Chapter 24: Mother's eye ailment? Requires using the flesh of blood relatives as medicine

Li Qingluo knew that her grandmother did not want to hear her speak again.

Although she felt utterly disheartened at this moment, she did not argue, bowed to Pei Lao Furen, and then left with Que'er and Cui Er.

After the three left, Pei Lao Furen sighed sadly: "Zhang Mama, you say, is her stubborn temper really just like mine back then? With such a fiery disposition, it's she herself who suffers the loss and hardship!"

"I do this also to give her a push; even if she hates and resents me, if she someday wins her parents' favor, secures a good future, and has a reliable natal family, what does it matter if she hates me?"

Zhang Mama wiped the moisture from her eyes and urged: "Old Lady, please don't be like that. The young lady will surely understand your painstaking heart; how could she be resentful of you?"

"You are doing this for her good; in this whole world, there is no one else who would plan for her like this."

Pei Lao Furen recalled her own past painstaking love for her son, only to end up suffering from his cold-hearted treatment.

In this world, which parents would not love their children?

Only those children who cannot see their parents' loving heart!

Li Qingluo returned to her room and sat for a long time.

Cui Er knelt on the ground, crying as she apologized: "Young lady, it is the old lady who forbids us from telling you… otherwise, she would punish you even more severely."

Li Qingluo knew that Cui Er was honest, so she did not blame her.

She only said: "Not having someone block me at the dog hole is already a great favor from grandmother. You were also frightened today; go rest."

After Cui Er left in tears, Li Qingluo then looked at Que'er.

"Que'er, following me as your master has wronged you."

Que'er hurriedly waved her hands, kneeling to formally meet Li Qingluo.

"From now on, Que'er belongs to the young lady. Young lady, rest assured, Que'er will not say what she ought not to."

Que'er's words were her way of showing sincerity to Li Qingluo.

But Li Qingluo was utterly exhausted today and did not wish to trust anyone else.

After sending Que'er away, Li Qingluo hastily wiped her face and lay down on the bed.

Today the grandmother flew into a rage and declared her stance, demanding that Li Qingluo get close and show filial piety to that heartless, unfeeling pair of parents.

However, she ultimately did not expose Li Qingluo's sneaking out through the dog hole in the entire General's Manor; it is evident she still intended to cover for her, showing that the grandmother was not completely hardened enough to abandon her altogether.

The grandmother's heart is absolutely good; she simply trusts her son and daughter-in-law too much.

She does not understand that their hearts can never be warmed.

Otherwise, in her previous life, Li Qingluo would not have ended up with such a fate.

What about being a biological daughter?

Even after exhausting everything to curry favor, she still could not compare to even half a finger's worth of Li Qingzhu in their hearts.

Therefore, merely exposing the truth of Li Qingzhu's fake death before the whole Li family is still insufficient.

She must expose Li Qingzhu's false death before the entire populace of Jinling City.

Li Qingzhu must suffer utter ruin and disgrace!

Currently, Li Qingluo knows she is still nothing but a useless pawn at others' mercy, lacking even the freedom to leave the manor, let alone anything else.

She cannot lose the grandmother's reliance.

So, since the grandmother wishes to see her filial piety, she will just put on a performance for her to watch.

The next day.

Li Qingluo moved to the Hongfenguan early that morning.

She had hardly any possessions—just a small bundle, plus the hundred taels of silver she had dug up that morning from where she had hidden it underground.

Hongfenguan, as the name suggests, had several red maple trees planted in the courtyard.

The courtyard was desolate and dilapidated; the doorframe would fall off at a touch, and even the spiderwebs had not been swept away.

Deng Mama, who had escorted them over, seeing this could not help but change her face: "This is what the lady said—repaired and cleaned? You're really fooling people! I must go tell the old lady!"

Li Qingluo grabbed the angry Deng Mama: "Granny, don't let the grandmother worry; I see it's nothing much—better to clean it ourselves, then we can move in."

Deng Mama fondly patted Li Qingluo's hand: "Young lady, the old lady had you move out to live, but not to suffer this kind of anger!"

Moreover, Que'er is Deng Mama's own granddaughter; how could she bear to let Que'er suffer alongside her?

So Deng Mama went out and soon summoned a group of servants; in a few moments they had swept the courtyard clean.

She even demanded that they repair all parts of the house needing fix within three days, otherwise she would inform the old lady and have them all punished.

These servants, feeling resentful, went to Qu Shi to complain; Qu Shi could only rub her forehead and sigh: "Enough, enough. That wretched creature is a curse on my life; with the old lady backing her, what can I, as her mother, do to her?"

"Just go do what you're told; don't come bother me!"

Afterwards, she again clutched her chest, eyes reddening, and told her confidant: "My dear Zhu'er… in life she was the most thoughtful, never once from childhood onward bothering to fill in for me over such trifles!"

"But my dear Zhu'er's bones are not yet cold, and I am expected to worry about that… that wretched creature; how could I have the heart for that?"

"If it weren't for the mother-in-law forcing me to settle her down, I would truly hate to toss her far away—out of sight, out of mind."

While Qu Shi was bitterly venting her grievances, Li Kechuan walked in.

"Mother, I have a way to deal with her. But can you bear it?"

Upon hearing this, Qu Shi instantly sat up.

"Chuan'er, how did you come here?"

"Mother, I am indeed unhappy inside. But… what are you going to do? Don't go overboard!"

Li Kechuan gave a cold snort, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes: "For now, I won't take her life. Mother, the pain Zhu'er feels is only one ten‑thousandth; she ought to taste it as well."

Qu Shi felt a little uneasy: "But after all, she still has your grandmother's protection……"

Li Kechuan let out a cold snort: "In this matter, even the grandmother cannot object. Mother, just leave it to me."

As the Hongfenguan underwent continual repairs, Li Qingluo also began to visit Qu Shi daily to pay her respects.

Sometimes she would specially prepare food herself and send it to Qu Shi; Qu Shi, as expected, would only let her set it down and then urge her to leave quickly.

Before Li Qingluo even left the courtyard, that food had already been dumped into the slop bucket beneath the eaves.

Que'er stomped her feet in anger, Li Qingluo instead comforted her: "It's fine, surely it's because what I made isn't as to Mother's taste as Zhu'er elder sister's."

However, in this lifetime, Qu Shi actually managed to restrain her temper, and still hasn't said to Li Qingluo those words: "It's fine, just don't come loitering before me; whenever I see you, I'm reminded of my ill-fated Zhu'er, and I really find you annoying."

Clearly, her dislike and resentment toward Li Qingluo could no longer be concealed, all written on her face.

But soon, Li Qingluo understood why she was enduring so hard.

Li Qingluo bumped into the doctor outside Qu Shi's Hall where Spring resides; sure enough, the next day she learned that Qu Shi, from excessive weeping over days of sorrow, had already contracted an eye ailment.

Li Qingluo was summoned to the Hall where Spring resides; before she even entered the room, she heard a voice say: "Madam, this eye ailment requires the flesh of a blood relative as medicine, the blood of a blood relative as a guide; only then will the medicine take effect."