Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 303 - 283: Want to Bathe with You

"No."

Si Snake replied.

Ji Li tapped Si Snake’s arm with his folding fan, "Hey, she asks and you just answer? Aren’t you even going to ask what her intentions are?"

Si Snake calmly said, "Her intentions are hers; the answers are mine."

Ji Li, feeling snubbed, opened his folding fan and suspiciously eyed Meng Qianqian, "Little Yin Hu, what scheme are you plotting now?"

Meng Qianqian blinked her eyes and said, "You answer me first: have you secretly gotten married these past few years? Do you have a confidante or two?"

Ji Li: "Pfft, I, the Commander Guard... confidantes too numerous to count!"

Meng Qianqian: "So, that’s a no."

Ji Li: "Who are you looking down on?"

Meng Qianqian sharply retorted, "You’re so poor that any confidante who stays with you wouldn’t even have a bite of bread to eat."

Ji Li was speechless.

Meng Qianqian rubbed her chin and muttered under her breath, "But the Princess has money. She could easily support ten of you."

Ji Li frowned, "Hey, what are you mumbling about?"

Meng Qianqian said seriously, "Ji Li, your life chart is so overwhelming that ordinary people can’t handle it. You need someone of true noble lineage to prevent your destiny from dragging others down."

Ji Li flicked her forehead lightly with his fan, "Did I ever take you in as my apprentice? And now you’re acting like a fortune teller in front of me!"

Meng Qianqian grabbed his fan, "I’m serious! Do you want to give it a try?"

Ji Li replied exasperatedly, "Just tell me who you’re holding a grudge against and want me to curse, will you?"

Meng Qianqian: "..."

Si Snake interjected, "You didn’t come to us suddenly without a reason, did you? Something’s up, right?"

The marriage of Princess Wanping... Meng Qianqian couldn’t bring it up without making things awkward.

She released Ji Li’s fan and said solemnly, "Hai Pig revealed a key witness to the Ministry of Justice the other day—Luo San. He used to be a client at the Crown Prince Mansion. He acted as the Prime Minister’s lackey, secretly instigating the Crown Prince to wipe out the Chu Family."

"A few days from now, during the Emperor’s autumn hunt and military drills, Luo San is very likely to appear. I hope you two can assist me in capturing him."

After saying this, Meng Qianqian added, "Full room and board included, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables."

Ji Li: "I have no objections."

Si Snake paused for a moment, "Alright."

Meng Qianqian continued, "Ji Li, draw a divination and tell me where Luo San is hiding."

Ji Li shook his fan, "First of all, I need Luo San’s birth chart. Secondly, I need my compass."

Meng Qianqian looked at him oddly, "Where’s your compass?"

Ji Li sighed, "Broken, in the most catastrophic way ever—unprecedentedly shattered, even the needle snapped. Blame him!"

Ji Li shot a glare at Si Snake.

Si Snake recounted what had happened that night.

Meng Qianqian frowned, "So it turns out Hai Pig met one of the Twelve Guards."

Her curiosity deepened—just which of the Twelve Guards had such detailed knowledge of the Chu Family case? It was as if someone was deliberately nudging them step by step toward the truth from the shadows.

"Why doesn’t this person meet with us directly?"

Meng Qianqian couldn’t figure it out.

Ji Li said, "It must be that Xu Dog!"

Meng Qianqian looked at him, "What makes you say that?"

Ji Li analyzed, "Don’t you think? Among the twelve, the one who’s most fond of scheming in secret is Xu Dog. He’s also the most well-informed. Back when the Black Armor Army’s Reconnaissance Camp was under his complete control, it’s no surprise if he uncovered the truth ahead of us."

Although Meng Qianqian’s memory was incomplete, hearing Ji Li mention Xu Dog brought fragments of their interactions to her mind.

"What’s wrong?"

Si Snake noticed something was off with Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian pressed her temples, "A bit of a headache, nothing major."

In her recollection, Xu Dog had indeed been in charge of intelligence. He came from a scout background, and his subordinates were all skilled as hunting eagles.

