Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 156 - 147: Adding to the Dowry

Chapter 156: Chapter 147: Adding to the Dowry

The two of them walked out of the courtyard hand in hand.

When Meng Qianqian looked back, the Old Madam was watching. Even when she turned back again, the Old Madam was still staring with keen eyes.

She glanced at Lu Yuan beside her, his face cold and expressionless.

Having been with Lu Yuan for so long, although she hadn’t completely figured him out, she understood that he wasn’t someone who held petty grudges. But the Old Madam was part of the Lu Family. It’s normal for people to mind such things, isn’t it?

She said softly, "Grand Commander, the Old Madam has taken care of me for many years. Now that she is old and her mind isn’t clear, if she has offended you, I hope you’ll forgive her."

Lu Yuan snorted coldly.

Meng Qianqian continued, "I will go back and persuade her later, but the Old Madam can’t take any shocks, otherwise she’ll relapse. Just in case... I mean, just in case, can the Old Madam stay at the Governor Mansion for a few days?"

Lu Yuan said coldly, "What? You want me to be a live-in son-in-law for the Meng Family?"

Meng Qianqian knew she was in the wrong and didn’t dare to rebut, she just gently pinched his palm with her fingertips, "The Old Madam has mistakenly remembered things in the past, but every time it only takes three to five days, at most seven or eight days, for her to forget. Grand Commander, you are magnanimous. Can you bear with her for a few more days?"

Her fingertips were soft, her voice gentle, like a willow fluff blown off by the spring breeze, softly landing in one’s heart.

Lu Yuan’s gaze flickered slightly, the sunlight shone into his dark, ink-like eyes, reflecting a thousand hues of brilliance.

He said coldly, "Just a few days, don’t push your luck."

Meng Qianqian nodded earnestly, "Okay!"

Regarding this sham marriage, Meng Qianqian had a meticulously detailed plan — after the wedding, she and Bao Shu would live in the main courtyard, while Lu Yuan would move to Bao Shu’s Tinglan Garden.

When she was with Lu Lingxiao at the Lu Family, they each had their own courtyard, so such an arrangement wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

But now the Old Madam had moved into Tinglan Garden, so Lu Yuan would certainly be unable to move in there. Moreover, the Old Madam instructed others to pack all of Lu Yuan’s clothes and send them to her courtyard.

If asked, it’s because a grandson-in-law should live with his granddaughter.

Thus, when Lu Yuan finished his official duties and returned to Tinglan Garden, he was astonished to find the room had already been emptied.

He went to the bridal room, glanced at the large and small luggage on the ground, and then looked at Meng Qianqian’s innocent face, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

Meng Qianqian was speechless, lacking confidence, she said, "I say the Old Madam had people move them, would you believe it?"

...

Meanwhile, Nanny Li went to the accounting room to hand over with Steward Cen.

She pondered all the way, wondering what the Grand Commander wanted her to hand over with Steward Cen? Was it the dowry list?

The young lady brought a hundred and sixty loads of dowry into the mansion. When she married into the Lu Family, it was a hundred and twenty loads, and it had been handed over to the Lu Family’s steward, who compared the list and checked it through, then copied the list twice, one to be placed in the accounting room and the other given to the Old Lady.

But that was also three days after the wedding, where would anyone urge to check dowry the moment they enter the door?

When Nanny Li entered the accounting room, she realized she wasn’t to hand over her dowry list, but Steward Cen was handing over the management of the Governor Mansion to her.

"Here are the cards for the rooms, the keys to the accounting room and all the storerooms. Nanny Li, please check them,"

Steward Cen said with a smile, pointing to the table full of keys and cards.

Nanny Li was extremely shocked and took a long time to recover, repeatedly declining, "Steward Cen, this is impossible! I just arrived, handling matters in the courtyard is acceptable, but the mansion still needs to rely on you!"

Steward Cen smiled, "Nanny Li is too modest. I trust in your ability to manage. In the future, the daily affairs of the mansion will depend on you."

