Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 33: Even the Grand Commander Has Such a Day

Meng Qianqian withdrew her gaze, took the bounding Tan’er, and left without looking back.

Lu Yuan lifted his icy, slender fingertips and wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth, laughing mischievously.

"Come out."

He said.

From within a dilapidated courtyard in the alley, a masked man wearing a bamboo hat emerged.

The man wielded a long sword and approached Lu Yuan with murderous intent, speaking coldly: "Lu Yuan, today has finally come for you!"

"Heh." Lu Yuan sneered.

Sitting on the dusty ground, leaning against the cold, hard wall, with one leg bent, his casual demeanor made the masked man grit his teeth in fury.

"Traitor! Prepare to die!"

With a fierce strike, the man’s sword aimed straight for Lu Yuan’s face, the sheer force of the sword qi capable of severing mountains and rivers!

Yet, just as the blade neared its target, a sharp arrow whistled through the air, piercing his chest forcibly!

He looked at the tip of his sword, almost touching Lu Yuan’s brow, and muttered in resentment, "Just... an inch more..."

Blood spurted from his mouth as he toppled over toward Lu Yuan.

Another arrow flew in, sending him hurtling a meter away.

At the same moment, the Commander of the Imperial Guard arrived with his subordinates.

He glanced at the masked man, now dead from the arrow, then quickly stepped to Lu Yuan’s side, kneeling on one knee: "Your subordinate arrived late! Please forgive me, my lord!"

A youth dressed in green descended from the rooftop using Qinggong, addressing Lu Yuan: "Why didn’t she save you?"

The Commander of the Imperial Guard curiously asked the youth, "Who?"

"The Eldest Young Madam of the Lu Family." The youth went on to recount Meng Qianqian and Tan’er’s appearance.

Just as he was about to relay Meng Qianqian’s exact words, Lu Yuan curtly said, "Shut up."

The youth glanced at Lu Yuan before retrieving his arrow from the corpse.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard clicked his tongue and said, "The Lu Family’s Eldest Young Madam is truly audacious, daring to leave the Grand Commander to his fate. Doesn’t she fear that if you survived, you’d turn around and punish her? Everyone knows you’re merciless and never reason with anyone... Hey, Zichuan! Have you pulled out your arrows yet? Let me help you!"

Terrifying, truly terrifying—the Grand Commander’s look earlier was chilling!

Meng Qianqian returned to the Lu Family, first visiting Lu Mother.

In addition to purchasing storybooks for the matriarch, she brought a box of premium ginseng for Lu Mother.

"Eldest Young Madam, should we use the recipe you suggested last time to make the soup?"

Lu Mother’s personal maid, Jade Lotus, asked.

Meng Qianqian nodded.

Jade Lotus took the ginseng to the small kitchen.

Lu Mother sighed, "Don’t buy such things anymore; I’m perfectly fine."

Meng Qianqian replied, "I bought it from farmers in the countryside; it wasn’t expensive."

Lu Mother, having noble lineage, could plainly see that each ginseng root was worth hundreds of taels.

Meng Qianqian said to Lu Mother, "Mother, don’t worry about these things; just focus on taking good care of your health."

Since Meng Qianqian married into the Lu Family, Lu Mother’s health had been frail, which worsened during Lu Xingzhou’s stays at home.

Lu Mother’s prolonged melancholy had led to imbalances in her internal organs and deficiencies in her vitality.

Meng Qianqian had been tending to Lu Mother’s health for half a year, but while medicine could cure ailments, it could not heal the heart.

That night, a message was sent from the matriarch’s quarters, saying they would go to the temple for incense offerings at dawn the following morning.

Meng Qianqian held up her tea bowl: "Didn’t we just go for offerings? Why again?"

Nanny Li said, "It’s to fulfill a vow. Back when the young master went to war, the matriarch prayed to the Buddha for his safe return. Now that he’s returned victorious, it’s only right to offer thanks."

At the time, the whole family participated, so now the whole family must attend, except for Lu Lingxiao himself.

