Chapter 164

After several days of turmoil, the Li family finally managed to barely escape from this reputation‑shattering storm.

Each household trembled with fear, still not daring to go out at will.

Li Chao Jing went to court for two days and then returned; although his face remained grim each day, he no longer flew into a rage seeking misfortune, and Li Qingluo knew that exposing Li Qingzhu's true origins and expelling her from the Jiangjun Fu had indeed allowed the Li family to temporarily struggle free from this mire.

But, no matter how hard she tried, she could never wash herself clean.

Li Qingluo was very satisfied with this outcome.

It snowed again.

This snow made Li Qingluo feel very familiar.

She stood under the eaves of Hongfenguan, watching the scene of heavy snow blanketing everything, and recalled that on this same day in her previous life, she had already been locked by Li Kechuan in a dilapidated hut beside the stables because of a broken teacup.

In this life, Li Qingzhu will never return.

As for herself, she will survive today, and in this life she will enjoy prolonged longevity until her dying days.

Deng Mama said, Li Yunchu has disappeared.

Li Qingluo: "What do you mean by disappeared?"

Deng Mama lowered her head, somewhat ashamed: "The two wet nurses who were looking after her died at the inn's doorway. And she… has left no trace."

Li Qingluo: "Was she abducted, or did she leave on her own?"

Deng Mama shook her head: "Cannot be certain."

Li Qingluo's expression grew grave: "Either way, doesn't it show that she is indeed as I suspected—her background is anything but ordinary?"

Deng Mama agreed: "If Li Yunchu is allowed to return to the wild like a tiger set free, we must prepare defenses early!"

Li Qingluo: "Tighten the watch over Old Aunt Deng."

Deng Mama: "Miss, rest assured, I have sent someone to follow her constantly; she cannot fly out of the White Robe Nunnery even if she grew wings."

After the Li Yunchu incident, Deng Mama naturally became even more attentive, redoubling her efforts.

In the afternoon, news came from the Jinling prefectural office that, aside from Zhao Shi, all members of the Liu household had been released.

"Miss, it seems Prince Yun has intervened in this matter..."

Li Qingluo: "Liu Qingzhu would naturally turn to Prince Yun for help rescuing her relatives; I had already guessed this would be the outcome."

Therefore, she had sent those people to prison at the time—not only to make Liu Qingzhu unhappy, but also to let the Liu family members taste the bitterness of incarceration.

She also knew they would not be imprisoned for long, so upon hearing this news Li Qingluo felt no disappointment.

Deng Mama sighed: "Then it's a bargain for those who once bullied the miss?"

Li Qingluo: "They followed Liu Qingzhu dreaming of instant success, a dream they've nurtured for years, but it won't come true so easily. Don't rush; just wait and see."

"By the way, what about Zhao Shi?"

Deng Mama: "I heard she suffered severe punishment; she may not survive."

She had publicly admitted in front of the townspeople at the Jiangjun Fu gate that, years ago, she had been possessed and swapped the miss's identity with her granddaughter's, which caused the miss's suffering. Now that she's in prison, how could she deny it?

Li Qingluo: "Such a venomous woman who confesses her guilt before the whole world—even if executed to warn others, dying like this would be letting her off easy."

Moreover, this matter is being watched by all the aristocratic clans of Jinling City.

Prince Yun naturally would not risk rescuing her either.

Li Qingluo went to have Que'er fetch some silver.

Then she herself put on a fur-lined cloak.

Deng Mama, seeing this, panicked and anxious, exclaimed: "Miss, where are you going? It's still snowing outside!"

Li Qingluo took the silver and tucked it onto her person.

"I want to see Zhao Shi. Mama, please accompany me."

Deng Mama: "But it's already three quarters past the shen hour, dusk is falling; miss, why not wait until tomorrow? Let me first make arrangements."

Li Qingluo gazed at the softly falling snow outside: "I'm afraid I can't wait."

The deep meaning in her words left Deng Mama secretly startled.

"The miss's meaning… could it be that she fears Zhao Shi won't survive tonight?"

Li Qingluo brought only Deng Mama along; the two boarded a carriage and headed to the outer prison of the Jinling City prefectural office.

Deng Mama, holding the silver, met an official midway; the two then negotiated together at the prison gate.

Li Qingluo lifted the curtain and watched them waiting quietly over there.

Night had already fallen, yet the snowlight still illuminated heaven and earth brightly.

Li Qingluo blew warm air onto her palms.

She suddenly recalled that, at this moment in her previous life, she had been in that drafty little hut, begging the servants of the Jiangjun Fu for a blanket.

In her previous life she lost all dignity.

In this life she no longer longs for familial affection, yet instead she has unexpectedly received a hint of pity from her grandmother.

Now, wrapped in the fur her grandmother gave her, holding a warmer in her hand, her whole body is warm and cozy.

Has the rancor in her heart subsided?

No, she has not yet been able to take full revenge on all those who wronged her in her previous life.

How could one say it's over?

Deng Mama came over and said: "Miss, we probably still have to wait a bit; they need to go inside to finalize things."

Li Qingluo shoved her warmer into Deng Mama's hands.

