Chapter 139

After entering the mansion, Li Qingluo first went to see Pei Lao Furen.

Seeing her come in the heavy snow, Pei Lao Furen felt heartbroken.

She immediately had someone add a warming stove, add charcoal, and bring hot tea for her to drink.

"Are you cold?"

Li Qingluo: "Granddaughter has paid respects to grandmother. Grandmother, I'm not cold; I'm dressed warmly."

In her previous life, during this heavy snow winter, she wore even less than Liu Mian'er.

The situation was similar to when she was at the Liu household, so she was constantly ill, one bout after another, hardly ever recovering.

All day she either felt dizzy and swollen-headed, or her whole body burned with heat.

Her body was being worn down day by day, so when the next heavy snow came, she could not endure it and died……

Li Qingluo knew her grandmother cared about the Pei family's affairs, but because she was wary of the Lotus Sect and did not want to get involved with those powers, she did not say she had seen Pei Sanlang.

She only said to Pei Lao Furen: "Grandmother. Shi'er said, the health of my great-uncle is indeed not improving. But I have already asked Shi'er to help my granddaughter think of a way; whenever my granddaughter can make a trip to the Duke's Mansion, I will go to pay respects to my great-uncle."

"If the great-uncle is willing, I will bring you to see him again, would that be alright?"

Pei Lao Furen, eyes red, repeatedly said: "Good, good, good, just do your best. My brother, ah..."

Because of her wariness, even though Pei Lao Furen could reach into the imperial palace, she never dared to inquire about the situation inside the Duke's Mansion.

She did not yet know that her brother had already nearly gone completely mad.

"Grandmother... if it's the great-uncle, he no longer recognizes you; do you still wish to see him?"

Pei Lao Furen: "But I do know my older brother!"

"I only have this one older brother! Even if he wanted to draw a knife and kill me, I would still want to see him. Otherwise, I would regret it for the rest of my life!"

Li Qingluo looked at her grandmother like that, and felt a pang of heartache.

In her heart she resolutely decided: what if it meant going through fire and water? Then let it be an adventure—doing it for her grandmother, fulfilling her wish, even if it dragged her into a bottomless abyss...

Returning to Hongfenguan, Li Qingluo had just sat down when Cui Er came in and said: "Miss, the snow has stopped."

Li Qingluo knew that this snowfall wasn't going to be heavy anyway.

She had the snow in the courtyard swept clean, as she planned to practice swordsmanship in the afternoon.

Grandmother said she would find her a new master, but reportedly that person is at the border garrison and hasn't returned yet.

Nevertheless, Li Qingluo dared not slack off even for a day, so she practices at least something every day.

Regardless of wind or snow, she never rests a day.

In this life, her body has indeed become several times stronger, which has also further boosted her confidence.

In the afternoon, the Second and Third Courtyards each sent her some gifts.

They said it was to thank her for her care of the two young ladies.

But Li Qingluo accepted none of them, returning them all.

Her attitude was clear: she did not wish to be on good terms with the Second and Third Branches, nor even to interact with them.

This left the people of the Second and Third Branches somewhat baffled.

"As elders, we would let it slide if she didn't come to pay respects, yet we went out of our way to fawn over her, and she is so ungrateful!"

"Surely, one raised in the mountains lacks manners; no matter how high she flies now, she's still a rustic phoenix, ignorant of propriety!"

Qiu Shi of the Third Branch, face grim, scolded harshly.

Wang Shi of the Second Branch advised her: "Sister-in-law, this is the Jiangjun Fu—beware, walls have ears!"

Qiu Shi: "What's so special about the Jiangjun Fu? We're also part of the Jiangjun Fu! Could it be that her eyes and ears can reach into our courtyard?"

Li Qingyu, looking aggrieved, said: "Elder Sister, could it be that you truly look down on us?"

