Chapter 352: The Zheng Mother and Child Meet Misfortune—Where to Go?

Li Jingchuan, this won't do?

Although Li Qingluo was greatly startled, she still only showed a calm, unremarkable demeanor.

After all, she was merely a senior maid beside the Old Lady today.

Losing her composure also exposed her.

"Are you Aunt Zheng?"

Pei Lao Furen coldly stared at the woman on the ground, sizing her up.

It was said that Li Chao Jing had deeply cherished her in the past, favoring her alone for many years, and had practically made the Moonlight Garden the main courtyard of the General's Manor.

Is she the legitimate daughter of the Zheng family?

She indeed possesses considerable beauty; even though she is now aged, her graceful charm remains hard to conceal.

No wonder Li Chao Jing, that fool, has long yearned for her.

"I, Madame Zheng, pay my respects to the Old Lady."

Although Zheng Wanxiu gained her freedom six years ago and is still an incense master of the Lotus Sect, as long as she returns, she remains merely a concubine of Li Chao Jing.

Pei Lao Furen said: "You need not call me Old Lady. I have already left the sect and severed ties with the clan; I am no longer a member of the Li family."

Madame Zheng prostrated on the ground, kowtowing heavily, and wept as she said: "Old Lady, even if you no longer acknowledge the Li family, you must still recognize your blood-related grandson, must you not?"

"Jingchuan has always admired and longed to have a grandmother like you."

"Unfortunately, due to the mistress's persecution back then, he has wandered outside these years, living a sickly, neither-human-nor-ghost existence."

"Please have pity on this child, save him—Old Lady!!"

Only then did Pei Lao Furen turn her gaze to the person lying nearby.

She looked again intently—was it him?

That Young Master Jingchuan?

Not only had she seen him before at the Pei family mausoleum, but hadn't Luo'er brought him back to stay and recuperate for two days last time?

Later he left silently without making a sound, not even greeting anyone, and Pei Lao Furen still thought him an extremely rude young man.

As it turned out… he was actually her own biological grandson?

Seeing that he was already taking in little breath and letting out much, regardless of whether he could survive, Pei Lao Furen immediately had someone summon Luo Fan over.

While Zheng Wanxiu lay beside Li Jingchuan, stroking his chest, she kept calling out: "Jingchuan… Jingchuan?"

"Jingchuan, hold on—the divine doctor will save you… don't scare Mother."

Only then did Pei Lao Furen secretly glare at Li Qingluo.

Obviously, this little monkey had long known her status as the illegitimate older brother's sibling, yet she still kept it hidden from herself.

Li Qingluo secretly stuck out her tongue.

In truth, her heart had now been deeply pierced by a thorn.

She could not tell her grandmother that she had been schemed by the Zheng siblings to exchange lives, in order to prolong Li Jingchuan's life.

Before her grandmother, Li Jingchuan and she were alike—both bloodlines drifted abroad.

More importantly, Li Jingchuan is a male grandson.

Furthermore, due to fate, she had already developed a faint, complex sibling affection for Li Jingchuan.

But now she does not know whether Li Jingchuan originally approached her intentionally, also intending to design a life‑for‑life scheme against her.

Otherwise, his death would not be a bad outcome.

"Old Lady, don't be anxious. Grandfather Luo will save him."

Li Qingluo softly comforted Pei Lao Furen; hearing her voice, Zheng Wanxiu immediately lifted her head to search.

Only upon seeing her ordinary, unremarkable face did she dispel the suspicion in her heart.

Had it not been for Li Qingluo's whereabouts being unknown, and that Zulya's life or death also uncertain, she would not have come to this point.

"Child, acknowledging one's ancestors and returning to the clan… perhaps that is your destiny."

When Luo Fan rushed over, Li Jingchuan had already been carried into the room.

Seeing that Li Jingchuan was nearly beyond help, he hurriedly administered acupuncture first.

"Nonsense! Didn't I say people need rest? How dare you run around."

"Why not just let him die and bring him back, so I can resurrect him?"

"Better just bury him and be done with it!"

Luo Fan's face turned black with anger.

Pei Lao Furen gave an embarrassed cough: "Alright, Luo Fan, what exactly is his ailment? Why does he look so frail?"

Even though Pei Lao Furen had spoken, Luo Fan could only swallow his resentment.

"An incurable cold ailment, already at the end of its strength."

Pei Lao Furen long could not accept this fact.

"Is it… that child who was thrown into the lake back then?"

She thought of it.

Zheng Wanxiu's eyes reddened, and tears rolled down.

Pei Lao Furen slammed her fist heavily on the table: "What sin!"

"This Qu Shi, the Qu clan, all deserve to be hacked to pieces!"

Not knowing what suffering this child has endured these years, Pei Lao Furen's heart also feels a measure of anguish and pity.

Luo Fan, unwilling to see Pei Lao Furen heartbroken, again comforted: "If he obeys, I can still let him live a few more years—no problem. The key is, if he disobeys and tosses about, even immortals cannot prolong his life."

