Chapter 288: Die for Love? Luo'er Becomes the Sect Leader of the Night Slaughter Sect!

Zayina saw this and let out a painful cry: "Pei, my dear——"

However, the Old Duke Pei didn't leave a single word for her.

"Pei, my dear, why do you treat me like this? Why…… sob sob sob……"

"Could it be that you also resent me in your heart? Resent me for saving you back then, which caused you to become like this……"

"Third Young Master Pei, I was wrong, I really was wrong."

"I only…… because I love you too much…… you not leaving me a word is actually because you want me to resent you, right?"

"You want me to live……"

"But Third Young Master Pei, you're dead—what meaning is there for me to live?"

As her words fell, Zayina also spat out a mouthful of black blood.

Li Qingluo immediately stepped forward: "Zayina!?"

Zayina gave a bitter smile: "As early as three days ago, when I learned that Pei, my dear, also had only three days left to live…… I had already poisoned myself……"

Li Qingluo: "You…… why go to such lengths?"

Zayina lay weeping on the old duke's chest.

"I know, the world cannot tolerate us two…… we have committed unforgivable sins against his wife, his children, and those maidens who died because of us……"

"We also dare not hope for others' forgiveness……"

"At least, I can die at his side…… and know, I am content……"

Li Qingluo: "But you haven't seen Hudie yet—don't you want to see her? Actually, she's already on her way here."

Li Qingluo didn't expect her to die for love.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have delayed bringing Hudie until today.

Zayina, upon hearing that name, suddenly struggled a few times, then rose.

She turned and knelt on the ground with her forehead.

"What right do I have to face her?"

"Not seeing her is the last dignity of my life……"

"Miss Li…… please, I beg you…… could you…… take good care of Hudie for me…… although I am guilty, Hudie is innocent……"

"My elder sister said, Hudie is a naturally poisonous body; I fear that if she lives even a day, she will not easily find peace……"

"If the people of MiaoJiang learn of her existence……"

"She will suffer a fate worse than death!"

"Luò'er, I have left all my belongings for you over there."

Zayina pointed to a chest by the window.

"Consider this my repayment…… if it's not enough, I'll repay you in the next life."

Li Qingluo readily agreed: "Good."

Without Zayina, she wouldn't abandon Hudie.

Since she rescued her from the Pei household, it is her responsibility.

Moreover, capturing Zayina's senior sister this time is also her first merit.

Only then did Zayina show a faint smile.

"Mother and daughter, meeting you in this life…… is our blessing……"

After speaking, Zayina, enduring the pain, struggled to her feet, then staggered and fell beside the old duke.

"Pei, my dear, I have come……"

After saying this, Zayina's gaze scattered; she suddenly reached out and grasped at empty air, not knowing what she was grabbing.

Gradually, her arm also dropped.

Then she closed her eyes.

Li Qingluo came out and shook her head at Pei Lao Furen outside the door.

"Grandmother, should we bury them together?"

Pei Lao Furen, eyes red, tears falling: "Bury them!"

"Anyway, my sister-in-law also doesn't want them to disturb her anymore."

"Since they want to be a pair of ill-fated lovebirds, let them die undivided! Just find a spot on this mountain and bury them!"

"As for the Pei family side, have someone report the death and just make a cenotaph."

Li Qingluo nodded, then turned her gaze to Third Young Master Pei, who was helped out.

"My condolences."

After saying that, she suddenly thought of something and felt for a jade pendant in her bosom.

"You…… do you recognize this thing?"

Upon seeing it, Third Young Master Pei's face instantly changed color.

"Is…… this given to you by your great-grandfather?"

Li Qingluo: "How do you know? Last night, my maternal great-uncle summoned me and grandmother here, then personally took it out and gave it to me, saying it was a gift for our meeting."

"Is this thing important?"

Li Qingluo indeed recognized the jade pendant's value at the time, but she hesitated to accept it for a moment.

Only after her grandmother nodded in approval did she receive it with both hands.

Third Young Master Pei's expression had already returned to calm.

This token is the token of the sect leader of the Night Slaughter Sect.

Li Qingluo immediately turned her head and glanced at Pei Lao Furen, her face full of disbelief: "What are you saying this is? What is the Night Slaughter Sect?"

Pei Sanlang explained: "The great-grandfather secretly cultivated a force. This force is named the Carefree School; over the years it has done many things for the great-grandfather, among which the deposing of the crown prince was the handiwork of the Carefree Gate."

"The Carefree School splits into four gates; the Slay Night Gate is an assassin gate, its gate master commands everything, and they also only obey the gate master's orders."

"Furthermore, within the whole Carefree School, only the force of the Slay Night Gate's master acts independently; all Slay Night Gate members only heed the words of the person holding this token."

"I recall… cough. Grandfather also dispatched Slay Night Gate assassins to assassinate Prince Su, but… they didn't succeed."

Li Qingluo jumped in fright, and immediately felt the jade pendant in her hand like a hot potato.

"Grandmother this…"

Pei Lao Furen, however, stayed composed and even had Li Qingluo put it away.

"He certainly also feels guilty toward Hudie, wanting you to take charge of the Slay Night Gate so you can properly protect the child he owes the most."

"Besides, this is your confidence; what are you afraid of? Just take it."

"Anyway, you wouldn't do any wrongdoing."

Li Qingluo: "Grandmother, that's not necessarily so!"

Li Qingluo, with her heart fluttering like a deer, first helped Pei Lao Furen leave.

