"I'm happy about making money, of course," Lu Qingwan shook her head. "I just feel that as soon as our parents are involved, things get strange. Don't you feel it at all?"
After all, they were four living people, and their identities were not ordinary. It was a good thing that they were alive. But whether it was the former branch leader of Sansheng Tower in Northern Wei, or the current guardian of Hanxiao Hall, they became unnatural as soon as they mentioned her parents and Prince Cheng An and his wife.
Si Fengwu looked at Lu Qingwan wracking her brains, and rubbed her head like petting a cat. "If you can't figure these problems out, don't think about them. Just think about handing over the Myriad Phoenix King and the True Dragon Token in plain sight, and those people will have no reason to bother you and me every day. You and I only need to live our lives in peace. As for them, they are all people who were long ago pronounced dead. Before, we had to investigate the truth of their life and death because of the Myriad Phoenix King and the True Dragon Token. Now that the items are no longer in our hands, does the truth really matter?"
If Si Fengwu had some affection for his parents whom he had never met at the beginning, after two years of frequent troubles, all that remained was weariness. He couldn't understand what reason would allow them to stand by and do nothing in the name of tempering, knowing that he and Lu Qingwan were in endless trouble caused by them. If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't think about it anymore.
After comforting Lu Qingwan, he then spoke of serious matters. "The items have been handed over, so don't think about these things anymore. By the way, have you noticed that the guardian of Hanxiao Hall, is likely more than just knowing that our father is alive?" Si Fengwu could not guess why their parents stood by and watched their suffering, nor could he guess if they would return in the future. But he could not ignore the danger they brought to him and Lu Qingwan. He hadn't lived enough yet!
Lu Qingwan nodded with understanding, "Of course. He repeatedly emphasized that since I gave him the items, I could never take them back under any circumstances. How could I not feel anything?" Si Fengwu was relieved to speak of this matter, as Lu Qingwan had noticed the other party's abnormality just like himself. "That's what I'm talking about. What are your thoughts on this?"
Logically, a transaction of "money in, goods out" should be enough after one mention, but the guardian of Hanxiao Hall was clearly too nervous. This made Si Fengwu suspicious. As the one who was repeatedly reminded, and even warned, Lu Qingwan's feelings were directly evident. "It's actually very simple. His nervousness precisely shows that he knows very well that I still have a chance to access the Myriad Phoenix King and the True Dragon Token. Considering our current situation, the only ones who could allow me to access these two items again would be our parents, right?" Lu Qingwan stated calmly, a guess that neither she nor Si Fengwu found pleasant, "So, in that place unknown to us, their identities are also unusual, aren't they?"
Si Fengwu continued with an unchanged expression, "Their identities are unusual, and it's very likely they already have a new heir."
...
Silence, a deathly silence. Since learning that Prince Cheng An and his wife, and Lu Qingwan's biological parents were still alive, the two of them had said they wouldn't think too much about it, while trying hard to guess why they didn't return. They had thought they were trapped somewhere and couldn't return, or that they had some difficulties and couldn't return. They had never thought that they had a new home elsewhere and were unwilling to return.
A sudden guess shattered the last shred of hope in their hearts. Yet, they felt that among countless guesses, this was the most likely. Lu Qingwan weakly pulled at the corner of her mouth, "This is truly... a heartbreaking possibility."
"Alright, we finally got rid of those two hot potatoes. We should celebrate, so don't scare yourselves here." Si Fengwu forced himself to cheer up and grabbed Lu Qingwan. "Let's go, I'll take you to see the capital city after the officials have left."
Just half a month ago, all the important projects were still being moved to the capital, and almost everyone believed that the capital was the new capital of the future. But not long after, Si Fengwu suddenly ordered Prince Nan to be appointed as Prime Minister, and promoted a series of important officials of the new dynasty, ordering Prince Nan, along with the Grand Scholar of Wenhua Hall, Wen Xiang, and Grand Scholar Chi, to lead the civil and military officials to Jincheng. This series of unexpected moves stunned everyone. And the remaining elders of the Great Qian who were now in the capital were even more bewildered. They knelt outside the palace gate every day, begging to see Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan, but they were never granted an audience.
Si Fengwu claimed to take Lu Qingwan to see the capital city after the officials had left, but in reality, he wanted to deal with the issues left behind by the decision to establish the capital. For this reason, the two of them specially walked out of the palace on foot without taking their carriages, giving those elders ample time to react. As expected, as soon as the two of them left the palace, those elders of the Great Qian blocked the palace gate. They claimed to beg an audience, but they stood so straight that Lu Qingwan could feel their overwhelming anger from afar.
Only when the two of them reached them did they reluctantly kneel and pay their respects, "Your Highnesses, we pay our respects to the Prince and Princess Consort." Si Fengwu remained silent, and Lu Qingwan would not break his stride. For a moment, the air was filled with an awkward atmosphere. Fortunately, there were quite a few people who came, and there were still one or two smart ones. Seeing that Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan ignored them, someone reacted and re-saluted, "This commoner, Xi Fengzhang, pays his respects to His Highness Prince Qin and the Princess Consort of Prince Qin!"
Only then did Si Fengwu deign to cast a glance at the person and say coldly, "Rise." The others then learned their lesson, changing their address one by one, calling themselves commoners. Soon, most of them stood up. Only about seven or eight people persisted in their status as subjects. Seeing that Si Fengwu did not allow them to rise, they acted as if they had been wronged. They righteously accused, "Your Highness, we have served in the court for decades. Even without merit, we have labored. Must Your Highness humiliate us old men like this?"
A group of former high-ranking officials kneeling on the ground like this had already attracted a large number of onlookers. Hearing this, many people, with a preconceived notion, believed that Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan were bullying people, and their expressions carried a kind of inexplicable fear and doubt. How could Si Fengwu, of all people, be tricked by such a low-level trick? He asked the man with an impassive face, "May I ask which dynasty's court you are referring to? For which dynasty did you earn your merits and labor? You keep calling me 'Your Highness,' but do you remember which dynasty's prince I am?"