Chapter 291: Did the Fake Uncle Have Designs on Luo'er?

Jingchuan: "She is my own sister! Before you decided to do this, did you ever ask my wishes?"

Zheng Wanxiu stepped out from behind: "I am also your own mother!"

"You willingly go to death, and have you ever asked my wishes? Do I consent to you leaving me like this!?"

"Xiao Chuan, you are the only child I have!"

"It was her, Li Qingluo's mother, who caused me to lose so many children, and made you drag that frail body since childhood; now letting her Qu Shi's daughter exchange my son's life—shouldn't that be right?"

Zheng Wanxiu, angry, grabbed Jingchuan, emotionally urging him to stay sober.

"Do not lose the chance to live because of these useless emotions."

Jingchuan lowered his head and coughed sharply again.

Zheng Wanxiu only then changed expression and released him.

"Xiao Chuan—"

Jingchuan looked up, his gaze faint: "Mother, Li Qingluo's fate is as bitter as my son's."

"She never received any love from the Qu Shi, and from childhood roamed the mountains for over ten years, endured suffering, endured enough verbal scolding, returned to the Li family without even a few days of peace, and now on what grounds should she repay Qu Shi's debt?"

"Moreover, the one who would rather die is my son himself—"

Zheng Lingzhou flicked his sleeve, his face cold, commanding: "Enough! Someone, hurry and carry the young master back inside to rest!?"

Jingchuan laughed bitterly repeatedly: "Even if you save a body, what of it? I've lived long enough."

"If you truly kill Li Qingluo and perform any sorcery to extend my life, even if I regain a healthy body, I would absolutely not cling to life—"

Jingchuan could not struggle, and was only taken away.

Zheng Wanxiu, eyes reddened, looked at Zheng Lingzhou: "A Zhou, you say... if this child truly..."

"I see him, he's truly taken to heart that Qu Shi's daughter, treating her as a blood sister!"

"I overlooked this; Xiao Chuan has been soft‑hearted since childhood, his eyes redden when he sees injured small animals by the road. Let alone a dear younger sister who would evoke his pity?"

"His body carries not only Zheng family blood, but also Li family blood!"

"I'm truly afraid... truly afraid that when the bamboo basket draws water in vain, Xiao Chuan reverses his body, then does something foolish—what then?"

Zheng Lingzhou soothed her: "Sister, rest assured, he won't do anything foolish."

"When the time comes, he will sense how a normal healthy person walks, eats, sleeps, finally lives like a human, and then will be reluctant to die."

"Moreover, then he will be living with Li Qingluo's life as well; how could he dare to die?"

Hearing her brother grit his teeth and use the word 'dare', Zheng Wanxiu was somewhat surprised.

"A Zhou, could it be that you... truly harbored improper thoughts toward Li Qingluo?"

Zheng Lingzhou's cold face flashed a hint of panic.

"Sister, what are you babbling? That's impossible!"

Zheng Wanxiu stepped forward, staring into Zheng Lingzhou's eyes: "Then why do you not dare to look at me?"

"A Zhou, I've seen you several times holding a dagger, then grinning there."

"That dagger was crafted by Li Qingluo; was it hard for me to guess?"

"Moreover, perhaps you yourself haven't noticed, whenever you speak of Li Qingluo, your eyes shine. Do you like her?"

Zheng Lingzhou: "I consider her my disciple."

Zheng Wanxiu: "Is she truly just a disciple, or after spending time with her, discovering her resilience and effort, especially her cuteness, you couldn't help but develop feelings?"

"You keep saying you want to seize her, but how many times have you actually acted?"

"A Zhou, can you truly spare her life to exchange for Xiao Chuan's?"

Zheng Lingzhou listened, his gaze gradually went rigid.

He stared at Li Qingluo's residence courtyard, softly saying: "What does attachment matter? Across the world, no one surpasses Xiao Chuan."

"Even she, not allowed."

Li Qingluo sneezed.

She quickly closed the opened window herself.

She turned and looked back, finding someone already seated inside.

Li Qingluo was naturally startled.

"Your Highness, when did you appear?"

The newcomer was Prince Su Duan Rongshi.

Li Qingluo's face was full of shock; Jingyun Shan Zhuang is so large, did he just walk in at will?

Moreover, silently finding his room, how did he know where he lived?

"What a skill!"

Duan Rongshi leisurely picked up a delicate pastry from Li Qingluo's table and sniffed it.

"Just now."

"Are you catching a cold?"

Li Qingluo coughed a few times.

"I did it on purpose."

"Hehe…"

Duan Rongshi saw that she truly was ill.

Then he pulled a roasted chicken from his coat.

"Eat."

Li Qingluo smelled the aroma, happily rushed over, opened the oil paper, tore off a chicken leg, and without any decorum devoured it ravenously.

In no time, her lips were glossy red from eating.

Duan Rongshi curled his lips slightly and said, "Eat slowly."

He poured her a cup of tea, but he smelled it first before giving it to her.

After swallowing a bite, Li Qingluo curiously watched his actions and said, "Your Highness, do you also know medicine? What are you smelling now?"

Duan Rongshi said, "I don't know medicine, but my mother consort taught me from a young age how to detect poison by smell."

This was the first time Li Qingluo had heard him mention his mother consort.

