Chapter 174: Brother

After Princess Nanping returned to Jinling from the northwest, she quickly attended the banquets of all the great aristocratic families.

Though she is no longer as keen on these banquets as before, she has become familiar with essentially every lady of the aristocratic clans, and she whispered into Li Qingluo's ear: "The round‑faced one is Cui Shiyi Niang of the Cui family."

"The oval‑faced one standing beside her is the Cui Jiu Niang your elder brother has betrothed you to."

"She only arrived in Jinling last month, and everyone is speculating whether she was sent here to marry into your family."

So that's Cui Jiu Niang?

The ranking of the Cui family's daughters lines up all the legitimate eldest‑branch girls in a single file, regardless of branch.

But the news that Cui Jiu Niang has already arrived in Jinling was kept so tightly by the Cui family that not a single person in the entire Jiangjun Fu knew.

Li Qingluo couldn't help but size her up.

Cui Jiu Niang's looks and figure are both of top quality.

If she were to marry Li Kechuan, wouldn't she be wasted?

She would be like a fresh flower stuck in cow dung—truly a pity.

While Li Qingluo was appraising Cui Jiu Niang, Cui Jiu Niang seemed to notice her gaze and cast a faint look toward her.

But after just one glance, Cui Jiu Niang turned her head away.

A strong disgust flashed in her eyes, as if she despised everyone from the Li family.

Li Qingluo thought to herself: It must be because Li Kechuan's reputation is so filthy that even she gets implicated.

But what does Cui Shiyi Niang's remark mean?

Could it be that the Cui family finally intends to break off the marriage?

The thought made Li Qingluo feel a faint excitement.

She has kept a sliver of leeway for Li Kechuan, not completely crushing him, just to wait for his eventual alienation and betrayal.

Simply dying would be too easy.

But if everyone despises him, the Cui family also calls off the marriage, his official career and future become unattainable, and Li Chao Jing later has other sons, making this disabled legitimate son dispensable; then living would be more painful than death.

Liu Qiongzhu is being pointed at and scolded; how could she still endure it now?

She, with a face full of anger, said: "You are downright cruel! I was just passing by; just because the Cui family's horse died, does that mean I did it?"

"And I'm jealous—what exactly am I jealous of about Cui Jiu Niang?"

"I have no grudge against Cui Jiu Niang, we've never even met face‑to‑face; why would I do this?"

"If you ask me, with so many women present today, everyone is a suspect; if you really want to catch a culprit, don't just cling to me alone!"

As Liu Qiongzhu spoke, her whole body began to tremble lightly.

Her complexion turned pale, her eyes reddened with tears, her pearl‑white teeth lightly biting her lips, looking both stubborn and pitiful.

But today all those present are women, and none will fall for her tricks.

Especially Pan Li, who let out a cold snicker, "Hehe."

"No one else knows, but I know it perfectly! You once told me outright that your elder brother promised you that when he eventually marries Cui Jiu Niang, the person most important in his heart can only be you, his sister. You were so proud of that, and you said it to me more than once."

Liu Qiongzhu instantly retorted, "You—you're lying! Cui Jiu Niang, I didn't …"

She hurriedly looked at Cui Jiu Niang for an explanation, but Cui Jiu Niang seemed to find even a glance at her filthy, and instead stared at Pan Li, asking, "Is everything you said true? If so, very well!"

She said that and turned to leave, yet left everyone present feeling uneasy.

"What does Cui Jiu Niang mean?"

"So, now that the horse is dead, she won't pursue it any further?"

"Also, with Cui Shiyi Niang saying the marriage fell through, does that mean the Cui family is finally calling off the engagement?"

"If they don't break off the engagement, are they still waiting to become the Li family's chief daughter‑in‑law? Even though she'll become a matriarch someday, Li Kechuan is already disabled, and I heard he went mad over Liu Qiongzhu."

"Haven't you heard the rumors about those two siblings before? Anyway, it's all vague and unclear."

"Tsk tsk, Liu Qiongzhu, you're too filthy …"

"Coming from Jiangjun Fu, we should all keep our distance from now on …"

Everyone involuntarily stepped back a few paces, even avoiding getting close to Li Qingluo.

It was as if being near her would tarnish one's reputation.

Only Nanping, angry, tightened her grip on Li Qingluo even more.

"Do you still distinguish right from wrong? Sister Luo'er is the most innocent, how can you isolate her because of Liu Qiongzhu's disgrace …"

Li Qingluo grabbed Nanping, preventing her from speaking further.

Whether she gets isolated or ignored, she truly doesn't care at all.

How people in this world view her doesn't matter to her.

The reason she came here today is entirely because of Nanping.

Since Nanping doesn't despise or distance herself from her, she feels pleased.

"Why don't we first investigate exactly how this horse died?"

Li Qingluo looked at Liu Qiongzhu and asked, "Is this really unrelated to you? If so, then tell us—what were you originally doing when you passed by here alone just now?"

Liu Qiongzhu harbored intense hatred toward Li Qingluo, so she had no intention of answering her question.

But everyone stared at her, as if unless she clarified today, she would never be able to free herself and clear this injustice.

She clenched her fists in utter humiliation: "I'm not alone—does anyone still want to team up with me? Now you all avoid me, even Pan Li treats me like this; I'm not solitary, who else could I join with, two or three people?"

