Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 517 - 451: Restore Order from Chaos

Cui Hu asked dumbfounded, "Your Highness, are you really planning to enter the palace? You’re really going to complain to His Majesty?"

"It’s to report the truth."

Ji Feng corrected him.

"Yes, yes, yes." Cui Hu quickly nodded. "But isn’t it that we don’t have evidence yet?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Lu Zhaoyan cast a sidelong glance at the two of them. "If I don’t say anything, wouldn’t you two say something anyway?"

Cui Hu coughed guiltily.

Ji Feng said, "I won’t say a word."

Cui Hu’s body trembled, cursing under his breath, "Damn it!"

Lu Zhaoyan looked at Ji Feng. "Why have you returned to the Crown Prince Mansion?"

He remembered leaving Ji Feng by Lu Yuan’s side.

Ji Feng replied, "Young Master Linyuan told me to return to the mansion to check on Madam and Your Highness, mostly to check on Your Highness."

Lu Zhaoyan felt touched. "As expected of my son."

Ji Feng finished his sentence. "To prevent Madam from beating Your Highness to death."

Lu Zhaoyan: "..."

Lu Zhaoyan wasn’t surprised that their conversation with Dou Qingyi had been overheard by these two. The two also knew that Lu Zhaoyan knew.

Emperor Liang had sent Imperial Guards to the Crown Prince, not to spy on him, but because Emperor Liang never truly felt at ease about his frail, overly dependent son.

When he was a child, other boys would roll around shirtless in the snow. Only the second son, bundled up like a dumpling, would shiver uncontrollably and fall sick that very night.

Such incidents were too numerous to count. Emperor Liang was terrified this son of his might die from the slightest mishap.

So, from time to time, he made them report on the Crown Prince’s daily life. If there were villains, they’d watch out for villains. If there weren’t any... Well, if there weren’t any villains, Emperor Liang himself would be the villain.

In the Imperial Palace, the one getting beaten today was the Fourth Prince, the so-called "Wise King."

All because his little nephew had called Treasure Piggy a "fat girl."

When Lu Zhaoyan went to Qianqing Palace to see Emperor Liang, he happened to run into the Wise King, bruised and battered, coming out.

The Wise King shot a glare at the cheerful Lu Zhaoyan without a word and stormed off in a huff.

Lu Zhaoyan didn’t take it to heart.

When you stand high enough, even big things turn into small ones.

Besides, the one beaten was the Wise King. Good, he deserved it.

In the small garden, Emperor Liang was playing Cuju with Treasure Piggy.

The little girl was so small that she could barely lift her legs properly. She didn’t kick the Cuju but instead fell over herself.

Treasure Piggy wasn’t delicate, mind you. She was a little warrior who could wrestle with wolf cubs.

She huffed and puffed as she got up, diving and falling again without a single complaint.

Emperor Liang was immensely pleased.

Now this, this was a true descendant of the Great Liang Imperial Family!

Lu Yuan was sitting lazily on a swing, munching on sunflower seeds.

Lu Qi wasn’t there.

He was in the study learning the principles of statecraft from the Grand Tutor.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived."

Eunuch Yu reported softly.

Emperor Liang frowned. "What’s he here for? Doesn’t he see I’m busy?"

Eunuch Yu was dumbfounded: Busy... watching over kids?

Emperor Liang then spoke solemnly, "If it’s something urgent, tell him to bring it up at tomorrow’s court session! Send him away!"

Eunuch Yu replied awkwardly, "He says it concerns Young Master Linyuan and the Little Miss."

Emperor Liang snapped, "Let him in, now!"

Lu Zhaoyan’s mouth twitched.

Why did his status in the family seem to plummet further every year?

"Your son greets Father Emperor."

Lu Zhaoyan clasped his hands and bowed formally to Emperor Liang.

Lu Yuan turned his head, a smirk on his lips. "Oh, Dad’s here?"

Lu Zhaoyan had been excited all the way here—his son was real, his son was truly his, a child of his and Xiao Bai. He must cherish his son to the very core—

And then, he locked eyes with that sly, half-smiling expression.

The brat’s eyes clearly said: Well, wild dad, here you are!

He reminded himself that this was his biological child, Xiao Bai’s flesh and blood, and Xiao Bai would be heartbroken if their son got a beating.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to strike, and put on a loving, gentle smile. "Dad came to the palace to see you."

