Chapter 80: The Lady Would Not Want Her Secrets to Be Known Either

"You!" Li Qingluo gritted her teeth but dared not move rashly; the opposing force was far too numerous, armed with military crossbows, and their attire was mixed, with even the military uniforms differing slightly, leaving her unable to determine their true origin.

"Are you not officials from the Suzhou government?"

"Bold!" Tong Guan suddenly shrieked, "This is His Highness the Prince of Yan of the current court! You, a bold and reckless country woman who knows not death, order your people to drop their swords immediately and pay homage to the Prince of Yan, or we shall shoot you all dead and then investigate the Suzhou Wang family's crime of harboring rebels!"

"Prince of Yan?" Li Qingluo paused, bewildered and uncertain.

"If you do not drop your weapons immediately, we shall shoot you all dead!" Sun Tong shouted loudly. The soldiers' crossbow strings tightened, emitting a cryptic, creaking sound as if they could no longer endure and were about to burst.

Li Qingluo's eyes briefly lost focus; the imperial court was too far and too high for her to reach. Even the Suzhou yamen was not something she could easily access, relying only on the Wang family's connections to make contact.

Her breathing grew coarse and heavy; she knew what a current imperial prince represented. Not to mention Suzhou, even the Pacification Commissioner of the Two Zhejiang Circuits, a border governor, was far inferior in rank to the other party, let alone in prestige; the other party was an imperial prince, of the royal bloodline.

"Put... put down all your weapons..." Li Qingluo's face turned pale.

"Mis... Mistress..." The maids on both sides trembled.

"Did you not hear me tell you to put them down!" Li Qingluo's voice was suppressed, slightly hoarse.

The maids threw their swords and knives onto the ground, hearts filled with dread, heads bowed; with no weapons in hand, their hands had nowhere to rest and were nervously twisted together.

"Why are you all standing there? Come forward immediately to pay respects to His Highness the Prince of Yan!" Tong Guan shrieked again.

Li Qingluo gritted her teeth, glanced at the hundreds of military crossbows aimed squarely at her, and walked down the bow of the boat step by step, with the maids following behind.

After performing the rites at the front, Li Qingluo said with a grim face, "I did not know... that His Highness the Prince of Yan would grace this humble woman's manor. What are your commands?"

Zhao Ti studied Li Qingluo for two glances, smiled slightly, and said, "This Prince has a friend who knows some matters concerning the Lady's household. This Prince is curious, so I have come to take a look."

Li Qingluo was stunned: "I do not know what matter it is?"

Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes and said nothing. Li Qingluo paused, then said, "It is this humble woman's fault. Please, His Highness the Prince of Yan, enter the manor for tea; I shall lead the way."

Zhao Ti watched as Li Qingluo carefully led the way to the side, his lips curling slightly. He turned, hands clasped behind his back, and walked, with Tong Guan and others following behind.

After walking for a while, a fine pavilion came into view. Zhao Ti glanced sideways at Li Qingluo and said, "My friend said that in the Mandala Manor of Taihu Lake in Suzhou, there exists a Langhuan Jade Cave."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingluo's face changed drastically, her figure suddenly freezing: "Your Highness, where in this humble woman's household is there any Jade Cave? Your Highness's friend must have mistaken the place."

Zhao Ti sneered. Li Qingluo pressed her lips together. Inside the pavilion, Zhao Ti sat down, looking around; it was still decorated with the camellias of Dali.

"His Highness the Prince of Yan, I shall go brew tea..." Li Qingluo said, her eyes darting.

"There is no need for tea," Zhao Ti said. "My friend said the Langhuan Jade Cave of the Mandala Manor hides many martial arts classics. This Prince has come simply to take a look."

"His Highness the Prince of Yan, this, this absolutely did not happen..." Li Qingluo said cautiously, "Could Your Highness's friend have mistaken the matter?"

Zhao Ti looked at her and said, "Would the Lady think... that anyone in this world dares to bring a falsehood before this Prince?"

"This..." Li Qingluo's mind was in chaos. Handing over the martial arts of the Langhuan Jade Cave was absolutely impossible, yet seeing the other party's tone brook no contradiction and their determination to succeed, she did not know what to do for a moment.

"Your Highness, this humble woman's household indeed has no martial arts classics." Li Qingluo thought secretly that if things went badly, she would simply stall for time; her adoptive father, Ding Chunqiu, had arrived at the Mandala Manor a few days ago, though she did not know what he was doing out now. It would be better to wait for his return before making a decision.

Zhao Ti shook his head: "Does the Lady wish to stall for time and wait for someone?"

Li Qingluo was startled in her heart: "This humble woman never thought of such a thing."

