Chapter 225: Is the scummy dad going to be angered to death by his brother?

Li Kechuan turned his head to look at his anxious father, his expression calm as he countered: "Father, did the Cui family come to break off the engagement?"

With such a commotion, Li Kechuan certainly couldn't have been unaware.

Moreover, he had long anticipated this would happen.

But he didn't expect the Cui family couldn't wait even a single night, rushing over in such haste in the middle of the night to break off the engagement.

Li Chao Jing froze stiff all over: "You, you know? So, everything the Cui family said is actually true!?"

You not only secretly met Liu Qiongzhu again, but that concubine who caused a stir throughout the manor back then was actually Liu Qiongzhu's own younger sister!?

And that concubine suddenly disappeared, only to be found pregnant with your flesh and blood!? Now she has suddenly reappeared, causing the entire Cui family to know about it!?

Chuan'er, tell Father this isn't true, that the Cui family people are just spouting nonsense, right?

Li Kechuan gave a self-mocking smile: "Indeed, it's all true, Father."

Li Chao Jing held his chest and stumbled heavily backward.

Fortunately, the steward behind him gave him a hand, preventing him from falling.

But Li Chao Jing suddenly suffered a surge of anger to the heart, turning his head and spitting out a mouthful of hot blood—

Coincidentally, it sprayed onto the face of Qu Shi, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

Qu Shi: …

She raised her hand to touch her face, seeing it covered in blood, and immediately cried out: "Ah!!!"

Qu Shi nearly fainted, but Chang Yama firmly held her and pinched her hard: "Madam, Madam! Please hurry and see the master—this is blood he vomited!!"

Qu Shi rolled her eyes and then regained her senses.

"Master, Master! Oh my goodness, Master! What's happened to you? Don't scare me, Master……"

Qu Shi was on the verge of tears.

Last time Chuan'er broke his leg, Li Chao Jing's hair turned half white.

Now he's vomiting fresh blood; if this shortens his life again, how will she manage to live afterward!

With such a grand Jiangjun Fu, she couldn't possibly hold it together!

Just thinking of this, Qu Shi felt panicked and her whole body trembled.

She lunged forward to grab Li Chao Jing, but he shoved her away harshly.

"Get out of my way! It's all because you, this foolish woman, gave birth to these debt-collecting children!"

"Daughter, disobedient and unfilial, fleeing without regard for the manor's interests!"

"Son, disregarding the Li family's future prospects, you've done these shameful things that tarnish the family's reputation and purity, throwing away such a fine match—what noble lady would ever marry him now!?"

"Just because he's a cripple!?"

"Or an unmarried man who already fathered a bastard son, a wastrel!?"

"His reputation is tarnished, his prospects utterly ruined—how can he support the entire Jiangjun Fu's estate? How can I ever feel at ease handing over the Jiangjun Fu to him in the future!?"

Li Chao Jing finished his roar with bloodshot eyes, then heard Li Kechuan behind him suddenly let out a harsh, cackling laugh: "ke ke ke".

"Father, anyway, aren't you already… about to have another son soon?"

"This legitimate son of mine has become completely useless, of no use to you, and can no longer uphold the Li family's gate—don't you still have Concubine Liu who could bear you two, three, four, or even more bastard sons?"

"You're still in your prime; you can have as many sons as you want."

"Anyway, I'm a broken-legged cripple, I'm a worthless fool whose reputation is utterly destroyed, hahaha, hahaha, hahahaha……"

Li Kechuan threw his head back and laughed loudly; the sorrow and bitterness in that smile could only be seen by Qu Shi, his mother.

She painfully crawled up from the ground and rushed toward Li Kechuan.

"Chuan'er, please don't scare Mother!"

"Mother only has you to rely on; if anything else happens to you, how will Mother go on?"

"If the Cui family is gone, it's gone; Mother can just find you another match no worse than Cui Jiu Niang—don't put on that dead-hearted look……"

But no matter how Qu Shi shouted, Li Kechuan remained with a dead-hearted expression.

Qu Shi cried, snot and tears streaming, not knowing what had become of this household.

It seems ever since Zhu'er and Luoluo's origins were exposed, everything has spiraled out of control, never to return to its former peace.

Now the master has beside him a younger, more beautiful Concubine Liu.

That wretched concubine is carrying the master's flesh and blood in her belly.

Just thinking of this makes Qu Shi grit her teeth in hatred.

She had done so much back then just to ensure no bastard children in the household could compete with Chuan'er and Zhu'er for anything—yet she never expected that this old thing, reduced to a mere skeleton, could still produce bastard offspring.

A flicker of darkness crossed Qu Shi's eyes; she clung tightly to Li Kechuan, whispering in his ear: "Chuan'er, don't be afraid—there will be no bastard in this household to compete with you for the Jiangjun Fu; Mother promises you……"

Only then did Li Kechuan lower his gaze to look at Qu Shi.

Qu Shi, tears in her eyes, gave him a slight shake of the head.

Li Kechuan opened his mouth, only to see Li Chao Jing already feeling his way up behind them and suddenly asking: "What are you saying!?"

Qu Shi let out a startled scream.

She panickedly glanced at Li Kechuan, fearing he would ask what she had just said meant.

But unexpectedly, Li Kechuan, expressionless, said: "Rest assured, Shanhu…… Shanhu and the bastard in her womb have both died today."

Li Chao Jing and Qu Shi were both shocked!

As Li Kechuan spoke these words, endless grief and sorrow welled up from the depths of his eyes.

But immediately afterward, he spoke again, his voice thick with hatred: "Father, Mother, all of my misfortune and suffering today…… might have been caused by my own full sister, Li Qingluo, with her own hands!"

"Not only that, she…… today truly harbored murderous intent toward me!"

