Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 542 - 464: The Life Chart is Coming Back

Chapter 542: Chapter 464: The Life Chart is Coming Back

Lady Yan suddenly reversed her grip on Meng Qianqian’s hand, her gaze filled with seriousness and sharpness: "You’ve always been so confident about entering the palace. Is this your doing?"

Meng Qianqian’s expression paused: "What if it is?"

Lady Yan said coldly: "You can even use an innocent child? Aren’t you afraid of causing irreversible consequences? You have children yourself, how can you bear to harm another child?"

Meng Qianqian let out an "Oh" and smiled faintly: "So, Elder Yan understands that children are innocent. Back then, how many children from the Shang family, the same age as Little Nie, were considered innocents? How come at that time Elder Yan didn’t find them innocent? Are the lives of other children lives, but the lives of the Shang family children aren’t? I watched Little Qi being pierced through the chest right in front of me, the blood still steaming hot. He lay on the ground, his small body twitching. It seemed like I heard him say, ’It hurts... Little Qi, it hurts so much...’

Her tone was very calm, as if she were recounting a piece of nonexistent past.

Yet Lady Yan could clearly feel an extreme hatred and grief beneath her calm facade.

Lady Yan’s breath hitched.

Meng Qianqian pried her hand open and said breezily: "Anyone can call me cruel, but not you people from the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion."

Lady Yan stood frozen in place.

Meng Qianqian took out a silver needle and placed it on the table: "Master, please step aside, you’re blocking the light."

Lady Yan actually stepped aside.

The bright sunlight fell on Meng Qianqian’s shoulder, as well as her calm brows and the elusive purple veil.

Lady Yan had a moment of dizziness, unable to distinguish whether the person treating the child was Meng Qianqian or her senior sister who had taken care of her.

"Senior Sister..."

She murmured softly, her eyes involuntarily reddening.

Meng Qianqian heard her voice, her eyes flickered slightly, but she didn’t look at her, instead focusing on the unconscious Little Nie.

The human heart is always complicated.

Lady Yan, are you atoning for your past actions?

Then atone well.

Atone well in endless repentance, as you watch me take revenge on all of you.

With such a big incident, the princes who were supposed to be attending to the Empress’s illness all went to the chamber of Princess Consort Hui to visit Little Nie.

Emperor Liang had just ascended the throne, the palace rules here in the Great Zhou Palace weren’t as strict, especially with the concubines getting older, there’s no need to avoid suspicion.

In the side hall, the Empress sat in the main seat.

Consort Hu and Consort Jiang sat on either side.

Consort Hu’s face had been slapped swollen by Consort Jiang, and a palace maid was applying medicine to it.

Prince Jin and Prince Fu sat beside their respective mothers, glaring at each other fiercely.

The camps among the princes were becoming clear.

Lu Zhaoyan and Lu Yuan didn’t get involved, sitting in the courtyard under the pretense of sunbathing their little one.

Consort Yu also came to comfort Consort Jiang, and as she passed the father and son, she winked at Lu Zhaoyan: "Are you still going to act?"

Lu Zhaoyan cleared his throat and gestured to stop the act.

Consort Yu: I won’t return the favor then.

Lu Zhaoyan: First thing in the morning, tricked by a treacherous son out of five thousand taels and now owing a favor to Consort Yu, what kind of logic is this?

Emperor Liang had already sent someone to investigate the matter thoroughly.

Consort Jiang brought her little grand-nephew into the Imperial Palace for a stay, showering all her affection on him since she had no grandchildren of her own.

But this morning, when her little grand-nephew was playing in the Imperial Garden, he was pounced on by Consort Hu’s white cat, scratching three bloody marks on his back hand.

Consort Hu’s cat had attacked people before, even biting Lu Pingting, Consort Hu’s own granddaughter—daughter of Prince Jin and Princess Jin.

Years had passed, and the little white cat had become an old white cat, but its habit of scratching and biting hadn’t changed a bit.

In the past, it had only clawed palace maids and eunuchs, but today it had fallen into the hands of Consort Jiang, who was not accustomed to such things.

After applying the medicine, Consort Hu pitifully said to Emperor Liang: "Your Majesty, you must stand up for me—"

Consort Jiang angrily declared: "Stand up for what? If something happens to Nie’er, I want your life!"

