Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 31: Have a Child

The matriarch was carried back to her courtyard by the servants.

Lu Xingzhou cast a deep glance at Tan’er, who was standing beside Meng Qianqian.

Tan’er gazed skyward, completely ignoring him.

He addressed Meng Qianqian, "Since she belongs to you, keep her in line. Find someone to teach her the proper manners of this household as soon as possible."

Meng Qianqian bowed slightly, "I understand, Father. Safe journeys."

Lu Xingzhou glanced once more at the dozen men sprawled on the ground, swept his wide sleeves, and coldly walked away.

Tan’er asked Meng Qianqian, "Doesn’t he feel super humiliated?"

Meng Qianqian asked, "Were you hurt?"

Tan’er clapped her hands, "Of course not! Those useless cowards, how could they manage to hurt me?"

Meng Qianqian chuckled lightly, then turned her attention to the dozen furious yet silent guards and eunuchs sprawled on the ground, and said indifferently, "Why aren’t you leaving?"

"Leaving, leaving! We’re leaving right now!"

"Hurry up, let’s go!"

The guards and eunuchs, having regained some strength, endured their aching bodies, scrambled to their feet, helped each other up, and fled as though their lives depended on it.

Ban Xia snapped out of her shock, stared dumbfounded at Tan’er, and said, "The toothless crone was telling the truth after all..."

"Tan’er, untie them."

"On it!"

Tan’er tore the ropes binding Nanny Wan and Madam Liu.

The two had only suffered superficial wounds; their bones and internal organs were unaffected. Meng Qianqian instructed Ban Xia to fetch the golden sore medicine and apply it for them.

Meng Qianqian was about to head inside.

"Stop."

Tan’er stood by her side, blocking her path. Holding a silver needle between her fingers, she coldly pressed it against Meng Qianqian’s neck, "Whose silver needle is this? Who gave it to you?"

Meng Qianqian’s expression remained unchanged, "I picked it up."

Tan’er snorted, then suddenly brightened with a grin, "That’s what I thought. How could she possibly give away her prized possession? Especially to you!"

Tan’er spoke as she manipulated the needle, flipping it to point the tip toward herself and the handle toward Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian retrieved the silver needle.

Tan’er bounced enthusiastically into the courtyard, exclaiming, "Crispy roast duck! Eight-treasure chicken! Braised pork! Stewed pig’s feet—"

As though suddenly recalling something, she halted and murmured pensively, "That set of silver needles... seems to be missing one... Whatever! It’s not mine anyway! Stewed pig’s feet! Crispy roast duck! Eight-treasure chicken..."

She continued skipping, her cheerful voice filling the courtyard.

During the meal, Nanny Li returned, and Ban Xia recounted everything that had happened. She had never expected that while she and Madam Hu were out fetching breakfast, her young mistress’s dowry had nearly been stolen.

"Since ancient times, a dowry has always been a woman’s private property. Offering it to her husband’s family is out of respect, but how could her in-laws resort to blatant theft? She’s still a senior; how can she behave this way..."

"Shameless!"

Tan’er completed Nanny Li’s rant.

Nanny Li coughed awkwardly, then adopted a serious tone, "Watch your words."

Tan’er crossed her arms, "Isn’t that what you really think?"

Nanny Li said, "Be careful your tongue doesn’t invite trouble that drags the mistress down with it."

Tan’er pouted, "Anyone who bullies my elder sister—I’ll beat them up!"

Nanny Li was a stickler for protocol and reserved by nature. In her view, Tan’er’s actions today had gone too far. She had hit too hard, not only offending the matriarch but surely earning disfavor from the master of the house.

With things as they were, her mistress’s position in the Lu family could only grow more precarious.

Meng Qianqian understood Nanny Li’s concerns. No matter whether Tan’er was present or not, this day would have come sooner or later.

In these past years, her father-in-law only seemed kind to her because she still held value to the family.

Once the Lu family could no longer suck her dry, this father-in-law would no longer stand by her side.

Nanny Li sighed deeply, "In the past, though the matriarch wasn’t especially warm towards Mistress, she was never outright malicious... Now that relationships have soured, their true colors are showing."

