Chapter 385 Luo'er no longer avoids suspicion, and the two walk side by side.

Zhuiyu held the knife to Zhong Liulang's neck.

Zhong Liulang's face turned deathly pale.

He had no idea that he had brought this trouble upon himself because he had offended Li Qingluo.

The Prince Su's mansion has always been domineering, arrogant, and autocratic. Everyone in Jinling City knows who to mess with and absolutely should not provoke them.

Because the people from the Prince Su's mansion never waste words when taking lives.

They have no regard for the family background or social standing of the perpetrators.

How could Zhong Liulang not be afraid?

He knew that this Prince Su dared to kill even the second son of the Earl of Ducang's family without hesitation, and today even he himself... dared not gamble with his life.

Zhong Liulang immediately pleaded for mercy, saying, "Your Highness Prince Su, please forgive my offense just now. I know I was wrong!"

Although he verbally apologized, the perfunctory look in his eyes couldn't lie.

Because Zhong Liulang quickly realized that even if Prince Su was a ruthless killer, so what?

The Crown Prince and the Eldest Princess are still here today.

He did something terrible, and if he were to report it to the emperor, what good would come of it?

So what if he just made a great contribution in suppressing bandits?

Didn't the Sage also imprison Duan Rongshi for three months to reflect on his mistakes because of the Du Cang Earl's Mansion incident last time?

Once this Prince Su has learned his lesson, today's actions are nothing more than a show of power.

Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi clearly saw the several changes in his expression.

This person is absolutely a petty and vindictive individual.

Before Li Qingluo could even speak, Duan Rongshi said, "Since this is your first offense, I can spare you this time."

"However, he may be spared the death penalty, but he cannot escape punishment."

Zhong Liulang thought to himself with smug satisfaction: See? He had already predicted this!

This Prince Su is just putting on a show of power. With so many noble families here today, how could he dare to be truly arrogant?

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness Prince Su."

He was waiting for Prince Su to let the matter drop without making a fuss.

If this continues, who knows how His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Eldest Princess will react to this spectacle.

Did Duan Rongshi have no shame?

Duan Rongshi: "I have heard that there is a python's den six miles ahead."

"I do not force people to do things they cannot do."

"I don't need you to hunt pythons that you can't kill. How about you steal a snake egg for me instead?"

"After all, I have always liked these little beasts."

“Raising them is actually quite fun.”

"What do you think, Zhong Liulang?"

Zhong Liulang trembled all over, and his face turned completely pale.

"Your Highness Prince Su, you, you..."

Zhuiyu sneered, "Zhong Liulang, as a commander of a thousand men in the Imperial Guard, can't you even handle such a small matter?"

"Such incompetent people should not be part of the Imperial Guard!"

"Lest you fail to protect His Majesty's safety! If you drag your entire Wenchang Marquis's mansion down with you one day, you'll suffer the consequences."

Zhong Liulang looked around in fear.

The eldest princess was watching the spectacle with great enthusiasm, her arms wrapped around her shoulders.

The Crown Prince frowned and said indifferently, "Fifth Brother, don't make things too ugly."

Duan Rongshi said, "Your Highness, you should clean up the mess with Consort Jing yourself first. Otherwise, it's hard to tell who will make things worse in front of the Emperor."

The crown prince's face stiffened, and he was immediately speechless.

Despite being the Crown Prince, he kidnapped one of his father's concubines.

Although it was sent to the Empress Dowager secretly, if someone were to deliberately spread the word, it would certainly damage his reputation.

Li Qingluo took the pebble handed to her by Sha Wu and secretly flicked it towards Zhong Liulang's horse's rump.

The horse neighed and took off galloping wildly forward.

Zhuiyu quickly rode up to catch up and led Zhong Liulang's crazed horse away: "Zhong Liulang, don't go the wrong way! The snake eggs we need to offer to His Highness are in this direction!"

"drive--"

Li Qingluo looked at Pan Li and Princess Nanping: "Shall we go take a look?"

Who wouldn't want to see such a thrilling and exciting spectacle?

Even the Crown Prince, who always presented himself as a humble and refined gentleman, silently turned his horse around and chased after the Princess, who was filled with excitement and anticipation.

By the time everyone arrived at the snake pit, Zhong Liulang's screams could already be heard.

All I could see was Zhong Liulang weakly hacking and slashing with a knife.

His horse had fallen into a snake pit and was soon strangled to death by a python.

Besides the small snakes all around him, he was also struggling against a three-headed python.

Soon, he was successfully wrapped around the waist by a python.

The other two then wrapped around it.

Zhong Liulang lay prone on the ground, his face filled with terror, reaching out and shouting, "Help—me—!"

Crown Prince: "Quickly, someone come here!"

"Prepare to shoot!"

Xi Yue shouted, "No!"

"This will alert the pythons and they will all come after us."

"A-Yin, we must not act rashly."

But they never expected that there would actually be so many pythons in this python den!

Just seeing the snakes was enough to send chills down my spine.

Who still wants to go there?

Princess Nanping and Pan Li had even hugged each other tightly, ready to run away at any moment.

The crown prince angrily declared, "Are we just going to stand by and watch him die?"

"Xiao Wu, you're being absolutely ridiculous!"

"How can you joke about human lives?!"

"If Zhong Liulang really dies here today, I will not protect you!"

Duan Rongshi had already leisurely ridden his horse to the front.

With a slight raise of his hand, the torches that the guards of the Prince Su's mansion had just prepared were raised high.

When Zhong Liulang saw the fire, a flicker of ecstasy and hope ignited in his eyes.

But he waited and waited, but nothing came of it.