Zheng Wanxiu: "Please, divine doctor, save my son's life! I will surely repay with my life."

Pei Lao Furen: "What repayment? What is your status? You know it yourself!"

Don't implicate my whole family—that's how to repay kindness!

If you truly want what's best for your son, you shouldn't have taken the wrong path to begin with!

What have you done?

Wasn't he living peacefully in my manor? Do you want him to really die outside, or what, making him run off to stir up trouble?

If you had brought him to see me years ago, perhaps he wouldn't have ended up with only a few years to live!

Pei Lao Furen flew into a rage, launching a tirade at Zheng Wanxiu from head to toe.

Zheng Wanxiu had unspeakable suffering; hearing Pei Lao Furen's last words, she was utterly devastated and collapsed limp on the ground.

This was a possibility she had never imagined……

Since meeting Zulya, she had only ever hoped for a life-for-life method.

Unexpectedly, perhaps the Old Lady could really save Jingchuan's life!

The divine doctor by the Old Lady's side...... is truly able to save lives!

If it weren't for Lingzhou's unknown fate, Jingchuan wouldn't have followed her on a wild goose chase.

As it turned out, the Lingchuan rescued by the Lotus Sect was actually a fake!

Even to this day, she doesn't know where the real Lingchuan is……

They siblings were separated, and Jingchuan, who had been raised since childhood by his maternal uncle, how could he not be anxious?

Since Jingyun Shan Zhuang was destroyed, the Lotus Sect's forces belonging to her and Lingchuan have been utterly scattered, making it hard to accomplish anything now.

Now the sect's supreme power has completely fallen into the hands of the sect leader; she, formerly an incense master, has likewise fallen into contempt after Lingzhou's arrest……

If it weren't for her quick thinking in bringing Jingchuan to escape, perhaps even the Lotus Sect wouldn't have made it out this time.

Looking at her son's dying breath, Zheng Wanxiu flung herself onto him and wailed: 'It's Mother who harmed you——'

Pei Lao Furen: 'Enough. What's the use of crying now?'

Come out!

Pei Lao Furen, supported by Li Qingluo, came to the courtyard again with a grim face.

You're quite capable—afraid I won't save your son, you're still thinking of threatening me?

You don't even think—if you really want to spill something harmful to the Li family, can your son even escape?

Zheng Wanxiu thudded to her knees again.

Old Lady, I am foolish; fearing you wouldn't wish to see us mother and son, that's why I spoke those foolish words.

Please forgive me; I did this reckless thing out of desperation to save my son.

Pei Lao Furen felt pity for her motherly heart and didn't hold it against her.

She merely asked: 'Then tell me, what do you have in your hands that could utterly ruin the Li family, making recovery impossible?'

Zheng Wanxiu lowered her head: 'Yes... it's me myself.'

Back then, after Jingchuan's father returned from the border passes, he suffered nightmares every night and couldn't sleep peacefully; it was I who accompanied him through those days.

He personally told me what he had done.

Li Qingluo looked toward Pei Lao Furen, whose face also darkened.

This matter, who else have you told?

Zheng Wanxiu hastily waved her hands: 'No! Not even my younger brother have I mentioned this to.'

Pei Lao Furen, however, didn't readily believe her: 'Don't you hate Qu Shi? She killed several of your children. Have you never thought of taking revenge on the Li family?'

Zheng Wanxiu fell silent.

She had faked her death and escaped the Li family, intending to flee far away from that troubled inner court and thereafter live freely.

If this matter were truly exposed to take revenge on the Li family, it would not only expose herself but also mean that Li Jingchuan's origins would come to light.

She naturally wouldn't risk implicating her son by doing such a mutually destructive act.

Li Qingluo, however, knew this very well in her heart.

Zheng Wanxiu, in order to save Li Jingchuan, secretly gave her own background clues to her grandmother.

Having her grandmother bring her back to the Jiangjun Fu—wasn't that just causing an uproar, with people and animals in turmoil?

Parents weren't like parents, children weren't like children, brothers weren't like brothers.

The family turned against each other, and to this day, she, the hidden instigator, should be the most satisfied.

Moreover, her true aim was even to make herself, like in her previous life, filled with hatred and die with resentment soaring to the heavens.

Yet it's strange that in her previous life, on her deathbed, she didn't see those who had achieved their goal.

Perhaps it was Li Qingluo's overly sharp gaze; Zheng Wanxiu lifted her head and glanced at her once more.

As it turns out, even the Old Lady's senior maid has such sharp eyes; it seems she really is, as rumored, a person who keeps her word and cannot tolerate a speck of sand in her eyes.

Thinking of her son still begging her to save his life, Zheng Wanxiu finally spoke slowly: 'Old Lady, if I harbored any ill intent…… I wouldn't have secretly sent you the clues about the eldest daughter's background.'

Pei Lao Furen was shocked: 'Could it really be…… you!?'