Chapter 351: Another Joyful Occasion
Chapter 351: Another Joyful Occasion
"Where is Ling Shan?" Meng Qianqian asked.
Lu Yuan replied, "You're from Youzhou, and you don't know about Ling Shan?"
Meng Qianqian was taken aback. "Ling Shan is in Youzhou?"
Lu Yuan said, "Not exactly. The fastest water route from the capital to Ling Shan is by boarding the ship at the Youzhou Wharf."
The Majestic King tossed a token to Celestial Dragon, saying, "Ling Shan is in the southwest, not far from Miaojiang. If you encounter trouble, you can seek help in Miaojiang."
Celestial Dragon bowed to the Majestic King, "Thank you, Senior Majestic King."
The Majestic King sighed, "Alas, the Shang family has been loyal and valiant for generations. It's a pity I never got to meet them, and I couldn't lend a hand when the Shang family faced extermination. Since there are still descendants of the Shang family, how can I stand by and do nothing?"
Celestial Dragon bowed, "Senior, your kindness is unforgettable!"
Meng Qianqian was stunned.
Shang Xu...
Ever since the Shang family was exterminated, her brother had never used that name again.
The Majestic King said to Celestial Dragon, "This journey is perilous; caution is paramount. The two children still have some use, and the Thousand-Mechanisms Pavilion won't kill them. When necessary, there's no need to resist forcefully."
Celestial Dragon didn't respond.
Meng Qianqian understood that once her brother made a decision, not even ten oxen could change his mind.
He would rather die than leave his uncle and aunt's children in the hands of the Thousand-Mechanisms Pavilion.
"Alas, you stubborn child..."
The Majestic King also saw his determination and knew that no amount of persuasion would change his mind. He gave Celestial Dragon some more Gu worms for protection.
Lu Yuan handed Celestial Dragon a human skin mask, "If all else fails, pretend to be the assassin in the secret passage. Also, take Yu Zichuan with you."
"Why take him?" Celestial Dragon asked.
Lu Yuan explained, "He grew up in the southwest and is familiar with the terrain there. You're impulsive, and Ling Shan is so vast. By the time you find the location of the Thousand-Mechanisms Pavilion, it'll be too late."
Meng Qianqian said, "So, Yu Zichuan is from the southwest. But I'm curious, how did you know my aunt's children were in Ling Shan?"
Lu Yuan explained, "The hunting eagle brought back a fruit that only grows in the wild in the southwest's Ling Shan. When Yu Zichuan was young, he often went into the mountains to pick that fruit. With him, it shouldn't be difficult to find the Thousand-Mechanisms Pavilion's hideout."
Meng Qianqian suddenly understood, "So that's the case."
Celestial Dragon hesitated, "It's too dangerous. I don't want to implicate others."
Lu Yuan glanced at him arrogantly and said nonchalantly, "Who knows who will be implicated when we go to the southwest?"
"Brother, just take Yu Zichuan with you."
Although Lu Yuan and Yu Zichuan seemed to have a master-servant relationship, after spending some time together, Meng Qianqian realized they were more like her and Tan Er. Lu Yuan genuinely cared for Yu Zichuan and would never put him in harm's way.
Having Yu Zichuan go meant Lu Yuan was confident that at least the two of them could escape unharmed.
Celestial Dragon listened to Meng Qianqian's words.
Celestial Dragon hesitated and said to Lu Yuan, "I don't like owing people favors. Here, take this."
Lu Yuan caught the object he threw with his other hand.
When he saw it was a fragrant pouch, Lu Yuan rolled his eyes in disgust, "Celestial Dragon! I'm not interested in men!"
Celestial Dragon frowned, wanting to shut him up, but remembering that he had just revealed the location of the Dragon and Phoenix Twins, he gritted his teeth and held back, "Little Celestial Dragon is about to enter the capital. You might need this."
After saying this, he really left.
Lu Yuan disdainfully weighed the fragrant pouch in his hand, "So vague."
"Take care, Brother!"
