Chapter 314: Li Qingluo

Pei Lao Furen heard Li Qingluo's words and only gave a sorrowful smile.

She didn't even ask why.

She simply said lightly, "Grandmother knows."

"Go down, Grandmother is tired and wants to rest a moment."

Li Qingluo saw Grandmother's whole body seem to have shed its strength, collapsing in a listless slump, and was shocked inside.

Grandmother has grown old.

She truly feared that Grandmother would be genuinely heartbroken this time, and that harming her spirit would be disastrous.

And seeing Grandmother like this, how could she not feel pain?

But some words cannot be said too bluntly.

Even though this is Xiuli Jiangjun Fu, Grandmother's courtyard, the surroundings are all Grandmother's people.

But Li Qingluo could only utter a half sentence about something she didn't fully grasp: "Grandmother, perhaps... the situation hasn't reached total desperation yet."

Pei Lao Furen lifted her head with a whoosh, her eyes calmly gazing at Li Qingluo.

The rain fell for a whole night.

By the next morning, there was still no sign of abating.

Li Qingluo looked up, sighed, and heard the little maid at the door say that the water level in the Qinhuai River outside Jinling City was rising, fearing that if it kept pouring, the city would also flood.

Now several streets' water cannot keep up with the rain's speed, and the scene outside the city remains unknown.

Li Qingluo yawned, sat by the window propping her chin, watched the rain for a while, then leisurely brushed her long hair.

She hoped the rain would stop soon, lest countless civilians suffer.

Cui Er said, "Miss, Hudie hasn't shown any fever, yet she still hasn't awakened; Doctor Dong says it's the gu poison in her body causing trouble."

"If the cause remains unknown, even if her life is stable now, she may not survive more than a month."

Li Qingluo's hand froze.

"I'll go check on her."

Li Qingluo casually tied her hair, then secured it with a single white jade hairpin.

Two side strands of broken hair lay loosely on her forehead.

She wore only a plain long robe, slipped on wooden clogs, and left.

Hudie lay on the bed as if asleep; no matter how Li Qingluo nudged her, she remained motionless.

Li Qingluo looked at Dong Siyuan: "You say her current state is due to the gu poison in her body? How much do you truly know about gu poison?"

Dong Siyuan replied, "Answer, Miss, MiaoJiang gu poison techniques have always been passed to women, not men, so even though I come from MiaoJiang, I only know the basics."

"To save this Hudie girl and completely remove the implanted gu poison, we must find a true MiaoJiang healer; perhaps there is a method."

Li Qingluo: "So we have only a month to locate a MiaoJiang healer to come and save her?"

"Do you know, if the one who originally placed the gu on her is already dead... we have no idea how much gu is in her body, what will happen?"

Dong Siyuan jumped back in shock: "That's impossible!"

"Miss, if the gu placer used his own gu to seed Hudie, then when he dies, Hudie will inevitably die as well!"

"Moreover, a person cannot harbor more than two types of gu; if more than two are implanted, how could they survive to today?"

"From what I've seen since childhood, when two gu types are in a body, they readily clash and cause sudden death."

Li Qingluo lowered her head, frowned, and looked at Hudie.

But Zu Li Ya is already dead, isn't she?

Could it be that Hudie's sudden severe illness is because Zu Li Ya committed suicide, causing the gu insects in her body to run amok and turn Hudie into this state?

Hudie's innate constitution is unique; having been tormented by Zu Li Ya for years yet still alive, perhaps that's why she didn't die instantly.

But Hudie's body could not have only two gu types implanted by her aunt.

Saving Hudie's life is now urgent.

Li Qingluo had just left Hudie's room when she saw Duan Rongshi in the courtyard.

She startled.

"Your Highness? In such heavy rain, why have you come?"

Duan Rongshi, dressed in black, still wearing a mask, stood under an umbrella at the courtyard gate, evidently waiting for Li Qingluo to emerge.

Li Qingluo saw her today's makeup, and her eyes involuntarily narrowed deeply.

She...

... is actually quite beautiful.

Duan Rongshi stared at her for a moment without speaking; Li Qingluo took the umbrella from Cui Er's hand and rushed into the rain.

"Your Highness, you arrive just in time; I, a civilian girl, have something to ask of you."

"Hudie's illness is far more thorny than I imagined. Your Highness, can you find a qualified MiaoJiang healer within a month to come to Xiuli Jiangjun Fu for a trial?"

"Perhaps only then can we truly save Hudie's life—"

Before the words finished, Po Feng hurriedly arrived.

"Your Highness, the Minister Jiang of the Water Department went to the palace to see His Majesty, requesting you to leave the residence to assist the Water Department in flood control. He says that outside the city many villages have already suffered flood damage…"

Li Qingluo looked at Duan Rongshi.

So he also knows how to manage water?

Li Qingluo recalled that when she was in the mountains, the villages at the foot would, whenever such heavy rain lasted two days, see farms and houses nearly destroyed.

However, the Liu family lived far away then, unlike Jinling where the court could quickly provide relief; in remote places, the people often fell ill with epidemics and the court seldom sent officials to help.

Li Qingluo hadn't expected that Prince Su, whose reputation was as fearsome as Yama, actually had such ability.

