Chapter 169 The Father's Retribution: Betrayed by Everyone

Li Qingluo had been curious about this for a long time.

So when Madam Pei mentioned it, she immediately shook her head and expressed her curiosity.

Madam Pei sighed, "Although I have lived in Qingsong Temple all these years, I have been trying to cultivate myself. What a load of crap! In addition to doing some business and occasionally traveling around to see the sights and sounds of the country, my grandmother has also been keeping an eye on the General's Mansion."

"Let's just say that Grandmother had nothing to do, so she was aware of everything that happened in this mansion back then."

“Your grandfather fell seriously ill when your father was seventeen years old. He suddenly became despondent and his condition became terminal.”

"I heard that he wanted to see me before he died. Although I was traveling at the time and was not at Qingsong Temple at all, Aunt Deng was probably jealous and did not want me to return to the mansion, so she hid the letter all this time."

"Bullshit, they don't understand at all. Even if that letter were delivered to me, even if I knew your grandfather was about to die, I still wouldn't come back."

“I hate him so much. I’d be happy if he died, so that he could never see me again in any future life. That would make me feel better.”

"But they didn't understand, and Aunt Deng understood even less, so she hid it several times. When no news came back from Qingsong Temple, your father got angry and went to Qingsong Temple to cause me trouble."

"Wouldn't we be exposed if we went there?"

"Your father came back and had a big fight with Aunt Deng. He said that your grandfather was about to die, so why was Aunt Deng still arguing about these things?"

"Aunt Deng kept saying she regretted it and cried her heart out, but then she poisoned your father's food."

Li Qingluo was indeed greatly surprised to hear this.

"Is Aunt Deng so audacious? Why? Does she want her two illegitimate sons to inherit the General's Mansion's business after Grandfather's death?"

Madam Pei flicked Li Qingluo's forehead: "If you can think of that, why can't your father?"

"Although the poison didn't kill him immediately, he must have felt intense hatred at that moment. He had treated Aunt Deng as his own mother when he was young, and Aunt Deng had initially been kind and filial to him."

"After I left, Aunt Deng gave birth to two more sons born out of wedlock. Did she continue to pretend?"

"Over time, your foolish father has long since come to terms with the truth."

"Unfortunately, it's too late. We can't even find a good marriage partner."

"Later, your grandfather had no choice but to arrange for your father to marry your mother, a woman of average family background and intelligence."

"Aunt Deng couldn't wait to make a move against your father, perhaps because she was afraid that I would be unable to do things if I came back. But she gave herself away and didn't care that your father could still fight back."

"I heard that your father massacred the entire general's mansion that time, and he risked his life to kill his way to your grandfather's bedside with a sword."

"Later, thanks to your grandfather's old subordinates, they were able to take down Aunt Deng's family and save his life."

"Logically speaking, Aunt Deng shouldn't have survived that incident."

"But your second and third uncles pleaded for them, and your grandfather was confused before he died, so they were only driven out of the general's mansion and sent to the estate."

After hearing this, Li Qinglu chuckled coldly, "This is retribution for Father's actions. Who told him to treat you like that when you were young!"

"However, they all lived far too long!"

Madam Pei choked.

“You child! If your father hadn’t lived long, would you even exist? In any case, I’m still grateful that he and your mother were able to have you, otherwise my life would have been too lonely.”

With Li Qingluo by her side, Madam Pei finally experienced the taste of family affection again.

She also experienced the joys and sorrows of being human. How could she not be grateful that there was still a Luo'er in this world?

Let's just say that the two of them, grandmother and granddaughter, are sticking together for warmth. Anyway, the most important person in her heart right now is this girl.

"I never expected that old codger to be so dishonest even in the village, ruining your father's offspring like this!"

"I bet your own brother is so infatuated with Li Qingzhu, she's probably involved too!"

"And your own mother is a stupid and vicious thing! The sins she committed have actually been punished on you. Alas... it's really been a hard life for you to be her child."

Madam Pei then asked Li Qingluo, "When do you plan to tell your father about this?"

Li Qingluo: "If I just say that, will he believe me?"

Madam Pei shook her head: "If Aunt Lou can testify, and it concerns his beloved concubine from back then, he should believe it."

Li Qingluo replied, "Grandmother, I suspect there might be another truth to this matter. As for what to do now, I haven't decided yet. Could you give me some advice?"

Madam Pei was puzzled, so Li Qingluo told her about encountering the fake Chen He at the mortuary.

"Luo'er kept it a secret from her grandmother because she thought it was too unbelievable and didn't believe it. But the more Luo'er thought about it, the more she felt that it might be true."

"If I really do have an older brother who is still alive, then who is he? Of the twins that Aunt Zheng gave birth to, did the baby boy really die?"

"Aunt Lou said that she ran away first because she was scared, and when she ran back, she saw Zhao and the others burying the body."

"Ms. Zhao said that they did not find the baby's body in the lake that night, so they only buried the remains of a cat."

