Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 422 - 383: Meeting Great Grandma

Chapter 422: Chapter 383: Meeting Great Grandma

Princess Wanping is remarkably astute as long as Lu Yuan isn’t involved. Meng Qianqian trusts that with her protection, Mother Lu will surely turn danger into safety.

Naturally, to provide Princess Wanping with some context, Meng Qianqian recounted the flowerpot incident.

Princess Wanping, who clearly deserved her reputation as someone who rose through the ruthless intrigues of the Imperial Palace, grasped the situation immediately.

"Just leave it to me. When you return from Miaojiang, I’ll make sure you have a safe and sound Madam Lu waiting for you."

"And the old matriarch as well,"

Meng Qianqian added.

Princess Wanping shot Meng Qianqian a speechless sidelong glance. "In the Capital City, who would dare target the old matriarch? Are they tired of living? My father holds her in higher regard than even my imperial grandmother."

Since the topic arose, Meng Qianqian took the opportunity to inquire, "Princess, why does the Supreme Emperor respect the old matriarch so much?"

When you hear enough palace gossip, it has to be said, the imagination does tend to run wild.

Meng Qianqian had heard from Mother Lu that the old matriarch once had a son who passed away young.

Could it possibly... hmm... she meant, could it possibly be that the son was the Supreme Emperor?

Princess Wanping, seeing the gleam in Meng Qianqian’s eyes, instantly knew she’d gone off track. "What are you thinking? Reading too many street novels, are you? Do you honestly believe the Royal Family’s lineage could be so easily confused? My father may not have been born by my imperial grandmother, but he is undeniably the biological son of the late Emperor."

Meng Qianqian’s body trembled slightly. "Could it be that the old matriarch and the late Emperor—?"

Princess Wanping’s face darkened. "Meng Xiaojiu, you need to stop reading those marketplace novels in front of me!"

Meng Qianqian pouted. "Fine, I’ll stop reading them, but can’t I even talk about it?"

Princess Wanping glared at her. "If these words happen to reach the ears of others, do you know that they could bring about a capital punishment?"

Meng Qianqian said without hesitation, "The Princess is one of us, isn’t she?"

Princess Wanping’s breath caught.

She finally understood why Lu Yuan was so utterly ensnared by this girl.

One sentence could infuriate someone to death, and another could feel like honey smoothed onto their heart.

Princess Wanping placed the soup spoon back into the bowl and lightly dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief before asking, "You’ve been part of the Lu Family as a daughter-in-law for five years; don’t you know why my father holds the old matriarch in such high regard?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head. "Does the Princess know?"

Princess Wanping said in an odd tone, "Have you never heard of the old General Lu aiding my father in ascending to the throne?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "I did hear about that. Old General Lu accomplished the ’Dragon Support,’ so the Supreme Emperor respected him as he would an elder. After his passing, the Supreme Emperor even personally visited the Lu Family to offer condolences."

Princess Wanping said, "That’s exactly it."

Meng Qianqian mused, "That’s unlikely, isn’t it? A mere act of Dragon Support could lead the Supreme Emperor to such fanfare? The Supreme Emperor protected the Lu Family for years. Back when Lu Xingzhou’s father was lending money at high interest in the Capital City in violation of the law, he was supposed to be executed according to the legal statutes. The Supreme Emperor spared his life and settled the matter with a fine."

The fine was hefty, enough to drain the Lu Family’s entire fortune, leaving them buried under a mountain of debt.

What followed required no explanation; even if Meng Qianqian didn’t spell it out, Princess Wanping could easily infer that the Lu Family’s financial woes were notorious throughout the Capital City, and no one wanted to risk their assets to plug the Lu Family’s holes.

Lu Xingzhou’s father had no choice but to set his sights on the Meng Family in You State.

Thinking of this, Princess Wanping suddenly felt a hint of sympathy for Meng Qianqian.

During those five years in the Lu Family, this girl must have endured a truly rough plight.

The world was unjust to women; rarely did one dare defy societal norms, burning through their own strength to leap clear of the flames.

Meng Qianqian had managed to achieve that.

Born into nobility, Princess Wanping wasn’t bound by the restrictive customs imposed on ordinary women, making her unable to truly empathize with Meng Qianqian’s suffering.

Nevertheless, she harbored no "Let them eat cake" kind of sentiment.

Having witnessed the compliance of countless women, Meng Qianqian’s rebellion struck her as both courageous and unconventional, making her admire the girl greatly.

"My father’s position back then was far more perilous than you might imagine. Old General Lu risked his life for him. Treating the General’s widow and descendants with kindness is only proper. My father is a deeply shrewd man, but he is by no means ungrateful or the type to discard allies once they’ve served their purpose. Don’t let that matter I mentioned to you last time cloud your perspective on him."

Meng Qianqian bore no ill feelings toward the Supreme Emperor.

Since ancient times, rulers have been known for their crafty minds. Zong Zhengxi, who’s as naïve as a little rabbit, is a rare exception.

Even Zong Zhengxi, given time, will eventually grow into a true imperial sovereign.

Lu Yuan’s choice of him wasn’t simply due to his kindness or the fact that he’s her cousin; there must be an inherent imperiousness to command the world hidden in his bones.

He’s just an oversized crybaby for now.

Suddenly recalling something, Princess Wanping commented, "Speaking of the ’Dragon Support,’ I once heard my mother mention that my father, back in those days, encountered a certain noble."