Chapter 548 Ah Shi is an unwanted orphan!

She rubbed her eyes, confirmed it really was him, and was overjoyed.

"Ah Shi! You're back."

Li Qingluo has been so busy lately that she finally managed to sleep in this morning, and the first thing she saw when she woke up was him.

She happily got out of bed and ran barefoot over there.

Duan Rongshi grabbed the beautiful woman who rushed towards him.

With just a slight exertion of his arm, he lifted her up and pulled her into his lap.

Winter has arrived.

Even in winter in Nan'an, it is cold.

Duan Rongshi touched her pair of small, cool, jade-like feet and stuffed them into his already loose cloak.

"Reckless and impulsive."

"You'll feel terrible if you catch a cold?"

He seemed to be blaming her, but he gently tapped her forehead with more tenderness than anything else.

Li Qingluo: "But I was just so happy to see you."

"Ah Shi, are you going to rest at home for a few days?"

When things get busy in Nan'an, you can hardly find anyone, even more so than when you were in Daliang.

Although there were many people in the mansion, Li Qingluo always felt that it was empty.

My master has been gone for so long without any news.

Duan Rongshi was never home.

Although she was managing everything outside, she rarely saw anyone and inevitably felt disappointed at times.

Duan Rongshi: "He granted me a day off."

He paused, then said, "Luo'er, he wants me to go to Daliang. The term is three months."

"If you fail to complete the mission in three months, he will definitely hold you accountable."

Li Qingluo's heart skipped a beat.

"Going to Daliang? Is it... related to my mother?"

Was that still empty tomb chamber, as they suspected, really prepared for their mother?

Duan Rongshi gently closed his eyes and nodded.

"He spoke grandly of my mother, saying that she died tragically in a foreign land without receiving the honors she deserved, and that he often dreamed of her, which caused him great distress and pain."

"Therefore, he sent me, Yang Qilang, Zhang Tingjiu, and me to Daliang to accomplish this task."

"They told us that we must bring back the mother's body intact."

Li Qingluo: "He's talking nonsense!"

She was so angry that she stood up, got out of bed, and paced around the room.

Duan Rongshi looked at her helplessly.

He had no choice but to get up himself, bring her shoes over, and put them on her.

"Why are you angry? He won't get his way."

Li Qingluo: "My anger isn't just about my mother!"

"Ah Shi, he's so shameless!"

"If he truly cared about his mother, why didn't he avenge her tragic death back then?"

"Over the years, the death of my mother has been shrouded in mystery. Has he never thought of investigating the truth?"

"After your mother died, your maternal uncle completely ignored you and never cared about you."

"Now the news of your death has already reached Annam, but when he mentions the mother, he doesn't say a single word about you."

"How could my mother possibly agree to be buried with him after death?"

Duan Rongshi: "Perhaps he also hates that the blood flowing in my veins comes from the Duan family."

Li Qingluo froze.

She looked at Duan Rongshi quietly.

Although there was not a trace of sadness on his face.

But she could still detect a trace of utterly deathly silence in his overly calm tone.

The Duan family hated him because he had the blood of the Zongzheng clan flowing in his veins.

The Zongzheng clan also resented that he came from the Duan clan.

Her Ah Shi... was like an orphan no one wanted.

I also have my grandmother.

But what about him?

Since his mother's death, it seems that no one has truly accepted him.

Li Qinglu felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her heart, as if pricked by needles.

She couldn't help but step forward and hug him tightly.

“Ah Shi, no matter who you are, you are you, and you are my husband.”

"It's alright."

"I will cherish you and love you from now on."

“You are my family. My family includes my grandmother, Grandpa Luo, my master, and my children in the future…”

As Li Qingluo spoke, she looked into his eyes.

Seeing a hint of warmth returning to her eyes, she hugged him even tighter.

"Let those who don't care about us get lost!"

"We don't want them either."

Duan Rongshi couldn't help but smile.

He looked down at her helplessly: "Do you think I'm a child to be coaxed?"

"Silly girl."

Li Qingluo sighed: "It seems you have no choice but to return to Daliang in person!"

Duan Rongshi: "I'll see how it goes."

“I’m a little worried about leaving you here in Nan’an by yourself for the next three months.”

"How about having your grandmother come and keep you company?"

Li Qingluo quickly shook her head: "Grandmother must be with that person."

I can't be bothered to see him.

That person was none other than Li Chaojing.

This was also the opportunity that the grandmother had always wanted, to make up for the regret of the many years that she and her son had missed spending together.

Li Qingluo didn't want to disturb her grandmother's peaceful life.

Thinking of this, Li Qinglu raised an eyebrow: "Ah Shi, don't you trust me?"

"Who can touch me now?"

"Aside from the fact that I can protect myself, I think that before you return with your business settled, the Chu Emperor will not allow anyone to touch me in the slightest."

"You can leave without worry."

"By the time you come back, I may have already opened three, four, or even half a street of shops."

"I'll work hard to earn money, after all, I'm going to support you. Who told you to be my live-in son-in-law?"

As she spoke, she raised her chin with a smug look on her face.

Duan Rongshi was so moved that he couldn't resist picking her up high in his arms.

"Eat first, or should I eat you first?"

Li Qinglu blushed: "I think I need to fill my stomach first so I'll have the energy..."

Duan Rongshi said "okay" but still leaned forward and kissed her first.

It relieved the pain of longing that had lasted for many days.

As night fell, the two left the Nangong residence together.

The carriage rushed out of the city before the city gates closed.

They changed horses again at the farm outside the city.

The two wandered around in the darkness for a while before finally arriving at the Taoist temple.

Qingyangzi had already gone to sleep.

Hearing this, the young Taoist priest hurriedly called out, "Abbot, a pilgrim has arrived."

At this time, what about the pilgrims?

Qingyangzi: "Are you a passerby looking for lodging?"

Before the young Taoist could even reply, Li Qingluo's voice came from outside the window: "Taoist Qingyangzi is now a favorite of His Majesty, and he doesn't even care about incense money anymore?"

Upon hearing this voice, Qingyangzi sat up abruptly.

"Hurry up and come in!"

Qingyangzi also attended the palace banquet that night.

However, both of them wanted to avoid suspicion, so they kept their distance and didn't even exchange a glance.

Since Qingyangzi cured the Chu Emperor's nightmares, his status has been comparable to that of a prime minister.

Wherever he went, he was surrounded by countless people who wanted to curry favor with him.

He was extremely annoyed.

Therefore, lately, whenever the Chu emperor does not summon him, he will retreat back to the Taoist temple.

Moreover, there was an extremely important matter he needed to oversee personally upon his return.

"You've finally arrived."

Qingyangzi excitedly opened the door himself and then sent the young Taoist priest away at a distance.

When the young Taoist priest saw Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi, they were both dressed in night clothes and wearing straw hats, so even he couldn't see their faces clearly.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After welcoming the two into the house, Qingyangzi quickly turned around and closed all the doors and windows tightly.

Then, he lifted all the blankets on the bed and lowered the mechanism.

With the sound, Li Qingluo saw a large hole slowly crack open in the bed board.

Below was a tunnel!