Chapter 427: The Lotus Cult Master's Identity Fully Exposed!

Pei Lao Furen looked at Li Qingluo, doubt appearing in her eyes.

Isn't A Lan a disciple of Jinni?

How come she came to see Luo'er so early this morning?

Li Qingluo comforted Pei Lao Furen: "Grandmother, don't worry, it's not a big deal."

Then Luo'er will go attend to things first?

Grandmother, after Luo'er finishes this matter at hand, will she properly keep you company for a meal?

She clung to Pei Lao Furen's neck, reluctant to part.

Pei Lao Furen gently returned her embrace: "All right, grandmother will wait for you. Be careful in everything, go."

After Li Qingluo left, looking back every few steps, Pei Lao Furen only then let out a soft sigh.

Zhang Mama came over and asked: "Old Lady, what's wrong? Why do you look so worried?"

The young lady always acts with discretion. Aren't you still worried?

Pei Lao Furen: "I can't control her heart right now."

"I can't interfere in her affairs either."

"But today, for some reason... my heart feels perpetually empty."

"Old Zhang, nothing will happen, right?"

Zhang Mama: "What could happen? Isn't there Prince Su?"

Pei Lao Furen snorted: "All men under heaven are basically dark. They're utterly useless."

"Or let those assassins and our own people keep a closer watch on Luo'er. Go, you arrange it."

Zhang Mama: "Yes."

After Zhang Mama left, Pei Lao Furen saw a pile of vegetables still in Li Qingluo's bowl, and her heart ached involuntarily.

She summoned Luofan: "Luo'er's condition—what exactly is going on? Do you have any leads?"

"I think your reputation as a divine doctor is just empty fame; what kind of quack divine doctor can't even figure this out?"

The scolded Luofan could only give an embarrassed smile: "Xiuzhen, don't be angry. These past few days I haven't slept much; I've just been thinking about Luo'er's affairs."

"You said this child, whenever she drank alcohol before, would fall into a state of unconscious sleep?"

"Now even without drinking alcohol, this condition occurs frequently from time to time. Speaking of which... it really doesn't seem like an illness, but more like..."

Pei Lao Furen suddenly grew tense: "Like what?"

Luofan stared at her: "Like, losing her po."

Li Qingluo saw A Lan in the front hall and nodded at her: "Miss A Lan, you've come."

A Lan handed the brocade box from her embrace to Li Qingluo: "Princess of Yaoguang, this is the first antidote freshly made by my master."

"Just throw it into the Pei family well; after seven hours, all those poisoned who drink a bowl of the well water will naturally be relieved."

"After forty-nine days, having used the antidote seven times, this poison will be completely eradicated."

"From today onward, my master will prepare the remaining six antidotes one by one and send them to the Princess of Yaoguang."

"But my master asks the Princess of Yaoguang whether she has already considered that matter."

"If she hasn't considered it well, should this antidote be taken back?"

Li Qingluo has already come this far.

And how could there be a way back?

Let Headmaster Jinni rest assured.

Whatever she asks me to do, Li Qingluo will also observe.

After receiving the antidote, Li Qingluo saw A Lan off, then took all the remaining assassins from the manor and left the gate.

Li Jingchuan of the Clear Bamboo Garden, upon hearing this, was somewhat startled.

What is Luo'er trying to do? How can there be such a huge commotion?

He looked at the attendant he had only recently found behind him: "You follow up and take a look."

That attendant was precisely the worker from the earlier iron workshop, named Tiechui.

Tiechui followed and went out onto the street.

After going onto the street, aside from Assassin One and Assassin Three still following him, the remaining assassins vanished in the blink of an eye, each disappearing into the street.

Li Qingluo then went again to yesterday's teahouse.

The ruins of the Spring Banquet Pavilion were indeed dug up three feet deep by the Crown Prince.

As a result, they indeed unearthed several corpses of those who had died in the Spring Banquet Pavilion's dungeon back then.

However, none of them could possibly be Zongzheng Yuer.

