Chapter 9: Grandmother Wants to Descend the Mountain

Li Kechuan waved his hand and shouted sternly.

The laborers behind him were all tall and sturdy, terrifyingly robust, grabbing ropes as they walked toward Li Qingluo.

Cui Er had already been frightened silly.

Li Qingluo pulled Cui Er back quickly, saying, "Eldest Son, Grandmother is still at Qingsong Temple. I advise you not to continue like this!"

Li Kechuan showed no expression, looking down on Li Qingluo as if at ants: "Grandmother? She hasn't managed any household affairs for a long time."

"I've also heard about that day's affair. You bewitched the granny in front of Grandmother, making her speak up for you. Today I came personally—how could Grandmother possibly be deceived by you again?"

Watching the laborers gradually approach, some even familiar faces, Li Qingluo recalled her past life, when she was repeatedly tied up by these people, the icy lake water, the damp hot firewood shed, the wooden stick that made her whole body ache and tremble…

Even finally, she died in the snow of despair, and it was they who bound her and threw her into that broken wooden hut.

Although her heart pounded wildly, Li Qingluo clenched her fists and did not retreat further.

She stared hatefully at those faces, the hatred in her eyes like a towering wave, which actually stunned these people for a moment.

However, at this moment, the Daoists led by Ling Fengzi all appeared again, forming a circle to promptly protect Li Qingluo behind them.

"Good person, our Qingsong Temple is not a place for you to cause trouble."

Li Kechuan also wasn't polite: "All of you, move aside! This is my Li family's affair! You Qingsong Temple have great gall, daring to protect her?"

"Liu Caoer is nothing but a weed—what's good about her?"

"So crude and unsightly, lacking any grace—to say she is of the Li family's blood makes Li Kechuan feel ashamed."

"These Daoists, who usually ignore worldly matters, are protecting her?"

"What means did she actually use?"

Ling Fengzi, however, said: "Since the virtuous woman resides in our Qingsong Temple, she shall certainly receive our protection. Please, Junior General Li, do not make things ugly. If you continue like this and provoke a noble person, don't blame us for not warning you."

Did Li Kechuan even listen to Ling Fengzi's warning?

He has always been proud and arrogant, thinking highly of himself.

This time he brought over twenty people, waving his hand to fully escalate the matter, when suddenly a furious shout came from outside the courtyard: "Everyone, stop!"

The crowd parted, and it was Pei Lao Furen, who rarely shows herself, slowly walking in with a retinue of servants.

Li Qingluo even saw that Zhang Mama was holding a knife in her hand!

The other grannies, maids, and servant girls almost all held weapons.

Li Qingluo had a guess: outside Grandmother's Cui Zhu Courtyard, male guards and servants are hardly ever seen—could it be that these years, Grandmother's safety has been guarded by these women?

Could these grannies have been female warriors who once followed Grandmother onto the battlefield?

Having formed this guess, Li Qingluo felt excited, and her reverence and admiration for Grandmother deepened involuntarily.

Pei Lao Furen first glanced at Li Qingluo, and upon sensing her undisguised ardent admiration, her old face actually flushed.

"This lass, could she truly admire me this much?"

Pei Lao Furen involuntarily reached out to Li Qingluo: "Come here."

Li Qingluo no longer feared anything, striding up to Pei Lao Furen and saying, "Grandmother."

She was obedient and gentle like a little cat—where were the claws she had just shown?

Li Kechuan also changed his expression, immediately dismounting from his horse.

"Grandson pays respects to Grandmother. Grandmother, may you be healthy!"

Pei Lao Furen gave a heavy snort: "Shut up! Grandmother? How dare I be your grandmother!"

"Li Kechuan, you really have grown mighty! After not seeing you for years, you became a Junior General—I've never heard of your battlefield achievements. Today, toward your long-lost blood-related sister, you've acted overbearing and domineering repeatedly—I've seen plenty!"

Zhang Mama and the others had already moved the chairs from inside the room out.

Pei Lao Furen turned and sat down.

The dignity in her gaze, her aura undiminished from years past, still overawed everyone present.

The Li family servants all hurriedly retreated, not even daring to breathe.

Li Kechuan's face was grim as he lowered his head: "Grandson dares not. Grandson didn't timely go to pay respects to Grandmother because I didn't want to bother her. Unexpectedly, I still disturbed her."

"Grandmother, this time I came to bring Liu Caoer back home, so she won't disturb your tranquility here..."

Pei Lao Furen cut off Li Kechuan's excuse: "What Liu Caoer? She bears the Li surname, stolen away by that Liu family! You remember that name clearly, yet feel no shame?"

"From now on, she shall be called Li Qingluo! Luo'er, remember—this is your true name!"

Li Qingluo bowed slightly: "Yes, Grandmother. Luo'er remembers."

Li Qingluo lowered her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

As it turned out, her name was also given by Grandmother.

In her previous life, she was truly blinded by her eager desire for undeserved affection, never once considering this matter, nor ever coming to visit Grandmother.

At this moment, she also felt deeply ashamed.

Pei Lao Furen patted Li Qingluo's hand: "Luo'er hasn't bothered me at all. On the contrary, you, just like your heartless parents, now completely disregard this old lady."

"The Li family truly raises a whole clan of fine descendants!"

These words made Li Kechuan's face turn white.

He hurriedly knelt, apologizing to Pei Lao Furen: "Grandmother, please forgive me; it's my fault, I really hadn't thought things through so thoroughly."

"Five years ago when I came to see Grandmother, you were already gone; I thought you didn't want to see me again, otherwise I would never dare act like this today..."

Pei Lao Furen didn't want to hear his excuses, raised her hand and interrupted: "Enough! Take your dogs and get out at once! Otherwise, you won't eat anything good."

Li Kechuan unwillingly lifted his head to look at Li Qingluo: "But I was ordered to bring her home… Grandmother, if she refuses to go back, well, our family can simply disown her—but she keeps dragging things on…"

Pei Lao Furen, angry, snatched the teacup beside her and smashed it down hard.

The tea soaked Li Kechuan's long robe, leaving him in a sorry state.

"Just coming to pay respects and staying a few more days, and that counts as unwilling to go back?!"

"These days you all disregard this old lady even more—remember, I'm not dead yet!"

Since that's the case, I will naturally go down the mountain and into the city together with Luo'er; you can rest easy now?

Li Kechuan raised his head, his eyes full of shock as he gazed at Pei Lao Furen.

Grandfather, Grandmother, Grandmother wants to go down the mountain?

Pei Lao Furen leaned back, actually breaking into a smile: "Yes. I am a lady of the Li family; I have never truly taken monastic vows, so how could I not be able to return?"

Zhang Mama: "Tomorrow, the Old Lady will go down the mountain and into the city together with the Miss; please, Eldest Son, go home and give notice, make preparations, and clean out the Old Lady's former residence."

Li Kechuan dared not ask any more, hurriedly got up, and then led the crowd in a flustered, hurried departure.

As soon as Li Kechuan left, Li Qingluo turned and knelt before Pei Lao Furen.

Luo'er thanks Grandmother for bestowing a name, thanks Grandmother for backing Luo'er, thanks Grandmother…… for agreeing to Luo'er's previous rude request.

Pei Lao Furen raised her hand: "Get up. However, Luo'er, remember this: I can go down the mountain back to the Li family, but no matter when, you can still only rely on yourself."

Besides, you must promise to do one thing for Grandmother.