Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 304 - 284 Honeymoon

Lu Yuan clenched his fist: "Qing Shuang!"

"I’m leaving first."

Ever since the Governor Mansion had been flooded with a bunch of nosy gawkers, Qing Shuang had also become craftier.

Before the Grand Commander’s wrath descended, she decisively joined Tan’er and Bao Shu, cleverly earning herself an exemption from punishment.

Lu Yuan had nowhere to vent his anger, his neck turning red from holding it in.

Meng Qianqian rarely saw him in such a flustered and angry state, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Lu Yuan glanced at her coldly, trying to salvage his dignity: "Don’t listen to Qing Shuang spouting nonsense; I didn’t mean that."

Meng Qianqian suppressed the corners of her mouth: "Oh."

Lu Yuan marched ahead.

A few steps later, the shadows on the ground shook playfully.

Laughing like that... Lu Yuan gritted his teeth: "Meng Xiaojiu!"

Meng Qianqian: Aiya, caught red-handed!

The next day, Meng Qianqian entered the palace to visit Zhou Nanyan.

When she heard Meng Qianqian was also joining the autumn hunt, Zhou Nanyan deflated: "I planned to sneak out of the palace to find you after His Majesty left, but now you’re leaving too..."

Meng Qianqian smiled and gently tapped the head leaning on her shoulder: "Why do you always dream of sneaking out of the palace? Aren’t you afraid of getting punished if discovered?"

Zhou Nanyan grumbled, "Punishment is punishment. Anyway, with Sister Meng and Brother-in-law Meng shielding me, His Majesty wouldn’t punish me too harshly."

After becoming the Meng Family’s son-in-law, Lu Yuan now acquired a new identity — Brother-in-law Meng.

Meng Qianqian found this immensely amusing and wondered how Lu Yuan would react upon hearing it.

Speaking of which, it would be nice if Yan’er could come along.

The departure day was set for the twenty-third, and while the Imperial Guard, Jinyi Guard, and Commander Guard appeared harmonious on the surface, they were already secretly competing fiercely, with many rumored to be training in the middle of the night.

As autumn approached, Nanny Li started her nagging again. It was simply in her nature; she couldn’t change.

"Bring the cloaks, and the lined jackets... lined jackets must be brought too, and they must be new cotton ones. Last year’s won’t do anymore."

"Got it."

Ban Xia complied, packing the trunks to the brim as per Nanny Li’s instructions.

Bao Shu was also packing, with her own little bundle.

"Bring this too, a drum, a fan, peaches..."

She clumsily gathered a pile of small trinkets and snacks, along with her favorite little tiger cub outfit.

"Shoo (packed) it all!"

Then she ran off to Bai Yuwei’s room to supervise.

Bai Yuwei looked at the overstuffed trunk, dumbfounded: "Ah Man, why are you packing so many clothes?"

Ah Man replied, "Miss, it’s getting cold. The Royal Hunting Ground is at the foot of the mountain. They say it’s very chilly there, much colder than our Miaojiang."

Bai Yuwei, visiting the Capital City for the first time, hadn’t experienced its winter and dismissed it lightly: "I still won’t wear that many."

Ah Man added, "We’ll be gone for quite a few days."

The royal autumn hunt was no ordinary event. With such a grand spectacle involving the military, it wasn’t something that could be concluded in just a few days.

"Just my bow will suffice!"

Bai Yuwei was going hunting, not to show off. Besides, she wasn’t afraid of the cold and would rather pack arrows than clothes.

At the gate, a little supervisor clasped his hands behind his back, wearing an old-fashioned expression: "Auntie, don’t be naughty!"

Meng Qianqian went to bid farewell to the Old Madam.

Sitting on the Old Madam’s luohan bed, she gently held the Old Madam’s hand and said softly, "Great-grandmother, we’ll be away for a while. Please look after Cousin for me."

The Old Madam waved her hand: "Got it! I’ll look after Little Li! Make sure he practices his lessons daily, no playing leaf games, no indulging in drinking and partying, and no sleeping with maids."

Meng Qianqian choked: "Cough, Great-grandmother, I didn’t say the last part."

The Old Madam blinked: "You didn’t?"

