Chapter 61: Want Her to Be a White Moonlight Substitute?

Liu Sui'er: "I looked forward to the future, full of excitement and ignorance, and came to Jinling City; under my aunt's guidance, I did indeed see Li Qingzhu."

"So-called wealth bewitches the eyes... I saw the prosperity of Jinling City, I saw the inch of land worth gold and the decadent luxury of the capital of the State of Liang, I saw my aunt actually able to eat pork and meat every day, I saw my true older sister, a pearl held aloft by the stars."

"And what am I? Clearly I look just like her, clearly we are blood sisters, but I am nothing more than a donkey dung ball covered in mud."

"And she casually threw a piece of jewelry at me, which could feed our family for two or three years!"

"You don't know, but the moment I saw Li Qingzhu, my heart felt both envy and hatred. I hated that she lived better than I did, I hated her stunning beauty, and if I could have grown up in luxury like her from childhood, I would certainly not be inferior to her!"

"I may be a bit malicious. But compared to her, what is that? It's utterly insignificant."

"The first time, when she saw me at the restaurant, she wouldn't let me call her sister, she looked down on me with contempt in her eyes, and just one meal she wanted to get rid of me completely."

"Later, when I was walking down the street with my aunt, that Master Zhuang saw me and mistook me for her; although I hurriedly avoided him with my aunt, after she found out, she actually ran to my aunt's place and whipped me until I was covered in wounds."

"She cursed me with the most vicious words, calling me a slut, a locust trying to suck her blood; even if I have a face that looks like hers, I could never replace her!"

"She regards our Liu family's bloodline as a disgrace, wishing we would never appear before her, lest we disturb her good days, right?"

"Poor father, mother, and grandmother still wait at home for her, believing that if one attains the Dao, the whole family can ascend to heaven and enjoy a good life."

"She also had my aunt disfigure my face and send me back to my hometown quickly, so I wouldn't cause her trouble. But my aunt, greedy for money, concealed it from her and actually sold me to a brothel!"

"I am also her niece! Why would she, for just a few dozen taels of silver, push me into an abyss from which there is no return?"

"I hate Li Qingzhu, but I hate Liu Jinzhi even more! They both harmed me; they are my enemies for life."

Liu Sui'er said this, her eyes already filled with vengeful hatred.

In Jinling City, she was harmed together by the two relatives she trusted most; all her hopes vanished overnight, she was a respectable young woman yet was sold by her own relatives, and in an instant became a prostitute that any man could sleep with.

In the brothel, she endured endless torment.

At first she shouted, claiming she was the younger sister of the legitimate daughter of the Jiangjun Fu, but no one believed her.

Later, she stopped shouting.

Because she was beaten to the point of excruciating pain, and starved to the point of unbearable suffering.

To survive, she gritted her teeth and took off her clothes.

Finally, Li Qingzhu died.

Upon hearing the news of her death, Liu Sui'er almost went mad with joy.

"This is retribution, this is retribution, right!? Knowing that the Jiangjun Fu is bringing back a second young lady, I knew her background must have been exposed! I knew it was you coming back!"

"She is nothing but a fake, enjoying all those blessings in the Li household on your behalf, while you suffered her sins in the Liu household for so many years—shouldn't she have died?"

"Good riddance! Only her death can relieve the hatred in my heart!"

Li Qingluo listened to Liu Sui'er finish, seeing her red-eyed, jumping about, and felt an inexplicable sorrow.

Previously, Liu Sui'er in the mountains, though somewhat spoiled and savage, still retained a bit of innocence.

Now she, just like me, has already been destroyed.

Li Qingluo couldn't bear to tell her: "Actually, Li Qingzhu didn't die. I have seen her with my own eyes."

Deng Mama and Que'er beside her were both greatly shocked upon hearing, let alone Liu Sui'er.

"No... no! Impossible, how could this happen? Wasn't she burned to death?"

Liu Sui'er almost screamed out loud.

Li Qingluo told her: "She faked her death to escape; on one hand, to push the blame for her death onto me so the Li family wouldn't accept me, and naturally she had other motives as well."

The sparkle in Liu Sui'er's eyes instantly vanished.

She slumped limp on the ground, as if the hope she had painstakingly rekindled was now completely extinguished.

Li Qingluo: "Do you want to see how she completely falls?"

Liu Sui'er raised her head again: "You, what do you mean?"

Li Qingluo: "If you want... with your face, I can make it happen, letting you go see the good days she once had."

Liu Sui'er stared at Li Qingluo in shock, as if not understanding why she would help her.

Li Qingluo said lightly: "Just consider it as repayment for the last time you helped me. If you've decided, I can arrange at any time for you to go to the Jiangjun Fu. If you want to back out, I can also give you a clean identity, so you can leave Jinling and live an ordinary life."

Liu Sui'er immediately knelt upright: "No! If she really isn't dead, then I have no way to avenge my grudge! And there's Liu Jinzhi, my dear aunt who harmed me so—how could I swallow this anger?"

"You, you help me!"

Li Qingluo: "Don't rush to agree. I'll give you ten days; if you agree, I'll have Mama train you in some rules. If you're afraid, you'd better give up early."

Liu Sui'er seemed to want to say more, but Li Qingluo had already stood up and walked out.

Having reached the doorway, Li Qingluo paused, half-turned to look at Liu Sui'er: "I can temporarily set aside what happened in the Liu household, but that doesn't mean I forgive you."

Liu Sui'er bit her lip and said: "Sorry... really sorry, elder sister..."

If I hadn't suffered endless bullying myself, how would I understand the injustice and hardship Li Qingluo endured in the Liu household?

After leaving the alley, Deng Mama caught up and whispered: "Miss, do you really want to arrange for Liu Sui'er to go to the Jiangjun Fu? Isn't that too risky?"

Li Qingluo: "This matter, I have my own plan. Mama, I need to go somewhere; you don't have to follow me."

Deng Mama looked uneasy: "Miss, although you're dressed as a man, you're now a handsome young man. Don't let me follow you, but at least let Que'er come along."

Li Qingluo glanced at Que'er, nodded: "Fine. In half an hour, Mama will wait for me at the Hall of Blessings."

Li Qingluo brought Que'er to the West Market, left Que'er at a wonton stall, and then went to the blacksmith shop herself.

Last time, when she fought Li Kechuan in front of Li Qingzhu's grave, the sheath of her short dagger fell off, so she came to get a new sheath.

Not letting Mama and them follow is so the blacksmith shop people won't notice her unusual identity.

Upon seeing her, the blacksmith stared for a while before daring to say: "You are... that young gentleman from that day? Young gentleman, you've really kept me waiting!"

Although she has changed greatly, it is indeed her!

The blacksmith's face was full of surprise and delight.

Waiting for her?

Li Qingluo didn't understand, saying: "I don't know, what business do you have with me?"