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Chapter 404: Finding a Father
Chapter 404: Finding a Father
Lu Yuan furrowed his brows in confusion, "How many times do you plan to use this tactic? Finding a father for Tan'er, and now I have to find one for myself?"
Meng Qianqian explained with reason, "This is called a fresh move, a feast for all! Cast a wide net, gather many fish, and choose the best among them!"
"Hmph."
Lu Yuan let out a soft hum.
Yu Zichuan said, "I think it's feasible."
Lu Yuan spoke in a cold tone, "When adults are talking, kids should not interrupt."
Yu Zichuan glanced at Meng Qianqian, "Then she's also a kid."
The latter part about Yu Zichuan's age was swallowed in Lu Yuan's sharp gaze, but his stubborn expression couldn't deceive anyone.
Lu Yuan: Another day when he felt like beating up Yu Zichuan.
"If we go to the Crown Prince's Mansion to acknowledge the relationship, will the Crown Prince believe it?"
"Don't you have a token of proof?" Meng Qianqian gestured towards the brocade pouch hanging at his waist.
Lu Yuan's brows knitted, "You mean... that Peace Lock?"
"Exactly," Meng Qianqian smiled, "I suspect that the Retired Emperor had this idea from the start. He knew we would accompany Chen Long to seek revenge from the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion. On the surface, he asked you to find the Old Duke Qin, but in reality, he wanted to give you an identity."
In dealing with the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, their goals aligned with the Retired Emperor.
"If so, why didn't he just say it directly?"
"If he had told you, would you still have come?"
Lu Yuan had no response.
Naturally, he was extremely unwilling to acknowledge a random father.
Although it was just a guess, it made sense upon closer inspection.
The Retired Emperor has always been a cunning old fox, and he might have set up a trap.
He clearly wanted the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion and the lives of the ten lords, but he didn't reveal it and only secretly provided assistance.
This way, if they succeeded, the Retired Emperor would avenge the shame of the border, take revenge for the Shang family and countless soldiers, and also eliminate a major threat.
If they failed, the Retired Emperor could easily distance himself, claiming it was the Duke's Mansion's doing.
"Old fox!"
Lu Yuan couldn't help but curse.
Meng Qianqian couldn't help but smile, her lips curving upwards, "Then let's consider it settled?"
Lu Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "You said the Retired Emperor didn't tell me about this because he thought I would refuse to be someone's son. But is there a possibility that he himself wasn't sure if the token was real or not?"
Meng Qianqian's eyes widened in realization, "That's also possible. Then we should take a long-term approach..."
Lu Yuan spoke calmly, "No need. I like to take risks."
Without the element of risk, things were bland. But with this layer of uncertainty and danger, his interest was piqued.
Retired Emperor, did you even calculate this thought of mine?
Lu Yuan spent a thousand taels of gold to remove the Imperial Proclamation.
The guard who received the gold from Meng Qianqian gave her a signal, using lip language to remind her of Liu Deputy Manager.
Meng Qianqian nodded gratefully.
The three of them returned to the alley.
Lai Fu looked at the Imperial Proclamation in Yu Zichuan's hand and said with a smile, "You removed the Imperial Proclamation so quickly. I thought it would take longer!"
"Where... is that wine pavilion?"
Yu Zichuan had forgotten and turned to look at Meng Qianqian.
Lai Fu laughed, "I know! Lin Yue Wine Pavilion, originally Lin Yue Inn. After it was chosen for the initial selection, they changed the name."
It was most likely connected to either the Crown Prince's Mansion or the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion.
The three of them entered the inn.
Meng Qianqian wanted to ask the waiter, but Lu Yuan stopped her and said to Yu Zichuan, "You go."
Yu Zichuan didn't want to go.
He wasn't good at dealing with people, and in the past, Shangguan Ling handled all such negotiations.
"Let me go."
Meng Qianqian said.
Lu Yuan glanced at Yu Zichuan, "If you can't even find someone, what use are you?"
Yu Zichuan reluctantly went.
Meng Qianqian watched his resentful figure and shook her head with amusement, saying to Lu Yuan, "Can't you be nicer? It's clearly for his own good, to train him to stand on his own one day. Why do you have to make it sound so unpleasant?"
Lu Yuan said sternly, "So, are you admitting that you've been flattering me all this time?"
Meng Qianqian was taken aback.
Why bring her into this?
Forget it, even with ten mouths, she couldn't win against him.
Soon, Yu Zichuan returned, "I found him. He's upstairs."
The two followed him to the accountant's room on the third floor.
As soon as they entered, they saw a middle-aged man tied up, his mouth gagged with a cloth, and his veins popping out in anger.
Yu Zichuan introduced, "I asked you to find someone, not to capture him."
Meng Qianqian: "..."
Lu Yuan clenched his fist, "I told you to find someone, not to capture him."
Yu Zichuan explained, "But he didn't want to be found, and you insisted on looking for him."
Lu Yuan's eyes narrowed sharply, and he said, "Feeling wronged now?"
