Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

She wanted to ambush the wedding procession from the Crown Prince Mansion midway.

This way, she could kill Meng Qianqian and frame the Crown Prince Mansion—two birds with one stone.

Shangguan Ling, after hearing the Grand Commander's analysis, came to his senses: "Truly... sinister."

He jumped off the carriage, grabbed the Brocade Spring Saber at his waist, and arrogantly declared, "Young master, no need to waste words with this lot—just kill them!"

He drew his saber and fiercely slashed at Shi Potian.

Shi Potian stood still, watching him calmly. The moment he came close, Shi swung his hammer and sent him flying.

Shangguan Ling tumbled to the ground with his tongue hanging out, eyes rolling back, and a resounding crash.

Yu Zichuan's handsome face darkened as he drew his bow against four opponents.

Lei Bairen swung his axe in one powerful motion, launching Yu Zichuan, bow and all, into the air.

If not for the Houyi Bow blocking the strike, Yu Zichuan would've been cleaved in two.

Yu Zichuan landed heavily on Shangguan Ling.

Just as Shangguan Ling managed to get up, he was slammed back into the pit: "...!!!"

Yu Zichuan: "Hmm, so soft."

Shangguan Ling exploded: "That's my face, damn it!!"

Lu Yuan dusted off his wide sleeves and stepped elegantly out of the carriage: "With skills like this, they're not entirely worth looking at in front of me."

Yu Lingzi, with biting sarcasm, responded: "The Imperial Grandson isn't very capable, but he sure talks big!"

Lu Yuan smirked and swiftly extracted the Heavy Sword from Chen Long's back, slashing fiercely toward the opponent.

The main road was cleaved open with a crack, spreading toward Yu Lingzi's feet in the blink of an eye.

Yu Lingzi struck downward with a palm, halting Lu Yuan's Sword Qi in its tracks.

Whoosh!

A sharp, needle-like strand of Sword Qi soared upward, slicing through her neck.

Shi Potian, hefting his massive hammer, laughed: "Yu Lingzi, even you can get hurt once in a while."

Lu Yuan ran his fingers over the words "Little Nine" engraved on the sword hilt before handing it back to Chen Long: "It's a good sword, though it's my first time using it. I'm not very skilled. Teach me next time."

Yu Lingzi, deeply humiliated, snarled: "Looking for death——"

Lu Yuan smiled faintly: "Yu Zichuan, if you don't show your real skills, I won't bring you along next time."

Shangguan Ling, rubbing his head which had nearly been squished flat by Yu Zichuan: "...You're hiding skills?"

Yu Zichuan: "Oh."

He lazily rummaged through his pocket.

Yu Lingzi scoffed: "Hah, brat, barely out of diapers. I disdain bullying such little punks!"

She spoke but immediately moved to seek vengeance on Lu Yuan.

To her surprise, Yu Zichuan suddenly appeared in front of her.

She turned and looked back at the spot where Yu Zichuan had just fallen—where the man in ragged clothes remained clutching his head in pain. How had this brat closed in on her so fast?

Narrowing her eyes coldly, she said, "Kid, you're no match for me. I advise you to step aside."

But the unthinkable happened.

No matter how she tried to shake him off, this brat clung to her like a shadow.

"Won't drink the toast but insists on the punishment!"

"Found it."

Yu Zichuan pulled out several strange-looking bottles.

Yu Lingzi sneered: "Poison? I'm not afraid of that."

Yu Zichuan: "Oh, it's Gu."

Yu Lingzi's smile froze on her face.

Shi Potian erupted with laughter: "Hahaha, Yu Lingzi, go ahead and play with the kid. I'll take revenge for you!"

Boom!

A heavy fist slammed into Shi Potian.

Shi swung his hammer but was forced back, his arm numbed from the shock.

Shangguan Ling blew on his knuckles: "You really thought I was backing down earlier? Don't think too highly of yourself!"

What the hell!

He used an iron hammer to block me!

Hurts like hell for this Commander!

Lu Yuan: "Pick one."

Chen Long: "No need. Both are mine. You take her and go first."

Lei Bairen shouted: "None of you are leaving!"