"But what about that baby boy? We haven't heard of any corpses emerging from the lake in all these years."

“Grandmother, Zheng Lingzhou told me so definitively that I have an older brother, so that baby boy must really be alive!”

Moreover, if what Zheng Lingzhou, the fake Shen He, said is true, he could only be referring to his own nephew.

I just don't know how that baby boy survived back then.

It's possible that after Zhao and her family lost the baby boy, he was rescued in time by Zheng's own people and sent out of the mansion. If he really survived, he was truly lucky!

But she had her doubts.

Because when Li Qing was later captured by the Lotus Sect, she encountered Zheng Lingzhou again.

Since Zheng Lingzhou is the head of the four protectors of the Lotus Sect, if she really has an older brother still alive, wouldn't that brother also be related to the Lotus Sect?

Although she didn't want to have anything to do with these people, she couldn't prevent them from suddenly appearing to claim kinship.

no!

If the things that Qu Shi and Aunt Deng did back then are being exposed, and at that moment the brother comes back to claim kinship, not only will the General's Mansion be in danger due to the Lotus Sect, but Qu Shi and Aunt Deng may also escape.

Therefore, in order to prevent her grandmother and herself from being implicated in the Lotus Sect, her brother could not come back alive!

Let's just say she's heartless.

All she wants now is to protect her grandmother and the people she cares about.

The rest is unimportant.

Before Madam Pei could express her opinion, Li Qingluo already had a plan in mind.

“Grandmother, I can’t say it directly. I need to think of a way to scare my mother so that she will confess without being asked.”

First, establish the charges against her. That way, even if news comes out later that one of the twins is still alive, Qu's confession will be irreversible.

Then there was the older brother.

"By the way, Grandmother, have your people been able to find out where my brother is now?"

She needs to take precautions early.

Although Madam Pei did not know what Li Qingluo was going to do, she still agreed.

"Leave this to Grandma, you don't need to worry about it."

"After dinner, let's think about the fun we had riding horses on the seventeenth!"

"Stop worrying all day long, you look so lifeless at such a young age!"

Li Qingluo: ……

Grandmother, weren't you listening intently just now?

Now you're complaining about her again?

The pot was brought out.

Steaming hot, with the aroma of meat filling the air.

Especially on snowy days, a hot pot meal gives you energy and keeps you warm.

While they were eating, Madam Pei suddenly remembered to ask Li Qingluo.

"Your hot pot restaurant is about to open?"

Li Qingluo: "Luo'er plans to try opening before the Spring Festival to see if everyone likes it."

Madam Pei: "Of course, we like them in winter. But if it's during the holidays, with all the social engagements, the restaurant should be able to make a fortune. What kind of hot pot are you planning to make to sell?"

Li Qingluo listed them one by one: "Prepare some of everything, including beef, mutton, chicken, duck, goose, and pork. If anyone likes to eat everything, there's no need to cook just one thing. Make a delicious broth and cook all the dishes you order in it."

"For example, offal, sliced ​​beef and mutton, and pork meatballs."

"You can also have a hot pot with just one type of meat, and if you're not satisfied, you can add vegetables as you eat."

Madam Pei was also very interested in hearing this.

"Anything else?"

Li Qingluo: "Aunt Lou sent me some chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns from Sichuan. I tried cooking them at Hongfeng Pavilion twice. Grandmother, the taste is really unique. I think we could also make a spicy hot pot, which would be quite a different flavor."

Madam Pei: "Then let me try it first!"

Li Qingluo smiled and agreed: "I'll have someone go to Sichuan to buy a large quantity for me. We'll try adding it first. If the people of Nanjing don't like it, we can keep it for ourselves."

"Also, my granddaughter thinks that just eating hot pot isn't very interesting. So she's planning to make some cold dishes, fried foods, desserts, and things like that, so that people eating hot pot can have something different to eat."

Madam Pei nodded repeatedly.

"You little rascal, you do have some ideas when it comes to these things. Counting the days, the Spring Festival isn't far away, so don't just keep busy with this, take some time to rest yourself."

Li Qingluo: "Grandmother, don't worry, I know. A few days ago, Princess Nanping sent me an invitation, inviting me to ride horses and enjoy the scenery outside the city on the seventeenth. I agreed."

Madam Pei was a little worried: "But you can't ride a horse, how will you have fun? But she is a princess, you can't refuse her by not going."

"Alright, alright, there are still three to five days left. Grandmother will personally take you to the stables to pick out a horse later, and then I'll quickly cram some last-minute lessons to teach you."

"You don't have to be able to run right away, but at least you should be able to sit on it and have someone hold your hand so you can pretend to be one."

After eating the steaming hot soup, Madam Pei personally led Li Qingluo to the stable to choose a horse.

Just then, the coachman came over and said, "Madam, young lady. The eldest young master heard that you came to choose a horse, so he just sent someone to say that if you don't mind, he will give you his white horse."