What's going on recently?
Yu Zichuan was becoming more and more infuriating.
Lu Yuan spoke in a cold tone, "Why are you standing there in a daze? Hurry up and untie Liu Deputy Manager."
With this address, Liu Deputy Manager became Liu Manager.
Meng Qianqian glanced at him without showing any emotion. At this moment, the other party was in a fit of anger, and a simple change in address wouldn't calm him down.
Yu Zichuan untied the other party's bindings.
Liu Deputy Manager immediately wanted to call for help.
Lu Yuan took out a stack of silver cheques, "My guards were inconsiderate, causing Liu Manager to be wronged. Please accept this small token of my appreciation."
"Tsk."
Liu Deputy Manager angrily flicked his sleeves, "What do you think this place is? You come and go as you please, arrest and release people at your whim? Who do you think you are—?"
Lu Yuan presented a piece of crimson blood jade.
Liu Deputy Manager's curses abruptly stopped, and he sharply drew in a breath of cold air.
Meng Qianqian smiled, "Liu Manager, we are outsiders, new to this esteemed place, and unaware of the rules. Please forgive us."
Liu Deputy Manager cleared his throat and with difficulty, moved his gaze from the blood jade, but couldn't help glancing at it several times.
Lu Yuan stuffed the blood jade and the silver cheques into the other party's sleeves.
Liu Deputy Manager coughed a few more times and said solemnly, "Our inn is handling affairs for the Crown Prince's Mansion. Inside and out, there are countless guards of the Crown Prince's Mansion watching. It's only because of me that I don't want to make a big fuss. If it were someone else, they'd shout, and you'd be shot full of arrows by the guards before you know it."
Meng Qianqian smiled, "That's why we say we're blessed. Meeting you is our good fortune. I have another piece of blood jade at home, originally a pair. I was in a hurry when I left, and the other piece was left behind."
Everyone was a sharp one, and they could understand the hidden meaning in Meng Qianqian's words.
"This matter... is difficult."
Liu Deputy Manager sighed, "It's not just up to me."
Meng Qianqian gave him a heavy bag of money, "Liu Manager, please treat everyone to some wine."
Liu Deputy Manager placed the bag of money on the table, covered it with a cloth, and asked in a condescending tone, "Did you bring the wine?"
Meng Qianqian hurriedly replied, "Oh, it's in the coach. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to meet you, so I didn't bring it into the wine pavilion. I'll send someone to get it now."
Liu Deputy Manager said, "No need. Let's go!"
Meng Qianqian was startled, "Go?"
Liu Deputy Manager said indifferently, "Yes, aren't you going to the Crown Prince's Mansion to recognize your kin? I'm going there too, so I can take you along the way."
Meng Qianqian blinked, "Wait, how did you know—?"
Liu Deputy Manager laughed mockingly, "As outsiders, you're not aiming to be the final winner, but to enter the Crown Prince's Mansion. You're the thirteenth group to say so. The twelve before you all claimed to be the Crown Prince's lost kin."
Meng Qianqian's mouth twitched.
Lu Yuan's lips curved up.
Meng Qianqian looked at him sternly, "Did you guess this earlier?"
Lu Yuan's eyebrows rose slightly, "Yes."
Meng Qianqian's face turned red, "Then why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Lu Yuan smiled, "This Grand Marshal, wanted to see you make a fool of yourself."
To see a fool of oneself?
Real money was spent on this!
Meng Qianqian secretly clenched her teeth. Yu Zichuan was so annoying, but now she had found his root!
Liu Deputy Manager had already walked out of the room. Seeing that the others hadn't followed, he was chattering inside the room, dusting off his sleeves and asking, "Are you still going or not? Let me be clear, the silver accepted will not be returned."
Lu Yuan said to Meng Qianqian, "Let's go."
Meng Qianqian's expression turned solemn, "You're really going? With so many people coming to recognize kin, the chances of us meeting the Crown Prince are minuscule. We might even be driven out before we enter."
Lu Yuan smiled meaningfully, "Who said you have to enter the Crown Prince's Mansion to see the Crown Prince?"
Meng Qianqian looked at him strangely, "What do you mean?"
Lu Yuan held his hands behind his back, a playful smile on his lips. Without the identity of the Grand Marshal, he no longer had to pretend to be a treacherous minister, but he didn't seem to plan on being an honest person either.
He backed away and walked to the window.
Meng Qianqian's eyes flickered, "What do you want to do?"
Lu Yuan's lips curved up, "Nothing much, just finding myself a father."
He leaned against the windowsill, pushed open the window, and fell backward.
"Lu—"
Meng Qianqian almost blurted out his name, stopping herself just before the last word escaped her lips.
She rushed to the window, but it was too late.
Lu Yuan had "fallen" into a seemingly simple coach, but in reality, it was secretly protected by eight highly skilled imperial guards.
Xiao Feizhang, who had criticized his wife's plan, secretly executed it faster than anyone else. Today, the Grand Marshal deserved praise.
(End of Chapter)
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