Chapter 513 Help? Murder at the Jiang Family Mansion!
General Yang was also very surprised.
But he readily introduced himself: "I am Yang Qilang."
Thus, Duan Rongshi and General Yang became acquainted through a misunderstanding and often met to spar and exchange techniques.
Although General Yang lost every time, he became happier and happier with each game.
He thought that his encounter with Li Wu was fate.
Little did he know that Duan Rongshi was playing the role of the fisherman, waiting for fish like him who were willing to take the bait.
Upon learning that Duan Rongshi was indeed the husband of the proprietress of the Flower Pavilion Restaurant, General Yang immediately handed him an invitation.
"Please bring your wife to my wife's family home that day to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday."
“My mother-in-law really likes Lady Nangong’s way of doing things. She will be very happy to see you all on the day of your meeting.”
Although the title was due to her own good fortune, Li Qingluo believed that the truth might not be entirely so.
Would an elderly lady from a prominent family fall for a merchant's wife?
She dared not be complacent, much less become arrogant.
She sat cautiously on the edge of a circle of elegant ladies, quietly drinking tea and eating snacks.
It must be said that the Jiang family's pastries are truly exceptional.
"I heard that Lady Nangong has come too, where is she?"
"Isn't that it? I saw it at the Flower Pavilion Restaurant."
"Why is someone who's usually so energetic and impulsive suddenly acting all timid and submissive at the Jiang family's house today?"
"They've probably never been to such a large mansion before, let alone such a place, so they must be stunned."
Some people scoffed, while others cast curious glances at Li Qingluo.
Li Qingluo seemed not to hear at all, sitting obediently with her eyes closed and mind at ease.
Even if someone comes up to her and speaks to her, she greets them with a smile and politeness.
From a high vantage point not far away, Grandma Jiang, who had been observing the situation, nodded silently upon seeing this.
"She doesn't seem like a girl raised in a merchant family."
"I heard her husband and Qilang have become good friends?"
The old lady's maidservant replied, "Madam, I've heard that this Lady Nangong's husband is as handsome as Pan An, but his martial arts skills are even better than Seventh Master's."
Grandma Jiang: "Oh? Such an accomplished man, how come he's a live-in son-in-law?"
"I'll have to take a look at her in a bit."
Li Qing's buttocks went numb from sitting down.
She really disliked these social engagements within the inner quarters.
After enduring the long hours of sitting, it's finally time to eat at the banquet.
However, because of her status as the daughter of a merchant, even though many of the ladies who usually frequented the restaurant were present at the banquet today, not many of them were willing to associate with her.
Therefore, Li Qingluo could only sit down first, and finally, when some of the less favored concubine's daughters had no seats left, they reluctantly came over to share a seat with her.
"What bad luck."
"How can someone of this status come to the Jiang family?"
"Hey, do you think if we go to the Flower Pavilion Restaurant again, will she do us a favor and give us a chance to eat for free?"
"We mustn't talk about such filthy things today, it'll spoil the fun."
"Ignore her, let's eat."
Li Qingluo: ……
Is it really the proper etiquette and demeanor of the noble ladies of the Great Chu to openly cricket in front of others like this?
She really wanted to have her ears cleaned in person.
But she didn't do much.
He simply turned to the side and quietly called the sparrow over.
Then, in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, but loud enough for everyone at the table to hear, he said, "Write down the names of all these girls."
The concubine's daughters' eyes lit up.
Li Qingluo: "Since they look down on our Huaxie Restaurant, in the future, when you see any of the girls, keep your eyes peeled and don't bring them into the restaurant, so as not to embarrass the girls and hurt their feelings."
The concubine's daughters: ...
"You! How can you be so petty?"
"Exactly, we didn't say anything bad about you, and you're trying to provoke us, your distinguished guests?"
They were resentful and unwilling to be controlled and suppressed by a female merchant.
Li Qingluo: "Distinguished guests? You should be respectful, but have you shown any respect?"
It means that these women lacked any noble demeanor or etiquette.
Writing them down in a small notebook is already a polite form of humiliation.
What the concubine's daughters found even more shameful was that they were actually scolded by a merchant's daughter!
During this meal, they couldn't even make a scene.
They could only glare angrily at each other, turning into pufferfish.
Li Qingluo, who remained calm and composed throughout, found the meal uninteresting. After a few bites, she got up and excused herself to go to the bathroom to leave the table.
Recently, people in Nan'an have been feeling sticky and uncomfortable due to the heat.
Li Qingluo stayed in the clean room with Que'er for a while longer, and even used a handkerchief and clean water to wipe the sweat off her neck.
When she came out of the washroom again with a fan in her hand, a woman covered in blood suddenly rushed towards her.
"Ah—help, help me—"
Que'er quickly shielded Li Qingluo behind her, but the blood-covered woman grabbed Que'er, pleading, "Save me, please save me!"
Behind her, a burly old woman carrying a kitchen knife walked towards them menacingly.
Li Qingluo: "Sparrow!"
Que'er nodded and rushed forward to fight with the old woman.
Seeing that Que'er knew kung fu, the blood-covered woman finally grasped at a straw, her bloodied hands tightly gripping Li Qingluo: "That's great! Your maid knows some martial arts. We're definitely saved."
Judging from her attire, Li Qingluo didn't think she was a maid.
"Whose daughter are you? What happened? I've seen quite a few people patrolling and passing by the Jiang residence. Why are you running over here like this?"
The woman looked terrified and sorrowful: "I am the thirteenth daughter of the Jiang family. My father has gone mad. He and the nannies, maids, and servants in the courtyard suddenly rushed out to kill people!"
"I don't know what happened. Because they didn't seem to recognize me at all."
Over there, Que'er had already nimbly kicked the strong old woman to the ground and seized the knife, holding it to her neck.
"Girl, there's something here!" Sparrow cried out in alarm.
Li Qinglu walked over and saw something moving around on the old woman's neck.
Li Qingluo immediately understood what was going on.
But since it wasn't convenient to obtain evidence directly, he gave Que'er a look.
Sparrow pretended to loosen her grip, and the old woman suddenly jumped up and darted away again.
Li Qingluo secretly stretched out her foot and gently kicked the old woman in the direction of Jiang Shisan Niang.
Thirteenth Sister didn't notice anything, only that the old woman was rushing towards her again.
She screamed in terror, "Ah—help me—!"
Thirteen Sister fled in panic, and Sparrow bravely charged forward once again.
This time, he rushed over with a knife and swiftly slashed the old woman's neck.
“Young lady, I had no choice but to kill her to save your life.”
"You saw it with your own eyes."
"It was not us, master and servant, who intentionally killed someone in your household."
Thirteen Sister was already terrified.
She squatted on the ground and cried repeatedly, "I know, boohoo... thank you..."
"Ah! What's that?"
Suddenly, Que'er cried out in alarm, pointing to the Gu worm wriggling and crawling out of the wound on the old woman's neck.
Thirteen Sister turned pale with fright.
She turned her head and lay down on the ground, vomiting.
Li Qingluo: "Thirteenth Miss, you'd better be careful, lest it get on you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
