Chapter 198: Empress Summons, the False Young Lady Appears

Li Qingluo thought: She knows a lot more than that.

However, she only wanted to scare Qu Shi today.

"If you want no one to know, don't do it. Mother, what have you done? Heaven and earth are clear; the truth will eventually come to light."

Qu Shi turned completely pale: "You, you're talking nonsense. Mother back then only did it for Zhu'er's sake..."

Li Qingluo: "Really? Liu Qingzhu has quite the nerve. You could make her eat a huge pile of shit, and she still wouldn't dare to complain."

Li Qingzhu's words made Qu Shi's eyes red with rage: "I am your mother—why must you treat me like this!!"

Li Qingluo closed her eyes, too lazy to look at her: "You aren't treating me any differently, are you?"

Qu Shi still wanted to say something, but Pei Lao Furen impatiently snapped again: "Shut up! If you speak again, I won't let you enter the palace gates today—get lost!"

Pei Lao Furen didn't want to look at Qu Shi any longer and had her thrown off the carriage.

Qu Shi, disheveled, held her askew hair bun, tears in her eyes as she got down from the Jiangjun Fu carriage, then hurriedly climbed into the carriage where Que'er and the others were sitting.

He Old Lady, hearing of the argument elsewhere, still wore a gentle smile on her kind face.

She fiddled with her prayer beads and murmured: "It seems the Pei clan truly regards this girl as a precious treasure, just as the rumors say."

"However, this Qu Shi is utterly useless—being kicked out of the carriage by her mother-in-law is truly pathetic."

On her face, as compassionate as a bodhisattva's, mentioning Qu Shi she couldn't help but show a hint of disdain.

One granddaughter asked: "Grandmother, since Pei Lao Furen values Li Qingluo so highly, if she stubbornly refuses to consent to this marriage, Xiong Ge'er... wouldn't that just be wasted joy?"

Another granddaughter added: "Yes, I just saw that Si Ge seems very pleased with Li Qingluo's appearance; although she grew up in the mountains, she has now been nurtured in wealth and can indeed be considered a beauty."

"To marry into our Xiong Ge'er's family is her good fortune!"

He Old Lady: "She's just an old woman meddling in my granddaughter's marriage—whatever she says goes."

"If she disagrees, let her be unable to speak."

Saying this, He Old Lady slowly closed her eyes.

"A woman's marriage has always been decided by parental order and matchmaker's words; if the Pei clan insists on its own view and delays my granddaughter's happiness, any misfortune she suffers is her own fault."

The carriage slowly entered the first palace gate.

Before the second palace gate, all carriages must stop outside and cannot go further.

Officials' families, attended by their own servants, disembarked from their carriages, after a simple search by palace attendants, then boarded the palace's carriages or sedan chairs and proceeded further inward.

Li Qingluo and Pei Lao Furen remained in the same carriage; after who knows how long, Pei Lao Furen's waist began to ache.

"People grow old and useless! Grandmother suffered some wounds on the battlefield when she was young; at first she felt nothing, but now, in her old age, she can't even withstand a change in the weather."

Li Qingluo heartily kneaded her grandmother's waist out of pity.

"Grandmother, would this help ease the pain?"

Pei Lao Furen smiled contentedly: "Comfortable—grandmother now has you, and truly begins to enjoy blessings."

Pausing, she said: "Luo'er, don't fear your mother's scheming today; with grandmother here, her mischief will come to nothing."

Li Qingluo: "Grandmother, Luo'er trusts you. But what does the Qu family mean? It seems that for over ten years, a hand of the Qu family has been secretly meddling in the Li household's inner quarters... Grandmother, what are they scheming?"

Pei Lao Furen had a guess in her heart.

But how could she tell Luo'er such sordid matters?

"Adult affairs—don't worry about them for now. Today you must stay by my side; never be alone, understood?"

Li Qingluo nodded, knowing her grandmother didn't want to discuss the Qu family, so she didn't bring it up again.

Yet Pei Lao Furen muttered, cursing Qu Shi: "What a fool. Minister Qu indeed holds high office, but Xiong Ge'er's father is merely a petty county official—why doesn't she mention that?"

"And what kind of appearance does Xiong Ge'er have—how could he possibly be worthy of you?"

Li Qingluo helplessly chuckled; in her grandmother's eyes, she wondered what sort of suitor would make her think him a suitable match for her granddaughter.

As she spoke, Pei Lao Furen suddenly sensed something amiss.

"Wait! Why haven't we arrived yet?"

Tonight's banquet hall is Zhao Hua Hall.

Pei Lao Furen, who has visited the Imperial Palace countless times, remembered that from the Second Gate to Zhao Hua Hall it takes only half an incense stick's time; why has today's walk been so long and still not arrived?

She lifted the curtain and saw that this road was definitely not the way to Zhao Hua Hall!

Moreover, aside from her and Luo'er's carriage, only Qu Shi's sedan chair followed behind; even Zhang Mama, Deng Mama, and Que'er and the others had vanished without a trace.

But this is the Imperial Palace...

Pei Lao Furen lowered the curtain and looked at Li Qingluo: "It seems we have been summoned by a noble person today."

Li Qingluo looked puzzled at her grandmother: "Has someone taken us away alone? Is my mother also behind us?"

Pei Lao Furen nodded: "Luo'er, you might guess who wants to meet us privately."

Li Qingluo fell silent for a moment, then replied: "The Empress."

In her previous life, she had just come down from the mountains and indeed lacked experience.

But after being reborn, she gave herself many cunning thoughts.

Things she had been confused about in her previous life are now gradually understood as she continually absorbs them.

