Chapter 58: with translation of chapter title

Qu Shi shook her head: "Just had someone come to the door to ask a few questions, and also sent a lot of precious medicinal herbs. Master, if the Cui family really..."

Li Chao Jing heaved a deep sigh: "Even if they really want to break off the engagement, what can I do? But since they haven't brought it up yet, we shouldn't bring it up ourselves."

If we lose the Cui family, their son Chuan'er will probably never find a good match in his lifetime.

Li Chao Jing, having suffered hardship in his youth, doesn't want his own son to endure the same.

"The Cui family is a truly prestigious clan; if they see Chuan'er encounter misfortune and first demand to break off the engagement, then they'll be the ones blamed by society for disparaging a servant. The Cui family's rules are strict; they probably won't lightly make such a decision. Let's just wait and see."

"Huh? Where did this come from?"

Li Chao Jing said, his gaze finally falling on the stack of hand-copied scriptures on the table.

Qu Shi: "This was brought to me this morning by Luoluo. She said it's a birthday gift she prepared for me, and she only had the chance to send it now."

Li Chao Jing stared at those characters, unblinking.

Qu Shi sighed softly: "At least she meant well. She even went to see Chuan'er this morning, but even if Chuan'er... is still like that, he won't even glance at Luoluo."

Li Chao Jing said nothing.

Qu Shi saw her still staring at the characters and said: "Master, do you think... this handwriting resembles yours somewhat?"

Li Chao Jing: "No, it's like my mother's handwriting."

Qu Shi was secretly startled.

Since it's my mother's handwriting?

Li Chao Jing's brushstroke is the same, so Qu Shi felt the handwriting somewhat familiar.

But wasn't the master's relationship with his mother not very good when he was young?

And why would his handwriting resemble his mother's?

What Li Chao Jing didn't say was that, as a child, he had indeed received a copybook from his mother.

But back then, he truly looked down on his mother in his heart, believing that women should be gentle and virtuous like Madame Deng, managing the household thoughtfully, respecting parents-in-law and loving children, whereas a rough woman like his mother who fought on the battlefield struck him as disgraceful.

So, the copybook his mother gave him, he didn't value at all and threw it back right away.

But later, he broke his mother's heart; his father couldn't keep her, and she left home in anger…

Only in hindsight, when he finally appreciated his mother's difficulties and longed for his birth mother, it was already too late.

Later, he dug out some family letters his mother had sent back from the battlefield, looked at the writing, and gradually learned her handwriting.

"It seems Mother put great effort into raising Luoluo."

Li Chao Jing sighed emotionally.

Qu Shi hesitated and said: "Yes, Master. Today I saw Luoluo, and her changes... are significant. Not only has she become more beautiful, her demeanor has grown much more graceful."

Li Chao Jing's eyes narrowed: "... Oh?"

Qu Shi: "Should we also finalize our marriage alliance with the Zhongyi Hou Fu?"

Hongfenguan.

After Li Qingluo returned, she had just sat down and taken a sip of tea when Cui Er came running over in panic, kneeling and saying: "Miss, I've made a grave mistake!"

In fact, Li Qingluo had not prepared the Sutra of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha's Fundamental Vows for Qu Shi; that was originally a copy she painstakingly made for Pei Lao Furen, intended to be offered at Tanzhan Temple.

What she gave Qu Shi was actually a hundred hastily written 'filial' characters!

Although somewhat similar in effect to Lou Shi's work, it was merely practice writing, and she could still get away with submitting it!

Compared to the scripture for her grandmother, it was certainly not done with the same care.

As a result, when Cui Er came to fetch it in the morning, she carelessly packed the wrong one.

Given this mix‑up, even if she took the wrong one, there was naturally no reason to fetch it back.

Li Qingluo could only sigh: "Never mind, it's done. I'll copy another for my grandmother and offer it to the temple."

Outside the window, Pei Lao Furen, hearing these words, couldn't help but nod.

Madame Deng stood quietly to the side, anxiously looking around.

After Pei Lao Furen left Hongfenguan silently, Deng Mama hurried forward and asked: "Old Lady, you've come all this way—why didn't you call the miss out to attend to you? These days she's been thinking of you so much she can barely eat or drink."

Pei Lao Furen pointed at Deng Mama for Zhang Mama to see: "Take a look at her. She's only been at Luoluo's Hongfenguan for a couple of months and has already completely changed her heart. I look at you and wish I could just cancel your deed of sale and give it to Luoluo as well!"

Deng Mama's heart panicked: "Oh no, is the old lady really turning into a hawk?"

"Hehe, Old Lady, you're wronging me. I'm not looking at you; I clearly miss the young lady, but I won't even let her see me, for fear that if you and she continue like this, you'll grow to resent each other."

Pei Lao Furen fixed Deng Mama with a look that said, "Oh really, how much longer are you going to keep up this act?"

Deng Mama couldn't help wiping the sweat from her forehead.

Finally, Pei Lao Furen turned and left without a word, not even letting Li Qingluo get a glance, and she didn't allow Deng Mama to tell Li Qingluo that she had followed her to Lanscang Institute and then returned to Hongfenguan.

Seeing how steady she could be, Pei Lao Furen felt greatly relieved that she would surely find a foothold in this household soon.

Returning, she sighed to Zhang Mama: "Forget it. She's the little wildcat I'm supposed to protect—do I really have to claw her to bloody shreds to count as protecting her?"

"If I've pissed her off, let her show her spirit—just that the consequences will be heavier."

"I've long since abandoned the Li family; now worrying about future descendants is too late, and it's not even for my own sake."

"After all, I don't even bear the Li surname."

"Letting him keep his life is already the utmost benevolence and righteousness."

With that, Pei Lao Furen finally convinced herself.

The next day, when Li Qingluo went to pay her respects, she finally managed to enjoy a cheerful breakfast with her grandmother.

At the meal, Pei Lao Furen suddenly said to Li Qingluo: "Luoluo, do you still remember that when Grandmother agreed to let you come down from the mountain, she made you do something in exchange?"

Li Qingluo set down her chopsticks, sat up straight, and said: "Yes, Grandmother. Luoluo has always kept this in mind. As long as Grandmother doesn't force Luoluo to marry into the Zhongyi Hou Fu, Luoluo is willing to do anything."

Pei Lao Furen gave her a look: "You wish. Marrying into the Zhongyi Hou Fu is your parents' order and the matchmaker's word; as long as the Zhongyi Hou Fu still honors the engagement, you can't get out of it—Grandma doesn't need to force you."

Li Qingluo: "..."

Pei Lao Furen cleared her throat and then said solemnly: "My natal home is the Pei Dukedom, the Pei family. Have you ever heard of it?"