Chapter 202

The Liang Emperor gazed at the sea of officials and ladies standing there, and asked: "Esteemed officials, what do you think—is the Empress's punishment still appropriate?"

Having said that, the officials all knelt: "Your Majesty is wise, the Empress is benevolent—this is the blessing of our Liang—"

Only then did the Liang Emperor nod: "I heard from Princess Qinyu that it was the Pan family's daughter who first spoke insultingly, and Princess Qinyu struck back afterwards."

However, this girl has already gone through a life-or-death ordeal, which can count as a lesson. As for the rest, the Empress's handling is quite appropriate; since that's the case, let's follow the Empress's words.

Having said that, the Liang Emperor did not even ask whether the *** couple was satisfied with this result, and directly flicked his sleeve, turned, and returned to Zhenghua Hall.

The remaining officials also dared not continue to watch the spectacle, and one after another they followed back to Zhenghua Hall.

After all, it's just a petty squabble among young ladies; as long as no lives are lost, it's not considered a major matter.

But causing such a scene in the imperial palace, and being rebuked by the Empress for lacking virtue— for those young ladies who have not yet left their chambers, this amounts to a serious blow to their reputation.

Nanping ran out and helped support Xiyue*** up, saying, "Mother……"

*** however stared at the Empress and sneered: "You're getting better and better at guessing the father emperor's intentions— a human life was almost lost, yet you treat it so lightly! You've trampled the dignity of me and my prince consort…… My good Empress, I, your subject, will remember this today!"

After saying that, she again looked at Princess Qinyu, giving her a deep glance: "Good, good, you Qinyu!"

Xiyue*** has always been a vengeful person.

Before, if she still had some admiration for Qinyu, after tonight's incident, she has completely turned against her.

Pan Li was taken away, her spirit unsettled, and the people around gradually dispersed, but Li Qingluo continued to stare at Princess Qinyu.

She was even more curious: what exactly happened by the pond tonight?

It would make the usually flawless Princess Qinyu actually strike out and kill someone.

Yes, Li Qingluo felt that she tonight was not merely a clumsy attempt that almost killed Pan Li; it was outright premeditated murder!

Because when she saw Pan Li come back to life, the shock and gloom in the depths of her eyes, though only a fleeting glance, Li Qingluo managed to catch!

Princess Qinyu simply did not want Pan Li to survive!

But even so, the Liang Emperor's punishment of her is indeed so lenient as to seem unfair.

Even the other ladies implicated were merely criticized for lacking virtue, yet she was praised by the Empress with a pile of merits piled up to exalt her.

However, Princess Qinyu's reputation and standing are high in both countries, so perhaps tonight only the *** couple would be dissatisfied with this outcome.

Li Qingluo was staring at Princess Qinyu, and Qinyu also sensed that a gaze in the darkness was scrutinizing her.

When she raised her head to look, Li Qingluo had already vanished from the spot.

Que'er spun around on the spot, face filled with fright: "Miss, miss?"

Zhang Mama came over: "Que'er, where is the miss? The Old Lady is anxiously looking for her!"

Que'er, frightened, turned deathly pale: "Clearly she was just here—how, how could she disappear in the blink of an eye?"

"Who are you talking about? Who disappeared? Could it be Miss Li?"

Zhuang Wei, not knowing where he had emerged from again, upon hearing Que'er's words, immediately hurried over with an anxious expression.

However, at this very moment, Li Qingluo was actually behind them inside a hidden door.

But in the blink of an eye, she was brought by someone into this tiny ear chamber that hardly anyone would notice.

This ear chamber is so small that the two can only stand pressed together.

Li Qingluo roughly pulled away the large hand covering her eyes.

In the darkness, she met a pair of eyes—those eyes that had once made her risk losing her life with just an extra glance, and now……

She let out a glug, swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

Perhaps because they had once experienced life and death together, she now felt not a trace of fear when facing this killing god Rakshasa.

