the rear door, and held the roof with one hand, respectfully calling out, "Third Young Master, we’ve arrived at the old residence."

The man in the back seat lifted his eyelids, stepped out of the car, and took another look at the bag on the seat, which contained the Auspicious Beast Ornament he had shattered.

This person was the third young master of the Ming family, Ming Chengxun.

Disgust flickered in his eyes, and he ordered in an even tone, "Throw away the bag."

He had spent over a million on a pile of trash.

Ming Chengxun walked confidently into the deep courtyard of the residence, not allowing time for the butler to announce his arrival, and headed straight for the study of the current head of the Ming family.

He knocked on the door, "Grandfather, it’s Chengxun."

Within the study, an aged voice took a moment before responding, "Come in."

Ming Chengxun pushed the door open and walked up to the rosewood desk to nod, "Grandfather, I met someone when I went out today."

Old Master Ming, over eighty years old with a ruddy complexion, was reading a worn martial arts novel while wearing reading glasses.

At Ming Chengxun’s words, he squinted his eyes, took off his glasses, and rubbed them, "Who?"

"A girl... who looks strikingly similar to the painting you have in your collection."

Old Master Ming looked deeply at Ming Chengxun, his brows furrowed into a "川" wrinkle, "Are you sure you didn’t see incorrectly? How similar?"

"Not exactly the same, but at least a seventy percent resemblance."

Old Master Ming placed the martial arts book upside down on the desk, his expression turning grim, "Do you realize what you’re saying?"

Ming Chengxun hastily looked up, then lowered his head again, "Grandfather, I am absolutely certain. It was at an antique store in the Parma Shopping Plaza. If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to retrieve the surveillance footage."

The study fell into a brief silence.

Old Master Ming, looking displeased, stood up slowly and walked around the desk toward Ming Chengxun, asking in a low, aged voice, "Who else have you mentioned this to?"