Chapter 326: Luo'er Escapes Peril, Sha Lei Seized!

It's Sha Lei!

Li Qingluo's steps halted; she knew that if she went out now, she would be caught.

She hurriedly shoved all the silver she had extorted from that tortoise slave earlier into the guard's hand behind her, then made a clasped-fist gesture.

Before the guard could react, she darted away like someone whose feet had been oiled.

Guard: ……

Although this tortoise slave seemed suspicious, the guard did not pursue, considering his sincere tribute.

In this Spring Banquet Hall, if you can outrun a monk, can you still outrun the temple?

After weighing the silver, the guard slipped it into his sleeve, then returned to the door and knocked: "Young Master Zong, there are people from Prince Su's residence downstairs; I'm afraid you also need to come out."

"I'll go down first, you follow slowly?"

Without the expected "scram" word, the guard raised his brows, thought nothing more, and strode away from the second floor.

Li Qingluo arrived at the rear courtyard, heart still pounding, and heard the servants walking out in groups muttering complaints: "What good can Prince Su's residence do? A bunch of murderers who only know how to kill, helping the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu search for treasures in broad daylight across the city—really, they've got nothing better to do?"

"You don't know, Prince Su has just left his residence; he's likely about to go mad again for a while."

"What? He wasn't punished for angering the emperor and confined to reflect? It's only been a short while since everyone felt relieved, and now he's been released again?"

"In my opinion, the emperor is still too lenient toward this violent-tempered son."

"Who made him the sole bloodline left by the emperor's once-most-beloved concubine?"

"Hah, if not for that, could the emperor indulge him to this day?"

"But how did he manage to come out so quickly?"

"I heard the Ministry of Water interceded to let him leave the city to handle flood control. In my view, the Ministry is just giving him face, inviting him each rainy season to pretend to help with waterworks in hopes of gaining merit, but every time he just shows his true colors."

"I heard he's nothing but an embroidered pillow—only because the Ministry of Water has his lackeys does everyone fawn over him!"

"The sage emperor isn't blind; even if he favors him, can he still ignore those who truly accomplish things?"

"Shh——! You all act as if your lives are too long, daring to privately discuss this Slaughter God and even mention the emperor—be careful, lest someone overhear and report you to the magistrate, costing you all your heads!"

"Hurry up and stop talking; if the Yama Slaughter God shows up today, he might panic everyone, so let's stay quiet later to avoid trouble."

"I heard that over the past two days the whole city has been on edge, fearing he might suddenly go mad and ransack someone's home."

"Wasn't it said he hasn't yet restored his position as Minister of Justice?"

"So what? He's a prince who can support his own household troops, and a Yama prince who can take anyone's life on a whim if he dislikes them."

"Our lowly lives are, in his eyes, no better than a weed."

"What's there to fear? This is the Spring Banquet Hall."

"Our master said that in this Spring Banquet Hall we have complete freedom of speech; even we lowly servants can discuss whatever we wish."

"In this Spring Banquet Hall, everyone may say what they want; we are all equal, not afraid of a hammer."

"Exactly, anything we say in the Spring Banquet Hall won't be randomly spread outside."

"This is an unwritten rule of the Spring Banquet Hall."

Li Qingluo pretended to wash dishes in a corner, hearing these words, her heart filled with both shock and sigh.

What's shocking is that Qin Yu actually implemented such a bold rule in this Spring Banquet Hall.

These servants dare to discuss the imperial family openly—they truly have the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard.

Even the offspring of aristocratic families or the heads of households, behind closed doors at home, dare not recklessly discuss imperial affairs.

Yet the servants in the rear courtyard of this Spring Banquet Hall all speak so recklessly about the imperial family, even that exalted one.

Truly a bunch of muddle-headed ignorant folk!

If the people from Prince Su's residence actually heard this, they wouldn't care whether this is a Spring Banquet Hall.

What's sigh-worthy is how deep the public's prejudice and misunderstanding of Duan Rongshi runs!

It would not be an exaggeration to liken it to a great mountain.

She shook her head, hearing someone shout: "Hey! That new little tortoise slave, why don't you hurry up and follow? Are you waiting for Prince Su's people to come in and catch you themselves?"

Li Qingluo quickly rose, wiped her damp hands on her clothes, and hurried to catch up at the rear.

After a few steps, she turned a corner and hid in a concealed spot.

She certainly wouldn't go out and walk into a trap.

However, now everyone is heading to the front hall, which actually gives her an excellent chance to escape.

When most people had left, she was about to find a spot in the rear courtyard to climb the wall and escape, when a hand from behind suddenly grabbed her.

Li Qingluo opened her mouth but couldn't cry out; in a daze she was dragged into a dilapidated little wooden hut.

The hut's gaps were a bit wide, still allowing a view of the outside.

However, the thatch roof above was large and messy, making it hard for outsiders to see inside.

In an instant, they stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Li Qingluo, having sneaked out from the courtesan's room, almost had the scissors hidden in her sleeve poke out.

Yet she actually saw an acquaintance in this Spring Banquet Hall.

