Chapter 238: Brother, you have gotten what you deserve!

When Li Kechuan arrived, the ruined temple contained only Liu Er and Liu San.

Li Kechuan looked around, saw no sign of Li Qingluo, and immediately frowned: "Where is she?"

"Can't you even handle this little matter?"

Liu Er stepped forward with a flattering smile: "Eldest son, please don't be impatient. We will certainly bring her to you, but… we also dare not casually provoke Li Qingluo, and we don't know what business you have in looking for her?"

"Between the two of us brothers, at least we can have some preparation and precaution, can't we?"

Liu San: "Indeed, otherwise she'll turn around and deal with us, and our whole family won't survive."

The two spoke while rubbing their hands, both showing a greedy, insatiable expression.

Li Kechuan's face instantly filled with disgust.

He had long known what sort of characters the Liu brothers were; to avoid trouble, he naturally kept some silver on him, intended to pay them off.

He pressed his waist and said coldly: "When I meet her, you'll naturally reap the benefits!"

"In any case, you won't be working for nothing."

Liu Er then chuckled, looked up at the hulking man following Li Kechuan today, and immediately turned and said: "Eldest son, come quickly with us."

Li Kechuan had trained in martial arts since childhood, so he once only had a senior attendant or a page, but after he broke his leg, all his martial skills became useless.

Now he has repeatedly suffered losses with no one by his side, so he began to look for useful companions.

Li Kechuan turned his head to look at the man behind him, who was specially promoted from the household guards to be his close bodyguard, named Da Wu.

He possessed great brute strength and was simple and obedient; after Li Kechuan promoted him, Da Wu, apart from sleeping, guarded Li Kechuan almost without leaving his side each day.

At this moment, Li Kechuan was pushed by Da Wu toward the back of the ruined temple, and Li Kechuan whispered to Da Wu: "Stay close. This Li Qingluo is treacherous and cunning, the most scheming woman in the world. Under any circumstance, you must not leave my side even a step. Understood?"

Da Wu nodded: "Yes, Eldest son, I understand."

The ruined temple in the western city is indeed small.

Besides the front hall, there is only a deserted Guanyin Hall at the back.

The Guanyin statue had long been broken in half, leaving only a half clay face, still looking down with a compassionate expression over the myriad beings.

Li Qingluo sat beneath the Buddha hall.

She was bound hand and foot, gagged, and angrily glared at the Liu Da, Liu Er, and Li Kechuan who entered.

Only when he truly saw her did Li Kechuan let out a few hearty laughs.

"Li Qingluo, it really is you."

Li Qingluo's face was full of anger, and she kept whimpering "wu‑wu" from her mouth.

Li Kechuan, expressionless, looked at Liu Da and Liu Er and asked: "She does have some martial skill; how were you able to bind her so easily?"

It seemed the scene before had even made Li Kechuan doubt.

He didn't believe Liu Er and Liu San could bind Li Qingluo so easily, after all she still had her grandmother's old women with her; how could they leave their mistress so readily?

Thus Li Kechuan remained somewhat wary at this moment.

Liu Er smiled: "Isn't that simple?"

He had already memorized the excuse Li Qingluo had given them.

"Eldest son, you may not know. This Liu Caoer is in our household, and there is someone most important to us. That is our eldest sister‑in‑law, Wang Shi."

"Eldest son, perhaps you don't know, this girl is conscientious; not long ago she gave our eldest sister‑in‑law a hundred taels of silver as a gift. Unfortunately, our eldest brother squandered it all, alas!"

"So we pretended to sell our sister‑in‑law to the Tooth Gang, and then spread the rumor."

"Perhaps she still remembers a debt of gratitude, and Sui Er just died… and she actually appeared. We quickly arranged for her to come to this temple today, and indeed invited a few members of the Tooth Gang, using them and our sister‑in‑law to lure away her accompanying old women, while we, the uncles, could easily subdue her."

"Hehe, after all she's just a girl; even if she has some martial skill, if we sprinkle a bit of soft‑bone powder, won't she be captured hand‑over‑hand?"

Li Kechuan raised an eyebrow at the mention of 'soft‑bone powder'.

Liu Er glanced at Li Qingluo, gave an evil smile, and continued: "Although our methods are somewhat despicable, as long as we can serve the Eldest son and get a glimpse of Zhu Er, what does it matter?"

Li Kechuan let out a cold laugh.

He took off the money bag from his waist and disgustedly tossed it to Liu Er and the others.

"Take this silver and get out! From now on, I never want to see you again!"

Liu Er: "Eldest son, didn't you say… you would arrange for us to see Zhu Er?"

