Chapter 455

Li Qingluo's mood was very complicated.

She shouldn't be happy, yet she and Duan Rongshi coincidentally reunited tonight.

However, she would rather the Witch Moon Sect had not suffered this terrible disaster, even if it meant missing Duan Rongshi, it would be worth it.

"I originally planned to go to the frontier to find you."

"I never expected you to come first."

"A Shi, if you leave, what will happen to the border? I heard you are now the commander-in-chief of the army."

"For the commander-in-chief to leave the army without permission is a capital offense!"

Li Qingluo looked at him worriedly.

Duan Rongshi reached out to tuck the strands of hair by her temples behind her ear: "But what if this commander-in-chief has already died on the battlefield, leaving no remains?"

Li Qingluo stared in surprise, eyes wide.

Duan Rongshi continued: "Soon, the news of Prince Su's death in battle at the border between DaLiang and the Western Regions will be sent back to the Jinling imperial city."

"Luo'er, you'll become a little widow."

He jokingly flicked her nose bridge.

Li Qingluo grabbed his hand: "You..."

She was both angry and anxious.

But then she thought, if he hadn't arrived in MiaoJiang in time, she would likely soon hear news of his death.

At that point, she wouldn't know how dark and gloomy it would be.

She felt relieved that he could still come find her first.

After all, he still hadn't forgotten his wife, who had already passed the rites and bowed in the wedding hall.

"A Shi, do you have other plans?"

Li Qingluo understood his meaning; he wanted to fake his death to escape.

But why would he do that?

Li Qingluo thought of the news she had heard over the past year about DaLiang, and a possibility occurred to her: "The Prince of Jin is now the crown prince, but what has he deliberately done against you?"

"A Shi, many things were inconvenient to say in letters; now that you've come to find me, what exactly is the matter?"

"Have you suffered some grievance? Otherwise, why would you suddenly fake your death?"

She became somewhat anxious.

She feared that not knowing his predicament, she hadn't timely shared his burdens.

Duan Rongshi held Li Qingluo's hand.

"Luo'er, don't rush."

Tonight, both of their hearts felt heavy.

Therefore, their actions were not overly intimate.

Duan Rongshi merely gently pinched her cheek, then whispered: "Remember, no one in this world can give your husband a hard time."

"And how do you know that the crown prince position of Duan Rongjue wasn't placed there by me behind the scenes?"

Li Qingluo instantly understood many things.

Initially, for her sake, Duan Rongshi abandoned the DaLiang court and harem he had painstakingly gained control of, and followed Jinniang and his grandmother to MiaoJiang.

He disappeared for over three months.

Until the empress dowager suddenly passed away, he then urgently returned to Jinling.

However, the situation in Jinling had already reversed again; by the time he returned, the Third Prince, Prince of Jin Duan Rongjue, had already taken the crown prince seat.

It is said that this was also an edict personally issued by Emperor Yan to appoint the crown prince.

After Li Qingluo regained consciousness, it was Zhang Mama beside her grandmother who told her this; it was heard that after the crown prince's death, Emperor Yan clearly could neither speak nor move.

Therefore, Yunhe could urgently leave with them, leaving only Qingyangzi in the imperial city.

However, the Grand Princess suddenly somehow found a witch doctor from somewhere.

It was this witch doctor who treated Emperor Yan so that he could sit up again and speak a few words.

The first thing Emperor Yan did was to enfeoff the Prince of Jin as crown prince.

As for the missing Prince Su, Emperor Yan didn't even ask further, only ordering that from tonight onward he not be allowed to set foot even half a step inside the palace.

Even after the empress dowager's passing, when Duan Rongshi rushed back, he was still unable to enter the palace to mourn.

He was only permitted to visit the imperial mausoleum once.

Then he was confined to the Prince Su mansion, thereafter not allowed to step outside even half a step.

Who could have imagined that, just as he had become influential and sought after by many aristocratic clans and noble families who wished to ally and marry into his house, in the blink of an eye he again became a defeated bandit shunned by all.

Everyone thought he ultimately missed by one move.

All because of the Prince Su's consort who had not yet passed the rites, he gave up everything within reach—truly a case of wise for a lifetime, foolish for a lifetime.

With such deep affection, a prince trapped by emotion—what good are even more schemes and courage?

In the eyes of these powerful clans, he could never become a true emperor.

Moreover, as Emperor Yan began to favor the new crown prince, everyone hurriedly turned to flatter the former Prince of Jin, now the new crown prince.

The new crown prince also began to target the Prince Su mansion everywhere.

Even the Grand Princess's residence became on good terms with the new crown prince.

Gradually, everyone in DaLiang completely forgot about Prince Su.

After hearing this, Li Qingluo felt guilty for a long time.

She believed that Duan Rongshi's missed opportunity was entirely because of her.

Only now did she faintly realize that perhaps this Jinling imperial city had never truly escaped his control.

A sudden jolt went through her heart.

No wonder, his letters never mention how his situation is.

"By the way, I heard Qingyangzi has become the new National Preceptor. How did that happen?"

"Immortal Crane Yunhe, at the time, because I suddenly left the imperial palace, did Green Pine Temple get implicated?"

"Also, how is it that that witch doctor who can actually cure the wasting disease?"

Duan Rongshi was about to answer when Leng Dian came over and knocked on the door.

"Your Highness, there's movement down the mountain."

Putting on raincoats, Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi made their way to the mountain pass in the dark.

They saw that there were indeed shadows moving down the mountain.

It seems these Cloud Valley sects really intend to exterminate Li Qingluo, this escaped fish of the Witch Moon Sect, down to the last.

No, perhaps they are waiting for news of that Spirit Lord.

After all, these people are only doing this because the Great Chu imperial family wants the Witch Moon Sect's 'treasure,' and thus plan to curry favor with the authorities thereby.

Li Qingluo suddenly thought of something: "Ah Shi, how did you guys get into MiaoJiang?"

Duan Rongshi: "We just swaggered in. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Li Qingluo: "They went to great lengths to block me, yet they let you in so easily?"

Could it be that the mountain guards took you for imperial officials?

Duan Rongshi then actually produced a Great Chu imperial official's waist token from his person and handed it to Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo:!!!

"You?"

How on earth did he manage to get these things?

Duan Rongshi placed it in her hand: "Not difficult."

"Let's hear it: what exactly do these sects scheme to take from the Witch Moon Sect?"

Li Qingluo stared down at the mountain with a sinister gaze, her voice turning ice-cold: "Something they think is a treasure, but is actually just a hard-to-kill giant gu mang."

"Ah Shi, I have a plan."

The lights of the Witch Moon Manor all went out when a slight swaying cold wind blew.

Duan Rongshi's personal guards and assassins all vanished into the darkness.

Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi just stayed in their own courtyard.

Sure enough, soon enough, scouts from the three major sects climbed up the three hundred and sixty-eight steps of the Witch Moon Manor.