Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 269 - 251: A United Family Working Together

Chapter 269: Chapter 251: A United Family Working Together

Wu Ge’er resignedly drove the carriage, aimlessly roaming through the streets and alleys of the Capital City.

The surroundings couldn’t be too noisy, the road couldn’t be too bumpy, and they had to avoid direct sunlight to ensure the interior of the carriage remained cool.

Wu Ge’er let out a deep sigh: A coachman’s life is a life too!

The Ferghana Horse pulling the carriage: Did I say anything?

Donkeys go round and round the millstone, and the horse of the Governor Mansion had never expected to experience the life of a donkey in its lifetime.

If this were a battlefield, the enemy would have been spun dizzy by now.

Princess Mansion.

The informant Princess Wanping had sent to the Lu Family returned.

His name was Wang Fu, a former Imperial Guard. After Princess Wanping left the Imperial Palace to establish her residence, she brought him along with her.

Last night, as Meng Qianqian busied herself in the delivery room, Princess Wanping had inquired about the details of the situation from Lu Luo.

She couldn’t rely solely on Lu Luo’s account, so she sent Wang Fu to the Lu Family to investigate.

"Princess, Steward Bao, Nanny Yan, Lady Ying."

Wang Fu first saluted his master, then greeted the three trusted aides. Among them, Nanny Yan had once been Princess Wanping’s wet nurse.

Princess Wanping asked seriously, "Did you find anything?"

Wang Fu replied, "Reporting to the Princess, the situation I uncovered largely aligns with what the maid said. Last night, Lin Wan’er’s courtyard was indeed locked, and the servants were secretly dismissed. When this servant arrived surreptitiously, a steward of the Lu Family was warning the staff not to speak carelessly about the incident."

To lock up a woman in labor in her courtyard—with no escape for the mistress and servant—that consequence was painfully clear.

Though Princess Wanping didn’t like this fake Lin Wan’er, it was no justification for the Lu Family to treat human life with such disdain.

She had committed wrongdoing, and the law would deal with her; when was it the Lu Family’s place to decide her life or death? Especially when she was an expectant mother with an innocent child in her womb.

Princess Wanping’s expression darkened. "Was it Lu Xingzhou who did this?"

Wang Fu answered cautiously, "This servant dares not make unfounded assertions."

Princess Wanping said, "Tell me exactly what you found out."

"Yes!" Wang Fu continued, "After news spread in the Capital City of Shen Hou being a traitor, Lu Xingzhou issued a gag order in his residence, forbidding anyone to discuss the matter in Lin Wan’er’s presence, allegedly to prevent her from being agitated. Not only that, Lu Xingzhou even bought blood swallow’s nests to nourish Lin Wan’er’s health. The household servants were saying Lu Xingzhou was a rare, good father-in-law."

At this point, Wang Fu paused and took out two oiled paper packets from his robes.

"This servant found these two items in the Lu Family’s main kitchen. One is said to be Calming Pills, mixed into the bird’s nest soup daily, making the person perpetually drowsy."

"The other is Lin Wan’er’s medicinal tonic pouch, containing deer antler, donkey-hide gelatin, walnut meat, and other nourishing ingredients. These are highly restorative foods; for an average person, it might be fine. But for a pregnant woman, excessive nourishment could lead to yin deficiency, yang hyperactivity, imbalanced energy and blood, internal heat, and risks such as miscarriage or stillbirth."

When Wang Fu had been an Imperial Guard in the Imperial Palace, he had watched over the Imperial Hospital and had picked up some understanding of the Qihuang Skill over time.

Nanny Yan took a sharp breath. "This is to leave her powerless to give birth, resulting in both mother and child dying! Such a malicious scheme!"

Princess Wanping said coldly, "So, it is Lu Xingzhou, after all."

Having witnessed the schemes and intrigues of the Imperial Palace often, Princess Wanping knew the ruthlessness of the Royal Family. But now it seemed, when it came to evil deeds, it had nothing to do with rank or status.

