Chapter 220

Liu Sui'er cried and sobbed, feeling wronged, while clinging tightly to Li Qingluo.

Zhang Mama and Ying'er beside them exclaimed: "Eh——! This Liu family, they even have such a clingy little bundle!"

Li Qingluo finally tore Liu Sui'er away from herself, pulled her onto the carriage, and hurriedly ordered: "Go!"

Meanwhile, Li Qingluo took Liu Sui'er and disappeared again, while Li Kechuan, on the mid-slope, fell from his sedan chair.

He slammed his fist on the ground, only able to roar in helpless fury: "What are you standing around for!? They've run off, hurry up and chase!!"

Just now, a group of monkeys suddenly jumped out from somewhere; these damned monkeys leapt at them, tearing, biting, and pulling.

By the time Li Kechuan turned back to look for Liu Sui'er, only a pile of rope remained on the ground—where was she?

"This wretch must have hidden a knife on her person, preparing long ago to escape!"

Liu Qiongzhu cursed furiously.

Had she known today would turn out like this, she wouldn't have gone out.

This Pine and Cypress Temple truly is not a place to come; the Cui family down the mountain doesn't yet know if they'll go out and gossip, and if today's events reach the prince's ears…

Liu Qiongzhu shivered violently.

Seeing how close I am to my elder brother, and then seeing Liu Sui'er, who looks extremely like me, as my elder brother's concubine—and to top it off, Liu Sui'er is pregnant!

Speaking of it, this is also a scandal; Liu Qiongzhu naturally fears being implicated again.

Her reputation is already foul enough.

Previously, to enter the Prince Yun's Mansion, she had broken her head doing those irredeemable scandals.

Now she finally became a woman of Prince Yun's Mansion as she wished, but lost the support of the Jiangjun Fu, threw away her private property left in the Jiangjun Fu, and realized that relying solely on her and the Prince's little affection cannot sustain her survival in a prince's inner court.

If Your Highness minds this matter again…

At this moment, Liu Qiongzhu felt anxious and irritated.

Li Kechuan, however, gave her a deep look: "She is your own sister."

Liu Qiongzhu's heart gave a thump.

Thinking of the vulgar words she had just blurted out, she realized she must have unintentionally revealed her true emotions, and quickly put on a wounded expression: "Elder brother, I also spoke wrongly in my anger. But Sui'er is really over the top; if she deliberately runs away again, today's appearance… could it really just be a coincidence?"

Li Kechuan clenched his fist; that punch just now had already broken his skin and drawn blood.

Liu Qiongzhu came over and took his hand sympathetically: "Elder brother, I know your marriage to the Cui family is probably… but it doesn't matter; losing just the Cui family is nothing when you have the Prince and the Empress Dowager—you could marry any family's daughter with just a word."

Only then did Li Kechuan look at Liu Qiongzhu.

"Zhu'er, what exactly do you want?"

Liu Qiongzhu, feeling a bit guilty, avoided Li Kechuan's gaze.

Naturally, she also wanted money and dowry, wanted the Li family as her backing, and even more wanted the Jiangjun Fu and Prince Yun's Mansion to let go of past grudges and live in harmony!

……

Liu Sui'er kept clinging tightly to Li Qingluo, refusing to let go no matter what was said.

"Older sister, you won't just abandon me from now on, will you?"

She lifted her head, her eyes red.

"I know you dislike everyone in the Liu family, or rather… you hate them, right?"

"But now, in this world, I have no one left to rely on…"

"Will the things I've spilled today really bring misfortune upon Liu Qiongzhu and that Li Kechuan?"

Li Qingluo: "No."

"You're merely a catalyst; Liu Qiongzhu probably won't have a good time these few days."

Liu Sui'er sighed: "I knew I, such an insignificant person, could never achieve anything great. But if I could truly help my older sister, that would be nice!"

"Moreover, I believe my older sister will surely make them suffer terribly and pay the price!"

Li Qingluo lowered her head to look at Liu Sui'er, her expression somewhat complex.

Back when they were in the Liu family in the mountains, their relationship wasn't actually very good.

They merely shared a bed and slept together for many years.

When young, I also loved Liu Sui'er dearly, treating her as my closest sister.

Had it not been that, as they grew up, Liu Sui'er was provoked by adults and began bullying Li Qingluo, they would have been excellent sisters.

After reuniting in Jinling, if Liu Sui'er hadn't been horribly schemed against by Liu Qiongzhu and Liu Jinzhi due to her unfortunate fate, she surely wouldn't have changed so much.

"Do you really trust me that much? Sui'er, do you know I'm only using you for this one occasion?"

Although Li Qingluo's words are harsh, they are the truth.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Liu Sui'er's eyes, but she quickly smiled: "Of course I know. I'm also using my older sister; without her help, would I still be in the brothel today? How could I take revenge on them?"

Li Qingluo sighed.

She reached out and touched Liu Sui'er's belly: "Does it hurt? You've fallen several times today and also been struck by Li Kechuan several times; is anywhere uncomfortable?"

Liu Sui'er quickly lifted her head, her gaze gradually brightening.

