Chapter 342: Luo'er Returns Home, Reunites with Grandmother!

Upon hearing this news, Li Qingluo was also very surprised.

"The corpse was stolen?"

Qingyangzi glanced at Li Qingluo again.

He remembered that the lady who had appeared beside Prince Su before was the legitimate granddaughter of Pei Lao Furen.

Moreover, the Old Lady valued that lady greatly.

How come now they've replaced her with someone so ordinary and unremarkable in appearance?

Looking at the two of them, it's clearly not an ordinary relationship.

After all, Pei Lao Furen had lived at Qingsong Temple for many years and was their temple's wealth-bringing immortal, so Qingyangzi couldn't help but pay extra attention to Li Qingluo.

"Is she Your Highness's female aide?"

"Otherwise, how could she speak out so boldly before Your Highness even said a word?"

Seeing that Prince Su showed no anger at her overstep, Qingyangzi dared not voice any objection.

Prince Su is an imperial son, a princely lord; having a hundred female confidantes by his side is nothing extraordinary.

As long as this woman does things without meddling and doesn't hinder Your Highness, even a few extra words are fine.

Qingyangzi: "Indeed, that's correct."

Duan Rongshi: "Are you sure she really died?"

Qingyangzi: "Well… at the time her breathing had indeed stopped, and after three or four hours we buried her."

Duan Rongshi: "I've heard that in the Western Regions there is a death-feigning drug that can suspend breathing for twelve hours, making one appear truly dead without any flaw."

"If Kulianqiao can obtain Western Region poisons, could she also get hold of such a death-feigning drug?"

Upon hearing the possibility of feigned death, Qingyangzi looked shocked: "She was locked in the stone cell—where did this drug come from, or had she been hiding it on her person all along without being found?"

Besides, if it really was feigned death, how would she herself have gotten out of the earth…

Hiding it on her person is certainly impossible.

Because if she had the death-feigning drug on her, she wouldn't have waited until today!

Unless…

Qingyangzi instantly understood, and his face turned pale as well.

"Someone must have been coordinating with her!"

Upon realizing this, he immediately rose and knelt: "Your Highness, it is my failure in duty; I will surely get to the bottom of this!"

After saying that, Qingyangzi led his people away from the Gui Garden.

Li Qingluo: "Has Qingsong Temple produced a traitor?"

Duan Rongshi: "If it's not a traitor, then Kulianqiao's abilities are truly extraordinary."

Being able to be imprisoned for months, then suddenly feign death and escape alive—this skill is indeed astonishing.

However, there is also another possibility: the person really died, and the corpse was stolen for some other purpose.

But these several possibilities currently cannot be truly verified.

We can only have Qingyangzi investigate.

Li Qingluo became more curious: "Your Highness, did you confine Kulianqiao in the cliff cave prison behind Qingsong Temple? When did this happen?"

Duan Rongshi busied himself with his hands, personally brewing tea for Li Qingluo.

When he pushed the cup of hot tea toward her, he then slowly said: "After you left that time, I transferred her there."

She has some talent in poison-making.

She knows the Maitreya poison and the Mandala poison that I once suffered from inside out. I suspect that whatever poison she supposedly obtained from the Western Regions is a lie; these poisons originally came from her own hands.

I originally intended to make her a pawn in the Prince Su mansion, usable for my benefit.

In fact, she had already agreed to my terms: serve me for ten years, then she would be freed.

I never expected that after she was locked in the cliff cave prison, her temperament would suddenly change drastically—she outright denies past events, and rumor has it she spends all day muttering to herself, crouching on the ground fiddling with her own things.

Nobody pays her any heed, and she hardly ever speaks anymore.

Duan Rongshi pinched his brow.

As for Kulianqiao, he completely handed her over to Qingsong Temple to look after.

Given that Qingsong Temple is now strictly disciplined up and down by Qingyangzi, such a traitorous incident should not have occurred.

Therefore, Kulianqiao's death is indeed somewhat suspicious.

Li Qingluo, upon hearing this, also found it very strange.

Did she see Qingyangzi? Did she find out that the two of you conspired to deceive her?

Or, during this period, did something happen?

Duan Rongshi also fell into deep thought.

Logically, Qingsong Temple has kept Qingyangzi's news tightly sealed from top to bottom, so Kulianqiao should not have known that Qingyangzi was merely acting to deceive her before.

However, there is indeed one matter…

Zuliya also died in the cliff cave prison.

Li Qingluo instantly sat upright: "Really? But did she die in front of Kulianqiao?"

They both served Princess Qinyu, so they must have known each other.

Duan Rongshi: When she died, I was not present that day.

However, although they were indeed both imprisoned in the stone cells, logically they were held at opposite ends—one east, one west—so even in death they would not have met.

Li Qingluo always felt as if she had missed something.

Soon she remembered it.

The commoner girl heard Princess Qinyu describe this person Zulya, saying her skills are very strange; no matter how perilous the situation, she can always find a way to escape.

"Your Highness, you say, would a person like that really die so easily?"

Duan Rongshi: "You mean, Zu Li Ya also faked death?"

"But her corpse, now on Qing Song Mountain, has completely rotted, leaving no doubt."

Li Qingluo rose: "Perhaps I should go back and look through the notebook Zha Yi Na left for me. Maybe I can find a clue."

"Also, Your Highness sent Doctor Dong to our Xiuli Jiangjun Fu; perhaps he also knows something."

