Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

In the camp, Duan Mingyue and Duan Wenliang were having dinner.

Just like what Lu Yuan and the other two were eating, it was also steamed buns and pickles.

Duan Wenliang opened a bundle and took out a package of dried meat, "Brother, eat this."

Duan Mingyue said, "Eat it yourself."

He wasn't very fond of eating, so Duan Wenliang didn't insist and tore the dried meat to eat himself.

"By the way, Brother, will Xu Zhongping agree to side with the Eldest Princess? I feel he's like a tough bone that's hard to chew."

"There's no soft bone in the Black Armor Army."

Duan Mingyue said.

Duan Wenliang hurriedly asked, "So are we going to be miscalculating?"

He turned his head and sighed deeply, "The conditions offered by the Eldest Princess of Great Liang are really tempting."

Duan Mingyue neither confirmed nor denied, just smiled.

Duan Wenliang asked in surprise, "Brother, your expression... is it telling that we have hope?"

Duan Mingyue broke open the steamed bun and said confidently, "The Black Armor Army will definitely side with the Eldest Princess."

-

After Meng Qianqian rescued Chen Long from the Trapped Dragon Formation, the group went to the streamside.

Once she finished treating Chen Long's injuries, Lu Yuan along with Ji Li and Si Snake also arrived there.

"A Snake!"

Ji Li was very excited to see Si Snake, "What a coincidence, you're here too! How did it go? Did you kill that horse? Where's the head of that son-of-a-bitch? Let me see!"

Si Snake said, "I didn't kill him."

Ji Li was dumbfounded, "Why didn't you kill him? That son-of-a-bitch deserved to die countless times. It was impossible to kill him before, and now you had the chance, yet you let him go?"

Lu Yuan smiled faintly, "Isn't it possible that he escaped Si Snake by his own strength?"

Ji Li bristled, "No way!"

Lu Yuan gave Si Snake a meaningful look and stopped paying attention to the matter of Wu Ma.

He walked to Meng Qianqian's side, quietly waiting for her to finish bandaging Chen Long's wounds.

"Oh, Chen Long has become Sunken Dragon."

Chen Long glared at him.

Lu Yuan, as if performing a trick, took out a heavy sword from behind.

Chen Long's eyes gleamed.

"I dug out the sword for you; call me little brother-in-law and I'll give it to you."

Chen Long clenched his fingers.

"Not calling?" Lu Yuan turned to Cui Hu, "The legendary Azure Dragon Sword, gifted to you."

Chen Long's sharp gaze shot towards Cui Hu.

Cui Hu's scalp tingled!

Oh heaven, King Yama is fighting, don't let us little demons get caught in the crossfire!

Meng Qianqian said to Lu Yuan, "Little brother-in-law, I said it for my brother."

Lu Yuan: "..."

The group took a short break by the stream.

"Can we light a fire?"

Cui Hu asked Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan said breezily, "Ask your Young Madam."

"Alright!"

Cui Hu went to ask Meng Qianqian.

Lu Yuan: Isn't there even a little hesitation?

Meng Qianqian said, "Light it."

In warfare, lighting a fire on someone else's territory is highly forbidden as it easily exposes you.

But since the Young Madam said it's okay, it probably won't be much of a problem.

Cui Hu started the fire, caught some game, and picked some wild fruits; this was the most sumptuous meal they had since entering the mountains.

The group sat around the fire and exchanged important information.

Among the Black Armor Army, there are at least two Twelve Guards—Wu Ma and Zi Shu.

Wu Ma has already appeared.

If you count Mao Tu, that makes three.

The second crucial message is that Yun Commandant Yun Chaomu of the Black Armor Army and Capital Commandant Song Yingzhong have been recruited.

"Let's talk about the Twelve Guards first."

Si Snake said, "I suspect there may be more than those three."

Ji Li said, "You're saying that Gou Wa and Da Niu are also there?"

Si Snake paused, "Yes."

Ji Li looked at Meng Qianqian, "Little Yin Hu, what do you think?"

"Whether they are or not doesn't matter."

The Black Armor Army is something she is determined to reclaim.

Meng Qianqian went to the stream to wash her face.

Lu Yuan followed and sat behind her, "Those Twelve Guards, you don't get along with them?"

His insight surprised Meng Qianqian, but then she thought he had always been like this.

Regarding the Black Armor Army, he wouldn't interfere but always silently stayed behind her, just like now.

Meng Qianqian said, "Wu Ma, you should have heard Ji Li talk about."

Lu Yuan responded with a sound, "Lustful and wicked, he's not aligned with Ji Li and Si Snake, nor does he have much relationship with your mentor Yin Hu or Chen Long.

"Among the Twelve Guards, there are knights, swordsmen, and desperados. Wu Ma, Zi Shu, and Xu Dog are all desperados."

Meng Qianqian didn't explain why she wanted to recruit desperados.

It's trust built through day-to-day interactions.

She believed he understood.

Lu Yuan said, "Rather than letting them do misdeeds outside, it's better to recruit them for our use; they can fight, and under Chu Nan's nose, they might restrain themselves somewhat."

Meng Qianqian said, "That was the initial plan."