Chapter 313 Two Useless Pieces? That Scumbag Father Must Die!

Duan Rongxuan might just be a decoy for her, or even a pawn?

She had previously deposed one of her sons, so she had no choice but to choose her own fourth son to continue vying for the new crown prince position.

But how could she not know what kind of person Duan Rongxuan really was?

He was no match for the other princes, and he was incompetent and lacked both talent and virtue. Although Emperor Yan seemed to favor him, he never entrusted this Prince Yun with anything important, not even a single task.

Moreover, Prince Yun has not held any official position in the court to date.

Therefore, it is impossible for Emperor Yan to actually give him the throne.

So everything the Empress did was just to pave the way for the deposed Crown Prince's return...!

Many things that Li Qingluo didn't quite understand before are now becoming clearer, as if they've been connected one by one.

Perhaps yesterday's birthday banquet for Duan Rongxuan, the bizarre and coincidental assassination attempt, and the series of misdeeds by Prince Yun were all part of a scheme?

What about Emperor Yan?

Could it be that he and the Empress were actually of the same mind, and that's why he went along with so many things?

At the palace banquet on the fifth day of the month, Princess Qinyu clearly made a serious mistake, but both the Empress and the Emperor deliberately covered it up.

Did they know that Qinyu was working for the Crown Prince?

Therefore, even if Qin Yu killed the eldest daughter of the Pan family, she would never be truly punished.

Being locked out of the palace to reflect on her actions without any real consequences actually gave her the opportunity to leave the palace and more easily act on behalf of the Crown Prince.

Furthermore, regarding the jade pendant that Princess Qinyu had a dispute with Pan Li about, Prince Su said that the jade pendant was originally a gift from the emperor to the crown prince.

So it's likely that Pan Li's original body knew some secret between Qin Yu and the Crown Prince, which is why Qin Yu tried to kill her to silence her!

But... if the emperor really was protecting Qin Yu, did he know that Qin Yu was the leader of the Lotus Sect?

No, the emperor absolutely does not know about this!

Perhaps deep down he also wanted the deposed crown prince to return to the throne.

That's why they tacitly allowed Qinyu to become part of the Crown Prince's faction.

But if he knew that Qin Yu was the leader of the Lotus Cult, he would never have let her live to this day. After all, any emperor would make a real choice between a crown prince and a cult that endangers the court and the country.

But Emperor Yan didn't know, what about the Crown Prince?

Did he know that Qinyu was actually the leader of the Lotus Sect?

If he clearly understands this, and even uses Qin Yu's influence to turn his life around and return to the court, wouldn't it be easy for Prince Su, who knows the truth, to use this as leverage to expose him?

Li Qingluo couldn't help but shiver.

She took another deep look at Duan Rongshi.

However, she knew that she couldn't ask Uncle De about it in front of him at this time.

Li Qingluo had no choice but to suppress her many questions for the time being and asked Uncle De first: "Besides this mistress, have you investigated the Jiang family matter that I asked you to handle before?"

Uncle De quickly replied, "It's been so long since the young lady asked me to do this, but this old servant has indeed made some progress."

“Miss, after Vice General Jiang died, his mistress left Nanjing with her son.”

"They didn't go far; they settled in Yangzhou."

“A few years ago, this concubine’s son participated in the selection of the martial arts champion, but he was deliberately framed and failed to be selected. It was the Crown Prince’s men who recommended him.”

“This concubine’s son is quite talented and intelligent, so he has risen higher and higher and is now the Crown Prince’s personal bodyguard.”

Bodyguard?

Just like the status and position of Zhuiyu and Pofeng by their master's side.

But didn't he say before that he was just handling business at Nanshan Villa?

Uncle De: "Miss, there's more. It's said that the secret letter that Vice General Jiang sent home back then wasn't sent to the Jiang family at all, but to this mistress."

"This time, the person who brought out that letter was none other than this mistress."

Li Qing slammed his fist into her palm.

"No wonder the Jiang family has been dormant for so many years, and then suddenly reappeared."

"If they really had this letter, they would have exposed the truth back then."

"Even if the concubine and her husband had this letter, they would have no way to sue Li Chaojing, nor would they have the status or authority to do so."

"Now the Crown Prince has made a decision for them, ordering this concubine's son to produce the letter. However, this letter must be presented by a member of the Jiang family in order to legitimately blackmail and threaten Li Chaojing."

That's why things have turned out this way.

Therefore, the real masterminds behind the scenes are the Empress Dowager and Crown Prince Duan Rongyin!

Prince Yun was nothing more than a useless pawn used by his brother to return to the palace.

Li Qinglu shook her head.

"Even if Liu Qingzhu were to return to Prince Yun's residence now... no, to the Fourth Prince's residence, her dreams would be completely shattered."

She dreamed of entering the palace and becoming a noblewoman.

Now, let alone entering the palace to become a noble lady, even being a peaceful concubine is probably impossible.

However, all of this was her own doing, and it was the retribution she and Duan Rongxuan deserved.

After Uncle De left, Li Qingluo got up and personally made tea for Duan Rongshi.

"Your Highness, you have not yet answered my question."

Why do you say that Li Chaojing is doomed to die this time?

"Could it be that someone wants to kill him to silence him and have him die in prison?"