"Older sister, you really do still care about me, don't you? It doesn't hurt, not at all… ah!"

The carriage jolted violently and suddenly stopped.

Li Qingluo firmly held Liu Sui'er, and Que'er's voice came from ahead: "Miss, there's an ambush."

An ambush!?

Li Qingluo lifted a gap in the carriage curtain and saw that opposite the woods, a line of black-clad horsemen now blocked the road.

Moreover, they wielded weapons, each masked, their killing intent palpable—clearly they came with ill intent.

Zhang Mama rode forward on horseback and whispered: "Miss, if fighting breaks out later, please take Miss Liu and flee quickly."

Li Qingluo: "I will absolutely not abandon you and flee alone!"

"If we kill, we kill together."

"We must live, and live together!"

Besides, we still don't know exactly what the situation before us is like right now!

She lowered the carriage curtain, and Zhang Mama could only rush forward, shouting loudly: "Who comes? Our family is just ordinary women in Jinling City; we have a few hundred taels of money on us, but if they demand people— we old, weak women and children can only fight to the death!"

After speaking, Zhang Mama drew her short sword from the horse's belly.

She still had a wound on her shoulder; today she heard it was from coming from Qingsong Temple, so she specially came to support the girl.

If a fight breaks out, she can only risk death to get the girl out first.

Zhang Mama glared fiercely at the opponent, and Deng Mama, Que'er and Ying'er immediately tensed, stood up, each taking the reins.

Inside the carriage, Li Qingluo also drew her sword.

Liu Sui'er looked up with a worshipful fist, saying to Li Qingluo: "Big sister, you are truly amazing now. Indeed you are the tiger daughter of a military family!"

Li Qingluo glared at her: "Don't laugh any more! When the time comes, act according to the situation and flee quickly, understand?"

Liu Sui'er promptly nodded: "Alright, I will obey and never hold my sister back!"

As soon as the words finished, someone among the pedestrians outside the carriage sneered.

"Luo'er, you are truly becoming more accomplished; I, your teacher, am really pleased."

Hearing that voice, Li Qingluo again flung the carriage curtain open.

She glared fiercely at the black‑clothed leader among the crowd.

"It's you!? Zheng Lingzhou!"

Zheng Lingzhou pulled down his mask, revealing a face as strikingly beautiful as a demon.

His eyes burned as he stared at Li Qingluo: "Luo'er, long time no see."

Li Qingluo: "Madman! What on earth do you want!?"

Li Qingluo recalled the siege she and Prince Su faced on the mountain by the Lotus Sect's madmen, and her heart filled with anger.

The Lotus Sect would stop at nothing to take Prince Su's life.

That day, the noble women from Jinling City in their party were seized; if Prince Su's men hadn't intervened to rescue them, those women might have been mourned dead at home.

Unlike the time when she and Li Qiongzhu were bound, that time the Lotus Sect openly intended only to extort the Li family.

Moreover, although the Lotus Sect ravaged everywhere, they never committed sexual assault on women.

It is said the Sect Leader personally ordered this; any offender, regardless of past merits, would be beheaded.

Thus, despite numerous crimes in recent years, the Lotus Sect has not a single case of assault on women.

But that day, on the road back from the horse field to the city, the Lotus Sect indeed mixed the label of rebel bandits in their actions.

They killed the servants of each household.

They also captured the noble women.

If Zhui Yu and his group hadn't rescued them in time… I truly can't imagine what these people would have done!

Although the noble women later returned home safely, Li Qingluo's heart was filled with boundless anger.

They killed those people merely to set a trap for Prince Su, to annihilate him completely!

As for being implicated, that's another matter; it's just bad luck for her.

But the Lotus Sect truly is no good!

They brandish the slogan "All under heaven return together, all beings equal," yet how many have they killed?

In their eyes, are these people unworthy of the word "equal"?

Zheng Lingzhou: "Hahaha. Girl, why are you in such a hurry? If you obediently follow me today, I will tell you what you want to know and let you see how the person you have been searching the world for is."

Li Qingluo's complexion changed; did he truly come for her?

"What if I refuse?"

As soon as she finished speaking, someone beside her immediately reminded Zheng Lingzhou: "Fragrant Master, the Sect Leader said this woman must be killed as soon as possible! She interferes everywhere in the Lotus Sect's affairs and will become a hidden danger in the future!"

"Moreover, Prince Su's regard for her is unusual; if she is killed today…"

Zheng Lingzhou's expression hardened: "Then don't blame me for being ruthless."

He swung his blade backward and slit the throat of the person behind him.

Zhang Mama and the others on this side couldn't hear what was said over there, but seeing the leader kill the person beside him at a word, their faces also changed.

"Zheng Fragrant Master, what exactly are you doing!? Do you intend to defy the Sect Leader's command?"

In an instant, most people behind drew weapons, their murderous intent toward Zheng Lingzhou.

At the same time, another group also drew weapons, evidently Zheng Lingzhou's close aides, protecting him.

In a moment, the group split into two factions.

Zheng Lingzhou wiped the blood from his blade onto the nearby horse's back, cleaning it.

"I have said, anyone who dares question how I act or interfere with my orders will meet only death!"