Nanny Li added, "Take Ban Xia as well; the temple will be crowded, and Tan’er alone might not manage."

Meng Qianqian nodded, "Alright."

Before dawn the next day, Meng Qianqian left the courtyard with Ban Xia and Tan’er.

The others had already arrived; the matriarch, draped heavily in cloaks, stood beside the long-absent Lu Linglong.

Lu Linglong hooked her arm through the matriarch’s, saying snidely, "Eldest Sister-in-law is really something, making the whole family wait for you!"

"Are you blind? Am I not human?"

The matriarch, standing under the distant moon gate, snapped irritably.

She had just arrived herself.

Lu Linglong pouted in grievance, "Great-Grandmother."

Everyone paid their respects to the matriarch.

Without sparing them a glance, the matriarch took Meng Qianqian’s hand and boarded the carriage.

Lu Xingzhou was absent, but Lin Wan’er was present.

The matriarch pulled back the curtain and pointed to Lin Wan’er, questioning the matriarch: "Why bring her along?"

The matriarch replied, "Wan’er is carrying the Lu Family’s bloodline. Let Buddha bless her to give birth to a boy and continue the family line."

The matriarch looked at Lin Wan’er, then at Meng Qianqian’s stomach, pondering bitterly for a moment before sighing, "Fine, let her have the child!"

Don’t bully Qianqian, you rascal!

Meng Qianqian watched Lin Wan’er board the second branch’s carriage, while Lu Mother joined the matriarch on hers.

Given the matriarch’s usual attention to Lin Wan’er’s pregnancy, she should have ridden with Lin Wan’er. Additionally, the second branch’s mother and daughter specialized in fawning over the matriarch, who typically rode with them, while Lu Mother usually accompanied the matriarch.

Meng Qianqian quickly deduced two things: the matriarch hadn’t wanted to bring Lin Wan’er, and the matriarch had matters to discuss privately with Lu Mother.

Furthermore, this incense offering seemed rushed, more like a spur-of-the-moment decision.

With the whole family attending, where was Lu Xingzhou?

An hour later, the group arrived at the foot of the mountain.

The matriarch said to Lu Mother, "Do you remember everything I told you? I’m doing this for her benefit, so that she has something to rely on in the Lu Family for the rest of her life. Otherwise, with her lineage and temperament, what qualifies her to be the Lu Family’s matriarch?"

"Besides, I heard from Xingzhou yesterday that Old Master Meng is aging, and the sons of the Meng Family are restless, fighting over their inheritance. How much their branch can secure depends on how we Lu Family support her."

Lu Mother replied, "And then? Do you intend to empty the Meng Family’s coffers?" fгeewebnovёl.com

The matriarch’s chest swelled with rage: "Watch your words! Her parents are gone, and her two brothers are useless. Ling Xiao, as her brother-in-law, naturally has to manage their affairs!"

Lu Mother said nothing.

Lu Mother had always known the matriarch to be greedy, but she had underestimated the extent of that greed. The matriarch not only wanted Qianqian’s dowry but also aimed to strip her of everything.

The matriarch hissed under her breath: "Let me warn you, this must be done no matter what!"

Lu Mother lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage.

As she raised her eyes, she saw Meng Qianqian just alighting from her carriage, her expression freezing momentarily.

Meng Qianqian smiled faintly: "Mother, let’s go offer incense."

Hanshan Temple is located mid-mountain, requiring a climb up the steps. The carriages stopped near a teahouse.

The mountain wind felt icy and sharp, cutting painfully against the face.

Halfway up, the matriarch grew weary: "Qianqian, I’m tired."

Tan’er said, "Carry on my back—N!"

The matriarch looked suspiciously at the little maid: "You?"

Tan’er hoisted the matriarch onto her back, her gaze resolute as she looked ahead: "Hold tight!"

The matriarch chuckled, "What’s this little girl trying to... Ah—"

"This is the summit—"

"But we’re at mid-mountain—you’ve gone too far—"