Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 273 - 255 Miao King Lends Support

Chapter 273: Chapter 255 Miao King Lends Support

Meng Qianqian curved her lips into a small smile and gently pulled his hand: "Let’s go find Ji Li and Si Snake."

Lu Yuan’s ears flushed all the way down to his neck, luckily hidden by the collar.

He maintained his composure and said, "I am not going."

"Come on, I’ll get you some candied hawthorns."

Meng Qianqian coaxed in a soft voice.

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

Meng Qianqian: "My bad."

In the end, Lu Yuan was still dragged onto the carriage by Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian figured it out—three generations of this family all had one weakness: they could only be swayed with softness, not force.

When they arrived at Fengshui Hutong, Ji Li and Si Snake were not there.

"Out again? Quite busy, huh."

Meng Qianqian touched the dust on the table, guessing they had left on the day of the Emperor and Empress’s wedding.

Meng Qianqian went to visit Granny Feng and Uncle Lei. Even though night fell, the two still hadn’t returned to the alley, so Meng Qianqian left a letter in the house.

Thinking of something, she added a few copper coins into the envelope.

Lu Yuan looked at her with a confused expression.

Meng Qianqian explained: "Just leaving them some money for meals."

Lu Yuan thought for a moment, then took out a gold ingot from his robe.

Meng Qianqian quickly stopped him: "No, if you give so much, I’d be afraid of the house catching fire."

Ji Li was destined for the "five hardships and three lacks" fate; too much money would bring him bad luck.

Poor Si Snake, who originally had a life destined for wealth and fortune, now struggled for basic meals after following Ji Li.

Lu Yuan’s lips twitched: "With such bad luck, how is he supposed to find them?"

Meng Qianqian said with conviction: "Don’t worry, when it comes to finding people, he’s the best!"

After all, his abilities were traded with his "five hardships and three lacks" destiny.

As they left Fengshui Hutong, Meng Qianqian made a turn to the west.

Lu Yuan asked, "That’s not the way back to the residence."

"I know, I’m going to buy candied hawthorns."

"I don’t eat such childish things!"

Meng Qianqian raised an eyebrow: "Oh, buying them for Tan’er and Bao Shu then."

Lu Yuan: "..."

Tonight, Zhuque Street was especially lively, with a sea of carriages and pedestrians jostling against each other. Every shop was lit up and decorated; street vendors were loudly hawking their wares, filling the air with the bustling warmth of thousands of households.

"Huh."

Meng Qianqian’s eyes widened.

Noticing her surprise, Lu Yuan calmly explained: "Every year in August, Zhuque Street has a lantern festival that lasts until Mid-Autumn Festival. The sights these past few days are nothing special. The true spectacle happens during the Mid-Autumn Festivities."

Meng Qianqian came to an understanding: "I see."

Lu Yuan glanced at her: "You’ve lived in the Capital City for several years; you’ve never been to the Mid-Autumn lantern festival?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head.

The Lu Family had strict rules, and since she was widowed, the matriarch never allowed her to leave and enjoy such festivities.

"What kind of days did you even live through in the Lu Family?"

Lu Yuan muttered coldly, pushing through the crowd beside them.

A young man turned around and glared at him: "What are you doing?"

Lu Yuan responded coldly: "Looking at the lanterns, certainly not at you."

The young man fumed: "Hey—what kind of talk is that?"

Meng Qianqian quickly smiled and said: "Young brother, it’s my husband’s first time taking me to see the lantern festival; he’s just a bit excited. Please forgive him."

People can’t be rude to a smiling face, so the young man told Lu Yuan, "Your wife sure knows how to speak! First time, huh? Fine, you two can stand up front."

Lu Yuan unabashedly led Meng Qianqian to the very front.

"Who’s that? So tall, blocking everything! We can’t even see the lantern riddles!"

Someone behind them complained discontentedly.

Lu Yuan, towering above all, stood unmoving in the crowd like a crane among chickens.

The young man turned around and announced to the group: "This young master is here seeing lanterns with his wife for the first time. Stop whining!"

Meng Qianqian gave him a thumbs-up: "Brother, you’re bold."

"Which one do you want?"

Lu Yuan asked coolly.

The young man froze for a moment, then looked past Lu Yuan and asked Meng Qianqian: "Is your man talking to me?"

Meng Qianqian smiled and nodded: "My husband wants to gift you a lantern to express his thanks."