Duan Rongshi sipped his tea and looked at her: "Why couldn't it be that my father found out he really did obtain fame and power, and that's why he was sentenced to death?"

Li Qingluo took a piece of paper out of her sleeve.

He spread it out for Duan Rongshi to see.

"Because I have already managed to obtain that family letter from back then."

Duan Rongshi's face instantly showed disbelief.

Seeing the Prince Su, who was always so shrewd and calculating, showing such an expression, Li Qinglu couldn't help but smile.

Look, he was scared of himself too, wasn't he?

Duan Rongshi took it: "You...when and where exactly..."

"How is this possible?"

Li Qinglu spread his hands: "It was done on the Chiang family."

She explained, "As soon as I learned that the Jiang family was extorting 500,000 taels of silver from Li Chaojing, I asked Uncle De to handle the matter."

"After so long, they finally replaced the real one with the fake one."

"However, I only just found out that this letter was actually taken out by that mistress, so I am quite surprised that she was able to get this thing from the Jiang family."

"The Crown Prince didn't even keep this thing for himself."

Duan Rongshi couldn't help but chuckle.

"Duan Rongyin is an extremely cautious person."

"If it weren't for your people uncovering these truths, it would be difficult for others to know about his intricate connections with the Jiang family."

The crown prince is indeed very good at hiding his true intentions.

Duan Rongshi returned the letter to Li Qingluo.

He stared at her, and asked meaningfully, "Now that you have this, what do you intend to do with it?"

Li Qingluo didn't know either.

The letter that the Chiang family is holding now is fake.

Li Qingluo even deliberately left many flaws on it.

Therefore, based solely on that letter and General Li, who was insane and could no longer be interrogated to uncover the truth of what happened back then, it was impossible to convict Li Chaojing of a serious crime.

Unless, someone deliberately wants him dead.

Duan Rongshi noticed that she didn't speak.

He then said, "I said he was doomed because I was certain the Empress would kill him to silence him."

"Previously, the Empress wanted to win over Li Chaojing in the name of Prince Yun, but in reality, she wanted Li Chaojing to become part of the Crown Prince's faction so that he could serve the Crown Prince in the future."

"Now Li Chaojing and Prince Yun are both useless pieces."

"Duan Rongxuan has already made his move. If Li Chaojing were to suddenly regain his senses and remember everything in the future, how could the Empress allow anyone in this world to damage the Crown Prince's reputation in the slightest?"

“The Crown Prince is the head of the Eastern Palace whom she obtained by exchanging another son.”

"Therefore, she will not leave such a threat to the Crown Prince in the future."

After all, before Li Chaojing went mad, he had already fallen into the Empress's trap and intended to completely side with the Empress's faction.

If he knew that he wanted to force Old Madam Pei to her death in order to protect his own future, and that he wanted to acquire Tianfeng Trading Company as soon as possible because of the threat from the Jiang family, and that all of this was a scheme set up for him by the Empress and the Crown Prince, how could he not turn the tables on them?

After thinking for a moment, Li Qingluo presented the letter in her hand to Prince Su again.

"Your Highness may decide how to handle this matter."

"This letter is offered to Your Highness by me, to repay Your Highness for helping me and my grandmother escape our clan today!"

Duan Rongshi: "What if I... also want him dead?"

It was evening when Madam Pei finally dragged her weary body back to her residence.

Li Qingluo quickly went to check on her.

"Grandmother, how are you?"

"Luo'er has brewed some calming soup, would you like a bowl?"

Madam Pei took off her armor first, and then drank the calming soup.

After she sat down, she slowly told Li Qingluo, "Grandmother... with her military achievements back then, she has already ensured the safety of all the women in the Li family."

"Even if the Li family never comes back this time, these women will still be able to save their lives."

"Tomorrow, they will all be released back to the Li residence."

Just as Li Qingluo had guessed, her grandmother would save all the women in the Li family.

But Grandmother didn't seem happy.

Li Qingluo knew what was bothering her, but could only hold Madam Pei's hand tightly.

"Grandmother, perhaps things... aren't so bad?"

Madam Pei shook her head bitterly.

"Luo'er, given Li Kechuan's current state, the Li family is indeed not something Emperor Yan is concerned about in the future. He has no need to target the Li family."

"But what your father did was a truly serious crime!"

“He deserved to die, and Grandmother shouldn’t feel sorry for him.”

"But...but..."

"His grandmother abandoned him back then."

"Are we going to abandon him again now?"

“Luo’er, these past two days I’ve realized that with your father in this state, perhaps I truly bear the greatest responsibility…”

“He has never called me ‘Mom’ before, nor has he ever been so dependent on me.”

"Grandma is useless; each time, the pain in my heart is worse than being pricked by needles..."

"Luo'er, to be honest, with your father in this state, I really don't want him to die."

As she spoke, Madam Pei lowered her head in shame.

Even so, what she gained today through her military merits was the safety of all the women in her household.

Madam Pei wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and she was even somewhat afraid to look Li Qingluo in the eye.

Li Qingluo had long guessed that she would soften her heart.

She raised her hand and grasped Madam Pei's hand tightly: "Grandmother, please forgive me for being unfilial."

"But this time, he truly must die!"

As soon as Li Qing finished speaking, a thunderclap sounded from the sky, followed by a series of lightning flashes.

Then, a torrential downpour rolled in from the dark horizon and instantly poured into Nanjing...