Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot Chapter 9: Identity Revealed

Lu Lingxiao was stunned for a mont.

Lu Xingzhou, on the other hand, felt his head was about to explode.

Of all the things that rascal could do, he decided to bring this woman to the banquet held at the Governor Mansion.

Now, acknowledging it was problematic, and not acknowledging it was no better.

If he denied it, it would seem as though his son had brought a concubine to the banquet—how utterly disgraceful!

But to acknowledge it—

Before Lu Xingzhou could co up with a foolproof plan, Lu Yuan suddenly changed the subject, smiling faintly. "Speaking of which, Beiliang has always been a significant threat to our Great Zhou. With such a decisive victory over Beiliang this ti, General Lu deserves all the credit. I, as the Grand Commander, hold General Lu in great esteem."

"Thank you for your kind words, Grand Commander." Lu Xingzhou's expression eased, and he shot his son a aningful look.

Reluctantly, Lu Lingxiao clasped his hands and said indifferently, "The success this ti belongs to all the soldiers stationed at the border. I was rely fulfilling my duty and dare not claim the credit for myself."

Lu Yuan's smile turned enigmatic. "Lord Lu, you have raised an excellent son."

After Lu Yuan had left, Lu Xingzhou said to his son, "Co with !"

The two of them walked to the courtyard. At this mont, everyone was still enjoying themselves at the banquet, and no one was paying attention to them.

With a stern expression, Lu Xingzhou asked, "What's going on? Tell , where is Qianqian?"

Lu Lingxiao replied, "Who knows where she went? I told her to wait in the carriage for a mont, but in the blink of an eye, she was gone. I looked everywhere for her, thinking she had gotten upset with and decided to head to the banquet on her own. As for Wan'er, she was just on her way to buy fabric for making clothes. Who could have predicted it would suddenly rain so heavily? I couldn't bear to leave her alone out there."

Lu Xingzhou glared at his son with an expression of bitter disappointnt. "And yet you were fine with leaving your own wife outside? If anything happens to Qianqian, everyone will know you brought a mistress to the Grand Commander's banquet today!"

Lu Lingxiao said earnestly, "Father, Wan'er is not a mistress."

"Silence!" Lu Xingzhou snapped coldly.

Suppressing his retort, Lu Lingxiao said, "Perhaps... she is already on her way. She is the Eldest Young Madam of the Lu Family; no one in the Capital City would dare harm her."

"For your sake, I hope that's true!"

With a cold snort, Lu Xingzhou called for his personal attendant and instructed him to find ng Qianqian imdiately.

"You go too," he told his son. "I'll inform the Grand Commander that you've gone back to care for your ailing mother."

Knowing he was in the wrong, Lu Lingxiao nodded without protest.

The two of them returned to the banquet.

But in the brief mont they had been speaking, Lin Wan'er was now surrounded by a crowd of won, each addressing her as "Madam Lu."

Even Lu Luo had changed her manner of address, now referring to her as "Madam" instead of "my lady."

One of the won held Lin Wan'er's hand, inquiring warmly about her well-being.

Suddenly, the woman noticed a scar near the base of Lin Wan'er's left thumb and asked, "Madam Lu, what happened to your hand?"

Lu Luo quickly replied, "My lady injured her hand saving the Eldest Young Master from an arrow. You wouldn't believe how dangerous it was—if it had been just half an inch closer, her hand might never have recovered!"

"You were attacked by assassins?"

"In the Capital City? What kind of assassin uses stray arrows? Those co from battles at the border!"

Lin Wan'er quickly withdrew her hand.

Lu Luo covered her mouth, realizing she had misspoken.

At that mont, Lu Lingxiao rushed over. "Ladies, my mother isn't feeling well. We'll take our leave now."

With that, he hurriedly escorted Lin Wan'er and Lu Luo out of the banquet hall.

But just as they reached the door, they ran into a soldier who had recently returned from the border.

"General Lu! Huh? Lu Luo? You're here too!"

"I..."

"Isn't this Miss Lin? I almost didn't recognize you with the veil! Hey—why'd you hit ?"

All the won perked up their ears to listen.

Miss Lin?

The Lu Family's Eldest Young Madam... has the surna ng!

In the carriage ride ho.

Lu Lingxiao's expression was grave.

Lin Wan'er tugged at his sleeve and signed with her hands: I'm sorry. It's all my fault. Did I cause trouble for you?

Lu Lingxiao took her hand and said gently, "Wan'er, don't worry. I'll handle it."

Lin Wan'er stayed silent.

Lu Lingxiao asked, "Wan'er, are you upset?"

Lin Wan'er shook her head and signed: I'm worried about the Eldest Young Madam. Do you think she's in danger?

Lu Luo scoffed. "Miss, nothing's going to happen to the Eldest Young Madam. For all we know, she's already back at the Lu Family estate, and we're just worrying over nothing!"

Lin Wan'er nudged Lu Lingxiao.

"Alright, alright," Lu Lingxiao relented. "I'll go look for her. But first, I'll take you back to the Lu Family estate."

Still, Lu Lingxiao thought Lu Luo might have a point—ng Qianqian could very well be back already.

Otherwise, where else could she possibly go?

After stepping out of the carriage, Lu Lingxiao shielded Lin Wan'er as they ascended the steps. He raised his hand to knock, but the door swung open from the inside.

Ban Xia stood in the doorway, stunned to see Lu Lingxiao embracing his "fox spirit" so tightly. Anger rushed to her face. "Sir!"

"Where's my lady?"

"Where's YOUR lady?"

They spoke simultaneously.

Ban Xia stomped her foot. "I should be asking you that! Where is my lady?"

Ban Xia, unable to find her lady, had returned to the fabric shop with Wu Ge'er, where the shopkeeper told them the madam had borrowed an umbrella and left.

Since the shop was far from the Governor Mansion and she had no carriage, it was unlikely she had gone to the banquet on her own.

Deciding to return to the Lu residence to see if the madam had gone back, they figured they'd assemble more people to search if she hadn't.

"Wasn't your lady with you?"

Now, Lu Lingxiao was genuinely worried.

He may not love ng Qianqian, but she was still his wife, and her life wasn't sothing he could take lightly. He did not wish for anything to happen to her.

Just then, a frail figure appeared, holding a broken oil-paper umbrella, swaying unsteadily as she walked through the heavy downpour.

The torrential rain rcilessly beat down on her petite figure. She was soaked to the bone, and it seed the cold had seeped into her very core.

Wu Ge'er shouted, "Young Madam!"

Ban Xia's face paled. "Miss!"

Both of them rushed toward her.

Lu Lingxiao's face darkened. He stepped forward with an umbrella and confronted ng Qianqian, demanding, "Didn't I tell you to wait in the carriage? You disappeared the mont I turned my back—where did you go?"

ng Qianqian was so cold that her entire body was stiff, even her cheeks and lips frozen numb.

She looked at him icily.

Lu Lingxiao noticed she wasn't wearing the outfit she had left the house in. His gaze fell on the bundle that had slipped to the ground, and his expression grew colder.

"You went to buy clothes? Wan'er buys, so you buy as well... Must you compete with Wan'er in everything? Is your usual lack of decorum not enough, that you have to act up at such an important occasion?"