Chapter 98

Li Qingluo quietly looked at the person before her: "I am not your disciple!"

"My master is a woman named Chenhe; are you?"

She stared expressionlessly at the man before her, Zheng Lingzhou, the younger brother of Aunt Zheng.

She could guess his identity, and it was still because of that dagger.

Back when Chenhe was still teaching Li Qingluo martial arts at Hongfenguan, she had let him see it.

Therefore, besides the iron workshop, he was the only person outside who knew.

Moreover, the Lotus Sect and that iron workshop must have some tangled relationship; otherwise she would not have picked up another dagger.

What let her confirm his identity were the words of Prince Su and his guards.

"The exit of the charity estate, like that underground passage, has been completely blocked."

Who had she seen in the charity estate's underground passage?

It goes without saying.

And when her eyes were blindfolded, smelling his scent were moments that made Li Qingluo suspect deep down.

So, after she left Prince Su and arrived at that mountain cliff, encountering Lotus Sect followers again, she finally had the confidence to reveal Zheng Lingzhou's identity.

He is the fake Chenhe.

It is also he, posing as a female ghost, who has been playing tricks in the Moonbright Garden.

Precisely because of his skill in feigning spirits, Li Qingluo was certain she would be adept at ventriloquism and could easily alter her voice.

This is also the most certain thing.

Zheng Lingzhou is the incense master of the Lotus Sect.

And his sister Zheng Wanxiu certainly cannot remain uninvolved.

Zheng Lingzhou let out a soft hum: "When you wanted my help, you never seemed so eager to cut ties. To help you, the Lotus Sect sacrificed many followers this time; how will you compensate?"

Li Qingluo: "Incense Master Zheng need not speak so righteously, nor treat me as a fool. Aren't we merely using each other?"

"You helped me complete the layout, forcing Li Qingzhu to appear and expose her secret affair with Prince Yun. But today Prince Yun, Prince Su, and even my father Li Chao Jing have been lured up this mountain. How far can your Lotus Sect really go? Isn't it still up to your own abilities?"

As Li Qingluo's words fell, Zheng Lingzhou couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile.

"If I truly wanted to kill them, why would I wait here for you? Luo'er, you don't trust anyone in this world, but you really need not doubt my sincerity. According to status and seniority, you can call me uncle."

Jiangjun Fu.

Pei Lao Furen paced anxiously back and forth in the room.

They sent people to inquire several times, yet still no news returned.

She couldn't help but sigh, "How exactly is it? Does that girl really have any grasp of her own affairs?"

"Her courage has always been greater than heaven's! Every time she does something, when hasn't it made my heart leap? She never gives me a moment's peace!!"

Zhang Mama comforted from the side: "Old Lady, the young lady always turns danger into safety; this time will surely be fine too. Actually, we can't blame the young lady for her repeated risky actions; she simply has a hard life."

"Look, madam, over three days she secretly scraped together money, clearly not enough, yet she didn't tell you or the master; I truly don't know what she's thinking."

Pei Lao Furen: "I'm just afraid that idiot will mess things up! However, since Prince Su managed to send a message back for Luo'er, he certainly won't ignore this matter!"

"Luo'er..."

Just then, a long report suddenly came from outside—

"Old Lady! It's the young lady, the young lady has returned!"

Pei Lao Furen's eyes instantly brightened: "What!? Luo'er has returned!? Where is Luo'er—quickly let her come see me!"

Upon hearing this, the guard's face turned a little strange.

"Old Lady, it is, it is the eldest young lady; the eldest young lady didn't die! She has returned!"

Pei Lao Furen: "What about the second young lady? My Luo'er!?"

The guard lowered his head: "Old Lady, the second young lady… she, she… she fell off the cliff; for now, her life or death is unknown…"

Pei Lao Furen felt her vision go black, head dizzy: "What!? Luo'er——"

A long cry, and Pei Lao Furen also fainted.

The entire Jiangjun Fu was in utter chaos.

Lancang Courtyard.

Li Kechuan also received the news of Li Qingluo's cliff fall.

He naturally wouldn't have any emotion.

He merely asked his father and mother.

Upon learning that Li Chao Jing had suffered a considerable injury but still insisted on personally going to the cliff base to search for Li Qingluo, he snorted coldly: "Life and death are her fate."

Qu Shi was carried back.

Along with Qu Shi returning, Li Qingzhu also came back.

Hearing that his Zhu'er had truly returned, Li Kechuan felt both joy and worry.

"In this state, if she sees me, will she be disappointed? But she will surely feel pity as well……"

Li Kechuan couldn't help but become excited, asking Shanhu: "Could you help me see how this great cloak looks?"

Liu Sui'er, upon hearing that Li Qingluo had fallen off the cliff, remained dazed for a long time.

She suppressed her inner shock and heartache, tears in her eyes, replying to Li Kechuan: "Young master, this is already very good."

Li Kechuan didn't notice her expression, still urging her: "Quick! Help me wash up, give me a clean face, I want to see Zhu'er!"

Liu Sui'er: "Young master, I won't accompany you, all right?"

She wasn't afraid of confronting Li Qingzhu; rather, at this moment it was too hard to suppress her inner anguish, so she didn't want to go through the motions with them.

Li Kechuan looked at her face, lacking patience, his expression darkened: "With your appearance, you indeed need not go see Zhu'er. Zhu'er has never liked having people around me."

"Someone—fetch water, wash up!"

When Li Qingzhu arrived, the sky had already grown dark.

Lanscang Courtyard had its lamps lit, and there were several more than usual.

When Li Qingzhu arrived, she saw the courtyard filled with lantern light, and saw Li Kechuan leaning on his crutch standing under the tree—her face both smiling and tearful.

Then she sprang forward and rushed over—

"Older brother!"

If Li Kechuan weren't leaning against the tree, he would surely have been knocked over already.

Right now, he barely supported his body, tightly embracing the person in his arms, as if he had obtained a precious treasure, his eyes wet with joy.

"Zhu'er—! Zhu'er, you really aren't dead, you're really still alive. Older brother has been hoping for this moment day and night; I never expected it to actually be true!"

"Let older brother take a look quickly!"

Li Kechuan cupped Li Qingzhu's face and examined her carefully.

He found that although she had slimmed a bit and had a slight bruise on her face, she was still, as he had pampered her since childhood, the lovely Zhu'er like a precious treasure.

Unlike coral, which needs deliberate adornment to look that way.

Even less like Li Qingluo—right now Zhu'er gazes at him with admiration in her eyes; where is Li Qingluo's usual deadened resentment?

Li Kechuan laughed out loud, "Older brother has thought of you day and night; nobody else believed me, but older brother knew you couldn't be dead!"

"Zhu'er, promise older brother you'll never leave this home again, okay?"

Li Qingzhu was about to nod in reply when footsteps sounded.

It was Zhuang Wei, who had heard the news and rushed over.

"Zhu'er!"

After he hurriedly entered, seeing Li Qingzhu truly return, besides being filled with shock and joy, there was also a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Zhu'er, you're still alive—how wonderful!"

"But I've heard, I've heard that Li Qingluo fell off a cliff—is that really true?"