"Commoner, I pay my respects to Prince Su, Your Highness!"

She bent her body to perform the salute, but the person before her grabbed her arm and pressed it down.

"You have saved my life; no need for formalities."

"But I am curious, Miss Li, why do you always call yourself a commoner when you are before me?"

He realized it!

Li Qingluo lowered her gaze slightly, and the weak light filtering in cast a patch of shadow on her face.

Swaying, the mottled light looked like a moving picture.

Prince Su couldn't help but fix his gaze.

He raised his hand, unable to resist the urge to touch that speck of shadow……

Li Qingluo replied: "Because Your Highness, you would not care which family a commoner comes from."

At the beginning of her rebirth, Li Qingluo also hated herself for being the flesh and blood of Li Chao Jing and that Qu Shi, and for being the sister of Li Kechuan.

Therefore, when she first met Prince Su face to face, she unconsciously set aside her connection to Jiangjun Fu.

Later, it naturally became a habit, and she truly forgot about Jiangjun Fu at the back of her mind.

If it weren't for entering the palace today, she would not have again placed the two characters 'subject girl' upon herself.

Duan Rongshi's hand, naturally, did not actually reach out.

He rubbed the black jade ring, looking at the Li family's especially eye-catching eldest daughter before him today, and hearing her words, that faint sense of inexplicable agitation that had arisen these days slowly settled.

From behind came the faint anxious voices of Que'er and Zhang Mama, together with Zhuang Sanlang, who had suddenly appeared from somewhere.

"Don't worry, I will definitely find Miss Li for you!"

"This is originally what I owe her……"

The voices searching for her grew louder and louder; Li Qingluo looked at Prince Su's face in the darkness, and inexplicably it seemed to sink a bit more?

Prince Su's tone was neutral: "The Zhuang Sanlang of Zhongyi Hou Fu actually shows concern for Miss Li nowadays."

Li Qingluo wore a puzzled expression.

What exactly is wrong with Zhuang Wei, and how does she know?

But Que'er and the others are anxiously looking for her, so she cannot stay here indefinitely.

Moreover, she remembered her promise to her grandmother, so she hurriedly asked, "Your Highness, you summoned this commoner girl—what is the matter?"

By the way, Your Highness, don't you know yet? Today that Princess Qin Yu has encountered trouble and will be taken to an outer villa to be confined.

Prince Su let out a hum and interrupted her: "What does her matter have to do with me?"

Li Qingluo:???

He hadn't shown up all night, and she thought he really wouldn't come.

So just now, fearing he might miss the matter concerning Princess Qin Yu, she kindly reminded him.

How come he ended up getting angry instead?

Isn't it either that the rumor says Prince Su has remained unmarried, or he's been waiting for this Princess Qin Yu?

Last time when encountering those people whose allegiance was unknown—whether rebels or Lotus Sect—didn't Princess Qin Yu also exert her utmost effort, even borrowing the troops of Nanping to assist him?

Later, when they were found in the snow mountains, Princess Qin Yu also kept calling him "cousin".

As for other princes, she didn't seem to be that affectionate toward them, right?

So Li Qingluo really thought that the two were a pair of lovers deeply in love.

Li Qingluo stared at Prince Su, her heart purely full of the curiosity of a spectator.

Her gaze was too pure and innocent, which annoyed Prince Su.

You——!

His eyes at this moment held only icy shards as cold as frost, plus a hint of annoyance.

Li Qingluo involuntarily reached for her own neck.

She still wanted to live, so she hurriedly changed her tone: "Your Highness, please forgive me, this commoner girl's fault. This commoner girl should not have rashly speculated about Your Highness's intentions."

Prince Su gave a cold laugh: "You don't dare? What do you have to fear? You even dared to feed me an entire bottle of qilin pills."

Li Qingluo didn't hear clearly: "Your Highness, what did you say?"

Duan Rongshi closed his eyes: "The boss behind Fukuan Pavilion is none other than Qin Yu. So you don't need to pity her."

