Chapter 156: Brother

In the past, she was called to the Gui Garden several times to cook, and she didn't think much about it.

Besides it being a debt of gratitude that needn't be overthought, she truly didn't dare to indulge in idle speculation.

She just assumed that this noble person usually had a poor appetite, was tired of exotic delicacies, and therefore preferred the down‑to‑earth dishes she prepared.

But just now, Li Qingluo suddenly had a thought: he seemed to especially like the meals she cooked?

However, even though she guessed this in her heart, she didn't dare to ask it out loud.

Yet once the idea surfaced, she couldn't stop overthinking it.

If it were truly so, could she later use this, along with the matter of drawing weapon schematics, to fully climb the big tree of Prince Su?

Now she is weak and alone, and can only rely on her grandmother; many tasks still leave her constrained.

If she could fully latch onto Prince Su, wouldn't she then be able to stride freely through Jinling City?

Even Prince Yun's side—no matter how Li Qingzhu turns the world upside down—she would truly have no fear!

After this thought sprang up in Li Qingluo's mind, she swelled with excitement.

But she quickly reined the thought back in.

She told herself to proceed slowly and plan it out.

"Your Highness, if you like this crisp bamboo shoot, may I offer you a jar?"

She deliberately tried to please.

Duan Rongshi looked up at her and said, "No need. This Prince does not like bamboo shoots."

Li Qingluo:!!! Then why do you eat so much!?

She didn't dare to ask, and could only chuckle inwardly.

After Duan Rongshi ate his fill and drank, he wiped his mouth and left.

Not to mention the short arrow he was still holding.

Li Qingluo found it hard to speak, though she wanted to say, "Prince, that's a different price!!"

She assumed he was merely interested in that little short arrow, especially since he had given a few hundred taels of silver notes, so Li Qingluo endured.

Late at night, when everything was quiet, Li Qingluo stared at the money box now packed to the brim, and finally fell asleep satisfied.

Early the next morning, Que'er came in and said, "Miss, the Master went to the Ancestral Hall last night."

Li Qingluo combed her hair in front of a bronze mirror.

In the past, Hongfenguan didn't have such a rare bronze mirror, but recently the Qu Shi had sent many fine items.

However, almost everything displayed in Li Qingluo's room was procured by her grandmother.

As for the ones the Qu Shi sent, she threw them all into storage; none were useful.

Upon hearing that Li Chao Jing went to the Ancestral Hall, Li Qingluo, fearing trouble, couldn't help asking, "Is Li Qingzhu alright?"

Que'er: "Old Lady sent a few grandmothers to guard, preventing the Master from succeeding."

Li Qingluo sneered, "He also knows that the longer it drags, the more variables arise. Has anything stirred at Lan Cang Courtyard?"

Que'er shook her head, "Nothing. It's quiet; the eldest son hasn't gone mad at the slightest trouble as usual. Truly abnormal."

Li Qingluo set the comb down, waiting for Cui Er to take over and braid her hair into a bun.

"He actually disappointed me."

She had thought Li Kechuan was deeply devoted to Li Qingzhu, unwavering and steadfast.

But after yesterday's episode, he finally saw the truth?

Perhaps he hasn't fully recovered from the shock and blow yet.

Given Li Kechuan's temperament, he likely won't stop there.

"By the way, has Auntie Deng been sent to the nunnery? And Li Yunchu, how is she?"

Deng Mama happened to come in, heard Li Qingluo's question, and hurried to answer.

"Miss, Auntie Deng was sent to the nunnery today, has completely cut her hair and become a nun, the ceremony is done."

"Moreover, I heard she neither cried nor made a fuss; she seemed to truly accept it."

Li Qingluo: "When things go awry, there must be a monster. That woman was able to ruin Grandmother so badly back then; she must have some serious tricks."

"Li Yunchu originally hated her; five years ago the mother and daughter met, yet she managed to coax her daughter into willingly hiding her name and serving by Li Qingzhu's side."

"This Auntie Deng is certainly not as weak and spineless as she appears on the surface."

"Moreover, I suspect that the swapping of my daughter back then was linked to her."

Deng Mama jumped in fright.

"This matter must be asked of Old Lady. Originally, Old Lady received a mysterious letter claiming the legitimate eldest daughter of the Jiangjun Fu had identity issues. Only then did Old Lady follow the trail and uncover the girl's lineage."

"But to this day, who sent that mysterious letter remains unknown to Old Lady."

If there are matters even Grandmother cannot uncover in this world, then it is even more abnormal.

Li Qingluo waited for Deng Mama to continue.

"As for Li Yunchu, she was thrown to the mansion gate yesterday, but within an hour, two people indeed came and carried her away; she is now recuperating in a tavern."

Li Qingluo paused her eyebrow‑painting motion and asked, "Do you know who rescued her?"

Deng Mama shook her head, "At present only those two grandmothers are busy. The Second House's master did send a bag of silver, but the Third House has been silent."

Li Qingluo: "Keep watching them; don't let them escape!"

Deng Mama acknowledged.

Li Qingluo continued, "Send people to guard the city gate for the next two days; if any Liu family members appear, report immediately."

