Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 366 - 341: The Whereabouts of the Child

"Let me listen."

Meng Qianqian squeezed in front of Lu Yuan and pressed her ear against the heavy, cold iron door.

Lu Yuan looked at the woman wriggling around in his arms, took a deep breath, and used his broad body to shield her, ensuring her ungraceful display wouldn’t be seen by Chief of Staff Xing and Steward Hu. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Steward Hu thought to himself, "I wouldn’t dare look anyway."

When the Grand Commander turned his head, those dagger-like eyes were sharper than a treasure sword drawn from its scabbard!

Meng Qianqian wished her ears could grow attached to the wall. "Uncle Xing, why can’t I hear anything?"

Chief of Staff Xing explained, "This isn’t an ordinary prison cell. There are three stone doors, and even the top martial experts can’t hear what’s happening inside."

Despairing, Meng Qianqian clung to the door. "So the Ministry of Justice actually has such a tightly secured place."

Steward Hu muttered, "Mainly because no one expected you’d eavesdrop here."

Steward Hu received yet another icy glare from the Grand Commander.

"Can you open a crack in the door? Just a tiny little bit."

Meng Qianqian gestured with her fingers.

Chief of Staff Xing pondered for a moment and said, "The door is locked from the inside; it can’t be opened from this side. These cells were specifically designed to guard against situations like this."

Meng Qianqian: "Oh."

So in this case, the thief turns out to be me.

Just when Meng Qianqian was mulling over how to sneak inside to eavesdrop, the cell door opened.

Chen Long walked out alone.

Chief of Staff Xing visibly relaxed.

Chen Long stared at the four sneaky onlookers... though only Meng Qianqian looked sneaky, and he asked, "What’s the matter?"

Steward Hu was dumbfounded: "You broke into the Ministry of Justice, and you’re asking us... what’s the matter?"

Chen Long thought for a moment, then turned to Chief of Staff Xing and said, "My breaking into the Ministry of Justice has nothing to do with Young Madam Lu."

Lu Yuan’s lip twitched. So, it’s related to me now?

Sure knows how to drag someone else down with him.

Chief of Staff Xing said sternly, "Chen Long, the Supreme Emperor has issued a decree pardoning you. However, it can’t be publicly announced yet, so the Ministry of Justice will still carry on a sham pursuit of you in the future. Furthermore, if you need to access the Ministry again, please refrain from using today’s methods. I will make proper arrangements."

Chen Long looked at Meng Qianqian. "You went to plead with the Supreme Emperor?"

Meng Qianqian waved her hand and glanced sidelong at Lu Yuan.

Chen Long got the hint. "So you had him plead on your behalf?"

Lu Yuan, stripped of credit by his unapologetic brother-in-law, immediately scowled.

Chief of Staff Xing asked, "Chen Long, what did the Prime Minister say to you? Any new evidence of crimes?"

Chen Long decisively replied, "I can’t tell you."

Chief of Staff Xing frowned.

Meng Qianqian whispered to Chief of Staff Xing, "Uncle Xing, since the Supreme Emperor has issued the decree, Chen Long is no longer a fugitive. We can’t interrogate him harshly. How about letting him go for now, and I’ll find a chance to coax the truth out of him later?"

Chief of Staff Xing nodded reluctantly. "That seems to be our only option."

The three left the Ministry of Justice.

In the carriage, Meng Qianqian asked Chen Long, "Brother, did the Prime Minister agree to your terms?"

"He agreed."

"Then, did you give him the evidence?"

Chen Long was about to say "payment on delivery," but realizing something was off, paused, and replied, "When I see the twins, I will hand the evidence to him personally. Today, I just let him have a look to verify its authenticity."

Meng Qianqian was utterly shocked. "Wait, twins? Are you saying Second Aunt... gave birth to twins?"

Chen Long replied, "That’s what the Prime Minister said. I believe he has no reason to lie about this."

"That makes sense."

No one had ever seen the children. If the Prime Minister wanted to deceive Chen Long, claiming there was only one child would have been smarter. Twins are exceedingly rare, and what’s more, their ages would have to match.

"Second Aunt left two bloodlines for the Shang Family. She really went through unimaginable hardship."