Meng Qianqian waved goodbye to Celestial Dragon and said to Lu Yuan, "Let me see."
Lu Yuan handed the fragrant pouch to her.
Meng Qianqian held it in her hand and sniffed, "It smells so good. It's filled with various dried flowers. No wonder you misunderstood."
Lu Yuan said coldly, "Is he out of his mind?"
"Isn't it related to Little Celestial Dragon? You keep it."
Meng Qianqian returned the fragrant pouch to Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan had intended to give it to Meng Qianqian, but not knowing its implications, he kept it for himself first.
Meng Qianqian smiled slightly, "Husband, you're just a bit harsh with your words, but your heart is kind."
Lu Yuan, "Who do you think has a harsh tongue?"
Meng Qianqian immediately backed down, "I was wrong."
The Majestic King gave Lu Yuan a hard slap on the back of his head, "You brat! Who taught you to talk to your wife like that?"
He didn't know how lucky he was! If Xian'er were here, she'd not only scold him for his harsh words but even poison his mouth!
"You brat! You brat!"
The Majestic King became angrier the more he thought about it, slapping Lu Yuan's head repeatedly.
"You'll make me angry if you hit me again!"
"Come on! I'll teach you a lesson!"
An old man and a young man started fighting in the courtyard.
"Daughter-in-law, watch closely. This move is called Scorpion Tail Whip!"
The Majestic King swiftly kicked towards Lu Yuan's lower plate with lightning speed.
However, just as he was about to sweep Lu Yuan's legs, he suddenly spun in mid-air, pointing his toes upwards and kicking towards Lu Yuan's chin.
Lu Yuan quickly changed his fist to a palm, blocking the Majestic King's kick.
However, since his internal energy was concentrated in his lower plate, the force of his palm was insufficient, and his arm went numb after the block.
"What kind of Scorpion Tail Whip is this?"
The Majestic King put his hands on his waist and swaggered, "I call it Scorpion Tail Whip!"
Meng Qianqian sat on the stone bench, clapping and cheering, "Deception is essential in warfare. Great job, Grandpa!"
The Majestic King was in a good mood after being praised.
"There's an even more powerful move coming up. Watch closely, daughter-in-law! The second move, Great Vajra Finger—I stab!"
While others would stab the eyes, the Majestic King stabbed the waist.
Lu Yuan narrowly avoided the attack, breaking out in a cold sweat.
The old man was shameless, trying to make himself infertile.
If not for the lessons learned from past experiences, clearly understanding the old man's temperament, his waist would have been damaged beyond repair.
Meng Qianqian had never seen Lu Yuan in such a humiliating situation, and she couldn't help but burst into laughter, holding onto the table.
"Very good."
Lu Yuan clenched his fingers and silently made a mental note.
At first, Lu Yuan was being dominated by the Majestic King, but gradually, he began to understand some of the techniques.
"Hey, you caught it, good job, kid."
The Majestic King felt proud, "You are indeed my own grandson."
Meng Qianqian realized that the Majestic King seemed to be sparring with Lu Yuan, but in reality, he was using constantly changing moves to clear Lu Yuan's stagnant and blocked meridians.
Meng Qianqian suddenly thought of Chu Nan.
Chu Nan was born with a dead meridian and was often ill, making him unsuitable for martial arts practice.
Lu Yuan was a descendant of the Majestic King and the Miaojiang Goddess, possessing exceptional talent. However, he had endured inhuman torture in the Chancellor's Mansion, resulting in numerous health issues.
Forcing him to practice martial arts would shorten his lifespan, and the higher his skills, the greater the price he would pay.
Fortunately, he was raised by the Miaojiang Goddess in his childhood and had consumed many rare treasures. In recent years, Liu Qingyun had also been sending him medicine.
Now, with the Majestic King clearing his meridians daily, longevity was within reach.
"Can't fight anymore?"
The Majestic King pressed down on Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan refused to give up, "Again!"