The young man looked Lu Yuan up and down, noticing the other’s luxurious attire, and realized this was no ordinary man.

However, he only smiled and shook his head: "The lanterns here aren’t for sale with silver; you have to earn them by solving riddles. Everyone’s been here half an hour, and no one’s gotten a single one right..."

A short while later, the young man stood dumbfounded, hands holding countless lanterns, watching as Lu Yuan and Meng Qianqian triumphantly left the scene.

That night, a sudden rain cooled the temperature even further.

Lu Yuan’s chronic cold condition often flared up in autumn and winter. When it did, even his bones emitted a faint chill.

He was long accustomed to his icy hands and feet.

But when he woke, his cold hand was held by a warm, slender hand.

His gaze shifted, staring at the embroidered canopy above him with a complex expression. After a long time, he gently removed her hand, lifted the quilt quietly, and got out of bed.

-

Today marked the first court session after the Emperor and Empress’s wedding.

The court was abuzz.

Zong Zhengxi, seeing all ministers present without a single absence, immediately decreed a reinvestigation into the case of the Chu Family. He did not expect an uproar of opposition from the courtiers.

"Your Majesty, the Chu Family case was handled during the Supreme Emperor’s reign, with irrefutable evidence. Madam Chu was the murderer. To overturn this verdict now is to question the Supreme Emperor himself and the diligent judicial officials of the time!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, this act would violate filial piety!"

The Ministers of Personnel and Revenue voiced their objections in succession.

Soon after, the Ministers of Industry and War also raised their ceremonial scepters, urging Zong Zhengxi to rescind his decree.

The Minister of Rites, a seasoned old fox, shut his eyes and pretended to be dead in the back.

Zong Zhengxi frowned at the Minister of War: "Lord Huo, do you also disagree with my decision?"

Huo, the Minister of War, was the last person Zong Zhengxi expected to oppose him. He had always trusted Huo and relied on him to stand against Lu Yuan in the past.

Of course, Zong Zhengxi now understood that Lu Yuan wasn’t what he seemed on the surface.

Minister Huo responded, "Your Majesty, I only have Your Majesty’s best interest in mind."

Zong Zhengxi’s gaze swept across the assembly: "Do the rest of you also oppose?"

The ministers raised their scepters and knelt in unison: "We beg Your Majesty to rescind the decree—"

The Minister of Rites, observing the kneeling chaos from all around, hesitated. Kneel or not kneel?

He subtly signaled to the Minister of Punishments: "Old Xing, what do you say?"

The Minister of Punishments did not kneel.

But as more officials knelt, leaving only a handful standing, the Minister of Rites made a split-second decision, raising his scepter to blend in with the kneelers.

In the end, only Lu Yuan, Prime Minister Xun, Minister Xing, Lin Ji, and Imperial Censor Wang stood firm in the court.

Zong Zhengxi opened his mouth: "Do the few of you support reopening the Chu Family case?"

Prime Minister Xun responded sincerely: "Your Majesty, this minister has just returned to the Capital City and will defer to the wisdom of my colleagues."

"Hahaha! A dignified first-rank Prime Minister who defers to others—how modest!"

The Miao King swaggered into the Jinluan Palace, cupping his hands to salute the young Emperor, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Zong Zhengxi said, "Rise, Miao King."

The Miao King, though escorting Lu Yuan to and from court daily, rarely set foot in the Jinluan Palace. His presence surprised the court.

What was even more astonishing was his transformation; gone was his usual farmer’s garb. Today, he donned traditional Miaojiang attire, carrying a peculiar large box on his back.

The Miao King scanned the crowd and remarked: "Your court officials sure enjoy pressuring the Emperor."

Minister Huo retorted sternly, "Miao King, mind your words! We are advising the Emperor not to violate filial piety."

The Miao King leaned closer to Lu Yuan, frowned, and asked, "Grandson, are they saying that the son can’t overturn a case his father handled?"

Lu Yuan replied, "Pretty much."

The Miao King suddenly saw the light and, with unparalleled wit, proclaimed, "So that means the grandfather can overturn it, right?"

The courtiers stared at the Miao King in bewilderment. As soon as his words landed, he swung the box from his back, opened it, and drew out a Dragon Pattern Green Blade Sword.

"Behold the Imperial Sword! To see it is to see the Supreme Emperor himself!"

The entire court turned pale with shock.

Prime Minister Xun immediately knelt.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.