Chapter 513: Save me? Murder at the Jiang Manor!

Colonel Yang was also quite surprised.

But he cheerfully introduced himself: "I am the Seventh Young Master Yang of the Yang family."

From then on, Duan Rongshi and Colonel Yang, having become acquainted through sparring, often met to practice and exchange techniques.

Although Colonel Yang lost every match, he grew happier the more he fought.

He thought meeting Li Wu was fate's arrangement.

Little did he know, Duan Rongshi was playing the fisherman here, waiting for a fish like him to take the bait.

When Colonel Yang learned that Duan Rongshi was actually the husband of the Flower Pavilion Tavern's owner, he immediately handed him an invitation.

Please bring your wife that day to my wife's family home to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday.

My mother-in-law greatly admires Miss Nangong's conduct; seeing you both will surely please her.

Although the reputation was thanks to her own fortune, Li Qingluo suspected the truth wasn't quite so.

Would an aristocratic family's elderly lady like a merchant's daughter?

She dared not be complacent, nor would she grow arrogant because of it.

She sat cautiously at the edge of the ladies' circle, silently sipping tea and eating snacks.

One must admit, the Jiang family's pastries are superb.

I heard Miss Nangong also came; where exactly is she?

Isn't that so? I saw her at the Flower Pavilion Tavern.

With her usual fiery temperament, why does she tuck her tail upon arriving at the Jiang residence?

She must never have entered such a grand mansion or visited such a place, so she's frightened silly.

Some snorted in laughter, while others continually cast curious glances at Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo seemed utterly oblivious, sitting properly with eyes lowered, nose aligned with heart.

Even if someone approached her to speak, she would smile and respond politely.

On a high seat not far away, the Old Lady Jiang observed this and nodded silently.

She doesn't seem like a daughter raised by a merchant family.

I heard her husband and the Seventh Young Master have become friends?

The granny beside the Old Lady replied: "Madam, I've heard that Miss Nangong's husband looks like Pan An, but his martial skill surpasses even that of Seventh Uncle."

Old Lady Jiang: "Oh? So impressive—how could he be a live-in son-in-law?"

In a moment, I too will have a look.

Li Qingluo's buttocks went numb from sitting.

She truly disliked these inner-court social engagements.

After finally enduring the long wait, the meal was about to begin.

However, due to her status as a merchant's daughter, even though many female guests who usually frequented taverns had come to today's banquet, few were willing to associate with her.

Thus, Li Qingluo could only sit alone at first, and only when some lesser daughters of the family, unvalued at home, had no seats left did she reluctantly join them.

What bad luck.

How can someone of such status come to the Jiang household?

Hey, if we go to the Flower Pavilion Tavern again, might we get her to do us a favor and score a free meal?

Today we must not discuss such vulgar things; it kills the mood.

Ignore her; we'll just eat our own.

Li Qingluo: ……

Is gossiping about others to their faces really the etiquette of these noble ladies of the Great Chu?

She really wanted to clean her ears right in front of them.

But she didn't do that.

She merely turned sideways and softly called Que'er over.

Then, in a voice loud enough for everyone at the table to hear but not too loud, she said: "Remember the names of these young ladies."

The maidservants' eyes lit up.

Li Qingluo: "Since they look down on our Flower Pavilion Tavern, when you see any of those ladies in the future, keep your eyes sharp—don't lure people into the shop, lest you cause them trouble and spoil the harmony."

The maidservants: ……

You! How can you be so petty?

Exactly, we haven't said anything bad about you, yet you're trying to stir up trouble among these honored guests?

They felt resentful and were unwilling to be controlled by a merchant's daughter.

Li Qingluo: "Honored guests? If you're honored, you should respect yourselves—do you?"

Meaning, they utterly lack the bearing and etiquette of noble ladies.

Jotting them down in a little notebook is already just a polite slight.

What's more embarrassing for the maidservants is that they were actually scolded by a merchant's daughter!

During the meal, they could hardly even lash out.

They could only glare, puffing up like pufferfish.

Ever calm Li Qingluo found it boring, ate a few bites, then rose with the excuse of going to the purification room to leave the table.

Lately, the heat in South Peace leaves everyone feeling sticky and sweaty.

Li Qingluo thus stayed a while longer in the purification room with Que'er, even using a cloth and clean water to wipe the sweat from her neck.

When she emerged from the purification room holding a fan, a blood-soaked maiden suddenly rushed toward her.

Ah—save me, save me—

Que'er quickly shielded Li Qingluo behind her; the blood‑covered woman seized Que'er: "Save me, please, please save me."

Behind her, a burly granny brandishing a cleaver came toward them with a fierce, murderous air.

Li Qingluo: "Que'er!"

Que'er nodded, rushed forward and started fighting with the granny.

Seeing that Que'er actually knew martial arts, the blood‑covered woman finally felt as if she had grasped a lifeline; she grabbed Li Qingluo's hands again with her bloody hands: "Great, your maid knows some martial arts—we're surely saved."

Li Qingluo looked at her attire; she didn't look like a maid.

"Which family's young lady are you? What exactly happened? I see many people patrolling and passing by the Jiang mansion, so how did you end up like this running over here?"

The woman's face was full of terror and grief: "I am Jiang Shisan Niang of the Jiang family; my father has gone mad, and he, together with the granny, maidservants, and young servants in the courtyard, suddenly rushed out to kill people!"

"I don't know what's wrong with them either; I thought they didn't even recognize me anymore."

Over there, Que'er had already swiftly kicked the strong granny to the ground and snatched her knife, holding it across her throat.

"Miss, there's something." Que'er shouted in fright.

Li Qingluo walked over and saw that something seemed to be moving on the granny's neck.

Li Qingluo immediately understood what was going on.

But it wasn't appropriate to take direct evidence, so she gave Que'er a look.

Que'er pretended to loosen her grip, and the granny suddenly sprang up and jumped away.

Li Qingluo secretly stuck out her foot and lightly kicked the granny toward Jiang Shisan Niang.

Jiang Shisan Niang noticed nothing, only seeing the granny rush at her again.

She screamed in terror: "Ah—save me, ah ah ah—"

Jiang Shisan Niang covered her head and fled, while Que'er bravely stepped forward again.

This time, brandishing the knife, she rushed over and cleanly slit the granny's throat.

"Miss, I had to kill her to save your life."

"You saw it with your own eyes."

"We, master and servant, did not deliberately kill anyone in your mansion."

Jiang Shisan Niang had already been frightened out of her wits.

She crouched on the ground, sobbing: "I know, snivel… thank you…"

"Ah! What is that?"

Que'er suddenly cried out again, pointing at the gu worm wriggling out of the wound in the granny's neck on the ground.

Jiang Shisan Niang's face turned white with fear.

She turned her head, lay on the ground, and vomited.

Li Qingluo: "Jiang Shisan Niang, you'd better be careful—don't let it get on you."