Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 54 The Grand Commander Arrives

Chapter 54: Chapter 54 The Grand Commander Arrives

Meng Qianqian caught a cold in the Imperial Palace; everything tasted bland, and her sense of smell was dull. She constantly craved some sweet and spicy fried pastries.

"Nanny Li warned you, those are not to be eaten!"

Nanny Wan decisively took the plate of pastries away.

Meng Qianqian sighed.

Nanny Li came over, sweating profusely. "Goodness, that little girl sleeps like a log! I’ve been calling her forever, and she’s still out cold."

Meng Qianqian smiled faintly. "Let Tan’er sleep a little longer."

Nanny Li asked worriedly, "Sleeping this much... could it be something serious?"

Meng Qianqian chuckled lightly. "Don’t worry, Nanny. Tan’er is perfectly fine."

It was the truth. Lady Yan had already examined Tan’er, and Meng Qianqian had also taken her pulse. According to Lady Yan, Tan’er was as robust as a young calf. No need for unnecessary medication—she’d recover on her own.

Nanny Li still couldn’t quite figure out the skills her young mistress seemed to have gradually acquired, but she firmly trusted her words.

Remembering something, she added, "I’ll go check on Ban Xia."

Nanny Li was just that sort of worrywart type, always fretting over one thing or another, spending the entire morning shuttling between three ailing individuals.

By the time lunch was done, the snow had grown heavier.

The Old Madam loved snow, especially when it snowed this much. She’d likely want to step outside. Meng Qianqian sent Nanny Wan to check on her.

Nanny Wan went but didn’t see her. Fearing she wouldn’t be able to explain the situation clearly, she brought back Nanny Wang, who served closely by the Old Madam’s side.

"Eldest Young Madam!"

Nanny Wang curtsied respectfully.

Meng Qianqian nodded slightly. "Nanny Wang, where is Great-Grandmother?"

Nanny Wang responded, "The Old Madam has gone out."

Meng Qianqian paused. "Gone out? Where to?"

Nanny Wang replied, "To the temple to burn incense. This old servant thought for sure the Old Madam would call for you, Eldest Young Madam, to accompany her."

Meng Qianqian pondered for a moment before asking, "Who went with her?"

Nanny Wang answered, "Xi Que and Zhao Si."

Xi Que was the Old Madam’s personal maid, sharp and clever. Zhao Si was the family’s guard, who always drove the carriage whenever the Old Madam traveled to the mountains.

It seemed she truly had gone to the temple.

The Old Madam didn’t go out often, but she rarely declined the opportunity to visit temples and offer incense.

However, today wasn’t a special occasion. Why had Great-Grandmother suddenly decided to go? And why all by herself?

Nanny Wang grew flustered. "Eldest Young Madam, I—"

Meng Qianqian said, "Nanny Wang, return to your courtyard. I’ll send someone to fetch Great-Grandmother."

Returning to Haitang Courtyard, Meng Qianqian instructed Nanny Wan to summon Wu Ge’er from the outer courtyard. Handing him a pouch of silver, she said, "Pick a few of our best guards and go to Hanshan Temple to fetch the Old Madam. If the snow is too heavy, don’t rush back down the mountain."

Wu Ge’er weighed the pouch in his hand. "Eldest Young Madam, this is more than enough."

Meng Qianqian handed him a bundle containing clothes and two thick quilts. "Find the best riders, and make sure the horses are the fastest."

Wu Ge’er understood immediately. "Yes, ma’am!"

Up on the mountain.

In a monastery chamber warmed by glowing red braziers, the Supreme Emperor finished writing an edict. Kneeling beside him was another middle-aged monk.

This monk, in fact, was the Supreme Emperor’s trusted eunuch, Eunuch Fu. Ever since the Supreme Emperor had been placed under Lu Yuan’s "house arrest" here, Eunuch Fu had accompanied him and even taken vows himself.

Cautiously, Eunuch Fu ground the ink.

The Old Madam sat nearby, her demeanor resembling that of a stern overseer. Each stroke the Supreme Emperor wrote, she scrutinized carefully.

"Add more. Keep adding!"

The Supreme Emperor sighed. "There’s hardly any room left. How much do you plan to leave for that little girl?"

Eunuch Fu chuckled nervously. "Indeed, you’re the Old Madam of the Lu Family, not the Meng Family."

The Old Madam’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she leaned in toward the Supreme Emperor and asked, "Could I become part of the Meng Family instead?"

The Supreme Emperor: "..."

Eunuch Fu: "..."

Throughout the day, the goose-feather-like snow continued to fall without pause.

From time to time, Nanny Wan went to the entrance to take a look. To her surprise, she didn’t see the Old Madam return but instead spotted Lu Xingzhou, who had been away for days.

Lu Xingzhou, working for the Ministry of Industry, frequently traveled on assignments, rarely returning home—especially on snowy days like this.

