Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 345 - 322: Attack on the Prime Minister’s Mansion

Chapter 345: Chapter 322: Attack on the Prime Minister’s Mansion

Lu Yuan never expected that pretending to be Luo San would come with such risks. If Luo San were merely a drunkard and womanizer, that would be one thing, but even his entire unruly family followed suit! Truly, when the upper beam is not upright, the lower beams go askew!

There was a noise from the roof.

Lu Yuan shut his eyes briefly. "Yu Zichuan, shut your mouth! If you dare say a single word tonight, you’re dead!"

Yu Zichuan closed his mouth with a look of grievance.

Lu Yuan clenched his fists and headed back to the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Just as he was about to enter his courtyard, he changed direction and went to Chen Long’s East Courtyard.

Chen Long was burning the midnight oil.

Reading military texts.

The window was open, the door ajar. On the table were a plate of Osmanthus Cake and a dish of fried pastries—it was clear he was waiting for someone.

Lu Yuan walked in openly, sat down opposite Chen Long, and reached out to grab a fried pastry.

Chen Long didn’t lift his eyes from the book, but his peripheral vision had long caught Lu Yuan’s movement. He swiftly stopped his hand. "It’s not for you."

Lu Yuan’s lips curved into a smirk. "She just left. She’s resting at the Governor Mansion tonight and won’t be coming back."

Chen Long furrowed his brows, finally looking up from the military texts to meet Lu Yuan’s gaze.

Lu Yuan brushed aside his hand, grabbed a fried pastry, and said leisurely, "Her memory must be slipping, forgetting that you were still waiting for her. Fortunately, I remembered."

Chen Long’s murderous intent was barely concealed.

Lu Yuan finally felt vindicated after previously being ambushed, wolfing down half a plate of fried pastries before clapping his hands and leaving triumphantly.

-

Meng Qianqian was roused by a furry little head nudging her. Without guessing, she knew it was Bao Shu.

Meng Qianqian patted the little one’s head.

Bao Shu, seeing she was awake, stretched out her chubby little hand, mimicking the adults, and touched Meng Qianqian’s forehead, then her own.

Meng Qianqian laughed, "I’m not sick."

Bao Shu tilted her head. "Then why do you never wake up?"

"Is it late?"

Meng Qianqian sat up.

Bao Shu pointed to the window and said in her babyish voice, "The sun is shining on your butt!"

Meng Qianqian burst into laughter, "Got it, I’m sorry for worrying you, Zhaozhao."

Bao Shu seized the chance to ask for two comforting kisses. Satisfied, she climbed out of bed to find her new little wolf brother.

Meng Qianqian washed up and got dressed.

She had slept late the previous night, and the exhausting autumn hunt over the past few days had left her tired, which was why she overslept this morning.

It absolutely wasn’t because she had been overly excited last night.

"Miss."

Ban Xia came in carrying a basin of hot water. Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were swollen.

Meng Qianqian, seeing her looking so heartbroken, felt a pang of guilt and almost told her that Lu Yuan was fine.

But the words were swallowed back down.

Luo San knew Lu Yuan’s habits like the back of his hand, even mimicking his behavior and mannerisms with Meng Qianqian flawlessly. This wasn’t how Lu Yuan acted before outsiders.

Both she and Lu Yuan suspected there was a traitor among them.

Luo San cooperating with them didn’t mean he would completely open his heart to them or hold nothing back.

The Miao King had ordered Bai Qingchen to take all the Miaojiang guards, not just to escort "Lu Yuan" to Miaojiang but also to investigate the traitor more thoroughly.

If the traitor were among the Miaojiang guards, Bai Qingchen would follow Lu Yuan’s plan to expose them. freёnovelkiss.com

Meng Qianqian sincerely hoped the traitor wasn’t a Miaojiang person.

Because Prime Minister Xun had always wanted to ally with Miaojiang but never had the opportunity. If a traitor did emerge, there was only one possibility—someone from Miaojiang, taking advantage of the Miao King’s absence, had contacted Prime Minister Xun voluntarily.

"Miss, don’t be too sad. The young master is blessed and will surely survive this..." Ban Xia said while starting to cry.

Meng Qianqian wasn’t sad at all. Their plan was progressing smoothly, and everything was unfolding as Lu Yuan had orchestrated. They were getting closer to toppling Prime Minister Xun.

Her heart was ablaze with the fire of vengeance. If she felt anything, it was an endless determination and the thrill of soon exacting retribution on her enemy.

"Ban Xia." Meng Qianqian took her hand, putting on a sorrowful expression. She spoke earnestly, "The matter of my husband going to Miaojiang to save his life is known only to Steward Cen and the people in our courtyard. Even the Dowager has been kept in the dark, so you mustn’t let it slip."

