Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 272 - 254: Is One Kiss Enough?

Chapter 272: Chapter 254: Is One Kiss Enough?

The box was indeed empty, with no hidden compartments or secret panels.

Meng Qianqian’s first reaction was that the contents inside had been taken, but it definitely wasn’t Xiao Li. Xiao Li didn’t understand Sanskrit; even if she had accidentally opened it by an improbable stroke of luck, she wouldn’t have hidden this fact before her death.

If it was taken by someone, then what was their purpose? Why not take the entire box along?

What meaning does leaving an empty box behind have?

To confuse Lin Wan’er? To frame Lin Wan’er?

Lu Yuan mused, "One possibility is that someone got to it first, and the other is that it was originally empty. I lean toward the latter."

After all, even the real Lin Wan’er was merely the daughter of Shen Hou, not Shen Hou himself. Framing her or confusing her would accomplish nothing.

Meng Qianqian turned the box over and examined it carefully: "Why would Hai Pig wait for an empty box? What is so special about this box?"

Lu Yuan replied, "Maybe Hai Pig wasn’t waiting for the box itself, but rather the person delivering it. I suspect that person is also one of the Twelve Guards."

Meng Qianqian thought Lu Yuan made a lot of sense: "The unaccounted ones are only the Rat, Ox, Mao Tu, Wu Ma, and Xu Dog. Could it be one of them? Who could it be?"

Lu Yuan glanced at her: "Are you forgetting someone?"

Meng Qianqian thought for a moment: "Are you referring to the new Chen Long Guard?"

Lu Yuan made a sound of acknowledgment.

At the mention of the Chen Long Guard, Meng Qianqian suddenly realized it had been quite some time since she last saw her brother. She had no idea what kind of mission Prime Minister Xun had sent him on.

As if due to a sibling’s intuition, no sooner had she finished a piece of Osmanthus Cake than Chen Long returned to the residence.

Meng Qianqian immediately went to find him.

Chen Long was drawing water from the ancient well in the courtyard. Catching a glimpse of a shadow on the ground from the corner of his eye, he asked with thinly veiled annoyance, "What are you doing at my courtyard again?"

Lu Yuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, raising an eyebrow. "Because I want to."

Meng Qianqian smiled and stepped forward, "Brother, let me help you!"

"No need. I’m done."

Chen Long hoisted up a bucket filled to the brim with well water.

Lu Yuan sat leisurely on a stone stool, saying idly, "So, you’ve finally decided to show up. What will be your plan to stop me this time?"

Meng Qianqian looked at Lu Yuan quizzically: "Stop you from what?"

Lu Yuan smirked faintly. "Did I forget to tell you? That so-called brother you randomly claimed abducted the Empress on the day of the royal wedding, almost causing me to fail my duty."

"What do you mean, ’randomly claimed’?" Meng Qianqian muttered and turned to ask Chen Long, "Why did you do that?"

Lu Yuan sneered, "What other reason could there be? Naturally, it was for his beloved foster father."

Chen Long shot a glance at Lu Yuan. "You’ve been awfully talkative lately."

Lu Yuan curled his lips into a smile. "When I want to speak, I speak. Unlike you, always hiding things—doesn’t it suffocate you?"

Chen Long said, "You won’t succeed against the Prime Minister; give it up while you can."

Lu Yuan said, "If you’re trying to dissuade us from reopening the investigation into the Chu Family case, you can save your breath. Not only will I investigate, but I also vow to dig to the very bottom! Every person and power involved, I will uproot entirely!"

Chen Long furrowed his brows. "Do you really think you can overthrow the Prime Minister with a single case? You, too, are a foster son of the Prime Minister. You’ve spent more time under his hand than I have—you should understand his methods better. You can’t win."

Lu Yuan’s smile deepened. "The one who naively thinks the Chu Family case alone can bring him down isn’t me—it’s the Prime Minister himself. Why else do you think he’s trying so hard to interfere? He’s afraid. Things are already slipping out of his control. Chen Long, why don’t we make a wager?"

Chen Long immediately refused without hesitation: "I don’t feel like gambling with you."

"Afraid to gamble? I’m quite curious—what weakness does the Prime Minister hold over you?"

"None of your business."

"So there is something, then?"

"You—"

Realizing he had been baited into revealing too much, Chen Long angrily clenched his fists.

Meng Qianqian sighed internally. Brother, while you are skilled, calculating human nature like this... even the two of us combined might not be a match for the Great Traitor.

"Brother..."

"Leave. My matters have nothing to do with you, and I won’t say a word about them."

"Fine, I won’t ask about you and the Prime Minister anymore. I want to talk to you about the Twelve Guards."

Chen Long didn’t show resistance. He washed his hands and cleaned his sword with the water from the bucket.

Brother, have you been out killing people?

He only did this after killing someone.

Some habits hadn’t changed, but his aura and gaze had. She could tell Chen Long was shouldering an enormous burden.

She used to think it was about the Chu Family case, her own wrongful death, and grievances. But now, with his unwillingness to redress her grievances and his determination to protect the Prime Minister...

It meant the weight he bore was heavier than her grievances and even greater than the Chu Family case.

Meng Qianqian reined in her thoughts and relayed the information she had gathered from Xiao Li.

"The traitor is Hai Pig?"

Chen Long was somewhat surprised. "He was brought to the Prime Minister by Sheep. I never expected it to be him."

Meng Qianqian said, "Yes, Sheep is much shrewder. Hai Pig seemed the least opinionated among the Twelve Guards—I would sooner suspect myself than suspect him."

Lu Yuan and Chen Long exchanged meaningful glances at Meng Qianqian.

In just an instant, both shifted their gazes away.

Then Meng Qianqian took out the box. Chen Long shook his head, indicating he hadn’t seen it before.

Meng Qianqian asked, "Could it belong to your little disciple?"

Chen Long caught the subtext of her words. "You think the person who gave the item to Xiao Li is the new Chen Long Guard?"

Meng Qianqian held up her thumb and forefinger a short distance apart: "Just a little bit suspicious."

Chen Long pondered for a moment and then said, "If he’s come to the Capital City, he’ll contact me. However, I received a letter from him a few days ago; he indeed mentioned that he would arrive in the Capital City soon. Once I see him, I’ll clarify the matter. If he dares to lie or act behind my back, I’ll kill him myself!"

-

After leaving the courtyard, the two strolled along a secluded, winding path.

Ever since Liu Qingyun entered the residence, she had ordered people to plant flowers and grass everywhere. The entire estate was filled with birdsong and fragrant flora, creating an immensely pleasant atmosphere.

Lu Yuan asked languidly, "Still not doubting him?"

"Not doubting."

Meng Qianqian answered firmly.

Lu Yuan said coldly, "Even if he’s the second traitor Xiao Li mentioned?"

Meng Qianqian stopped and looked at Lu Yuan seriously. "Grand Commander, Xiao Li’s exact words were ’Be wary of Chen Long.’ She didn’t say Chen Long was the second traitor."

Lu Yuan huffed coldly.

Meng Qianqian weakly tugged on his sleeve. "The person who told Xiao Li to say that must have known that Chen Long was being blackmailed by the Prime Minister. Considering how pitiful he is to be under such pressure already, Grand Commander, can you please go easy on him?"

Lu Yuan’s face darkened, his eyes radiating a menacing killing intent. "Are you begging me? For another man?"

Meng Qianqian blinked, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his flawless, jade-like face lightly.

Lu Yuan’s murderous aura dissipated instantly: "..."

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