Lu Qingwan's gaze fixed on Wen Ruguo's face. After a moment of serious consideration, she confidently stated, "They wouldn't dare."
If someone had wanted to replace Lu Qingwan when she first married Si Fengwu, and Si Fengwu had agreed, Lu Qingwan might have been powerless to resist.
But as it stood today, Lu Qingwan had the backing of Bu Ye Zhou and Jici Hospital, with Tian Xuan Cheng as her support. Even if Si Fengwu had thoughts of a new love, he would have to consider the price. How much less so for a group of outsiders?
Even if someone truly intended to use Wen Ruguo to disrupt her marital relationship with Si Fengwu, at most, they would try to achieve it gradually. To immediately vie for the position of empress against Lu Qingwan would require them to have lost their minds.
Wen Ruguo, restrained by Li Su and Ru Yue, exuded a sickly pallor due to her prolonged pretense of madness and lack of sunlight. Upon hearing Lu Qingwan's words, she managed a stiff twitch of her lips. "Do you know how much I despise that confident look of yours? As if everything is under your control. But if you were truly that capable, how could you have implicated me, allowing them to capture me and threaten my grandfather and father?"
At this moment, the resentment in Wen Ruguo's eyes was almost tangible. Lu Qingwan, however, was genuinely amused. If she had felt a shred of pity for Wen Ruguo before coming, now all that remained was exasperation.
"Your dislike for me was evident from our first meeting; there's no need to reiterate it. However, Wen Ruguo, are you sure you weren't captured and used to threaten Elder Wen because you yourself are foolish?"
Wen Ruguo stiffened. "What do you mean? You and Si Fengwu are selfish. You became princes of Great Qin and now want control of the Southeast Three Kingdoms. You dragged my grandfather into working for you, and you have the audacity to blame me for implicating you?"
Despite Wen Ruguo's sharp words, she was, in fact, feeling guilty. She knew too well what had happened before her incident. If the Wen family had known what she had done, others might have let it slide, but Wen Rusong would have beaten her to death.
Yet, Lu Qingwan had emerged from a crucible of death; how could she be so easily deceived? Seeing that Wen Ruguo was still stubbornly defiant despite the circumstances, Lu Qingwan stated directly, "The Prince and I hold titles and noble ranks in Great Qin. Establishing a new dynasty here is our capability. Elder Wen and your father and brothers willingly dedicating themselves to the new dynasty are their own choices. As for implicating you..."
Lu Qingwan stared at Wen Ruguo with a gaze full of sarcasm for a full ten breaths before scoffing. "If the Wen family, young and old, were to sheath their swords and retire to a life of farming, fishing, and scholarly pursuits, then perhaps you wouldn't be implicated. But I ask you, Princess Ruguo, born with a silver spoon in your mouth, would you be willing to live the life of common folk? Would you be willing to give up the current splendor and wealth? Would you be willing to forgo the flattery you receive when you go out?"
Wen Ruguo's expression remained unchanged, but her eyes betrayed her. She was accustomed to the life of a high-ranking princess. To live among commoners, to be looked down upon by the daughters of officials she once disdained, to lack luxurious food and clothing – to her, that was no different from death.
"It seems you also know that among the entire Wen family, you, Wen Ruguo, are the least qualified to blame anyone!" Having said this, she didn't give Wen Ruguo a chance to retort. She pulled over a chair, sat down opposite Wen Ruguo with a commanding air, and said, "To tell you the truth, the Prince began investigating you while you were still at the Southern Courtyard Nunnery. He knows everything you've done. Confess honestly what those people instructed you to do, and you can continue to be Princess Ruguo peacefully. If you still wish to cause trouble, whether you are a criminal or a noble lady in the new dynasty as a princess of Great Gan, that is yet to be determined."
Wen Ruguo glared at Lu Qingwan with intense hatred, her eyes seemingly wishing to devour Lu Qingwan alive. Unfortunately, Elder Wen and Old Madam Wen had already handed her over entirely to Lu Qingwan. Her life or death, and how she lived it, was now entirely up to Lu Qingwan, leaving her with no power to resist.
After a long pause, Wen Ruguo finally spoke, "They told me to feign madness over the matter of the brothel, forcing grandfather to repay their favors by having Si Fengwu take me as a concubine."
Lu Qingwan raised an eyebrow. "Just that?"
Wen Ruguo nodded. "That's right. They were extremely cautious. Only once I entered the palace would they tell me the next step. Otherwise, I wouldn't even get to see their faces."
Lu Qingwan nodded, appearing to believe her. "So, feigning madness was their instruction, and confining yourself to an isolated environment was your own addition to avoid their surveillance?"
Wen Ruguo continued to nod. From beginning to end, her gaze towards Lu Qingwan was filled with dissatisfaction and anger, vividly displaying the humiliation of being forced to cooperate with Lu Qingwan.
Seeing this, Lu Qingwan leisurely and deliberately provoked her. "Don't glare at me like that. Feigning madness was your own idea. Outside, whether you are lucid or not, and when you become lucid, is entirely up to me. If you're sensible, quickly fawn over me, and I might grant you freedom. Otherwise..." She left the rest unsaid, but both parties understood perfectly.
Wen Ruguo had endured up to this point, biting her tongue, precisely to have Lu Qingwan announce her recovery to the outside world. Hearing these words, she gritted her teeth and asked, "What do you want me to do?"
"You don't need to do anything. Just be Elder Wen and Old Madam's good granddaughter. Stop causing trouble." As Lu Qingwan spoke, she took out a piece of paper and placed it on the table. "You've been feigning madness for so long. Suddenly recovering without medication or acupuncture won't be convincing to the outside world. This is a supplementary prescription with tonics. It's harmless to the body, so have someone brew it for you to drink. I'll find excuses to visit a few more times during this period. After three to five visits, you can gradually recover."
Lu Qingwan's reputation as a divine doctor was widely known. Her status now soared, and her services were highly sought after. Wen Ruguo, however, was suspicious. "You're not planning to poison me, are you?"
"If you don't trust me, find someone to examine it. But honestly, if you hadn't been born into such a good family with such a good grandfather as Elder Wen, I might have been tempted to poison you with a single dose." Saying this, she stood up with an expression of impatience. "I'm leaving. Remember to gradually reduce the frequency of your 'madness' each day. Don't let this false illness ruin my true reputation."
With that, she walked out of Old Madam Wen's room with an air of annoyance. As the door opened, she was met with Wen Rusong's complicated expression. Lu Qingwan calmly glanced sideways, then looked at the restless Old Madam Wen sitting nearby. Upon seeing Lu Qingwan, the latter hurried forward to inquire, "How is it, Consort? Is Ruguo's illness serious?"