Chapter 297: Zuliya Dead? Qinyu's True Identity!

Hudie has already fallen unconscious.

Moreover, her whole body is burning hot, and she constantly mutters deliriously in her mouth, like the language of MiaoJiang, which no one can understand.

Doctor Luo came out from inside the room and shook his head.

"She has suffered internal injuries; perhaps her body was previously poisoned with gu, so this time it all flared up."

"To undo the bell, one needs the person who tied it; her illness, I truly cannot treat."

Doctor Luo is not a shamanic doctor; many things from MiaoJiang, he also cannot fathom at all.

So, he also dares not make a further diagnosis, fearing he might instead delay Hudie's condition.

Li Qingluo: "Could it be that Zuliya did this?"

"Is it the gu poison she previously gave Hudie?"

"Besides them, there is only this one person from MiaoJiang left; but will she still save Hudie?"

"Divine Doctor Luo, can you first stabilize Hudie's life? As for the rest, I'll think of a way!"

Divine Doctor Luo: "Possible. However, if within three days there is still no shamanic doctor to give her a diagnosis, then even I cannot save her life."

Li Qingluo: "Alright, junior understands."

Li Qingluo was about to leave when she suddenly thought: "There is still one person; I wonder if Divine Doctor Luo could help me take a look at him as well?"

Li Qingluo brought Divine Doctor Luo to the front courtyard, and temporarily settled Li Jingchuan in Qingzhu Garden.

Li Qingluo had someone light a brazier inside the room.

Already near April, the heat from the brazier made everyone serving in Qingzhu Garden feel unbearably hot, but for Li Jingchuan, it finally allowed him to fully recover his strength.

Doctor Luo was also drenched in sweat.

After feeling Li Jingchuan's pulse, he asked a few questions: "This young master, did you contract the cold poison since childhood?"

Li Jingchuan looked toward Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo then withdrew.

She stood outside the courtyard waiting for a long time before Divine Doctor Luo wiped his sweat and came out from inside.

"This young master's illness is beyond medicine; if it continues like this, he probably has at most half a year left to live."

Li Qingluo was greatly surprised: "Really, the root of the illness from childhood?"

"Could it be that he really is the infant who was thrown into the lake?"

Divine Doctor Luo sighed: "He refuses to say. He only says that he has been weak since birth, already taking medicine before he even ate food; now many times taking medicine is useless, merely clinging to life with a breath."

Li Qingluo felt heavy-hearted, like overcast skies before a downpour.

Damp and sticky, nauseating.

If he really is Li Jingchuan.

If he were dead, it would indeed be more beneficial to the entire Xiuli Jiangjun Fu than if he were alive.

But……

How could he not be another incarnation of his past self?

Because of the petty tricks of the Jiangjun Fu, he suffered greatly, enduring endless hardship.

"But…… perhaps this old man can try."

Li Qingluo lifted her head in surprise and joy: "What did you say?"

"This old man can try; perhaps I can save him to live a few more years."

Li Qingluo had no time to ponder her own feelings, and immediately said: "If that is the case, please, Senior Luo, help me save Jingchuan Gongzi! For the rest of my life, I will treat you as a grandfather, supporting you in your old age and seeing you to your end!"

Luofan laughed "haha": "This is what you said, Luo'er. I will indeed take it seriously."

Li Qingluo bowed sincerely with clasped hands: "Luo'er, every word is sincere; I dare not deceive you even half a sentence."

Luofan burst into another hearty laugh.

Li Qingluo brought Deng Mama to Guiyuan when it was already the Xu hour.

Soon after, the mute servant handed her a note, letting her have dinner here tonight.

Li Qingluo thought, having come all this way, she might as well personally prepare a few dishes.

Just as she finished cooking, Duan Rongshi came over, drawn by the aroma.

"It seems you came to see me, Your Highness, without any urgent matter?"

Li Qingluo: "Shall we eat first?"

Li Qingluo made everything light because of her own taste today.

Among them, that shrimp porridge was simmered to be especially fragrant and rich.

Prince Su drank three full bowls.

Li Qingluo, seeing Duan Rongshi eat so much of a single dish for the first time, finally realized: Does he like seafood? Does he like congee?

After eating, Li Qingluo then brought up the matter of Zuliya.

"Your Highness, Hudie's life is in critical danger; this commoner wishes to let her save Hudie's life."

Duan Rongshi, however, said: "She is dead."

Li Qingluo: "What did you say?"

Duan Rongshi: "I have not deceived you. Just two days ago, she could not withstand my torture and already bit off her tongue to commit suicide."

Li Qingluo's face turned ashen: "What about Hudie, then? Did Zuliya really leave no instructions?"

"I never expected someone as scheming as her to commit suicide!"

"Could it be that she really died?"

Li Qingluo stared at Duan Rongshi, knowing he would not deceive her.

"But Hudie, could it be that she can only wait helplessly for death?"

Having accepted that Night-Slaying Gate jade pendant, and having accepted the box of things Zaina left for her, she couldn't just watch Hudie die like that……

Wait!

That half-box of Zaina's concerning the Witchcraft Technique's secret manual and poison formulas might be useful!

Li Qingluo immediately rose: "Your Highness, this commoner will take her leave now……"

Duan Rongshi: "The curfew is past; how will you return?"

Li Qingluo only then heard the night watchman's clacks from outside.

But……

"Your Highness, let Zhui Yu escort the commoner once?"

They have a route that avoids the city patrols; Li Qingluo has gone back and forth several times before, so she's already familiar with it.

Duan Rongshi's hand paused while holding his tea.

"Zhui Yu is busy."