Lu Yuan shivered dramatically. "Grandpa Emperor! He’s going to mess with me!"

Lu Zhaoyan’s face darkened.

"Squeak squeak~ squeak squeak~"

Treasure Piggy, clutching the Cuju, bumped straight into Lu Zhaoyan.

She immediately flopped onto the ground in mock distress, her little face all innocence, saying, "Oh no, baby’s fallen~"

Lu Zhaoyan’s heart melted. "Zhaozhao..."

Emperor Liang picked the little one up and lifted her high into the air. Treasure Piggy giggled uncontrollably, her babyish laughter filling the entire Qianqing Palace.

Lu Zhaoyan couldn’t help feeling envious.

Father Emperor clearly had it too easy. Starting tomorrow, no more helping him sift through administration reports.

Today, Treasure Piggy’s biggest wish was to play Cuju. She twisted her tiny body and ran back after the ball.

Emperor Liang turned to Lu Zhaoyan. "Come here."

Then he said to Lu Yuan, "Yuan’er, Grandfather will be back shortly, heading to the Imperial Study Room."

Lu Zhaoyan was dumbfounded: Is this really the Father Emperor I know? Leaving, and he informs the brat just so he won’t worry or search for him?

Lu Yuan, the picture of obedience, replied, "Grandpa Emperor, Dad, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Zhaozhao."

Emperor Liang nodded slightly and left with Lu Zhaoyan.

Lu Yuan pondered: Wild dad suddenly came into the palace to see Emperor Liang—what’s going on?

-

"What did you say? The woman who was with you that night isn’t Qi’er’s mother?"

In the Imperial Study Room, after listening to Lu Zhaoyan’s report, Emperor Liang shot up from his chair in shock.

Emperor Liang had long known about Lu Zhaoyan’s trip to Miaojiang.

He wasn’t particularly upset about it.

After all, what the Great Liang needed was not a useless, mediocre heir but a successor with courage and resourcefulness.

Besides, everyone had their youth, didn’t they?

Who hadn’t dreamed of being a wandering hero in their younger days?

When he was younger, hadn’t he fantasized about roaming the world with a sword himself?

The secrecy was maintained only to avoid complications or anyone using Lu Zhaoyan’s "misbehavior" against him.

Lu Zhaoyan replied earnestly, "To be honest, the woman with me that night was Yuan’er’s mother."

Emperor Liang frowned. "Why didn’t you say so earlier?"

Lu Zhaoyan, full of guilt, said, "Your son... only recently found out as well."

Emperor Liang pondered aloud, "So, this means the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion identified the wrong person? But that can’t be, Qi’er clearly has the royal bloodline of Great Liang."

Lu Zhaoyan asked curiously, "What royal bloodline?"

Emperor Liang sneered. "Did you think you could just randomly acknowledge a son and I’d easily believe he’s my Imperial Grandson?"

Lu Zhaoyan frowned. "Father Emperor, you’re keeping a secret."

Emperor Liang retorted, "Naturally. Without a few tricks up my sleeve, how would I outmaneuver those under me? Forget court officials—even my own sons have been playing the fool while hiding their true abilities all these years."

Lu Zhaoyan thought for a moment. "Father Emperor, are you complimenting your son?"

Emperor Liang: "Have some shame."

Lu Zhaoyan continued, "Was having Linyuan enter the palace also part of verifying his identity as a royal?"

Emperor Liang: "What else?"

Lu Zhaoyan had always believed Father Emperor genuinely liked this grandson, which was why he brought him into the palace to accompany him.

He hadn’t objected.

But now, in hindsight, he felt a chill of fear.

If Linyuan weren’t of royal blood, then what he’d be seeing today would likely be Linyuan’s lifeless corpse.

His Father Emperor was the King of the Martial Realm—a leader so domineering that all anyone noticed was his iron rule. They overlooked the brilliance and cunning that lay beneath.

Emperor Liang gave Lu Zhaoyan a sharp, piercing look. "You dared to report to me without investigating first?"

Lu Zhaoyan said, "Isn’t that what you’re here for? What’s the point of being Emperor if you don’t do your job?"

A suddenly exasperated Emperor Liang: "..."

Looking frostily outside the Imperial Study Room, Emperor Liang’s authoritative presence was like a dragon’s roar. "Summon Prince Jin."