Chapter 361: Li Qingluo

Zheng Wanxiu was startled when she saw the newcomer.

She stood up and stepped back: "Why is it you?"

"I want to see your master; why did you come?"

Zuli Ya curled her lips into a smile: "What do you think? Zheng Xiangzhu, I, a living person who has successfully swapped fates, stand before you—do you truly dare not recognize me?"

Zheng Wanxiu stared at the young woman before her in extreme terror.

She—did she use her disciple's life to exchange for herself?

"You… you…"

A thick wave of fear rose in Zheng Wanxiu's heart; for the first time she sensed the fate‑swapping technique concretely.

Zuli Ya slowly sat down, pushed open the window, and looked out at the calm, ripple‑free waters of the Qinhuai River.

"Ku Lianqiao is both my disciple and my cousin's daughter. Though we are not yet bound by the five‑generation kinship, I have long calculated that she is the only one whose Eight Characters align with mine; naturally I can use her life to free myself."

"Isn't that exactly what you have long coveted?"

"Just as you once painstakingly handed the clue to the true Li family heiress to that old scoundrel of the Pei family, wasn't it to have her help you retrieve the real legitimate eldest daughter, so you could swap your son's fate?"

At this moment, Li Qingluo, who had already swiftly returned and was hiding in the pre‑prepared adjacent empty room, felt Prince Su, standing behind her, stiffen slightly upon hearing those words.

Li Qingluo had already guessed the truth, so hearing it now elicited no particular emotion.

She gently clasped Duan Rongshi's hand, intending to soothe him in return.

Duan Rongshi lifted her chin, making her look at him.

This is not a tavern rigged with traps by Old Lady Pei's men, so the two of them cannot even utter any superfluous sounds.

Yet Duan Rongshi's gaze at this moment was ominously terrifying.

He was questioning her: "Is this true? Do you know yourself?"

The affairs within the Li family's inner residence are too filthy, so seeing that she can handle them deftly, he rarely intervenes and never asks much.

But if this is true, what crimes has she actually suffered?

She still has a brother in this world, and he too has come to claim her life?

Yet she never mentioned a single word of it in front of herself.

It seems she has many more secrets hidden from him.

And his concern and understanding of her, at this moment, make him feel deeply ashamed and self‑critical.

Duan Rongshi held her tightly, sighing with extreme anguish.

If it weren't for his insistence on following her today, he truly would not have known the grievance she endured.

Li Qingluo could only smile faintly.

She lightly patted Duan Rongshi's chest, helplessly holding her breath several times, striving to stay more alert, and then they continued listening.

Zheng Wanxiu's voice came: "…Yes! I must save Xiao Chuan, I must save his life!"

"We beg the Master of Yun Valley to help mother and son."

"Now, the opportunity should also be ripe."

"Shall we act quickly?"

Zuli Ya: "Since that one just now was a fake Li Qingluo, the real one, I truly do not know where she is."

Zheng Wanxiu: "What? How could this be? Wasn't she captured by you?"

Zuli Ya: "First I ask you, have you truly confirmed that the one accompanying you today is a fake Li Qingluo?"

Zheng Wanxiu nodded without hesitation.

"She could never be real!"

"This woman behaves frivolously, speaks arrogantly and foolishly, and clings to her false identity as if it were genuine…"

"Anyway, I thought she wouldn't be real."

"But why can't you recognize her?"

"The guard following her, isn't that sent by the Sect Leader?"

Zuli Ya: "What Sect Leader sent them? This is… disastrous!"

"You fool! You've been duped!"

Zuli Ya instantly recovered.

But it was too late; with a splash 'whoosh', several black silhouettes fluttered out of the water.

These people were the Night‑Assassin Gate assassins Li Qingluo had long ambushed here.

Zuli Ya waved her hand, releasing a handful of poison powder.

Then she released a basket of poisonous snakes and insects.

Yet Li Qingluo had already prepared defenses against him.

She had long scattered sulfur in the nearby water, and coated the ship's hull with anti‑insect powder.

Even the sandalwood scent she wore today was meant to repel poison.

Unfortunately, Zuli Ya was so careless today that she detected no hint of the abnormal scent.

It's unclear whether, having taken Ku Lianqiao's body, her spirit is still unsettled.

Li Qingluo's Night‑Assassin Gate subordinates now wore iron masks.

Confronted by the oncoming poisonous snakes and insects, they immediately leapt along iron chains already nailed to the boat to evade.

And the few people Zuli Ya brought were already silently and completely dealt with by Assassin Three, Assassin Ten, and Assassin Eleven.

At this moment, the surroundings were silent.

Where are those lingering spring sounds from just now?

This flower boat, when Assassin Three arranged it, had already become a heaven‑and‑earth net that Li Qingluo deliberately set for the two of them.

So, after Zulya entered this room, the madam had already quietly taken everyone on the ship away from this dangerous place.

After all, it's a choice between life and money, and the madam would make a wise decision.

Seeing that escape through the window was impossible, Zulya and Zheng Wanxiu could only join forces to rush outward.

However, Killer One and Killer Six approached them slowly, swords in hand, at the door.

Without a word, Killer Six lunged at Zheng Wanxiu to kill her.

Zulya's hands were full of sinister poisons and poisonous insects; Li Qingluo had previously told Killer One, so Killer One had made preparations in advance.

At this moment, his blades were also coated with something special, causing those poisonous insects to fall to the ground on contact and then quickly incinerate into ash.

