Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

The sun blazed high in the sky.

Nine-year-old Shang Jiu could only stay obediently indoors.

"She just got a bit better, and now she's sick again. Such a pitiful child..."

Shang Jiu had intended to continue pretending to be asleep, but upon hearing Second Aunt about to leave, she couldn't help opening her eyes. "Second Aunt, can I go outside and play?"

Second Lady Shang gently stroked her little face. "It's windy today. You can go out tomorrow."

Shang Jiu's face fell with disappointment.

Second Lady Shang's eyes showed a hint of pity. She smiled and said, "Shall Second Aunt play string games with you?"

Shang Jiu turned her face away. "No."

After speaking, she rolled over, her back facing Second Aunt.

Second Lady Shang sighed, tucked the corner of her blanket in properly, and got up to leave the room.

"When is my mother coming back?"

She stubbornly asked.

Second Lady Shang replied softly at the door, "When the war is over, your father and mother will return."

Shang Jiu said angrily, "Hmph, always the same answer."

Second Lady Shang looked at her with overflowing pity but was powerless, only able to quietly close the door behind her.

Shang Jiu lay by herself on the bed, stewing in anger.

Suddenly, the window lattice was pulled open, and a little boy with a chubby, tigerish face climbed in, stepping on bricks.

"Little Nine, Little Nine, it's me!"

He whispered.

Shang Jiu sat up abruptly, her eyes gleaming as she looked at the little boy climbing in through the window. "Little Seven?"

Her expression darkened. "Call me 'Sister!'"

The little boy ran to the bedside, pointing at himself. "I'm Little Seven; you're Little Nine. Doesn't that make me older than you?"

Shang Jiu looked at the child-sized little boy and tapped his small forehead. "Little Nine is just my nickname, not my ranking in the family!"

The little boy seemed to understand but wasn't entirely sure.

Shang Jiu said, "Be good, call me Sister."

In a childlike voice, the little boy responded, "Sister."

Shang Jiu flipped her blanket aside and got out of bed, bringing all the snacks from the table over to him. "Eat up."

"Mm!"

The little boy climbed onto a chair and began feasting happily.

Ever since she caught a severe cold a year ago, Shang Jiu frequently fell ill. It started with once every two months, then once a month, and eventually every few days.

She had also seemed to become unlucky—getting hit by falling flowerpots outdoors or tripping over stones while walking.

Whenever she was injured, recovery would take an exceptionally long time.

Thus, her parents had forbidden her from going out anymore.

Only when Little Seven came secretly to visit her did her boredom slightly ease.

She stared at the little boy, huffing and puffing as he ate like a small hamster, then asked, "Little Seven, have you gained weight again?"

The little boy replied, "Little Seven's not fat!"

She pinched his cheek and said, "Alright, alright, you're not fat. You're just cute to the point of bursting!"

After a pause, she asked again, "Little Seven, has your mother ever mentioned when my parents are coming back?"

"Nope."

The little boy shook his head.

She muttered, "The war has been going on for ages."

The little boy said, "It ended ages ago."

She froze. "It's over? Who told you that?"

The little boy held a piece of Osmanthus Cake in each hand. "My mother told me."

She asked pitifully, "Then why haven't they come back? Do they not want me anymore?"

The little boy swung his short legs and said, "Uncle and Aunt went to look for medicine for you. They went somewhere very, very far away!"

She exclaimed in surprise, "How far?"

The little boy gestured with his hands. "As far as a hundred courtyards away! And kind of dangerous, too."

She suddenly leapt up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find my parents!"

Shang Jiu flung the door open.

As she stepped over the threshold, she fell into an endless abyss.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by thick, billowing mist.

"Father!"

"Mother!"

"Where are you?"

"It's me, Little Nine!"

"I've come to find you!"

She called out desperately, but no matter how she shouted, she could not get a response from her parents.

"A-Jue, are you sure about this?"

It was her mother's voice!

"Mother! Mother! Where are you?"

She rushed towards the sound with all her strength.

She saw a tall, imposing figure.

On his back, a small girl was tied with an outer robe.

The little girl's breathing was faint, her face pale, already unconscious on his back.

He knelt on the ground, earnestly kowtowing. The blood on his forehead stained the cold steps.

Behind him, every step was marked with his blood.

On the first step lay his armor and his sword.

It was her father—who had never believed in gods or Buddhas—carrying her on his back, devoutly bowing the three thousand steps.

"Father… Father…"

Behind tightly shut curtains, Meng Qianqian sobbed uncontrollably in her sleep.

...

Then came the break of dawn.

The maid knocked on Meng Qianqian's door.

"Miss Yan, today is the Eldest Miss's wedding day. Madam asks you to go to the Eldest Miss's courtyard to assist her in her departure."

The door opened, and Meng Qianqian, already dressed neatly, emerged.

The maid looked up at her perfectly groomed appearance and froze for a moment. "Miss Yan... so early…"

Meng Qianqian said calmly, "I accidentally spilled tea on the pillow. Clean it up later."

The maid responded, "Understood."

Meng Qianqian went to Gongsun Liuying's courtyard.

She had visited last night but hadn't looked around closely. Seeing it now, the place did seem rather festive.

The windows and doors were plastered with wedding seals, painted with the blood of the Shang Family.

Meng Qianqian withdrew her gaze and entered the house with composure.

She glanced around—there was only one maid keeping watch.

She asked, "Is the Eldest Miss not here?"

