Chapter 335: The Suk Prince's Manor Has Come Looking!

Sure enough, that afternoon Li Yunchu came again.

In the tray she held were a cup of clear water and a bowl of slightly thick plain congee.

Li Yunchu said nothing this time; she first gave Li Qingluo two sips of water, then helped her sit up halfway and personally spoon-fed her the congee, mouthful by mouthful.

"If you dare utter a single word of deceit, I, Li Yunchu, would rather sacrifice this lowly life, disregarding my future with my husband, and will surely make you suffer the torment of wishing for death and regretting your actions!"

"Do you understand?"

Li Yunchu's feeding hand was strong, making Li Qingluo's teeth ache from being knocked.

But at this moment Li Qingluo only wanted to eat something quickly to stay alive; even if her lips were split and bleeding, she kept opening her mouth and ate the congee clean.

When she finally regained a little strength, Li Yunchu handed her the bowl of clear water.

"Write!"

"Writing with water leaves no trace and cannot be heard by Qin Ling."

"It seems Li Yunchu is still guarding against her husband."

"Heh, interesting."

Li Qingluo, now with strength, could naturally write freely.

She got off the bed, sat on the floor, raised her hand, dipped it in water and quickly wrote: "I can indeed save Second Uncle and Third Uncle and them."

"I had already planned to rescue them all; if you hadn't tied me up, this would have been accomplished."

Li Yunchu still didn't believe: "Just you?"

She strained to lower her voice, but couldn't help glancing at the door.

"Even my husband can't do it; who do you think you are, really able to sway the fate of the entire Li family?"

"Li Qingluo, what exactly is your method? Hurry up and tell us!"

Li Qingluo rolled her eyes: "Your husband can't do it because he's restrained by Princess Qin Yu."

"The Li family will be ransacked and exterminated; this is none other than a plot by Princess Qin Yu and the Crown Prince. Do you think she would ruin their plans and interests just for your husband, a mere low-ranking official?"

"Auntie, even now you're still so naive!"

Li Yunchu's face turned pale as she collapsed onto the ground.

Princess Qin Yu and the Crown Prince... it's actually a struggle for imperial power!

How could this happen?

The Li family has actually fallen into this predicament; how can we escape?

Could Li Qingluo be deceiving herself?

Li Yunchu eyed Li Qingluo suspiciously; seeing her still doubtful, Li Qingluo shook her head.

"Whether you believe it or not."

"I have evidence in hand; I won't say it will let the whole Li family overturn the case, but securing the Second and Third Branches should not be difficult."

Li Qingluo naturally would not give Li Yunchu the entire tray.

Because the genuine letter is now in my own hand.

But the evidence Li Qingluo must hand over is not simply that letter; otherwise, turning it over would still mean death for the whole Li family.

Li Chao Jing fraudulently claimed military merit and even killed Deputy General Jiang; he truly deserved death.

Even Li Kechuan originally obtained his position as junior general through Li Chao Jing's influence and backdoor connections; now being implicated and killed is justly deserved.

But the Second and Third Branches are indeed innocent as well.

Although the saying goes, 'one family shares honor and shame together,'

the family's prosperity and glory are a single entity, sharing fortune and misfortune.

But the Second and Third Branches, implicated by the Deng clan, have been demoted to the manor these years; not only is there no honor, they haven't even gotten a speck of blessing.

Now that Old Concubine Deng is dead, and Grandmother no longer wishes to implicate the younger generation, the Second and Third Branches can indeed be rescued.

Moreover, the method to rescue the Second and Third Branches is very simple.

Li Chao Jing has now gone completely mad; even if one tried to extract any truth from him under torture, it would be futile.

Thus, even if the Jiang family produced their family letter, although it could directly condemn Li Chao Jing, it could easily be overturned.

All it takes is for someone to point out that the Jiang family's letter is fake.

The genuine one is in my hand, so no matter what, the fake cannot become real.

Then, even if the Jiang family kicks up a huge fuss, it can only be a false accusation.

The Jiang family have indeed suffered the Li family's injustice and blood feud, but since they have chosen to side with the Crown Prince, Li Qingluo, for her own interests, must at times do the same.

Li Yunchu saw the characters Li Qingluo had written, yet hesitated.

"For the sake of my two older brothers, to wager my own and my husband's future prospects, even to offend Princess Qin Yu and the Crown Prince—is it worth it?"

She did not know.

She began to retreat……

Then she fled in panic.

Li Qingluo, however, was not in a hurry.

How the Second and Third Branches will fare, I don't care.

Thus, the choice lies in Li Yunchu's own hands.

By nightfall, Li Yunchu still had not made a decision, when the mountain cottage first received a group of uninvited guests.

The tranquility of the mountains was shattered by a clamor.

Like a sudden mountain wind, a troop of men and horses came along the winding mountain path.

Footsteps, hoofbeats, neighs, and low murmurs intertwined, rousing the dazed Li Qingluo.

The torchlight streamed through the door cracks and windows, falling onto the floor inside Li Qingluo's room, flickering and dancing.

She heard a familiar voice: "Any travelers? Has anyone passed by here these days?"

"Also, how many people are in your household?"

"Recently, has there been anything unusual in these mountains?"

Is that Zhui Yu's voice?

Li Qingluo shuddered, thinking she hadn't misheard, and blurted: "I——"

A hand suddenly clapped over her mouth.

