Chapter 214

Liu Mener let out a startled cry and fell to the ground.

The hot soup she was holding in her hands with the gu vessel also shattered and spilled all over the floor.

She panicked, lifted her head to look at the emerging Li Chao Jing, face full of grievance: "Master... I noticed you haven't eaten a proper hot meal these past two days, so I personally stewed this pigeon soup to nourish your body."

"But my steps were heavy as I walked, and you and the eldest son were discussing something important; I accidentally disturbed you."

Concubine Liu is like a late-spring azalea, just now blooming, each day charming and full of allure, soothing all of Li Chao Jing's agitation and vexation.

So whenever he sees her, the hostility in his heart is eased a little each time.

"Is it you? Just now, when I was speaking with Chuan'er, did you hear anything?"

Li Chao Jing stared at Concubine Liu, sizing her up.

But he knows well, no matter how likable or thoughtful she is, this concubine is nothing more than a plaything.

If she hears something she shouldn't, then when necessary, her life cannot be spared.

A flash of cruelty crossed Li Chao Jing's eyes; he stared fixedly at Concubine Liu, noticing her gaze was somewhat evasive.

Concubine Liu felt a creeping dread in her heart.

"Master, I've just arrived. What are you talking about... is it something I shouldn't hear?"

Li Kechuan stared at the concubine before him and gave a cold laugh: "Father, to eliminate future troubles, you should be more ruthless."

Liu Mener jumped in fright; being a concubine in a wealthy household, is this the fate of a lowly life?

But she was not the sort to wait passively to be slaughtered; she quickly pretended to lift her hand and rub her belly, murmuring: "Master, I indeed have something to hide from you; I... actually came today to tell you happy news... my belly seems to already have your flesh and blood."

Her menstrual cycle hasn't come; although she hasn't even seen a doctor yet, Liu Mener now must take a gamble!

Fortunately, she feels ninety percent sure in her heart, believing this should not go wrong.

Li Chao Jing's face froze for a moment.

Immediately his eyes filled with wild joy: "Really!? Mener, is this true? You really haven't deceived this general!!"

Liu Mener lowered her head bashfully: "Master, I haven't yet properly seen a doctor..."

Li Chao Jing scooped up Liu Mener in one embrace, laughing wildly and excitedly as he hurried back with her.

"Someone, quickly summon a doctor for Concubine Liu, ask Doctor Jiang to come!"

Li Chao Jing swept away all the gloom and worry from just moments ago, even completely forgetting his eldest son Li Kechuan behind him...

Li Kechuan's eyes were icy and sinister like a venomous snake, fixed on the direction they had gone; his left hand clenched tightly the armrest he had just crushed, his eyes showing mad malice.

"Father, do you really want another son so badly, even if it's a lowly bastard!"

Osmanthus Garden.

By nightfall, Li Qingluo had already received a note sent by Liu Mener.

Deng Mama had rested for a day, then came again full of spirit to attend Li Qingluo.

Mistress and servant gathered before the candlelight to read the words on the note: "The general's name is not as it should be. The Jiang family descendants, using an old secret, extort five hundred thousand taels of silver. The Qu family are the true culprits who harmed the Old Lady..."

Deng Mama was frightened.

Each character on the note is quite ordinary, but together they are shocking.

"Miss... this..."

Li Qingluo: "How did she manage to pass the message? Is it reliable?"

Deng Mama: "Reliable. Her senior maid is one of ours."

"That maid came out in the evening, went to the pastry shop where our people had seen Liu Mener, and delivered the note under the pretense of buying pastries."

"The shopkeeper said that maid also passed a verbal message, saying Liu Mener had today summoned a doctor, saying there was happy news in the household."

Li Qingluo raised her eyebrows.

"I'm going to have younger siblings? It's only been this short a time and she's already pregnant?"

"Indeed, she hasn't disappointed me."

However, at this point Li Qingluo already felt some regret.

She should have made Li Chao Jing completely cut off his line!

Originally she wanted to find someone to bear a bunch of younger siblings, then get rid of the father and keep the sons.

That way the grandmother could fully control the entire general's mansion, enjoy family bliss to her heart's content, and raise a bunch of obedient little monkeys.

But now, she doesn't want to keep Li Chao Jing around for even a single day!

But what surprised her was that Liu Mener actually took the initiative to slip her a note outside.

Moreover, she's pregnant; does she have no selfish desire to get along nicely with that scumbag father?

Unless she can't go on, she feels something threatening her life.

What shocked Li Qingluo most was that the note contained only these few characters, yet the information it held was not small.

"Go investigate whatever Jiang family is related to Li Chao Jing."

Deng Mama: "Yes."

Li Qingluo: "Also, the Qu family are the true culprits who harmed the grandmother; that is to say, behind it all is my foolish and vicious birth mother!"

Deng Mama shook her head sorrowfully: "Miss, this matter... is likely true. But where on earth did she get the gall to act like this?!"

Qu Shi usually appears timid and weak, fearful of trouble, yet every time she acts, it's not something cruel and unimaginable?

Indeed, just as the miss said, she's both stupid and vicious!

Li Qingluo: "You've forgotten. When the Liu family's Zhao Shi swapped me, my maternal grandmother knew the truth but turned a blind eye. Yet over these years she never mentioned the truth, and even before the grandmother returned, the general's mansion had already been infiltrated by many hands of the Qu family meddling."

"So, the things she does are not her alone, but the entire Qu family behind her!"