The Majestic King scolded, "What do you mean, 'again'? I don't want my granddaughter-in-law to catch a cold! Do you know how to care for your wife? You're all sweaty and stinky. Be careful not to make her sick. Go and take a bath and change your clothes immediately!"
The Majestic King kicked Lu Yuan's butt.
Lu Yuan stumbled a few steps, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, "Grandpa, I can't kill you."
Meng Qianqian was thoroughly entertained.
The Majestic King said, "Granddaughter-in-law, you must be cold. Go back and drink some ginger soup to warm up. Tomorrow, I'll continue teaching you martial arts!"
"Yes!"
Meng Qianqian nodded, still wanting more.
She wanted revenge.
Her enemies included not only Chancellor Xun but also the highly skilled Thousand-Mechanisms Pavilion.
While having a keen mind was important, physical strength was equally crucial.
"Husband."
She walked up to Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan coldly hmphed, "You were laughing so happily just now, watching me get beaten up?"
"How could it be a beating? It's clearly the care of an elder!"
Meng Qianqian said, then immediately took his hand.
This move was indeed effective.
The person's face didn't look so sour anymore.
Meng Qianqian turned back and winked at the Majestic King, "Grandpa, we're leaving."
The Majestic King waved them off with a smile, "Go, go! Hurry up, don't catch a cold!"
The two left the courtyard.
The Majestic King stretched his neck to make sure the two youngsters were far away, then held his back in pain, drawing a cold breath!
"You stinky kid, you're so strong... Xian'er, if you don't come to the capital soon, I'll be beaten to death by this stinky kid..."
-
Back at the main courtyard, Meng Qianqian suddenly remembered something, "Oh yes, did you tell the Retired Emperor and Minister of Rites Xing about the secret passage in the Chancellor's Mansion?"
"I did," Lu Yuan replied.
There was no need to hide the secret passage, but Lu Yuan had warned them about the numerous traps inside, advising against entering unless necessary.
Meng Qianqian pointed at him, "The gold and silver treasures inside..."
Lu Yuan looked at her seriously, "The Chancellor's Mansion's wealth will be confiscated, and we can only take half of it."
Meng Qianqian's mouth twitched, "You still have some principles."
As they spoke, they entered the room.
A round little bundle was crouched in the wardrobe, sticking out its little butt, rummaging through the cheap old man's box.
Lu Yuan swiftly picked up the little one, saying coldly, "I was wondering why there's been less gold lately. Spit it out."
Bao Shu innocently blinked, then grabbed Lu Yuan's other hand and spat out the half-eaten candy apple she had been sucking on into his palm.
Lu Yuan: "..."
-
After lunch, Fu Gonggong arrived.
He came to deliver the salary and coal for the Elder Lady's winter needs.
Additionally, he brought two invitations, one for the Majestic King and one for the Duke's Manor.
"Wedding invitation."
Meng Qianqian was surprised.
But when she saw the names on the invitation, surprise couldn't describe her reaction.
"Wancheng Princess's wedding? The groom is—?"
Fu Gonggong smiled, "Twelve Guards, Youji Guard."
Meng Qianqian's body trembled, "Ji Li?"
She looked at the wedding date and gasped in shock.
Wow, it's at the end of the month!
"Isn't this too rushed?"
Does the princess herself know? Does Ji Li know? They disappeared for a while, and now they're getting married?
Meng Qianqian stammered, "Isn't this too rushed?"
Fu Gonggong laughed so hard his teeth were barely visible, "The Retired Emperor said that since they've been gone for so long, it's most likely they're married."
Meng Qianqian by a colon or dash and then the content of the next dialog.
Meng Qianqian: After being gone for so long, shouldn't they send troops to find them? Retired Emperor, your focus seems a bit off, doesn't it?
"Is there a possibility that they didn't elope... but simply got lost?"
Fu Gonggong laughed, "Of course not an elopement, the Retired Emperor said that the Wancheng Princess and the Youji Guard were on an imperial mission."
Meng Qianqian: ... The old ginger is the spiciest.
(End of Chapter)
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