It was the pale-faced man who, in Prince Su's residence, had been knocked unconscious by Sha Lei's staff right before her eyes.

This person was none other than Eunuch Wu.

Li Qingluo still didn't know he was a eunuch; she merely stared at him curiously.

Eunuch Wu eyed her suspiciously again and again: "Our household finds this ugly thing of yours strangely familiar."

Li Qingluo: ……

This eunuch's voice, beardless jaw—she had indeed seen him before in the palace.

Suddenly, footsteps approached from outside.

The two immediately crouched down, simultaneously covering their mouths.

Strange, where did the person go?

Oh no! If they really got away, the master will have my head!

I—I need to hurry and report to the master!

Li Qingluo immediately looked at Old Man Wu, and Old Man Wu also looked at her.

They pointed at each other, and Li Qingluo, in her desperation, gestured: "You were also brought here by Sha Lei?"

Old Man Wu is the chief steward of Prince Su's mansion; how could he not understand sign language?

His eyes widened instantly.

You… ah! I've recognized you—you're the little girl that Sha Lei, that nasty thing, locked up that day!

Li Qingluo quickly pointed to her own dark circles, then to the big mole on her face, gestured the word "disguise", and nodded hurriedly.

Old Man Wu's eyes instantly welled up: "Then we truly share the same fate."

Damn Sha Lei, he actually wanted to imprison me; I think he's stark raving mad and will sooner or later plan to kill me to silence me… Could it be… you're also preparing to escape?

Li Qingluo pointed outside, indicating that now is the best time.

Old Man Wu, however, said: "No way! The Spring Banquet Hall isn't that easy to escape from. Do you think scaling the wall now will let you get away safely?"

In every corner of the Spring Banquet Hall, in places you can't see, people are stationed around the clock to watch the perimeter, with shifts lasting twelve hours.

They're not inside the Spring Banquet Hall, so even if Sha Lei pretends to search here, he won't move those people. Therefore we can't escape.

Li Qingluo's face turned pale upon hearing that.

He didn't say it, but he himself truly didn't realize the Spring Banquet Hall was actually an iron bucket from which not even a mosquito could fly out.

No wonder those servants dare to slander Duan Rongshi with such reckless talk.

But her time is running out.

Jiao Niang, Gui Nu, and that young master whom I knocked out with a flower vase will surely be discovered soon…

Li Qingluo had barely finished that thought when shouts came from ahead.

It's Jiao Niang—

Someone beat Fang Wa, stole his clothes, and ran away!

Good heavens, it's Young Master Zong! Young Master Zong has also been beaten—

Outside, a commotion erupted.

Then the people of Prince Su's mansion rushed in as well, with Sha Lei leading the charge, storming angrily into this rear courtyard.

The person guiding him was the guard whom Li Qingluo had previously bribed with silver.

Old Man Wu looked at Li Qingluo, his eyes asking: "Did you do this?"

Li Qingluo gave a silent, dry chuckle twice.

Too bad, she was exposed so quickly.

Old Man Wu, however, smiled, gave a thumbs-up, and signed: "Well done!"

Having said that, he suddenly pointed to an inconspicuous plank beneath his feet.

Taking advantage of the noisy rummaging outside, Old Man Wu seized the moment and yanked the plank open.

Beneath the plank was actually a cellar?

Old Man Wu led the way by jumping down.

Meanwhile, Sha Lei, still amid the clamor, quickly discerned a faint odd sound, turned his head, and looked this way.

Li Qingluo hurriedly followed suit and jumped down.

Then the two of them joined forces, pulling up the mechanism that had fallen against the wall below.

A patch of soil indistinguishable from the surface above slowly closed over.

At the moment of closure, Sha Lei slashed his sword and split the wall of the ruined house.

Inside was empty, nothing at all.

Behind them, voices suddenly rose: "What is this house for? I didn't even know about it."

It used to be a woodshed, then stored miscellaneous items, and has been completely vacant for the past two years.

It's so inconspicuous; I thought it was a locked-up chicken coop.

Indeed, we've been here so long and didn't even know there was such a place!

But how does he know?

Sha Lei stared at the ground, lifting his foot to step inside.

Suddenly a shout came from behind: "Sha Lei!"

Your Highness requests that you return to the mansion at once.

Sha Lei quickly turned his head and saw that the newcomers were Po Feng and Leng Dian.

The two stared at him with icy expressions, as if gazing at a heinous stranger, their eyes brimming with unhidden resentment.

Sha Lei's heart turned cold in an instant.

He knew that everything he had done had been discovered.

Sha Lei threw down his sword, his tone calm: "I'll go back with you to see Your Highness. But all of this is not what you think."

Po Feng: "We have nothing to say."

"Explain everything you want to say directly to Your Highness!"

Sha Lei said no more, and Leng Dian continued to bind his hands.

The people of Prince Su's mansion swiftly withdrew; Sha Lei said nothing, and Po Feng and Leng Dian naturally didn't know either, so they and Li Qingluo once again missed each other by a twist of fate…