Deng Mama sucked in a breath: "But... but why is this...?"

Li Qingluo: "Perhaps I didn't understand before. But after learning yesterday about the grandmother's Tianfeng Trading House, I have some guesses."

"The Qu family's elderly patriarch is the Minister of Revenue; he controls the nation's finances, knows the whole economy of DaLiang—how could he not know of the existence of the Tianfeng Trading House?"

Li Chao Jing forced grandmother to death to get her money; why isn't the Qu family the same?

Deng Mama stared wide-eyed: "You, you mean, what the Qu family is greedy for is…… is…… they want to eat dog shit!? The things of our old lady are also something the Qu family dares to dream of!!"

Li Qingluo: "Don't jump around. I'm just guessing too."

My reputation has been implicated by Liu Qingzhu, and the Zhongyi Hou Fu has called off the engagement; originally, no respectable family in all of Jinling City would have any designs on me. But the Qu family is different.

They manipulated my mother, making Qu Shi think this is a good marriage.

Qu Shi thinks the Qu family is willing to marry me out of respect for her, but why doesn't she see what sort of thing the Qu family has produced?

That Xun Ge'er's lecherous eyes want to stick to me all the time, and he's not even as tall as I am. I feel like vomiting at the sight of such a person.

I don't even look up to them, let alone grandmother.

At the palace banquet, the Qu family's Old Lady He appeared to be a kind Buddhist devotee, but what good could the Qu family possibly have?

Grandmother's repeated clear refusals must have angered the Qu family. That's why they resorted to these vicious, poisonous schemes behind her back!

My mother is foolish; she might think she's doing all this just for my marriage, but what exactly is the Qu family planning? She probably doesn't even realize it.

But whether it's poisoning grandmother or trying to get me to marry into the Qu family, it certainly has something to do with the Heavenly Wind Trading House.

However, these are merely Li Qingluo's speculations and guesses.

But whatever the truth is, she will surely get to the bottom of it!

As for Qu Shi, she can't stay any longer!

For the crime of poisoning her mother-in-law, even a hundred lashes would not be enough to atone for her death!

However, before she dies, her crimes should be proclaimed to the world so people can see exactly what vile acts she committed.

Li Qingluo had a plan pop into her head.

There's a move we should also make.

Grandma, tomorrow we'll go out for a bit and let Sui'er come see me.

Just after finishing speaking with Deng Mama, Que'er came in knocking at the door.

Miss, Prince Su has come over. He says if you have time, please come over.

Li Qingluo immediately rose; the Prince Su had once again bestowed great kindness upon her by saving her grandmother, so even if she were already asleep, she would have to get up and go.

Li Qingluo donned a cloak and went to the Prince Su's main residence.

At the gate, several young maids rushed forward to greet her.

Li Qingluo politely greeted them.

These past two days she has been learning some sign language from Ying'er and can now roughly understand some gestures.

The mute servant led her indoors.

She saw Prince Su actually eating from a hot pot?

Li Qingluo was puzzled when Duan Rongshi lifted his head, saw her, and through layers of smoke said, "This was bought from your Delicacy Restaurant; would you like to share it?"

Eat together with Prince Su?

Li Qingluo doesn't yet have that courage.

But she still stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, I've already eaten; let me prepare some vegetables for you instead."

Duan Rongshi also didn't refuse, nodding slowly.

Li Qingluo willingly blanched vegetables and meat for him, then placed each piece onto his plate.

Duan Rongshi took a bite of the fresh lamb she had just blanched for him.

Indeed, it was far more tender and refreshing than when Leng Dian blanched it.

Duan Rongshi ate bite after bite; Li Qingluo blanched however much, and he ate that much.

Until he really couldn't eat any more, he then grabbed her wrist.

I am full.

As soon as his words fell, the mute servants outside filed in one after another.

They began to orderly attend to him: washing his hands and rinsing his mouth, changing his outer robe, eliminating odors, and even combing his hair strands anew!!

Everything was meticulous and thorough, refined yet elegant, leaving Li Qingluo, who had enjoyed a few months of good days, dumbfounded.

Then, after these meticulous tasks were finished, the table was already spotless, the whole room fumigated with incense, leaving not a trace of the hot pot's odor.

Li Qingluo saw this seamless service and thought, "Indeed, he is a prince of noble stature; all that's missing is someone personally feeding him."

Speaking of feeding, she suddenly wondered if he had ever eaten persimmons straight from his own hand.

That also counts as having fed him myself, right?

Upon thinking again of the word 'feed,' Li Qingluo's mind suddenly flashed to some images she shouldn't recall, and her cheeks instantly flushed with an uneasy red.

Li Qingluo hurriedly shook her head, quickly tossing that memory back into the dark corner of her mind.

What are you standing there for? Come over.

Li Qingluo raised her head again; Prince Su was already seated on the window-side couch.

He tapped the tabletop, gesturing for her to come over.

Li Qingluo walked over and saw a chess set laid on the low table, her eyes widening instantly.

Can you play chess?

Prince Su asked her.

Li Qingluo quickly shook her head: "Your Highness, if you ask whether this commoner woman can wield swords and spears, she could still make a fool of herself, but as for chess…… this commoner woman is truly ignorant and has yet to learn its subtleties."

She is exactly as she appears.

She never pretends or puts on a show just because of his status.

Duan Rongshi curled the corner of his mouth: "Sit down, this king will teach you."