Deng Mama: "Yes. By the way, Miss, about Liu Jin Zhi… should we let her out? Her husband's family has been searching the whole city for her these two days; if we don't release her, they'll report to the officials."

Li Qingluo: "Liu Jin Zhi is gluttonous and lazy, and vicious. They are looking for her only to use her as a cash cow."

"She used to benefit from Li Qingzhu; now Li Qingzhu won't be so easy to exploit."

Since that's the case, let her go back, let the Liu family from now on bite each other like dogs.

Deng Mama cracked her knuckles: "Miss has suffered so much in the Liu family since childhood; now it's time to let them suffer a bit."

Li Qingluo: "No rush. First let them have sweet dreams of being relatives of Prince Yun's Mansion."

Being a relative of Prince Yun is not that easy.

Just wait, the good show is about to start again.

This afternoon, Li Qingya came to Hongfenguan to visit Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo didn't see her.

She knew this miss was decent, kind-hearted, and also more reliable and honest.

But she really didn't want any emotional entanglements with the second and third branches, so it's better to stay away from the start.

Two days later, the Liu family finally arrived at Jinling City, hurrying along.

Deng Mama came to report, and Li Qingluo said: "Go, leak this news to Li Qingzhu."

Sure enough, as soon as Li Qingzhu heard the Liu family had appeared, she immediately seized like grabbing a lifeline, shouting excitedly in the ancestral hall: "Let me out! I'm not a member of the Li family, you have no right to hurt my life! Let me out——"

This time, Li Qingzhu really almost lost half her life.

Even now she can only lie prone on a hard wooden plank.

She also suffered beatings, was locked in the ancestral hall, all day smelling incense and gazing at the dense Li family spirit tablets, her body and soul terrified.

Moreover, starting this morning, Deng Mama came to see her more often, and had her kneel on the rush mat.

One kneeling session lasts an hour.

After an hour, she could rest for half a quarter-hour.

Then she would kneel again.

If her body dared to slant, another whip would lash her.

Li Qingzhu suffered immensely, even contemplating giving up and just dying to avoid further unbearable torment.

These past two days, she didn't dare sleep at night, and her wounds were only hastily smeared with medicine.

Besides her, only Luying attended to her.

Seeing her so agitated, Luying had to press her down: "Miss, your wound is bleeding again. Please lie still and don't move; it's hard enough to have gotten a moment's rest—be careful the wound doesn't reopen, otherwise what will we do if it leaves a scar?"

Hearing Luying's words, Li Qingzhu's expression moved.

She tightly grasped Luying's hand: "Good Luying, now I only have you by my side! Only you still think of me, have some sincerity toward me! Will you help me? Please help me!"

Luying, eyes red, said: "Miss, you have overwhelmed this servant. If you have any matter, just command this servant. Luying and Miss share fate; for you, this servant is willing to go through fire and water."

Li Qingzhu: "Good girl! You are loyal! Rest assured, when this miss gains the prince's favor, I will surely promote you to first-class senior maid by my side!"

Luying: "I ask for none of that; I only wish the miss well."

Li Qingzhu also did not fully believe Luying's words.

But she now indeed has no one usable around her.

It is said that this Luying had even volunteered to come serve and attend to her; for this, Li Qingzhu also felt somewhat moved sincerely.

She had no choice but to entrust Luying: "Help me, go invite the Eldest Young Master here for a visit!"

Li Kechuan heard that Li Qingzhu wanted to see him.

He sat dazed, motionless for a long time.

Luying's legs were about to go numb from kneeling before she heard Li Kechuan say: "Tell her, I and she have nothing left to say."

Luying: "Eldest Young Master, the miss said… said there are some misunderstandings between you; even if you now hate her to the core, as siblings you still want to clear things up."

Li Kechuan closed his eyes deeply, and only after a long while did he draw a heavy breath.

"Lead the way."

At Hongfenguan, Li Qingluo heard that Li Kechuan had gone to the ancestral hall, and she immediately became interested.

"Come on, let's go eavesdrop at the corner of the wall!"

When exactly did Li Kechuan develop feelings for Li Qingzhu?

Unknown.

But the Li family would only learn Li Qingzhu's true identity when the truth about the false versus real daughter is exposed.

If Li Qingzhu had developed improper feelings before her self-immolation, then he is undoubtedly a beast.

But if Li Qingzhu developed feelings only after her self-immolation, when he turned sibling affection into romantic love in his longing, then he is also not a good person.

Either way, Li Kechuan is not a human being.

Regarding this forbidden infatuation, Li Qingluo, who hasn't seen much of the world, found it stimulating; thus, upon hearing that the two wanted to meet in private, she became very excited.

She wanted to see how Li Kechuan would now have to face Li Qingzhu!

Li Family Ancestral Hall.

Li Kechuan was shoved into the ancestral hall; upon seeing Li Qingzhu lying near death on the rush mat, his dark eyes involuntarily clenched tight.

"Zhu..."

He hadn't even finished uttering that sound when he himself paused.

Li Kechuan coldly turned his head away, thinking: "All of this is nothing but her own doing!"

Yet his chest continued to throb with pain.

"Older brother, you've come……"