Chapter 359: Luo'er thinks the prince smells wonderful!

If only she had realized earlier, she would have taken little Jingchuan to Blue Pine Temple to seek help from the Old Lady.

Perhaps then she would not have met the Master of Yun Valley, Zulya, and thus would not have known that sinister method, which could exchange the life of Qu Shi's daughter Li Qingluo for her own son's life.

Once this thought arose, she could never turn back.

Now, either let her son wait for death.

At most drag out a few more years of life.

Or let him, relying on Li Qingluo's body, truly come back to life completely!

She had seen it; Li Qingluo's body was healthy as a young calf.

Living to old age would be absolutely fine!

If she could never find that Master of Yun Valley, she would resign herself to fate.

But having struggled to this desperate point, she could still find a sliver of opportunity—how could she give up?

This is an opportunity given by heaven!

Zheng Wanxiu quickly made a decision in her heart.

Seeing the resolve in his mother's eyes, Jingchuan felt utter despair.

He gave a bitter smile…

In his gaze, Li Qingluo saw a hint of resolve.

She was curious, wondering what he intended to do.

Li Qingluo had someone watch Jingchuan.

And in the afternoon, Zheng Wanxiu indeed came to find her quietly.

"I want you to take me to see the Master of Yun Valley."

She spoke to Li Qingluo in a commanding tone.

Li Qingluo told her to be more polite.

Zheng Wanxiu let out a cold sneer, looking down on her: "You're just a substitute, and you still want me to be polite to you?"

"At worst, we'll turn against each other; even if I and little Jingchuan are driven out of here, you'll have seeds of doubt planted in their hearts."

"You deliberately exposed your identity, isn't it just to have me get rid of the real Li Qingluo for you?"

"Only then can you peacefully and contentedly be the eldest miss of this household!"

"If you help me find the Master of Yun Valley, then… I can agree to this."

Li Qingluo showed a pleased smile: "You're absolutely right."

"In that case, wait outside the Delicacies and Wine Tavern at the xu hour tonight."

After Zheng Wanxiu left, Cui Er entered, puzzled.

"Miss, what are you deceiving her into doing?"

Li Qingluo: "Catch a poisonous snake."

Cui Er:?

The miss's actions are becoming ever more mysterious and unfathomable.

Her words are also hard to understand.

Cui Er set down the snacks in her hand, hesitated a moment, then said: "Miss, Que'er said… she wants to become a nun."

Li Qingluo was very surprised: "Why?"

Cui Er: "Miss, she… thinks you don't want her anymore."

Li Qingluo sighed.

"Don't let her overthink; first let her heal her wounds properly."

"It's me… I'm ashamed to see her."

Having said that, she rose to get her sword, when she saw a shadow flash by the doorway.

She knew it was Que'er, but did not pursue.

Nor did she call out to her.

Forget it; I'm now like a mud Buddha crossing the river—I don't know what monster I'll become the day after tomorrow…

What would calling out to her achieve?

To give her hope, yet be utterly unable to fulfill it?

Better to take things one step at a time; we'll talk about the future later.

Li Qingluo knew her time was short.

She dared not sit idle, dressing as a man and hastily taking Sha Yi and Sha Er out the door.

Zheng Mama watched the miss leave again, only able to sigh helplessly.

"Que'er's tantrum threat trick doesn't work anymore."

"The miss doesn't even see her."

"From now on, we probably won't have the chance to accompany the miss on casual outings."

Cui Er: "Granny, you're overthinking; the miss won't forget us."

"Moreover, she's just concerned about Que'er's wound, which is why she didn't go see her."

Anyway, whenever the miss returns home, Cui Er always has everything ready perfectly; the miss has never been disappointed nor forgotten her.

Cui Er is very content.

Zheng Mama gave Cui Er a sideways glance: "What do you know?"

"Before, we few old-timers could all earn the miss's favor."

"Since Old Deng died… the miss probably doesn't dare to use us lightly anymore."

"She is soft-hearted; how could she bear to lose another 'Old Deng'?"

"So, now that we have a better knife at hand, we naturally want to put these old bones of ours at home to idle away."

Cui Er: "Isn't this good enough? We take care of the household affairs, so the young lady has no worries behind her; isn't that also sharing her burden?"

Zheng Mama and Cui Er cannot agree.

"Go away, go away, go away."

She secretly encouraged herself: "Looks like I still need to strengthen my training; I absolutely cannot lose to those young whippersnappers."

"When there's a chance for the young lady to see our skills again, we idle old fogies who just grow mushrooms will then have a chance to be reemployed..."

Que'er, hearing these words in the dark, looked gloomy and heartbroken.

Li Qingluo, intending to make an example of a couple, first went to the Delicacy Restaurant.

Then she went to the Osmanthus Garden.

At the You hour, Duan Rongshi naturally came.

After they had dinner together, Li Qingluo then brought up the matter of the Li family.

"Your Highness, has the case against Li Chao Jing been decided?"

Li Qingluo held the genuine letter from the Jiang family in her hand.

She had already told Duan Rongshi about this early on.

Given Duan Rongshi's nature, even if he liked Li Qingluo more, he could not possibly bend the law for personal feelings.

