Chapter 702 - Shangguan Lei’s Ulterior Motive
Chapter 702 Shangguan Lei’s Ulterior Motive
Although Long Mengru still appeared to be in a huff, she had calmed down a great deal in front of her grandfather.
Shangguan Lei glanced meaningfully at his granddaughter for a while and then looked away.
He did not know whether it was a misfortune or not. His granddaughter took after her mother in scheming more than his good-for-nothing grandson did.
If Mengru were a man, he would not have to make another plan.
“I understand what your mother meant. It was your uncle who did this in private. I’ve already punished him. Go back and tell your mother that she doesn’t need to worry about this,” Shangguan Lei said.
Although he had punished his son, it didn’t sound like he was in the wrong.
On hearing his words, Long Mengru furrowed her delicate brows. Over the years, her grandfather had been away from home and left the domestic affairs to be handled by her mother.
What did he mean by saying that now?
“What do you mean by saying that? Grandpa, don’t you know that what he has done could offer my father a reason to eradicate our Shangguan Family? Don’t you know how hard my mother has tried to maintain our Shangguan Family’s position over the years?” Long Mengru said, overwhelmed by emotions.
But what she was more concerned about was that once Shangguan Family was battered because of this, it would have an influence on her and her mothers’ position.
She, who was overwhelmed by emotions, used sharp words.
However, when she noticed that her grandfather fixed his sharp eyes on her as if looking at a stranger, she suddenly fell silent.
Shangguan Lei was more like a man sizing up his opponent than a grandfather looking at his granddaughter.
In an instant, Long Mengru was alerted.
Although she just saw a flash of coldness in Shangguan Lei’s eyes, she, who was born sensitive to such things, still sensed something from her grandfather’s attitude.
She suppressed her rage and fear.
She, who had lived in the Imperial Palace over the years, had been perfectly proficient in disguising her emotions.
Although she has sensed something, she still managed to maintain her composed look perfectly.
Perhaps her grandfather just considered her as a willful princess.
Well, she would like to maintain this image.
“Just report to your mother as I said, and she will understand. She had a hard time over the years, so I come back to help her. Well, instruct someone to send her back and avoid attracting the attention of the others in the Imperial Palace,” Shangguan Lei said.
As the head of the entire family, he carried a lot of weight so that even Old Madam Shangguan had to obey his orders.
Holding her granddaughter’s hand, Old Madam Shangguan naturally knew that her stubborn granddaughter was extremely dissatisfied with this result.
But now, they had to accept Shangguan Lei’s arrangement for the time being.
Long Mengru, who looked resentful, was dragged by her grandmother to the inner courtyard, where the female members lived.
As soon as she stepped into her grandmother’s courtyard and smelled the fragrance of the orchids, her face softened a little.
When she was a child, she often hung out here, but she, who was young with delicate skin back then, was often bitten by bugs.
Therefore, her grandmother instructed the servants to cultivate this kind of orchids, which could expel bugs, in all seasons other than winter.
The fragrance deeply rooted in her memory improved her mood a little.
Her grandmother was the only one in this family who truly loved her and her mother.
Old Madam Shangguan led her granddaughter to the room and waved her hand to dismiss all the others.
Under the bright candlelight, Old Madam Shangguan, who was noble and proud, only showed her deep affection for her granddaughter at the moment.
“Grandma, look at what grandpa has done. Others may have no idea how hard my mother has worked for what she has nowadays, but you’re very clear about it, aren’t you?” Long Mengru snuggled up to her grandmother and said with an aggrieved look.
She was keenly aware that her grandparents were not on the same boat.
As she expected, her grandmother stroked her beautiful hair lovingly, while her grandmother’s whisper in her ear surprised her, “Your grandfather has been bewitched by them. I’ve long known that it’s impossible for the children of those actresses to be goodies. Alas, I just feel sorry for Zhu’er and Qing’er. If it weren’t for my incompetence, your uncle wouldn’t have…”
Long Mengru knew a lot about this story.
Her grandmother, who was born in a wealthy family, was a perfect match for her grandfather.
However, her grandmother was unlucky in her youth. After giving birth to her mother and aunt, her grandmother gave birth to her uncle, a sickly baby boy.
Her uncle grew up as a chronic invalid.
Although he was exceptionally intelligent, he was so weak as to be unable to stand any breeze.
He could be considered as a burden in an ordinary family, let alone in a family of military officers like their Shangguan Family.
Thus, her grandfather took a few concubines.
