Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 496 - 436 Bai Xiaopang: I am the Crown Princess Consort_3

Chapter 496: Chapter 436 Bai Xiaopang: I am the Crown Princess Consort_3

"Mother..." Gongsun Liuying wanted to explain but hesitated once the words reached her lips. "Forget it, let’s go check on Second Sister first."

Gongsun Ziyu and Tan’er were quarreling in a small garden.

Tan’er was picking flowers when Gongsun Ziyu suddenly lashed her whip.

Tan’er dodged it.

She originally didn’t intend to argue with Gongsun Ziyu, but Gongsun Ziyu began insulting Meng Qianqian, saying she didn’t know her place and dared to imitate her elder sister in practicing medicine to help others, calling it a disgrace and mere mimicry.

Tan’er immediately gave her a punch to teach her a lesson.

By the time Xiao Rong’er and Gongsun Liuying arrived, Gongsun Ziyu was being pinned to the ground by Tan’er, who was relentlessly slapping her.

Xiao Rong’er was furious. Her delicate daughter, whom she wouldn’t lay a finger on, was being assaulted by a lowly servant.

She shot two silver needles at Tan’er.

The needles were about to blind Tan’er when, in the nick of time, another silver needle came flying from the air, directly knocking Xiao Rong’er’s two needles aside and pinning them to a nearby rock.

Xiao Rong’er glanced coldly in the direction the needle flew from and saw a young woman dressed as an Inner Sect disciple walking toward her.

Recognizing her, Xiao Rong’er realized it was Yan Elder’s disciple, who had taken on his surname: Yan Xiaojiu.

"Tan’er."

Meng Qianqian spoke.

Tan’er let go of Gongsun Ziyu and hurried over to Meng Qianqian’s side.

Meng Qianqian cupped her hands respectfully toward Xiao Rong’er. "Greetings, Madam."

She then greeted Gongsun Liuying beside Xiao Rong’er. "Greetings, Senior Sister."

Maintaining her composed and dignified demeanor, Xiao Rong’er said coldly, "You’ve got guts, daring to interfere when this Madam is disciplining a servant."

Meng Qianqian replied, "Xiaojiu didn’t realize Madam was educating the maid of the Young Master. My apologies for the recklessness; I ask Madam for forgiveness."

Xiao Rong’er sneered. "What a clever tongue. So what? Can’t this Madam discipline even Wuyou’s maid?"

Meng Qianqian stepped aside graciously. "Madam, please feel free."

"Mother!"

Supported by Hong Xiu, Gongsun Ziyu got up and threw herself, teary-eyed, into Xiao Rong’er’s arms.

Seeing her daughter’s swollen face, Xiao Rong’er was so enraged she felt homicidal toward Tan’er.

Gongsun Liuying asked sternly, "Second Sister, what did you do to provoke someone again?"

Feeling deeply wronged, Gongsun Ziyu cried, "I was beaten like this, and you blame me? I’m your real sister! Your *real* sister! But you always side with that bastard Wuyou—"

"Silence!"

Gongsun Liuying barked angrily, cutting her off.

The nearby servants, stunned, exchanged glances.

Second Miss just said... what?

*Bastard*?

Meng Qianqian chuckled lightly. "So the Young Master is a bastard? If the Pavilion Master hears this, Miss Ziyu should count herself lucky if this slap was the only punishment."

Xiao Rong’er realized her daughter’s words had been misguided; even if she were justified, she had now lost all footing.

She cast a deep glance at Meng Qianqian, feeling faint unease. There was something extraordinary about this girl’s presence that seemed oddly familiar, almost unsettling.

She remarked dismissively, "Siblings bickering since childhood—such words are spoken without thought. No need to take them seriously. Ziyu, we’re leaving."

Gongsun Ziyu couldn’t hold in her frustration and shouted, "Mother! I want to kill her! I’ll kill her!"

But Xiao Rong’er dragged her away.