What kind of hell had her mistress jumped into? Today, they had dared to openly rob her. Who knows what might happen in the future?

"Mistress, the matriarch likely won’t let this slide."

Meng Qianqian said calmly, "Then let’s see if she has the capability to do so."

Hot, steaming coix porridge was placed on the table.

Tan’er was wide-eyed with shock, "Where’s my crispy roast duck? My eight-treasure chicken? My braised pork and stewed pig’s feet?"

Meng Qianqian, entirely unaffected by their circumstances, curved her lips in a faint smile, "You’ve gone too long hungry. It’s not suitable to eat rich meat so soon. Have light, bland meals for three days, then I’ll arrange the rest for you."

"You’re not lying to me?"

"Mm."

Tan’er bit her lip, torn with hesitation, "...Fine! I’ll trust you one more time!"

The moon hung low among sparse stars; bells chimed from the cold mountain.

The evening prayers at the monastery concluded, and the monks retired to their chambers for rest.

In the quietest meditation room of the temple, Bao Shu, currently transformed into a little tiger cub, had just awakened from a nap. freewebnσvel.cøm

She sat up from her tiny bedroll, looked around the room, and exclaimed, "Wahh!"

Bao Shu bristled with anger.

Lu Yuan and a monk were sitting cross-legged on the ground, a small table between them bearing tea, snacks, and a chessboard.

The monk remained meditative, calmly rolling the Buddha Beads in his hand.

Bao Shu crawled over angrily, grabbing onto Lu Yuan’s robe, baring her teeth and tugging with all her might!

Lu Yuan remained composed, allowing her to pull at him as she pleased.

The monk slowly opened his eyes, "Young benefactor, if you wish to leave the mountain, why cling on so stubbornly?"

Lu Yuan smiled faintly and spoke to Bao Shu, "Just three more days. I’ll take you down the mountain after that."

Bao Shu stiffened her tiny face, yelling fiercely, "Wahh!"

Lu Yuan lifted a finger, signaling a Jinyi Guard to enter and carry the little one out.

"Since Master is already awake, perhaps you’d take a look at this."

Lu Yuan pushed the Mystic Iron Token across the table toward the monk. "Chu Grand Marshal commanded Twelve Commanders, also known as the Twelve Guards. This token belongs to Monkey Order. After Chu Grand Marshal’s death, the Twelve Guards and ten thousand Black Armor Army soldiers vanished without a trace. Yet just a few days ago, someone claiming to be Monkey Order’s daughter appeared, saying her father had never left Yumen Pass but had hidden among the ordinary soldiers, fighting the Beiliang forces until the very last moment.

"I want to know— is this token authentic?"

The monk remained silent.

"If Master refuses to speak, then I’ll simply linger here until I receive an answer. I have time to spare."

"Wahh! Wahh!"

"Young lady, be good. Drink your milk. Once you’ve had it, we’ll go down the mountain."

From the neighboring room came Bao Shu’s roaring cries and the milk nurse’s helpless coaxing. It wasn’t hard to guess that the little one once again refused to quietly drink her milk.

The monk sighed, "The token is genuine."

Lu Yuan’s smile widened, "Thank you, Master."

Meanwhile, after the matriarch was carried back to Fu Shou Courtyard, she was so furious that she stayed bedridden for two days, even cursing out the Second Lady when she came to pay her respects.

The Second Lady felt thoroughly wronged— she wasn’t the one who offended the matriarch, so why take it out on her?

"A disrespectful wench! How could my Lu Family marry such a treacherous and unruly thing? Shameless! Go! Summon Shao! Have him divorce her!"

The matriarch had calculated well: divorcing Meng Qianqian would mean all her dowry would belong to the Lu Family.

Beside her, Nanny Wu advised, "Matriarch, she observed mourning for three years on behalf of the Master. Divorcing her now would make the Lu Family lose face."

The matriarch yelled angrily, "What do you suggest, then? Let that girl loaf around in this house, eating and drinking freely, and constantly aggravating me?"

Nanny Wu said, "Controlling a woman is easy enough. Have you forgotten how the First Lady was subdued?"

The matriarch hesitated, "Do you mean—"

Nanny Wu spoke smugly, "When it comes to women, just have them bear a child, and they’ll start behaving."