Chapter 347

Duan Rongshi: "So, are Ku Lianqiao and Zulya blood relatives?"

Li Qingluo nodded: "Zhuyina's notes mentioned that Ku Lianqiao is her maternal aunt's biological granddaughter."

So, are these Western Region sisters Ku Lianqiao's maternal grandaunt?

No wonder, Ku Lianqiao has Western Region poison in her hand.

I suppose this poison must all come from Zhuyina's hand.

Zhuyina has been confined by Zulya these past few years; even if it were for the old lord's life, she would comply, doing whatever she was told to do.

Now, in order to escape and save his own life, Zulya has also seized the direct biological granddaughter of his benefactor.

These sisters are indeed both ruthless enough.

Li Qingluo only still had one question: "If Ku Lianqiao is Zulya, but they are clearly held in far-apart cells, how could they have done this?"

Moreover, with the eight characters matching and resentment soaring to the heavens, has this Zulya long been prepared?

She might have brought Ku Lianqiao to DaLiang perhaps because she had long wanted to give herself a youthful, beautiful body...

Li Qingluo suddenly thought of something.

Zheng Lingzhou and his sister repeatedly entangled.

Li Jingchuan's frail body.

Lotus Sect.

Zulya.

When she was at Jingyun Shan Zhuang, Zheng Lingzhou forced her to drink many nourishing tonics, hoping to make her body healthier.

He constantly said he regarded her as family.

Yet each time it landed her in trouble, even causing the death of those around her, showing he never truly cared for her.

He merely wanted to extort and deceive her, thinking she was love-starved and would come running to him, wagging her tail and begging for pity, a tearful little maiden.

Yes, if it were my past self, perhaps I would truly have sunk into this deceit.

After all, in her previous life she died without ever receiving a shred of sincerity.

She longed for sincerity and kinship.

She hoped someone would treat her kindly...

In her previous life, wasn't she died full of resentment in the ruined house of the Jiangjun Fu?

Grandma once said, the clue to her origins came from a letter of unknown origin.

Could this letter have been written by the Zheng siblings?

Upon thinking this, Li Qingluo shuddered violently.

She seemed to finally truly understand what kind of conspiracy trap she had fallen into in both her past and present lives.

Her face also turned pale.

Turns out they were also plotting this!

"Luoluo?"

Duan Rongshi held Li Qingluo's icy hand and softly called her.

Li Qingluo came to her senses, seeing Duan Rongshi's brows furrowed, his gaze toward her filled with deep worry.

"What's wrong? Did you recall something unpleasant?"

Li Qingluo: "Perhaps someone also wants to use this dark art to seize my flesh."

Duan Rongshi: "What are you saying? Li Qingluo, do you know what you're saying?"

His voice rose several notches.

Li Qingluo: "Your Highness, if this Ku Lianqiao truly is Zulya, she must not live!"

Moreover, this commoner wishes to see Zheng Lingzhou.

Duan Rongshi knew she hadn't finished speaking.

Moreover, Li Qingluo gently pulled her hand from his palm, leaving him also feeling a faint sense of loss.

Duan Rongshi's expression also dimmed: "Life for life, soul for soul. This demon must not be allowed to remain in the world, or it will surely bring chaos to the court and the realm, collapse the order, and destroy morality."

Not far away, Old Wu pulled Zhui Yu and asked: "That one? Is that really Miss Li?"

"Good grief, my obedient Li Miss, how did you become like this?"

Zhui Yu: "So what? Even though the Miss's appearance is now more plain and elegant, does that mean she isn't a Miss?"

"Hmph, those who judge by looks!"

"Come on, Your Highness should take the Miss to see those foolish and toxic things."

Old Wu: "Which should we see first?"

Zhui Yu: "Of course it's Sha Lei, that damned wretch!"

Li Qingluo saw Sha Lei and really had nothing to say.

Old Wu gave her a wink, then held up the items and said: "Miss, are these your belongings?"

Sleeve arrows, carried medicinal pellets, a bracelet with fine threads, a dagger...

And a pouch of silver.

Li Qingluo took them all back and put them on, saying: "Thank you, Old Wu. Are you feeling better?"

Old Wu grinned: "With so many physicians in the manor, how could my lowly life not get better?"

"Miss, just rest assured."

Sha Lei heard the voice and slowly lifted his head.

He was suspended by iron chains on both sides, his whole body hanging midair.

Upon seeing Li Qingluo's current face, he even stared blankly for a moment.

But Zhui Yu and Old Wu both called her 'miss', clearly something had changed, but she was indeed Li Qingluo.

Knowing Li Qingluo had escaped danger again, he gave a cold snort.

You really are blessed with great luck.

If not for Your Highness, you would surely have trouble getting out of this again.

Besides relying on Your Highness, what other abilities do you have?

Li Qingluo hadn't spoken yet, Old Wu spat first.

Guard against thieves, guard against thieves—so-called domestic thieves are hard to defend against.

If not for the miss's trust in you, do you think you'd have a chance to capture her?

Li Qingluo also brought two assassins when she came to Prince Su's Manor; if not for Sha Lei that day, she really wouldn't have dismissed the Night Slaying Sect's people.

So Old Wu's words were indeed correct.

Over these years, have you never relied on Prince Su, Your Highness?

If not for staying by Your Highness's side to work, what chance would you have to appear publicly?

Even on days licking blood from the blade, do you think just anyone can be Prince Su's close guard?