Meng Qianqian held her forehead: "Great-grandmother, Cousin wouldn’t sleep with maids. You should read less of Zhao Si’s purchased drama novellas."

The Old Madam’s eyes darted: "I haven’t read them."

The day of departure arrived in a flash.

Everyone in the main courtyard rose early; everything had been packed and sorted long ago. All that remained was to load it onto the carriages.

Worried that Ban Xia and Ah Man couldn’t manage everything alone, Steward Cen thoughtfully arranged four nimble maids and three clever servants to assist.

Nanny Li clasped Meng Qianqian’s hand: "You’ve barely been home, and now you’re heading out again."

Meng Qianqian chuckled: "Nanny, I’m going for fun, not for battle."

Nanny Wan chimed in hastily: "Exactly, exactly, don’t worry about the Young Madam... uh... Miss. With the Young Master... no, the Sir around, Miss can just enjoy herself like a casual outing."

Nanny Li gave her a blank look, then glanced sideways at Nanny Wan.

Nanny Wan screamed internally: The Young Master’s gifts were too generous; I just couldn’t stop myself!

Lu Yuan, traveling with the Emperor, had already set off ahead.

Han Ci had dispatched a unit from the Commander Guard to escort Meng Qianqian’s group to the Royal Hunting Ground.

When Meng Qianqian, Bai Yuwei, Bao Shu, and others arrived at the gate, Ji Li and Si Snake had also arrived.

Memories of being struck by lightning still haunted Bai Yuwei, and the moment she saw Ji Li, she bristled: "Why is it you again? What are you here for?"

Ji Li raised an eyebrow: "Heading out to hunt with you all."

Bai Yuwei flatly refused: "I’m not going with you! I don’t want to get struck by lightning!"

"Sigh, I don’t want that either."

Ji Li sighed, snapping open his folding fan, and answered in a roundabout manner, "But what can I do? This Commander Guard is so devastatingly handsome that even the heavens are jealous of my unparalleled beauty."

Bai Yuwei clenched her fist: "Central Plains people are not only cunning but also shameless!"

Bao Shu started bouncing: "Chicky, chicky!"

Ji Li: "Stop calling me that!"

Bao Shu took a deep breath, flapping her little arms behind her: "Chicky chicky chicky chicky chicky chicky chicky—"

Ji Li’s face turned dark.

Meng Qianqian, Bao Shu, Bai Yuwei, Tan’er, and Ban Xia shared a carriage, while the four other maids took another. The servants rode on horseback.

A carriage was prepared for Ji Li and Si Snake as well.

However, Si Snake preferred to ride a horse.

Ji Li, self-proclaimed as the number-one Commander Guard, naturally chose to ride horseback too, eager to show off his charm to the Capital City’s ladies.

Escorted by the Commander Guard, the procession rolled out of the South Gate in spectacular fashion.

A hundred miles south lay a fertile area with lush landscapes.

Low-lying meadows stretched wide, flanked by mountains and rivers. Since ancient times, this land had been a royal hunting ground. Preserved to this day, it housed a sizeable military presence and had fostered a bustling town nearby.

Passing through the town, a cacophony of accents from all corners of the realm filled the air.

Bao Shu was thrilled, shouting excitedly as she pointed to the things she recognized on the street: "Cart cart! Horse! Cow cow! Right dumpling bag!"

Meng Qianqian curved her lips into a smile and asked Brother Wu to buy some meat buns.

Bao Shu took a bite and was instantly disillusioned: "Yuck."

After passing through the town, they entered the government-guarded road.

A familiar atmosphere hit them.

It was a military camp.

"Are they drilling?"

Ban Xia looked at the soldiers sparring in formation on the training grounds and asked.

Meng Qianqian nodded.

Ban Xia marveled: "How impressive!"

Meng Qianqian replied, "This is His Majesty’s first military drill since ascending the throne. Naturally, they want to give it their all."

Ban Xia curiously asked, "Are you and the Sir here to drill as well?"

"We’re here..."

Meng Qianqian had just started speaking when Qing Shuang’s mischievous words about the Grand Commander wanting to bathe together flashed through her mind.

Tan’er, looking worldly-wise, chimed in: "Mom said that when men and women travel together for the first time after marriage, it’s called a honeymoon!"