Gongsun Liuying stayed behind, standing motionless.

"Senior Sister, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave," Meng Qianqian said, turning to lead Tan’er away.

"Wait." Gongsun Liuying stopped Meng Qianqian. "Just now, the technique you used was the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles. Who taught it to you?"

Meng Qianqian calmly pulled the silver needles out of the rock and replied without emotion, "My master."

Gongsun Liuying replied, "Elder Yan taught even the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion’s secret techniques to you? Seems he values you highly."

Meng Qianqian responded, "I’m the only disciple my master has ever accepted; naturally, he values me. Tan’er, let’s go."

"Let’s go!"

Tan’er skipped after Meng Qianqian.

As Meng Qianqian brushed past her, Gongsun Liuying felt an unexplainable sense of unease in her heart.

She turned around, staring strangely at Meng Qianqian’s retreating figure.

Who on earth is she? Why does she make me... uneasy?

-

After spending the night at an inn cuddling Treasure Piggy, Liu Qingyun finally entered the city early the next morning.

Why early morning? Because two men dressed in black had relayed news of her son’s whereabouts.

"To the Crown Prince Mansion."

"What?"

Both men spoke in unison, doubting if they’d misheard.

Old Li asked, "Third Miss, where are we going?"

Liu Qingyun repeated, "The Crown Prince Mansion."

Old He, perplexed, asked, "Aren’t we going back to the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion? Why are we heading to the Crown Prince Mansion now?"

Stroking Treasure Piggy’s head, Liu Qingyun replied, "You just mentioned a young master recently arrived at the Crown Prince Mansion. Is your information reliable?"

Old He patted his chest. "Absolutely reliable!"

Liu Qingyun asked, "And he’s annoyingly obnoxious?"

Old He affirmed, "Yes, Prince Ming vented all his frustrations at a teahouse, and now the entire Imperial City knows he’s been thoroughly taken advantage of!"

"Then it’s settled."

Liu Qingyun swore on Treasure Piggy’s stash of treats that the annoyingly obnoxious brat was her son.

Old Li protested, "But, we..."

Liu Qingyun interrupted, "Twenty thousand taels."

With that, Old Li cracked his whip. "Alright—let’s go!"

Leaning back with one leg crossed over the other, Liu Qingyun mused, "My son isn’t doing too badly, huh? He’s already wormed his way into the Crown Prince Mansion."

Halfway through the journey, the carriage suddenly stopped.

Eager to see her son, Liu Qingyun asked impatiently, "What’s the matter?"

Old Li responded, "The alley is narrow, and a carriage ahead is demanding we back up to let them pass."

"No way!"

Savvy from her years wandering the martial world, Old Li eyed the seemingly ordinary carriage ahead, guarded discreetly by several experts, and said, "Third Miss, they seem important. Perhaps we should give way?"

"Give way for what?"

Her son had already cozied up to the Crown Prince. No matter how influential the other party might be, could they outrank the Crown Prince?

The Emperor himself might have an imperial carriage, but it couldn’t possibly be him.

Arrogantly, Liu Qingyun declared, "Make them yield!"

The proud Princess of Miaojiang would never condescend to step aside!

Old He went to relay the message.

"Third Miss, they refused to yield and asked who Third Miss is."

"Who am I?"

Raising her voice imperiously, Liu Qingyun replied confidently, "Tell them I am the Crown Princess Consort!"

Her voice was loud enough to startle not only the opposing carriage’s driver but also the hidden experts guarding it.

Since when did the Crown Prince Mansion have a Crown Princess Consort?

Old He and Old Li shivered uncontrollably. Good heavens, she dared to impersonate anyone!

When traveling, identities were self-assigned.

Liu Qingyun was utterly pleased with herself, exuding confidence. "Speechless, are you? State your name, and I may spare your life!"

A slow, measured male voice came from within the carriage opposite. "Lu Zhaoyan, the Crown Prince."

Liu Qingyun: "...!!"