Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 337 - 314: Digging a Pit and Counterattacking

As dawn approached, the autumn rain that had poured all night finally ceased.

The officials at the Ministry of Justice began their morning roll call.

Luo San, dressed in a long robe, knocked on the gates of the Ministry of Justice with a sense of grim determination.

One of the officials, busy with his tasks, shouted absent-mindedly, "Who is it?"

"Luo San."

Luo San replied.

"What ’fallen mountain’?" The official dropped the wooden plaque he was using for roll call, picked it up, and dusted it off with his sleeve. Impatiently, he asked, "If you want to file a report, go to the Metropolitan Governor! If you want to lodge a case, go to the Ministry of Justice!"

Throughout history, the roles of the various government offices differed depending on the era. In this dynasty, cases involving the imperial family or court ministers were largely overseen by the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice was responsible for enforcement of penal laws and the review of major cases, while ordinary cases rarely made it to their doors.

Xun Yu and Wei Mingxuan had been escorted to the Ministry of Justice under specific orders from Princess Wanping; otherwise, the Ministry might not have taken up the case at all.

Luo San sighed, looked at the tightly shut doors, and said, "Your superiors are hunting me down. I’m here to surrender myself."

"A wanted criminal of the Ministry of Justice?" The official was startled. Forgetting his roll call, he hurried to open the gates for Luo San.

But when he flung the doors open to peer out, he found nothing but an empty street—there wasn’t a shadow of a criminal in sight.

Luo San, meanwhile, had been dragged into a burlap sack, jolted along for dozens of steps until he nearly vomited, and finally landed with a sharp ache on a carriage floor.

Meng Qianqian wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Huff, huff... I’m exhausted!"

Recognizing the familiar voice, Luo San frowned instinctively. "Lady Lu?"

Meng Qianqian untied the rope on the sack. "Oh, it’s me. You can come out now."

Luo San crawled out of the sack, immediately spotting Meng Qianqian dressed in night clothes, sitting alongside Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan’s face looked slightly pale, as if he were injured.

Of course, Lu Yuan’s injuries were none of his concern.

"Two questions."

Luo San asked the pair, "First, why did you grab me? Second, why put me in a sack? If you’d just told me directly, I’d have come with you willingly."

Meng Qianqian tightened her grip on the rope, blinking innocently. "Are you sure you wouldn’t resist even a little?"

Luo San replied bluntly, "Would resisting do me any good? I can’t beat you anyway."

Meng Qianqian’s eyes shifted playfully. "Oh no, I feel so faint."

Luo San: "..."

Lu Yuan addressed Luo San, "We brought you here for a reason."

Luo San replied irritably, "I already went to the Ministry of Justice to surrender myself as agreed. What else could you possibly want?"

Lu Yuan said casually, "The plan has changed. For now, you don’t need to surrender."

Luo San sneered, "How convenient—a change of plans. Who do you think you are? Don’t test me; I’ll back out now and refuse to surrender, just to spite you!"

Lu Yuan replied indifferently, "Suit yourself."

Luo San frowned.

Lu Yuan said nothing further.

After waiting a long time without hearing more, Luo San couldn’t hold back any longer and asked coldly, "What exactly do you want from me?"

Lu Yuan, sensing the timing was right, didn’t deliberately keep him in suspense. "We want you to help us with one more task. After it’s done, you can surrender. If you choose not to surrender, as a gesture of goodwill, I’ll let you walk free."

Narrowing his eyes, Luo San said, "You want me to surrender so I’ll testify against the Prime Minister. I’m your key witness. Yet now you’re willing to let me walk away? That’s unusual—unless... you’ve found a more effective way to bring him down."

Meng Qianqian’s eyes widened. "Wow, Luo San, you’re so smart!"

Praise, however superficial, works like a charm. Luo San straightened his posture. "If I weren’t smart, how could I have stayed disguised right under your husband’s nose for so many years?"

Meng Qianqian extended an inviting hand. "Why don’t you join us, then? We need clever allies like you!"

"And if I refuse?"

Luo San asked.

Without hesitation, Lu Yuan replied, "Then we’ll have to make you disappear."

