Chapter 373

Li Qingluo: "Your Highness left the city?"

Moreover, it was done at the Emperor's command?

How could it be so sudden?

Yesterday, what exactly happened to him in the palace?

But when he requested an audience, did the Emperor make things difficult for him?

Li Qingluo's brow unconsciously clouded with a hint of worry.

Seeing this, Wu Gonggong nodded in satisfaction.

It seems Your Highness's sincere devotion was not in vain.

"Don't worry, miss, Your Highness will return safe and sound."

Pei Lao Furen, holding the letter in her hand, was also surprised.

Prince Su's regard for Luo'er appears genuinely heartfelt.

Upon opening the letter, the gloom in her heart lessened a bit.

Li Qingluo saw her grandmother's expression relax; although she was curious what Duan Rongshi had written to her grandmother, she dared not ask.

"Forget it. Since it's a birthday gift from Your Highness, just put it all in your storehouse."

"But his generosity is too extravagant—did he move half his mansion's storehouse to you?"

It's not that Pei Lao Furen looks down on Prince Su's wealth.

Rather, Prince Su's gifts this time are truly excessive, so much that even the head of Tianfeng Trading House finds it extravagant.

The items brought by the Zhongyi Hou Fu were merely placed one by one on the carrying frames.

For example, ten bolts of cloth constitute one load.

A set of headwear counts as one load.

Altogether there were over ten boxes; when opened they amounted to over ten loads, over ten kinds of items.

Although already a very respectable and cherished heavy gift, compared to the Prince Su's mansion's over ten boxes—each chest brimming with treasures—it really paled in comparison.

Wu Gonggong's disdainful tossing of the Zhongyi Hou Fu's boxes out showed he had full confidence.

Wu Gonggong, smiling warmly: "Old Lady, rest assured. From now on, everything belonging to Your Highness will be yours, miss."

"Whether given now or later, it's all giving, isn't it?"

"And this is barely the beginning—those treasures of Your Highness, if left in the storehouse, would be useless, taking up space and gathering dust, just a pile of worthless stones."

"Only if the miss is happy do they become true treasures."

Pei Lao Furen: "This attendant is really a sharp one."

Seeing his respectful attitude toward Luo'er, even if she goes to the Prince Su's mansion, she should not suffer any loss.

Pei Lao Furen smiled satisfactorily: "Please be discreet, Gonggong; the marriage is not yet settled, everything remains undecided."

"Nevertheless, we will accept Your Highness's goodwill this time, Luo'er."

Saying this, Pei Lao Furen firmly patted Li Qingluo's hand.

Li Qingluo smiled faintly, knowing that she and Duan Rongshi had finally passed her grandmother's test today.

That evening, Zheng Mama, supporting her aching waist, laboriously directed the people to carry the boxes to Li Qingluo's small storehouse in Free Abode.

Until the doorway was piled full, yet not all had been moved inside.

Finally, they temporarily found an empty room, placed all the boxes inside, and only then did they tidy up.

Li Qingluo sat by the window, holding a white-sheathed sword inlaid with a green gem, admiring it back and forth in the moonlight and the dim yellow light of the corridor.

Cui Er entered with hot tea: "Miss, you've been looking at it for an hour—do you really like this sword that Prince Su sent?"

Li Qingluo swiftly sheathed the sword and attached a green tassel.

"Its hilt bears the three characters 'Azure Fall Sword'; that is its name."

"It is not merely a treasure sword; I feel deep down that it was meant to be mine."

"From now on, it will be my personal weapon."

Having said that, she rose and personally hung the Azure Fall Sword at the head of her bed.

Zheng Mama hurried in: "Miss, there's a letter."

Li Qingluo gave Cui Er a glance; Cui Er immediately left and shut the door.

Then she sent away everyone in the courtyard and personally stood guard at the gate.

Zheng Mama approached, knelt before Li Qingluo, and continued in a low voice: "Miss, this time the news comes from Yang Qinwu."

