Chapter 501: You are now my sole under heaven!

He actually sat in the tea house opposite her wine shop for an entire afternoon.

Afraid of disturbing her, he did not let Li Qingluo know that he was secretly accompanying her.

Seeing her walking back and forth all day inside the hall, he had Zhui Yu go to the bookstore to buy a few books on acupoints for him.

Having looked at them himself, he naturally knew how to press to make her most comfortable.

When had Li Qingluo ever been treated with such precious care?

Her eyes grew redder and redder.

"A Shi, you will spoil me."

"If in the future you are no longer this good to me, I will also feel very lost."

"Am I being too greedy?"

Duan Rongshi seized her ankle, pulled her gently toward him, then lowered his head and lightly bumped her forehead.

"Luo'er, you are now my sole under heaven. As for me, I will not guarantee the future."

"But if I have free time, I will never let my Luo'er be disappointed."

The two exchanged a smile.

Duan Rongshi's hand movements did not stop either.

Li Qingluo then asked, "By the way, what have you been busy with these past few days?"

"This morning I heard Zhui Yu mention something about the palace, that lord?"

"A Shi, what exactly is going on? Do you know someone in the palace?"

Duan Rongshi: "An elderly gentleman surnamed Ji."

"He is approaching the age to enjoy his twilight years, so he came out of the palace to look at the residence."

"He has an adopted son who shares his surname, now occupying the position he once held, serving as the Grand Steward of the Imperial Guard."

"This Elder Ji is a chess fanatic."

"So I deliberately went to the chess club and solved two difficult puzzles, thereby catching his attention."

"These past few days, I have been leaving early and returning late because I have an appointment with him, and we have become chess friends."

Li Qingluo naturally understood upon hearing this.

She could not interfere in Duan Rongshi's affairs, and knowing he had his own plans in mind, she merely wished for him to act with utmost caution.

As they chatted, Duan Rongshi then brought up the matter of Que'er and Zhui Yu.

"I did not mention to Zhui Yu the thing you spoke of these past few days because, when he was young, he had a childhood betrothal to his paternal aunt's daughter, his cousin."

"But his family suffered a great calamity, so from the time he could remember he has had no contact with his aunt's household."

"These years, he has been secretly searching; although he has received no news, he seems not to intend to break the engagement."

Li Qingluo was greatly surprised: "A childhood betrothal?"

"I really did not expect that."

"But if it is true, that young lady must also be quite old by now—how could she still be waiting for him?"

Duan Rongshi: "Zhui Yu is also twenty-three."

"I asked, and he is one year older than that cousin."

"If she truly did not wait for him, she must have already married and borne children."

Li Qingluo: "A Shi, is there another possibility?"

"Even with your people you cannot find any news of that young lady, and given that Zhui Yu's family suffered a great calamity back then, would his aunt not have been implicated as well?"

"If not, perhaps they moved out of DaLiang, or maybe they have already..."

Li Qingluo did not say it aloud, but Duan Rongshi understood.

He nodded.

Evidently he was thinking the same.

"So today I brought up your maid Que'er to him."

"His face turned red and white, and he did not give a clear answer."

Li Qingluo: "If he is hemming and hawing, intending to pursue his cousin for life, must Que'er also wait for him a lifetime?"

"Although this girl does not fully understand either, I do understand her; once she makes up her mind, she is also obstinate."

"But if Zhui Yu finds someone, or continues searching for another ten-odd years, would Que'er not be waiting in vain?"

Although Li Qingluo also appreciates and affirms Zhui Yu, if he truly drags Que'er along, she herself as a young lady would not be willing.

Moreover, Deng Mama has already passed away.

Li Qingluo all the more plans well for Que'er.

Seeing her worried endlessly, Duan Rongshi said: "When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally go straight; worrying is useless."

"Although Zhui Yu appears unreliable day-to-day, he is clear-minded inside."

"If he makes a mistake in this matter and lets down your maid, you could simply turn around and marry her to Leng Dian."

"Leng Dian is just a bit clumsy with his words, but he is no inferior to Zhui Yu."

"If that still won't do, there is also Po Feng, who is the most steady in his actions."

