Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 77 Qianqian Falls Off the Horse

Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Qianqian Falls Off the Horse

King Qi ultimately decided to pen down this unbearably humiliating letter of surrender.

But when he reached the part about 200,000 taels of gold, Lu Yuan interrupted him with a smile: "100,000 taels."

King Qi was stunned. Could there actually be such a good deed under heaven? This devious man had finally sprouted a conscience?

Lu Yuan chuckled and said, "Write, 100,000 taels; the other 100,000 don’t need to be reported to the court."

The corner of King Qi’s mouth twitched: "So brazenly pocketing for yourself, isn’t Grand Commander Lu afraid of being held accountable by the Emperor?"

Lu Yuan playfully curled his lips: "King Qi, do you know why you lost? Because you didn’t even bother to investigate my background."

At that moment, County Magistrate Zhong, who was trembling on his knees, looked up at King Qi and stammered, "Uncle, your nephew-in-law had reminded you—Lu Yuan is the Emperor’s foster father—"

King Qi roared angrily, "Call me uncle again, and I’ll tear out your tongue!"

He had, in fact, inquired about Lu Yuan—an Emperor’s foster father, a manipulator of court politics, a schemer in court intrigues. But such sycophants seldom had real abilities and mostly relied on sweet-talking to enchant rulers.

However, he had no idea that others’ reputations often involved exaggerations, whereas Lu Yuan was far more ruthless than the rumors portrayed him.

"Write it."

Lu Yuan urged with a smile.

Gritting his teeth, King Qi reluctantly wrote the letter of surrender.

"When will the evidence be handed to me?"

Lu Yuan replied calmly, "Hand over the gold, then you’ll get the evidence."

King Qi stormed off in a fury!

Moments later, he came stomping back, fuming: "The 100,000 taels taken by the delegation earlier..."

Lu Yuan looked at him with a faint, ambiguous smile: "Hmm?"

King Qi forcibly swallowed back the curses that were about to escape his mouth. All his humiliations this lifetime had come at Lu Yuan’s hands!

The 30,000 troops of Beiliang withdrew from the valley. Following Lu Yuan’s directives, Zhang Feihu also had the court’s 30,000 soldiers retreat back within Yumen Pass.

The elite court troops known as the Tiger Corps were utterly confused. They had rushed here overnight and before dawn received orders to march into the valley. They thought they were about to face off against Beiliang’s forces in a decisive battle, but this was it?

General Liu of the Tiger Corps asked, "General Zhang, dare I ask..."

Zhang Feihu waved him off: "No need to ask, we won."

General Liu was dumbfounded: Wait, did we even fight?

Out from the military tent walked Meng Qianqian.

Zhang Feihu hollered toward her, "Little Nine, leaving or not?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Leaving."

General Liu curiously asked, "Who is she?"

Zhang Feihu threw an arm around his shoulder, bragging like a proud father showing off his child: "Come, come, I’ll tell you all about it..."

The main forces departed, leaving the valley, once filled with murderous tension, to return to its usual tranquility.

Inside the command tent, only Lu Yuan remained, calmly drinking tea, with Yu Zichuan standing by his side.

Suddenly, Yu Zichuan’s expression shifted, his gaze turning sharply toward the curtain at the entrance.

The curtain was lifted, and a man dressed as a herdsman strode in.

Lu Yuan smiled: "Prince Li, have a seat."

The man was, in fact, King Qi’s younger brother, the 27-year-old Fourth Prince of Beiliang.

Compared to the burly King Qi, Prince Li exuded a much more refined temperament, coupled with strikingly handsome features. Allegedly, his mother was a beauty from the Central Plains, lending to his looks.

However, precisely because of his mixed heritage, Emperor Beiliang did not particularly favor him.

Prince Li sat down on the very chair that King Qi had occupied earlier, facing Lu Yuan directly. "Grand Commander Lu, quite the skill you have—just a few words, and you had my third brother completely under your thumb."

Lu Yuan smiled as he poured a cup of tea for him: "It’s thanks to the evidence Prince Li provided about his framing of Prince Rong’en."

Prince Li’s expression grew complicated. "I owed Yin Hu a favor; I never thought he’d pass that favor on to you."

Before his death, Yin Hu had given the token from Prince Li to Lu Yuan, enabling Lu Yuan to contact the prince, who had been lying low at the border. Yin Hu claimed that Prince Li would be useful.

Prince Li continued, "I’m curious—what did you promise Yin Hu? I know him well; he never made a deal that wasn’t worth his while."

Lu Yuan smiled faintly: "That’s not something for Prince Li to worry about. But as for the Seventh Prince, you must ensure your father delivers him. Only by making him truly feel pain will he loathe King Qi, his incompetent son, even more."

Prince Li replied, "I’ll make sure it happens. Grand Commander, you needn’t concern yourself."

Lu Yuan said, "Good, then."

With a formal tone, Prince Li stated, "We’ve agreed on a five-year pact—you have my word that within five years, I will neither invade the Great Zhou’s lands, nor harm its citizens, nor kill its merchants. But after five years, I will lead my army southward to annex the Great Zhou!"

Lu Yuan remained silent, smiling.

Prince Li gave Lu Yuan a penetrating look: "I am eager to recruit talents. Should Grand Commander ever consider serving a different master, I’ll always welcome you."

Lu Yuan raised his teacup as a gesture of farewell: "Prince Li, take care."

...

The army had returned to Feng County and set up camp at their previous location.

The villagers were overjoyed to see them back, steaming buns and preparing meats to send to the soldiers. The womenfolk busied themselves mending torn uniforms for the troops.

