Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

"Sis, sis! Treasure Piggy is so heavy!"

Tan'er pouted, carrying the heavy little chubby girl into the room.

Lu Yuan sat up calmly and said to Meng Qianqian, "I'll go see Grandfather and Grandmother."

Meng Qianqian's eyes shone like clear springs: "Help me check on my brother too."

Before Lu Yuan could refuse, she added, "You go, and I won't have to, I know you care about me the most."

"Hmph."

Someone snorted coldly and left with a blank expression.

Tan'er tilted her head: "Grand Commander!"

Lu Yuan responded seriously with a hum.

Tan'er turned back, watching Lu Yuan pass by her: "I wanted to say..."

Bam!

Lu Yuan bumped his head on the pillar.

Tan'er stammered to finish her sentence: "...watch the road, be careful of the pillar."

Meng Qianqian suppressed the corners of her lips from curling up.

Tan'er shook her little head, placed Treasure Piggy next to Meng Qianqian, sat down heavily, and wiped the sweat from her forehead, exaggeratedly saying, "I'm so exhausted! So exhausted!"

Meng Qianqian glanced at the little one with closed eyes: "Asleep?"

Tan'er said with a grievance: "Yeah, she was playing and suddenly fell asleep! Made me carry her all the way back!"

Originally, the two were playing in Princess Consort Chen's chamber, but the little one insisted on going to the Imperial Garden; after not even two rounds, she just flopped down.

Meng Qianqian smiled, pretending not to see the little one inching closer into her arms.

Tan'er turned her head, eyes wide: "Eh? She moved? Wasn't she just here?"

Treasure Piggy stayed still.

Tan'er turned around.

She moved again.

When Tan'er turned back, she pretended to be asleep.

But who was Tan'er?

Tan'er put her hands on her hips, glaring seriously at the little one: "Treasure Piggy! If you keep pretending to sleep, I'll throw you out!"

Treasure Piggy: "Don't throw me."

Tan'er flared up: "You were pretending to sleep!!!"

Treasure Piggy, seeing she was exposed, quickly got up, huffing and puffing as she climbed to the other side of Meng Qianqian, looking at Tan'er arrogantly.

Tan'er heavily put her hands on her hips: "Treasure Piggy!"

"I heard you shouting from the little kitchen; you should lower your voice, this is the Imperial Palace, not the Crown Prince Mansion."

Ban Xia walked in carrying a food box.

Tan'er folded her arms and looked up: "Princess Consort Chen said, treat her chamber like my own home! In my own home, I can shout however I want!"

Ban Xia said: "Princess Consort Chen was just being polite."

Tan'er pouted: "Hmph."

Meng Qianqian chuckled.

Tan'er's straightforward nature was very much liked by Princess Consort Chen and Consort Jiang.

Besides, the deep palace was usually quiet, so a bit of liveliness was something the two consorts enjoyed.

"Miss!"

Ban Xia couldn't argue with Tan'er, so she cast a pleading look at Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian smiled and said, "Princess Consort Chen's little kitchen has never allowed others in, you're the first."

Ban Xia blushed deeply.

Tan'er said: "See, even Princess Consort Chen likes you."

Ban Xia was secretly delighted, but on the surface, she put on a proper facade, imitating Lu Yuan's manner.

"Miss, this is the red date porridge I cooked, please try some."

She served two bowls, one for Meng Qianqian and the other for Tan'er.

And at this moment, Treasure Piggy flopped backward, arms and legs spread out.

She had fallen asleep for real this time.

"Hurry up and eat, after eating go back to your room and let Miss rest."

Ban Xia said to Tan'er.

Princess Consort Chen had prepared rooms for the two, right next to Meng Qianqian's, so they could care for Meng Qianqian without disturbing her rest.

Tan'er said: "No! I want to sleep with Sister!"

Ban Xia said: "Miss is pregnant, what if you bump into her? You're strong and not gentle."

Tan'er wiggled her little legs: "I sleep very well!"

Meng Qianqian gently laughed: "Ban Xia, you go rest first and come replace Tan'er in the second half of the night."

Ban Xia had no choice but to sigh and agree.

She wished Nanny Li was here.

After the two finished the red date porridge, Ban Xia cleaned up the food box.

As soon as she left, Tan'er rolled into Meng Qianqian's arms: "Sister, Ban Xia is becoming more like Nanny Li!"

Meng Qianqian laughed: "We always need someone cautious by our side."

Tan'er thought for a moment: "Alright then."

She buried her head into Meng Qianqian's arms: "Sister, I missed you."

Meng Qianqian gently stroked her head.

She murmured, "I miss Mom too."

Meng Qianqian just knew.

She wouldn't just cling to her room for no reason.

"Sister, ever since I saw Mom last time in the Miasma Forest, I've often dreamt of her, dreamt she came back."

She held onto the jade pendant around her neck, her voice full of unspoken sadness and loneliness.

Meng Qianqian didn't know how to comfort her.

She didn't understand Tan'er's past, only felt that any words of comfort seemed hollow.

If it were the past her, perhaps she wouldn't have sensed Tan'er's feelings.

But today, she seemed to understand immediately.

"With or without a child, your place in my heart won't change, Tan'er."

"I'll always be by your side, never leaving."

Tan'er buried her head even deeper: "Promise you won't suddenly leave like Mom did?"

Meng Qianqian held her: "I won't, I promise."

Tan'er closed her eyes, drifting into a deep sleep in Meng Qianqian's embrace.

-

Lu Yuan returned to the Crown Prince Mansion, where he proudly announced to Chen Long his upcoming fatherhood and teased Chen Long a bit, mentioning how even Gongsun Yanming bested him, yet he still claimed to be the number one among the Twelve Guards and such.

After dancing on the edge of getting beaten for half the night, he finally contentedly went to the Imperial Palace.

When he went to see Meng Qianqian, he brought back a letter.

"Someone gave it to me on the way, said it's for you, you'll understand after reading it."

He handed the letter to Meng Qianqian, "Checked it, no poison or traps."

Meng Qianqian said: "No need to be so cautious."

Lu Yuan said coolly: "This Grand Commander has always been prudent."

Meng Qianqian wasn't bothered; she heard, "This Grand Commander cares about you."

She opened the letter and immediately recognized Duan Mingyue's handwriting.

Duan Mingyue invited her to meet at a teahouse, didn't specify an hour, leaving it for Meng Qianqian to decide, he'd be waiting.

Meng Qianqian kept the letter: "No time like the present, let's go at dawn."

"Don't you need more rest?"

Lu Yuan asked.

"No need."

Meng Qianqian said, "I'm really fine."

Lu Yuan thought for a moment: "I'll go with you."

Meng Qianqian smiled: "Okay."

Early the next morning, the two took a carriage to Duan Mingyue's teahouse.

It was still the same private room as last time.

Duan Mingyue sat in his wheelchair, while Duan Wenliang brewed tea on the side.

Seeing him so elegant was a rare sight, Meng Qianqian was slightly surprised.

Duan Mingyue saw Lu Yuan also came and gave a knowing smile: "Third Brother, we're meeting again."

Lu Yuan ignored him, sitting down with Meng Qianqian across from him.

Meng Qianqian asked: "Did you find the whereabouts of the remaining Twelve Guards so quickly?"

Duan Mingyue gave a faint smile: "Though I haven't gathered all Twelve Guards, I have another piece of information to trade for Xun Wu's medicine ingredient, which you'll definitely be interested in."

"Oh?"

Meng Qianqian looked at him with feigned curiosity, "What's the news that's more important than the Twelve Guards?"

Duan Mingyue smiled: "Tan'er's background."