Nanny Wan curtsied. "Master..."

Without sparing her a glance, Lu Xingzhou stormed into the residence, his urgency evident.

Brows furrowing in confusion, Nanny Wan stepped outside and questioned the coachman. "What happened?"

The coachman replied, "Master Liu’s mother has passed away."

Master Liu was a colleague of Lu Xingzhou’s. They had once served together in the Hanlin Academy and shared a close friendship. Later, Lu Xingzhou moved to the Ministry of Industry, while Master Liu was transferred to the Ministry of War, overseeing the Ministry of Treasury.

Though his rank was only fourth class, his position was lucrative. Moreover, Master Liu’s father-in-law was the Marquis of Yong’en, and his mother-in-law was the Prefectural Princess of Changning. In the Capital City, they were quite prominent.

During her healthier days, Old Lady Liu would often visit the Old Madam and was one of the few outsiders the Old Madam, even in her more senile state, could still remember.

Nanny Wan brought the news back to Haitang Courtyard.

Nanny Li sighed heavily. "As I recall, Master Liu is Lady Liu’s youngest. Old Lady Liu was about the same age as the Old Madam. At this age... such a passing might be considered a ’white wedding.’"

Meng Qianqian changed into mourning attire. "I’ll pay my respects to her in place of Great-Grandmother."

Although Nanny Li worried about Meng Qianqian’s health, the Liu residence was just down the street. And if the Old Madam were home, she’d undoubtedly insist on attending Lady Liu’s final farewell herself.

Nanny Li nodded. "This servant and Nanny Wan will accompany you, Young Madam."

Meng Qianqian and Lu Mother arrived at the gate first.

The two got into the same carriage.

Soon, the Second Madam arrived with Lu Linglong in tow and climbed aboard as well.

The relationship between the two branches of the family was currently very tense.

The Second Madam looked at the Lu Mother and Meng Qianqian, who were holding hands, and sneered. "Well, well, sister-in-law, your beloved daughter-in-law is about to divorce your son. Yet here you are, being so kind as to let her ride in your carriage!"

Lu Mother sternly replied, "If you can’t keep your mouth shut over dinner, get out of my carriage!"

This eldest sister-in-law had always been the accommodating type, meek and indulgent. Such resoluteness was truly rare from her.

The Second Madam pouted. "Why are you snapping at me? I wasn’t the one urging her to divorce."

Lu Mother retorted coldly, "Indeed, you didn’t urge her to divorce. All you did was sow discord, trying to get Ling Xiao to cast off his wife. Didn’t your husband warn you not to plot against Ling Xiao?"

The Second Madam had never taken her husband’s warnings seriously, so she certainly wouldn’t heed Lu Mother’s words now.

She snorted dismissively.

Lu Mother ignored her after that.

From the moment Lu Linglong entered the carriage, her gaze had been fixed on Meng Qianqian.

She envied Meng Qianqian’s beauty to the point of hatred, wishing she could claw apart Meng Qianqian’s face, which was a hundred times more stunning than her own!

The Old Madam rode in a separate carriage.

Lu Xingzhou, Lu Lingxiao, and Second Master Lu shared a carriage.

That evening, many guests arrived to pay their respects. Some were family and neighbors, along with Master Liu’s colleagues. Others were friends and connections of the Marquis of Yong’en and the Prefectural Princess of Changning.

Due to the suddenness of the event, the Liu family was severely short-staffed. Even the mourning hall had only just been erected.

Master Liu knelt inside the mourning hall, his eyes red and swollen from crying.

After the Lu family finished paying their respects to Old Lady Liu, he kowtowed in gratitude.

Lu Xingzhou knelt down opposite him, patting his shoulder. "Please accept my condolences."

Then, he turned to Lu Lingxiao and Second Master Lu, saying, "Take the household staff and help set up the mourning tents."

Being part of the Ministry of Industry, construction was Lu Xingzhou’s area of expertise, and the family servants were skilled as well.

He then addressed Lu Mother. "Take Qianqian to the inner residence to check on Lady Liu. See if there’s anything we can assist with."

Lu Linglong interjected, "Uncle, I’ll go too!"

"Don’t be a nuisance!"

Lu Xingzhou knew full well that among the many women in the Lu family, only Lu Mother and Meng Qianqian were dependable when it came to getting things done.

"I’ll go in a bit. You rest in the guest room upstairs."

Lu Mother told Meng Qianqian, "Why don’t you catch a break? I’m worried you’ll wear yourself out."

Meng Qianqian replied, "Grandmother and Second Aunt are keeping an eye out."

The Old Madam and Second Madam were just waiting for her to slip up; she couldn’t give them the satisfaction.

Lu Mother said with concern, "If this keeps up all night, I’m afraid you won’t hold up."

As they conversed, a loud announcement echoed from not far away:

"The Grand Commander has arrived—"

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