Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 567 - 482: Little 9’s Daddy

Chapter 567: Chapter 482: Little 9’s Daddy

Lu Yuan’s lips curled up—a picture of elegance and youthful exuberance.

Only Gao Meng and Gao Yao, the brothers, bore the brunt.

Who could understand returning home from a simple outing stuffed with unasked romantic drama?

When the carriage reached the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, the Jin Prince Mansion’s carriage was also present.

Lu Qi happened to step out of the pavilion, bumping directly into Lu Yuan and Meng Qianqian.

Lu Qi looked icily at Meng Qianqian and said, "With such malice in your heart, do you deserve the title Phoenix Girl?"

Lu Yuan stepped forward, his tone brash and unruly: "Hey, show some respect to your future sister-in-law."

Lu Qi frowned, "Future sister-in-law?"

Meng Qianqian turned to Lu Yuan, who had spoken on her behalf, and said, "Your Highness, I haven’t agreed to your pursuit yet."

Lu Yuan, unfazed, simply replied, "Understood."

Lu Qi stared at the two in utter disbelief, rendered momentarily speechless.

Lu Yuan turned to Meng Qianqian and said, "I’ll drop you off here today. It’s rare to encounter my younger brother, who’s been convalescing in the Imperial Palace—a chat between siblings is overdue."

Lu Qi, cold as ever, said, "There’s nothing for us to talk about."

Lu Yuan’s lips curved again: "Come now, we’re family—don’t be so distant."

"You two take your time; Little Nine will excuse herself," Meng Qianqian said before heading into the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion with Gao Meng and Gao Yao in tow.

Lu Qi watched her intently, as though trying to discern something from her demeanor.

Lu Yuan brazenly stepped in to block his gaze: "Isn’t it inappropriate for a younger brother to keep staring at his elder brother’s woman?"

Lu Qi dismissed Lu Yuan’s antics and turned to leave.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Leaving in such a hurry?"

Lu Qi got onto his carriage.

Lu Yuan lifted the curtain and climbed in, plopping himself onto the opposite seat.

His movements were so swift that the coachman didn’t have time to react. One lift, one drop of the curtain, and he found himself utterly bemused.

Lu Qi glared icily at him: "What are you trying to do?"

Lu Yuan, nonchalant, replied, "Got tired of horseback riding. Since you’re heading back to the palace anyway, give me a lift."

Lu Qi, expressionless, said, "I’m returning to Jin Prince Mansion."

"Oh," Lu Yuan said indifferently, "then take a detour and drop me off on the way."

Lu Qi chose silence over engagement.

Lu Yuan tapped the side of the carriage and instructed the coachman, "To the palace."

The coachman hesitated, glancing back at the tightly drawn curtains: "Commandery Prince?"

Lu Qi knew Lu Yuan was shameless to a fault. Even if he truly went to Jin Prince Mansion, Lu Yuan would brazenly tag along.

Lu Qi grumbled impatiently, "Go."

"Yes, sir."

The coachman cracked the whip, guiding the carriage forward.

The carriage jostled along the bustling streets.

Lu Qi closed his eyes to rest, unwilling to exchange even a single word with Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan chuckled and reached for the snacks on the table.

But Lu Qi snatched the plate away a moment before he could.

Lu Yuan clicked his tongue, "It’s just a snack; don’t be so stingy."

Lu Qi replied icily, "I’m worried you’ll get poisoned in my carriage. Explaining that to Grandfather would be a hassle."

Lu Yuan reached out again, took the plate, and picked an Osmanthus Cake. "You’re overthinking it. I’m not like you—wouldn’t stoop to injury-through-sympathy tactics."

"Oh, is that so?" Lu Qi sneered.

Lu Yuan thought of the time he had set fire to Mr. Zi Wu’s courtyard and rubbed his nose in mild embarrassment.

Lu Qi said coldly, "Don’t waste time probing for information. You won’t learn anything from me."

Lu Yuan shook his head. "It’s absurd that catching a ride now invites conspiracy theories."

The carriage arrived at the palace.

Lu Yuan disembarked.

Not forgetting, he discreetly planted a Gu.

The coachman lifted the curtain: "Commandery Prince, are you all right?"

Lu Qi held up a dying Gu Worm between his fingertips: "Miaojiang’s poison Gu. And you claim you have nothing to do with Miaojiang?"

Lu Yuan had just stepped into the Diligent Governance Hall when a chilling voice called out from behind him: "What have you done to Lu Qi?"

Lu Yuan turned around, staring oddly at the impassive Lu Zhaoyan. "Why slink around like a thief?"

The scenario where he startled his son into shock didn’t play out to Lu Zhaoyan’s satisfaction.

Lu Zhaoyan abandoned pretense, stepping out from behind the bamboo. "I heard you rode back in Lu Qi’s carriage. Did you mess with him?"

Lu Yuan replied breezily, "Didn’t mess with him. Just casually planted a Gu."

