Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 81 - 80 The Slap in the Face Comes Too Fast

Chapter 81: Chapter 80 The Slap in the Face Comes Too Fast

The South City Gate was packed to the brim with townspeople and those who had come to welcome the arrival, leaving no room to move. The guards had to use their bodies as barriers to hold back the surging crowd.

Ban Xia and Tan’er were also squeezed within the crowd.

Suddenly, Tan’er’s ears perked up, and she forcibly pushed her way outward.

Ban Xia reached out to grab her but missed: "Tan’er! Where are you going?"

Tan’er waved at her: "I heard Treasure Piggy crying! It must mean Big Sis is back!"

She darted out from beneath a guard’s arm.

The guard was startled: "Hey! You little girl!"

Tan’er exited the gate and stood in the middle of the official road, shouting loudly: "Big Sis—Treasure Piggy—where are you guys—"

A guard moved to apprehend her, but Qing Shuang stopped him with the hilt of her sword.

The guard understood the signal and stepped back with a clasped fist.

Meanwhile, Bao Shu, who had been wailing her lungs out after being lifted into Meng Qianqian’s carriage, froze upon hearing the ghostly shrill shout. Her tiny body shook, and she instantly stopped crying. She stuffed the small, buttery candies Meng Qianqian had brought back from the border straight into her little pocket!

Tan’er swiftly pulled open the curtain: "Big Sis!"

Zhang Feihu jolted: "What are you doing? Who are you calling Big Sis?"

Tan’er furrowed her brow: "Got the wrong one."

"Treasure Piggy—"

"Big Sis—"

She began checking carriage by carriage.

Finally, she found them!

Meng Qianqian was looking at her with a smile in her eyes: "Tan’er."

"Big Sis!"

Tan’er grinned from ear to ear and hopped onto the carriage.

Bao Shu had buried her little head in Meng Qianqian’s embrace, leaving only her round, plump little derrière visible to Tan’er.

With a swoop, Tan’er lifted her up: "What are you, a little ostrich? Think just by hiding, I won’t be able to see you?"

Bao Shu flicked her tiny head back, her eyes rolling up to the heavens!

Tan’er noticed her chubby hand pressed over her pocket tightly: "Eh, what are you hiding?"

Bao Shu shot back ferociously: "Graahhh!"

Tan’er settled her down on her lap: "Hmph, I don’t care! I bet I have some too! Isn’t that right, Big Sis?"

She smiled mischievously at Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian curled her lips into a smile and pointed to a large box of date seed pastries on the table.

Tan’er stuck her tongue out at Bao Shu: "Bleh!"

Bao Shu, with a serious little face, climbed back onto Meng Qianqian’s lap, firmly taking back her position in Meng Qianqian’s embrace!

Tan’er swung her little legs and asked, "Big Sis, why did you stay away for so long? If you hadn’t come back, I was about to head to the border to find you!"

Meng Qianqian chuckled lightly: "How did you know I’d return today?"

Tan’er tilted her head: "Manager Cen said so, and Ban Xia is here too, waiting by the city gate!"

Meng Qianqian lifted the curtain, and Ban Xia spotted her from a distance, instantly overcome with emotion: "Miss! I’m here!"

Qing Shuang squeezed through the crowd and brought Ban Xia out.

"Many thanks to Miss Qing Shuang!"

Ban Xia expressed her gratitude and hurried over to the carriage, where Tan’er pulled her onboard.

"Miss!"

As soon as Ban Xia saw Meng Qianqian, her eyes reddened.

Since following the lady into the Lu Family more than five years ago, this was the first time she had been separated from her for so long. "Miss, you..."

She wanted to say the lady had grown thinner, but upon closer inspection, it didn’t seem so.

When Meng Qianqian first entered the Lu Family, she had been a chubby little girl with a sweet tooth. As time passed, she had grown thinner.

After a trip to the border, her physique had been tempered; she seemed a little stronger and more spirited than before.

Meng Qianqian smiled: "Ban Xia, you’ve become more beautiful."

Ban Xia, who had been ready to cry her heart out, suddenly couldn’t shed a single tear.

Flustered, Ban Xia shyly turned her gaze to Bao Shu and choked up, "Young Miss Bao Shu has grown a lot too."

Bao Shu proudly wiggled her little feet.