It seems he hasn't been short of doing such good deeds before.

But how come the common folk have never even heard a bit of good news about him doing good for the people?

The gossip everywhere is nothing but his cruel, bloodthirsty, cold-hearted and merciless judgment.

Duan Rongshi came over today, as if he originally had something to say.

But he hesitated, and still didn't speak.

He simply turned and left quickly with Po Feng.

Li Qingluo waited until his back disappeared before wondering: 'He came over so early—could there be something important?'

Half an hour later, Zhui Yu came again.

'Miss, Your Highness sent me to deliver a message: he will find the person you want as soon as possible, so you don't need to worry for now.'

Upon hearing that promise, Li Qingluo truly let her heart go completely at ease.

Prince Su always keeps his word; she never doubted it.

'Then thank you, Your Highness. By the way, do you know why Your Highness came over so early this morning—could there be something urgent?'

Zhui Yu scratched his head: 'Actually, today is Your Highness's birthday… and also the memorial day of the Moon Noble Consort.'

Li Qingluo was greatly surprised.

'He… his birthday?'

Moreover, it turns out today is also the memorial day of his mother consort!

No wonder he dressed all in plain black today.

He came to find me, seeming to have something to say, yet he seemed unable to speak it.

Li Qingluo felt a dull heaviness in her heart, along with a sharp pain of unknown origin.

Yesterday was Prince Yun's birthday; even if it was a setup, surely in previous years his birthday was always filled with guests, extraordinarily lively.

Though both are princes, he was confined and left desolate and lonely for investigating a case that touched the emperor's interests.

Even Li Qingluo, an outsider, felt a sense of injustice and grievance on his behalf.

'Okay, I understand.'

After Zhui Yu left, Li Qingluo went back and changed into another set of clothes.

Then she went to pay respects to Pei Lao Furen and had breakfast together with her.

While the grandmother and granddaughter were eating, Zheng Mama came in and said, 'Old Lady, the officials have already released the people over at the yamen.'

Not only were all the female relatives released, but the servants were too.

'I have already sent two carriages over to take the ladies back first.'

Li Qingluo: 'Have you asked Liu Mian'er if she wants to come over to stay for her confinement?'

'And Huan Jieer—do you want her to come over to live?'

The second and third branches are implicated; now the main branch of the Li household has no head, so Liu Mian'er and Lou Shi will certainly bear the wrath of the second and third branches.

Staying at the Li household will probably not be easy.

Zhang Mama still shook her head: 'She said she wouldn't implicate Miss and the Old Lady. Being able to gain temporary freedom and avoid the suffering of prison is already the Old Lady's grace; they cannot rely on you to survive in this world.'

Pei Lao Furen: 'Her resolve is actually not bad. In my view, these two concubines helping each other may still be able to hold onto the main branch.'

'Although the people of the second and third branches will surely take out their anger on the main branch, they will still have some restraint; it was I who rescued them all.'

Li Qingluo also nodded: 'Grandmother makes sense. Still, let us old servants of the Li household help them a bit more.'

Zheng Mama: 'Yes. Miss, just now the yamen sent a message saying… it is your mother, Qu Shi, who wants to see you.'

'Mother Qu Shi wants to see me?'

Li Qingluo's hand holding the porcelain spoon stalled, and she looked toward Pei Lao Furen.

Pei Lao Furen: 'Go. Listen to what she really has to say. Also don't let yourself truly leave any regrets in your heart.'

Li Qingluo: 'Yes, Grandmother.'

Li Qingluo went out after finishing breakfast.

She was still dressed in plain attire.

Before going to the yamen, she first made a trip to Osmanthus Garden.

The mute servants of Osmanthus Garden saw her and were overjoyed.

After enthusiastically welcoming Li Qingluo into the courtyard, Li Qingluo then saw them performing rites in the garden.

Li Qingluo immediately wondered, 'Could they be holding a memorial for the Moon Noble Consort?'

On the offering table in the garden were laid all the delicacies found only in the Great Chu region.

Moreover, there were many beautiful pastries.

Li Qingluo: 'The deceased you are honoring—did they happen to like sweet foods in life?'

The mute servants laughed and nodded.

Li Qingluo: 'So Prince Su clearly does not like sweets, yet every time I offer them to him, he still patiently tries a piece or two.'

It is because the Moon Noble Consort loved them, so he has been eating some since childhood regardless.

He respects and loves his mother consort, making him a filial son.

Li Qingluo rolled up her sleeves: 'I want to personally prepare a delicious meal—not only for the offering table, but also to contribute my modest effort to celebrate Your Highness's birthday tonight. What do you think?'

After exchanging glances, the mute servants were naturally overjoyed.

They all ran over to help Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo then noticed that these mute servants included both young and old.

If divided carefully by age, they seem to belong to two generations.

The younger mute servants are youngest about the same age as herself, nimble, bustling back and forth.

The older mute servants have white hair at their temples, but they act steadily and seem to be the ones who can make decisions in this household.

Without exception, they were all women.

In Osmanthus Garden, only the front courtyard still had a few male mute servants doing chores and guarding the gate.

Beyond the second gate, not a single male servant could be seen.

Li Qingluo had never before thought about that question.

Who exactly are these mute servants?