Chapter 263

I never expected Pei Lao Furen to simply nod and agree.

"If we only go at the third quarter of the You hour, wouldn't that mean we can't return to the city tonight?"

"Old Zheng, quickly send someone to the manor outside the city to tell them to let Luo'er rest there tonight; make all arrangements, and if anyone dares to be slippery and cause the Miss to suffer injustice, punish them all severely!"

Zheng Mama hurriedly agreed.

Pei Lao Furen hadn't finished giving instructions when she turned and looked at Li Qingluo, saying, "This time bring a few more people; even if it's Prince Su Your Highness, you must still pay attention to safety on the journey. Grandmother will assign you more people from this side—feel free to use them as you wish."

Li Qingluo happily clung to Pei Lao Furen's arm, acting coquettishly: "Thank you, grandmother; I knew you were the best grandmother in the world."

After Li Qingluo left, Zhang Mama came over and asked: "Old Lady, are you no longer stopping the Miss from associating with Prince Su Your Highness? And she'll be staying out overnight… is that alright?"

Pei Lao Furen: "If we stop her, she just won't go?"

"I don't know her nature? If we can't stop her, we might as well go openly."

"Moreover, she's willing to talk to me, so what reason do I have to insist on stopping her?"

"Bringing more people is also safer than sneaking off with just two."

"Besides, Luo'er is already deeply involved in the Pei family matter; I fear that even if she tries to hide, she won't be able to escape."

"It's all my fault; if I hadn't let her make contact with the Pei family, wanting to have another meal with my brother to satisfy my longing for a reunion with my natal family, she wouldn't have gotten involved with the Pei family…"

Zhang Mama advised her: "Old Lady, don't think too much; you didn't expect the old duke to become like this either."

Pei Lao Furen said with red eyes: "My older brother has become like this; my heart aches and resents him. I ache for the suffering he's endured for decades, and I resent him for causing so many deaths."

"But I still haven't seen him in person, and I don't know whether he's alive or dead."

Zhang Mama also burst into tears.

Pei Lao Furen let out a deep sigh.

"Besides, things have come to this point, and Prince Su has repeatedly protected Luo'er; I'm not someone who truly doesn't know gratitude."

"Perhaps… if she boards Prince Su's great ship, one day Prince Su Your Highness might still save her life once more because of the Pei family."

Zhang Mama nodded, seeming to think this was quite good.

"But Prince Su Your Highness is currently confined to reflect behind closed doors; can we still go to West Mountain Pavilion?"

Pei Lao Furen gave Zhang Mama a look: "You really think the Prince Su mansion can confine Prince Su? Hah, this person will never sit and wait for death; he will truly not give up on the Pei family case."

"Otherwise, just wait and see."

Zhang Mama stared, wanting to say more.

Pei Lao Furen: "What's going on? You're also hemming and hawing now! When did you become so indecisive?"

Zhang Mama: "Old Lady, our people from Dong Yin Alley Jiangjun Fu have sent a message…… saying that the master returned home and wailed loudly, saying he wants you……"

Pei Lao Furen said nothing; Zhang Mama gathered her courage and continued: "He said he wasn't eating, just shouting that he wanted his mother. He also asked whether his mother no longer wanted him……"

"Moreover, he beat up his close servants and maids, forbidding them from approaching him."

"Even the lady has been hit several times; now they've locked him in a room, not allowing him to come out."

Pei Lao Furen said nothing; Zhang Mama had no choice but to retreat.

Li Qingluo waited in the courtyard for Zhang Mama.

Zhang Mama came out and saw she hadn't left yet, feeling quite surprised.

"Miss, what's wrong? Is there anything else you need from this old servant?"

Li Qingluo: "Grandmother, is she still alright? Did you tell her about the matter concerning the person from Dong Yin Alley?"

Zhang Mama sighed and nodded.

"Actually, she deep down really wants to know, but she just can't let go of the past."

"The Old Lady was hurt terribly by the old master; these years, although everyone said they had let go and ignored everything, and now they even have Miss you. But the deepest scar in her heart was brought by her son."

"She has never really let go, has she? Miss, don't laugh at us; we women are like this when we grow old."

"The older one gets, the softer one's heart becomes, and quite useless."

Li Qingluo: "No, Mama, don't say that. You're all people who value affection, that's why you're like this."

"Please trouble yourself to often comfort grandmother in daily life."

"Tell her that if she truly can't let go, then don't; why not give herself a chance?"

Zhang Mama looked at Li Qingluo in astonishment.

"Then Miss…"

Li Qingluo: "If grandmother is happy, then I will be happy."

After saying that, she nodded and then truly left.

Zhang Mama gazed at Li Qingluo's back and murmured: "Old Lady truly did not dote on the Miss in vain."

Jiangjun Fu.

Liu Qiongzhu saw Li Chao Jing locked in the room, her face full of shock.

"How could this be…… Mother, how could this be?!"

Liu Qiongzhu turned and flung herself into Qu Shi's embrace, crying heartbrokenly.

Qu Shi still thought she was truly feeling sorry for her former foster father, and comforted her: "Zhu'er, you also saw that your father has now gone mad with loss of mind; he probably can no longer serve as General of the Valiant Cavalry… Our family is completely finished!"