Lu Zhaoyan nearly collapsed: "You planted a Gu on him? Are you just handing him evidence against you?"

Lu Yuan: "Exactly."

Lu Zhaoyan: "..."

Lu Zhaoyan felt fury rush to his head but quickly realized Lu Yuan’s strategy: "You’re hoping he’ll denounce you to His Majesty, aren’t you? Right now, the two of you are competing for the Qilin identity, and your grandfather just said no one should question your lineage. If he causes trouble, not only will he anger your grandfather, but it’ll also look like he’s framing you out of spite."

"But don’t expect too much; he’s not that impulsive."

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "He might manage the first time, but two, three, five, six, seven, eight times?"

Lu Zhaoyan paused, looking at him with an indescribable expression: "Is this plan...just shameless?"

Lu Yuan, deadpan, responded: "When water is too pure, no fish can survive. When schemes are too shameless, there’s no counter."

Lu Zhaoyan: "..."

-

When Meng Qianqian returned to Lady Yan’s courtyard, Hong Xiu was waiting at the entrance.

Hong Xiu said, "Miss Yan, Madam requests your presence."

Meng Qianqian scoffed, "Whatever she has to say, let her say it here."

Hong Xiu glanced at the two men behind her. "Miss Yan, please speak with me privately."

"Fine."

Meng Qianqian turned to Gao Meng and Gao Yao. "Gentlemen, I trouble you to wait under the veranda. Keep me within your sight at all times."

Gao Meng and Gao Yao nodded, moving to the veranda with hawk-like vigilance toward Hong Xiu.

Hong Xiu hadn’t expected Meng Qianqian to be so flagrantly unbridled. She didn’t even bother pretending. Clearly, she had poisoned the Pavilion Master, yet she acted with utter impunity while they, the supposed victims, tiptoed around the issue.

In hindsight, it made sense. Those unafraid to lose had nothing to fear from those burdened by stakes.

If they accused her of poisoning the Pavilion Master, she could just as easily accuse the Madam of attempting to assassinate her.

As a false Phoenix Girl, she wouldn’t risk leveraging the Madam’s safety.

Hong Xiu said, "Elder Yan has been captured. Miss Yan, please hand over the antidote, or his life will be in peril."

Meng Qianqian smirked: "Antidote? There is none."

With that, she sauntered away.

Hong Xiu stood dumbstruck.

Meng Qianqian’s smile dissolved into a sharp, cold line as she walked away.

Gongsun Yanming, it’s time to reveal your trump card.

Hong Xiu reported everything to Xiao Rong’er.

Xiao Rong’er was livid.

Gongsun Yu was present as well.

In truth, he was also shocked—being ruthless to outsiders was one thing, but how could she disregard her own master’s life?

Xiao Rong’er gritted her teeth: "She’s bluffing! There’s no way she doesn’t care about Yan Hanshuang’s life. Torture her severely!"

Whether it was a bluff didn’t matter. What mattered was that her elder brother couldn’t afford the delay. Even if they quarreled to a conclusion, it might be too late by then.

Gongsun Yu entered the secret chamber. "Brother, that girl refuses to hand over the antidote."

Black lines had already spread across Gongsun Yanming’s palm, creeping up his arm to his shoulder. Once they reached his heart, it would be too late to save him.

The last time Gongsun Yanming had been cornered so desperately was during his battle with Shang Jue.

Shang Jue had stormed the Broken Soul Cliff of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, surviving nine hellish trials to retrieve Zhongli Yuan from the Pavilion’s forbidden grounds.

Drained of power, Zhongli Yuan clung to his broad back. Covered in blood, his gaze remained resolute and sharp.

"Ah Yuan, are you afraid of death?"

"I am, but I fear living without you more."

"Good. Then we’ll face it together."

...

"Ah Yuan, I can’t see."

"I’ll be your eyes."

"Good."

Shang Jue tied Zhongli Yuan securely to his back with his outer robe, blinding himself with his bloodstained headband.

"Blade on your right!"

"Swing! Slash!"

"One zhang ahead, there’s a small stream. I don’t want my skirt wet—jump farther."

Zhongli Yuan smiled sweetly as she lay on his shoulder, staring down a cliff of death.

He raised his sword, standing at the precipice of the abyss. Inked with blood and sweat, he leapt across the impossible chasm with Zhongli Yuan bound to him.

As they landed.

Zhongli Yuan’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Shang Jue..."

Shang Jue smiled faintly: "The skirt didn’t get wet, did it?"

At that moment, all creation seemed to pale and dim.

That man, as resolute as the heavens, stood proudly atop the mountain—like a god.

What mortal could challenge the divine?

Gongsun Yanming conceded defeat without a fight.

Shang Jue didn’t even spare him a glance, striding away with Zhongli Yuan on his back.

Everyone thought he was fighting to reclaim Zhongli Yuan, but he knew his true enemy had always been Shang Jue, the man who had once terrified him to his core.

Only by killing Shang Jue could he free himself from that shadow and become invincible.