Lu Qingwan had been staring into Xie Shiluan's eyes from beginning to end, watching her transition from disbelief to utter despair before finally shifting her gaze away.
"It seems you've come to your senses?" she asked, her tone light and cheerful.
After her initial shock, Xie Shiluan's voice grew much calmer. "You did this on purpose?"
Recalling the events, she realized her actions hadn't been particularly discreet. It was impossible that Lu Qingwan's formidable intelligence network hadn't noticed. Yet, despite so many obvious missteps, she had never been caught. The only explanation was that Lu Qingwan had allowed her to succeed.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Lu Qingwan gazed towards the direction of the imperial palace. "Your imposter Xiao Jing'an is probably dead by now. It's time for my imposter to make her appearance. Oh, and not just Xiao Jing'an's imposter, but an imposter you as well. Guess where they'll strike their first blow as they take office?"
Xie Shiluan lost all desire to struggle. "What exactly do you want?"
"Xiliang," Lu Qingwan stated plainly. "I must thank you for presenting such a golden opportunity. I was initially worried about launching a surprise attack on Xiliang and incurring the people's wrath! I didn't expect you to use yourself as bait just to deliver me into Liu Hanyan's hands. The Emperor of Xiliang saw the Great Qian's rear exposed and attacked the armies stationed at Yunqiang and Zhenyuan Pass, and the Xuanjia Army resolutely counterattacked. Empress, do you find this explanation satisfactory?"
Her meticulously laid plan had not even managed to scratch Lu Qingwan, but instead, she had trapped herself and revealed all her secrets. Xie Shiluan was stunned.
Seeing that Lu Qingwan was serious, she tried to salvage some pride. "Don't get too smug. This is Xiliang city, not Shangjing or Zhongzhou. They won't let you run amok here. If you know what's good for you, you'll release me, otherwise, you won't even be able to leave Xiliang city today!"
Lu Qingwan, having dared to come, naturally paid no mind to such hollow threats. "Oh really?" she sneered, waving her hand. "Prepare the carriage. I want to take the Empress out of the city. I'll see if I can indeed leave Xiliang city today."
Li Su immediately went to prepare the carriage. Ru Yue flew down from above and skillfully applied some substances to Xie Shiluan, altering her appearance. After her clothes were forcibly changed and a pill was forced down her throat, Xie Shiluan's voice changed.
The luxurious convoy soon reached the city gates. Xie Shiluan knew that once they left Xiliang city, she would have no chance to turn the tide. She tried to make sounds of distress, wanting the guards to stop Xie Shiluan and her entourage, but when she opened her mouth, her words contradicted her intentions. "I am Lian Qing from the Marquis of Zhongyong's manor. The Empress has ordered me to escort our esteemed guest out of the city."
A golden token was handed over, and Lu Qingwan's convoy was allowed to pass without inspection. Xie Shiluan glared, wishing she could kill Lu Qingwan with her eyes. Lu Qingwan's lips curved into a subtle smile, and she mouthed silently, "Thank you."
Xie Shiluan was so enraged she almost died on the spot. She decided to close her eyes, opting to see no evil.
Lu Qingwan, however, was not done with her. "I forgot to tell you, Liu Hanyan, who helped you break your initial enchantment and led you into my trap, is someone I should call 'Mother' based on seniority. And I didn't lie to you before. Don't worry, I will send you to see her. Of course, if everything goes as planned, it will be after the victory celebration banquet where the Prince and I take Xiliang."
Xie Shiluan's eyes snapped open. Her mouth moved, but for a moment, she didn't know what to say. After pondering for a long time, she resorted to a method she had once disdained to strike at Lu Qingwan. "Even your own mother wishes you dead, and you think this is something worth bragging to me about?"
After saying this, she belatedly realized her tongue was no longer under her own control and was shocked into speechlessness.
Lu Qingwan chuckled lightly. "Surprised? Don't you think this enchantment is more interesting than the one you were under before? Regretful? If you had come to me earlier, you wouldn't have had to deal with the likes of Liu Hanyan."
Xie Shiluan's expression became incredibly complex. The enchantment that had held her captive for half a year was now, with seemingly effortless skill, demonstrated by Lu Qingwan in a far more advanced form. Moreover, Lu Qingwan's words implied that she had better options and didn't need to cooperate with Liu Hanyan. If anyone else had said this, Xie Shiluan would have scoffed. But coming from Lu Qingwan, who had once genuinely helped her and now displayed such unfathomable power, she found herself hesitant and conflicted.
A series of knocks sounded against the carriage wall. Lu Qingwan's voice was cold. "Speak."
Li Su's voice came through, "Princess Consort, we just received news. While the Empress was out of the palace, the Madam of the Marquis of Zhongyong's manor sent the two illegitimate daughters of the Xie family into the palace. They claimed they were helping the Empress by looking after the Emperor of Xiliang and sharing her burdens."
Lu Qingwan paused for a moment, then smiled, a smile tinged with sarcasm and coldness. "It seems the Empress's tendency to repay kindness with ingratitude is hereditary!" Even though Xie Shiluan had colluded with Liu Hanyan to scheme against her, and she intended to use Xie Shiluan to give the Xuanjia Army a legitimate reason to attack Xiliang, she had never considered using Xie Shiluan's family as a pawn. After all, she herself detested the power struggles of those in authority that implicated their families. Yet, Xie Shiluan's mother, it turned out, truly had no intention of bringing her daughter honor.
Xie Shiluan was stunned for a moment by Li Su's words. When she reacted, she said with unusual calmness, "Impossible." She wasn't sure if she was saying it to herself or to Lu Qingwan. She repeated, "This is absolutely impossible. My mother would never do this to me." She remembered that she, a dignified female general of Xiliang, had agreed to be a tribute maiden in Great Qian only after Xiao Jing'an threatened the female members of the Xie family. Xie Shiluan had not only saved Xiliang but was also the savior of all the women in the Marquis of Zhongyong's manor. Moreover, the Madam of the Marquis of Zhongyong's manor was her own mother. How could Xie Shiluan accept such a cruel truth? After repeating herself twice, she suddenly stood up and grabbed Lu Qingwan's collar. "You're lying to me, aren't you? My mother would never do this to me, never..."
Weakened by Lu Qingwan's drug, her strength was negligible. Lu Qingwan casually pushed her away, and she slumped softly in the carriage. "You haven't known me for just one day, nor have you known your mother for just one day. You've occupied the position of Empress but offered no support to your maternal clan. Do you think your mother would miss such an opportunity to seize power from you?"
The male members of the Marquis of Zhongyong's manor had all died on the battlefield, referring to the adult males. There were still a few young children, who carried the hopes of the Madam of the Marquis of Zhongyong's manor. In Xie Shiluan's mother's eyes, those children were far more important than her own daughter.