“Moreover,” Luo Qingwu glanced at Luo Jin’er indifferently, her tone tinged with mockery, “I really can’t understand what you want.”
“You’re about to follow Father and Mother to Jingcheng to enjoy wealth and glory, so why are you still entangled with a poor martial artist here? Aren’t you afraid… of losing everything?”
Luo Jin’er was taken aback, her eyes darting away: “What nonsense are you talking about? What am I afraid of?”
“Afraid of what?”
Luo Qingwu chuckled softly, stepping closer, her voice lowered but each word piercing:
“Little sister, if you really do marry a prince or nobleman in Jingcheng as Father and Mother expect, you’ll become part of the imperial family. What does the imperial family value most? Reputation, purity.”
“What if… someone finds out that before even entering Jingcheng, you were involved with your brother-in-law here, even going so far as to treat his wounds and exchange heartfelt confessions before marriage…”
Luo Qingwu deliberately drew out her words, her eyes playful: “What do you think those esteemed people would think? Could your bright future still be preserved?”
Luo Jin’er’s face instantly turned pale, clearly struck where it hurt.
“If you just behaved yourself, it might be fine,” Luo Qingwu continued twisting the knife, “but if you insist on provoking me, then I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut.”
“By then, without anyone needing to investigate, I’d only have to spread a little about your deep affections. Like how you made him only respond to you, how you forced him not to touch his lawful wife for your sake…”
“I don’t even need to wait until Jingcheng. I could go tell Father and Mother right now that you still harbor feelings for Lin Lang and have no intention of climbing the social ladder in Jingcheng. Guess what Father would do to you for the sake of Luojia’s future? Lock you up? Or… send you straight to a nunnery?”
“How dare you!”
Luo Jin’er widened her eyes, her voice cracking, her pointing finger trembling.
“You can try whether I dare or not.”
Luo Qingwu spread her hands, smiling innocently: “Those with nothing to lose fear nothing. I may not be good at achieving things, but ruining your plans is more than enough.”
“So, little sister, one shouldn’t be too greedy. Wanting both wealth and glory and a childhood sweetheart to remain chaste for you… since when does the world offer such cheap deals?”
Luo Jin’er was left heaving with rage, her originally delicate face now flushed a purplish-red.
She pointed at Luo Qingwu, stammering “you, you, you” for a long while, ultimately unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. She could only stomp her foot fiercely and run out crying.
Watching the fleeing figure, Luo Qingwu shook her head.
Tsk, such low skill.
Spoiled rotten at home, thinking the whole world revolves around her.
If she really entered a place like Jingcheng, where people devour others without spitting out bones, with that level of intelligence, she probably wouldn’t survive three episodes.
Still, having scared off this little white lotus, at least her ears were finally at peace.
As for going to Jingcheng? She had no interest.
Beishuo Cheng was far from the emperor’s reach, with simple, honest customs. As long as she dealt with that man, life here would be nothing short of carefree.
Lin Lang might be a bit troublesome, but at least he was handsome, had a good physique, and came from a simple family background.
As long as she could win him over, have a child as a safeguard, and find a way to make him give up on Luo Jin’er… this was practically the perfect life plan!
Thinking this, Luo Qingwu was in high spirits, humming a tune as she entered the house.
She rummaged through the bottom of the trunk and pulled out that jar of high-proof liquor that hadn’t been fully distilled yet, lost in thought.
To win Lin Lang over, this liquor was key.
But someone like Lin Lang, who grew up in military camps since childhood, surely had a bottomless capacity for alcohol.
Alcohol alone probably wouldn’t be enough to knock him out.
It needed an extra ingredient.
What should she add?
Luo Qingwu stroked her chin, pondering. In this ancient era, there were no chemical reagents. It seemed she’d have to visit the black market or an herbal shop to get something like datura pollen or knockout powder…
Just as she was thinking this, a sudden burst of noisy shouting erupted outside the door.
“Why does it smell so strongly of alcohol? Who’s drinking in there?”
Immediately afterward, a round, chubby figure burst in like a cannonball, stirring up a gust of wind that nearly knocked the liquor jar out of Luo Qingwu’s hands.
Luo Qingwu frowned, swiftly protecting the jar as she looked up.
It was a boy around eleven or twelve years old, dressed in luxurious silk robes that were worn sloppily and askew. His plump face was full of coarse features, his eyes fierce, radiating the spoiled malice of a child who had been overly indulged.
Luo Mingzhao.
The only son of the Luo family, the biological younger brother of this body.
Also the undisputed little tyrant of Luo-Fu, rumored to even kick any dog that happened to pass by.
This was no younger brother—if anything, she felt he resembled Luo Jin’er more.
Equally ill-mannered, equally lacking in boundaries.
Barging into someone else’s room without even knocking.
As soon as Luo Mingzhao saw Luo Qingwu, his small eyes widened, and he pointed at her nose, shouting, “Was it you who bullied my sister?”
Luo Qingwu scoffed, unhurriedly setting down the liquor jar. “Sister? Which sister are you talking about? By blood, I believe I’m your biological older sister, aren’t I?”
“Pah! You’re not!”
Luo Mingzhao spat fiercely, his face full of disdain. “I only have one sister, and that’s Jin’er! What are you? Just some country bumpkin from the countryside!”
He planted his hands on his hips, full of bluster. “Jin’er said you stole her things! This Yunxi-Yuan was originally hers, and Lin Lang was hers too! As soon as you came back, you tried to take everything! Have you no shame?”
“Get out of here right now! This is my home, and you’re not welcome here!”
Luo Qingwu lowered her gaze, a cold smile curling at the corner of her mouth.
Hah.
So it was that coward Luo Jin’er. After losing the argument herself, she sent this mad dog out to bite others?
These two siblings really were a perfect match.
This little fatty was used to throwing his weight around in Luo-Fu, probably thinking that no matter what he did, everyone would indulge and spoil him.
Too bad for him.
Today, he had met Luo Qingwu.
She specialized in dealing with all kinds of defiance.
“You want to kick me out?”
Luo Qingwu curled her lips, as if hearing something laughable. “Little fatty, if I remember correctly, the ‘Luo’ in Luo-Fu belongs to your father, Luo Yuandao, not to you, Luo Mingzhao, right?”
“I was personally brought back here by Father’s orders. Even he allowed me to stay here. What gives you the right to kick me out? Your big face? Or your loud voice?”
“You—!”
Luo Mingzhao trembled with rage, the flesh on his face quivering. He was used to being the little king of the household—who dared speak to him like this?
“You just wait! I’m going to tell Father right now and have him throw you out!”
“Go ahead.”
Luo Qingwu shrugged indifferently, even kindly pointing the way for him: “Go out, turn left, and walk straight to the main courtyard. But I should remind you, I’m now the one set to marry into the general’s family. Do you think he’ll listen to you or to me?”
Luo Mingzhao paused in his steps.
Though young, he knew the family had been in turmoil over this marriage recently, and Father indeed valued this wild girl quite a bit. If he went to complain now, he might end up getting scolded instead.
But he couldn’t swallow his anger just like that, his face flushing red with frustration.
Just as he was caught in a dilemma, Luo Qingwu suddenly tilted her head: “But… since we’re siblings after all, I might just give you a chance.”
Luo Mingzhao took the bait, eyeing her warily: “What chance?”
“A chance to drive me away with proper justification.”