Duan Rongshi's hand gripping the teacup tightened slightly: "Do you think this matter is related to gu poison?"

Li Qingluo nodded heavily: "The commoner indeed suspects so."

Duan Rongshi fell into deep contemplation, as if recalling something, his thoughts drifting far away, and he said nothing further.

Li Qingluo looked up at the sky; she should return home now.

Without delay, Li Qingluo could not wait to see her grandmother.

She even stopped having lunch in Gui Garden, fearing the mute servants might secretly poison her bowl.

Moreover, after recognizing her grandmother, she also intends to get the people of the second and third houses out of prison first.

It's not that she holds Qin Ling and Li Yunchu in high regard for keeping promises, but Li Qingluo still wants to regain her true face.

Then Qin Ling and Li Yunchu must also die!

Leaving Gui Garden, Li Qingluo was too lazy to ride a carriage, so she rode horseback together with Prince Su back to Xiuli Jiangjun Fu.

The young servant at the gate naturally did not recognize the current Li Qingluo, but he did recognize the Prince Su residence's sign.

He immediately opened the door, reported to Pei Lao Furen, and then respectfully invited everyone inside.

When Pei Lao Furen heard that Prince Su had come personally, she immediately concluded that Luoer had news, so trembling, she hurried into the garden with Zhang Mama's support.

"Old minister, may I have an audience with Prince Su, Your Highness—"

Pei Lao Furen, about to kneel upon seeing Prince Su, was stepped forward by Duan Rongshi in a swift stride and helped to her feet.

"General Pei, seeing me, you need not be overly formal; please rise quickly."

Pei Lao Furen turned and grabbed Duan Rongshi: "Your Highness, does Luoer have news?"

Li Qingluo, tears streaming, stood behind Duan Rongshi, looking at her grandmother, whom she hadn't seen for only a few days, whose hair had turned white over more than half.

Moreover, seeing her look so aged and haggard, her heart felt as if clutched by a hand, pain like ten thousand arrows piercing her heart, as if her heart were being cut.

Duan Rongshi: "Old General, don't get agitated. Indeed, we have news about Miss Li."

Pei Lao Furen's eyes, which had been dead and silent, suddenly flashed with light.

"Really? Is she still alive!?"

Duan Rongshi: "Of course. Rest assured, she is alive and well."

Pei Lao Furen burst into tears, crying aloud: "As long as she's alive, that's enough, alive is enough! Luoer, where is Luoer exactly?"

She brushed away tears with the back of her hand.

Li Qingluo saw the surrounding grandmothers also crying.

She felt a sour ache in her heart, her throat choked.

She heard someone behind her mutter softly: "Your Highness, why must you lie…"

"Clearly possessed, already beguiled by this plain‑looking demoness, who killed the girls…"

Zhui Yu, when she went with Po Feng to bury the dead, also wept bitterly.

He felt it was unworthy for the girl.

He also cursed the Highness's ruthlessness deep in his heart.

Even Leng Dian, after finishing his business and arriving, stared blankly for a long time upon learning the truth.

They all regarded the girl as the mistress who would inevitably stay by the Highness's side in the future.

Who could have imagined the Highness would personally strike someone with a knife?

Now he even brings that demoness who killed the girl to Xiuli Jiangjun Fu, deceiving the girl's grandmother; does the Highness truly have no conscience, feeling no pain at all?

Zhui Yu's resentful gaze couldn't help but fall upon Li Qingluo.

For saying those two lines for the girl, he would die today and have no regrets!

But his words were heard by Pei Lao Furen.

"What did you say—?"

Pei Lao Furen felt a sudden dizziness, her whole body uncontrollably collapsing backward—

Li Qingluo, anxious, shouted: "Grandmother!"

She rushed out, grabbed Pei Lao Furen, crying: "Grandmother, Luoer is still here, Luoer is still alive, Luoer really…"

"Grandmother, please don't frighten Luoer!"

Zhui Yu, Po Feng, and Leng Dian wore shocked faces: "What did she say? Who is she!?"

The remaining grandmothers and maidservants at the Jiangjun Fu also could not react.

Even Zhang Mama and Pei Lao Furen, after seeing the sudden figure rush forward and shout that she herself is Li Qingluo's mistress, also wore bewildered expressions.

"What… what is happening?"

Pei Lao Furen even cried: "If the Highness finds it inconvenient to rescue Luoer in your own person, then tell the old minister Luoer's whereabouts! I will go find her myself…"

"Even if she is crippled or disabled, I will still recognize her. As long as she lives!"

Li Qingluo, heart aching, could no longer speak.

"I… I really… am…"

Duan Rongshi, hearing her sobbing, instinctively reached out to comfort.

In the end, he still did not act overly out of line before the crowd, stopping his hand in midair.

Duan Rongshi turned his gaze sharply toward Zhui Yu, his face full of anger: "Things becoming more and more lawless! Return and receive a punishment of thirty sticks!"

Zhui Yu let out a plop and knelt on the ground.

"Your Highness, how do you wish to punish me? I am willing."

"But how could she, how could she say she's a maiden?"

"Your Highness, what exactly is happening? Please tell me!"

Zhui Yu was about to cry.

Both eyes had already swollen to the size of walnuts; now they became even more red.

Li Qingluo turned her head to look at him.

She could only ask Zhui Yu: "Please take a good look at my face!"

"You really have no memory of it at all?"