Chapter 53: The Vengeance of Parricide

Luo Zeting frowned slightly, clearly displeased with these words, and grew increasingly nostalgic for Luo Yunzhen's past attentiveness.

Yet he was forced to keep his temper and say, "I know there is resentment in your heart, but we are family after all. Our fortunes are bound together—we rise and fall as one. Even when you are married into the Prince of Yan's Estate in the future, you will still need to rely on us to back you up... Surely you don't think the Prince of Yan's Estate is some kind of paradise?"

"The Prince of Yan's Estate may not be good, but to me, it is a thousand times better than the Marquis Jing'an's Estate," Luo Yunqiao replied flatly, her words striking Luo Zeting's heart like a sharp blade.

Luo Zeting forced down his displeasure, though his voice raised a fraction: "Yunzhen has already brought this retribution upon herself, so you should let go of your resentment. You have only known the Prince of Yan for a mere month or so, yet he insists on marrying you. Isn't the reason behind this worth pondering deeply?"

Luo Yunqiao's expression grew solemn.

It was not as if she had never considered Xiao Muyuan's motives. However, since he still needed her to achieve his aims and had already given her his promise, he surely would not deceive her.

"My affairs do not require my eldest brother's concern. I am on my way to pay my respects to Grandmother, so I ask that Eldest Brother step aside." Her demeanor was cold and distant, bearing no resemblance to a family member at all.

"Halt!" Luo Zeting barked harshly. "I truly don't know what kind of bewitching spell that Xiao Muyuan cast on you to make you so utterly devoted to him. Let me tell you today: since ancient times, marriages have been decided by the parents' commands and the matchmaker's words. For you to act so willfully and decide your own marriage like this will surely displease Father. If you don't want to face a scolding, you had better go and make things clear to the Prince of Yan right away."

"You are, after all, the eldest young lady of the Marquis's Estate, and right now you are my parents' only daughter. They will certainly find you the finest match possible."

"Does Eldest Brother forget what Father said to the Prince of Yan today—that he would hand me over to the Prince of Yan simply in exchange for Younger Brother? Now that the Prince of Yan is fulfilling that promise, Eldest Brother still tells me to go and speak with him. Furthermore, this is an imperial decree. Are you asking me to defy the emperor's will?" A cold glint flashed in Luo Yunqiao's eyes.

Xiao Muyuan might indeed have hidden motives, but compared to this bunch of backstabbing scoundrels in the Luo family, he was at least trustworthy.

With no rational argument left, Luo Zeting could no longer block Luo Yunqiao's path, leaving her free to head straight for Old Madame Luo's chambers.

Old Madame Luo was resting with her eyes closed. Hearing the sound of her entering the door, she abruptly opened them. "You're back? Having made a trip to the inner depths of the imperial palace, what are your impressions?"

"Your granddaughter only feels that the palace courtyards are truly vast. Being granted an audience with the Son of Heaven for the very first time, I was terribly frightened, fearing that a single wrong word might incur the Emperor's wrath and cost me my life before I could ever walk out again," she replied with a smile, stepping quickly forward to massage Old Madame Luo's shoulders.

She did not expect to be easily brushed aside.

Without raising her eyes to look at her, Old Madame Luo said coldly, "Since you were afraid, how could you so rashly agree to a marriage? Do you know the Prince of Yan's temperament, yet dare to entrust the rest of your life to him? Aren't you afraid you are placing your trust in the wrong person?"

"This is an imperial marriage..." Luo Yunqiao started to explain, but Old Madame Luo cut her off.

"Our Marquis Jing'an's Estate has risked life and limb for the Emperor; we are his trusted confidants. As long as you are unwilling, the Emperor will not force you." Only then did she raise her eyes to look at Luo Yunqiao. "If you recant now, I am willing to enter the palace on your behalf and make things clear to the Emperor. Given your father's merits, the Emperor will surely retract the decree."

