Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 34: Meeting the Emperor

Hanshan Temple was bustling with incense offerings and throngs of worshippers. After a morning of prayers, everyone was feeling a bit weary.

The Old Madam instructed Nanny Wu to request a few meditation rooms so that they could have a vegetarian meal and rest awhile before continuing.

The Old Madam called Lin Wan’er aside for a private conversation.

Lu Mother shared a meditation room with Meng Qianqian, while the family matriarch stayed next door, and the second branch’s rooms were farther away.

Meng Qianqian noticed that Lu Mother seemed preoccupied and gently asked, "Mother, are you feeling unwell? Should we head down the mountain earlier? Tan’er can carry you if needed."

Lu Mother snapped out of her thoughts, shook her head, and said, "I’m just a bit tired, it’s nothing serious. I’ll go check on your great-grandmother."

With that, she lowered her gaze, got up, and left the room.

Before long, Ban Xia and Jade Lotus returned with the vegetarian meals.

Meng Qianqian guessed Lu Mother wouldn’t come to eat, so she instructed Jade Lotus to bring her meal to the adjacent room.

Tan’er immediately bounced over. "Time to eat, time to eat!"

Ban Xia opened the food container.

When Tan’er saw the few plainly prepared vegetarian dishes, completely devoid of even a hint of oil, she froze. "Where’s the meat?"

Ban Xia replied, "There’s no meat at the temple."

Tan’er clenched her small fists tightly. "It’s been so hard for me to last three days! N told me I couldn’t eat meat?! I want meat—"

"Meat! Meat! I need meat..."

"Wah... I’m such a poor, pitiful soul..."

Tan’er clutched her chest and began to wail in an exaggerated display.

Suddenly, her ears twitched, and her crying came to an abrupt halt as she looked toward the slightly ajar door, her grief-stricken eyes instantly transforming into a sharp, vigilant gaze. "Who’s there?!"

In a flash, she leapt forward and yanked open the door, ready to strike—but at that very moment, a rich aroma of braised meat wafted into her nose, completely overwhelming her senses.

She immediately forgot about chasing down the intruder. Following the scent, she looked down and her eyes sparkled. "Drumstick! A big, juicy drumstick!"

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Bao Shu wore a red tiger-head cap, a matching small tiger robe, and tiger-head shoes. She clutched a greasy drumstick in her hand and tilted her little tiger-head upward to stare blankly at Tan’er.

Drooling, Tan’er bent down and spoke sweetly to Bao Shu, "Little sister, drumsticks aren’t good for you. Let big sister help you with that."

Tan’er then stuffed the big drumstick straight into her mouth!

Uh... this doesn’t taste like meat...

Bao Shu, experiencing her first robbery in life, was utterly stunned!

Her small chest rose and fell for a moment before she snapped back to reality. Her tiny mouth quivered, and she began to wail loudly!

Her cries were piercing. Tan’er’s body jolted in fright, and she hurriedly thrust a leftover bone into Bao Shu’s hands. "Here, take it back, take it back!"

Bao Shu looked at the bare "chicken bone" in her chubby hand and cried even harder!

In the rear courtyard of Hanshan Temple, there was a secluded garden inaccessible to ordinary pilgrims.

In the meditation room on the east side of the garden, a monk in gray robes had just finished chanting sutras and striking a wooden fish.

Lu Yuan, his abdomen wrapped in thick bandages, had changed into a more comfortable purple outfit and was casually sitting across from the monk, reading a book.

"This Diamond Sutra is quite intriguing."

The monk spoke indifferently, "The Buddhist Sect is a place of purity. You, with such severe injuries, should not be here." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Lu Yuan smirked. "Precisely because it’s pure, I came here. A decoy was left at the Governor Mansion. The next few days should be lively."

The monk hesitated and then said, "Her presence here leaves the Governor Mansion exposed."

Lu Yuan dismissed it casually. "The decoy there is enough."

The monk looked toward him. "Are you really..."

