Chapter 247: Luo'er, I'm waiting for you to come back……

Li Qingluo heard Zhui Yu's words and immediately looked toward Prince Su, saying, "Your Highness, just ahead is the Pei Family's dungeon."

Duan Rongshi sparked the fire starter in his hand.

Under the faint firelight, Li Qingluo bluntly said, "To be frank, I, the commoner girl, today—or perhaps... it's already yesterday's matter—have been captured along with Miss Pan into the Pei Family's dungeon."

What does the Pei Family want me, a commoner girl, to do as a blood slave for the old duke?

In the two secret cell rooms, I also saw several desiccated but uncorrupted corpses, possibly including people from the palace.

Moreover, the master of this dungeon is Pei Sanlang; it's still unknown whether he is connected to the entire Pei Family...

Duan Rongshi interrupted her: "So you, alone, brought two good-for-nothings and fled here?"

Not far away, Pan Li and the sickly man who hadn't left yet:?

The two exchanged an awkward glance, and in their hearts they both cursed: "This Prince Su truly is the most unlikeable person in the world!!"

Li Qingluo quickly waved her hands to explain: "Your Highness, you've misunderstood. Miss Pan didn't hold us back; as for that young master, he also timely rescued us—if he hadn't intervened today, Miss Pan and I might have already collapsed in that dungeon."

Duan Rongshi didn't care how those two were.

He merely brought the fire starter a bit closer.

He stared at Li Qingluo's face, examined her closely, and even reached out to wipe the blood spatter from her cheek.

Li Qingluo sucked in a cold breath.

This Prince Su is overly fond of cleanliness—why does he keep wiping her blood three or four times?

Just looking at him is so eyesore?

Li Qingluo quickly used her own sleeve to wipe her face again.

Duan Rongshi's motion paused, his gaze fixed.

An oblivious, clumsy girl.

He glared at her, but after confirming she wasn't injured, he asked: "From here to the Pei Family dungeon, is there still about an hour's journey?"

Li Qingluo was still wiping her face; hearing this, she couldn't help but be startled: "Your Highness, how do you know?"

Duan Rongshi: "Do you know where I entered this underground passage?"

Li Qingluo guessed: "Could it be the Qinhuai River?"

Where does this dark river lead?

Moreover, water droplets often fall from the stone walls of the passage, so the water source near this tunnel must be abundant.

Only near the Qinhuai River in Jinling City does this occur, so Li Qingluo guessed the tunnel was dug right beside the Qinhuai River.

Duan Rongshi couldn't help but look at her with appreciation: "Yes, this passage is indeed right beside the Qinhuai River. However, the entrance is the Pei Family Mausoleum outside the city."

Mausoleum!?

So if we keep going forward in this tunnel, will it lead straight out of the city?

The Pei Family really has a big gall.

Li Qingluo looked up at Prince Su: "Your Highness, did you discover this place because of the case of the Twelfth Lady?"

Prince Su: "The death of the Pei Family's twelfth lady is complicated; perhaps it can unravel a secret the Pei Family has hidden for decades. So... I've been outside the city these past days and didn't know you had met with trouble."

Fortunately, you're unharmed.

His voice suddenly lowered; Li Qingluo met his deep gaze, and her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

She had just turned her gaze away when a violent shake suddenly came from behind, accompanied by a tremendous 'Boom—!'

Li Qingluo instinctively reached out and grabbed Prince Su's arm.

Duan Rongshi also pulled her close to his side; once they steadied, Pan Li immediately supported the sickly man and came over as well.

Luo'er, could this be an overturned earth dragon?

Pan Li looked at Li Qingluo with a panicked expression, but upon seeing Prince Su and Li Qingluo standing overly close, she again stared at them: "Huh? Those two..."

The sickly man held his chest and shook his head: "No, certainly not an earth dragon. From the sound, it seems the entrance was destroyed by someone."

Duan Rongshi seemed to think likewise, but he still paid attention to the sickly man again.

Who exactly are you? Why are you also here?

The aura and pressure of the heavenly nobility were imposing, making Pan Li's scalp instantly go numb.

This Prince Su, rumor has it, is a demon who kills without blinking!

Although he once showed kindness to me, deep down Pan Li fears for her life because of him.

Yet this sickly man acted as if oblivious, with a calm, ordinary reply: "Your Highness Prince Su, I am merely a nameless nobody of the jianghu, not worth mentioning."

Today I also followed Pei Sanlang into this dungeon by mistake; having discovered this passage unintentionally and seeing the two ladies driven to desperation, I, as a commoner, did not want Pei Sanlang to go further astray, so I lent them aid.

As for the exit ahead, I merely happened to overhear Your Highness mention a few words just now, and thus learned of it.

Li Qingluo knew he was lying.

This person surely knows that the exit is right ahead.

Because just now when Pan Li was seized, he explicitly said someone would come to rescue them immediately.

What he said definitely wasn't Prince Su or the officials of the Dali Court.

What he said must be his own people.

But now the exit has been destroyed; whether it was his people or some other accident, we cannot tell.

Yet for some reason, Li Qingluo did not expose him.