Fortunately, given her grandmother’s formidable means and her grandfather’s respect for her grandmother, these concubines were unable to make waves.
However, each of their sons was stronger than another.
Now their sons had grown up. If it weren’t for her mother’s position as the Empress, those concubines would have brought her grandmother down long ago.
“Humph, how dare they, the humble sons of concubines, compete with my uncle? Now they even tried to set a hand in the affairs of the royal family. Damn it!” Long Mengru cursed.
She had never considered them as her uncles.
As the children of concubines, they were destined to be the stepping stone for the noble lineal descendants.
But now, these humble people dared to challenge their master, which was unbearable!
“Therefore, you and your mother must be careful. Now I usually spend a little time with your grandfather, and I think those bitches definitely have spoken ill of us when having pillow talks with your grandfather. I can keep the family under control for the time being, but you and your mother are going to have a hard time in the Imperial Palace,” Old Madam Shangguan said.
Of course, she was most worried about her daughter and grandchildren.
Long Mengru nodded with a heavy heart. If her mother and she lost the support of her grandparents’ family, there would be a lot more obstacles on the way to striving for the throne.
As she thought of this, a sinister and cold look flashed across her bright eyes.
If they really got in her and her mother’s way, she had to make some preparations early.
She wouldn’t allow anyone to stand in her way. If they refused to suit their actions to the situation, she would have to get rid of them so that they could meet the ancestors of the Shangguan Family!
It was destined to be a restless night in all places.
It had been just an hour since Lin Mengya went to bed. She opened her eyes and heaved a sigh in the dark.
She had fallen asleep in Long Tianyu’s arms since they slept together.
Now, Lin Mengya felt that she was not used to sleeping without being held by him.
After she lit the candles, she found a shadow standing in front of the door.
Just when she was about to call for help, she gradually saw Qinghu’s worried face in the candlelight.
“I was almost scared to death. Why do you stay up and come here so late?” Lin Mengya patted her chest and asked.
Then she felt Qinghu put his coat, which was still warm, on her.
“When I followed your father to the Shen’s Mansion today, I found some clues. The deaths of these people may have something to do with the Candle Dragon Cult, so I think you and your father had better stay out of this,” Qinghu said with a serious look.
If the Candle Dragon Cult didn’t get involved in this, Lin Mengya would be safe.
But now, the change in his connection with the Candle Dragon Cult made him unable to know what exactly the Candle Dragon Cult was trying to do, so he was preoccupied with more troubles.
“The Candle Dragon Cult gets involved again. What are they trying to do?” Lin Mengya said.
The haunting organization now got involved in this.
However, hadn’t they been colluding with the Crown Prince and the Empress?
Could it be that they exterminated the Shen Family on the instructions of the Empress and the Crown Prince?
After pondering for a moment, Lin Mengya still thought that she seemed to have neglected something.
Seeing that she was trying so hard to think, Qinghu did not disturb her.
After all, Lin Mengya had her plan, while the Candle Dragon Cult had their way of carrying out their tasks.
As long as they didn’t find out about his identity, he could barely keep Lin Mengya safe, assuming that she wasn’t one of the targets of the Candle Dragon Cult.
“My father said that another group of people went to the Shen’s Mansion to search something. Did you see what they tried to search?” Lin Mengya asked.
Qinghu thought for a moment, and then shook his head and said, “They searched very carefully, but after they left, I checked around and found no clues. Oh, if there’s anything missing, a hairpin Madam Shen wore seemed to be missing after they left. Madam Shen was the only one who looked serene with her eyes closed, so I remember it very clearly.”
In terms of martial arts, her father might be better than Qinghu.
However, her father might not be as careful as Qinghu in paying attention to details.
“Only a hairpin is missing. Are you sure? Do you remember what the hairpin looks like?” Lin Mengya asked.
Qinghu tried hard to recall. After all, he had just glanced at it.
After a long while, Qinghu could only shake his head to show that he failed to recall.
It was good enough for him to remember the hairpin. It was an imposition to ask him to recall what it looked like.
“Perhaps they are just a gang of robbers fishing in troubled waters,” Lin Mengya gave an explanation even unconvincing to herself.
But she had no extra clues. Now the Emperor kept the case under his control. Even if she wanted to participate in the investigation, the Emperor would not allow her.
But now she had to stay at home. If she hadn’t come home back then, she probably would have been kept in Prince Yu’s Mansion like a caged canary.
She had to do something to help her father and Long Tianyu.