Chapter 327

In the pitch-black passageway, Li Qingluo and Wu Gonggong, who held a fire starter, had already crawled a long way.

Li Qingluo was really curious—this spring banquet building still hid such a place, how could the people of Prince Su's mansion know about it?

There was no sound of pursuit behind them; could it be that the people of the spring banquet building don't even know about this place?

However, as Wu Gonggong crawled, he suddenly seemed unable to catch his breath.

He turned, bent over, hunched back and sat down, patting his chest.

In this cramped, confined, and narrow passageway, even sitting upright is difficult; it's indeed hard to breathe.

Li Qingluo lifted her head to look around, and suddenly she noticed that ahead there seemed to be an opening that led upward.

She immediately shoved Wu Gonggong, whereupon he covered his chest and stubbornly continued crawling forward.

The passageway's exit isn't high; they could reach it by standing on tiptoe.

Wu Gonggong seemed like an old hand; he skillfully felt around the passageway entrance and soon found a stone that could be pressed.

With a soft 'click,' the brick above could be moved.

As soon as Li Qingluo pried open a gap, Wu Gonggong immediately put his head to it and took deep breaths.

Li Qingluo's likewise suffocated chest naturally eased a bit as well.

The two were about to simply go out and see what this place was, when they heard several footsteps approaching.

The two exchanged a glance, then immediately lowered the gap again, leaving only a tiny slit that couldn't be seen from outside.

Originally they hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but an extremely familiar voice quickly caught their attention.

"Trash!"

Hearing that voice, Li Qingluo instantly narrowed her eyes.

It sounded like Princess Qinyu?

Wu Gonggong obviously recognized it too; he raised his eyebrows and eagerly pressed his ears to the crack.

Li Qingluo: ……

All right, she also wanted to listen.

Princess Qinyu was flying into a rage: "You can't even watch two people—what do I keep you for!?"

"One is a clumsy village girl who only knows a bit of three-legged cat kung fu, the other is a waste—how could the two of them possibly escape under everyone's eyes!?"

Wu Gonggong looked at Li Qingluo: "A clumsy village girl who only knows three-legged cat kung fu?"

Li Qingluo looked at Wu Gonggong: "A waste?"

Together: ……

"I threw them into this spring banquet building to make it impossible for them to fly away, not to let them vanish without a trace at the first opportunity!"

"I support you, and this is how you serve me and repay me?!"

"If you can't even handle this small matter, then get lost, all of you!"

The madam and the steward begged for mercy repeatedly.

"Your Highness, please give us one more chance. We will definitely find them as soon as possible."

"Yes, Your Highness, they surely haven't left the spring banquet building; otherwise they'd have been spotted by the outside shadow guards already. No news has come from outside, so they must still be inside our spring banquet building!"

"Rest assured, Your Highness, even if we have to dig up the ground, we will absolutely not let them escape; please don't get angry—"

Princess Qinyu: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go find people for me! Get out! All of you, get lost for me!"

Princess Qinyu blew her top; after the madam and steward had rolled away, she then took a few sips of sweet, milky tea to suppress her anger.

"Your Highness, please calm down quickly."

"What Mama Hua said is right—this is the spring banquet building; even if they really disguised themselves to escape, could they actually get out?"

"Moreover, the two of them don't even know each other, so they're surely each hiding separately; we don't yet know which nook they're in, but sooner or later they'll show their tails."

"Even if they hide well and disguise themselves, we'll watch them one by one and verify their identities. A girl and a eunuch—shouldn't be hard to tell apart, right?"

"Besides, these days anyone who isn't a regular customer isn't allowed to leave. Where could they possibly hide?"

"Unless they turn into mice, dig a hole in the ground, and really run out of it."

Hearing this, Li Qingluo and Wu Gonggong exchanged another glance.

"They?"

"Mice?"

On their faces, they simultaneously revealed a sly smile……

Despite being persuaded by the maidservant, Princess Qinyu still let out a heavy 'humph.'

Obviously, she had no idea that there was actually a secret passageway in her own business premises.

Princess Qinyu rubbed her forehead, regretting her own carelessness.

Originally she had intended to humiliate Li Qingluo by making her stay in a prostitute's room, which would surely make this young lady, confined to the inner quarters of wealthy families and never having seen the world, feel ashamed and indignant.

Furthermore, in this brothel she had plenty of ways to gradually humiliate her.

For example, have her serve the courtesans as a lowly maid, and every day make her watch the spring palace erotic pictures to see how they are performed.

Given her looks, she would certainly attract the favor and harassment of many patrons.

However, I wouldn't force her to receive clients, since that's what vulgar people do.

I am also not the sort of villain who forces good people into prostitution.

Since she likes cooking, let her go to the kitchen to cook meals for the courtesans.

To these ancient, rule-abiding women, this humiliation is even more painful than losing their lives.

"Alright, I still don't know?"

"With these two idiots, unless they grow wings, they really couldn't escape from my spring banquet building, could they?"

"Besides, Wu Gonggong this waste absolutely cannot return to Prince Su's mansion. As for the other idiot, her two servants are still in my hands."

I see her saintly heart bursting, so I used these two servants to force her out—it's not like there's no way.

