Chapter 345: Hudie Mark? Luo'er Doesn't Believe in Love!

Li Qingluo was very surprised; Luo Shenyi knew Qin Ling?

Luo Shenyi: "This Qin Ling is considered my junior fellow disciple. Back then, due to some disputes within the sect, he and his master were expelled together..."

"No wonder, no wonder!"

"My master said they stole many rare medical books; those unique skills that are hard to find in the world are likely to be lost in their hands."

"Among them is this mysterious disguise technique."

"He has mastered it to such a sublime degree that even I cannot find a flaw."

Li Qingluo: "Li Yunchu said that without the antidote ointment Qin Ling made himself, my face cannot be restored."

Pei Lao Furen: "Luo'er, who are you talking about? Li Yunchu? How could it be her?"

"Could it be that she caused you to become like this?"

Li Qingluo nodded: "Grandmother, Qin Ling is Li Yunchu's current husband, and also belongs to Princess Qin Yu."

"They colluded in disgrace; taking advantage of the chaos caused by the Lotus Sect at the West City Gate, they seized me, but it seems they were acting on someone else's orders."

Few people present dared to hear these words.

Duan Rongshi: "Another person? Who is it? Do you have any clues?"

Li Qingluo shook her head.

Doctor Du felt Li Qingluo's pulse, his expression abnormal.

Duan Rongshi noticed, did not ask on the spot, and gave Doctor Du a glance.

Luo Shenyi: "However, restoring Luo'er's voice to its original state is not difficult for me."

"I will go get the medicine now."

Luo Shenyi hurried away; seeing Li Qingluo's upset mood, Pei Lao Furen had everyone not disturb her rest.

Even though she herself was reluctant, she still led the way out first.

Including Duan Rongshi, it was not appropriate to stay openly.

In the courtyard, aside from Cui Er and Zheng Mama, no one remained.

Waiting for Li Qingluo, who sat dazed under the grape arbor, Cui Er hesitated a moment, then whispered something to Zheng Mama.

Zheng Mama was startled, turned and hurried away.

Zheng Mama caught up with Pei Lao Furen's steps.

"Old Lady, it's the young lady——"

Zheng Mama lowered her head and whispered to Pei Lao Furen: "When Cui Er was wiping the young lady's body, she discovered a pink Hudie pattern below the young lady's shoulder."

Pei Lao Furen jumped in fright: "What does this mean? Is this Luo'er a fake?"

Zheng Mama stomped her foot: "Oh no, that's not what I meant. Aside from the face and voice, everything else about the young lady is correct, including those moles and birthmarks—no mistake."

"It's that something extra has appeared on her body... Cui Er said it looks quite strange."

Pei Lao Furen breathed a sigh of relief: "As long as it's Luo'er, that's fine. What's going on? Go ask Luo'er to see if she knows herself."

Zheng Mama nodded repeatedly: "Yes."

Pei Lao Furen also said: "Right. From now on, in her courtyard, you will take over as the head maid in place of Old Deng."

"Old Deng has left; there's no one managing affairs inside and outside Free Abode. You need to put in extra effort to get up to speed quickly. Don't let Luo'er worry."

Although Zheng Mama also wanted to become Li Qingluo's personal attendant, she never imagined doing it this way.

She felt uneasy inside.

"Yes, Old Lady."

After Zheng Mama left again, Duan Rongshi, who had just walked away down the fork, was still looking this way.

This maid reported another matter, unknown what it concerned Li Qingluo, and it seemed not simple.

Doctor Du was bending over, saying: "Your Highness, the young lady's pulse feels somewhat strange."

"Internal movement, external stillness; internal heat, external cold—it seems something is there... but I still can't grasp exactly what's going on."

Duan Rongshi frowned tightly: "You stay at the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu these two days, cooperating with Luo Shenyi to take the young lady's pulse morning, noon, and night."

"If any strange phenomena appear, come and report them to me immediately."

Doctor Du: "Yes."

After Zheng Mama told Li Qingluo that she had an additional Hudie mark on her body, Li Qingluo was also very surprised.

"I didn't know about this; let me take a look quickly."

She had Cui Er lift the bronze mirror.

She took off her outer garments, had just glanced twice, not yet examined carefully, when someone outside called out: "Zheng Mama, Cui Er. The courtyard where Que'er is recuperating is calling for you to come quickly."

Li Qingluo immediately had them go first, while she sat on the stool to look into the bronze mirror.

When exactly did this Hudie appear?

Although it is a pink Hudie, its appearance is quite strange.

All that could be seen was a chubby head with no eyes, but a rather large mouth was drawn.

Li Qingluo reached out and touched it.

Suddenly, she felt it seemed to move a bit.

She immediately retracted her hands.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed perhaps just her imagination.

"I, the prince, am about to come in."

The door frame knocked twice; Li Qingluo hurriedly pulled on her clothes, went to the back and opened the window.

"Your Highness, did you send them away?"

Since she had arrived, he was not in a hurry to climb through the window.

The two stood separated by the window, Duan Rongshi lowered his head to look at the young lady inside the house.

Seeing her swollen red eyes, he couldn't help but sigh.

Yes, otherwise how could I see you?

I saw your maid sneaking off to see your grandmother, but what happened to you?

Li Qingluo thought: If I tell him about the butterfly mark on her shoulder, would he still want to personally take another look?