Luo San retorted mockingly, "I’ve already said I’m not afraid to die."

Meng Qianqian crossed her arms. "You’re not afraid to die, but don’t you want to spend a few more days playing the grandson to my grandfather?"

Shaking his head, Luo San replied, "If you’re trying to use that to lure me..."

Lu Yuan interrupted him, gazing piercingly into Luo San’s eyes. "Serving as the Miao King’s ’grandson’ is just a mission. What should lure you is the reward you’ll receive once the task is done. Luo San, all you need to believe is this: I, as the Grand Commander, will ensure you’re compensated to your satisfaction."

-

At the break of dawn.

Chen Long returned to the Prime Minister’s Mansion, covered in blood.

Prime Minister Xun was in the middle of discussing how to salvage Xun Yu’s reputation and the dignity of the Mansion with a few advisers.

Xun Liu, Xun Qi, and Shangguan Ling were all present as well.

Upon seeing Chen Long at the door, the Prime Minister signaled the advisers with his eyes, and they tactfully withdrew.

Chen Long entered the study, the stench of blood clinging heavily to him, almost nauseating.

Xun Qi furrowed his brows.

The Prime Minister, commanding respect without needing to raise his voice, asked, "How did it go?"

Chen Long replied, "Lu Yuan is dead."

Xun Qi, Xun Liu, and Shangguan Ling were all stunned.

Xun Qi was shocked that Chen Long had actually succeeded.

Xun Liu and Shangguan Ling, who had not been informed, were stunned to learn that Chen Long had even attempted to assassinate Lu Yuan.

"Where is the body?"

The Prime Minister asked.

Chen Long wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Si Snake took it."

The Prime Minister twisted the jade ring on his left thumb. No one could discern what he was pondering in that moment; his expression revealed nothing.

"Go tend to your injuries."

"Yes, foster father."

Chen Long dragged his battered body out of the study.

Shangguan Ling said, "Prime Minister, I’ll go check on him!"

The Prime Minister did not object.

Shangguan Ling caught up with Chen Long in the small garden and asked gravely, "Did you really kill the Grand Commander?"

Chen Long responded, "Yes."

Shangguan Ling found it hard to believe. "How? His martial arts are on par with yours... not to mention he had Si Snake with him..."

Chen Long glanced at him. "I don’t need to prove my martial arts to you."

"That’s not what I meant..." Shangguan Ling looked around cautiously and lowered his voice. "Aren’t you close with Meng Xiaojiu? Aren’t you worried he’ll come seeking revenge after you’ve killed Lu Yuan?"

Chen Long paused. "I had no choice but to kill him."

Back in the study.

Xun Qi said to the Prime Minister, "Foster father, did Chen Long really kill Lu Yuan? Should we have Sixth Brother investigate at the Governor Mansion?"

The Prime Minister made a sound of assent.

Xun Liu immediately headed to the Governor Mansion.

Xun Liu, an outer disciple of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, was skilled enough in martial arts to rival the Twelve Guards. Yet, he had not anticipated that as soon as he entered the Governor Mansion, he would be discovered by Bai Qingchen and the Miao King’s Hidden Guards.

Time and again, he tried to infiltrate, but he could never succeed.

"Foster father, the Governor Mansion has heightened its security. I couldn’t get in."

Back in the study, Xun Liu reported to the Prime Minister.

Xun Qi asked, "Sixth Brother, did you see any doctors or Imperial Physicians entering or leaving?"

Xun Liu shook his head. "No."

After pondering for a moment, Xun Qi remarked, "I forgot Meng Xiaojiu is a Divine Doctor himself. If something really happened to Lu Yuan, there’d be no need to summon external experts. But if Lu Yuan truly died, wouldn’t the Governor Mansion have announced his death? Si Snake stole the body, meaning Si Snake saw Chen Long kill Lu Yuan. Given the Miao King’s personality, wouldn’t he already be attacking the Mansion, ready to drag Chen Long and the rest of us down with him in a blaze of glory?"

What on earth was the Governor Mansion up to?

Why couldn’t he see through it anymore?

The Prime Minister said, "Send Lady Yan to the Governor Mansion."