Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 171 - 160 Qianqian Also Loves the Grand Commander

Chapter 171: Chapter 160 Qianqian Also Loves the Grand Commander

"What?"

Chen Long has actually become the adopted son of the Prime Minister?

What on earth is going on?

Meng Qianqian truly couldn’t figure it out.

Lu Yuan glanced at her and said, "I’m only speculating. After all, I’ve never met Chen Long."

The feeling that person gave him was somewhat similar to what Yin Hu had given him at the time, but not exactly the same. On him... there was an intense aura of killing intent.

Meng Qianqian thought that, given Lu Yuan’s judgment, it was unlikely he’d be wrong.

She had always thought Chen Long went to West City to investigate the Chu Family case. Could it be there was another hidden agenda?

"Hiss—"

Meng Qianqian clutched her head.

Lu Yuan straightened up: "What’s the matter?"

Meng Qianqian put her hand down: "It’s nothing, just a headache, an old problem."

Her memories were recovering, especially after encountering Yin Hu. It seemed the recoveries were happening faster, but her head hurt even more.

Lu Yuan had once heard Nanny Li mention that since she fell into the water more than half a year ago, she had been left with a cold-related condition and a habit of nightmares. After a nightmare, she’d always suffer from headaches for a while.

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze: "He’s now the adopted son of the Prime Minister. Whether he’s Chen Long or not, you’ll recognize him when you see him. Don’t overthink it."

"Alright." Meng Qianqian readily agreed.

After a brief pause, Lu Yuan asked Meng Qianqian, "Are the Twelve Guards ranked by the zodiac signs?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head: "Yin Hu isn’t actually based on ’Tiger,’ and Chen Long isn’t based on ’Dragon.’ I don’t know how they’re ranked exactly."

Lu Yuan hadn’t seen the man’s face but had overheard him talking to someone on the road: "Chen Long seems younger than Shen Hou and your master."

By "master," he was referring to Yin Hu, Li Haiya.

Meng Qianqian nodded slightly: "Yes, Chen Long was the last to join the Twelve Guards."

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow: "You Twelve Guards are quite intriguing."

Meng Qianqian smiled faintly but didn’t respond.

They couldn’t continue discussing the Twelve Guards. Otherwise, the truth might slip out. She and Yin Hu had only spent less than half an hour in the cave together. There was no way Yin Hu could have told her so many secrets about the Twelve Guards in such a short time.

She changed the subject, asking, "Grand Commander, what kind of person is the Prime Minister?"

She had expected Lu Yuan to dismissively say, "Not someone you can afford to provoke," but to her surprise, Lu Yuan only hesitated slightly before softly replying, "A man without weaknesses."

Meng Qianqian was stunned.

She had known Lu Yuan long enough to understand how proud he was. For him to say someone had "no weaknesses" showed how extraordinary the Prime Minister was.

These past few years, Lu Yuan had been in command of the court. Now with the Prime Minister’s return, it would undoubtedly disrupt the current balance.

Prime Minister Xun, travel-worn and weary, didn’t rest upon his arrival. Instead, after bathing and changing clothes, he immediately entered the palace to meet the Emperor.

In the Imperial Study Room, the robed Prime Minister Xun performed the ritual of three bows and nine kowtows to the young Emperor.

"Seven years of the Western Expedition, Your subject has not failed in his mission. The Western Continent has been pacified, and thirteen cities on the western frontier have been recovered! Long live Your Majesty—long live, long live, long live!"

Zong Zhengxi hurriedly moved from behind his desk, coming to stand in front of Prime Minister Xun and personally helping him up: "Beloved Minister Xun! You are the pillar of Great Zhou, the backbone of the nation. You need not perform such grand ceremonies before me!"

Prime Minister Xun knelt once more: "Your subject is overwhelmed!"

Seeing that he wouldn’t rise, Zong Zhengxi knelt down in front of him, meeting him eye to eye: "Beloved Minister Xun."

"Your Majesty! You mustn’t!"

Prime Minister Xun’s expression changed drastically, hurriedly helping the Emperor back to his feet while standing up himself: "Your Majesty, your subject will not kneel anymore. You are the Emperor; please, do not act in such a way that would harm this old minister."

Zong Zhengxi’s eyes had turned red.

"Your Majesty..." Prime Minister Xun looked flustered.

Zong Zhengxi choked out, "I... I thought... I’d never see you again, Prime Minister Xun..."

