Chapter 374: Is Luo'er the Only Hope to Save the Pei Clan?

Ah!!

Pei family members let out a startled cry, being frightened by Li Qingluo's sudden appearance.

Li Qingluo!? How is it you? You, you you, what do you intend to do?

Pei Liuniang recognized the person on the wall at a glance, and her heart jumped in shock.

How did she become so radiant?

Her peerless beauty made the Pei family's hearts tremble.

Not only were they astonished by her beauty, but also shocked and stunned.

The true Li Qingluo, it turns out, surpasses even Liu Qiongzhu, who was raised in luxury since childhood, by quite a margin!

Just a year, that dark and skinny little weed who had just returned to Jinling City had, without anyone noticing, blossomed into a gorgeous peony.

If she had been raised in Jinling since childhood, wouldn't she have already been the unrivaled beauty of the whole city?

This left the Pei family's young ladies, who had always thought highly of themselves, feeling somewhat displeased.

But so what if she's good-looking?

How dare she be so arrogant and insolent, jumping onto the wall and brandishing a sword to threaten people—where is the bearing of a noble young lady?

Indeed, she's just an uncultured country girl!

Li Qingluo couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the Pei family's rapidly shifting glances.

She merely kept sneering: 'Of course it's me. Who else could it be?'

Didn't you Pei family already know that I live next door with my grandmother?

You speak so rudely without restraint—do you still expect me to tolerate it?

As for what I intend to do, it depends on whether you keep your mouths clean from now on. Sixth young lady, why don't you give it a try?

The Duchess pointed at Li Qingluo, speaking harshly: 'Bold!'

This is the imperial villa; you, an unmannered person, cannot cause a ruckus here.

Such arrogance—what propriety is this?!

Come on, quickly hit her down with a pole!

Pei Siniang, after entering the palace, was within months promoted to the rank of Noble Lady, and now she is the newly favored Noble Lady Jing.

After the scandal of the former Pei Earl and the Pei family prison was exposed, the Pei family's standing in Jinling City plummeted; wherever they went, people pointed and gossiped, and they could not hold their heads high.

If it weren't for Pei Zixuan now bringing honor to the family, and the eldest legitimate son Pei Jingzhe gradually finding his footing in the Ministry of War, the Pei family would still be unable to hold their heads up.

As the mother of Noble Lady Jing, the Duchess had finally been able to hold her head high again, and she naturally would not tolerate such arrogance from a junior like Li Qingluo.

So she simply did not take Li Qingluo's threat seriously at all.

But before the Pei family's servants could even reach Li Qingluo with their poles, Que'er and Ying'er, perched on the wall, threw stones first.

Ouch——

Que'er had good aim, and the servants hit by the stones scattered, clutching their heads.

The Pei family's masters turned pale with fright and also scrambled backward.

Stop, stop! Li Qingluo, you are utterly lawless, running amok!

You, so domineering and bullying, today I must report you to the Empress, charging you with the grave crime of insolence and disrespect!

Hurry, go knock her down for me! Hit her!

A bold servant rushed forward, holding a pole, and the pole almost poked Li Qingluo in the face.

Sha wu was about to strike, but Li Qingluo grabbed the pole's tip first.

She was naturally strong, and with one grip she snatched the pole away.

Then she turned around and swung the pole at the servant's head——

Ouch—— another cry of pain, and the servant crawled away on the ground, miserable.

Li Qingluo gave a nasty grin, holding the pole, and thrust it toward the Duchess——

The Duchess never imagined she would be so lawless, daring to act so rebelliously in the imperial villa.

Panicked, she had no time to flee and could only cover her head and scream.

Ah!

The old grannies rushed forward, and in an instant masters and servants alike tumbled to the ground—quite a spectacle.

Rebellion, rebellion! Quick, go report to the Empress—Li Qingluo is going to kill someone——

Send the imperial guards over, and seize this insolent wretch for me!

Today, I will certainly not let this go unpunished!!

The Duchess's old face twitched with rage, but just then a loud, mocking voice came from the gate: 'Duchess, you really are putting on a grand show these days!'

The speaker was none other than Pei Lao Furen, who had come around.

Pei Lao Furen spoke without courtesy: 'As the mother of Noble Lady Jing, you are now a relative of the imperial clan—truly you have great prestige.'

You can even influence whether the Empress decides to punish someone, and you can issue orders commanding the emperor's guards. Your Pei family truly is unrivaled these days—you could practically run the imperial household!

In my view, you are the one being insolent!

Just wait until these words reach the Empress's ears, then we'll see whose crime gets punished today!

Pei Lao Furen's words instantly turned the faces of everyone in the Pei household as white as snow.

Before the Duchess could react, the Earl, who had just come from outside, stepped in with a deathly pale face, walked up to her, and slapped her across the face.

Foolish woman! What nonsense are you spouting here? Do you want to drag the young noble and the whole family into ruin, never to recover, just to satisfy yourself?

Following him, Pei Jingzhe first bowed respectfully to Pei Lao Furen, then hurriedly followed after.

Father! Even if mother has committed a great mistake, you shouldn't disgrace her in public.

The Duchess covered her face and began to sob.

Where is there still even a hint of that arrogant, overbearing aura?

Li Qingluo stood on the walltop, arms folded, continuing to watch the fun.

They want to bully her and her grandmother, yet they don't even bother to gauge their own weight.

Although they are orphans and a widowed mother, with no one to rely on behind them, they have only themselves, so they fear nothing.

