Chapter 135

Li Qingluo listened, her heart startled: "How could this be? They act like this, truly they have no fear of your father?"

Pei Nanjia: "Only because my mother…… she once fell into a brothel, so my father and mother thus became the disgrace of the second branch of the Pei State Duke's mansion."

"But my mother fell into the brothel back then, wasn't it because the Pei State Duke's mansion harmed her?"

"It was my grandmother, after hearing the great-grandmother's words, thought that if she harmed my mother and threw her into that place, my father would lose heart!"

"Who would have thought, my father back then risked half his life to rescue my mother."

"In the end my mother did not lose her virtue, but my father really almost died."

"Afterwards, my grandmother actually still wanted my mother to leave, saying that if she stayed, my father would lose everything..."

"But grandmother didn't know, if it weren't for my mother persuading my father, my father would have long wanted to take my mother away from these right-and-wrongs in Jinling City."

"Even if they chose to live like reclusive clouds and cranes, forsaking official careers, my father gathering herbs and my mother weaving cloth, they could get by, and wouldn't suffer these hardships in Jinling."

"But my mother, remembering my grandmother's bitter fate, when she had just given birth to my father, my grandfather passed away. So she didn't want to let grandmother lose another son."

"Fortunately, my father, though ill, also heard these words; he said that without my mother, he wouldn't have survived his youth."

"My mother seeing my father risk his life like that to uphold their feelings, naturally also did not let my father down."

"She, in this life, is also willing to be only a concubine, willing to guard my father her whole life without a title."

Li Qingluo's heart startled: "In this world, truly there still exists such steadfast loyal love?"

"No title, no fame, no wealth and honor, yet they want to be together."

"No matter what comes later, but at least for now, in this world there still exists such a loyal man and woman, truly rare!"

Li Qingluo also understood why Pei Nanjia wanted to tell her these things.

"She exposed her own wound, showing Li Qingluo the pain of her birth that the world scorns and despises, in order to comfort herself."

Li Qingluo felt her pain, and involuntarily gripped Pei Nanjia's hand tightly: "Nanjia, although you have a pair of loving parents, you must have suffered a lot since childhood, right?"

"The Pei State Duke's mansion compromised on your parents' matter, yet it indulged those sisters of yours, who have bullied you since childhood. I never imagined that such a grand ducal mansion would also do such a thing!"

Pei Nanjia's eyes reddened.

"She has indeed never had a close sister since childhood."

"No one has ever said such words to her."

"They even think that with such a life, she should already be content enough, right?"

"A proper concubine-born daughter, yet she occupies the honor of all the young ladies in the second courtyard."

"Although her status is low, she nevertheless has a loving pair of parents..."

"But those mockings and insults, each sentence of slander and contempt, are indeed true, ah."

"So, the words Li Qingluo just said truly landed in Pei Nanjia's heart."

"She almost couldn't control herself and wanted to burst into tears hugging Li Qingluo."

"But fortunately, she hasn't yet lost composure to that extent."

"When she was ten, after her father gained some trust from the emperor, the situation of their second branch in the household improved considerably."

"Later, she grew close to her third brother, and at home people became increasingly unwilling to openly bully her."

Pei Nanjia: "Don't look at our Pei State Duke's mansion outwardly splendid and brilliant, a high gate prominent clan. But these years, the inner residence has really not been very peaceful. The sordid dirty affairs are not fewer than in other families."

"These past years, it's entirely thanks to the great-grandfather of the main branch still holding things together; if one day he rides the crane westward, our second and third branches will certainly be immediately split off."

Li Qingluo: "I've heard that the old gentleman's health isn't very good these days? What kind of elder is he in the household?"

Pei Nanjia: "Anyway, this past year he's been taking medicine daily and seeing the doctor monthly. I usually don't go to the main branch side, but I've heard that the great-grandfather hasn't gotten out of bed for three or four months."

"What kind of person is he... When I was young I saw him twice, and both times he frightened me enough."

"Anyway, he scolds people fiercely, has a long scar on his face, and we juniors all fear him when we see him."

"Moreover, his temperament is somewhat violent and unruly... I heard that after returning from the frontier years ago, his disposition changed greatly, becoming bloodthirsty and inhuman. Anyway, he used to do many foolish things."

Li Qingluo was surprised.

"This is completely different from the old Pei State Duke she had imagined, ah."

"What foolish matters, Nanjia, could you perhaps tell me one or two?"

Pei Nanjia also didn't understand why Li Qingluo was asking these things.

"She just tilted her head and looked at her."

Li Qingluo realized she couldn't keep it hidden, so she had to speak frankly: "My grandmother's relation with your Pei State Duke's mansion, you should also know a bit or two, right?"

Pei Nanjia: "I heard my grandmother say that. During the border war turmoil, the Pei family's three sons... but only one son returned. My grandfather's death, though said to have no relation with my grand-aunt, but I've heard that the third grandfather's death... has always been a matter weighing on the great-grandfather's mind."

"Afterwards, my grand-aunt and your grandfather returned home safely, but our Pei family... although the elders' grudges have nothing to do with us juniors, yet because of that the Pei State Duke's mansion these years and your Jiangjun Fu have remained estranged, not interacting. Even when we meet, we treat each other as strangers."

Li Qingluo gave a bitter smile.

"The knot in my grandmother's heart, how could it not be because of her brothers?"

"She heard that the old duke's health was poor, so she grew anxious, and thought... thought that perhaps one day she could see the old duke again and share a meal. Deep down she hoped the old duke would still recognize her as his younger sister."

"Furthermore, Li Qingluo does not think that the events back then were her grandmother's fault."

"On the battlefield, life and death are destined."

"Nanjia, upon hearing this, looked rather embarrassed."

"I advise you... advise you to either reconcile with your grand-aunt or abandon this idea. I just didn't make it clear to you, but actually the great-grandfather these past two years has become increasingly muddled."

"After he returned from the battlefield, how many servants and maids in the mansion suffered, dying at his cruel hands? These years the elderly can't move, his temperament remains unpredictable; when he can move, as long as he can draw his sword, he will surely wound and see blood."

"He is already, nearly mad."

Li Qingluo didn't expect it to become like this.

"It seems that back then on the battlefield, the great-uncle on the mother's side must have suffered considerable stimulation in his heart; otherwise he wouldn't be so completely opposite to the steady elder brother spoken of by grandmother."

"But Li Qingluo does not want to disappoint her grandmother."

"She hasn't even tried, so how could she lightly give up?"

Pei Nanjia saw her like that, sighed: "If you insist on wanting to try a bit, then go meet my third older brother."

Li Qingluo raised her head: "Your third older brother?"

Pei Nanjia smiled: "The eldest legitimate grandson of the third branch of the Pei State Duke's Manor, ranked third in the family, Pei Sanlang."