From today onwards, Luo Yunqiao had felt that something was seriously amiss.

First there was Luo Chao's unconcerned bravado, and now Old Madame Luo was invoking past military merits. She simply could not fathom what deeds Luo Chao had performed for the Emperor in the past.

Frowning, she asked, "What did Father do for the Emperor in the past that makes the Emperor hold the Marquis's Estate in such high regard?"

Old Madame Luo remained silent.

"If Grandmother won't tell me, Your Granddaughter's heart remains uneasy. Should something happen to Grandmother because of my marriage, my conscience will not rest," Luo Yunqiao goaded her.

Old Madame Luo, however, merely let out a cold snort. "There is no need to try and goad me. I have not lived to such an advanced age in vain; those little tricks of yours are simply not enough to work on me. I suspect that the Prince of Yan only agreed to this marriage to use you as a stepping stone to get close to the Marquis's Estate. Surely you don't actually believe he holds deep affection for you."

Luo Yunqiao pressed her lips together, momentarily unable to speak.

Naturally, she did not believe Xiao Muyuan harbored any great affection for her. If he was using her, that would only be expected.

"Your granddaughter knows," she nodded. "Even if he is using me, he does so openly. That is still better than parents and brothers who despise me in their hearts yet put on a facade of treating me well. In the future, if the Prince of Yan and I maintain a relationship of mutual respect, I can still live a good life—unless—"

She suddenly looked up, her gaze resolute: "—there is a blood feud between us."

As her voice trailed off, Old Madame Luo's body stiffened.

She hurriedly closed her eyes and waved her hand. "Since your mind is made up, I have nothing more to advise you. You may withdraw."

Still entirely in the dark and before she could get a clear answer, Luo Yunqiao saw herself being dismissed, which only heightened her curiosity.

She slowly backed out, a deeply ominous premonition rising in her heart.

Hesitating for a moment, she made her way toward Madam Zhou's courtyard.

Hardly had she entered the courtyard when the sound of weeping drifted from within: "The Marquis must be sure to enter the palace tomorrow and make things clear to the Emperor. The Prince of Yan has all along been secretly investigating the deaths of the late Emperor and Consort Zhao. If he finds out that it was us..."

"Shut your mouth!" Luo Chao hastily cut her off. "So many years have passed since then. Even if the Prince of Yan has suspicions, he may not necessarily find any clues. Although Yunqiao was raised in the countryside since childhood, she is still the eldest young lady of the Marquis's Estate. Her alliance by marriage with the Prince of Yan will also be a boon to the Third Prince. Once the Third Prince ascends the throne, even if the Prince of Yan uncovers something, there will be nothing he can do to us."

Luo Yunqiao's heart trembled.

It seemed that Luo Chao's involvement in the late Emperor's death was indeed real.

The moonlight was hazy.

Luo Yunqiao tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

What she needed most right now was evidence. Once she handed Xiao Muyuan what he wanted, she would be able to bargain with him. Afterward, the world would be wide and vast, free for her to soar.

"Why hasn't Miss fallen asleep yet? Could it be that you were frightened today?" Yinxin padded over. "The Second Young Miss got what she deserved. It brings great joy to the people that the Prince of Yan dealt with her. Miss, please don't hold it against the Prince of Yan on that account; the two of you still have to live your lives together in the future."

Luo Yunqiao had no heart for such thoughts and blurted out, "Yinxin, you have been in the Marquis's Estate for quite some time. I want to ask you, do you know where Father usually keeps his important items?"

"This servant doesn't know, but presumably they would be kept in the study," Yinxin answered with a puzzled expression.

The study?

Only then did Luo Yunqiao realize that during this period, she had practically turned the Marquis Jing'an's Estate upside down without finding a single useful thing. The only place she had yet to set foot in was Luo Chao's study.

She abruptly sat up, a resolute glint in her eyes. "I can't sleep and want to go out for a walk—no need to follow!"