Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

Chapter 820: Chapter 670

Meng Qianqian returned to her room and continued sleeping.

When she had eaten her fill and opened her eyes again, it was already dawn.

Lu Yuan was sitting quietly in the room, looking at several secret letters that Shangguan Ling had ordered the Jinyi Guards to investigate.

"Awake."

Lu Yuan said.

Meng Qianqian responded with a hum and asked, "Aren’t you going to the morning court?"

Lu Yuan replied simply, "No."

Meng Qianqian couldn’t help but laugh, "You, it’s not like those days dealing with Prime Minister Xun, you don’t have to hide anymore."

"Just too lazy to go, that’s all."

Lu Yuan said coldly.

Meng Qianqian curled her lips slightly, her eyes sparkling, "I understand, I’m happy that my husband can stay at the mansion to accompany me."

Someone never missed any attractive events, but never uttered a single pleasant word.

Beside Lu Yuan’s hand was a wind chime, the very one from the night before given to Meng Qianqian by Yucheng Lou.

Meng Qianqian spoke, "About last night..."

Lu Yuan said, "Ji Li told me, Shangguan Ling just found out about Yucheng Lou’s identity; he’s a spy sent by the King of Qiuci to Loulan."

Meng Qianqian suddenly understood, "So that’s it, no wonder he wanted to cooperate with me."

"As for whether to cooperate, let’s observe for a while. Loulan is not easy to deal with, nor is Qiuci."

Lu Yuan said, picking up the wind chime on the table, "What’s the story behind this wind chime?"

Meng Qianqian got up and walked to his side, looked at the wind chime and said, "In West City, it’s just an ordinary wind chime. My mother liked them, and the corridors of the General Mansion were full of them. When the wind blew, the entire mansion was filled with their pleasant sounds."

Lu Yuan mused, "What did Yucheng Lou intend by giving you this wind chime?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head, "I don’t know."

Lu Yuan paused, "Perhaps he truly intended it for Chen Long, or maybe he’s testing something."

Meng Qianqian asked curiously, "Testing?"

Lu Yuan said, "Testing if there’s anyone in the Governor Mansion still connected to the Shang Family."

Meng Qianqian glanced at Tan’er, who was exercising in the courtyard, "Tan’er’s background can hardly be kept hidden anymore, Si Snake has been gone for so long, I wonder if he’s returned to Liuli Island."

She felt that all truths were converging in one direction, and though she wasn’t far from the truth, there was a sense of being unable to touch it even though it seemed so close.

Lu Yuan seemed to sense Meng Qianqian’s emotions and said seriously, "When all streams converge into the sea, that’s when the ultimate secret is revealed."

Meng Qianqian said, "Yes, the secret, it’s not far now."

"What’s most concerning right now is Ayimulan."

Lu Yuan said, "Her behavior at last night’s welcoming banquet was too calm."

Meng Qianqian agreed, "Amushan died at her brother’s hands, Du Nu lost to Meng Lang; with setbacks one after another, she remained so composed, surely preparing to strike back."

Lu Yuan advised, "Don’t interact with the Loulan people for the next few days, regarding Yucheng Lou, I’ll handle it."

"Okay."

Meng Qianqian agreed readily.

After breakfast, Lu Yuan sent Meng Lang to the Imperial College to study.

Meng Lang was at a loss, "Do I really have to go?"

Lu Yuan: "It’s fine not to go either."

Meng Lang’s eyes lit up, "Really?"

Lu Yuan: "Chen Long said, if a leg is broken, then you don’t have to go."

Meng Lang’s knee ached, enduring he said, "Suddenly, I feel the Imperial College is not a bad place, at least I can see Cousin Yu Li, just put me in his class."

Lu Yuan gave him a look that said ’what are you talking about.’

Meng Lang asked, "What’s wrong? Isn’t Cousin Yu Li also at the Imperial College?"

Lu Yuan replied carelessly, "His level, your level, you have no sense of it?"

Meng Lang, pierced in the heart: "..."

Lu Yuan and Meng Lang took the carriage to the Imperial College.

Today, the old matron planned to go to the temple to offer incense and to light the Everlasting Lamp, Meng Qianqian accompanied her.

Treasure Piggy went too.

She proudly rode her little saddle, looking quite spirited.

Qing Shuang accompanied her.

Tan’er was pressed into a seat by the old matron, "You’ve become a little black egg, yet you still want to tan."

Tan’er pouted, "If not tan, then not tan, I want candied hawthorn!"

Ban Xia said, "All you know is eating!"

Tan’er boldly replied, "Being able to eat is a blessing! Right, Treasure Piggy?"

Treasure Piggy rode her big horse, nodding off, hadn’t heard a thing Tan’er said.

Tan’er was immensely envious.

Both riding horses, yet she turned into a little black egg, while the little one remained fair and tender!

The weather was hot, but the temple, nestled by the mountains and beside water, was much cooler than the Governor Mansion.

Servants of the Governor Mansion carried the old matron up the mountain in a sedan chair.

Treasure Piggy refused to be carried, and wouldn’t let Qing Shuang or Tan’er pick her up, insisting on climbing up step by step herself.

Tan’er sighed, "You’re so slow, by the time you climb up, it’ll be dark already!"

Treasure Piggy: "Just climb!"

Tan’er tossed her little head, "I’ll go up first then!"

She took a deep breath and leapt up, "Old Matron, I’m—coming—"

In the sedan chair, Old Matron shivered three times, urging the bearers, "Hurry up!"

"Yes... huh?"

Just as the bearers responded, a little whirlwind swept through, and the old matron in the sedan chair disappeared.

"Up—the—mountain—"

"You’ve—gone—past—there—"

-

Since there was no rush to return to the Governor Mansion, Meng Qianqian and the old matron decided to stay at the temple for two or three days before descending the mountain.

Unexpectedly, around dusk, Han Ci hurriedly arrived at the temple.

"Young Madam, the Noble Consort is in trouble."

Meng Qianqian furrowed her brows, "Yan’er? What happened to her?"

Han Ci said gravely, "The Noble Consort has been poisoned, unconscious, the Imperial Physicians are doing their utmost to save her."

Meng Qianqian’s eyes turned cold, "Was it the Loulan people?"

Han Ci replied cautiously, "The Jinyi Guards are investigating."

Meng Qianqian left Tan’er, Qing Shuang, and Cui Hu behind, explained things to the old matron, then descended the mountain with Han Ci.

"Why did she get poisoned all of a sudden?"

"I don’t know either, I reported to the Young Madam as soon as I heard the Noble Consort was poisoned."

"I see."

Meng Qianqian went to Changchun Palace.

The Imperial Physicians filled Zhou Nanyan’s sleeping quarters to the brim, Zong Zhengxi and Yao Qingluan were both present.

Zong Zhengxi looked anxious, pacing back and forth by the bed.

Yao Qingluan calmly inquired about the antidote from the Imperial Physicians.

Alina was also there.

She stood to the side like a frightened rabbit, her eyes and nose red, somewhat helpless.

Meng Qianqian overheard her speaking softly, "The doctors from our Loulan are excellent at detoxification, why not let them take a look at the Noble Consort?"

Yan’er’s close female official coldly said, "It was you who harmed our Lady, you’re that kind-hearted to help her detoxify!"

Alina said aggrievedly, "It wasn’t me, I didn’t harm the Noble Consort..."

The female official protested, "It was you! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Silence!"

Yao Qingluan reprimanded.

The female official begrudgingly fell silent.

Meng Qianqian’s eyes fell on Alina.

Was it her?