Chapter 416

Is this about handing over the decision-making power to her?

Li Qingluo looked toward Pei Lao Furen.

Pei Lao Furen: "Say whatever you want to say; here, Grandmother, you need not hold back."

Just Luo'er, the wicked deeds done by Qu Sanniang can be settled by justice.

But you are ultimately flesh that fell from her body; if she hadn't given birth to you, you wouldn't be where you are today.

The kindness of giving birth is also greater than heaven.

Although she favored others and never truly treated you well, and several times almost harmed you, you cannot kill her with your own hands.

If heavenly punishment were to come, Grandmother would not be able to bear it.

Pei Lao Furen's meaning is, simply continue to throw her back into the heavenly prison.

Anyway, the fact that she killed people is indisputable; letting DaLiang law deal with her is also her reaping what she sowed.

Li Qingluo's heart stirred, she turned her head and asked: "Grandmother, that side... has it already been exiled?"

Pei Lao Furen: "You're asking about your father and them?"

"Grandmother inquired, saying it's tomorrow; tomorrow they will be exiled from the city."

Her tone sounded normal, yet her expression unconsciously carried a hint of sorrow.

No matter how you say it, Li Chao Jing is still her only son.

If he weren't foolish, Pei Lao Furen wouldn't have awakened the maternal love that had slept for thirty years.

And Li Kechuan, like Li Qingluo, is also her direct bloodline.

Although these two have committed unforgivable heinous crimes, in Pei Lao Furen's view, they have now also suffered extremely harsh retribution and punishment.

Especially Li Chao Jing; this time entering prison, his whole person almost became useless.

Almost half of his old life nearly broke inside.

It was only after Luofan was brought into the prison by Prince Su's intercession and allowed to see him that Li Chao Jing's legs could still touch the ground.

As for Li Kechuan, it was even worse.

Originally he had only one arm and one leg left; it's said that inside he lived worse than a dog.

He would crawl on the ground to snatch leftover food.

He would get urine and feces all over his body.

He would also suffer malicious beatings from fellow inmates.

Even some more cruel means tortured him to the point of wishing for death.

With such a disabled body and no one to attend to him, what's the difference between going to the prison and going to hell?

First came loneliness and helplessness, then humiliation and anger; in order to stay alive, he could only swallow his own bitter fruits, completely abandoning dignity, becoming base and lowly.

Li Qingluo doesn't even need to use any means anymore; he himself can taste all the sufferings that Li Qingluo endured in her previous life.

It's said that if not for the people from the second and third households finally unable to bear it and lending a hand, he would have already been tortured to death in prison.

Li Qingluo's eyes drooped slightly.

"Grandmother, how are Lady Liu and Lady Lou doing now?"

Last time, Pei Lao Furen used her past military merits to completely exchange for the safety of all the women of the Li household.

No one had to die.

But exile, Li Qingluo also wasn't clear whether Emperor Yan would include them as well.

Pei Lao Furen: "Rest assured, they have not been implicated."

"The Jiangjun Fu was ransacked, so the residence naturally could not be kept."

"Grandmother has already arranged for them to move to a three‑entry small courtyard just two streets away; for the few of them, it's actually not small."

"Moreover, before the ransacking, they had already dismissed all servants, even those bound by death contracts, who all received manumission papers."

"They also each received some severance silver."

"This Lady Liu, she actually has quite a mind of her own. I heard her father used to be a scholar?"

Li Qingluo nodded: "Yes. But the Li family has become what it is now; I'm the one who harmed her."

Pei Lao Furen comforted her: "How do you know whether this is misfortune or blessing?"

"Back then, you gave her a choice; wasn't it also her own decision to take that path?"

"Now over there there is no matriarch, no need to serve the lord; just her and Lady Lou as masters, bringing Huan Jieer and the child Lady Liu carries in her womb about to be born—I think this life is actually quite pleasant."

"Although they have no money, Pei Lao Furen wouldn't truly sit by and do nothing; even just a little bit each month would be enough for the mother and a few others to have food and clothing without worry."

Li Qingluo recalled: "Right, Grandmother, what about the women of the second and third households? Did they also go along?"

Pei Lao Furen: "What do I have to do with them?"

"That Elder Aunt Deng had secretly accumulated property before; before the ransacking, your two aunts each took their own daughters and slipped away quietly."

"Fearing that Lady Liu and the others would be tainted by association, they left without a sound."

Li Qingluo: "Then let's not worry about them."

She pondered for a moment, then continued: "Grandmother, let her go into exile with them."

Pei Lao Furen raised her eyebrows high: "Really? You want her to go again to look after your father and... Li Kechuan?"

Li Qingluo: "It's not exactly caretaking. She killed so many of the Li offspring; her beloved is also her only son."

"Being with them might be her rightful destination."

"Just dying—how straightforward a matter that would be."

"Caring for a fool, then caring for a disabled person."

"That would be the longest, most enduring torment for her long second half of life."

Pei Lao Furen patted her hand: "Then it's as you say; Grandmother will make the arrangements."

Li Qingluo nodded, then rose and ate slowly.

The next day.

At the west city gate.

