"Don't call me A'wan, it disgusts me."
Lu Qingwan forcefully interrupted him. "Back then, you scorned my ugliness and called me a cripple, wanting Lu Siwan to replace me. I refused, yet it was Lu Siwan who rode in the bridal sedan chair to Prince Chen's estate.
A few days ago, you said you wanted to take me as a concubine. I refused, yet you used forty thousand Xuanjia Army's provisions and military funds to make me stand here.
And now?
If I refuse, can you send me to Prince Qin of Great Qin without any burden?
Feng Qingheng, can you be any more shameless?"
Her voice carried a heart-wrenching repression and anger.
"If you never intended to respect my wishes from the start, then don't make me face choices with no options.
Let no one use me as a pawn. You all discuss amongst yourselves.
Whether I become Imperial Noble Consort of Great Gan, Princess Consort of Great Qin, or if I can peacefully remain the Regent Princess Consort of Great Gan, tell me once you've decided.
Don't worry, I will be an excellent puppet. I won't disappoint you all."
A poisoned puppet is still a puppet. Anyone can pull its strings. The difference is that an ordinary puppet can be manipulated at will, while she, this poisoned puppet, can only be pulled once.
Having spoken, she raised her hand, stripped off her phoenix robe, discarded her phoenix coronet, and descended the high platform in a plain colored, wide-sleeved robe, striding towards the palace gates.
Feng Qingheng, reacting belatedly, shouted, "Guards, stop her for the Emperor!"
During the investiture ceremony, there were many people and many potential dangers.
The Baohe Hall was surrounded by guards, from the Imperial Army to the Shence Camp, and even the Imperial Guards. Posts stood every three steps, guards every five.
Upon hearing Feng Qingheng's words, the guards instinctively moved to surround Lu Qingwan.
However, the envoy waved his hand, ordering his attendants to stand on either side of Lu Qingwan and announced loudly, "Our Great Qin's Princess Consort will be escorted back to her estate by us. The Emperor of Great Gan need not worry."
After speaking, he stepped aside with extreme deference, watching Lu Qingwan descend the high platform.
As expected, Feng Qingheng no longer ordered the guards to stop Lu Qingwan.
Everyone present knew that Lu Qingwan was destined to be the Princess Consort of Qin.
Because all understood that Great Gan was theirs, but before Great Qin, Great Gan was merely Gan Dynasty, and Gan Dynasty could not afford to offend the Great Qin that ruled the north.
Many were pleased that Lu Qingwan would not marry Feng Qingheng as his Imperial Noble Consort.
However, the sudden appearance of Prince Qin of Great Qin left everyone bewildered.
As soon as Lu Qingwan left the palace, she saw Liyang sitting on the carriage shaft, his gaze dazed. Upon seeing each other, both were momentarily stunned.
Liyang sprang from the carriage shaft and rushed to Lu Qingwan's side, shouting excitedly, "Princess Consort!"
Lu Qingwan's heart was complicated, and she couldn't bring herself to smile. She asked him calmly, "Why are you here?"
This morning, the carriage from the palace, adorned with half an Empress's regalia, had brought Lu Qingwan to the palace, leading the common folk on the streets to lament Lu Qingwan's good fortune.
First the Regent Prince, then the new Emperor; the men she married were of increasingly high status.
Although the procession this time was not as grand as the Regent Prince's wedding, half an Empress's regalia was a honor envied by many women.
With such a grand display, no one would have expected Lu Qingwan to leave the palace. Thus, Liyang's appearance outside the palace gates was particularly abrupt.
Hearing Lu Qingwan's question, Liyang scratched his head and replied honestly, "Your subordinate knows that whatever decision the Princess Consort makes is for the sake of the Prince and the Xuanjia Army.
Your subordinate could not help, so I thought I would wait here. If the Princess Consort were to be bullied by Feng Qingheng, your subordinate could arrive first.
And if the Princess Consort were to regret it, your subordinate could still escort the Princess Consort home for the Prince."
Tears immediately welled up in Lu Qingwan's eyes. She wiped them haphazardly, not caring if her makeup smudged, and leaped onto the carriage.
"You've come at the right time. I regret it. Take me back!"
Upon hearing this, Liyang jumped with joy, not asking for any reason, and excitedly replied, "En, good!"
With that, he jumped onto the carriage shaft, whipped the horse's hindquarters, and sped off, as if afraid someone from the palace might come and drag Lu Qingwan back to be made Imperial Noble Consort.
The carriage sped rapidly, with Liyang chattering excitedly.
"Princess Consort, you don't know, this morning you wouldn't let your subordinates escort you, nor let Li Su and Ru Yue accompany you. They were so wronged!
Li Jin even wanted to bring the dark guards to assassinate Feng Qingheng, but was taken by Duan Yue and Twelve Yue to the training grounds to vent their energy.
Oh, Princess Consort, and the strategist also sent us a message. He said if the Princess Consort was bullied, we should tell him, and he would lead the Xuanjia Army to storm the imperial city.
Things that the Prince and Princess Consort find inconvenient, we brothers can do..."
The anger of being manipulated on the sacrificial altar dissipated, and Lu Qingwan felt warmth from the bottom of her heart.
The carriage stopped at the Prince's estate gates. The guards were stunned to see Lu Qingwan return, then their faces broke out in ecstatic joy. They ran inside, cheering, "The Princess Consort has returned!
Brothers, the Princess Consort is back..."
When Lu Qingwan entered the main courtyard, the familiar and unfamiliar guards, dark guards, household servants, and maids all gathered in the courtyard outside the main hall.
A dense crowd knelt on the ground, raising their voices in unison, "We respectfully welcome the Princess Consort back to the estate! May the Princess Consort be blessed!"
The tears Lu Qingwan had held back all the way finally couldn't be contained, streaming down her face.
Frightened by the crowd, they quickly asked Li Su and Ru Yue to escort her into the Wutong Garden.
After a flurry of activity, Lu Qingwan calmed her emotions, and everyone also calmed down from the surprise of Lu Qingwan's return.
One by one, they looked at Lu Qingwan, wanting to speak but hesitating, wishing to know what had happened but afraid of upsetting Lu Qingwan, to the point of nearly suffering internal injuries.
Seeing this, Lu Qingwan said considerately, "I know you all have many questions now, and I do too.
Everyone, please wait a little longer. Before long, everything will become clear. However, I can assure you of one thing: at least for now, I am safe, and the Xuanjia Army is also safe. The problems you are worried about do not exist."
These people naturally did not wish for Lu Qingwan to become Feng Qingheng's Imperial Noble Consort, neither publicly nor privately.
But they worried that Lu Qingwan's defiance of the imperial decree would cause trouble for herself, for the old officials in court, and even for the Xuanjia Army.
This was human nature, which Lu Qingwan understood and even willingly reassured them.
However, she knew that Li Jin and the others might not believe her.
After all, when a nation's emperor intended to appoint an Imperial Noble Consort, and that Imperial Noble Consort returned home midway, it was no small matter in any country.
How could they believe that Lu Qingwan's return to the estate would have no repercussions from Feng Qingheng whatsoever?
Just as everyone was filled with anxiety, an uninvited guest arrived at the Prince's estate, and it was none other than the Minister of Rites, Jing Chunnan, who had almost presided over Lu Qingwan's investiture ceremony.