The crowds who had come early in the morning to watch the spectacle were all dumbfounded.

If the Crown Prince hadn't immediately cordoned off the area, I'm afraid everyone would have crowded forward again to get a clearer look.

Li Qingluo leaned by the window, waiting for Pei Jingzhe to come see her.

When Pei Jingzhe hurried over, his face was exhausted, as if he hadn't slept all night.

Compared to Li Qingluo, who likewise hadn't slept all night, he seemed as if his soul had been snatched away.

I have done what you asked me to do.

Minister of Justice Zhang Yi went to the Duke's residence early this morning.

The dungeon that your people dug up, we have not reburied it either.

I personally reported it to the officials last night.

My father's life, the lives of my various uncles... I fear they cannot be saved.

Li Qingluo, are you satisfied?

Li Qingluo asked him: "And you? Are you satisfied now, Young Master Pei?"

Pei Jingzhe looked anguished: "What else do you want me to do!!?"

"Are we Pei family truly unforgivable?"

"If it weren't for the imperial authority driving our Pei family to this point, my grandfather wouldn't have done these foolish things!"

"I know, our Pei family's grave sins are why we suffer this retribution today."

"But... can't merits and faults cancel each other out?"

"We preserved the Duan dynasty's realm, yet the Duans, with blood-stained hands, killed how many people?"

"But in the end, we live like ghosts, forever unable to raise our heads."

Li Qingluo: "The merits and faults of your Pei family will be judged by history."

"As a woman, I also have no right to decide your family's life or death."

"But, what I promised you, I will not break."

"This is the first antidote; take it."

"Don't forget, send a bowl of antidote to your uncle, Minister Pei!"

Having said that, Li Qingluo said no more, turned and strode away.

The Pei family's matter is settled.

Next, it's the crown prince's turn.

Outside, wind and clouds suddenly surged, rolling dark clouds came from the horizon.

Li Qingluo unfastened her outer robe, revealing the white clothing underneath.

She put on the gauze veil, and she and Kill One and Kill Three vanished in an instant into the alley at the street's end.

On the western city wall.

The guard soldiers, after last night's shift, had already been secretly replaced entirely.

Now everyone on the city wall are followers of the Lotus Sect.

Moreover, there is an additional hostage tied to a wooden post on the wall.

When the guards hurried to report to the crown prince, who was staying at an inn near the Spring Banquet Tower, the crown prince was still hungover.

His head ached so badly his skull felt like it would split.

He kicked open the incompetent imperial physician, and in a frenzy he smashed everything in the room onto the floor.

"All of you are useless sacks of rice! Trash!"

"My head feels like it's about to split——"

"It hurts——"

A group of imperial physicians trembled as they knelt on the ground, enduring the pain they could only report: "Your Highness, you look like you've been poisoned."

"Yes, Your Highness, your internal fire is attacking your heart; if you don't calm your emotions, this poison will seize the chance to invade your meridians."

"Your Highness, you still need to stay calm."

Duan Rongyin drew his sword and shouted frenziedly: "Calm down! How do you want me to calm down!!"

"I haven't closed my eyes all night."

"My eyes feel like they're about to burst along with my head."

"You lot, wine sacks and rice bags, the court feeds you for nothing but wasting your salaries!"

"If that's the case, you might as well all go die for me——"

The imperial physicians screamed in terror, flung themselves to the ground begging for mercy.

Just then, the guards burst in.

"Your Highness, it's terrible——"

"The crown prince's consort… the consort has been seized by the Lotus Sect and tied to the city gate."

"Please, Your Highness, hurry over… hurry to save the consort!"

Duan Rongyin's sword clanged to the ground.

"What did you say?"

"Miaoyu… no!"

Duan Rongyin no longer cared about what was before him, he bolted out.

By the time the crown prince galloped to the western gate, the area beneath the gate was already packed tight with onlookers.

"Make way!"

"Everyone, step aside——"

The crown prince whipped his lash, literally beating a path through.

