Chapter 548: Ah Shi, is an orphan nobody wants!

She rubbed her eyes, made sure it was really him, and instantly felt overjoyed.

"Ah Shi! You're back."

Li Qingluo had been busy lately, her feet never touching the ground; this morning she finally managed to sleep in, and as soon as she woke up she saw him.

She happily jumped out of bed barefoot and ran over to him.

Duan Rongshi swept up the beauty who had lunged at him.

With just a slight tightening of his arms, he lifted her entirely and seated her in his embrace.

Deep winter had set in.

Even the winter in Nan'an was cold.

Duan Rongshi felt her icy, jade-like little feet and tucked them into his already loose outer robe.

"Careless."

"If you catch a chill, won't you suffer?"

He seemed to scold, but more with heartache, lightly tapping her forehead.

Li Qingluo: "But I'm just so happy to see you."

"Ah Shi, aren't you supposed to rest at home for a few days?"

"Here in Nan'an, when I get busy, I see even fewer people than when I was in DaLiang."

"Although there are many people in the mansion, Li Qingluo still feels as if it's always empty."

"My master has been gone for so long without a word."

"Duan Rongshi is again away from home all day."

"Although she takes care of everything outside, she still sees no one, and inevitably feels lonely at times."

Duan Rongshi: "He granted me a day of rest."

He paused, then said: "Luo'er, he ordered me to go to DaLiang. The duration: three months."

"If after three months I haven't completed the task, he will surely take me to task."

Li Qingluo's heart gave a sudden thump.

"Go to DaLiang? But... is it related to the mother consort?"

"Is that empty tomb really, as they guessed, prepared for the mother consort?"

Duan Rongshi gently closed his eyes and nodded.

"He speaks of my mother consort with solemnity, saying she died miserably in a foreign land without receiving the honor she deserved, saying he often dreams of her, so his heart truly aches."

"So he sent me, Yang Qilang, and Zhang Tingji together to DaLiang to accomplish this."

"We must bring back the mother consort's corpse intact."

Li Qingluo: "He's full of crap!"

She was so angry she stood up, stepped onto the floor, and paced around the room.

Duan Rongshi looked at her helplessly.

He had no choice but to get up himself, fetch her shoes, and put them on her.

"What are you angry about? He won't get his way."

Li Qingluo: "I'm angry about more than just the mother consort!"

"Ah Shi, he's too shameless!"

"If he truly cared for the mother consort, when she died miserably back then, why didn't he avenge her?"

"Over these years, the mother consort's death has been shrouded in mystery, yet he never thought to investigate the truth?"

"After the mother consort's death, as her maternal uncle, he has paid you no attention at all, never caring about you."

"Nowadays, news of your death has already spread to An'nan, yet when he mentions the mother consort he never even mentions you."

"With him like this, would the mother consort ever agree to be buried with him after death?"

Duan Rongshi: "Perhaps he also hates that my blood comes from the Duan clan."

Li Qingluo stiffened all over.

She silently gazed at Duan Rongshi.

Although no trace of sorrow could be seen on his face,

but she could still sense a hint of profound, deathly silence in his overly calm tone.

The Duan clan hates that his veins carry the blood of the Zongzheng clan.

And the Zongzheng clan hates that he comes from the Duan clan.

Her Ah Shi... is like an orphan nobody wants.

She still has her grandmother.

But what about him?

Since the mother consort's death these past years, it seems no one has truly accepted him.

Li Qingluo felt a dense, needle-like pain in her heart.

She couldn't help but step forward and hug him tightly.

"Ah Shi, no matter who you are, you are you, my husband."

"It doesn't matter."

"From now on I will cherish you, I will love you."

"You are my family. In my home we have grandmother, Grandfather Luo, my master, and in the future my children..."

Li Qingluo said this and then went to look into his eyes.

Seeing a glimmer of returning warmth in his eyes, she held him even tighter.

"Let those who don't care about us all roll far away!"

"We don't want them either."

Duan Rongshi couldn't help but laugh.

Helplessly, he lowered his head to look at her: "Are you treating me like a child to be coaxed?"

"Silly Luo'er."

Li Qingluo sighed: "It seems you must personally make a trip back to DaLiang."

Duan Rongshi: "I'll see to it."

"For these three months, you need to stay on your own in Southern Peace, and I'm not entirely at ease."

"How about letting Grandmother come over to keep you company?"

Li Qingluo quickly shook her head: "Grandmother is surely keeping that person company."

"I can't be bothered to see him."

That person, naturally, is Li Chao Jing.

This is also an opportunity Grandmother has long wanted, to make up for the regret of missing many years of mother‑son time.

Li Qingluo also didn't want to disturb Grandmother's now peaceful days.

Thinking of this, Li Qingluo raised her eyebrows high: "Ashi, do you still not trust me?"

"Who could move me now?"

"Besides being able to protect myself, I think that before you finish your affairs and return, the Chu Emperor will not allow anyone to harm me in the slightest."

"Just go ahead and leave with peace of mind."

"When you return, I might already have opened three shops, four shops, or even half a street's worth of stores, all mine."

"I'll earn money properly, after all I have to support you. Who made you my live‑in son‑in‑law?"

She said this while lifting her chin with a proud expression.

Duan Rongshi felt his heart stir, unable to resist, and lifted her high into his arms.

"Shall we eat first, or should I eat you first?"

Li Qingluo's face flushed: "I think we should fill our stomachs first to have strength…"

Duan Rongshi said 'good' with his mouth, yet he still moved forward and first sealed her lips with a kiss.

After a long separation, the pain of longing.

Only at nightfall did the two leave Nan Gong Fu together.

The carriage rushed out before the city gates were closed.

Upon reaching the farmstead outside the city, they changed horses.

The two wandered through the night, making two loops before arriving at the Daoist temple.

Qingyangzi had already gone to sleep.

Hearing the little Daoist hurriedly shout: "Temple master, a worshipper has come."

At this time, a worshipper?

Qingyangzi: "Someone seeking lodging for the night?"

The little Daoist shook his head before he could speak, when Li Qingluo's voice came from outside the window: "Qingyangzi Daozhang, now a favorite before His Majesty, you don't even care about incense money?"

Upon hearing that voice, Qingyangzi sprang up sitting.

"Hurry up and come in!"

That night's palace banquet, Qingyangzi also attended.

But both sides needed to avoid suspicion, so they kept far apart, not even exchanging a glance.

Since Qingyangzi helped the Chu Emperor cure his nightmare ailment, his status has become comparable to that of a state chancellor.

Wherever he goes, he is flanked on left and right by countless people rushing up to curry favor.

He is utterly annoyed.

Therefore, lately whenever the Chu Emperor does not summon him, he hides back in the Daoist temple.

Moreover, when he returns, there is also an extremely important matter he must personally oversee.

"You've finally arrived."

Qingyangzi excitedly opened the door himself, then sent the little Daoist far away.

Seeing Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi both dressed in night‑black attire and wearing straw hats on their heads, the little Daoist certainly couldn't make out their appearance.

Only then did his heart finally relax with a sigh of relief.

After ushering the two inside, Qingyangzi hurriedly turned and shut all doors and windows tightly.

Next, he lifted the bedding and then dropped the mechanism.

With the sound, Li Qingluo saw the bed planks slowly split open a large hole.

Below, it turned out to be a secret tunnel!