Besides, relying on Your Highness, wouldn't that not be my own ability?

How many people in the world can rely on Your Highness? I suppose that also counts as my strong point.

Sha Lei: "You consider it not an honor but a disgrace—"

Li Qingluo raised her hand, a 'whoosh' arrow shot at Sha Lei's wrist.

It was as if a soul-locking nail had been driven in; his arms had long been hanging, already hard to support, and this made his bone marrow tremble with pain.

You...

Seeing Sha Lei trembling all over, Old Wu and Zhui Yu silently stepped back half a step, not daring to interject.

Li Qingluo: "You took advantage of someone unprepared, betrayed my wholehearted trust—what good is that?"

Under the pretense of doing good for Your Highness, you commit betrayal, abandoning lord and righteousness—where does loyalty come from?

If not for your scheming, how could my Granny Deng have suffered brutal torture and lost her life?

Upon hearing that her person had died, Sha Lei's heart gave a fierce jolt.

The princess…… is not a vicious person.

Besides, as long as you obey honestly and are willing to leave Your Highness, how would the princess not let you go?

Li Qingluo seemed to hear a huge joke, she threw her head back and laughed "haha" twice.

What sort of person is she, you don't know?

The leader of the Lotus Sect, what kind of good person could they be?

Arson, killing, looting—do you think she's just playing house, casually playing with Your Highness?

Are you stupid or not, Sha Lei?

Or you clearly know what kind of person she is, but you want her to serve Your Highness, so you wish to use me as a sacrifice, letting Princess Qin Yu not leave Your Highness.

Sha Lei, it's clearly that you yourself like Princess Qin Yu and don't want her to drift further from Your Highness, right?

Sha Lei, whose thoughts were completely seen through, showed annoyed embarrassment on his face.

What are you—

A weed grown in the wilds, one not loved by family, one powerless and insignificant, a useless waste of no benefit to Your Highness—

Sha Lei roared ferociously.

But his expression suddenly froze.

He saw Duan Rongshi slowly walk out from the shadows.

His face instantly filled with panic.

Your, Your Highness...

Sha Lei's whole body went limp, his strength gone; the hoarse voice he just made suddenly choked in his throat.

Put him down.

Duan Rongshi didn't even glance at him, just slowly walked to the master's chair and sat down.

Sha Lei was laid on the ground, he struggled to turn over, crawling and kneeling on the ground.

Duan Rongshi asked him: "How old were you when you came to my side?"

Sha Lei: "Replying to Your Highness, I am seven years old..."

Duan Rongshi: "That year my mother was still alive; you were two years older than me, so you were like an older brother."

Duan Rongshi: "I remember, you were also the eldest among the four of you?"

Sha Lei: "... Yes, Your Highness."

Your temperament is steady and mature, your thoughts meticulous and deep.

Zhui Yu is overly impulsive, always making mistakes, repeatedly taught but not corrected.

Po Feng is a taciturn person, his thoughts also the most straightforward.

Leng Dian lives up to his name, his demeanor cold; handling affairs is also steady and reliable.

You four have accompanied me growing up, through wind and rain to today; there are hardly any more trustworthy close ones beside me.

I have always been most at ease with you.

But I never expected that the first to betray me would be you!

Duan Rongshi sat up, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, eyes coldly fixed on the person before him, gritting his teeth.

Sha Lei, are you worthy of me?

Sha Lei's shoulders gave a violent shudder, his voice already choked with sobbing: "I have failed Your Highness's expectations, deserving of ten thousand deaths!"

Duan Rongshi: "You deserve to die."

You think, just by you, you can be the master of this prince?

You think, the things you like, I must like?

Since you can be this prince's master, how about I let you sit in this Prince Su's position?

How do you know what path this prince will take, and what he wants?

Sha Lei, you have committed a death-worthy crime.

I will not allow any traitor to appear at my side.

Sha Lei's shoulders shuddered violently, and he could no longer utter a word.

As Duan Rongshi led Li Qingluo away, Zhui Yu looked back at Sha Lei with eyes full of sorrow.

We've been brothers for years... Sha Lei, I hate you!

As a servant, you must remember: you will forever be the master's servant.

Otherwise, overturning the heavenly order—wouldn't the world be in chaos?

The door slammed shut with a bang.

This time, Sha Lei was hung up again.

Li Qingluo walked behind Prince Su.

Duan Rongshi lowered his head, saw her looking angry, and asked: 'Are you angry?'

Li Qingluo: 'No, no.'

How could she dare to be angry?

It's just that this Sha Lei really...

Wu Gonggong rushed over, shouting: 'Your Highness, Sha Lei killed himself with an iron chain.'

Li Qingluo froze.

Although she knew he couldn't survive.

No matter what he wanted to do, betrayal is betrayal.

How could Prince Su tolerate a traitor remaining by his side?

But she never expected it to happen so quickly...

She saw Duan Rongshi's fist clench tightly.

Thinking of his words that there were hardly any trusted people left close to him.

Now, there is one fewer.

Her heart filled with bitterness, an impulse surged, and she actually reached out to lightly grasp his big hand.

Duan Rongshi looked down at her in surprise, then the corners of his mouth slightly rose.

Li Qingluo realized what she had done, but before she could dodge, he caught her hand again with a reverse grip.

His big hand tightly wrapped her small hand in his palm, and together they walked toward the deeper, darker place……

A big hand tightly wrapped her small hand in its palm, and the two walked together toward a deeper, darker place…