Zhao Ti said, "This Prince could indeed forcibly search for the Langhuan Jade Cave, but I do not know if your place has traps or ambushes set, and I do not wish for soldiers to be injured for no reason."

"Your Highness, this humble woman's manor indeed has no..."

"Lady, this Prince has a friend whom I believe the Lady knows." Zhao Ti said leisurely, "He lives in Dali, is of the Duan imperial clan, and is named... Duan Zhengchun."

"Ah?" Upon hearing this, Li Qingluo's face changed instantly: "What did His Highness the Prince of Yan say?"

Zhao Ti smiled slightly: "Duan Zhengchun, the Prince of Zhennan of Dali. He has told this Prince everything."

Li Qingluo's face turned pale, her mind in great turmoil. Before her stood the Great Song's Prince of Yan, who indeed might know the Dali imperial family. She murmured, "He, he... what did he say?"

Zhao Ti said slowly, "The Lady has a daughter, does she not? What is her birthday? Does the Lady not know in her heart? Is it necessary for this Prince to continue speaking further?"

"This..." Li Qingluo stepped back two paces, her hand gripping the corner of a flower table: "He, he actually sent someone to my place? Why did I not know? Why would he refuse to see me? Does he still resent me, resent my ruthlessness and the killing of the innocent...?"

Zhao Ti shook his head: "The Lady does not wish for these secrets to be known by your daughter, or by the Wang family, does she?"

"I..." Li Qingluo was speechless, her face ashen.

"Setting aside matters of reputation, and not speaking of how you would face your daughter once she knows, or how she would face others, let us only say that if the Wang family finds out, you and your daughter probably..."

"This humble woman, this humble woman..." Li Qingluo's face turned deathly pale. She knew too well the methods high families employed in such matters; she feared it would be death without a grave. In normal times, she could simply flee, but now, even fleeing would be difficult.

Zhao Ti stood up: "This Prince has no time to meddle in your broken affairs. Lead the way to the Langhuan Jade Cave immediately!"

"Yes, Your Highness..." Li Qingluo, dazed, walked outward like a wooden puppet. Her only thought now was to get this Prince of Yan away quickly. Forget showing him the martial arts of the Langhuan Jade Cave; even if it were other matters... she would agree to them.

Going outside, the sky was not yet dark, and Li Qingluo's heart was filled with unease.

The Langhuan Jade Cave was in the most hidden spot of the Mandala Manor; without someone who knew the way to lead, one would search for a long time in vain if looking alone at random.

Following a small path toward the rear for a while, passing several rows of courtyards, they then entered a flower forest. There were paths within the flower forest, and just then, a figure appeared ahead.

Zhao Ti looked and saw a young girl wearing a lotus-colored gauze robe, her face turned toward the flower trees. Her figure was slender, long hair cascading down her back, lightly tied with a silver ribbon. A misty haze seemed to surround her, making her appear otherworldly and transcendent.

The young girl was picking flower petals. Hearing the sound, she turned her head. Zhao Ti saw that the young girl's appearance was almost identical to the exquisite jade statue in the Wuliang Mountain cave; except for the differing attire, there was not a single feature unlike it, as if that jade statue had come to life.

The jade statue was sensuous and vivid, possessing a soul-stealing allure, while the young girl before him was dignified yet carried a childish air, like a rare orchid in a deep valley, an ethereal beauty.

"Mother, you have returned?" the young girl spoke, her voice soft and pleasant, extremely beautiful to hear.

Li Qingluo's eyes darted, glancing at Zhao Ti: "Yan'er, come quickly to greet..."

Zhao Ti said indifferently, "The Lady's daughter?"

Li Qingluo said in a low voice, "The young lady Wang Yuyan."

The young girl came forward to pay respects. Zhao Ti smiled and nodded, saying, "The Lady may continue to lead the way."

Li Qingluo took a deep breath and continued walking forward, with Tong Guan and the group following closely behind.

The young girl watched the backs of the group, furrowing her brows slightly, a hint of confusion appearing on her face.

Arriving at the deepest part of the flower forest, winding around several times, she manipulated a mechanism on a camellia tree. Immediately, a door appeared in the small hillside behind.

Li Qingluo said, "His Highness the Prince of Yan, please."

Zhao Ti looked at the group: "Daofu, follow me. The others shall guard outside; if anything happens, send a signal."

The group received the order. Zhao Ti followed Li Qingluo inside. After a few dozen breaths, the view suddenly opened up; inside the Langhuan Jade Cave was quite spacious, with bright pearls embedded in the walls, and candlelight guiding the radiance, making it very bright.

Li Qingluo said, "The Langhuan Jade Cave holds many books; I wonder which one Your Highness the Prince of Yan wishes to read?"

Zhao Ti's gaze swept across the rows of bookshelves as he said, "Where is the Small No-Form Art?"