She hurriedly said, "Oh? How would this commoner girl not know?"

"Your Highness, since this commoner girl has safely returned home, and you are also tired today, please hurry back to rest."

Duan Rongshi: "Breaking the bridge after crossing the river?"

Although it was indeed inconvenient to mention their matter to her grandmother right now, her attitude of wanting to drive him away still hurt the dignified Prince Su's face.

"You—"

He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her close against himself.

"Don't shed any more tears, hear me?"

He could no longer utter harsh words, merely throwing out that sentence before turning and leaving.

Li Qingluo watched his retreating back disappear, then touched her own face as it is now.

Could he truly accept her current appearance without any grudge?

Even if he can now, what about in the long run?

If she cannot regain even a fraction of her former beauty, could he still always like this plain-looking Li Qingluo?

Moreover.

She would never become a concubine.

As a side consort, she would not be willing either.

She dare not even aspire to the position of principal consort.

An outside lover?

Grandmother would first strangle her with a noodle.

After she and her grandmother established a separate household, although they were not implicated in Li Chao Jing's crime of confiscation and extermination, their family status in Jinling City is probably even less esteemed by anyone.

What's more, the imperial family?

Although grandmother was indeed a renowned female general, the only one.

But that was thirty years ago.

People still wish to address her as 'old general', which is the honor brought by her glorious military achievements.

But this cannot offset the prejudice that people, even the emperor, hold against her for, thirty years later, bringing her direct granddaughter to sever ties with the clan and leave her husband's family.

Li Qingluo, although she does not care about fame and status.

Nor does she regret establishing a separate household with her grandmother.

But secular customs and imperial palace regulations doom her and Duan Rongshi to not have a good ending.

Rather than becoming a resentful couple in the future, it would be better never to have started.

Moreover, how many loves in this world can last forever?

Is it like Nan Jia's parents, who disregarded fame and propriety to stay together for life, yet ended up causing Nan Jia to suffer years of hardship in childhood?

Or is it like grandmother, who braved fire and water to marry into the Li family, only to end up never seeing her husband again in life or death?

The sorrow of love, the greatest in the world.

If he will change in the future, she would rather it never have begun.

"Duan Rongshi, perhaps you are just a passing fancy?"

She shook her head in confusion, and personally closed the window tightly again.

Li Qingluo had a nightmare all night.

In the dream, Deng Mama was covered in blood, crawling like a dog in the hall of the Spring Banquet Building, being humiliated, kicked, and whipped by everyone.

They pointed at her and laughed loudly.

They poured wine over her head.

They spat saliva on her face.

Wherever she crawled, the ground was left with a trail of blood…

Que'er was also hoisted high up, blood dripping from his whole body…

Suddenly, the Spring Banquet Building erupted in flames.

Everyone ran away.

The two of them, grandmother and granddaughter, stood in the fire yet were laughing.

"Miss, rather than suffer pain and torment, it would be better to just die like this… and be clean."

"Miss, I, the old servant, am leaving first; don't be afraid, I'll leave you a Que'er."

"You just need to remember to avenge her."

"This old servant is just an old pair of arms and legs; don't worry about me… we'll meet again in the next life."

"In the next life, the old servant will still serve and follow you…"

Li Qingluo shouted loudly: "No, Deng Mama!"

She struggled awake, drenched in sweat all over.

Cui Er came over holding a lamp, "Miss, did you have a nightmare?"

Li Qingluo's face was covered in both sweat and tears.

She covered her face with both hands.

Her whole body trembled with pain.

「Cui Er, do you have any alcohol? 」

「Forget……forget it. 」

She would pass out as soon as she touched alcohol.

Sleeping for a day and a night was not difficult.

Although this was a way to escape the pain, it was truly cowardly—how could she face Grandma?

She simply got up, first sneaking into Que'er's room to glance at Que'er.

Que'er was sleeping soundly.

Her face still bore unhealed wounds.

She still clutched a handkerchief in her hand; Li Qingluo gently pulled it out to look.

It was a handkerchief she and Deng Mama had embroidered together while sitting idle in the courtyard.

Deng Mama was the best at needlework among all these grandmothers.

So she wanted to teach Li Qingluo.

She had embroidered a flower on the front.

Li Qingluo then embroidered a tangled mess of leaves on the back.

She had wanted to throw it away, but Que'er snatched it and happily stuffed it into her embrace, saying, 'You don't want it; I do.'

'Now I have everything belonging to Grandma and the young lady.'

Thinking of the past, Li Qingluo's heart grew ever more painful.

She slipped out quietly, then returned to Free Abode, picked up her sword, and swung wildly in the courtyard.

When she was so exhausted she could hardly move, the sky had fully brightened.

Li Qingluo had just lain down on the ground when people from Prince Su Fu arrived.

Leng Dian: 'Miss, Your Highness orders you to visit Prince Su Fu; Qin Ling and his wife have been captured.'

'Also, Luo Shen Yi and Doctor Du have already gone ahead.'

Li Qingluo sprang up into a sitting position, 'Go!'

After she dressed herself in male attire for ease of movement, she and Leng Dian had just left Jiangjun Fu when she saw a sea of black heads at the gate.

Leng Dian looked at Li Qingluo: 'It seems to be one of your people.'