Li Qingluo:!!!

He, he actually just betrayed Qin Yu like that?

Were they really cousins who grew up together since childhood?

Moreover, could it be that the reason he wanted to see her tonight was to tell her this in person?

Li Qingluo's heart was filled with suspicion; the voices outside searching for her were about to cause a commotion throughout the palace, so she could only hurriedly thank him: "Thank you for informing me, Your Highness; if there is nothing else, this commoner girl will take her leave."

She was about to hurry out, but Duan Rongshi then, with a bang, propped open the door gap behind her.

"What business do you have, why didn't you come personally to ask me?"

Li Qingluo: "What?"

She really didn't understand; what could possibly be the meaning behind the aloof and noble Prince Su's remarks today, one after another?

Prince Su, however, suddenly stepped forward, drawing half a step closer to her.

The distance between them was now only a fist's width!

Li Qingluo instantly drew a breath and, with force, pressed her back against the door behind her.

Prince Su said from above her head: "Lift your head and look at me."

Li Qingluo's heart clearly resisted, she even dared not, yet inexplicably she obeyed.

Just lifting her head, she fell into the vortex of the dark night sky……

She gazed into Prince Su's eyes, listening to him speak each word: "Next time, no matter what, come and tell me yourself. Just as today, I came to find you and personally tell you this. Li Qingluo, do you understand?"

Li Qingluo opened the ear chamber and walked out herself.

Inside the pitch-black little house behind her, Prince Su had already vanished.

It turned out that the ear chamber had another exit.

She was quickly found by Que'er, and accompanying her were many palace attendants who had come to look.

Nobody dared to make a bigger fuss, so it hadn't yet reached the inner hall.

Tonight's Zhaohua Hall simply cannot have any more incidents.

"Miss, where on earth did you go? Que'er was worried sick…"

Que'er lunged forward, embracing Li Qingluo with an expression so tense she seemed about to burst into tears.

Zhang Mama also panted, her eyes red: "Miss, just now the Pan family young lady met with misfortune, and you vanished right after—this old servant has been frightened into feeling years shaved off her life."

Li Qingluo wore an apologetic face, yet said without blushing or racing heart: "I just felt dizzy, so I leaned against that door and accidentally fell in. I've come to now and am fine."

"Let's go find grandmother…"

Li Qingluo had Que'er support her; her legs felt a bit weak.

Zhuang Wei stood behind her, wanting to speak but stopping himself; just as she was about to step into the hall, he still couldn't help calling out to her.

"Miss Li!"

Li Qingluo halted her steps and looked toward him.

"Master Zhuang San, what business do you have?"

She thought that after the two families had completely broken off the engagement over a quarrel, they should each go their own way, bridges to bridges, roads to roads.

In her previous life, he had indeed saved her life.

Although his nature was no different from Li Kechuan's, Li Qingluo only wanted to free herself from the engagement with him, and she did not wish to remain entangled with the Zhongyi Hou Fu.

Thus, on the day Liu Qiongzhu and Prince Yun's affair was exposed, Li Qingluo summoned Zhuang Wei to the bright tower as well, so he could see Liu Qiongzhu's true face with his own eyes, enough to make him feel heart-rending anguish for a while.

Zhuang Wei, however, quickly stepped forward and said: "Last spring's provincial examinations, outside Jinling City there were floods and pestilence. Therefore the original examination time was changed to autumn, to be held together with the autumn examinations."

"The matter of… Lady Zhu… let me… let me be distracted from this aspiration, so I missed that examination."

"However, the upcoming spring examinations—just around the corner—I have already registered and made full preparations."

Li Qingluo only felt a headache: "Why are you telling me this?"

Zhuang Wei lifted his gaze, his bright eyes fixed on Li Qingluo: "I will certainly not disappoint Miss Li!"

Li Qingluo couldn't help but snap: "You've got a problem, huh?"