"I only wanted to go over there to look at the horses, because I didn't bring one today; Princess Qinyu said I could pick a horse she brought so I could ride it for fun!"

"What exactly did I do wrong!?"

She cried plaintively, and some of the soft‑hearted actually felt sympathy for her.

"If that's truly the case, then she was indeed wronged …"

"No matter how Pan Li acts, she shouldn't have done that; after all, the two of them were once close friends, exchanging handkerchiefs. Childhood confidantes, now they change on a whim—does that give her any right?"

The situation seemed about to reverse, Pan Li was both angry and anxious, hating to go up and tear that face of Liu Qinzhu that just knows how to cry, cry, cry.

Li Qingluo then said: "Why exactly did Cui Jiuniang's horse die? I suggest we just report it to the authorities."

Upon hearing that, all the young ladies disagreed again.

It's just one horse; they don't want to invite the trouble of an official investigation.

"Who knows, maybe her family's horse itself had a problem."

"That's right. Besides, we're working hard here to help her uncover the truth, but you see that Cui Jiuniang herself doesn't care at all—why bother?"

"Exactly, the Cui family have all gone into hiding; I think we should just disperse."

Everyone, afraid of trouble, actually dispersed.

As Liu Qinzhu was wiping her red eyes and preparing to leave, Lu Ying beside her gave Li Qingluo a deep look.

Li Qingluo instantly understood.

It seems Liu Qinzhu is not without mischief.

Perhaps Cui Jiuniang's horse really has nothing to do with her, but one's own horse may not be so innocent.

The crowd dispersed, and from afar, Princess Qin Yu's gaze remained on Li Qingluo, slowly curling her lips.

"This daughter the Li family found back is somewhat interesting."

"She is steady, composed, and inwardly scheming—far smarter than that foolish Liu Qinzhu."

The maid beside her asked, "Your Highness, don't you value Liu Qinzhu highly? Now Prince Yun dotes on her to the extreme—even you, Your Highness, were asked to carry her palanquin today."

Princess Qin Yu gave a cold snort: "Just a new favorite—how fresh can it stay for a few days?"

"Liu Qinzhu is merely a commoner's daughter from the market; to the Fourth Prince's cousin, she's just a toy, discardable at any time."

"I'm giving the Fourth Prince's cousin some face, letting him be happy—what's wrong with that?"

"Moreover, if Liu Qinzhu were smart, would she let herself go from being the eldest daughter of a Jiangjun Fu to becoming a palace concubine? She's as stupid as a pig!"

The maid nodded, deeply agreeing with that.

Princess Qin Yu: "Cui Jiuniang appearing here today truly surprised me a bit."

"She must have long hated the Jiangjun Fu in her heart, but as a woman she has no say over her own marriage."

The maid: "Indeed, just now I saw she didn't even want to speak to the Li family's eldest daughter."

Princess Qin Yu gave a cold smile: "The Cui family is a century-old clan. They didn't call off the engagement just because Li Kechuan broke his leg, out of concern for their reputation."

"But later, the Jiangjun Fu kept sending out scandals one after another, yet the Cui family remained passive; however, Cui Jiuniang, knowing full well what a den of wolves it is, would never agree to marry in."

"Moreover, as I know, she secretly left Fujian, bringing servants and attendants, enduring much hardship before arriving in Jinling."

"Her coming here must be to seek to break off the engagement with the Li family."

The maid curiously asked: "Would the Cui family agree?"

The head of the Cui family, the second elder, and some talented juniors now hold official positions in the court; although the Li family has many scandals, nothing has yet become so great as to make the Cui family intolerable enough to sacrifice their reputation.

Therefore, the Cui family must not have agreed, which is why Cui Jiuniang ran to Jinling on her own.

She wants to persuade the head of the Cui family to make the decision for her.

But whether she can succeed depends on her own abilities.

"With the wedding approaching in just over three months... we'll see how she manages to accomplish this."

"If she truly can accomplish this, then I really have some admiration for Cui Jiuniang."

By then, bringing Cui Jiuniang under my command might also be greatly beneficial.

When eating the roasted whole sheep, the two Cui sisters also didn't come out.

Princess Qin Yu had the servants directly give them a lamb leg and send it into their tent, along with hot milk and some hot dishes.

In the end, they took it out and ate it all clean.

However, because of this, everyone's enthusiasm for playing waned.

After the meal, the young ladies from each household prepared to leave.

After all, we were in the suburbs; the return route wasn't close either, and the thawing road had some slippery patches, so although Nanping felt a bit disappointed, she still had the palace guards send everyone off safely one by one.

Each household also brought their own servants and maids; after getting ready, they all set off in a mighty procession.

Li Qingluo deliberately stayed behind; as she was about to board the carriage, she suddenly turned her head to look at Nanping.

"Your Highness the Princess, may we share a carriage?"

Nanping was naturally overjoyed; the two took each other's hands and rode together in the princess's carriage.

Seeing this, Liu Qinzhu was so angry she nearly shook the carriage's wooden frame apart.

But then she immediately gave a cold laugh: "It doesn't matter; even if you hide in the princess's carriage, what of it? I think if you implicate Princess Nanping today, *** will not spare you!"

She herself has personally suffered ***'s methods, knowing it's nothing pleasant.