As for the poison powder, Killer One also wore an iron mask, so it had no effect on him.

Moreover, Killer One also fired the hidden weapon that Li Qingluo had specially prepared for him.

He threw it accurately, and it struck Zulya's body.

The same coated hidden weapon caused Zulya to go limp and collapse to the ground instantly.

All of today's preparations were made specifically to counter Zulya's sinister and vicious methods.

She, too, had no way to escape.

Moreover, a swarm of poisonous insects crawled out of her body; Killer One quickly scattered some insecticide powder, watching those insects struggle and fall still, while Zulya could only glare angrily.

"You… you… you deserve to die… I will kill you!!"

Zheng Wanxiu was still fighting desperately.

Until Li Qingluo walked out slowly.

"Aunt Zheng, if you die here today, I will tell Li Jingchuan in detail how you died."

Zheng Wanxiu shouted loudly: "No!"

She struggled to throw away her sword, her face full of despair: "It turns out this was the trap you set for me!"

"I have seriously underestimated you, Li Qingluo!"

Li Qingluo: "Do you really expect me to just wait obediently for you to come take my life?"

Zheng Wanxiu collapsed completely to the ground.

She knew that all her darkness was now laid bare before Li Qingluo.

She must know everything now!

But… but what should Xiao Chuan do?

Is this method no longer usable at all?

"Li Qingluo, it's your mother who owes me——"

"You clearly know that it was your mother who owed me the lives of my three children!"

"As her daughter, repaying her debt is only natural, isn't it——"

Li Qingluo found it utterly ridiculous: "Shut up!"

"A mother's kindness makes a daughter filial. Though she gave birth to me, she never raised me; I have already repaid her life‑giving grace by voluntarily cutting the rope and falling off Guanshui Cliff in the beginning."

"Why should I have to repay her with my life?"

"Is it because Qu Sanniang did those evil deeds to you that you demand my life as repayment? If you truly have the ability, why not go demand her life yourself?"

"All these years, relying on your own abilities, could you not kill her?"

"In the end, you are reluctant to give up my father, who has affection for you, so you can only direct your hands and feet toward me, this equally suffering discarded daughter who is not loved by anyone in the Li family."

"Aunt Zheng, what kind of uprightness are you pretending to have?"

"Do you want me to go home, throw the entire Li family into chaos, let me die wronged and miserable… and even want to lock my soul, then exchange lives for lives?"

"In your eyes, Li Jingchuan's life is a life, but my Li Qingluo's life is not a life?"

"I forgot to tell you."

"Even if you want my life, Li Jingchuan obtaining this body of mine would probably not bring him much pleasure either."

"Hasn't the Master of Yun Valley told you that she has also poisoned me?"

Zheng Wanxiu turned her head in shock toward Zulya.

Zulya, however, completely ignored her.

He merely stared coldly at Li Qingluo: "How did you come to know these secrets?"

"Zha Yina is already dead, isn't she? How did you find out!!"

Li Qingluo: "Are you referring to the Western Regions' evil art, the soul‑returning technique?"

"I know much more as well."

"For example, one whose soul has been swapped must, before death, be filled with resentment and die a miserable death, so that the soul can be locked away and never be reborn."

"Zulya, if your maternal uncle's family all know how the true bitter lianqiao died."

"As the sect leader, you are using this face of bitter lianqiao—can you still continue?"

Only then did Zulya's face completely change color.

"You—you dare! What you said is correct; you have already taken the poison I refined for five years—don't even think—"

Li Qingluo gave a glance, and Killer One immediately stepped forward, striking Zulya unconscious with the hilt of his sword.

Li Qingluo: "Take them all away."

Dealing with these two people didn't take much effort at all.

Tonight, it was also unusually smooth.

Li Qingluo was satisfied and about to pack up and disembark to go home, but Duan Rongshi grabbed her again at the gangway.

And held her tightly in his arms.

Duan Rongshi took off his face mask, revealing a face already filled with considerable anger.

Li Qingluo, I truly have never underestimated you. Knowing you have the ability, you managed to capture this Zuliya by yourself.

But how will you deal with me?

That poison, do you already know what's wrong with you?

And your older brother——

Why don't you tell me these things?

Li Qingluo raised her hand and gently pressed her finger against Duan Rongshi's warm lips.

Your Highness. At this time tomorrow, let's meet in the Gui Garden.

By then, I will definitely tell you all of these matters in detail, alright?

After saying that, Li Qingluo tiptoed and lightly touched Duan Rongshi's shocked, instantly shattered face.

Leaving a brand as hot as fire.

She quickly lowered her foot, burying her face in his embrace, not daring even to take a deep breath.

She could only affectionately rub her head against him.

Being able to know Your Highness is Luo'er's fortune in this life.

Your Highness… curfew is approaching soon… we… shall meet again.

After saying that, she gently pushed him away.

Then she turned and swiftly leapt onto the bank.

Kill One and Kill Two were waiting for her on the bank, and the three of them quickly vanished into the night……

And Duan Rongshi was still touching his face, staring blankly in the direction she had disappeared.

Then came a scoffing laugh.

It was self-mockery at how easily he had been deceived by her.

Well, I'll be waiting for you tomorrow night to see how you'll explain……

Before Li Qingluo even entered the gate, she saw Zheng Mama rushing over anxiously: "Miss, something terrible has happened! Young Master Jingchuan has committed suicide."