Li Kechuan, with a lofty demeanor: "Since I promised, I will not break my word. When the time comes, just wait; Zhu Er will meet you when she is free."

Liu Er and Liu San gratefully clutched the large bag of silver, repeatedly giving thanks, and hurried away.

When the hall was empty of others, Li Kechuan stared at Li Qingluo with a venom‑like coldness: "Li Qingluo, you have your day as well."

Li Kechuan signaled Da Wu to go over: "Untie her mouth; I have some questions for her."

Da Wu went over and roughly tore off the cloth band tied to Li Qingluo's mouth.

Her pale face instantly flushed red.

Li Qingluo, once freed, shouted: "Li Kechuan, you arranged all this. You and Liu Er, Liu San, what exactly are you planning?"

"Do you know what kind of life I've lived these sixteen years in the Liu household? You still come with them to harm me; are you even human?!"

Li Kechuan: "I'm not human? Li Qingluo, how good are you?"

"We siblings destroy each other; this life is destined, so no one should blame anyone for being ruthless."

Li Qingluo: "Those are your words, Li Kechuan."

She stared at herself with a venomous gaze, which made Li Kechuan feel uneasy.

"Hahaha… when have you ever shown me any favor? Li Qingluo, I now only want to ask you: does my broken leg have anything to do with you?"

"Is it truly as Zhu Er said, that everything about Sui Er was arranged by you, and that the hardships we now face, me and Zhu Er, were also caused by you?!"

Li Qingluo: "What evidence do you have? Li Kechuan, why don't you reflect on yourself? What sins have you committed to become the way you are now?"

"And that Liu Qingzhu, truly worthy of being the sister on your heart's tip, sharing your ruthless cruelty."

"She burned more than a dozen servants and maids for her own selfishness, extinguishing humanity. And you, to please her, kicked to death a maid who was already with you and pregnant with six unborn children."

Besides, even if she had self-immolated and died back then, what does that have to do with me in the end?

You blame her death on me without any rhyme or reason, and since you think it's my fault for finding me back that drove her to death, why did you even bother to find me back then!!

You've tortured me over and over, wanting me dead so I could be buried alongside your beloved sister as atonement, Li Kechuan—do you really think I'd be kind to you after all you've done? That's a huge joke!

Even if Liu Qiongzhu comes back alive later, have you ever shown me the slightest sincere apology?

Are you saying I, Li Qingluo, am so lowly that I was born to be your accessory, that I should wag my tail and beg for pity whenever you wave me away?

Let me tell you, I don't just not care—I utterly hate you!

Li Kechuan, you are the heartless, unjust, selfish, and vicious one—never me, Li Qingluo.

Everything you have is what you deserve.

Li Kechuan was left fuming and red-faced after Li Qingluo's tirade, yet he realized he couldn't refute a single word she said.

He could only latch onto that one sentence: 'How do you know about Mei Xue's affair!!'

Li Qingluo said: 'If you want no one to know, don't do it. Li Kechuan, you'd better think again—what other grave sins have you committed? Beware, debts have debtors; the evils you owe will eventually be collected by vengeful spirits…'

Li Kechuan, furious with embarrassment, shouted: 'Stuff her mouth!'

Wu Da once again grabbed the cloth strip and pulled it tight, gagging Li Qingluo's mouth.

Just then, Qu Daoxun's voice came from outside: 'Cousin? Cousin, where are you?'

Li Kechuan stared at Li Qingluo, his eyes hardening.

Li Qingluo, the matter involving Zhu'er and Prince Yun—wasn't it you who exposed it and orchestrated it?

Today, I will make you taste the same pains Zhu'er once endured.

Besides, you're already engaged to Qu Si Lang, so what's the harm in being a little affectionate now?

The Qu family, seeking to marry you, won't mind your premarital indiscretion.

I'm not exactly harming you; I'm just giving this marriage a push—who let you hide with your grandmother, being so ungrateful!

After saying that, Li Kechuan had Wu Da shove him out.

Li Qingluo waited until he left, then quickly sat up.

To make it convincing, her hands and feet were genuinely tied.

But now, untying these knots is a trivial task for her.

Li Qingluo quickly rose and walked behind the Buddha statue.

Deng Mama and Que'er had been hiding in the back all along; now they quietly placed the unconscious Liu Qiongzhu in front.

They even draped her in an outer garment identical to the one Li Qingluo wore today, messed up her hair bun, and turned her face inward.

Li Qingluo personally went to the corner and lit a stick of incense.

Zi Jin curiously asked: 'Miss, what is this?'

Li Qingluo smirked: 'It's something that will let Li Kechuan get his just deserts.'

Since Li Kechuan wants to destroy myself, I'll first let him taste the shame of 'loss of chastity'.