"His shamelessness, I’ve long been aware of, but his cruelty—I never would have expected... What kind of life did Meng Xiaojiu lead in the Lu Family before?"

Indeed, Lin Wan’er had been in the Lu Family for less than a year before meeting her tragic end, while the Young Madam of the Lu Family had endured there for five entire years.

Thinking of this, Princess Wanping couldn’t help but feel that Meng Qianqian had endured far too much.

Steward Bao interjected, "Princess, should we notify the Lu Family to retrieve their deceased?"

Princess Wanping contemplated briefly before replying, "The real Lin Wan’er was shunned by the Lu Family. They’ll want the fake Lin Wan’er even less. Find a good burial site and lay her to rest; this will be my way of making amends for her."

"Yes." Steward Bao complied and swept his gaze over to the small, sleeping baby girl in the cradle. "Then what about this child..."

The most pitiful one of all was undoubtedly her. Not even fully born, her own grandfather had already tried to kill her.

Even if Princess Wanping were to issue an order guaranteeing her life, her future days in the Lu Family would undoubtedly be difficult.

She had done no wrong, yet would bear the consequences of everyone else’s sins.

Princess Wanping gazed at the little one with a complicated expression. "Find a good family to adopt her."

Steward Bao responded, "Understood."

Nanny Yan hesitated for a moment before asking, "Princess, should we inform Lu Lingxiao? After all, he is the child’s father... and he wasn’t involved in the conspiracy..."

Princess Wanping coldly retorted, "He’s utterly useless. If he can’t even protect his own wife and child, what right does he have to call himself a father? He didn’t fulfill his responsibilities as a father, so he doesn’t deserve the title!"

Nanny Yan said no more.

Lady Ying indignantly said, "Princess, are we just going to let Lu Xingzhou get away with this?"

Princess Wanping replied, "To catch a thief, you need evidence. If you go there now, those medicine packets would have long been destroyed. Even if they’re still there, he could claim they were meant for the elder mistress or other female relatives. A single maid’s testimony isn’t enough to implicate Lu Xingzhou."

Lady Ying said, "We could conduct an autopsy; a forensic doctor could confirm what she consumed."

Princess Wanping sighed. "She’s already dead, and you want her to be dissected as well? Why add insult to injury? Exposing one crime often conceals ten others. When you uncover a single fault in someone, they’ve already committed countless unseen atrocities. Bringing him to justice is only a matter of time."

Everyone agreed that the Princess’s words made sense.

If their Princess didn’t encounter matters involving Lu Yuan, she was truly composed and wise—a calm and intelligent Princess.

Princess Wanping suddenly asked, "By the way, did Lu Yuan stand outside all night last night?"

Steward Bao replied sheepishly, "Ah, yes."

Princess Wanping sighed wistfully, "I told him not to wait. Why does he put himself through this?"

Everyone: No, Princess, he wasn’t waiting for you; he was waiting for Meng Qianqian!

Lu Yuan, please give us back our rational Princess!!!

-

Two living souls escaped from the Lu Family, leaving Lu Xingzhou searching frantically but with no results. His heart was in turmoil.

Meng Qianqian couldn’t have cared less about his distress—it was well deserved.

Meng Qianqian slept so soundly that even when the horse went on strike, she didn’t wake.

"Hmph, you’re just trying to make me carry you."

Lu Yuan, his expression icy, picked up Meng Qianqian and carried her off the carriage.

Zong Zhengxi had come visiting today and was being dragged by the old matriarch into a game of leaf cards.

He was convinced he had excellent luck, yet somehow, he kept losing every single round.

And every time, the others scored triple wins.

Old Matriarch: "Pay up."

Miao King: "Pay up."

Liu Qingyun: "Pay up."

Zong Zhengxi stared at the leaf cards on the table and murmured, "You’re certain the three of you aren’t conspiring to cheat Your Majesty?"

The three of them put on solemn expressions and said in unison, "Absolutely not!"