Consort Hu’s body trembled, her eyes red: "Cousin—"

Consort Jiang sprang up and pointed at her nose: "Shut up!"

Consort Hu retorted angrily: "Consort Jiang, why are you so fierce?"

Consort Jiang shouted angrily: "Why not be fierce to you? I even want to kill you! Others might fear you! But I don’t! Confess honestly, did Nie’er stumble upon some unspeakable secret of yours, is that why you want to kill him to silence him?"

Consort Hu was completely stunned: "What nonsense are you spouting? Who has a secret, who wants to silence anyone? Ji Xiang wasn’t doing it on purpose! It must have been your grand-nephew that scared it! Ji Xiang is very well-behaved!"

Ji Xiang was the name of the white cat.

Consort Jiang sneered: "Well-behaved? Who in the palace doesn’t know its notorious reputation?"

Consort Hu choked: "You—"

Consort Jiang coldly glared at Gongsun Liuying, who was awaiting punishment: "I won’t comment on the little beast biting people, but how should we account for your granddaughter-in-law almost killing my Nie’er with a needle?"

Consort Hu was instantly rendered speechless.

After a pause, she furiously demanded: "Who’s to say that child wasn’t already sick?"

"Who are you calling sick?"

Consort Jiang slapped another slap towards Consort Hu.

Consort Hu, seeing this, grabbed a teacup from the table to throw at Consort Jiang.

Prince Jin and Prince Fu hurriedly restrained their mothers.

Inside the hall descended into chaos.

In the courtyard, Lu Yuan watched as both parties dared to fight in front of Emperor Liang, couldn’t help clicking his tongue: "Now, Consort Hu can’t clear her name even if she jumps into the Yellow River."

If Consort Hu insisted it was an accident, she’d have to admit Gongsun Liuying’s lack of medical skill.

If Gongsun Liuying wanted to preserve her unparalleled reputation, the only way was to shift the blame to Consort Hu, saying she was acting under her orders.

Now, with interests opposing each other on both sides.

The child’s injury wasn’t originally Lu Yuan’s intention. Even if he’d been a treacherous minister for many years, he wouldn’t use a child to set a trap.

But one has to admit, this accident came at a perfect, timely moment, a hundred times better than Consort Yu’s bitter scheme.

Lu Zhaoyan’s thoughts were similar to his son’s; he hoped Nie’er would be safe, but since it had happened, it seemed like even heaven had its hand in it, as if even the heavens were aiding them.

Thinking of this, he glanced at the sleeping Treasure Piggy in his arms, asking: "Are you sure your daughter-in-law can heal Nie’er?"

Lu Yuan replied seriously: "Who told you she is your daughter-in-law?"

Lu Zhaoyan didn’t spare any dignity for his son: "You’ve been swooning in front of that door all morning."

Lu Yuan: "...It seems you’re not intent on being a father."

Just when things between Consort Jiang and Consort Hu were getting out of control, Lady Yan came back to report.

"How is Nie’er doing?"

Emperor Liang asked sternly.

Lady Yan bowed: "Fortunately, I did not fail the task. The young master has been saved."

"Nie’er—"

Consort Jiang immediately dashed out the door.

Consort Hu let out a sigh of relief.

Consort Jiang was practically a madwoman; if Nie’er had really died, she would have truly gone all out against her.

The Empress’s expression eased: "That’s excellent, Nie’er is fine. Elder Yan is truly deserving of being the twenty-seventh inheritor of the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles. Someone, this palace will generously reward Elder Yan."

Lady Yan looked toward Emperor Liang and the Empress: "It was not I who treated the young master, but my apprentice."

Gongsun Liuying was taken aback.

The Empress was surprised: "Oh?"

Emperor Liang inquired: "What is your apprentice’s name?"

Lady Yan replied: "Yan Xiaojiu."

Emperor Liang exchanged a glance with Eunuch Yu.

Eunuch Yu raised his horsetail whisk: "Summon Yan Xiaojiu for an audience—"

Meng Qianqian donned a veil and, guided by the Palace Attendant, entered the side hall with poise.

The once clear sky suddenly filled with rolling thunderclouds.

In that fleeting moment when she brushed past Gongsun Liuying, thunder and lightning echoed above everyone’s heads, as if something eternal and unchanging at the pinnacle of the sky had finally begun to crack open.