A one-and-a-half-year-old child toddled over with his parents again.

While his parents were occupied, the little boy tottered to Meng Qianqian’s tent, pressed both hands against the door curtain, and fell flat on his face.

Meng Qianqian stepped outside her tent and picked the little boy up.

The child babbled, "Mama."

Meng Qianqian sighed. *Even with a mask, this little guy somehow recognizes I’m a woman?*

The child called every woman he saw "mama" and every man "papa."

Coincidence or not, Lu Lingxiao happened to pass by. Noticing the child, he said, "So here you are. Your mother has been looking for you."

The child looked up at Lu Lingxiao.

Meng Qianqian worried the boy might call her "Mama" and then turn to call Lu Lingxiao "Papa," which would truly irk her.

Luckily, the boy didn’t. He just stared hopefully at Lu Lingxiao.

Lu Lingxiao reached out, intending to pick him up, but the child pushed him away, extending his arms toward Meng Qianqian.

"Where’s his mother?"

Meng Qianqian asked.

"Over there,"

Lu Lingxiao pointed.

Meng Qianqian carried the little boy to find his mother.

Lu Lingxiao always felt as though she disdained him. Then again, given her allegiance to Lu Yuan, it made sense.

Lu Lingxiao took responsibility for returning the villagers’ offerings of food and supplies to the village.

There was so much he couldn’t tell which belonged to whom, so he delivered everything to the village chief’s house first.

As soon as he entered, he sensed something amiss.

The usually lively house, buzzing with children and chaos, was eerily silent today.

"Village Chief?"

He called, but there was no response.

Usually, at the sound of soldiers’ voices, the chief’s children would run out to greet them eagerly.

Setting down the sack on his shoulder, Lu Lingxiao cautiously pushed open the slightly ajar door to the main room.

"Don’t move! Or I’ll kill them!"

One of the rebel holdouts had infiltrated, holding the village chief’s entire family hostage. The older children were tightly bound, their mouths stuffed with cloth, while the youngest was held in his arms, with a sharp dagger pressed against the child’s neck.

The village chief and his wife knelt on the ground.

Lu Lingxiao composed himself. "Let the child go, and we’ll talk."

The rebel laughed ironically: "Talk about what? I’m going to die... I’m going to die anyway... You’ve come to capture me, haven’t you? You all deserve to die!"

Lu Lingxiao said, "I’m not here to capture you. If you let the child go, I’ll pretend I didn’t see you today."

The rebel brandished the knife wildly: "I don’t believe you! You die in front of me, and I’ll believe! Otherwise, I’ll kill him!"

The village chief’s wife screamed as the rebel’s knife pressed harder against the child’s throat.

Without hesitation, Lu Lingxiao drew his own dagger and plunged it deep into his chest!

The rebel hesitated for a moment.

*Now!*

Lu Lingxiao surged forward, grabbing the rebel’s knife with one hand and snatching the child from his arms with the other!

Enraged, the rebel grabbed a wooden bench and swung it fiercely toward the other children.

Lu Lingxiao lunged to shield them, taking the brunt of the blow to his back and head. Blood immediately began to flow.

The rebel then drew another dagger, slashing down toward Lu Lingxiao!

A piercing scream filled the air as a silver needle shot into the rebel, its force knocking the dagger from his grip.

Meng Qianqian appeared, kicking the dagger aside!

The rebel’s body twitched a few times before collapsing motionless.

"It’s over." Meng Qianqian consoled the terrified village chief and his wife while holding the little boy.

The chief profusely thanked her, then hurried to untie his children.

Approaching Lu Lingxiao, the village chief asked worriedly, "Sir, are you alright?"

Lu Lingxiao handed the child back to him: "Just a flesh wound, I know how to handle it."

The dagger was still lodged in his chest. To mislead the enemy, he had inflicted a genuine wound, though years of battlefield experience had taught him how to evade vital spots.

He then looked at Meng Qianqian with a complicated expression. "Thank you for earlier."

Meng Qianqian ignored him and carried the little boy off to reunite him with his grandparents.

Unexpectedly, the boy suddenly reached out and yanked off her mask.

Meng Qianqian: "...!!"

She quickly turned her back, striding out the door.

But it was too late—Lu Lingxiao had already seen her face.

Despite the dagger in his chest, he pursued her in astonishment: "It’s you?"

Meng Qianqian closed her eyes, resigned.

Lu Lingxiao, ignoring his injury, stepped in front of her, scrutinizing the all-too-familiar face he hadn’t seen in so long. He was utterly shaken.

Meng Xiaojiu... How could she be Meng Qianqian?

"You... uh... I... this is..."

Lu Lingxiao was so shocked that he didn’t know where to begin.

"Move!"

Meng Qianqian said, irritated.

"Mo!" The little one mimicked her.

Meng Qianqian carried the child away.

Lu Lingxiao’s mind was in turmoil.

"How could this happen? Is there some mistake? How is she Meng Xiaojiu?"

"Why did she come to the border? Why did she become Lu Yuan’s guard?"

"She even fought on the battlefield... she, who wouldn’t so much as harm an ant..."

The more Lu Lingxiao thought about it, the more perplexed he became.

After his injuries were treated by the military doctor, he immediately headed to Meng Qianqian’s tent.

"Who allowed you to come in?"

Meng Qianqian said icily.

Lu Lingxiao stood before her, sternly demanding, "Meng Qianqian, what exactly is going on here?"

Meng Qianqian replied with indifference, "It’s none of your business."

Lu Lingxiao frowned. "You’ve traveled thousands of miles to the border to find me, have you regretted it? What’s your scheme now? Hoping I’ll reconcile with you?"