The python had already coiled around his neck and face.

Soon, his entire face turned a purplish-red from bruising, and he looked like he was about to suffocate completely.

A rocket 'whooshed' and struck the python squarely on the head.

It was only an inch away from Zhong Liulang's head.

Zhong Liulang breathed a sigh of relief, and then another python coiled around him.

Li Qingluo, holding a longbow, came to Prince Su's side.

The two exchanged a glance, and Li Qingluo once again nocked the flint arrow that Sha Wu had handed him.

Li Qinglu volunteered to personally teach Zhong Liulang a lesson.

No longer avoiding suspicion, she began to be open and honest.

Accept all gazes, even pointing fingers.

"Your Highness, I have made a fool of myself. I hope this humble woman can be of assistance to you."

Duan Rongshi: "Miss Li is being modest."

The sight of the two looking at each other made Pan Li exclaim softly, "Luo'er is truly a role model among women!"

“If she’s not afraid of even Prince Su, what in this world could she possibly be afraid of?”

Nanping: "Of course, what kind of person is my sister Luo'er?"

"I wonder what kind of man will be able to tame her in the future?"

Pan Li glanced at her, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

The eldest princess smiled contentedly.

Only a hint of contempt and mockery flashed in the Crown Prince's eyes.

The Emperor's betrothal has been delayed, and these two have already openly flirted with each other—it's utterly shameful!

Soon, Li Qingluo fired another arrow.

They killed another python with a single blow.

However, Zhong Liulang was completely and utterly entangled.

He alternated between constant suffocation and fleeting moments of respite, and soon he completely broke down.

"I don't want to die—save me—please save me—"

Zhong Liulang cried so hard that snot, tears, and urine flowed out of his pants.

However, the murderous intent in Duan Rongshi's eyes did not dissipate.

Anyone who dares to provoke his mother will be wronged.

Since that's the case, today Zhong Liulang will have a good taste of the despair of being worse off than dead and unable to live.

"A snake is coming!"

Xi Yue suddenly pointed to the ground and shouted in alarm.

Duan Rongshi then swung his hand down heavily.

The snake pit was completely burned down by a huge fire.

Zhong Liulang, lying outside the snake pit, was entangled by the last python. Just as he was on the verge of life and death, Li Qingluo finally fired his last arrow.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhuiyu stepped forward and chopped off the head of the three-headed python with a single stroke.

When they slowly dragged Zhong Liulang out of the pile of python corpses, Zhong Liulang rolled his eyes and completely lost consciousness.

Judging from his appearance, he'll be crippled if not dead this time.

Chasing Rain and his companions discovered numerous human corpses at the bottom of the snake pit.

So the snake egg was never actually taken out.

The fire raged, and Zhuiyu and his team continued to clear out all the snakes that had escaped from the surrounding area.

They also cleared out all the plants around the snake cave to prevent the fire from spreading out and burning the entire South Mountain.

Thus, another snake den was discovered.

This trip was very fruitful.

The group finally made their way back home in a grand procession.

Aside from Zhong Liulang, who was ignored, everyone else was in high spirits.

They chatted and laughed all the way, but as they approached the camp, they suddenly heard the sound of weapons clashing.

"not good!"

Xi Yue and the Crown Prince shouted simultaneously, and the two rode off at full speed: "Father—"

When Li Qingluo rushed out with her, she saw that the camp was in complete disarray.

Screaming, running servants were everywhere.

There were also traitors who killed people with knives.

Although the guards quickly counterattacked, these madmen charged forward relentlessly as if they didn't care about their lives.

It's just about killing people.

They kill anyone they see.

All the tents and watchtowers were damaged, and the ground was covered in blood.

There were also countless corpses lying in pools of blood, their hands and heads severed.

Li Qingluo looked at the crowd in alarm, feeling extremely uneasy.

"grandmother!"

She turned to Zheng Mama, Que'er, and Sha Wu behind her and said, "Quick! Find Grandmother!"

The crown prince, unskilled in martial arts, could only shout incessantly, under the escort of his guards, "Father—Mother—"

Seeing the chaotic scene outside, Xi Yue turned back to Nan Ping's side and hugged her tightly in her arms.

"Someone come here!"

"Quickly escort Princess Nanping out!"

"quick--!"

Duan Rongshi: "Eldest sister, you and all the other women should leave together!"

After saying that, Duan Rongshi glanced at Li Qingluo, then picked up his sword, stood up, and flew away.

Li Qingluo quickly took the Biluo Sword off the horse's back.

"Your Highness, please take them out and don't worry about me!"

Watching Li Qingluo charge into the crowd, Nanping was so nervous she almost cried.

"Mother... Waaah..."

Xi Yue gritted her teeth: "She has Xiao Wu protecting her. Let's go! You all need to leave with me right now. Finding your imperial grandfather is the most important thing!"

After saying that, Xi Yue led her people and charged out from the side.

Li Qingluo, sword in hand, quickly arrived at Duan Rongshi's side.

Seeing that she hadn't left, Duan Rongshi could only angrily utter a single word, "You!"

He didn't say anything to blame him, but Li Qingluo explained first: "Your Highness, you just need to clear this place, you don't need to worry about me."

"I need to go find my grandmother right away."

"Let's meet again later."

After saying that, she continued rushing forward without looking back, and soon met up with her own people.

When Duan Rongshi saw that she was now completely capable of handling things on her own, he felt a great sense of relief, but also a touch of loneliness.

Her grandmother was always the number one person in her heart.

Thinking this, Duan Rongshi grabbed the head of one of the traitors with each hand, pressed his long sword against the man's neck, and fiercely asked, "Speak, who exactly are you?"