CHAPTER 685: CHAPTER 567: WOULD YOU BEAR A CHILD FOR ME?

Mr. Ziwu spent his entire life studying spells, but never imagined he’d find them useless when taking the official exam.

Then what’s the point of all those sleepless nights studying?!

No one told him he needed to know how to play cards when coming down the mountain!

Is it really this hard to navigate worldly society nowadays?!

Or has the Emperor gone mad, deliberately making things difficult for him?

This lousy official job, might as well not take it!

Mr. Ziwu immediately wanted to leave.

"Sir, sir, please calm down."

Lu Zhaoyan quickly persuaded him.

Lu Yuan also stopped him.

Mr. Ziwu glared angrily at the father and son duo.

Lu Zhaoyan quietly explained, "My father... had a slight situation, the details will be explained at the Crown Prince Mansion later, please stay, and lend my father and the Da Liang a helping hand."

Mr. Ziwu said grumpily, "I don’t know how to do this."

Lu Zhaoyan replied, "You can learn."

Without hesitation, Mr. Ziwu refused, "I can’t learn!"

Lu Yuan casually whispered, "Then, next time come down the mountain?"

Mr. Ziwu: "..."

A quarter of an hour later, four big shots surrounded a table, sitting in the Imperial Study Room, playing cards.

While at the Great Zhou’s Governor Mansion, the Miao King was often dragged to the table by the old lady and learned her secrets at the cost of a thousand taels for gambling expenses.

As soon as he got to the table, he lost big.

Lu Yuan twitched his mouth, "You lose to three families at once, impressive."

He turned to Mr. Ziwu and said, "Beginners have good luck, you won’t lose."

Then, Mr. Ziwu lost big with just one move, too.

Duke Jiang played a card, "Hahaha, self-drawn win—"

Emperor Liang pushed his cards, "I’ve won."

Duke Jiang’s smile froze on his lips.

Eunuch Yu rested for half a day, recovered most of his strength, and rushed to the Imperial Study Room to stand by.

Upon entering the room, he was dumbfounded.

His almighty, weapon-wielding, and battlefield-conquering Majesty was actually playing cards in the Imperial Study Room???

Does the Majesty even know how to play cards? He never knew!

Prince Ming, standing behind Emperor Liang, gaped and asked, "Didn’t you forget everything? How come you didn’t forget this?"

Emperor Liang thought for a moment, "Once you get the hang of it, you know how."

Prince Ming: "..."

With his own effort, Emperor Liang thrashed everyone, leaving the Miao King, Duke Jiang, and Mr. Ziwu with only their underpants.

"With these talents, you still want to be the Director?"

Emperor Liang not only disdained, but also disliked them, and left briskly with arms full of winnings!

The three old men were infuriated till they were burning up.

Being beaten by an otherworldly Emperor at this age - they wouldn’t believe it themselves!

Duke Jiang poured a cooling tea for himself and his fellow sufferers.

Then, the three were doomed.

Mr. Ziwu collapsed exhausted outside the outhouse, "Does the Imperial Study Room have leftover tea too...?"

How many nights had it been left?

Duke Jiang clutched his belly, trembling as he came out of the outhouse, with a deathly pale face, "It’s not leftover tea... It’s croton tea..."

The Miao King weakly crawled out of the outhouse: ...Just my luck, Duke Jiang.

-

Lu Yuan took Meng Qianqian out of the palace.

Meng Qianqian looked back at the direction of the Imperial Study Room, "Really don’t need to care about them there?"

Lu Yuan said, "The palace has Imperial Physicians, besides, there’s my father."

Meng Qianqian said with a smile, "Now you see the benefits of having a dad."

Lu Yuan grunted softly.

Though he was reluctant to admit it, the difference between having a dad and not having one was indeed significant.

Gongsun Yanming was far harder to deal with than Prime Minister Xun, but because of having a father to clean up and back them up, they’ve been saved from quite a bit of trouble.

The two got into the carriage.

A round little head popped out from the blanket, adorably looking at Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian’s eyes brightened, "Zhaozhao!"

"Mommy!"

The little one stretched out small arms and leapt into Meng Qianqian’s embrace.

Soft and cuddly, the little one melted Meng Qianqian’s heart.

With her milky scent and Meng Qianqian’s warm fragrant scent, both felt immense reassurance in a foreign land.

Lu Yuan huffed again, "I am your dad."

The little one stuck out her tongue at her sloppy dad, "Blah blah blah."

Meng Qianqian held the little one and sat down, gratefully saying to Lu Yuan, "Thank you, Prince Changsun."

Lu Yuan coolly replied, "Taking her out makes you so happy."

Meng Qianqian moved closer to Lu Yuan’s side, gazing at him affectionately, "It’s because she’s the prince’s child that Xiaojiu is happy."

Lu Yuan met her gaze, full of love even for dogs, and turned away with a snort.

If he didn’t know her too well, he might believe it.

Meng Qianqian blinked, wasn’t her acting convincing?

Treasure Piggy was flying in elation, wriggling around in Meng Qianqian’s arms, rubbing her neck, cheeks, and hands, wanting to leave her scent all over mommy.

"That’s enough."

Lu Yuan lifted the little bundle over.

Treasure Piggy’s little arms and legs fluttered, "Let me go! Let me go! I want mommy!"

Her cry was loud enough to make Cui Hu, driving the carriage in front, shiver, almost dropping the whip.

They hadn’t even had the big wedding yet, you’re already calling her mommy?

He thought it was just a kid’s babbling until he heard the increasingly outrageous conversation behind them.

Lu Yuan: "Your mommy has a little sister in her belly."

Meng Qianqian stammered, "What nonsense are you talking?"

Treasure Piggy mimicked, "Nonsense!"

Lu Yuan said seriously, "No nonsense, after the wedding, there will be little kids."

Treasure Piggy: "Then, then, isn’t baby a little kid?"

Cui Hu’s carriage dashed wildly through the streets like an untethered horse.

What did he just hear?

Big wedding?

Pregnancy?

He’s an insider of the Emperor!

Such explosive news, should he report it to the Emperor???

Lu Yuan lifted the curtain and frowned at Cui Hu, "Did you drink too much?"

Cui Hu: "..."

The three got off the carriage.

Lu Yuan held the excited, leg-kicking little one.

Meng Qianqian put on a veil and walked beside Lu Yuan, "Prince Changsun, refrain from making jokes like this in the future."

Lu Yuan said, "If it happens, it’s not a joke."

Meng Qianqian turned her face, "I did not."

Lu Yuan raised a brow, "Then you want it to happen?"

Meng Qianqian stopped, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "Grand Commander!"

Lu Yuan: "I am here."

Unable to out-talk him, Meng Qianqian went silent.

The streets were bustling, with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and endless vendor shouts, a scene of prosperous times.

An hurried passerby came directly towards them.

Lu Yuan raised his hand to vaguely protect Meng Qianqian’s shoulder, without touching her, and shielded her from the passerby’s collision.

Meng Qianqian’s gaze shifted slightly, instinctively glancing sideways at him.

She touched her chest.

"Uncomfortable?"

Lu Yuan asked.

She lowered her hand, "No."

Here, it was beating a little fast.

"Wow! Lanterns!"

"Flowers!"

"Candy!"

The little one lay on Lu Yuan’s shoulder, looking around excitedly, like a little puppy.