Lu Yuan and Chen Long exchanged a glance and simultaneously attacked the Golden Bell Shield and Lei Bairen.

Unexpectedly, although they appeared to be targeting the duo, their palms and Sword Qi suddenly shifted course, converging on Shi Potian.

Shi Potian, caught off guard by the pincer movement: "...?!"

"Haha! Young Master's leaving!"

Shangguan Ling seized the opportunity to escape, leaping onto the carriage with Meng Qianqian and disappearing into the distance!

"Heh, going against the Grand Commander—to deal with you blockheads?"

He wasn't worried about the other three losing; if they couldn't win, they could still run away.

As long as the Young Madam wasn't in their hands, the Grand Commander and Chen Long wouldn't have any weaknesses.

Just as it seemed they'd gotten through this ordeal, the horse began sprinting faster and faster, gradually refusing his commands.

The horse appeared to have gone mad, suddenly charging into the nearby woods.

In the forest lay an ambush, arrows raining down in an overwhelming barrage.

The horse was completely out of control.

A massive net descended from the sky.

"Damn it—"

Shangguan Ling brandished the Brocade Spring Saber. Just as he was about to cut through the poisoned net, he felt his body weaken. "No good, it's poisoned…"

The horse, frenzied, galloped recklessly toward the edge of a cliff.

At the critical moment, Meng Qianqian woke up, using every ounce of her strength to draw a dagger and sever the harness.

The horse plummeted off the cliff.

Half the carriage hung precariously over the cliff edge, creaking as it swayed.

A disguised Xiao Rong'er, her face veiled, stepped out from behind a tree with a radiant smile.

"Well, well, Yan Xiaojiu, the marriage substitution was fake—killing you is the real deal."

Smack!

Meng Qianqian collapsed on the floor, using her body to weigh down the other half of the carriage, struggling to prevent it from falling over the edge.

Xiao Rong'er heard the sound inside and quickly surmised her predicament.

She laughed wantonly: "What makes you think you're worthy of competing with my daughter for the Destiny? So what about the marriage substitution? So what about the Jin Prince Mansion? As long as you die, the Phoenix Girl Destiny will naturally return to my daughter."

"Ah..."

Inside the carriage, Meng Qianqian uttered a hoarse cry.

Xiao Rong'er's eyes carried no trace of compassion, just as when she had seized Shang Jiu's Life Chart years ago.

To her, her two daughters were her very lifeblood, and anyone daring to obstruct their path would be killed without hesitation!

Thud!

Thud!

Meng Qianqian began pounding on the carriage walls.

Xiao Rong'er smirked wickedly: "Are you trying to beg for mercy? Too late. For the sake of my daughter's Phoenix Destiny, I'll kindly ask you to die. As for this marriage... Ha, if the Crown Prince Mansion insists on abducting Liuying's marriage, we're truly in a tight spot. Speaking of which, we really ought to thank you for seducing the Imperial Grandson. Soon, Liuying will don the wedding gown and be whisked away by the Imperial Grandson. With how much Your Majesty cares for the Imperial Grandson, he surely wouldn't mind lending his support, right?"

Thud! Thud! Thud-thud-thud...

Meng Qianqian frantically hammered at the carriage walls.

Xiao Rong'er shot a frosty glance: "Hand me the bow."

Hong Xiu presented her with the bow and arrow.

Xiao Rong'er laughed: "I will personally send you off."

She loosed an arrow into the carriage, infused with potent Inner Strength, shattering the vehicle and revealing Meng Qianqian clad in bridal attire.

The arrow mercilessly pierced her chest, while the overpowering gust gently unveiled her red veil.

But what was revealed wasn't Meng Qianqian's face at all.

Her mouth bled, and dark crimson blood flowed from the gaping wound in her chest, saturating and staining her radiant bridal gown.

She plunged from the cliff, like a forcibly plucked maple leaf, despairing and pained as she stared at Xiao Rong'er: "Mother..."

Xiao Rong'er's expression shifted violently as she scrambled toward the cliff, letting out a heart-wrenching scream:

"No... No... Ziyu——"