Chapter 52

Qu Lao Furen still turned her head, dissatisfied, and looked at Pei Lao Furen.

"I heard that since she returned to the manor, you, elder sister, have been the one raising her?"

"I know she lacked much before, and after returning to the manor she has been spoiled by you, so she constantly opposes her brother, even repeatedly injuring Chuan'er!"

"Elder sister, I'm not saying this to blame you, but this Luo'er's heart is too ruthless, too lacking in propriety!"

Pei Lao Furen looked at Qu Lao Furen.

Qu Shi's great-uncle is a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Household; although Qu Shi's father is only a fourth-rank civil official, the entire Qu family in Jinling City is extremely wealthy and vigorous.

Qu Lao Furen has always been overbearing; when she used to come to the Jiangjun Fu, she acted as if she were the mistress, her domineering attitude having long become habitual.

But she has forgotten that now.

The Jiangjun Fu is no longer what it once was; the Pei Xiuzhen who once stirred the winds throughout Jinling City has returned!

In the Jiangjun Fu, it's not yet others' turn to call the shots!

At this moment, hearing Qu Lao Furen's words, Pei Lao Furen recalled that she had just been helping with some miscellaneous affairs in the front courtyard, which is why she barely restrained herself from lashing out.

She merely said coldly, "Luo'er has indeed been under my care since returning home. Are you blaming me for not teaching her proper manners?"

A flicker of embarrassment finally crossed Qu Lao Furen's face.

"Elder sister, I don't mean it that way. But today's situation at home is different; no matter what, she ought to come out and have a look, shouldn't she?"

Pei Lao Furen said, "Luo'er has broken out in a rash, and I heard the maidservants in her quarters are also feeling unwell. Mama Chang, if you later feel any discomfort, don't be afraid; it's surely just something we've come into contact with."

Mama Chang beside her turned deathly pale, feeling as if her whole body had begun to itch.

Pei Lao Furen said, "In-law sister, if you truly wish to see her, she will surely come to see you out of filial devotion."

"Have you thought it through?"

Qu Lao Furen's face froze completely: "This, this this..."

The two daughters-in-law behind her hurriedly tugged at Qu Lao Furen.

"Mother, since Luo'er is feeling unwell, there's no need to force her to come out; otherwise, if Chuan'er's injury isn't yet understood, and the whole Jiangjun Fu sees another rash break out, what would we do?"

Qu Lao Furen turned back and slapped the eldest daughter-in-law.

"You idiot, I didn't know!? Why are you talking so much!"

Qu Lao Furen's methods are simply unbearable for Pei Lao Furen to watch.

"If you want to show off, please go back to your Qu family to do it. Today the Jiangjun Fu is already chaotic enough; I cannot tolerate noisy disturbance."

Zhang Mama stepped forward, putting on a smiling face and politely saying, "Qu Lao Furen, please don't overthink it. Our Old Lady is anxiously worried, not knowing how the eldest son is faring. Our Li family, after all, has only this one legitimate son, unlike your Qu family, which has six or seven sons."

"Qu Lao Furen, the sky is already dark. Why not let this old servant arrange for you to rest first? If there is any news, this old servant will surely come to inform you."

Qu Lao Furen, being pointed at and lectured by an old servant woman, almost couldn't help but curse.

"That, that is after all my own biological granddaughter! I, I won't go anywhere!"

At that very moment, Qu Shi, who had just regained consciousness again, came rushing over to Lansang Courtyard, weeping.

"My son——my Chuan'er——Chuan'er——don't scare Mother, please don't come to any harm, Chuan'er——"

"You are Mother's lifeline! Chuan'er——"

Pei Lao Furen said, "Stop wailing!"

Qu Shi choked up instantly.

Even Qu Lao Furen shifted a bit to the side.

Pei Lao Furen rose to her feet, her gaze sharp and icy as she swept over everyone in the courtyard.

"Still not annoyed enough? Since he's not dead, I'll have you all cry yourselves to death first!"

"Anyone who wants to keep making noise, get out!"

Pei Lao Furen simply has no good temper.

