Chapter 74: Catching a Turtle in an Urn

Chapter 74: Catching a Turtle in an Urn

In Zuihonglou, Mr. Luo hosted a banquet to celebrate the safe return of Luo Qingtong, inviting royal relatives from the Dongli Kingdom and heads of wealthy families.

The marriage between Luo Qingtong and the fifth prince of the Tianyu Empire was well known. Many had thought Luo Qingtong's disappearance signaled the end of this union. However, her unexpected return was a fortunate event, and attending this celebration was a gesture of respect towards Mr. Luo.

The old man had reserved the finest private room in Zuihong Building for this exclusive gathering. Although the number of invitees was small, each was a prominent figure in the Dongli Kingdom.

During the banquet, Mr. Luo received a distressing report about the city gate, which infuriated him. As the room fell silent, the doors suddenly burst open.

The banquet hall, divided into an inner room and an outer room by a large screen, kept its occupants hidden from those entering. Silence from the inside meant their presence was unnoticed by outsiders.

Just as the guests pondered who might have entered, a sharp female voice pierced the air from the outer room.

"Seventh Princess! Didn't I make myself clear? I was handling everything! Why did you intervene? Was that female corpse at the city gate your doing? How do you expect me to manage this mess now?"

Luo Xinning stormed in to find a young woman seated quietly near the screen, her head bowed, partially concealing her face.

As Luo Xinning raged, Luo Qingtong, seated unassumingly by the screen, smiled slightly. The bait was taken.

The guests inside, initially ready to scold the intruder, were taken aback by the confrontation unfolding before them. They exchanged looks of confusion and curiosity under Mr. Luo's watchful eye.

Another voice, calm and low, then emerged from the outer room, startling everyone once again. "What you've done, Luo Xinning, is beyond my knowledge."

It was Luo Qingtong. Earlier, she had excused herself from the banquet, claiming a need for fresh air due to distress. Was this a ploy?

As the realization dawned upon the guests, their interest was piqued.

The room quieted, anticipation hanging thick as they awaited further revelations in this family drama.

However, Luo Xinning's next outburst was utterly unexpected.

"You know nothing? Ha! Yuwenxue, are you trying to sever ties after crossing the river?"

She scoffed, her attention having been so diverted by prior events that she failed to notice the oddity of the opposing voice. Moreover, Luo Xinning hadn't seen the speaker's face as it remained bowed throughout the exchange.

Accusations flew as Luo Xinning's patience snapped. "You really have no clue? I orchestrated Luo Qingtong's ordeal at Jiuwu Mountain—sabotaged her cultivation, blinded her, and left her at the mercy of brigands!"

"If not for unforeseen complications at Jiuwu Mountain, my plan would have succeeded without a hitch! And remember, you also had people on this—where were they when she returned unscathed?"

The revelations left the room in stunned silence, each guest grappling with the depth of deceit and betrayal within the Luo family.