"These few, you may choose whichever you like."

Li Qingluo burst out laughing with a "puchi" sound.

"Thinking this way, I still have twenty-odd killing characters."

"Anyway, Que'er certainly has no worries about marrying, humph!"

"That fellow Zhui Yu is going to give her a little color to see."

The married couple spoke private words in the room.

Que'er also quickly noticed over there, Zhui Yu was hiding from her!

Strangely, from the moment he went to the wine house to look for himself today, his eyes dared not meet hers, and he avoided facing her when speaking.

Moreover, when Que'er had something to ask him, he ran away faster than a rabbit.

Just now as well, Que'er only asked him what he wanted to eat tonight; after all, the young lady was hungry and wanted him to hurry to the kitchen to urge them.

As a result, he took off running!

Is he sick?

Que'er rolled her eyes, but she felt somewhat displeased inside.

Next, Li Qingluo continued to be busy every day with the wine house affairs.

Duan Rongshi also began to continue leaving early and returning late.

The couple only saw each other in the evenings each day.

Sometimes they didn't even manage to see each other; whenever Duan Rongshi returned, Li Qingluo was already exhausted and fast asleep.

The Flower Pavilion Wine House was the most bustling wine house in all of Southern Peace City for over ten consecutive days.

Soon, it aroused jealousy and public resentment from other establishments.

As expected, the accidents Li Qingluo had anticipated and waited for also appeared one after another.

Ingredients were in short supply.

The back kitchen caught fire.

There were snakes in the side rooms.

Moreover, someone deliberately provoked and made things difficult, humiliating the female runner.

The rest were simply let go.

Regarding those who deliberately picked faults and caused trouble, Li Qingluo figured out the cause, knew it wasn't the fault of her own servers, and had the person escorted out.

Soon, the rumor that the Flower Pavilion Wine House was bullying customers spread throughout the city.

Li Qingluo was not afraid either.

Because other female patrons appeared to testify on her behalf.

"It's clearly her deliberately scolding that runner girl, not staying home to tend to her husband and children, running out to show off as a waiter, thus humiliating all the women of Great Chu who observe feminine virtue."

"She had that person drenched in dog's blood scolding; why doesn't she consider that she herself went to the Flower Pavilion Wine House to eat? Then she isn't showing off either."

"Never mind her, this kind of person deliberately makes things difficult for the Flower Pavilion Wine House, jealous of its success!"

"Huh? Why do I find her somewhat familiar? She seems like the proprietress of the Huai Water Inn north of the city."

"Her methods are truly despicable!"

"Isn't that right?"

The reputation of the Flower Pavilion Wine House was not dampened by the commotion.

But soon, someone in the city imitated and opened a second women's wine house.

Named——the Full Moon Wine House.

Soon, that fresh Full Moon Wine House diverted Li Qingluo's usual clientele.

That day, Li Qingluo returned to her mansion early.

Que'er was anxious, her brows knotted tight, but she seemed unfazed.

"Miss, why aren't you anxious?"

"From now on, our Flower Pavilion Wine House won't be the only women's wine house in the city. Our business has already been affected; do you really not care?"

Li Qingluo leisurely sipped her tea.

"Of course I care."

"But what's the point of us being anxious here?"

"Take it slow; when the boat reaches the bridgehead, it will straighten naturally! Moreover, the truth is seen in the details."

"What we are fighting for is a long-term battlefield."

"Right now it's just a Full Moon Wine House; later there will be a second, third, and more just like it popping up—if I got angry at each, I'd never stop being angry."

"We just need to do our own well. These women will feel our sincerity and goodwill, and those who left will naturally return."

Que'er listened, entranced, and gradually calmed down as well.

Li Qingluo suddenly rose to her feet, for she smelled a trace of blood.

She sniffed her nose, "Where does it come from?"

She followed the scent and found it led to the bathing chamber.

On the clothing rack she saw a set of black clothes that Duan Rongshi had taken off.

She stepped forward and reached out to touch it; instantly, a damp, sticky substance coated her hand.

Li Qingluo's heart gave a violent jolt; she opened her palm to see it was actually a patch of blood red.

She couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Is he injured?"