Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 237 - 221 Jealousy

Chapter 237: Chapter 221 Jealousy

The Governor Mansion was vast and empty, but now, one courtyard after another had welcomed its rightful owners, gradually filling the once silent place with the warmth of human presence.

Chen Long preferred peace and quiet, so Meng Qianqian had intentionally arranged a serene and elegant courtyard for him.

When Meng Qianqian carried a food box to find him, she saw him sitting idly in the courtyard, lost in thought.

"Brother."

Meng Qianqian called out with a smile.

Chen Long showed no emotion and didn’t respond.

Meng Qianqian walked up to him and placed the steaming food box on the stone table.

She stood against the light, her figure outlined by the glow of the moon above, casting shadows on the ground.

Chen Long glanced down—there were two shadows.

"Why are you here?"

Chen Long asked, his face devoid of expression.

Meng Qianqian sat down beside him and said, "You won’t come to eat, so I had to bring the food to you!"

Chen Long raised his eyes toward Lu Yuan. "I’m asking him."

With a sweep of his wide sleeves, Lu Yuan sat across from Chen Long, arms crossed. "This is my house. I’ll go wherever I want."

Meng Qianqian raised her hand and swore, "He’s worried you might harm me, but I trust you absolutely!"

Lu Yuan’s face darkened. "Meng Xiaojiu!"

Meng Qianqian flinched.

Chen Long glanced at her timid reaction and said to Lu Yuan, "Why are you being so fierce?"

Meng Qianqian echoed, "Yeah, why are you being so fierce?"

Lu Yuan: "..."

Lu Yuan turned away, unwilling to bicker further.

Meng Qianqian opened the food box, taking out several exquisite dishes: "Sweet and sour fish, braised chicken, roasted eggplant, carrot soup, sweet potato pancakes."

Chen Long took one look—these were all his favorites.

Suddenly, something Sheep had said flashed through his mind: "Don’t you think Meng Xiaojiu’s archery posture looks exactly like someone’s?"

Chen Long’s eyes flickered with emotion.

He reached for the chopsticks. "Two pairs?"

Lu Yuan grabbed one pair. "I haven’t eaten either. You thought the food was just for you? Feeling special?"

Chen Long turned to Meng Qianqian. "You’re not eating?"

Meng Qianqian patted her round stomach. "I’ve already eaten."

The two men began eating their dinner slowly under the moonlight, creating a picturesque image of two refined gentlemen.

Meng Qianqian rested her chin on her hands, enjoying the pleasing view.

But as they ate, something felt off.

Was it her imagination?

There seemed to be a looming hostility in the air!

Alarmed, she glanced at the two men, then quickly thought of a solution. She summoned Ban Xia to bring a jug of wine.

"Come, come, let’s drink!"

She poured wine for the two of them.

Lu Yuan raised his cup. "As the host, I’ll finish mine first as a gesture of respect."

"Guests follow the host." Chen Long downed his cup in one go as well.

Lu Yuan arched a brow. "Keep drinking."

Chen Long refused to back down. "Fine by me."

Meng Qianqian covered her head with her hands. Why did it feel like the hostility was intensifying...

Seeing both men reaching for the wine jug at the same time, Meng Qianqian quickly grabbed it and hugged it to her chest. "Stop drinking for now and finish discussing the important matters first."

Chen Long: "What important matters?"

Meng Qianqian asked, "At the Princess Mansion, what did you and the other Twelve Guards talk about?"

One day ago.

Chen Long, Si Snake, Ji Li, Sheep, and Hai Pig sat in a pavilion at the Princess Mansion.

The first thing Sheep said was, "Don’t you think Little Yin Hu’s archery posture looks exactly like someone’s?"

This statement elicited no opposition from the Twelve Guards.

They knew exactly who Sheep was referring to, yet the idea seemed a touch absurd.

Sheep continued, "To my knowledge, Meng Xiaojiu only met Li Haiya once at the border, and he passed the Yin Hu decree to her after that. Don’t you think that’s suspicious?"

