Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 248 - 232 Husband Wants to See Her

Chapter 248: Chapter 232 Husband Wants to See Her

At the very moment of contact, Lady Yan abruptly withdrew her hand, brushing away the tears at the corner of her eyes, and sat back on her meditation cushion with a composed expression.

"Meng Xiaojiu, if you’re going to lie, at least come up with a plausible excuse. Do you think I’m a three-year-old child?"

Meng Qianqian thought to herself, I wasn’t lying to you. Why won’t anyone believe the truth these days?

But your reaction... it’s a bit excessive, isn’t it?

Could it be that we know each other? And not just superficially?

Meng Qianqian’s head throbbed again.

These damned incomplete memories!

Steadying her mind, Meng Qianqian spread her hands toward Lady Yan and said, "I’ve already said all I can. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do."

Lady Yan clenched her fingers tightly, a suppressed and cold sneer flickering in her reddened eyes. "The wife of the late Master Chu reincarnating into a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old merchant girl—this preposterous tale, you ask me to believe? Claim that a random six-and-a-half-year-old child is her reincarnation, and I might find it more believable than this."

Meng Qianqian knew Lady Yan wouldn’t easily trust her, so she ceased further explanation.

Hearing the whistle from the courtyard, Meng Qianqian’s lips curved slightly.

Tan’er had given her the signal—Bai Yuwei had been successfully located.

From the very beginning, she hadn’t counted on Lady Yan’s belief. She only wanted to buy more time for Tan’er to take down Lady Yan’s experts.

A simple identity wasn’t enough to keep Lady Yan at bay even for a short while. After much deliberation, she had no choice but to gamble on Chu Madam’s identity.

Looks like she won the gamble.

"Well then, Lady Yan, I shall take my leave."

Meng Qianqian stood, nodded slightly toward Lady Yan, and walked out of the Ten Thousand Blossoms Pavilion without looking back.

A man in black stumbled into the room. "Mistress, we’ve been outmaneuvered by that little girl. I don’t know what she did to us, but the brothers are suddenly unable to move..."

Lady Yan flicked a silver needle, extracting a small worm from the man’s neck. "You’ve been poisoned with Gu."

If Meng Qianqian had still been there, she would have noticed that Lady Yan was using the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles technique.

The man in black regained his Inner Strength and replied with a dark expression, "Mistress, I’ll go after them!"

Lady Yan responded, "No need."

The man in black hesitated. "Then..."

Lady Yan bit her finger, her expression a mix of panic and unease. "Go outside first. My mind is a mess. I need some time alone. Don’t let anyone disturb me."

Having followed Lady Yan for years, the man in black recognized this was only the second time he’d seen her so visibly anxious, even as she tried her hardest to mask it.

Whenever she bit her finger, it meant she was deeply unsettled.

The last time she had been like this was when news came from the border that the Chu Family had been exterminated.

"Shall we inform the Prime Minister..."

"I said I need some time alone!"

Lady Yan’s bloodshot eyes glared as a silver needle pierced the man’s neck, drawing a small bead of crimson blood.

She withdrew the needle, adjusted her robes, and composed herself as she said calmly, "Yan Shi, you may leave now."

Yan Shi bowed. "Yes."

...

In the carriage, Liu Qingyun and Bai Qingchen were anxiously awaiting their return. Though only a short time had passed, it felt like an eternity to Liu Qingyun.

"I shouldn’t have let her and Tan’er go!"

Liu Qingyun lifted the curtain to go look for Meng Qianqian. As she raised her eyes, Meng Qianqian and Tan’er were already walking toward them.

Tan’er carried the unconscious Bai Yuwei on her back.

Liu Qingyun’s expression relaxed.

Bai Qingchen quickly jumped down from the carriage and took Bai Yuwei off Tan’er’s back.

Meng Qianqian gestured for Tan’er to board the carriage first, and then she climbed up herself.

Han Ci, who had been standing to the side, finally felt his heart settle into place.

Meng Qianqian lifted the curtain and nodded at him in gratitude.

Han Ci understood and urged, "Hurry back. I’ll head to the workshop district."

Going to the workshop district served two purposes: to see if the Fourth Master had dealt with the human traffickers and to ensure that no unwanted information leaked out.

Meng Qianqian sincerely said, "Thank you."

Han Ci gave a short grunt in acknowledgment, accepting her thanks without protest, and then led the Imperial Guard to the workshop district.

Meng Qianqian and her group quickly returned to the Governor Mansion.

Bai Qingchen brought his sister back to the courtyard. "I’ll go get a doctor."

Meng Qianqian volunteered, "I am a doctor."

Bai Qingchen performed the Miaojiang gesture of respect. "I leave her in your care, Sister-in-law."

He went outside to wait while Meng Qianqian and Liu Qingyun stayed behind in the room.

Meng Qianqian’s timely arrival meant that when Tan’er found Bai Yuwei, the old mamas from the Ten Thousand Blossoms Pavilion had yet to torture her. They had only managed to force-feed her less than half a bowl of medicine.