"Steward Cen! This is absolutely impossible!"

Seeing that Steward Cen wasn’t testing her but sincerely wanted to hand over the management rights to her, Nanny Li was truly flustered!

Steward Cen said warmly, "Nanny Li, we servants need to ease the burdens of our masters. The more we handle, the less our masters have to worry."

Nanny Li said, "It’s my duty to ease the master’s burdens. Even without Steward Cen’s reminder, I will do my best."

Steward Cen smiled, "In that case, Nanny Li, please accept the cards and keys."

"I..."

Nanny Li was overwhelmed by the sudden good fortune.

You see, back at the Lu Family, aside from Steward Liu by Lu Mother’s side, the other stewards were extremely wary of her. Not to mention handing over power to her, even letting them share some was impossible.

Nanny Li felt ashamed for having been so suspicious of others, and said with some embarrassment, "To be honest, I never managed any affairs of the mansion in the Lu Family, only the young lady’s courtyard. I’m afraid if I don’t do well, I will disgrace the young lady and cause trouble for the son-in-law."

Steward Cen called out to the outside, "Come in."

With those words, ten well-dressed servants entered the accounting room.

They were the mansion’s clerks and head stewards, and Steward Cen introduced them to Nanny Li one by one, "Nanny Li, if there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask them, and they will handle it."

The Governor Mansion was vast, with each steward performing their respective duties and excelling in their fields, managing everything smoothly and orderly.

Nanny Li admired Steward Cen immensely.

Steward Cen smiled, "Like I said, we must manage the house well so that the masters can focus on handling important matters outside."

He referred to "masters," not "master," implicitly including Meng Qianqian.

Nanny Li couldn’t help but recall Lu Yuan’s words to her when taking Meng Qianqian out for food yesterday, "The Governor Mansion has no such chaotic rules."

In fact, he also said, "My woman Lu Yuan shouldn’t be confined to the inner residence."

Nanny Li didn’t take it to heart at the time and thought he was speaking casually —

This new son-in-law is indeed quite different from Lu Lingxiao.

...

By evening, the stewards of the Wang Family, Zhou Family, Xing Family, and Lin Family visited to give Meng Qianqian additional dowry, each family providing twenty loads, meticulously selected by several ladies.

Zhou Nanyan and Lin Xiaoru also sent wedding gifts, a box of jewelry from Zhou Nanyan and a chest of books from Lin Xiaoru.

Whether by coincidence or intention, the teams from the four families all passed through the entrance of the Lu Family, beating gongs and drums, Wang Family first, then Zhou Family, followed by Xing Family and Lin Family, causing many in the Lu Family to be full of resentment.

Just after Meng Qianqian finished receiving the additional dowry, news came from the city gate — the Seventh Prince of Beiliang had entered the capital.

This meant Zhang Feihu and the soldiers were really going back to the border.

"How many days left?"

Meng Qianqian asked.

Lu Yuan replied, "Tonight."

Meng Qianqian murmured, "So soon?"

Lu Yuan explained, "The Seventh Prince of Beiliang is the most beloved son of the Beiliang King. His entry into the capital as a hostage comes with the condition of an escort by a twenty-thousand-strong army. This army is now stationed fifty miles outside the city, and Zhang Feihu and the border soldiers need to break camp overnight to confront the Beiliang army."

In reality, there would be no more battles, but such an arrangement was logical and prudent, prepared for any eventuality.

Meng Qianqian felt a deep sense of reluctance in her heart. Although they hadn’t known each other for long, they were comrades who had been to the battlefield together, a life-and-death bond through hardships.

Meng Qianqian stood up abruptly.

Lu Yuan moved towards the door ahead of her.

Gazing at his back, Meng Qianqian focused her eyes and said solemnly, "Grand Commander..."

Lu Yuan said indifferently, "Follow."

Meng Qianqian was stunned, "Huh?"

Lu Yuan said coolly, "If we set out now and take a shortcut, we might catch up at the North Gate. If we’re any later, we truly won’t see them."