Moreover, the grandmother's resentment toward the Duke's mansion is no less than my own.

Although I provoked them, in word and deed I gave them no grounds to find fault.

Moreover, she merely climbed onto the wall; it was their Duke's mansion that first provoked and insulted, and even first grabbed a pole intending to harm.

Everything Li Qingluo did was merely self-defense and counterattack.

Naturally, she wouldn't fear the Duke's mansion, and would even go straight to the Empress to reason.

"Aunt, this is all a misunderstanding; it's because I failed to discipline the lady and the younger ones in the manor strictly. I sincerely apologize to you here."

"I hope you won't take it to heart; I will certainly discipline and punish them properly."

"I hope you, with your magnanimity, will keep this matter from spreading."

Li Qingluo even thought she had misheard.

Is this the Duke?

How could his attitude toward grandmother have changed so drastically?

Last time at the Pei residence, he certainly wasn't wearing this face.

Even Pei Lao Furen was somewhat surprised.

Pei Jingzhe stepped forward: "Grand aunt, I, on behalf of my mother, also apologize to you. I hope grand aunt and cousin, please don't be angry."

The saying goes, "Don't strike a smiling face."

What's more, they're all of the Pei surname.

The Duke even actively called Pei Lao Furen 'aunt'; does this mean he wants to continue recognizing kin?

However, Pei Lao Furen did not appreciate it.

She thought of how many wronged souls might still be buried beneath the Duke's mansion, and her anger flared uncontrollably.

She snapped coldly: "She scolded Luo'er as an ill‑bred little beast. Am I, an old beast, any different? And what, pray, is the Pei clan, sharing the same root?"

"If not for the young lady from your manor who first uttered vicious insults, Luo'er wouldn't have leapt onto the wall to retort a few lines."

"After all, my Xiuli Jiangjun Fu now consists only of lonely elders and widows with children, while your Duke's mansion has gained a noble from the palace, so you rely on strength to oppress the weak, trying to press us down."

"If you look down on us, you might as well go to the Internal Affairs Office, make a fuss, and change your residence."

"Why bother shouting about filial piety here? It's a sin!"

"Pei Bu, you yourself know clearly how many sins your Duke's mansion still bears!"

Having said that, Pei Lao Furen only then turned and left, supported by Zhang Mama.

The Duke's face was extremely grim.

Pei Jingzhe lowered his voice to soothe, and also glanced up at Li Qingluo on the walltop.

He gave a slight nod to show goodwill.

Li Qingluo narrowed her eyes, thinking: The Duke's attitude has changed drastically; it must be related to this Pei Jingzhe!

She turned and returned to the courtyard.

Li Qingluo approached Pei Lao Furen: "Grandmother, calm down; I'll make you some rock‑sugar mung bean soup."

Pei Lao Furen bore no grudge for her meddling today, and even smiled as she tapped Li Qingluo's forehead: "Little monkey, rest a moment, then you ought to go to the Changle Main Hall to pay respects to the Emperor and Empress."

"The rock‑sugar mung bean soup—better to wait until evening to drink it after you return."

It's plain to see that after venting, Pei Lao Furen's mood has improved considerably.

Here the grandmother and granddaughter were cheerful, while next door in the Duke's mansion the atmosphere was oppressive and dark, as cold as ice.

The servants all hurriedly withdrew.

The Duke glared furiously at Pei Liandu and Pei Shierniang, hissing lowly: "Today's great disaster is entirely caused by you two calamities!"

"People, immediately send the Sixth Young Lady, the Tenth Young Lady, and the Lady back to Jinling City!"

"Let them reflect behind closed doors; for a whole month they are not allowed to step even half a pace out of their own courtyards!"

The Duke's lady, Lü Shi, hearing this, had no time to cry before rushing forward to beg for mercy: "My lord, I truly know I was wrong."

"I haven't even seen Xuan'er yet—how can I just go back like this?"

"At the very least, let me see Xuan'er once before I leave!"

However, the Duke, his face frosted with cold, had steeled himself to make the decision.

Lü Shi: "My lord, your heart is surely too ruthless!"

"Just a helpless old woman and a country girl who defies propriety and abandons her parents—yet you now fear them?"

"What leverage do they have over you that you would even disregard the marital bond between us?"

"And Xuan'er, now a Noble Consort Jing, wishes to see us as her parents—do you also ignore that completely?"

Pei Bu: "Shut your mouth! What do you know?"

"All you know is how to flatter the Duke's lady—can't you see the entire Duke's mansion is already ruined?"

"And that little beast you speak of might be the only one who can save our family—yet you dare to offend her?"

"If you dare utter another nonsense, I'll make sure you never see Xuan'er again in your lifetime—do you believe me?"

Lü Shi's expression froze.

It seemed she simply didn't understand what the Duke was saying.

"How could that lowly girl Li Qingluo possibly be the sole person capable of saving their Duke's mansion?"

"Isn't their Duke's mansion already getting better and better?"

Pei Jingzhe bent down and helped his mother up.

"Mother, Father was also left with no choice; from now on, please be careful in your words and deeds when you meet Miss Li and your grandaunt again, and don't offend them."

"If you still wish for our Pei family to have a way to survive, then please just listen to your son's words, alright?"

"Lady Lü finally felt a hint of tension: 'Eldest son, what on earth is going on?'"

Pei Jingzhe let out a sigh.

He rolled up his sleeve to show Lady Lü: "Mother. This blue line, do you still remember Father also having one on his body?"