She merely lowered her eyelids slightly, pretending not to know about this.

Prince Su: "Follow me."

Duan Rongshi naturally said this to Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo looked at Pan Li: "You wait here for me first."

Having said that, she hurriedly rushed toward the exit with Prince Su.

It turned out they were really very close to the exit—only three or four li away—when they saw the rocks and earth that had collapsed with a thunderous crash, blocking the way out.

Faint sounds of fighting could be heard from outside.

Li Qingluo stepped forward and pressed her ear to the stone wall; Duan Rongshi looked at her and asked, "What are you doing?"

Li Qingluo: "Listen, can you tell who's out there?"

Duan Rongshi: ……

He stepped forward, reached out and pulled her away.

Then he placed one palm on the rock wall and shouted as usual: "Leng Dian, Ying Fang, are you there?"

Sure enough, two voices immediately came from outside: "Your Highness, we subordinates are here!"

Li Qingluo's eyes instantly filled with envy: Is this inner strength?!!

She didn't know how many years it would take to achieve that, and a pang of jealousy suddenly rose in her heart.

No, once she gets out she must study harder under her master, strive to catch up with her grandmother's pace, and become a woman who is invincible and fears no evil oppressors!

Li Qingluo made this vow in her heart, then she heard Leng Dian rush forward to report: "Your Highness, a group of well-prepared assassins suddenly appeared outside; it's because we subordinates were not capable enough that they seized the chance to destroy the exit."

We subordinates will certainly dig this passage out as quickly as possible and rescue Your Highness!

Duan Rongshi: "Forget about digging the secret passage for now; quickly deal with these assassins, keep any captives alive if possible, then go into the city to meet up with Po Feng, bring the Ministry of Justice personnel, and hurry to the Pei residence."

I will leave from the Pei residence.

Leng Dian immediately replied: "Yes, Your Highness!"

They seemed to think their side would surely win?

Li Qingluo didn't dare to ask, and followed Prince Su back to the place where Pan Li and the others were waiting.

That frail young master seemed unable to walk back; he waved his hand, telling Li Qingluo and the others to leave quickly, without worrying about him.

The return journey still had an hour to go, which was indeed a considerable burden for him.

Li Qingluo looked at Pan Li: "And you? What are your plans?"

Although Pan Li's feet were already swollen and painfully sore from walking, she still said: "I'll go back with you."

Li Qingluo nodded, then said to the frail young master: "Once Prince Su's people dig out this exit, I will personally come to fetch you. Consider it repayment for your kindness in saving me and Miss Pan. Please wait for me, young master!"

Seeing her speak so earnestly, the frail young man couldn't help but smile: "Miss, you need not be so polite."

However, as Li Qingluo walked farther and farther away, his gaze continued to follow her.

"Luòer, I will wait for you to come back……"

But don't let him wait too long.

Having walked far away, Duan Rongshi lowered his head to look at Li Qingluo and suddenly said: "You are indeed loyal and righteous."

Li Qingluo: "Thank you for the praise, Your Highness; it is only proper."

Duan Rongshi looked at her, gave a deep, meaningful "heh," then suddenly quickened his pace, and soon his long legs had left Li Qingluo and Pan Li behind.

Li Qingluo struggled to keep up, and Pan Li grabbed her: "You've offended him."

Li Qingluo looked startled: "Have I? When? Why?"

Seeing her clueless expression, Pan Li couldn't help but shake her head and laugh: "You see, you probably still don't understand why Prince Su only speaks to you."

Li Qingluo: "I'm fairly familiar with him."

Pan Li: "I've heard that Princess Qin Yu and Prince Su are also quite close; do they interact in the same way?"

Li Qingluo: "I haven't really noticed. But is there any difference?"

Pan Li suddenly looked up and took a deep breath: "Forget it, what right do I have to teach you anything? I'm a mess too."

Li Qingluo: "What exactly are you saying? I can't understand."

Pan Li: "Let's not talk about that. Luòer, since we now have to return to the Pei household, there are some things I must tell you first. You should think of a way and carefully reveal them to Prince Su."

Li Qingluo prepared herself to listen attentively.

Pan Li: "Who exactly am I now? We'll discuss that after we get out. But how did the twelfth lady of the Pei family die? Let me tell you a story first."

Li Qingluo: "All right, I'm listening."

She spoke while raising her head to look ahead at the ever-receding Prince Su; presumably their conversation was inaudible to him, so Pan Li dared to continue speaking to Li Qingluo.

Pan Li: "After being poisoned, Pei Twelfth Lady's health deteriorated day by day, and she had already prepared herself for death. But thanks to a friend, she managed to meet a good doctor, finally gaining a slim hope of survival."

"Pei Twelfth Lady only wished to spend her remaining years accompanying and serving her parents; if she could live, she naturally wanted to go on living."

"But all these changes suddenly occurred on the fifth day of the first lunar month."

"All of this must start with the Pei family. The Pei household, a high-ranking gate and deep mansion, is also a military lineage of several decades, and naturally has many secrets unknown to outsiders."

"Among them is the senior elder of the main branch, the old duke, who back then suddenly took an action that changed the fate of the entire Pei family……"