In the bustling crowd, Li Qingluo and Pei Lao Furen sat in the rear carriage, watching Li Kechuan being pulled in a cart by Li Chao Huai of the second branch.

Li Chao An, meanwhile, tugged impatiently at the simple-minded Li Chao Jing.

Among them, several half-grown children followed, all chained together with iron links.

"What a sin, there are even such young children."

"They committed a crime, yet the whole family enjoys blessings—isn't that just what they deserve?"

"I heard that General Li used his power for personal gain, securing a junior general's post for his own son. But wasn't it originally said he earned it through military merit?"

"Who knows what's really going on? Anyway, how many good things do these officials have?"

"You don't want to live? This is the future father-in-law of Prince Su!"

"Tch, still talking about father-in-law. If he wanted to intervene, could the men of this family still be exiled?"

"Perhaps it's precisely because he intervened that they were only exiled."

"Perhaps originally, the offense should have been greater than exile and confiscation of property."

"However, few dared to say such words aloud."

"It merely drew a few jeers, which quickly dissipated in the crowd."

Li Qingluo, however, heard everything clearly.

Que'er wanted to go out and tear those people's mouths, but Li Qingluo held her back.

"My hands and feet are indeed not clean."

"If I can silence their mouths, can I also silence the mouths of the myriad people under heaven?"

"No need to pay attention; these remarks will scatter with the wind on their own."

"Although it implicated Duan Rongshi, if he cared about reputation, he would not have chosen himself."

Seeing her so open-minded, Pei Lao Furen gave a slight smile.

"Luo'er, once you become the consort of Prince Su, you will face even more rumors."

"Being able to let go a little is no bad thing."

"But when necessary, you must also defend your reputation; otherwise, anyone could step on you here."

"Sometimes, words are also a sharp sword, capable of killing invisibly."

Li Qingluo: "Yes, grandmother. Luo'er has been taught."

Soon, the figures of the Li family's exiled men gradually vanished completely.

Pei Lao Furen withdrew her somewhat worried gaze.

"Let's go, we're heading home."

As the grandmother and granddaughter were about to leave, they saw a blue-canopied carriage swaying along from another direction.

Zhang Mama immediately recognized: "Madam, miss, that seems to be the elder brother from the second madam's natal family!"

As they spoke, the carriage curtain was lightly lifted by a breeze.

Zhang Mama saw a crowded mass of figures seated inside the carriage.

Who else could it be but the women of the second and third branches?

"Aside from Second Miss Ya'er, it seems everyone's here!"

Soon, Uncle De's side reported back.

The people of the second and third branches had indeed sold off their property and all left.

It appears they are determined to endure the bumpy journey to the place of exile, to reunite with the family.

Li Qingya already has a marriage arranged.

Her in-laws valued her character; despite the Li family's great misfortune, they did not propose to break the engagement, so she remained at her uncle's house.

Li Qingyu, however, was not so fortunate—she not only had her engagement called off, but must also go to the place of exile to find a new husband's family.

In Jinling, who would dare to take her?

So she left, weeping all the way.

"Those two families still have affection and righteousness, knowing to share hardship."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingluo had Uncle De's sent people show extra care to the women of the second and third branches.

Although Madame Deng had done all sorts of wicked deeds in the past, the grandmother had suffered because of her for many years.

But now, with Madame Deng's death, the grandmother has let go, and Li Qingluo also can't be bothered to quarrel with those two branches.

Moreover, she had promised Li Yunchu to protect her two brothers' families.

Although Li Yunchu hasn't done anything good, Li Qingluo herself is a person of her word.

Thus, it does not count as breaking her word.

When they reach the place of exile, she can also lend a hand, thereby completing the last bond of the family's bloodline.

By noon, Zheng Mama returned.

"Miss, this servant has returned to report."

After parting at the Southern Mountain Villa, Zheng Mama went to handle Liu Qingzhu's affairs.

That night, after she and Liu Qingzhu parted, she did not leave immediately but kept following from a distance.

She merely wanted to see whether Liu Qingzhu intended to completely change her ways and start anew.

If Liu Qingzhu still harbored ill intent, Zheng Mama would strike at any moment to deal with her.

This, too, was a contingency Li Qingluo had prepared.

The old servant still thought she would go back to the Liu family's side.

After all, she now has nowhere else to go.

But guess what?

She first went to the nunnery.

Li Qingluo thought of someone: "Old Lady Qu, Madame He?"

To preserve the reputation of the Qu family's daughters, that old scoundrel Qu forced two daughters-in-law to die, yet he himself managed to survive.

Li Qingluo could never free herself, so to this day she is still living a good life in the nunnery.

If Liu Qiongzhu went to find her to join in doing something bad, perhaps they could really cook up something else.

After all, the Qu family now also hates Li Qingluo to the bone.

However, the Qu family is also greatly weakened; Qu Dao yuan killed his wife and injured his brother in the street, and to this day he remains imprisoned in the heavenly prison without a verdict.

Qu Dao xun became a disabled eunuch, and is now utterly useless.

The Qu family can only rely on a concubine's son or the second branch to continue the line; how could they not hate Li Qingluo?

Zheng Mama said: "You still don't know about Madame He's affair, do you, Miss?"