A woman carrying a child for ten months was already arduous and perilous. Having twins made it exponentially more dangerous.

Meng Qianqian couldn’t fathom what Second Aunt must have endured to give birth to these two children amidst the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion’s looming threats.

Chen Long said, "The court has always sought to annihilate the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, but they used scapegoats to cunningly escape. I suspect those two children must be with the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion."

Meng Qianqian said, "The Thousand Mechanism Pavilion has long since left West City. No one knows where they’ve gone; it’s as if they’ve vanished from the martial world entirely."

In her past life, she’d also sought information about the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion’s whereabouts, but every lead fell into oblivion.

She couldn’t figure out how Prime Minister Xun had managed to collude with the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.

Or perhaps, when the Shang Family suffered vengeance from the Loulan people, Prime Minister Xun had already conspired with the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.

What stamina he must have had, biding his time for several years before heading to West City.

Before him, no fewer than a dozen Imperial Envoys and Military Governors had passed through, all leaving without substantial results.

Forced by necessity, he went to war as a civil servant.

The grateful and tearful commoners never associated him with the calamity that befell the Shang Family.

Meng Qianqian clenched her fists. "Prime Minister Xun!"

Chen Long noticed the flash of killing intent in Meng Qianqian’s eyes and regretted causing her displeasure again.

Lu Yuan asked Chen Long, "What dirt does he have on him?"

Chen Long replied, "I can’t tell you."

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Fine, let me change the question—are you seriously planning to hand over the evidence in the end?"

Chen Long answered honestly, "If he delivers both children unharmed, then yes."

Lu Yuan tugged at Meng Qianqian’s sleeve. "Try persuading him."

Meng Qianqian pouted. "He’s so stubborn; it’s no use."

Lu Yuan said flatly, "In that case, I might have to take it by force."

"No—" Meng Qianqian quickly stood between the two, saying to Lu Yuan, "You’ve barely recovered from your last fight, and you’re still injured, remember? Besides, I also want to rescue those children."

Lu Yuan said, "Finding out where they are isn’t difficult."

Meng Qianqian’s eyes gleamed as she grabbed his hand. "You have a way?"

Lu Yuan glanced at her hand on his palm, raised his chin haughtily, and said, "Broad daylight, with others around—try to show some restraint."

Then, he clasped her hand.

Meng Qianqian: "..."

Lu Yuan asked Chen Long, "Did he give you a deadline?"

Chen Long replied, "Within a month."

Lu Yuan speculated, "A month’s time, for a round trip, suggests the place isn’t too far. However, if the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion were that close to the Capital City, it wouldn’t have remained hidden all these years. There’s only one possibility—they’re communicating via carrier pigeon, with the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion delivering the children."

Chen Long said, "You mean to keep an eye on the Ministry of Justice and intercept the letters he sends out."

Lu Yuan sneered, "Do you even know how to read his letters?"

Chen Long angrily shouted, "Lu Yuan!"

Meng Qianqian quickly interjected, "Brother, calm down! I think my husband means the Prime Minister will use a cipher that only his confidants can understand."

Lu Yuan gave Chen Long a look that seemed to say, "Your sister is smarter than you." He then said, "Summon the big bird."

"What big bird?"

"The old man’s eagle."

"Isn’t it in Miaojiang?"

"You call for it."

Meng Qianqian bent her index finger and whistled toward the sky.

Whoosh!

A majestic figure soared through the air, exuding the dominance of the lord of the skies. It dove sharply down—

Only to be caught by Lu Yuan’s chokehold through the carriage window.

The Hunting Eagle squawked, "Gah!"

Lu Yuan placed the eagle on the windowsill. "Stay there. You’re not allowed inside."

The Hunting Eagle folded its wings and pitifully squeezed itself onto the narrow ledge.

Meng Qianqian quickly opened her pouch, pulled out a strip of jerky, and fed it. "Did you not make it to Miaojiang, or have you already returned?"

The Hunting Eagle quietly extended its talon and scraped off a small bamboo tube tied to its leg by the Miao King onto the side of the carriage.

Ahead lay messages worth losing one’s head—not delivering them!