It was Li Yunchu.

She was drenched in sweat, trembling with tension, and shoved a pill into Li Qingluo's mouth.

Li Qingluo felt her whole body instantly go completely limp and weak, collapsing onto the couch, unable to rise.

She opened her mouth, but this time she couldn't even make a sound.

Then her hands and feet went completely numb, losing all sensation.

Only her eyes could still move.

She looked at Li Yunchu, who snapped angrily: "You little brat, I really underestimated you. Are those people outside looking for you?"

"If we hadn't been alert, we really would have been called out by you."

"You little beast, don't think you can escape. Lie down honestly, or I'll kill you!"

Li Qingluo closed her eyes, too lazy to bother with her.

Soon, someone walked in following the firelight.

Li Qingluo opened her eyes again and saw Zhui Yu examining her by the bed.

However, he only glanced at her once before averting his gaze.

He had no suspicion whatsoever; the person before him might very well be the girl he was seeking.

Moreover, at this moment many soldiers of the Prince Su's mansion had flooded into the house, searching inside and out.

Li Qingluo's eyes were deep, as if she had a thousand words to say, yet she couldn't utter a single word.

Even moving a finger was impossible.

The sorrow in her eyes naturally went unseen.

Li Yunchu and Qin Ling stood together, trembling like an ordinary, honest couple.

"Just now, I clearly heard a man's voice speaking in this room."

"But you were right outside the door at that time."

"Speak! Is there still someone hidden in this room by you?"

Zhui Yu drew his sword and lunged, frightening Li Yunchu into shouting: "Sirs, spare my life! Yes, it's a commoner woman's voice; her throat was ruined years ago, and after treatment it became like this…"

"Truly, truly there is no one else…"

When Li Yunchu's voice came out, everyone wore a strange expression.

At this moment Zhui Yu finally noticed that Li Qingluo lying on the bed was abnormal.

"Who is she?"

Li Qingluo immediately blinked rapidly.

Zhui Yu thought: "Could this young lady have an eye twitch? Why does she keep blinking at me?"

Seeing Li Qingluo like this, Li Yunchu and Qin Ling had already broken into a cold sweat.

Qin Ling interjected: "Sirs, you don't know, this is our daughter; she fell from a slope while gathering herbs for the common folk a few days ago, so she still can't move."

"If it weren't for the fact that we commoners still have a bit of medical skill, we might not even have saved our lives."

As he spoke, Qin Ling pretended to wipe away tears.

Zhui Yu indeed had no suspicion.

After all, who could have imagined that Li Qingluo would have her face completely changed?

The others also found nothing suspicious.

Everyone had no choice but to withdraw.

Outside the courtyard there was a black horse.

The person sitting on the black horse was precisely Duan Rongshi.

Zhui Yu came over, full of loss, and shook his head: "Your Highness, there is no trace of a lady having been here either."

Duan Rongshi tightened his grip on the reins.

He said nothing, gazing into the dark night as his eyes grew deeper, icy and cold, low and terrifying.

Then he clamped his legs against the horse's belly and galloped madly into the dark night……

Li Qingluo could only sigh in her heart, completely helpless, and closed her eyes.

She knew that even if she weren't incapacitated, even if she spoke up and admitted her identity, they would likely still find it hard to believe.

It seemed she still had a long way to go to return to her true place.

After everyone had completely left, Li Yunchu came over and gave Li Qingluo two hard slaps.

"You wretched thing! What were you trying to hint to them just now?"

"Tell you, don't even think about it!"

"Even if you return to Jinling looking like this, you are no longer the legitimate granddaughter Li Qingluo of the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu!"

"You will be nothing at all, understand?"

She smirked, as if she had already plotted some scheme that could completely take everything from Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo let her mock her, feeling nothing inside.

If she truly couldn't leave, then at worst they'd perish together.

It's her, Li Yunchu—would she be willing to die?

Looking at her gaze, Qin Ling let out a low shout: "Enough! Let's go out, no need to bother her."

After saying that, Qin Ling pulled the grumbling Li Yunchu out.

The next day.

Li Yunchu came to Li Qingluo's room again early in the morning.

She huffily stuffed another pill into Li Qingluo.

When Li Qingluo realized her hand could move again, Li Yunchu brought her another bowl of dark, murky medicinal broth.

"Drink it."

How could Li Qingluo know what medicine they would give her this time?

Seeing her so wary, Li Yunchu gave a cold laugh: "If you want to fully recover your strength, drink it quickly—don't make us regret it—"

Li Qingluo lifted the medicine bowl with effort and gulped it down with a 'gurgle'.

After she wiped her mouth, she looked at Li Yunchu again.

Could they be so kind as to suddenly give her an antidote?

Obviously, they have a new motive now.

Li Qingluo's gaze seemed to say: "Speak your piece, let's see what else you want to do."

Li Yunchu hated that Li Qingluo could coldly meet her gaze no matter how furious or hysterical she became.

She angrily grabbed Li Qingluo and coldly threatened: "Listen. I want you to go down the mountain and rescue my two older brothers!"

"No matter what method you use, I want my two older brothers and their entire families released and sent home within seven days."

"If you can't do it, just wait to die without a place to be buried!"

Li Qingluo dipped her finger in the medicine at the bottom of the bowl and slowly wrote: "Okay."