Pei Sanlang kept watching Li Qingluo's back; after they had completely left, Prince Su then came out from beside.

Zhui Yu and the others hurried to handle the corpses of Pei Senior Duke and Zaina.

Pei Sanlang gazed at the pill in his hand: "Your Highness, I don't know if that shamaness has handed over all the antidote."

Prince Su: "I can give you a chance to personally interrogate."

Pei Sanlang lifted his head, looking at Prince Su with a surprised look.

He did not understand.

Why did Prince Su suddenly become so magnanimous?

Duan Rongshi: "Your great-grandfather, in these last three days, wrote a true military manual by writing furiously. As for the copy given to Zulya, it contains the flaws and loopholes he painstakingly designed over the years."

"So, the Pei clan military manual now in Your Highness's hand is the genuine one."

"On his deathbed, he used the military manual sincerely to exchange for your life."

"Use the force he cultivated in his lifetime to pledge allegiance to Your Highness, in exchange for future peace for your entire Pei clan."

Upon hearing that his great-grandfather had actually done this, Pei Sanlang's knees went weak and he knelt on the ground.

"'Great-grandfather… great-grandfather! Wah wah wah…'"

"So great-grandfather totally repudiated the wrongs he previously did?"

"But what, then, am I in this life?"

"He finally burst into tears."

Prince Su coldly looked down at him: "Pei Qinghong, what exactly is your attitude now? Feel free to tell me."

"If you want to die, I can also give you a swift death."

Pei San: "Sinful subject… knows, sinful subject has committed many grave sins, sins towering like a flood, truly hard to forgive! Even using only sinful subject's life is not enough to atone for these killing debts."

"But if Your Highness is willing to give sinful subject a chance… sinful subject is willing to do manifold good deeds, using the remainder of his life to repay those killing debts…"

"Sinful subject is willing, willing to hide his talents for a lifetime… from now on conceal his name and identity, no longer be Pei Sanlang, but merely a nameless shadow."

Prince Su: "Do you wish to pledge allegiance to me?"

Pei San threw himself down: "Yes! Please also grant sinful subject a chance to be pardoned, Your Highness!"

Prince Su: "How can I trust you?"

"I formerly took you as a follower of the deposed crown prince; everywhere are traces of your actions."

"But it turns out your Pei family hides such great vileness and conspiracy!"

"I know you want to stay alive to watch me, to see whether you'll give your Pei family a chance."

"I make this clear: I will not."

"The Pei family now wholeheartedly thinks of deposing the crown prince; the emperor and the Pei mansion surely still have some dealings…"

Pei San hurriedly explained: "Your Highness. Sinful subject guesses His Majesty… probably also wants this military manual."

Duan Rongshi pondered a moment, then let out a cold laugh.

"Indeed. My father is by nature stingy and ungrateful; how could he really protect the Pei family?"

"It turns out, it's merely this Pei clan military manual."

"He also realized that without this militarily adept Pei clan, future victories might be hard to come by."

Duan Rongshi looked at Pei San lying on the ground and said: "I can give you a chance."

"But before that, I must first train you to become a qualified shadow; are you willing?"

Pei San immediately knocked his head hard on the ground: "Thank you for your grace, Your Highness; sinful subject is willing!"

Li Qingluo did not wait for Hudie.

Que'er dragged her injured body up to Qingyun Guan, then collapsed into Lingyunzi's arms.

"Tell the young lady… quickly, we were ambushed… Hudie, Hudie and my grandmother… were all captured…"

After saying that, Que'er fainted.

Li Qingluo hurriedly came to see Que'er; seeing her covered in blood, she was frightened, her voice trembling.

"'Que'er, Que'er?'"

Que'er's injury was serious; the Luo Shen doctor hastily administered acupuncture.

When Que'er, clinging to a breath, finally managed to wake up with difficulty, upon seeing Li Qingluo she immediately filled her eyes with tears.

"'Miss, it's Que'er who failed to protect Hudie… she, she was taken by someone!'"

"'They said, if you want the person, miss, go tomorrow to a tea stall twenty li outside on the official road.'"

"'And… only you yourself may go.'"

If, if they find out that the young lady still brought people, they will immediately kill Hudie and the wet nurse!

A tea shop twenty li away?

Zheng Mama immediately said: "This servant will go report to Prince Su Your Highness about this!"

Li Qingluo stopped Zheng Mama: "No! If Prince Su finds out, he will certainly not allow me to go alone!"

Hudie and Deng Mama must not die.

Granny, quickly have De Shu investigate where these people came from today!

Li Qingluo drew from her bosom the token of the Night Slaying Sect's sect leader, her face gradually darkening.

Besides that, Zayna left her many things as well.

It looks like just a box, but inside lies half a box of poison formulas she has been developing for years.

Then there is also an ornament of hers, a very unique glass hairpin.

Zayna used to always wear it on her head; originally this is also an important token symbolizing her identity.

She had Li Qingluo return to Jinling, so she could take this hairpin to find someone and retrieve her years of savings and even the deeds to her fields and houses.

Although it is said that all of this was given to Li Qingluo, Li Qingluo well knows that this is a compensated item for taking care of Hudie for life.

But as soon as evening came, Prince Su already knew that the carriage of the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu had been robbed.

Prince Su had just stepped into the courtyard of Old Lady Pei when De Shu, who had arrived earlier, hurriedly came to report: "Miss, the people who seized Deng Mama and Hudie today... this servant, following some clues, suspects them... they are probably the Lotus Sect..."