Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

Chapter 842: Chapter 690

After Yucheng Building left, Meng Qianqian’s mind remained unsettled for a long time.

The hostage in Ayimulan’s hands turned out to be Father; could Father really be alive?

As early as a few days ago, she had suspected this, but it was only a wild guess. Today, the clues provided by Yucheng Building raised the possibility from less than ten percent to fifty percent.

Why only fifty percent? It’s not that she doubts Yucheng Building’s intention to deceive, but she trusts Ayimulan too much.

Everything might just be false information Ayimulan revealed through Yucheng Building.

Given that Loulan suffered such a great loss at their hands, if Ayimulan can remain calm, Meng Qianqian has every reason to believe she has other tricks up her sleeve.

Shangguan Ling frowned, "How credible are that guy’s words?"

Chen Long said, "Hard to say."

Lu Yuan smiled slightly, "Just believe it all."

With a hesitant glance, Chen Long agreed, "If we believe wrong, we’ll fall into Loulan’s trap."

Lu Yuan replied nonchalantly, "You can’t catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger’s den. Besides, it’s just Loulan, how big a trap could it be?"

Chen Long said coldly, "Don’t be too arrogant."

Lu Yuan chuckled, "Brother-in-law, don’t raise others’ morale and lower your own prestige."

Shangguan Ling agreed, "Yeah, Chen Long, you used to be the one charging at the front, today you’re a bit unlike yourself."

Meng Qianqian understood Chen Long’s concerns, as their mother died at Ayimulan’s hands. The sorrow and fear from childhood had blended into an inseparable blood and flesh.

The more he hates, the more he fears.

It’s not Ayimulan he fears, but the pain of losing their mother.

It just happened to be transferred onto Ayimulan.

Meng Qianqian said, "Being cautious is right. Who knows what medicine Ayimulan is selling in her gourd?"

Lu Yuan didn’t contradict his wife’s stance.

"Father!"

Tan’er shivered and suddenly woke up from her dream.

She lifted her head, looking around with a confused expression, belatedly realizing she was in Chen Long’s courtyard, and tonight’s task seemed to be waiting for Yucheng Building to come and make a deal with them.

"How did I fall asleep? Where’s Yucheng Building? It’s the middle of the night, and he hasn’t arrived?"

She asked, half-asleep.

Shangguan Ling clicked his tongue, "He’s already gone!"

Tan’er, instantly alert, slapped the table in frustration and stood up, "He’s gone?"

Meng Qianqian curved her lips and pulled her to sit down, "He just left."

She stroked her head, "What were you dreaming about? I heard you calling for Father."

Tan’er looked up and tried to recall the dream fragments that were slipping from her mind, "I had such a strange dream, I dreamt I had a father!"

Shangguan Ling’s face twitched, "What kind of talk is that? Of course, you have a father, or did you pop out from a crack in the stone?"

Tan’er put her hands on her hips, "I don’t have a father! I only have Mother!"

Shangguan Ling stopped himself from speaking further.

He shouldn’t have said that just now; the little girl had no father, his words were like rubbing salt in her wounds.

He fell silent.

But Meng Qianqian spoke softly, "Do you want a father, Tan’er?"

Tan’er grumbled, "That depends on my mother; if she wants, she can find me ten or eight fathers, and I wouldn’t mind!"

Shangguan Ling sprayed a mouthful of tea.

Chen Long almost choked on a peach kernel up in the tree.

"It’s just..."

Tan’er thought of something sad, "There’s no such opportunity anymore."

Meng Qianqian stroked her cheek and asked Chen Long, "Brother, how long does it take to get to Loulan?"

Chen Long thought for a moment and said, "Even with a fast horse, it would take more than twenty days."

Meng Qianqian pondered, "Ayimulan only has a month’s time limit. There’s no time to send someone to Loulan to receive the hostage, so there’s only one possibility left."

Chen Long realized, "Messenger pigeon."

Meng Qianqian whistled.

The hunting eagle swooped down, carrying the awe-inspiring presence of the sky’s overlord, landing majestically on Meng Qianqian’s wrist, protected by silver thread gloves.

Meng Qianqian took out the wind chime given by Yucheng Building, tied it to the eagle’s claw, and with a strong swing of her arm—

The eagle raised its head and let out a powerful cry, soaring into the sky!

Father, are you really still alive?

If all of this is true—

Little Nine... will definitely find you!

-

Tan’er continued muttering to herself even after returning to the main courtyard.

"Why is everything so strange?"

"What’s so strange?"

Ban Xia yawned.

She didn’t have to keep watch tonight, but after a nap, she saw that the lady and the master hadn’t returned, so she thought she’d pick up a lantern and go ask if they were hungry and wanted to prepare a late-night snack.

She almost bumped into the self-mumbling and head-scratching Tan’er.

"Ban Xia, I dreamt of my father."

Tan’er said.

"What did you dream about your father?"

Ban Xia asked curiously.

She seldom heard Tan’er mention her background, but having spent so much time together and traveled so much, she knew Tan’er was raised by her mother.

About Tan’er’s father, it seemed he was gone very early on.

Tan’er tilted her head, trying to recall the scenes from her dream, "Dreamt of him... dreamt of him... he smiled at me... smiled like a fool..."

Ban Xia: "..."

What kind of words are these?

Is this how you talk about your own father?

Ban Xia hesitated for a moment and eventually decided to ask, "Tan’er, didn’t you say you didn’t have a father?"

Tan’er replied with deep resentment, "That’s why it’s strange! I don’t have a father, so how could I dream of one?"

"Perhaps... you’re envious of others having a father and want one for yourself?"

Ban Xia continued, "Crown Prince is a very good father, you know."

She was referring to Crown Prince Lu Zhaoyan of the Liang Country.

"Are you missing Crown Prince? Want him to be your father? Anyway, Miss sees you as her own sister, and Crown Prince treats you as his own."

Ban Xia felt her guess was not without reason.

Tan’er must be missing the Crown Prince.

Such a good father, who wouldn’t want him?

"Is that so?"

Tan’er was half-believing and half-doubting.

"It must be!"

Ban Xia said with absolute certainty.

"But, but he and Crown Prince... don’t look alike at all..."

Tan’er couldn’t quite say what was different, but the father in her dream seemed more robust, as if he had strong martial arts skills.

"Forget it, I don’t want to think about it! Tired!"

She waved her hand and went into her room, collapsing onto her bed.

In just one breath, she was already breathing evenly.

Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan stood in the moonlight, both looking at the door of Tan’er’s room as Ban Xia closed it.

"What do you think?"

She asked.

Lu Yuan analyzed cautiously, "The possibility of Father being alive has increased by another ten percent."

"Then, it’s sixty percent now."

Meng Qianqian controlled the surging emotions within her.

If Tan’er didn’t dream out of thin air, but it was a memory hidden deep in her subconscious flashing back, then the man called Father might have survived that disaster.

And escaped to Liuli Island, meeting the West Night Saintess.

""