Liu Qiongzhu still couldn't believe it: "Could Father be pretending? Perhaps he'll get better after a while? And what exactly did Pei Lao Furen and Li Qingluo do to Father, turning a perfectly normal person into this state?!"

"I hate them to death! Waah waah waah…"

Qu Shi wiped her tears: "Doctor Jiang said that your father is indeed ill; this is not feigned."

"But Zhu'er, don't worry; although the family has become like this… we still won't collapse, Jiangjun Fu still has such a great estate; from now on, as long as there's still something to eat in the household, you won't go hungry."

"Just stay put and feel at ease for now."

Liu Qiongzhu had difficulty speaking.

She didn't even want to stay here.

What she wants to return to is still Prince Yun's Mansion!

Who would want to be a nameless, status-less adopted daughter in this Jiangjun Fu that's fading day by day?

Yesterday, upon hearing that her father had met with misfortune, Prince Yun flew into a rage and smashed everything in her room.

Originally there weren't many valuable things in her room, and then His Highness went and wrecked them again; now she probably can't even produce a single intact decorative item.

Liu Qiongzhu, seeing the situation worsen, gritted her teeth and volunteered, saying she would return to confirm whether Li Chao Jing's illness was genuine.

And incidentally return to retrieve her own dowry.

She originally thought finding an excuse to return would suffice, but who knew Prince Yun was so fed up that he actually drove her out of the mansion.

Although he said: "Zhuer, if we're going to put on an act, we might as well make it genuine."

But then he also said: "If the Jiangjun Fu in Dongyin Lane really falls, remember, you must never return to this mansion again!"

After saying that, Prince Yun shoved her hard to the ground and then had someone mercilessly throw her out.

Could it be that the prince truly no longer wants her in his heart?

This caused Liu Qiongzhu to feel a deep fear welling up inside.

Liu Qiongzhu first went back to the Liu household, originally hoping to make use of the Liu family for something, but who knew these useless things would just be sent back to the countryside in disgrace!

Fortunately, there is still someone in the Jiangjun Fu who loves her most—her foster mother, Qu Shi.

Her foster mother Qu Shi is indeed a fool; no matter what she does, whenever she coaxes and cries a bit, Qu Shi's heart softens and she dotes on her excessively.

Liu Qiongzhu is still grateful; she has been close to Qu Shi since childhood, and after learning the truth of her origins she has redoubled her efforts to please Qu Shi, which is why she and Qu Shi now share such a deep mother‑daughter bond.

"Mother, Father will surely recover. Let's get him the best physician! By the way, doesn't Grandmother have a divine doctor? Let's go ask Grandmother—even if her heart is hard, could she really refuse to help Father?"

Li Chao Jing must not collapse like this!

Otherwise, not only will the Jiangjun Fu be finished, but she herself will lose everything completely.

Who would have thought Qu Shi would shake her head and say: "Zhuer, because I and your father arranged a marriage for Luo'er with the Qu family, and also because last time when your grandmother was gravely ill we failed to summon an imperial physician for her, they have already moved out of the Jiangjun Fu."

"You don't know?"

"They hate me and your father so much—how could they possibly save him?"

"But I just don't understand—what benefit could the Qu family possibly gain from the Jiangjun Fu's downfall?"

Upon hearing the truth, Liu Qiongzhu stumbled backward, her body swaying as if she might collapse at any moment.

But then a fearful voice echoed softly from behind her.

"Zhuer, you actually still dared to come back."

"Elder Brother thought you would never turn back."

Upon hearing that voice, Liu Qiongzhu trembled all over and nervously turned her head to look at Li Kechuan behind her.

In fact, on this trip back she was terrified to death.

Because she didn't know what Li Kechuan now thought of her.

If it were the past, no matter what happened she would have enough confidence; as long as she intended to coax him, even just crooking her finger and shedding two tears, Li Kechuan could never resist her gentle, pitiful charm and would inevitably yield.

Just like her foster mother Qu Shi, what matters most in her heart is always herself.

This is also why Liu Qiongzhu dares to act without limits in the Jiangjun Fu.

But thinking back to the incident at the ruined temple makes her nauseous; her mind is filled with those images and his wanton cries……

How is she supposed to face this?

Moreover, she fears that Li Kechuan might truly bear a grudge against her this time……

Li Kechuan lay on a soft pallet, and several people carrying it actually brought him to the main courtyard.

He did this merely to see Liu Qiongzhu with his own eyes.

At this moment, Li Kechuan's lips curved in a half‑smile, while Qu Shi remained oblivious.

He also said: "Chuan'er, don't be angry. Zhuer came back yesterday utterly exhausted and frightened, so Mother let her rest more; she'll come see you and your father today."

"We've just seen your father; we were actually planning to go see you."

"But how did you come out yourself? Doctor Jiang told you not to expose yourself to cold wind—listen to Mother and hurry back!"

Li Kechuan merely stared fixedly at Liu Qiongzhu, who dared not look at him, and said: "Zhuer, don't you have anything to say to your elder brother?"

"Liu Qiongzhu: Ah, elder brother, Zhuer, Zhuer is indeed just about to go see you—how are you feeling now?"

Li Kechuan's facial expression suddenly twisted.

"Zhuer, what do you say? How is your elder brother—don't you know?"