"Li Qingzhu has become completely mute, and she isn't even of the Jiangjun Fu bloodline; from now on she's utterly useless. As a legitimate daughter, no matter how talented she is, she's still just a woman—why make things difficult for us…"

Wang Shi wanted to say more, but Li Qingya grabbed her.

She shook her head secretly, and after the mother and daughter left, she said: "Mother, you must not join the Third Aunt in criticizing the Second Sister. The Second Sister is on good terms with the princess's manor and the duke's manor's young ladies; she can hold her own against the eldest cousin and Li Qingzhu, and she fears nothing."

"Just think—she has only been back in Jinling for a short while, yet she already possesses such spirit and ability."

"If we were to contend with the Second Sister, we would likely find ourselves no match for her."

Wang Shi is relatively honest.

But having heard her daughter's words, she also felt curious: "Is she really that formidable? Ya'er, what exactly has she done?"

Li Qingya shook her head: "I don't know either, but the Second Sister's ability is certainly not limited to what has been shown."

Wang Shi still felt that the eldest daughter was overly worried and cautious.

"Perhaps she refuses our Second and Third Branches' overtures simply because of her grandmother. It turns out that… the former wet nurse drove the Old Lady away, and the grudge built up over these years cannot be resolved overnight."

"Forget it; since she doesn't want it, we won't keep offering a warm face to a cold backside. After all, your father is also her second uncle—when he sees us, could he really pretend not to notice?"

The next day, as she passed through the garden, Wang Shi deliberately put on a smile and greeted Li Qingluo with a smile: "Luò…"

Li Qingluo simply looked straight ahead and walked away to the side.

Wang Shi's smile instantly collapsed, completely falling away.

Li Qingluo simply had no mood to deal with the Second and Third Branches.

Because the people of Zhongyi Hou Fu had arrived.

Qu Shi had her go to the front courtyard, and also told her to tidy up and dress properly before going.

Li Qingluo felt uneasy in her heart, vaguely guessing what was happening.

Li Qingzhu, this time at the princess's manor, was not only punished but also offended the imperial family, and her voice was poisoned into muteness.

This outcome was something even Li Qingluo had not fully anticipated.

Thus, the Zhongyi Hou Fu side must have caught wind of it, which is why they suddenly came knocking, as if they had made some kind of resolution…

Zhuang Wei, that good-for-nothing!

In this life I again didn't take the imperial exams—how could I not continue being as deeply devoted as in my previous life, being unable to be with anyone but Li Qingzhu?

We need to stir up a deathly ruckus and a lively commotion before it'll work!

Look at how infatuated the second young master of the third house of the Duke's mansion is—otherwise how could there be Nan Jia?

Such a good-for-nothing—it serves him right that Zhuang Sanlang can't win his beloved!

Li Qingluo threw on a white robe, draped a cloak, wore only a single jade hairpin, and went to the front courtyard.

"Your humble daughter Qingluo greets you, Madam."

She performed the greeting with graceful composure.

The Marchioness of Zhongyi had originally come to the General's mansion today, utterly unwilling.

If it weren't for the Old Lady urging her, she would have truly wanted to pretend ignorance, wait two years until this household could no longer hold out, and then call off the marriage.

But the Old Lady, regardless of how declined the General's mansion has become, still insists on recognizing this marriage!

Now, which of the daughters of their General's mansion is worthy of her Sanlang?

One is notorious, reputation utterly ruined.

One grew up in the mountains, never having received proper noble lady upbringing.

Last time I had someone invite her, wanting to get a good look, but she actually didn't dare to come.

As for the rest, better not even mention them.

The Marchioness of Zhongyi is being forced into this; today she merely came to go through the motions.

But upon seeing Li Qingluo, she was quite startled.

She—she really is Li Qingluo!?

Unexpectedly, her bearing is transcendent and peerless!

When this girl just returned to Jinling, didn't Sanlang once say she couldn't even compare to a single finger of Li Qingzhu?