Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 29: Complete Fallout

"Take care, noble one!"

The broker personally watched Meng Qianqian’s carriage disappear into the distance.

Beside her, one young woman asked, "Only sold for ten taels—wasn’t that too much of a loss? That girl cost us no less than a hundred taels in damages back then!"

Another young woman replied, "Exactly, wasn’t she supposed to be sold to that place? At least fifty taels, right?"

"The girl may be small, but some men prefer that type," the second added.

The broker said, "What do you know? With my decades of experience working in brothels, I can tell that girl is no ordinary fish in a pond. Today, I sold her to curry favor with someone. It’s also the little girl’s fortune that her life didn’t end here, thanks to that benefactor."

Otherwise, had she gone to that place, how many people escape torment alive from there?

Inside the carriage.

Ban Xia asked the little girl, "What’s your name?"

The little girl fiddled with the tassels on her clothes. "Tan’er."

Ban Xia continued, "From your accent, you don’t sound like you’re from the Capital City. Where is your family? Do you have anyone at home? How did you end up in the broker’s hands?"

Tan’er folded her arms. "Why are ya asking so many questions? Afraid I’ll run? Even if I ran, ya wouldn’t catch me!"

Ban Xia was momentarily stunned before muttering, "Not worth arguing with a little girl."

After arriving at the Lu Family, Meng Qianqian gave Wu Ge’er a few instructions and then took Tan’er along with Ban Xia to Haitang Courtyard.

Tan’er exclaimed, "Sister, the place ya live in is so big—"

Meng Qianqian pointed ahead. "That courtyard is mine. The rest are not."

Looking at the Haitang Courtyard, which was not even as large as a toothpick in Tan’er’s eyes, she muttered, "Uh..."

The servants in Haitang Courtyard were very surprised to see the Eldest Young Madam returning with such a dirty and smelly little girl.

But since the little girl was wrapped in the Young Madam’s precious fur cloak, the servants didn’t dare neglect her.

Tan’er curiously glanced around, occasionally reaching out to touch flowers and trees. "Though small, it has its charm!"

Ban Xia was baffled. "Small? What’s small? Did a flowerpot break?"

Tan’er explained, "I mean, tiny."

Ban Xia nodded. "Oh... Hey, wait, are you calling this courtyard small? You’re just a maid, but you dare complain!"

Tan’er stuck out her tongue playfully. "Bleh."

Nanny Li, who loved cleanliness, came out to greet Meng Qianqian. However, when she saw this little beggar, she nearly blacked out on the spot.

"Nanny, is there hot water?"

"Yes, of course," replied Nanny Li. She already knew Meng Qianqian’s routine: after returning from outside, she always bathed and changed clothes. She’d had the small kitchen boil water long ago.

Having touched every plant in the courtyard, Tan’er grinned and asked Meng Qianqian, "Sister, when do we eat?"

Meng Qianqian gestured with her eyes toward the small kitchen’s neighboring room, a bathhouse she’d had specially remodeled for winter bathing.

"Bath first."

"Ah wuh not!"

"Don’t bathe, no food."

"Ah—fine—!"

Tan’er bolted into the bathhouse and dove headfirst into a bath bucket filled only with cold water.

Just as Nanny Wan arrived at the door carrying a bucket of hot water, a few filthy pieces of clothing flew her way and draped over her head.

She gasped and gagged. "Ugh—!"

Sitting in the cold water, Tan’er hugged herself, shivering uncontrollably. "Gonna freeze to death, ah... freeze to death, ah."

After hot water was added, Tan’er sprang to her feet. "Ah’m done bathing!"

Nanny Wan stared in astonishment. "You barely dipped in there and called it done? What is this, rinsing meat slices?" ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Nanny Wan summoned Nanny Hu and Nanny Liu, and together the three pinned Tan’er down, scrubbing her from head to toe repeatedly. The small kitchen had to boil pot after pot of hot water.

After an entire hour, they finally managed to get the little rascal cleaned, leaving the three nannies completely drained.

Meng Qianqian was in her room, reading a storybook.