"I won’t!" Ban Xia choked out, shaking her head. "When I go to the Dowager’s side, I’ll stop crying. If she asks, I’ll say it’s my brother back home who’s had trouble, and I’m just upset."

Meng Qianqian copied Nanny Li’s usual affable tone and patted her hand. "Now I’m relieved. It wouldn’t matter much if you told someone else, but the Dowager is too fragile to bear the shock."

Ban Xia wiped her tears. "Nanny Li already stressed that over and over. But, miss... you have such a miserable life... First, you met the wrong people... Finally, you married such a good man... And you hadn’t even been married half a year... before..."

Meng Qianqian wiped her tears. "Didn’t you just say? My husband is blessed. When he gets to Miaojiang, he’ll surely come back to life."

Ban Xia nodded firmly. "Yes! Miss, if you’re feeling sad, just cry it out. Don’t bottle it up. You’ll make yourself ill, just like madam..."

Meng Qianqian froze. "What happened with madam?"

"She got up early this morning and handed out red eggs and silver notes to the entire courtyard staff... She must’ve gone mad from the shock of the young master’s death... Waaaah—"

Ban Xia broke down in loud sobs.

Meng Qianqian’s body trembled.

Mother, I just kissed him on the lips, and you’re already giving out red eggs?!

It hasn’t even been seven days since your son’s ’death.’ Restrain yourself, please!

-

Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Lu Yuan was also up.

As expected, Chen Long was sitting in his room, bold as brass.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, casually adjusting his sleeves. "Watching a grown man sleep? Chen Long, what’s wrong with you?"

Chen Long slammed the sword box onto the ground. "Are you truly sincere about her or not?"

Lu Yuan asked strangely, "You sat watching me sleep just to ask this?"

Chen Long pressed, "Are you or aren’t you?"

Lu Yuan retorted, "And what about you?"

Chen Long’s brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Lu Yuan smiled slyly. "The Princely Heir of Loulan—don’t you want the Twelve Guards? Don’t you want the Black Armor Army? Don’t you want to restore your country?"

Chen Long’s eyes flashed with killing intent. "How much do you know?"

Lu Yuan said indifferently, "Everything I should and shouldn’t know."

Chen Long gripped the sword box and hissed, "So that night, you were pretending to sleep!"

Lu Yuan chuckled. "I didn’t say that. Also, is your background really that hard to figure out? The Prime Minister knows, Si Snake knows—why wouldn’t I guess? Chen Long, you’re staying by her side with an agenda."

Chen Long stared intently into Lu Yuan’s sharp gaze, not responding directly. Instead, he changed the subject: "I won’t let anyone hurt her."

Lu Yuan replied, "Coincidentally, neither will I."

The two stared each other down, their gazes clashing hundreds of times. Only they knew what schemes were unfolding in their minds at that moment.

Chen Long spoke first. "The Prime Minister has given orders. You’re under house arrest."

Lu Yuan was unsurprised. "He sent you to watch me?"

Chen Long admitted openly, "I swapped places with Shangguan Ling."

Lu Yuan’s mouth twitched.

Chen Long glanced at Lu Yuan’s legs. "If you dare try to escape, I’ll break your legs. Those are the Prime Minister’s orders."

Before Lu Yuan could reply, Chen Long added, "Luo San can’t beat me."

Lu Yuan sneered, "Great, seizing the chance to settle personal scores, huh?"

Chen Long replied expressionlessly, "You asked for it."

Lu Yuan leaned leisurely against the chair and cast him a casual glance. "Do you believe that it won’t even take an hour before you’ll have to let me out of here obediently?"

Chen Long pondered for a moment and replied earnestly, "Impossible. I’ve studied military texts all night. You’re a trapped beast with no way out. From now on, I’ll be the one to search for evidence, and I’ll definitely find the secret chamber."

Lu Yuan chuckled lightly. "Chen Long, Chen Long. In terms of martial arts, we may be equals, but when it comes to strategy, you’ll only be disappointed. Not only will I leave this courtyard today, but I’ll walk out of the Prime Minister’s Mansion! In half an hour."

Chen Long frowned.

Luo San’s fallout with the Prime Minister had been a major rupture, and it was difficult enough that the latter hadn’t killed him outright. There was no way he’d let him walk around freely, stirring up more trouble.

Lu Yuan sat back languidly in his chair. "Fifteen minutes."

"Ten minutes."

"Time’s up."

Just as Lu Yuan finished speaking, shouts of alarm came from the guards outside. "Something’s wrong! The Miao King has stormed in!"