Take, for example, why Liu Qingzhu has returned to the Liu family, become an ordinary commoner girl, her reputation utterly ruined, yet Prince Yun still wants to take her into his household?

In her previous life, Li Qingluo could never figure it out.

But in this life, she has parted the mist and gradually glimpsed the truth.

Prince Yun and Liu Qingzhu have done those things; even though Liu Qingzhu caused him to lose a child, he never abandoned her—could it truly be merely an obsessive fixation on Liu Qingzhu, making it so hard for him to let go?

If it were truly deep love, could a legitimate daughter of a Jiangjun Fu not even be fit as a concubine, let alone hold the title of principal wife?

In short, he had already, upon learning Liu Qingzhu's true identity, regarded her in his heart as nothing more than a manipulable pawn or plaything.

Therefore Li Qingluo believes even more that Prince Yun, from the start, had other motives.

Moreover, in her previous life Li Qingluo's miserable death was inseparable from Prince Yun.

If it weren't for that self-immolation fake death that he and Liu Qingzhu plotted, Li Qingluo would not have so quickly headed toward a tragic ending.

In this life, he still colluded with Liu Qingzhu to scheme against himself.

They hoped to kill two birds with one stone, but it's a pity I never fell into their trap again.

Moreover, in this life I completely disrupted their plans, so they naturally won't resign themselves.

Li Qingluo, however, coldly thought: she spared Liu Qingzhu's life only to watch her fall again, and Prince Yun must also plunge with her into the depths of hell.

Li Qingluo guessed correctly; the three of them indeed stopped outside the Empress's Phoenix Nest Palace.

The chief palace maid walked out, chin raised, glanced indifferently at the three, and said: "Madam Pei, General's Lady, Miss Li. The Empress has long been waiting; please enter the hall."

The remaining palace attendants immediately came forward, not waiting for Li Qingluo and the others to react much, and ushered them inside.

Qu Shi trembled with fright, while Li Qingluo supported Madam Pei, remaining relatively calm.

Just upon entering the residence, she was stunned by everything before her eyes.

In the garden, even in winter, every step offered a scene; flowers filled every spot, their fragrance could be smelled by lowering one's head, and butterflies could be seen by raising it.

Every view was exquisitely crafted, surpassing nature's work—something Li Qingluo had never seen in either life.

Upon entering the hall, what met the eyes were sandalwood beams, crystal jade disc lamps, pearl curtains, and bronze-plated stone bases.

The curtains were embroidered with gold-thread begonias, and the floor was paved with white jade tiles.

Everywhere was extravagant to the extreme, exquisitely crafted, leaving everyone gasping in awe.

In this world, some cannot even afford a mouthful of plain rice and flour, living merely to survive.

Yet the female masters of the world residing in this imperial palace have probably never even seen the poorest commoners of the realm.

Upon the high seat of the Phoenix Nest Palace's main hall sat a woman full of dignified grace, her features flawless and exquisite—she was the Empress Gao Shi, the most noble woman in the world.

Li Qingluo and the two others immediately knelt and bowed.

"Your subject, your daughter pays respects to the Empress; may the Empress live forever, forever, ten thousand years!"

Li Qingluo lowered her gaze.

Since returning to Jinling in this life, this is the first time she has referred to herself as a subject's daughter.

From the bottom of her heart she did not wish to rely on Li Chao Jing's glory to live, so she stubbornly called herself a common girl.

But now, having entered the imperial palace, she cannot help but lower her head in deference to the times.

In a corner of the hall stood someone—none other than Liu Qingzhu, whom Li Qingluo expected to see today.

Liu Qingzhu stared at Qu Shi with red eyes.

Qu Shi naturally saw her as well.

"Zhu..."

She almost blurted it out.

But thinking of what Liu Qingzhu had done before, she forced herself to hold back.

Since this is the Empress's palace, she dared not raise her voice.

"Madam Pei, please rise quickly."

The Empress raised her hand in a gesture of support: "In my youth I once saw your grace; seeing you again today, your dignity and vigor remain undiminished. Good!"

"It's a pity you retired from court so early; otherwise, with you as our Great Liang's sole female general, you would surely outshine your past glory."

Madam Pei: "Empress, you overpraise me; I dare not accept such praise!"

The Empress smiled, noncommittal: "Someone, quickly grant Madam Pei a seat!"

Palace attendants brought a stool for Madam Pei; after thanking them, she sat down, barely perching on the edge.

The Empress's gaze lightly shifted to Li Qingluo.

"Are you the legitimate daughter of the General's Manor? Raise your head so I may look at you."

Li Qingluo did not dare hesitate, slowly raising her head, yet she kept her eyes downcast, unable to meet the Empress's countenance.

Seeing her behave so properly, the Empress nodded approvingly.

"Madam Pei indeed hails from the Duke's Manor; in a short time you have taught her such decorum—truly no easy feat."

Madam Pei smiled on her face, but her eyes gradually lost warmth.

After all, everyone in Jinling knows she was long barred from the Pei Duke's Manor, and she hasn't returned to her natal family in decades.

"Empress, you overpraise; little Luo still has far to go."

Empress Gao Shi waved her hand, indifferent.

She no longer stood on ceremony, getting straight to the point of why she had summoned them today.

"The tale of the true and false heiresses of your General's Manor—I've already heard it from Xiao Si."

"Although this is indeed bewildering, the mix of fortune and misfortune, aside from human scheming, is hardly not heavenly design."

"Moreover, the misunderstandings and entanglements between your General's Manor and Xiao Si are inseparable from this matter."

"Madame Liu, why don't you come forward?"