Nanny Li and Ban Xia sat around the brazier, working on embroidery.

When Tan’er walked in, dressed in a pale green jacket, both Nanny Li and Ban Xia were startled.

A pale complexion, delicate features, a high nose bridge, and rosy lips with white teeth—it was as if a different person stood before them. The grimy little beggar from earlier was nowhere to be seen.

If Tan’er hadn’t been wearing Ban Xia’s old clothes, they might not have recognized her at all.

Tan’er ignored Nanny Li and Ban Xia, smiling at Meng Qianqian. "Sister, ah’m done bathing!"

Meng Qianqian chuckled. "Set up the meal."

Tan’er, unreserved, plopped herself into a seat.

A moment later, she glared at the plain noodles without a single chili. "This broth’s flavorless; doesn’t look good at all."

Fifteen minutes later.

"Another bowl!"

"More!"

"Still hungry!"

Ban Xia and Nanny Li stared at the table full of empty bowls. Goodness, how could anyone eat this much?

After finishing her last bite, Tan’er patted her round belly and set her chopsticks down.

Meng Qianqian asked, "Was it good?"

"Not tasty..." Tan’er said with a satisfied burp.

Meng Qianqian smiled briefly. "Tomorrow we’ll have crispy duck, eight-treasure chicken, braised pork, and stewed pig trotters."

Tan’er’s eyes lit up. "No way—really?"

Meng Qianqian grinned. "So, does that mean you’ve decided to stay?"

Tan’er winked slyly. "Mm!"

Ban Xia led Tan’er away to rest, intending to teach her the rules of the household.

Nanny Li, however, voiced her concerns. "Miss, is this girl... capable? It’s not that we can’t afford how much she eats, but she’s so young. Although, when Ban Xia first joined you, she was also young. Still, Ban Xia is a house-born servant of the Meng Family, trained since childhood... this girl doesn’t seem like she can manage chores. Of course, if you like her, keeping her isn’t an issue, but I fear she’ll be unmanageable and might cause trouble in this household."

Ban Xia recounted the broker’s remarks to Nanny Li. Ban Xia herself didn’t believe them, but Nanny Li found them partially convincing.

Turning a page in her storybook, Meng Qianqian remarked, "Nanny, haven’t we been cautious enough these past years at the Lu Family? And what good has it done us?"

Nanny Li fell silent at that.

Not long before dawn, a hubbub woke Meng Qianqian. People from the old madam’s quarters had arrived, urging her to pay her morning respects without delay.

Meng Qianqian had recently tended to Lu Lingxiao and left the residence yesterday, so using illness as an excuse today was no longer valid.

She brought Ban Xia along to the old madam’s quarters.

Traditionally, visiting for morning respects meant waiting outside for half an hour or so. Strangely enough, the old madam was awake even earlier than Meng Qianqian today.

"Morning respects to Grandmother," Meng Qianqian greeted.

Sitting in her chair, the old madam fixed a fierce gaze on the girl the Lu Family had raised for five years. "I heard you moved all of Ling Xiao’s rewards to your own courtyard?" she said icily.

"That’s true," Meng Qianqian admitted frankly.

The old madam sneered, "Is there no treasury in this house? You’re not the head of the household. What do you need those for? Have them moved to the treasury immediately!"

Just thinking about it annoyed her. She’d planned to inform her grandson after he woke up so he could bring the rewards to her.

But before she could, the girl had emptied her grandson’s study instead!

Not only had the Holy Emperor rewarded ten thousand taels of silver, but he’d also bestowed priceless jewelry and ornaments.

Royal gifts! In her entire life, she’d never worn anything like them. And here this girl had taken them!

"Grandmother," Meng Qianqian said coolly, "those were the dowry silver my husband returned to me. I’m afraid they cannot be moved to the treasury."

"Absurd!" The old madam slammed her hand on the table. "The Lu Family married you; your dowry belongs to the Lu Family! What gives you the right to have your husband return it? You’ve become more and more unruly! Someone, go to Haitang Courtyard and retrieve the rewards granted by His Majesty!"