"He said that last night, Your Highness personally entered the Hall of Purple Harmony holding a brocade box to seek an audience with the Emperor."

"Prince Su remained in the Hall of Purple Harmony for only half an hour."

"The Empress and the Crown Prince were frantic, their faces dark, constantly moving, but they were all stopped by their imperial guards."

"Yang Qinwu also said he faintly heard the words 'imperial marriage'."

"He couldn't make out anything else, but the Emperor seemed greatly angered… he flew into a great rage!"

"After Prince Su emerged from the Hall of Purple Harmony, he hastily led troops out of the city; it looks as if he received the Emperor's order to go out and undertake some great matter."

Li Qingluo: "A great matter? Yang Qinwu didn't find out—what exactly is it?"

Zheng Mama shook her head: "He dare not listen more; he only heard Your Highness finally reply with a sentence..."

Li Qingluo: "What?"

Zheng Mama: "Your servant will surely not fail the imperial command; I hope the Father Emperor grants a gentleman's word."

Li Qingluo sat on the bedside, feeling very uneasy.

Although she had some guesses, at this moment she only hopes: Duan Rongshi, regardless of the outcome, must return safely.

The next day, the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu received an imperial edict.

This startled both Li Qingluo and Pei Lao Furen greatly.

Could it be that the imperial edict bestowing a marriage has really come down?

The two of them, with the entire household above and below, knelt in the front courtyard to receive the edict.

As it turned out, the emperor's health had greatly improved, and he suddenly recalled Pei Lao Furen's great military achievements for DaLiang in her youth, so he specially permitted Pei Lao Furen to take her family to the Southern Mountain Villa outside the city for the royal summer hunt three days later.

"General Pei, please receive the edict."

The eunuch Liang who delivered the imperial edict gave Pei Lao Furen a look full of meaning.

This Pei family is not simple at all!

Her own son is still in prison, yet she can somehow keep herself completely out of trouble, and even catch the emperor's sudden favor to participate in the summer hunt.

She hasn't been in the court for over thirty years, right?

I heard she has completely severed ties with her natal family, with no more contact.

How could such an old lady suddenly regain the emperor's favor without something fishy going on?

I fear that in the future, the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu will have an unexpected future.

Eunuch Liang today acted all smiles, congratulated Pei Lao Furen, then took the silver and left.

After seeing the person off, Pei Lao Furen immediately ordered the gatekeeper to close the mansion gates tightly.

"Lu'er, the summer hunt three days from now is surely the emperor's pretext to see you!"

"Otherwise, his health just recovered; why would he go to such trouble to arrange a summer hunt, and even specifically order grandmother to bring the family?"

"Nowadays, grandmother's family consists of only you!"

"Lu'er, you must keep this in mind!"

Li Qingluo nodded solemnly: "All right, grandmother, Lu'er understands."

"But what exactly is the summer hunt?"

Pei Lao Furen sighed: "It's the imperial summer hunt, meant to pray for blessings and protect the manor's farmland."

It's actually going hunting?

Wouldn't that mean a lot of people will go?

That's fine; Emperor Yan wouldn't single her out alone.

"Lu'er, grandmother remembers, your birthday is also in three days, right?"

Before Li Qingluo could speak, Pei Lao Furen sighed: "Grandmother originally wanted to give you a lively celebration at home, but alas, we can only accept the edict and go to Southern Mountain to attend the summer hunt."

"Grandmother worries that if you go on this trip, should your poison act up and be seen by others, you might lose control and hurt someone."

Li Qingluo felt a pang in her heart.

"Grandmother, you can trust Lu'er. Moreover… the poison shouldn't act up that quickly."

Pei Lao Furen: "Grandmother doesn't doubt you; it's just that before the imperial family, we cannot allow the slightest mistake."

"Otherwise, not to mention the marriage edict, Lu'er… even your life wouldn't last until Prince Su returns."

Li Qingluo: "Then may Lu'er bring Dong Siyuan along?"

