Chapter 104: The False Young Lady Demands a Body Test to Prove Her Virginity

Qu Shi, anguished and indignant, intended to find out clearly.

In her heart, Li Qingzhu, though not her biological child, was the good daughter she had raised herself.

She knew Li Qingzhu's temperament inside out, so she would definitely not lie to herself.

But she had forgotten.

Li Qingzhu could even stage self-immolation; deceiving this easily fooled foster mother was nothing.

This was the fiercest scolding Qu Shi had ever given Li Qingzhu since childhood.

Of course, she wasn't frightened in her heart; she just felt utterly wronged.

She felt Qu Shi had truly found her birth daughter, which was why she now acted this way toward herself.

Li Qingzhu looked at Qu Shi with a resentful expression: "Mother... if I have harmed my elder brother, may I never have a good death!"

Qu Shi's heart gave a jolt: "You! Don't scare me with such talk!"

But deep down she was startled: could it be that Zhu'er really had nothing to do with Chuan'er's broken leg?

"You still won't speak—what exactly is going on between you and Prince Yun? Why did he also appear at Guanshui Cliff that day? And I saw with my own eyes you two, you two… Haiya! Do you still have any sense of shame?!"

Li Qingzhu cried, "wu-wu": "Mother, I know I have lost face for you, but I truly haven't! If you don't believe me, you can have someone examine my body to prove my purity!"

Qu Shi clapped a hand over her mouth: "You dare say such talk!? If I really had someone examine you, would you still want to live?"

Li Qingzhu seized the moment to clutch Qu Shi's hand, weeping with tears like pear blossoms, a sight that aroused pity.

"Mother, I am truly innocent with Prince Yun, Your Highness—how would you have me speak?"

"Didn't I tell you before, Mother, that I was seized by villains who wanted to sell me, I escaped several times, covered in wounds, yet still wanted to go home?"

"These past few days I ran away again—indeed, if it weren't for Prince Yun, Your Highness saving me, I probably wouldn't have made it back!"

"Mother, after learning about my elder brother's matter, I too was heartbroken for many days. Upon reflection, this matter is indeed inseparable from me!"

"If it weren't for my elder brother mistaking the person, he wouldn't have rushed into Your Highness's residence. So it's all my fault that he ended up like this!"

"Now I have truly returned. This matter also involves Prince Yun, Your Highness."

"Even after Prince Yun, Your Highness saved me, he said that if this matter were known to our Jiangjun Fu, or to the whole world, my elder brother's broken leg would surely be impossible to explain."

"Therefore, to avoid suspicion, Your Highness also said that to compensate our family, I merely stayed at his residence to recuperate and never truly met him."

"As for that day at Guanshui Cliff, how could Your Highness have gone there? I truly don't know! Moreover, the reason I ended up embracing Your Highness was because Mother had all her thoughts on my younger sister Luoluo; after being rescued, I sprained my ankle and had no choice but to lean temporarily in Your Highness's arms…"

After hearing this, Qu Shi felt only that something was off.

Yet she could not suspect Li Qingzhu of lying to her through and through.

So she merely frowned and asked, "So is all this just a misunderstanding?"

Li Qingzhu nodded, but her heart was drumming with anxiety.

Only after Qu Shi examined her repeatedly did Li Qingzhu begin to panic.

Mother, nowadays you don't even believe her?

Li Qingzhu bit her lip hard, hatred welling up: it must be because of Liu Caoer! Mother now has eyes and heart only for Liu Caoer, truly no longer having this foster daughter of hers!

This time Li Qingzhu truly felt a bit heartbroken.

She raised her hand, wiping her tear-streaked face with her handkerchief: "Mother, if my return causes you embarrassment or unhappiness, then I… I might as well go back to the Liu family!"

"Li Qingzhu ought not to have stayed thick-skinned in the Jiangjun Fu. When she committed the grave error of self-immolation, it was precisely because she feared this day would come."

"I never expected… sobbing… Mother, I would rather truly die than have you look at me so strangely!"

Hearing these words, Qu Shi's heart felt as if cut by a knife—she could bear it no longer.

She swept Li Qingzhu into her arms: "My child! Saying these words is truly the death of me! Back then I almost followed you to your doom—do you know? Having finally returned, don't say such things!"

"Don't go anywhere—stay by my side, and never indulge in wild thoughts again!"

"Your words, Mother believes—isn't that good enough?"

"But you must promise Mother, never utter those two words 'Prince Yun' again—do you hear me?"

"Especially so your elder brother and father don't find out that you truly have become entangled with Prince Yun!"

Li Qingzhu stared, nodding obediently: "Mother, I understand……"

Mother and daughter again clung to each other, weeping bitterly.

Qu Shi spoke of her longing, Li Qingzhu gave perfunctory replies, while inside she thought: I never imagined that her mother, who used to be so easy to deceive, is now becoming harder and harder to fool. Though she got through this time, what about next time?

As for Your Highness's side, she would certainly not give up.

But the original arson plan has clearly come to nothing, and moreover she has suffered a loss of a thousand.

Just thinking of this, Li Qingzhu felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Her original plan was to stage a miserable fake death, so that the family would long remember her, and she reckoned her 'death' would ensure Liu Caoer would never have a good day in the Jiangjun Fu.

Moreover, she intended to foist her unwanted marriage contract onto Liu Caoer, so that she could discuss a marriage alliance with Prince Yun, Your Highness, to whom she owed a life-saving debt.

Thus, everything would be proper and justified.

But she never imagined that now everything would be in utter chaos!

Now not only has not a single scheme come to fruition, she has also been forced to return to the Jiangjun Fu.

Li Kechuan lost a leg, not to mention that Your Highness's side has also grown resentful over this.

In Your Highness's residence, a lowly person has recently been added, while back home Mother and Father seem to have grown suspicious of her…

Liu Caoer is even more on track to secure the position of the Jiangjun Fu's legitimate young lady!

Li Qingzhu watched helplessly as all her plans collapsed, and the honor once held by the Jiangjun Fu's legitimate young lady is now about to be wholly yielded to Liu Caoer—how could she not be anxious?

Consequently, Li Qingzhu, after returning to the manor for two days, has continually looked worried.

Li Kechuan, seeing her like this, asked with concern: "Zhu'er, why aren't you happy?"

Li Qingzhu absentmindedly shook her head: "Elder brother, has San Lang not come these past two days?"

Li Qingzhu anxiously wanted to quickly push Zhuang Wei onto Li Qingluo.

However, it seems the Zhongyi Hou Fu side has come to a halt again.

Wasn't this matter supposed to be settled already?

Could it be that just because she hurried back, this marriage is still going to fall on her?

Li Kechuan's eyes darkened: "You still have him in your heart? I heard that Zhuang Sanlang couldn't defy the Old Lady, and these past few days he's been locked up again."

Li Qingzhu: "What happened to him?"

Li Kechuan: "You still don't know? Originally everyone thought you were dead, so the marriage with the Zhongyi Hou Fu was initially planned to be shifted onto Li Qingluo, that lowly girl! Now that you've returned, how could Sanlang possibly be willing?"