As for what the medicine was, Tan’er wasn’t sure.

Additionally, Bai Yuwei had suffered a few scrapes on her elbow and forehead—likely incurred before entering the pavilion. There was also a slap mark on her face, probably left by the human traffickers.

Meng Qianqian cleaned the wounds and applied the golden sore medicine.

"How is she?"

Liu Qingyun asked.

Meng Qianqian answered truthfully, "The external injuries are not serious, but the girl has been heavily dosed with both Knockout Drug and Soft Bone Powder. The Ten Thousand Blossoms Pavilion likely tried to wake her up quickly by also feeding her an emetic."

Liu Qingyun asked, "If she vomits it out, will she be fine?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head. "She’s in such a deep unconscious state that it’s hard for her to expel everything, and it risks causing choking and suffocation. I’ll stay with her tonight."

Liu Qingyun looked at Meng Qianqian’s hand. "You’re injured yourself."

Meng Qianqian smiled. "It’s a minor wound, nothing concerning."

Liu Qingyun glared at Bai Yuwei, exasperated. "That troublesome girl, always creating problems for others!"

She brooded for a bit and, unable to vent her anger on the comatose girl, called for her brother outside instead.

"How could you let this happen to your sister? Don’t you know what kind of person she is? Always running off without thinking... If she causes another mess, I’ll send both of you back to Miaojiang!"

"Yes, cousin, I was wrong."

"Hmph!"

Liu Qingyun stomped away in a huff.

But moments later, she marched back in with a scowl. "You! Go get medicine for Qianqian!"

Bai Qingchen fetched some top-quality Miaojiang medicine from his courtyard. He returned and solemnly bowed to Meng Qianqian. "Sister-in-law, thank you for saving my little sister’s life. Qingchen will never forget this debt."

Meng Qianqian replied, "We’re family—there’s no need for such formalities. I see you’ve worked up a sweat. Go change into some fresh clothes. I’ll handle everything here."

"Thank you, Sister-in-law."

After Bai Qingchen left, Liu Qingyun also departed—to accompany the Old Madam in Tinglan Courtyard.

Ban Xia entered the room carrying a set of dry clothes. "Miss, you should change into clean clothes too."

"Alright."

Meng Qianqian nodded.

Ban Xia fetched water and, while helping her wash her hands, murmured worriedly, "Miss, why did you go to such lengths to save your cousin? You even got injured yourself. Cousin might not even be grateful. Have you forgotten Lu Linglong?"

Lu Linglong had once been like a little sister to Meng Qianqian. She treated her no differently than family, but how had Lu Linglong repaid her kindness?

One could only worry that Bai Yuwei might be another Lu Linglong.

Meng Qianqian smiled lightly. "Whether Bai Yuwei turns out to be another Lu Linglong—I don’t care at all."

Ban Xia was puzzled. "Why not?"

Meng Qianqian replied calmly, "In the Governor Mansion, my grandfather, mother-in-law, and husband all side with me. If Bai Yuwei stirs up trouble, she’ll be the one punished, not me. As the saying goes, one mustn’t overindulge in fortune, seize every benefit, or claim all credit. I already have so much—I don’t need perfection in everything."

Ban Xia tilted her head. "That’s true. As long as the Master treats you well, nothing else matters!"

Meng Qianqian: I said so much, and all you heard was ’husband’...

Ban Xia turned around suddenly. "Master! You’re here!"

"Hmm."

Lu Yuan inclined his head, lifted the curtain, and stepped in. Without sparing Bai Yuwei a glance, he sat beside Meng Qianqian, his gaze cold as he fixated on her bandaged left hand.

Ban Xia tactfully exited the room.

Meng Qianqian began, "My little sister, she..."

Lu Yuan interrupted, "I didn’t ask about her."

Meng Qianqian noticed the deep furrow in his brow and asked timidly, "Then why are you looking like that?"

Lu Yuan said icily, "Meng Xiaojiu, did I not tell you that after marrying me, all of you belongs to me?"

"Hm?"

Did he say that?

Lu Yuan continued, "Who gave you permission to use the self-harm tactic?"

Meng Qianqian blinked. "Did Han Ci tell you? Listen, let me explain... I actually..."

Before she could finish, Lu Yuan grabbed her wrist. His long, slender fingers moved to undo her bandages.

Meng Qianqian pressed down on his hand. "Don’t look."

Lu Yuan retorted, "I am your husband. I’ll look if I want to."

"Hmm~" Meng Qianqian shook her head in refusal.

"Let go," Lu Yuan said sternly.

Meng Qianqian didn’t let go.

Lu Yuan’s voice turned cold. "Meng Xiaojiu, if you let go now, I’ll only look at your hand."

Meng Qianqian whispered, "And if I don’t?"

Lu Yuan fixed her with a commanding gaze, his phoenix eyes radiating an icy light, laced with a predator’s intensity. "Then I won’t stop at just your hand!"