Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 239 - 223: The Older, the Wiser

Chapter 239: Chapter 223: The Older, the Wiser

Lu Yuan left Zhaoming Palace when a cold, indifferent voice sounded above his head: "Why didn’t you just tell the Supreme Emperor who you suspect?"

Lu Yuan sneered and looked at the person standing on the tree branch: "Don’t you have someone you suspect too? Why don’t you go in and say it?"

Chen Long replied expressionlessly: "Why would I say something without evidence?"

Lu Yuan curled his lips into a smile: "You won’t say it, but want me to?"

Chen Long: "Exactly."

Lu Yuan: "..."

Truly... shameless.

Lu Yuan asked: "Who sent you into the palace?"

Chen Long answered truthfully: "The Prime Minister."

Lu Yuan mocked: "And you claim you’re not one of the Prime Minister’s spies?"

Chen Long said: "I don’t need to explain myself to you."

Lu Yuan replied playfully: "Alright, go ahead and report me."

Chen Long walked away.

Yu Zichuan appeared and, staring at Chen Long’s departing figure, asked: "Should we kill him?"

Lu Yuan glanced at him: "You talk as if you could pull it off."

Yu Zichuan presented a poison bottle: "I have this."

Lu Yuan’s mouth twitched: "Where did you get it?"

Yu Zichuan replied seriously: "Miss Bao Shu gave it to me. She has lots of them; hasn’t she given you one?"

Lu Yuan’s face darkened.

Lu Yuan stared coldly at Chen Long.

Though Chen Long didn’t turn around, he seemed to know Lu Yuan was watching him. He arrogantly raised three poison bottles.

Yu Zichuan furrowed his dashing brows: "Miss Bao Shu gave him three."

Lu Yuan: "...Brat!"

-

Governor Mansion.

The Empress’ grand wedding was approaching, which meant Zhou Nanyan would soon enter the palace, and Meng Qianqian was rushing to make a wedding gift for her.

Suddenly, a maid came to report that Miss Zhou, Miss Lin, and Miss Wang were here to visit.

Meng Qianqian put away the half-finished gift: "Quick, invite them in!"

The three entered the room.

Meng Qianqian hurriedly asked them to sit down and pushed fresh fruits towards them: "The heat is unbearable, isn’t it? Have some fruit."

Zhou Nanyan happily ate a piece: "Sister Meng, I hope I didn’t disturb you by showing up unannounced?"

Meng Qianqian smiled slightly: "I couldn’t be happier."

Her gaze fell on Wang Rou’s shy and bashful face. "Rou’er, how’s your mother’s health?"

Wang Rou, blushing, replied: "Mother is doing fine, just feeling overheated."

Meng Qianqian said: "Pregnancy makes it easy to feel hot. I recently received a piece of silk that’s wonderfully light and cool; take it back later and have the seamstress make some clothing for your mother."

The fabric was gifted by Yun Xiyao. She wasn’t sure where Yun Xiyao had sourced it, but it was even better than the silks from the Imperial Palace.

Wang Rou attempted to decline.

Zhou Nanyan interlocked her arm with Wang Rou’s: "Sister Meng’s kindness, Sister Wang, you should accept it. At worst, after the baby is born, let Sister Meng hold it first!"

Meng Qianqian nodded with a gentle smile: "No rush, there’ll be one for each of you."

Zhou Nanyan laughed: "Then in the future, all our children can be held first by you!"

"Yan’er!" Wang Rou blushed, shrinking like a shy plant.

Lin Xiaoru: "I might... not have children."

Zhou Nanyan asked curiously: "Why not?"

Lin Xiaoru replied earnestly: "I don’t want them."

Had it been anyone else, Zhou Nanyan might have argued, but Lin Xiaoru had always been different from others; she held her own unique and independent thoughts.

Zhou Nanyan said: "But children are so adorable."

Lin Xiaoru replied: "Then I’ll just hold yours, won’t I?"

Zhou Nanyan: Uh... makes sense somehow.