At that moment, in the grass by the gate of Lan Cang Courtyard, many of the second branch's servants who had been eavesdropping and peeking turned excitedly and rushed into the darkness……

Soon after, the servant arrived before Li Chao Huai: "Second Master, Second Grandmaster—the main branch is causing trouble again!"

Li Chao Huai was so lethargic he couldn't even be bothered to lift his eyelids, merely glancing at the servant.

What's going on? Just now outside it was noisy and chaotic; do they still have fewer issues in the main branch?

Li Chao Huai felt ill at ease living in the city.

Ever since the concubine was sent to the temple, the two secondary-branch households have felt as if they're imprisoned in the general's mansion all day.

They dare not go anywhere, let alone cause trouble.

They have borne the humiliation of the concubine and their sister being driven out of the general's mansion together.

His good-for-nothing younger brother Li Chao An doesn't dare to step up, which is fine, but now he himself can't find a way to save the concubine, leaving the usually dutiful Li Chao Huai feeling stifled.

The servant slapped his thigh and said, "It's the Cui family—the one engaged to the eldest son—who came tonight to our mansion to call off the engagement!"

Besides, I heard the eldest son had a son by a concubine, but he seems to have died already. Yet just now the old master was so furious he spat a mouthful of blood, even getting it on the old mistress's face!

Only then did Li Chao Huai, somewhat excited, raise his voice: "What did you say?"

Could it be that the elder brother is about to be driven to the point of insanity by anger?

The next day, word spread that the Liu family had caused two deaths.

At the same time, the Cui family, unable to wait, rushed that very night to Dong Yin Lane's general's mansion to call off the engagement, spreading the news throughout Jinling city once again.

Last night, quite a few civilians gathered at the general's mansion gate to watch the spectacle.

For a time, all sorts of rumors spread through the streets and alleys.

The general's mansion simply can't afford to lose this person; even if they were thick-skinned, they'd still want to go out and face people.

So when the Cui family's people came to collect the divorce papers, Li Chao Jing had already signed them early and sent them over.

The Li mansion's steward, with a dignified expression, said: "Our master said, it's our general's mansion that owes an apology to your Cui family..."

However, the Cui family's chief steward didn't even listen; he merely glanced, snatched the divorce papers, and hurried away.

His demeanor was exactly as if he feared the general's mansion might change its mind again.

The Li mansion's steward: "..."

The engagement between the Cui and Li families has been called off, and it's now settled.

However, only a day later, the Cui family hastily arranged a new marriage for Cui Jiu Niang.

This time, Cui Jiu Niang's match is the eldest legitimate son of the main branch of the Pei Guogong mansion—Pei Jingzhe.

Li Qingluo, upon hearing this, was very surprised: "Why is the Cui family in such a hurry? Aren't they afraid of what people will say about them?"

The Pei matriarch also felt doubtful about this.

Moreover, why is it being said for the eldest son?

Li Qingluo didn't know much about the Pei Guogong mansion's eldest legitimate son, so she asked a few more questions.

The Pei matriarch sighed: "He... should be about twenty? However, he is the eldest legitimate son of the main branch of the Pei Guogong mansion, and also the eldest young gentleman of your generation; speaking of which, he shouldn't still be so young."

It's just that my elder brother only had a youngest son back then; later, the main branch's daughter-in-law gave birth to the eldest son late, which is why the younger generations have been small in age.

But wasn't he already married before? I recall he's been married for about ten years.

Zhang Mama on the side said: "Yes, matriarch, the eldest son has been married before."

However, you forgot that the eldest son's principal wife died of illness four years ago, and the eldest son was also implicated in the deposed crown prince affair... So, he was early on sent by the Pei family to the frontier under the pretext of punishment, but actually to gain experience.

But nowadays, I haven't heard any news about it.

The Pei matriarch said: "Then perhaps he's coming back? Regardless of what he does, in the future it won't change the hereditary title of the Dingguogong mansion."

This marriage the Cui family arranged is actually a loss for them.

Li Qingluo clicked her tongue inwardly, but didn't dare show it on her face.

Isn't that already a loss?

What kind of man-eating wolf's den is the Pei family? She already harbors a vague suspicion.

Even if the Pei family has been hiding its weakness and concealing its strength, the Cui family, in such a panic, still arranged this marriage for Cui Jiu Niang—could it be that they haven't revealed any other ulterior motive?

Moreover, the Pei family's eldest legitimate son actually has some connection with the deposed crown prince.

Upon further thought of Pei San Lang, Li Qingluo almost certain that the Pei family is indeed part of the deposed crown prince's faction.

Even the deposed crown prince's people could be sent to the military camp—is it the Pei family using connections, or... that higher-up, or perhaps the deposed crown prince using his network?

Could there be an even deeper conspiracy hidden within this?

Li Qingluo didn't think further.

But then she thought of the head of the Cui family, who is now the current prime minister of DaLiang.

Moreover, Li Qingluo feels that such a straightforward and capable woman like Cui Jiu Niang marrying a man much older than her as a concubine really feels stifled and not worth it.

After all, the Cui family has some selfish motives.

If they truly wanted to marry a Cui daughter into the Pei family, why not marry their main branch's eldest legitimate daughter, Cui Shi Niang?

It's precisely Cui Jiu Niang, who went all the way to Jinling alone to try to call off the engagement.

This isn't just leaving the wolf's den only to enter the tiger's lair, is it?

Li Qingluo could only sigh in her heart, and there was nothing she could do to help.

However, she kept Nanjia in her heart, wondering how Prince Su's investigation is going now, and whether there are any leads.

It seems she must try to probe Prince Su about this!

Soon, it was the day when the grandparent and grandchild borrowed the manor to hold a banquet to invite Duan Rongshi……