"You've worked hard. It's fine; I'm not in a hurry, I'll just wait patiently."

Deng Mama refused to take the warmer no matter what, and as they were deferring, a sudden rush of horse hooves came from behind.

Deng Mama immediately shut the carriage window, nervously watching a procession of horses galloping through the wind and snow.

A group of three, all wearing black fur cloaks, lifted their headcovers and Deng Mama finally saw— it was actually Prince Su, Your Highness?

She was so frightened she immediately knelt and lowered her head: "Old servant pays respects to Prince Su, Your Highness; may you enjoy ten thousand years of peace."

Li Qingluo heard the voice and immediately pushed the door open and slipped out.

She looked surprised at Duan Rongshi appearing in the heavy snow night: "Prince? Why have you come?"

Duan Rongshi sat on a tall horse; seeing her, he seemed not at all surprised, as if he had known she would be here.

His eyes deep, he stared directly at the young lady wearing a red cloak today, with a white fur trim on her veil hat, and said: "Come with me, Prince."

Li Qingluo had no doubt about him, and immediately, with Deng Mama's support, jumped down from the carriage.

When she landed, her feet slipped a little; although she quickly steadied herself, it also made the three young masters on horseback tense up at once.

Duan Rongshi got off his horse; today accompanying him out were Sha Lei and Leng Dian.

They also simultaneously dismounted and took the reins that the prince threw over.

Arriving at the prison gate, Leng Dian stepped forward and flashed the Ministry of Justice token; the jailers dared not utter a word, immediately opening the door in panic and making way.

Along the way, the lantern light swayed; in the pitch-black prison, mice squeaked as they ran past their feet.

The foul, reeking smell of blood and filth permeated the air; upon smelling it, Chade felt utterly nauseated.

Duan Rongshi lowered his head to look at the young lady beside him, seeing no sign of disgust or discomfort on her face.

Indeed, a young lady who dares to wander about in the charity house, her expression unchanged.

In the whole of Jinling City, she is probably the only one, such a bold and courageous young lady.

Along the way, wails came one after another.

Seeing someone come, hands reached out from the bars, shouting for help.

"Please save me, I am innocent……"

"Sir, spare my life, spare my life……"

"I, a commoner, will never dare again……"

"Sir, give me some water……"

"I'm so hungry……"

There were also madmen who, upon seeing people, jumped up excitedly, spinning in place and dancing, muttering: "Sir, do you see how beautiful I am……"

Anyone who accidentally brushed the prince's robe, Sha Lei stepped forward with a 'swish—' and sliced off that dirty hand with his curved blade.

"Get lost!"

The remaining prisoners, seeing this, immediately shrank back in fear, honestly staying in the darkness and daring not to show their heads.

Amid the screams, Li Qingluo lowered her head to glance at Deng Mama, who patted her hand as if to comfort her.

Prince Su's conduct has always been like this.

It is said that his methods when interrogating prisoners in the Ministry of Justice are hundreds of times more cruel and bloody than those of this jail.

If he wants someone dead by the second watch, that person won't live to see the third watch.

But if he wants someone to wish for death rather than life, that person absolutely cannot even bite their tongue to kill themselves.

Li Qingluo knew Prince Su's conduct was brutal and cold-hearted, yet for some reason she did not fear him deep down.

But the recent events still served as a reminder to her.

Prince Su, what on earth brought him here tonight?

Finally, they arrived at the prison door where Zhao Shi was held.

In this cell, three women were imprisoned altogether.

Two of the women lay on thick piles of straw, still wearing clothes stripped from Zhao Shi's body.

Upon seeing someone arrive, those two women immediately sat up, gazing fearfully at the doorway.

And Zhao Shi, wearing only her inner garments, lay bloody on the dirt floor, moaning and uttering nonsense, clearly not expected to survive the night.

"Sha Lei: Someone, open the door!"

After the cell door was opened, those two women were temporarily taken out.

Li Qingluo looked at Prince Su; Duan Rongshi nodded at her: "Go in, no one will come."

Li Qingluo then, without further words, gave a slight bow to Prince Su and, with Deng Mama, entered.

"Granny, give her the medicine."

Li Qingluo knew Zhao Shi probably couldn't say anything now, so she had Deng Mama prepare the medicine in advance.

This potion, it is said, can bring a dying person back to consciousness for a moment.

Just a moment is enough.

Duan Rongshi took Leng Dian to the other side into the darkness, while Sha Lei stood outside holding his sword.

After half an incense stick's time, Zhao Shi slowly regained consciousness.

Seeing Li Qingluo appear in the cell, she cried out in fright: "It's you!"

Li Qingluo looked down at Zhao Shi lying on the ground, expressionless as if looking at a corpse: "Naturally, it's me."

After just a few days, Zhao Shi had completely changed her appearance, as if she had become an entirely different person.

She had become skin and bone, her body covered everywhere with wounds and bloody stains.

At her collarbone it seemed to have been pierced through, her hands were also pierced by iron nails, her mouth gaped open, and a mouthful of fresh blood flowed out, running into her own mouth and down her neck.

The other wounds were countless and indescribably gruesome.

Li Qingluo crouched down and asked her: "Does it hurt, Zhao Shi?"