The maid replied, "The Eldest Miss is bathing. Please wait, Miss Yan."

Hong Xiu arrived at the door. "Miss Yan, Madam requests your presence."

Meng Qianqian followed Hong Xiu to the East Wing.

Xiao Rong'er was seated in the main seat, sipping tea.

On this day of her daughter's wedding, her outfit was ostentatious, dripping with opulence and glimmering wealth.

Meng Qianqian's gaze swept over her ear pendants adorned with Dongzhu. To use Dongzhu as decoration—her ambition was evident.

"Madam."

Meng Qianqian greeted her.

Xiao Rong'er used the tea lid to stir the tea leaves in her cup and smiled faintly, saying, "Your senior sister is getting married, but your attire is much too plain—hardly festive enough."

Meng Qianqian replied, "I have only the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion's robes."

Xiao Rong'er smiled. "I've prepared one for you. Hong Xiu."

Hong Xiu carried a large brocade box into the room.

Xiao Rong'er said to Meng Qianqian, "Try it on—see if it fits."

Meng Qianqian opened the brocade box and asked calmly, "Madam, what is the meaning of this?"

Xiao Rong'er, indifferent, said, "You could never afford such a fine bridal gown in your life. Isn't it high time you put it on?"

Meng Qianqian smiled faintly. "Such a beautiful bridal gown... shouldn't it be reserved for the Eldest Miss herself?"

Xiao Rong'er's smile carried contempt. "A bridal gown worth ten thousand tales fits you perfectly—but for my daughter, it's far from enough."

Meng Qianqian withdrew her hand and said, "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to wear this when the Eldest Miss is getting married."

Xiao Rong'er replied smugly, "You'll wear it. The bride can be you instead."

Meng Qianqian chuckled. "The bride can be me? Madam's tone of charity is quite grating."

Xiao Rong'er scoffed derisively. "To marry into Jin Prince Mansion is a fortune for you earned over several lifetimes. If it weren't for your status as a student of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, this phoenix-from-a-farmyard-chicken opportunity wouldn't have fallen to you at all!"

Meng Qianqian said, "Since Madam values this fortune so highly, why not claim it for yourself?"

Xiao Rong'er slammed the tea cup onto the table, splattering its contents everywhere. "Yan Xiaojiu! Don't be ungrateful! Be wise while I'm still willing to discuss this patiently—don't make me lose my temper!"

Meng Qianqian asked unflinchingly, "What if I refuse outright?"

Xiao Rong'er sneered. "Then don't blame me for showing no mercy! Don't forget—I hold someone dear to you in my hand!"

Meng Qianqian replied coolly, "Are you referring to Yan Hanshuang? Then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. My approach to Yan Hanshuang was purely out of enmity. Bringing her down was a step in my plan. If you don't believe me, go to the dungeon and kill her, or bring her here and kill her in front of me. If I blink, consider me defeated!"

Xiao Rong'er stared unwaveringly into Meng Qianqian's eyes, as if assessing the truth of her claim.

After a long time, she leaned back slowly, wearing a smile of triumph.

Meng Qianqian frowned slightly.

Xiao Rong'er clapped her hands.

Hong Xiu took out a hair tie from her sleeve and tossed it to Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian focused her gaze and clenched the tie tightly.

Xiao Rong'er observed Meng Qianqian's reaction fully, and a self-satisfied smile adorned her face. "You may not care about Yan Hanshuang, but you certainly care about that little girl named Tan'er, don't you? Did you think Madam truly knows nothing?"

She stood and walked toward Meng Qianqian. "Liuying and Wuyou share a deep sibling bond. The maid Wuyou brought back wouldn't draw suspicion from her—inevitably, it played into your trick. But while you fooled Liuying, you couldn't fool me."

"You have two choices: either comply and marry, or prepare to collect that girl's corpse!"

Meng Qianqian stared coldly at Xiao Rong'er. "How do I know that if I do as you say, you won't go back on your word and harm her anyway?"

Xiao Rong'er dusted her broad sleeves carelessly and said, half-smirking, "That girl's life holds no worth to me. I have no reason to offend the future Young Madam of Jin Prince Mansion because of her. What do you think?"

Gripping the hair tie tightly, Meng Qianqian said, "I need to see her."

Xiao Rong'er instructed Hong Xiu, "Bring her in."

Hong Xiu summoned two trusted aides, who entered carrying a large chest.

Hong Xiu opened the chest, revealing the unconscious Tan'er inside.

Meng Qianqian checked Tan'er's breathing and took her pulse.

Xiao Rong'er said, "You can rest assured; she's only been given some sleeping pills. Not even knockout drugs were used. I'm showing my utmost sincerity—I don't want to harm her. But if you remain stubborn, I might not be so kind."

She gestured to Hong Xiu.

Hong Xiu closed the chest and instructed the aides to remove it.

Xiao Rong'er sat back in her chair. "You have one hour to decide. And let me make it clear—the chest is stuffy. The longer you delay getting on the bridal sedan, the longer she'll stay in there."

Meng Qianqian clenched her fingers tightly.

Xiao Rong'er commanded, "Hong Xiu, serve tea."

Hong Xiu brought Meng Qianqian an exquisite pot of tea.

Meng Qianqian didn't drink, instead carrying the wedding attire from the brocade box behind a screen.

Xiao Rong'er smirked triumphantly. "Go summon Ten Perfections Madam to do the bride's hair for the Eldest Miss."

"Yes, Madam."

Hong Xiu responded and left the room.