Prime Minister Xun spoke with solemn emotion: "Your Majesty, you’re no longer an eight-year-old child. I’ve heard you’re about to marry. If your bride were to see you like this, what would she think?"

Zong Zhengxi wiped away his tears, his eyes still swollen and red as he replied, "Beloved Minister Xun, ever since you went on the Western Expedition, the Capital City has turned upside down. First, my older brother, the Crown Prince, passed away, then Father Emperor fell ill... even Chu Grand Marshal... and the Twelve Guards... all gone..."

He cried like a child who had finally found someone to lean on, sobbing so hard he could hardly catch his breath.

In chronological order, it was the Chu Family’s downfall first, followed by the Crown Prince and the Supreme Emperor, but when one gets emotional, it’s easy to mess up the sequence.

Prime Minister Xun sighed deeply: "Your Majesty, I’ve already heard about these matters. I will handle everything. Your Majesty, focus on being the Emperor; leave the rest to this old servant."

-

By evening, Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan went to Tinglan Courtyard to dine with the Old Matron and Bao Shu.

Uncharacteristically, Bao Shu wasn’t causing trouble at the dinner table. She quietly ate from her little bowl.

Lu Yuan ate leisurely, as usual, showing no deviation from his typical demeanor.

The Old Matron, however, stared intently at him: "My great-grandson-in-law, has someone been bullying you? You look unhappy. Tell your great-grandmother who it was, and I’ll thrash them for you!"

Everyone in the room was bewildered. Was the son-in-law unhappy? They hadn’t noticed.

Lu Yuan, long accustomed to keeping his emotions in check, hadn’t expected the Old Matron to say something like that.

With his usual calm expression, he said, "Great-grandmother, no one has bullied me."

The Old Matron pouted and gave him the last two pieces of Osmanthus Cake from her plate, smacking her lips as she said, "Eat more, and you’ll feel better."

Meng Qianqian curved her lips slightly, then slid her own piece of Osmanthus Cake in front of him: "Husband, you can have mine too."

Lu Yuan’s expression froze slightly.

Bao Shu, oblivious to the situation, didn’t understand what was happening. Why was everyone suddenly offering food to her worthless father?

Her little bowl was already empty, so she could only take a half-eaten meatball from her mouth and reluctantly place it in her father’s bowl: "Here."

Lu Yuan: "..."

That night, it rained.

Meng Qianqian was in the study room reading the notes left by Yin Hu when Ban Xia reported, "Miss, your cousin has returned!"

Today was the twentieth, marking the start of the Imperial College’s monthly break. But as her cousin had taken leave on her wedding day, they had agreed he would return during this break instead.

"Cousin! Why did you come back so late in such heavy rain?"

"I just finished my assignments!"

"Hand me the umbrella!"

"Thank you, Tan’er! Where’s my cousin?"

"In the study room!" Tan’er raised a hand to point.

Meng Qianqian opened the study door and came face-to-face with a drenched Yu Li.

Yu Li smiled shyly: "Cousin."

"Come in quickly." Meng Qianqian led Yu Li into the study, handing him a dry towel.

"I didn’t get wet." Yu Li took the towel and patted it on his head. "Where’s your husband?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "He just left."

The Prime Minister’s return to the court had made him even busier.

"Cousin, have you eaten?"

"I already ate. I hadn’t planned on coming back today, but since the Imperial College gave us a two-day break, I thought I’d come back to see you."

"Why the sudden two-day break?"

Yu Li said, "It seems to be because the Prime Minister returned with his troops, and the entire nation is celebrating. The Imperial College decided to extend the holiday by a day."

Meng Qianqian understood: "I see."

The wind was strong, blowing the window open and scattering papers that had been weighed down under a book.

Meng Qianqian quickly got up to shut the window.

Yu Li bowed down to pick up the scattered papers and, as he did, inadvertently saw one. Astonished, he exclaimed, "Cousin, are you reading articles by Scholar Xun as well?"

"Scholar Xun?"

These were the essays Lu Yuan had written while drunk!

Yu Li’s eyes were filled with admiration: "Xun Yu, the son of Prime Minister Xun. He’s considered a genius that the Imperial College hasn’t seen in a hundred years. These are the essays he wrote during his imperial examinations. All nine examiners gave him perfect marks! His achievements remain unsurpassed to this day! Even my senior brothers and I study them diligently!"

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