Zhou Nanyan sighed: "You see, Sister Lin doesn’t seem talkative, but every time, I can’t win against her."

Meng Qianqian and Wang Rou were amused.

Zhou Nanyan changed the subject: "Sister Meng, have you heard that the Chu Family case might be reopened?"

Meng Qianqian was shocked: "Really?"

"Yes!"

Zhou Nanyan nodded seriously. "My second brother just returned from Aunt Xing’s place and heard about it. Lately, rumors outside have been rampant, saying Chu Grand Marshal wasn’t killed by Madam Chu but was framed by Shen Monkey colluding with others to destroy the Chu Family. However, the Supreme Emperor has one condition: Lu Yuan must ensure the Empress’ wedding proceeds smoothly, or he won’t allow the case to be retried."

Meng Qianqian knew about the Shen Monkey case—news spread by Lu Yuan himself.

What she couldn’t fathom was why Lu Yuan would suddenly push to overturn the case.

Could it be he discovered she was Madam Chu?

Impossible. She shouldn’t have left any flaws in front of him.

Even if, by a wild chance, something did slip, who would believe such a bizarre thing as reincarnation?

Unaware of Meng Qianqian’s distraction, Zhou Nanyan continued: "Aunt Xing also said, in terms of solving cases, Lu Yuan is no less talented than Uncle Xing. Back in the day, the Jinyi Guard wasn’t to be trifled with! But Lu Yuan has some ties with the Twelve Guards, so he has to avoid suspicion. Ultimately, the Ministry of Justice will likely handle the reinvestigation."

Since the Ministry of Justice and Jingzhao Mansion are forces under Prime Minister Xun, Chief of Staff Xing has always been neutral. Tasking him with the investigation will not only avoid conflict of interest but also guarantee the highest degree of fairness and justice.

However, this could make the Empress’ wedding turbulent.

After all, the Supreme Emperor’s condition was to ensure the wedding unfolds smoothly. If the true culprit wishes to prevent the case from being reopened, they will certainly attempt to disrupt the wedding.

The Supreme Emperor was using the Empress’ wedding to draw the snake out of its hole.

Meng Qianqian couldn’t help but marvel: "Old hands truly are the sharpest."

-

In the evening, Meng Qianqian visited Feng Shui Alley.

"You want me to secretly protect the Yao Family maiden?"

Si Snake asked.

The three were seated in the main room. The weather was hot, and even the cross breeze carried a sultry heat.

Meng Qianqian nodded: "Exactly. I’ve thought about it; if someone wanted to disrupt the wedding, making the bride disappear would be the most effective method."

Si Snake wanted everyone who had killed Chu Grand Marshal to pay the price, and for now, his goals aligned with those of the Governor Mansion.

"Alright, I’ll do it."

Ji Li shook his fan: "Fine, I’ll go too."

Meng Qianqian said: "You can’t go."

Ji Li frowned: "Why not?"

Meng Qianqian muttered: "Why don’t you have some self-awareness? I’m afraid before anyone acts, you’ll already have jinxed the bride away."

Ji Li fumed: "You—!"

Si Snake calmly remarked: "She’s not wrong. Being with you does feel unlucky."

Ji Li bristled: "You eat my food and live under my roof, and you betray me like this?"

Si Snake replied, unfazed: "If you hadn’t squandered my travel money, would I lack food and shelter?"

Ji Li: "..."

"All these years, only Madam Chu could withstand your bad luck—even the Grand Marshal wasn’t immune."

Si Snake reflected on this as well. Chu Grand Marshal had taken Ji Li on campaigns multiple times with no issues, but back in camp, trouble arose: the bed collapsed, the tent blew away, or a needle was left in the soles stitched by attendants.

"You nearly make me suspect there were two Grand Marshals in this world."

"Ahem." Meng Qianqian cleared her throat.

Si Snake suddenly thought of something and addressed Meng Qianqian with a piercing question: "Have you never been unlucky while with him?"

Meng Qianqian hesitantly produced two silver ingots: "I just found these at the door. They’re not gold. Does that count as unlucky?"

Si Snake: "..."

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