Meng Qianqian said, "Tell me, how have you all been in the Capital City?"

Ban Xia wiped her tears and recounted everything that came to mind, sparing no details.

When Meng Qianqian had left in haste that day, she had only entrusted Manager Cen to leave a message with Nanny Li, saying she would be away for a few days.

Looking back now, her instructions had been far too brief.

Fortunately, Manager Cen had been meticulous. He located Nanny Li that very night and explained how Young Miss Bao Shu had been crying inconsolably, making it clear that Miss Meng had taken a liking to the young miss and that the Grand Commander had sent someone to have them cared for.

Though Nanny Li had been worried, what could she do with the child already taken away?

Silently, Nanny Li had cursed the high-handed Grand Commander hundreds of times before gathering everyone and vacating Haitang Courtyard the next day.

Ban Xia explained, "We originally intended to wait for you to return before moving out, but we worried that the Lu Family might notice your prolonged absence and start spreading rumors to tarnish your reputation."

And indeed, this was exactly the kind of thing the Lu Family would do.

Meng Qianqian nodded approvingly: "You’ve done well."

She had completely forgotten about the move amidst the rush. The court had given her a one-month deadline, but realistically, there was no way she’d make it back within the month.

Ban Xia continued, "When we moved, Manager Cen helped us a lot."

Madam Lu had been incredibly difficult, not allowing them to use a single Lu Family carriage. She had barred any hired carriages from entering the estate and ordered the servants not to lend a hand. They were left with no choice but to carry everything out from Haitang Courtyard piece by piece to the main gate.

It was Manager Cen who called government officers and brought government office carriages to assist, forcing Madam Lu to give up her obstruction.

Ban Xia added, "We also learned of your return to the Capital City through Manager Cen in Fengshui Alley."

Tan’er propped her little fists on her cheeks, her expression exaggerated: "Poor Manager Cen! Every day, he gets scolded by Nanny Li, who says, ’Your master lacks humanity, stealing away our young miss! Serving him, you’re no better yourself!’"

Meng Qianqian smiled awkwardly: "Well, that... that does sound a bit pitiful."

Meanwhile, upon hearing news of the triumphant return of the army to the Capital City, the Old Madam immediately dispatched a servant to wait for Lu Lingxiao at the city gate.

However, the servant waited until nightfall without sight of the eldest young master.

He returned to report to the Old Madam, who had Lin Wan’er by her side.

Lin Wan’er, now over four months pregnant, was just beginning to show.

The Old Madam placed great importance on this pregnancy. She had wanted Lin Wan’er to wait in her courtyard, but Wan’er had insisted on coming.

The Old Madam furrowed her white eyebrows: "Still not back? Could something have delayed him along the way?"

Lu Lingxiao had indeed been delayed. The reason stemmed from an injury he’d sustained in Feng County. To spare him the trouble of riding, Zhang Feihu had allowed him to take a carriage.

Midway through, they encountered a pair of grandparents traveling to relatives in the next town.

Soft-hearted, Lu Lingxiao gave up his carriage to them and rode a horse instead.

Coincidentally, it poured rain that day. His injury, still unhealed, led to him riding in the rain for an hour, culminating in a high fever that very night.

But the army could not halt its march for one soldier. Zhang Feihu left him at a way station, found a doctor for him, and continued on.

When Lu Lingxiao woke up, he found a young woman taking care of him. Startled, he soon recognized her as the "grandson" from that pair of grandparents.

The young woman dropped to her knees beside his bed: "That man isn’t my grandfather—he’s a human trafficker! My father sold me to him for two taels of silver, and now he wants to resell me to a brothel! Please save me, my lord!"

Because of this overnight stay at the way station, Lu Lingxiao arrived at the Capital City several hours later than the cavalry.

He didn’t make it back to the Lu Family until it was late at night.

The Old Madam, Madam Lu, and Lin Wan’er were all present, as were the second branch of the family. Only Lu Xingzhou, summoned by the Ministry of Industry, was absent.

Lu Lingxiao strode in with bold, determined steps.

Lin Wan’er’s eyes lit up with joy and delight.

"Brother Lu, is this your home?"

A delicate, pretty young girl trailed behind Lu Lingxiao as she entered.

Lin Wan’er’s expression froze mid-smile.