She scolds people without picking targets, and never picks a day to do it.

Qu Shi no longer dared to cry out loud; she could only sit limp and sobbing weakly at the side, gazing at the main house of Lansang Courtyard, choking back tears that kept flowing.

Seeing her daughter like this, Qu Lao Furen still stayed behind, she pulled Qu Shi into a tight embrace and whispered through tears, "My son, please don't come to any harm again, or else it would be like digging out my own heart and liver!"

The courtyard gradually fell silent.

Li Chao Jing had stayed inside the room keeping him company until daybreak, when he finally dragged his extremely weary body out, half his hair white, his face a lifeless ash-gray.

Qu Lao Furen had already collapsed into sleep earlier, and at this moment she was still snoring lightly.

Pei Lao Furen opened her eyes the instant Li Chao Jing opened the door and stepped out.

Qu Shi, meanwhile, sprang up instantly, lunged forward to grab Li Chao Jing, and anxiously asked, "How is it? Master, how exactly is Chuan'er?"

Qu Shi's eyes were bloodshot from staying up; at this moment, looking at her husband's expression, she actually already had a bad premonition in her heart.

No……

Li Chao Jing gazed at his wife, then turned his gaze to Pei Lao Furen.

He then shook his head, uttering each word with extreme grief: "Even the Luo Divine Physician……can do nothing……merely preserving Chuan'er's life! Chuan'er's left leg……is gone! Completely, gone……"

Qu Shi: "What?"

She gaped in shock, her mouth open as if she couldn't comprehend those words at all.

Li Chao Jing suddenly threw his head back and let out a few bursts of hysterical laughter: "Hahaha——"

"My Li family is just……finished like this? Finished like this!? Hahahaha……"

Pei Lao Furen watched her own foolish son behave in this frenzied manner, and at this moment her heart felt utterly awful.

She turned, her figure trembling slightly, and with Zhang Mama's support, she slowly walked away.

Qu Lao Furen was shaken awake by her two daughters-in-law, and upon learning that Li Kechuan had truly lost a leg completely, she too shed tears.

"It's over, it's over—Chuan'er's official career path is completely finished!"

"Then what point is there in him staying alive?"

The daughter-in-law, terrified, tried to cover her mouth, but it was already too late.

Both Qu Shi and Li Chao Jing heard those words loud and clear.

Li Chao Jing stared fixedly at the three of them.

Qu Shi, her eyes bloodshot, shouted: "Get out! Get out——!!"

"Chuan'er, Mother has come to see you——"

Qu Shi, overcome with grief, clung to the doorframe and rushed inside.

At this moment, inside another of Prince Yun's private residences in the western part of the city.

After half a day of turmoil, Li Qingzhu finally calmed down again.

As soon as Prince Yun stepped inside, Li Qingzhu immediately rose and threw herself at him.

"Your Lordship, you've finally come back! That matter today frightened Zhu'er to death, wuwuwu......"

Prince Yun embraced Li Qingzhu, heartbroken as he wiped her tears.

"All right, isn't everything over now? Just that residence across the Qinhuai River—you can't stay there any longer, lest this matter drag you in further, which would be hard on my Zhu'er."

Li Qingzhu tugged at Prince Yun's sleeve: "Zhu'er understands your lordship's painstaking efforts; Zhu'er is just moving residences, it's not tiring."

"Your Lordship, did the Emperor ask about this matter when you entered the palace tonight?"

Prince Yun: "Those few of the Imperial Guard are sensible; they voluntarily went to report the situation to His Majesty."

Furthermore, this incident was entirely Li Kechuan's fault for forcibly breaking into my private residence; my guards and a few of the Imperial Guard were only protecting my life, hence this outcome.

"As a prince, Li Kechuan's daytime conduct has already incurred the crime of confiscating property and exterminating the clan; merely breaking his leg is already lenient."

"It's only because the former emperor is merciful, remembering some of the Li family's past merits; otherwise Zhu'er......"

Prince Yun chuckled, looking at the beautiful maiden in his arms, and gently tapped her nose: "This matter means the entire Li family will surely not escape calamity."