He couldn't care less about the crowd's cries of pain, he could only look anxiously up at the gate.

"Crown princess, don't be afraid——"

"I've come to save you!"

The crown princess shook her head, her face exhausted, a cloth stuffed in her mouth, so she could only utter muffled sounds.

Her usually immaculate hair was now disheveled, drifting across her face.

Her clothing also became wrinkled and rumpled.

She, Su Miaoyu, had never been so embarrassed in her life.

Seeing this, the crown prince instantly felt his heart wrenched.

Only now did he realize the crown princess was the most important woman in his heart.

She is his legitimate wife, and the mother of his child.

He is the only one who can hold his hand and accompany him to the end, overlooking the rivers and mountains.

"Miaoyu, I cannot lose you!"

As the words fell, a white figure stepped out from behind the Crown Princess.

"And what about me, Crown Prince Brother?"

Zongzheng Yu'er slowly removed the veil from her face.

"Crown Prince Brother, have you forgotten those mountain-and-oath vows you made with Yu'er?"

At the sight of Zongzheng Yu'er, the whole city's populace burst into an uproar.

"Heavens, how could Princess Qin Yu be here?"

"Exactly, weren't they saying the city walls are all occupied by the Lotus Sect?"

"Could it be that Princess Qin Yu has also been kidnapped?"

"You, you all hurry and look—does Princess Qin Yu's attire resemble that of yesterday's Lotus Goddess?"

"It's her!"

"She's still holding a lotus in her hand—who else could it be?"

"Princess Qin Yu is the leader of the Lotus Sect, the Lotus Goddess!"

This remark instantly spread from one end of the street to the other.

The populace of Jinling City instantly spread the news throughout the imperial city.

From then on, who in the world remains unaware?

"That peace princess of the two states, beloved and revered by all, Princess Qin Yu, is actually the leader of an evil cult!"

This news is simply unbelievable to everyone.

But the fact right before their eyes leaves them no choice but to believe.

"Wait!"

"It was Princess Qin Yu who kidnapped the Crown Princess!"

"What exactly does she intend to do?"

Someone in the crowd clarified this question.

The Crown Prince's face had darkened as black as a pot bottom.

He clenched his teeth, filled with anger.

"Zongzheng Yu'er—!"

"It's actually you!"

"Alas, the people of DaLiang loved and revered you so much, yet you have abandoned all conscience to found the evil Lotus Sect, causing the deaths of countless innocents!"

"I, Duan Rongyin, will today carry out heaven's justice and personally slay you!"

The Crown Prince said this and raised his sword, preparing to strike.

Zongzheng Yu'er, however, pulled out a dagger and pressed it against the Crown Princess's neck.

"If you take another step forward, I will personally slit the Crown Princess's throat."

"Duan Rongyin: No—!"

He reached out and shouted urgently.

"Zongzheng Yu'er, why don't you quickly rein in your horse from the brink and release the Crown Princess!"

"Do you insist on persisting in error after error?"

"What exactly do you want to do? You had better think it through clearly!"

Zongzheng Yu'er saw how much Duan Rongyin cared for the Crown Princess, and her heart felt utterly desolate.

He had been deceiving her all along, right?

Zongzheng Yu'er originally thought she was the irreplaceable one.

She is, after all, a transmigrant girl!

She ought to be the world's leading lady!

Shouldn't Duan Rongyin be devoted solely to loving her?

Shouldn't he be bewitched by her, his mind and soul in turmoil?

Even if I were to kill Su Miaoyu, to Duan Rongyin it should be merely a trivial matter.

The person he truly cannot do without should be himself.

But now, his attitude toward Su Miaoyu shows deep affection as vast as the sea.

Oneself truly is just a joke.

A great fool played with in the palm of his hand by Duan Rongyin!

Zongzheng Yu'er laughed loudly toward the heavens twice.

With tears streaming down her face, she then fiercely said: "Duan Rongyin, why not… you tell the world all the good deeds you have done?"

"In that case, I would consider sparing the Crown Princess's life."