Though she was dying of curiosity, she didn't dare ask further and sincerely said, "That lady is really impressive."

Duan Rongshi responded with a soft "en."

He suddenly recalled something, and his eyes froze for a moment.

He then reached out and confiscated the roasted chicken in Li Qingluo's hand, even the already cleaned drumstick.

Your Highness?

Why is this?

Duan Rongshi said, "The Luo Shen Doctor once said that even immortals struggle to cure a cough from eating chicken. I was careless."

I hadn't anticipated that she would reduce herself to this state so quickly.

Li Qingluo looked at the chicken pitifully; it smelled absolutely delicious...

Then I can give it to Hudie to eat.

Duan Rongshi had already wrapped it and put it back in his pocket, saying, "No, I suspect you'll sneak a bite."

Li Qingluo: ……

Alright, he had basically guessed what she was thinking.

Li Qingluo quickly said, "Your Highness, did you come tonight after already getting to the bottom of Jingyun Mountain Villa?"

It's really strange—such a huge manor has no other Lotus Sect members at all; it's completely deserted, which makes no sense.

Duan Rongshi replied, "They're just crowded into places you can't see."

Li Qingluo exclaimed in shock, "You mean those people are still in Jingyun Mountain Villa?"

Duan Rongshi said, "There are at least over a thousand followers here. The rest are scattered across the south and north, at various bases."

Li Qingluo asked, "So this place is the Lotus Sect's main base?"

After saying that, she coughed a few more times.

Duan Rongshi gazed at her with a trace of doubt and asked, "Why are you making yourself ill?"

Li Qingluo said, "This evening, a female doctor came and said she wanted to take my pulse and give a diagnosis."

In the evening, someone brought a bowl of herbal medicine. I didn't dare to drink it, so the maid said it was just a nourishing tonic and even personally tested it for poison.

Such strange behavior makes me suspect that Zheng Lingzhou has ill intentions.

Since he wants me to be healthy, I'll deliberately go against him... cough cough... let's see what his reaction will be tomorrow.

Duan Rongshi showed an expression of disbelief.

This is indeed a foolish scheme that harms the enemy eight hundred while hurting oneself one thousand.

Li Qingluo had no other choice but to make the first move; otherwise, how would Zheng Lingzhou reveal his true colors?

By the way, Your Highness, is everything alright at my grandmother's place?

Li Qingluo didn't keep this from her grandmother this time; naturally, Madame Pei Lao strongly opposed it, but only after Li Qingluo repeatedly promised to coordinate with Prince Su inside and out did she relent.

Duan Rongshi said, "Before coming, I visited Old General Pei's place; she was somewhat reassured knowing I would come."

But we need to be careful: The glossary given only includes certain terms; we must reuse the EXACT English already in the glossary above for those terms. For others, we need to translate.

Thus for 裴老將軍 we will output "Old General Pei". However we need to check if "老" is part of the name or an honorific. Could be "Lao" as part of the surname? Actually surname is 裴 (Pei). 老 could be an honorific meaning "old". So "Old General Pei". We'll go with that.

Li Qingluo smiled and said, "That's good."

Has Zuliya revealed anything?

Duan Rongshi was about to tell her this when footsteps were heard in the courtyard.

Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi exchanged a look; it was already the Hai hour—who could be coming at this time?

Soon there was a knock on the door, and a maid's voice called out, "Miss Li, our Second Young Master has ordered some night snacks for you; may I come in?"

Li Qingluo said, "No thanks! I'm not eating it—go away!"

She gave them a cold rebuke, then hastily rose and pulled Duan Rongshi behind the curtain.

But the curtain didn't fall, so when Li Qingluo stepped out she could still see Prince Su's large feet.

A headache hit; with nowhere to hide, she had Prince Su quickly put on his shoes and lie down on the bed.

Fortuitously, Li Qingluo had bolted the door, so the maid, who had intended to enter directly, could only shake the door.

Miss Li? Miss Li?

The Second Young Master said, "Miss Li is a bit thin and frail; you should have some night snacks—it's good for your health."

Miss Li, just open the door; it's only a bowl of red date and lotus seed soup, it won't take much of your time.

Li Qingluo snatched the blanket and flung it over Prince Su, then after a moment she jumped onto the bed, lowered the bed curtains to wrap the blanket, and shouted angrily, "Get out! I told you I'm not eating—don't you understand?"

I'm already asleep, you—

Before she could finish speaking, the maid threw the door open with force.

Li Qingluo realized that these maids were all skilled in martial arts!

Perhaps they weren't really maids at all.

They were actually Lotus Sect followers...

Li Qingluo was truly angry now.

She picked up a pillow and hurled it.

Nonsense! I am the Second Young Master's honored guest, and you treat me like this?

I've already told you I'm asleep—don't you understand?

Get out quickly! Otherwise, this young lady will kill you all tomorrow!

Her overbearing, fierce tone indeed made the maidservant a little timid.

She quickly set down that night's lotus seed soup and said repeatedly: "Miss, the servant will come to collect the bowl early tomorrow. Second Master said, if you haven't eaten, tomorrow we will lock that old granny back in the dungeon."

After saying that, she hurriedly ran off, not suspecting at all that there was a big living person lying on Li Qingluo's bed.

Li Qingluo also finally let out a breath of relief.

Turning her head, she met Prince Su's pair of deep, jet-black eyes.