"If necessary, he can administer acupuncture to Lu'er, perhaps suppressing it a bit."

Pei Lao Furen: "According to the Ministry of Rites' ancestral rules, we grandparents may bring only two maidservants, two grannies, and two guards."

"Grandmother's side will just arrange Zhang Mama; the rest you can arrange yourself."

Three days later.

Li Qingluo was dragged out of bed at the third watch of yin hour by Cui Er and Que'er together.

When she sat dazedly at the table, a bowl of longevity noodles was thrust into her hands.

"Miss, happy birthday."

"Every day is a good day, every moment is a good time."

Li Qingluo finished the noodles before even opening her eyes.

By the time she rushed to the front courtyard, Pei Lao Furen was already waiting for her.

In the carriage, Pei Lao Furen gently patted the obedient granddaughter leaning on her knees, and whispered softly: "Grandmother wishes Lu'er, each year a gift, each inch joy."

"Year after year we have this day, age after age we have this moment."

"Happy birthday, Lu'er."

Li Qingluo's eyes grew moist.

Last year on this day, she was still on the way to Jinling City.

In the jolting carriage, she vomited until the heavens and earth overturned.

In a daze, she arrived at her sixteenth birthday.

She never imagined that after two lifetimes, she would finally reach her seventeenth birthday…

The carriages of each household first arrived at the palace gate to await the emperor's procession.

Then, in order, they entered one by one into a line like a long dragon.

The carriage of Xiuli Jiangjun Fu was placed at the rear.

Behind it came the Pan residence, and after that only the imperial guard remained.

Li Qingluo lifted the carriage curtain and glanced backward.

When she saw Pan Li also stretching her neck to look at her, the two, long unseen, exchanged a smile.

After a bumpy half‑day, the time had already reached the third watch of the evening, and they finally arrived at the Southern Mountain Villa.

Li Qingluo recalled that the Southern Mountain Villa was precisely where the crown prince had previously been confined.

So this time, aren't we coming onto the crown prince's turf?

She could only proceed with caution; after getting off the carriage, she followed the person holding the token to the courtyard arranged for her and her grandmother.

Before she could even sit down, next door was already noisy—turns out another family had come to the neighboring courtyard.

Upon inquiry, it turned out to be people from the State Duke Pei's residence.

I heard that, aside from the imperial family's direct relatives, a further dozen or so official households and their kin had all been granted the imperial grace to accompany this trip to Xiamiao.

What a coincidence that, in such a large Southern Mountain Villa, the two of them—grandmother and granddaughter—would run into the Pei family.

It's hard not to suspect that this was a deliberate arrangement.

Besides State Duke Pei, the Pei party today consists of his wife, the Sixth Miss, the Tenth Miss, and—according to rumor—two other young masters.

Before long, the neighbors next door also learned that it was they who were staying here.

They openly voiced their displeasure without hesitation.

"What status do we have? How can we be lodging with them?"

"Those who forsake their ancestors and virtue, greedy for life and fearful of death, also deserve to come to Xiamiao?"

"Not even knowing what back way they've taken, they shamelessly dare to come out and embarrass themselves."

"One of their mothers is a murderer."

"One of their fathers committed the grave crime of greed for merit; just living next door, I feel this place is defiled and this air fouled."

"Even if their parents had committed heinous, unforgivable crimes, as a daughter she ought not to think about how to be pardoned, yet still manage to slip away and enjoy herself—does that even make her human?"

"I spit—"

Li Qingluo shattered the pottery jar at her hand with a 'Pa—'.

Her mother's small fart, a dog's tiny.

Love who you love!

She seized her sword, leapt onto the walltop, and coldly gazed down at Pei Sixth Daughter, who stood below with hands on hips, scolding gleefully, and let out a cold laugh.

"It's the imperial grace granted by His Majesty!"

"If you have any objections, why don't I accompany you right now to personally go see His Majesty and ask him exactly why he would invite someone as morally depraved and disreputable as me to this Xiamiao?"