Ji Li snapped his folding fan open with a flourish. "Exactly. Which is why we should avoid recognizing her!"

Si Snake: "Stop stirring trouble."

Ji Li pouted.

Sheep said firmly, "She must have some connection to Chu Grand Marshal. None of you doubt that, right?"

Si Snake replied, "But as far as I know, Chu Grand Marshal didn’t have any sisters, and there’s no way he had such an older illegitimate daughter. Could she be a relative from Chu Madam’s side of the family?"

Ji Li, for once, looked serious. "Little Yin Hu’s mastery of the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles makes that plausible."

Sheep turned to Chen Long. "Chen Long, you’re closer to her—how about you investigate?"

Ji Li objected. "Who says they’re close? I’m the Little Yin Hu’s neighbor!"

No one paid him any attention.

Si Snake spoke up. "I originally wanted to ask Chen Long about something. Since we’re all here, let’s get it all out. Over six years ago, the night the Chu Family was massacred—where were you all?"

Ji Li waved his folding fan. "I was in Beiliang on a mission with Li Haiya. Haven’t I told you this before?"

Sheep said, "I was carrying out the Grand Marshal’s orders to capture Beiliang spies in the city."

Hai Pig said, "Same here."

Si Snake: "Alright. Next question. Who delivered the orders to you? Answer simultaneously; whether or not I become your enemy depends on this."

Ji Li playfully raised his fingers. "Three, two, one—"

The three answered in unison: "Shen Monkey."

Ji Li clicked his tongue. "Well, isn’t that convenient? A dead end, just like that."

Sheep frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ji Li closed his fan with a snap and said coolly, "It means there’s a traitor among the Twelve Guards, and that night, someone deliberately sent you away, leading to the Chu Family’s massacre."

Sheep’s brows furrowed deeply. "Shen Monkey is the traitor?"

Ji Li chuckled lightly. "Or perhaps the ones using Shen Monkey to lie are you three."

Sheep retorted, "What proof do you have that we’re lying?"

Ji Li shrugged. "That’s why I said it’s a dead end."

Sheep demanded, "Is this just because we pledged allegiance to the Prime Minister?"

Ji Li closed his fan again. "Hey, I didn’t say that; you did."

Si Snake asked, "Why did you side with the Prime Minister? He could very well be responsible for the Chu Family’s massacre."

Sheep replied coldly, "Whether the Prime Minister is guilty or not has nothing to do with us. Back then, I lost a bet to the Grand Marshal, and I honored it. He said as long as he lived, we would serve him; but he never said we had to avenge him after his death. From the moment he died, our contract ended."

"Since it ended, who we serve now shouldn’t matter. The important thing is, we weren’t the ones who killed him."

Ji Li said, "Hey, we’ve been through life and death together. Isn’t that a little heartless on your part?"

Si Snake stood. "If I find out you three are traitors, I’ll kill you myself."

Sheep frowned and looked at him. "Si Snake, do you want to avenge the Chu Grand Marshal? Why are you doing this?"

Si Snake’s sorrowful blue eyes gazed into the distance. "Because he promised to do something for me. Something only he could do. Now that he’s gone, my hope is gone. The people who destroyed everything must pay the price."

Chen Long skipped mentioning their suspicions about her and recounted only from the point when Si Snake began questioning the events of that night.

Meng Qianqian looked at Chen Long, who was sprawled drunkenly on the table, mumbling, "What did he promise Si Snake? Was it my promise, or Chu Nan’s promise?"

"What are you muttering about?"

Lu Yuan glanced at her nonchalantly.

"Nothing." Meng Qianqian smiled faintly. "The Grand Commander sure can hold his liquor! Brother’s drunk; I’ll help him inside."

"Brother, brother—you don’t call your husband as often as you call him." Lu Yuan grumbled quietly, then said begrudgingly, "Call Yu Zichuan over later."

Meng Qianqian thought for a moment. "Alright."

It seems Sheep and Hai Pig really had been turned by Prime Minister Xun.

Prime Minister Xun, not content with Miaojiang, you aim to swallow the Twelve Guards too?