"So ruthless that I treat human lives like weeds, not even sparing children?" Lu Yuan finished the thought for him. "Indeed, that’s precisely the kind of heartless person I am."

In another meditation room, Bao Shu was sitting adorably on Meng Qianqian’s lap.

Lu Mother and the family matriarch had also come over.

They had not seen Bao Shu before and asked whose child she was. Meng Qianqian had not attended the Governor Mansion’s banquet that day and logically wouldn’t know Bao Shu either, so she said, "She wandered in by herself. Ban Xia, go inquire which room might be missing a child."

"Alright!"

Ban Xia left.

At the Governor Mansion, Bao Shu was an absolute little rascal, but here with Meng Qianqian, she was behaving impeccably. Her big, dark eyes blinked adorably, and she giggled at the slightest tease, winning the approval of both Lu Mother and the family matriarch.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard, stationed nearby, could hardly believe his eyes.

Heaven knows how difficult it was to deal with this little troublemaker.

Laughing?

It was a miracle if she wasn’t crying and cursing!

Meng Qianqian playfully teased Bao Shu, who laughed heartily and soon had the entire room laughing along.

In the midst of her laughter, Bao Shu noticed the Commander of the Imperial Guard perched in a nearby tree.

The Commander mimicked Meng Qianqian’s playful gesture, covering and uncovering his face with his hands, accompanied by a smile!

Bao Shu stopped laughing.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard: "..."

In the second branch’s meditation room, Second Master Lu lay on the wooden bed, snoring, while Second Madam, her back aching, sat down and glared at her husband. "Eat and sleep, that’s all you do!"

Second Master Lu turned over, facing away from her.

"You—!" Second Madam was so furious that she nearly fainted.

Lu Linglong covered her ears. "Whose child is that? So noisy!"

"Not noisy at all," Second Madam replied. The child’s laughter wasn’t even loud; if anything, the pilgrims outside were noisier.

But such was inevitable, given how crowded Hanshan Temple was.

Lu Linglong wasn’t really complaining about the child. She simply couldn’t stand Meng Qianqian’s happiness.

Second Madam said to Lu Linglong, "If it bothers you, why don’t you go for a walk?"

"Fine! I’ll leave then!"

Lu Linglong stormed out in a huff.

Second Madam waved for the maid to stand guard outside and then prodded Second Master Lu. "Tell me the truth—what’s the real purpose of today’s temple visit?"

Second Master Lu replied nonchalantly, "To offer incense, to fulfill vows."

Second Madam slapped him on the waist.

Second Master Lu winced in pain and turned to glare at her. "Do you know how sensitive a man’s waist is?!"

Second Madam massaged his back, laughing as she pressed, "I’m not stupid. Incense offerings can be made any day. Why choose today? Did Big Brother instruct this? What’s he trying to do?"

Second Master Lu rolled over to resume sleeping. "Best if you stay out of Big Brother’s affairs!"

Second Madam was livid and tempted to hit him again. "Our son’s inheritance is at stake, and you’re telling me not to meddle? What kind of father are you?!"

In the Old Madam’s meditation room, Nanny Wu stepped out for a moment. When she returned, she exchanged a meaningful glance with the Old Madam.

The Old Madam said to Lin Wan’er, "Go with Nanny Wu."

"Yes, Old Madam."

Lin Wan’er donned her veil and, accompanied by Lu Luo, followed Nanny Wu out of the room. They arrived at a pavilion within the temple grounds.

Beaded curtains surrounded the pavilion, obscuring the view inside.

Yet the presence of several highly skilled guards made it clear that the person behind the curtains held great status.

Nanny Wu delivered them to the pavilion and then stayed behind.

Lin Wan’er, with Lu Luo, entered the pavilion.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to Lu Xingzhou, standing by the stone table. She bowed respectfully, "My lord."

Her gaze then shifted to another figure in the pavilion—a young man seated on a stone bench, dressed in luxurious garments.

The young man’s gaze landed on Lin Wan’er. "Is this her?"

Lu Xingzhou said to Lin Wan’er, "Wan’er, pay your respects to His Majesty."