Chapter 599: Deception and Substitution
Chapter 599: Deception and Substitution
The neatly dressed new favorite smiled slightly at Lu Yuan, "I’ve gotten quite used to it. If you hadn’t come, I might have forgotten my troubles."
Lu Fengyin, who had been immobilized by a pressure point, stared at the scene before her, unable to believe her eyes.
Meng Qianqian walked up to her and released the pressure point that had silenced her.
Though still unable to move, she could finally speak.
She looked at the favorite who had been by her side for over a month, her voice filled with anger and disbelief, "You deceived me? You’re in league with them?!"
Luo Shan turned around and smiled nonchalantly, "Yes, Your Highness, I am an old acquaintance of theirs."
"You…."
He spoke with a lightness that belied the depth of his betrayal. His eyes no longer held any trace of the love he once showed Lu Fengyin.
Lu Fengyin felt a lump in her throat, a pain she had never experienced before surging through her heart.
"Did you lie to me about everything you said?"
"Yep."
Luo Shan admitted it without hesitation.
Lu Fengyin said bitterly, "I treated you with genuine affection, yet you toyed with me! Zhu Huan, you have no conscience!"
Luo Shan shrugged, "If the princess has no heart, why ask about fleeting emotions? You’re just unwilling to face the truth, pretending to be deeply in love."
During his time at the princess’s residence, he had gathered a lot of information about this Great Liang female marquis.
Her keeping favorites was just one of her lesser vices. She would snatch any young man she fancied, regardless of the consequences for their families.
Thus, Luo Shan felt no guilt in deceiving her.
Meng Qianqian only learned about Luo Shan’s return to his old ways and his infiltration of the princess’s household after meeting the Miao King.
The Miao King had delayed entering the capital, hiding at the princess’s residence to gather useful intelligence.
Naturally, he was also concerned about Luo Shan.
Later, seeing that Luo Shan was handling things well, the Miao King felt reassured and went to meet Lu Yuan and her.
"Where’s your sister?"
Lu Yuan asked.
"Your sister!"
Luo Shan shouted, then realized it was a question. He let out a sound and shook the bell on the table.
It was their signal.
Soon, Luo Shan’s sister pushed the door open.
"Grand Commander, Young Lady."
She was taken aback.
Lu Yuan nodded.
Meng Qianqian smiled, "Qing Shuang."
Qing Shuang bowed.
"Are you well?"
Meng Qianqian asked her.
Qing Shuang replied, "I am well."
She paused, then added, "The Goddess and Miss Chang Le are also well. They asked me to tell Young Lady not to worry; they are waiting for you and the Grand Commander in Wushan."
Meng Qianqian’s lips curved into a smile, "Mm-hmm."
Luo Shan sat down, crossing his legs and asked, "Hey, do we need to save the small talk for later?"
Lu Yuan: "Shut up. And stop imitating my grandfather."
"Mind your own business!"
Luo Shan switched his legs, crossing them again, his demeanor as cocky as the Miao King’s.
Meng Qianqian pressed a dagger to Lu Fengyin’s neck, "If you want to live, do as I say."
Lu Fengyin glared at her coldly, "In your dreams!"
Meng Qianqian’s dagger cut mercilessly into her skin, the sharp pain followed by a trail of crimson blood flowing down her pale neck.
Lu Fengyin instinctively looked at Luo Shan.
Unfortunately, he didn’t even spare her a glance.
Lu Fengyin’s eyes burned with humiliation.
Meng Qianqian said, "The next cut will be on your face."
Half an hour later.
Lu Fengyin was given a silencing potion, and she and Qing Shuang swapped clothes. She also wore the face Qing Shuang used at the princess’s residence.
Qing Shuang put on her silken robes and her human skin mask.
Lu Shan nodded in satisfaction. "Say a few words."
Qing Shuang mimicked Lu Fengyin's tone and voice: "Where is my evening meal? Are you trying to starve me to death?"
Meng Qianqian drew in a sharp breath.
It was too perfect!
Qing Shuang had always been skilled at voice mimicry, and with Lu Shan's thorough tutelage on the journey, her voice alteration skills had improved dramatically.
Her goal in infiltrating the Empress Princess's mansion was to one day impersonate Lu Fengyin.
As for why she chose to act like a mute, it was inspired by "Lin Wan'er."
Being mute was simple and minimized the risk of slipping up.
Every night, Qing Shuang would secretly mimic Lu Fengyin in her room, and her efforts finally paid off.
Lu Shan glanced at Meng Qianqian and Qing Shuang. "Actually, you would look more like her, Qing Shuang. You're a bit too thin."
Lu Yuan glared sharply. "What are you staring at? Do you want to lose your eyes?"
Lu Shan clicked his tongue. "I was just speaking the truth."
He grabbed two steamed buns from the table and handed them to Qing Shuang. "Stuff them in."
Qing Shuang nodded. "Okay."
She pulled open her robe to stuff them inside.
Lu Shan quickly pulled a tablecloth over her. "You're a young lady..."
Qing Shuang looked confused. "Huh?"
Lu Shan sighed. "Never mind, it's nothing."
Qing Shuang led Lu Yuan to muster the troops.
Meng Qianqian went to the back gate of the Empress Princess's mansion.
A carriage was waiting there, having been parked for half the day.
Meng Qianqian climbed into the carriage.
Duan Mingyue and Duan Wenliang were drinking tea inside.
Duan Wenliang's eyes flickered with surprise. "I haven't even sent you a message yet."
Meng Qianqian said, "Someone mentioned a carriage parked at the back gate. I guessed it was you."
Duan Mingyue smiled. "Please, have a seat."
Meng Qianqian sat down opposite him and got straight to the point. "I want to make a deal with you. I need you to bring the remaining Twelve Guardians to me."
Duan Mingyue smiled and asked, "What's in it for me?"
Meng Qianqian replied seriously, "The herbal catalyst for Xun Wu's potion."
Duan Mingyue sighed. "What you're asking for is no small feat."
Meng Qianqian used Lu Fengyin's words. "If it were easy, I wouldn't need you."
With that, she stood up. "Twelve Guardians for the catalyst. This deal is fair."
After Meng Qianqian left, Duan Wenliang asked his brother, "Fourth Brother, are you going to agree to her request? The remaining Twelve Guardians are hard to find, and even if we do find them, they won't come willingly to meet this new owner of the Black Armor Army."
"Besides, she seems very cunning. What if she reneges on the deal?"
Duan Mingyue said, "Why don't you just take the catalyst by force?"
"I won't."
He knew he couldn't defeat those crazy Twelve Guardians, especially Chen Long, who could make one's spine shiver with just a glance.
He soon furrowed his brow, suspiciously asking, "But why is she also allying with the Empress Princess? They were at each other's throats, weren't they?"
Duan Mingyue smiled meaningfully. "It's just a ruse."
"A ruse? She was replaced? No... it's—"
Duan Wenliang's eyes widened in shock. "Their boldness... is unbelievable!"
Duan Mingyue laughed. "More than their boldness, their skills are what impress me."
Duan Wenliang's jaw nearly dropped. "Yes, how did they manage it? The Empress Princess commands an elite force of thirty thousand soldiers, and her mansion is more heavily guarded than Prince Jin's. How did they pull off such a feat in broad daylight?" (End of Chapter)
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