Upon hearing this, Li Qingluo clenched her fist and slammed it hard against the wall.

The wall plaster instantly fell away with a shush-shush.

What she fears in breaking free by force has always been Que'er and Deng Mama.

If Qin Yu really dares to hurt them, I will surely have a death feud with her.

Li Qingluo's gaze instantly turned fierce, startling even Wu Gonggong beside her.

Yo, I didn't expect this maiden, though mute, to have such a fiery temper.

Tsk, somewhat interesting.

Qin Yu: "By the way, how are the arrangements at the city gate?"

Attendant: "Your Highness, rest easy. I've arranged for a death row inmate to replace the Zheng incense chief; in half an hour, the hanging will be carried out."

The genuine Zheng incense chief has already smoothly left the city.

Qin Yu: "Since His Majesty awaits our Lotus Sect to walk into the net, how could we disappoint him?"

Attendant: "Your Highness' meaning… is to continue with the first plan? But the Zheng incense chief has already escaped; sending people to capture and rescue him would just be wasting lives."

Qin Yu's expression turned icy cold: "My uncle is naturally suspicious; if we aren't convincing enough, do you think he'll believe we truly won a complete victory over the Lotus Sect this time?"

Although sacrificing some sect members is unavoidable, this is also a necessary sacrifice, their glorious duty.

If Jingyun Shan Zhuang hadn't been wiped out, causing us to lose this base, and if this merit hadn't fortuitously fallen to the elder prince, do you think I would be willing?

Otherwise, I will surely turn the DaLiang dynasty upside down!

The attendant lowered her head and sighed: "Yes, Your Highness makes sense."

We've been forced to this point, with no retreat left...

It's all the damned Fifth Lord Yue's fault!

Qin Yu clenched her fists tightly, eyes flashing with hatred: "Lord Yue Yue claims to be a merchant from Da Chu, but Zong Jiu said he's never even heard of this person."

His identity is undoubtedly suspect. It's a pity he might really have died that night at Jingyun Shan Zhuang, and now we can't investigate his identity any further.

Attendant: "But this person took the blood parasite worms… and Zhaina, and now there's no news of either—are we really just going to ignore this?"

Qin Yu: "Do you think this matter is really that simple?"

Zhaina and the blood parasite worms have vanished, and Pei San and the Pei Duke are also missing, their fate unknown.

How could it be such a coincidence that they all evaded my surveillance? No matter how we search, we can't find them!

Zhulya also has no trace… these matters must be connected.

Who in all of Jinling City, indeed the whole DaLiang, could have such capability?

The attendant sucked in a cold breath: "Your Highness, are you saying… Prince Su? Could Lord Yue Yue be one of Prince Su's men?"

Qin Yu did not answer.

Because she also couldn't be certain.

However, Zhulya is quite strange in ability—even if she truly fell into danger, she could always escape. She won't stay missing for long; just wait.

Li Qingluo was repeatedly thinking those words in her mind when a knocking sounded outside.

Your Highness, Qin Ling has arrived.

With a sound of footsteps, a male voice rang out inside: "Greetings, Princess. Your Highness, regarding the Li family matter… I don't know if there's still room for maneuver."

It's really that shrewish woman at home… she's been making a fuss all day, sigh… I really have no other recourse, which is why I came to rescue Your Highness.

Princess Qin Yu seemed to sigh, uttering a 'tsk': "Qin Ling, your medical skill is superb, your appearance dignified, your mind meticulous and you have real talent—it's a shame you're not taken with this widow, yet you devote yourself to running east and west for her, aiming for nothing but love, is it not?"

Qin Ling gave a dry laugh twice.

Li Qingluo's heart jumped violently.

Could it be… that this shrew refers to Li Yunchu?

Li Qingluo had once suspected Li Yunchu of colluding with the Lotus Sect, and indeed it turned out to be true!

Her husband the doctor actually belongs to Princess Qin Yu.

Li Qingluo's heart pounded wildly as she heard Qin Ling say: "Princess, I am useless; I've been trapped my whole life by the character for love."

I know the Li family is now useless, a discarded pawn, and moreover Li Chao Jing must die.

But… but my lady also can't bear to part with her own older brothers.

So… can we maneuver to settle the second and third branches…

Qin Yu cut off Qin Ling's words, impatiently cold: "Do you think I have omnipotent powers?"

Whether the Li family is to be confiscated and exterminated or exiled a thousand li, His Majesty hasn't yet decided, and I cannot intervene.

Alright, at most I can help her arrange a meeting with her relatives; the rest is beyond my ability.

This is also the utmost limit of what I can do.

Li Qingluo gave a cold snort in her heart.

This Princess Qin Yu is clearly unwilling to sacrifice the crown prince and empress's interests, yet she puts on a show of difficulty.

Quite a clever tactic.

Qin Ling: "Your Highness, doing your best, my wife and I are already deeply grateful."

Your Highness, this is the pill I just refined these past two days; its efficacy is several times stronger than the one I previously presented to you…

A pill?

What pill?

Just then, Wu Gonggong couldn't help but sneeze.

He immediately covered his mouth, his gaze shocked as he looked at Li Qingluo.

Who——?

Qin Yu shouted loudly and stood up.

She surveyed the whole room, finally discovered: there is another person in this room!