Could it really be Xu Dog?

Meng Qianqian said, "Still, if it is Xu Dog, why doesn’t he acknowledge us directly?"

Si Snake furrowed his brows slightly, also puzzled by this.

Ji Li said, "Hah, he probably suspects we’re traitors too!"

Meng Qianqian mulled it over, "For now, that’s the only explanation."

Ji Li, shaking his fan, said, "Rather than guessing here, why not just ask Hai Pig directly?"

Meng Qianqian: "You ask."

Ji Li stretched out his hand, "Five copper coins! Plus food!"

Meng Qianqian: "Deal."

Despite her words, Meng Qianqian didn’t actually believe Ji Li could get Hai Pig to reveal the other person’s identity.

No matter who the person behind the scenes was, it didn’t currently change things. As long as their objectives were aligned, this was already a sufficiently favorable situation.

Meng Qianqian paid a visit to Granny Feng. The weather was getting colder, so she made some autumn pear paste, bought new quilts and thick bedding, and helped Granny Feng replace her old ones.

Lei Qianfu wasn’t around, but knowing that Meng Qianqian had tried and failed to visit him last time, he had left the keys with Granny Feng so she could enter directly.

Meng Qianqian had prepared several jars of autumn pear paste and a few fine jugs of Daughter Red wine for him as well.

Looking at a cluster of bamboo growing in the yard, she subconsciously remarked, "The little bamboo shoots from back then have grown so tall."

"Big brother, what are you doing?"

"Call me uncle."

"Oh, Uncle, what are you doing?"

"Planting flowers. The ones I planted a few days ago died again. Are you here by yourself? Where are your parents?"

"My parents are dead." freeωebnovēl.c૦m

"Hey, hey, don’t cry! I didn’t mean to... I didn’t know your parents were gone... Well, you must have other family members at home..."

"Waaaah—"

No, no one was left.

The Shang clan... only she was left.

"Uncle, can I plant a bamboo here? If you let me plant it, I won’t cry..."

"Plant as many as you like! Just don’t cry!"

Meng Qianqian touched the bamboo, and waves of memories long buried resurfaced, "So that’s how it was."

-

When Meng Qianqian returned to the Governor Mansion, Tan’er had just come back from the Princess Mansion.

Meng Qianqian asked, "How was it?"

Tan’er rested her head on her fists with a blissful expression, "The braised pork at the Princess Mansion was soooo delicious!"

Meng Qianqian facepalmed, "I was asking if Princess Wanping has agreed to attend the autumn hunt."

Tan’er animatedly replied, "She didn’t want to go at first, but when I told her that you, the Grand Commander, and Treasure Piggy would all be there, she agreed! Sis, I really love the Princess Mansion!"

Ban Xia entered the room carrying Meng Qianqian’s clothes, "You just like the braised pork there, don’t you?"

Tan’er stuck her tongue out at Ban Xia.

Ban Xia teased, "Why don’t you go work as a maid at the Princess Mansion then?"

Tan’er pouted, "No way!"

Ban Xia put the clothes into the wardrobe, "Then no more braised pork for you?"

Tan’er crossed her arms and looked up dramatically, "I’ll kidnap the cook!"

Ban Xia burst out laughing.

The maids and older women working in the courtyard also laughed heartily.

That evening, the family took a stroll around Tinglan Garden after dinner, casually watching Treasure Piggy and Tan’er engage in their usual mischief.

Meng Qianqian looked around, "I haven’t seen Yu Zichuan all day. Where is he?"

Lu Yuan answered, "He went to the hunting grounds."

Meng Qianqian was baffled, "So early? There are still a few days left."

Lu Yuan replied serenely, "The hunting grounds have natural hot springs, but there aren’t many of them. First come, first served."

Meng Qianqian nodded, "The Grand Commander’s cold condition hasn’t healed yet, and soaking in a hot spring would do you good."

Lu Yuan stated coolly, "You can soak in one too."

Meng Qianqian smiled, "My cold condition has already been cured."

Qing Shuang interjected, "The Grand Commander meant he wants to bathe with you."