"Come on, I'll send you."

Li Qingluo: So, you actually have time?

Li Qingluo is really strange.

He's a prince confined to reflect behind closed doors, yet he can run about all day—does the emperor really not know?

Speaking of the emperor, Li Qingluo suddenly recalled what she saw this morning.

"Your Highness, was it you who personally wiped out Jingyun Shan Zhuang last night?"

Duan Rongshi: "Yes."

Li Qingluo: "But why was the announcement this morning credited to the Second Prince? Did you give him the credit yourself?"

Duan Rongshi wiped his hands, looked at Li Qingluo's curious expression, and ultimately didn't hide it from her: "He's been racking his brains to return to Jinling; since that's the case, as his brother I might as well give him a big gift."

Li Qingluo: "Then what exactly happened last night?"

Duan Rongshi didn't hide it from her either.

Originally, after the Lotus Sect leader descended last night, the Lotus Sect followers, whose morale had been low and who were almost completely defeated, all suddenly surged with energy like they'd taken stimulants, rose again, and bravely fought the government troops once more.

However, Duan Rongshi had long known that with such a grand spectacle tonight, the Lotus Sect leader would certainly appear.

Moreover, Yue Wuye came openly; given how much she now hates him, how could she not want to seize him herself?

But Duan Rongshi was counting on exactly this mindset of hers.

After several days of his plotting, the crown prince was finally permitted by the emperor to leave the Southern Mountain Villa, and on this day he was led toward the imperial hunting grounds.

Coincidentally, as the crown prince passed by here intending to lodge for the night, he saw a blaze, heard the sounds of battle, was about to steer clear, but was seized.

The person who led the troops last night was Wu Wei, commander of the Imperial Forest Army, also someone the Prince Su had cultivated in secret over the years, the one he had personally nurtured.

With Wu Wei's cooperation, Yue Wuye, right under the Lotus Sect leader's nose, was directly stabbed through by Wu Wei.

Yue Wuye was taken away by his subordinates, his fate unknown.

The deposed crown prince, namely the present Second Prince, happened to appear just then.

Wu Wei hurried forward, face full of joy, presenting his merit.

Even as the Lotus Sect Leader Qin Yu gritted her teeth, tonight she could only accept this.

And she hastily fled in disgrace with the remaining jade.

Duan Rongshi curled the corner of his mouth: "Your earlier guess was indeed correct."

"Qin Yu really is the deposed crown prince's person."

"As for what agreement they two have reached, I'm not clear. But Qin Yu hasn't yet truly shown her fox's tail."

"She is a woman with not-small ambition."

Li Qingluo nodded: "The ideal state she wants is indeed astonishing. I both admire her somewhat and feel that her actions have some part that is too absurd and ostentatious."

"If she could be more down-to-earth, perhaps… the Lotus Sect wouldn't be in such a simple position as it is now."

Duan Rongshi gazed deeply at Li Qingluo.

Her insights often hit the nail on the head.

"By the way, Your Highness, if Zulya is dead…… what about that fake military manual?"

Duan Rongshi: "I've already had Wu Wei take the opportunity to present it to the Second Prince, and have spread the news."

So, will the emperor know?

The military manual Zulya painstakingly sought might have been intended for the crown prince.

Although the crown prince obtained it, it's no longer a secret, because soon everyone under heaven will know.

Li Qingluo also found it somewhat amusing.

"We didn't catch any game, but we captured a nest of the Lotus Sect; I suppose His Majesty the Emperor will be pleased, right?"

"Besides, I've heard that tomorrow is Prince Yun's birthday, and this Second Prince will also attend…… there will surely be more exciting events."

Actually, Prince Yun now basically doesn't want to hold any birthday celebration.

Because one of his eyes is blind.

Isn't this just letting the whole world see his joke in person?

But the emperor has already said he will also go to Prince Yun's Mansion tomorrow to personally visit Prince Yun.

So Prince Yun is caught between a rock and a hard place; this birthday must still go ahead.

After Prince Su personally sent Li Qingluo back to Xiuli Jiangjun Fu, she didn't have time to rest first, but instead opened the box Zaina had left for her.

She rummaged through half the night before finally finding a few usable sheets.

Vomiting black blood means either poisoning or being afflicted with gu.

To draw out the gu worm, one must first determine its location.

And to locate the gu worm is simple: just take a boiled egg and rub it all over the body of the person afflicted with gu; the spot where the egg changes color is where the gu worm is.

Li Qingluo hurriedly got up to go find Hudie and put it into practice.

Unfortunately, the egg did not change color.

Could it be poisoning?

Li Qingluo kept busy half the night, and only when the sky began to lighten did she finally slump her head on the table from exhaustion and fall asleep.

She had only slept for half an hour when the knocking at the door woke her up.

Her arm had gone numb and lost feeling, so Li Qingluo quickly called Cui Er inside.

Cui Er saw the room full of paper, hurried over and put out the candle that was already barely glowing.

"Miss, you surely didn't spend the whole night without going to bed to rest, did you?"

Li Qingluo only said: "Good Cui Er, don't speak of this any further—quickly come and massage me; my hand is terribly numb."

Cui Er was both angry and anxious, but above all she felt heartache.

She then called in two more maidservants, and together they massaged Li Qingluo's arms and legs.

Deng Mama, who had knocked on the door early to wake Li Qingluo, saw her complexion improve and then said: "Miss, someone from East Yin Alley has come requesting, saying that the Old Lady must definitely return for a visit."

"Besides, Mr. Nangong has returned."

Li Qingluo: "Master has finally returned? Is he alone or with someone?"