Although the Li family was targeted for death by the crown prince and empress's faction, Li Chao Jing's past crimes are an indisputable fact.

Therefore, at most he could do was to have her and Pei Lao Furen sever ties with the clan first, removing them from the family.

Li Qingluo could only think of a way herself.

She did not actually intend to rescue the person.

Otherwise she would have acted long ago, and would not have let Li Chao Jing and Li Kechuan father and son be imprisoned so long, suffering inside.

She merely felt pity for her grandmother.

Moreover, she did not want the empress's faction to get their way.

"If we could make this matter controversial and give a lighter punishment, would that be possible?"

Duan Rongshi: "How would you like to give a lighter punishment?"

Li Qingluo: "Exile or confiscation of property would do."

"As long as we can leave a survivor."

Duan Rongshi said nothing.

Li Qingluo rose and knelt down: "Your Highness, I, your humble servant, know that my thoughts have become selfish, disregarding the facts."

"He deserves to die."

"But his death alone would be enough; to punish the whole clan, is that not cruel?"

Duan Rongshi: "You dare question the laws of DaLiang? What gall!"

Li Qingluo stared at Duan Rongshi's eyes.

She knew that plucking a hair from this tiger's head was a suicidal act.

But she had also promised her grandmother.

"I beg Your Highness for a chance... five years; five years later, if I, your humble servant, am still alive, I will personally settle him, upholding justice by sacrificing kin to uphold righteousness!"

"Even if the Li family were indeed exterminated today, would that not satisfy the empress's faction's wishes?"

"How?"

"Five years would also be enough for my grandmother to fulfill her regrets."

"Five years later, she will again send the genuine evidence to her grandmother; the fair and unbiased grandmother will naturally understand her meaning."

Duan Rongshi bent over, reached out, and lifted Li Qingluo's face.

He narrowed his eyes at her: "What do you mean, 'you'll still be alive in five years'?"

"Li Qingluo, are you hiding something from this prince?"

Li Qingluo turned her head away.

"The world is unpredictable; I, your humble servant, am merely speaking hypothetically."

Duan Rongshi: "All right, get up."

"For this matter, you can write a letter to ***. Don't you still have two other handwriting samples from the late Deputy General Jiang?"

"Send it together to ***, and after *** sees it, it will be clear."

*** and the empress's faction have always been at odds.

She would be glad to meddle in this matter.

"By then, if the evidence is flawed, it will be impossible to definitively determine Li Chao Jing's guilt."

Li Qingluo thought the same.

"But without going through Duan Rongshi's channels, she feared that afterward this would become a thorn between them."

"Having obtained his promise, Li Qingluo would go back and write the letter."

Seeing her still kneeling, Duan Rongshi sighed and personally pulled her up to bring her close.

"Is this how you now manipulate this prince?"

He angrily pinched her soft cheeks.

"However, Li Chao Jing will surely die sooner or later; he indeed does not mind if he dies five years later, nor how he dies."

"For example, dying unnaturally on the road to exile—there are far too many such possibilities."

"As for the cruel officials she mentioned... as the Prince Su who once exterminated a household in a single night, he had nothing to say."

Li Qingluo blushed, struggling to pull her hand free, and walked a short distance away.

"Your Highness, speak of serious matters."

Duan Rongshi noticed that Li Qingluo was avoiding him.

She didn't want him to touch her?

Although it was just pulling a hand, she clearly was not like that yesterday.

This made him suspicious.

"When have I ever not been serious?"

"As for you..."

Li Qingluo knew he had grown suspicious, and quickly changed the subject: "Your Highness, didn't you return to the prince's manor last night?"

Duan Rongshi: "I went into the palace."

Li Qingluo immediately understood: something happened in the palace last night?

But I don't know what it was.

She glanced at him curiously.

Duan Rongshi: "I'll tell you slowly later."

"You have nothing else to say to me?"

She came to the Guiyuan of her own accord; aside from the Li family matters, there must be something else.

Why won't you say it?

Duan Rongshi stepped toward her again, pressing closer.

Li Qingluo only sensed a strange fragrance in her breath.

She had smelled this fragrance this morning.

Later, she also smelled it in the Qingzhu Garden.

Afterward, when Kill One and Kill Two came to find her, she also smelled it.

Li Qingluo watched as Duan Rongshi approached her again, but her heart kept feeling bitter.

"Your Highness... I heard you went to the Princess Qin Yu's residence the night before last; I wonder what you did there?"

Duan Rongshi pulled her into his embrace.

Seeing her expression, clearly there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes, yet she asked such a thing.

He said softly: "I didn't see Zong Zheng Yuer. It seems her injury that day was indeed serious."

"However, I have already confirmed that Zulya is in the princess's manor; tonight I will personally go capture her to detoxify you."

"Are you perhaps afraid of this?"

Li Qingluo felt a sourness at the tip of her nose.

She forced back a laugh: "No."

"But if... I also become a monster, would Your Highness personally slay me to eliminate future trouble?"

Duan Rongshi: "What nonsense are you speaking?"

"Luo'er, what on earth is wrong with you?"

Li Qingluo couldn't help but hug him, tiptoed to bring her head close to his neck and inhaled deeply: "You... smell so good."