Nie Wu Ming had already danced his way in front of her, yet he still dared to leave his sister and nephew here. Lu Qing Wan couldn't help but admire Nie Wu Ming's courage.
"Go fetch them and investigate who she's been in contact with in the past year. Don't alert her."
As soon as Lu Qing Wan finished speaking, she took out her usual medicinal pillow and stethoscope.
The items were all arranged, but Su Shang hadn't left yet. Lu Qing Wan looked up in confusion, "Is there something else?"
Su Shang grinned, "No, Mistress. These days, Nan Shu has been reporting and recording anyone who has had unusual contact with normal patients herself. I had people keeping an eye on her and found nothing out of the ordinary. Do you still want me to investigate again?"
Lu Qing Wan remained silent, only staring at her with cold eyes.
After a moment, Su Shang lowered her head, "I'll go fetch people now and investigate myself."
Lu Qing Wan then lowered her head and continued fiddling with her things, "You've followed me for more than a day. If you feel you can't do this, you can say so and leave. But as long as you're here, remember what your responsibility is."
Su Shang paused her steps and replied, "I understand," before walking out.
Lu Qing Wan turned to Li Su, "You go investigate her contact records. As for Su Shang, investigate her task records from the past six months and give me a written report."
Li Su accepted the order and left. In the room, Lu Qing Wan frowned with a cold expression.
Ru Yue, who stood like a shadow, emerged, "Mistress, please don't be angry. If it doesn't work out, we can simply replace her. Some people have ability and perseverance, but they need to be coaxed. Whoever spends more time with them, they will lean towards. Such people are good as friends or family, but perhaps not as covert guards who might be dispatched elsewhere at any time."
Ru Yue held a position second only to Duan Yue within the Twelve Moons. When Duan Yue was absent, the Twelve Moons revolved around her. However, this leadership never overstepped Lu Qing Wan, their true mistress. It wasn't that Ru Yue lacked ability, but she was self-aware, understood her place, and never overstepped her bounds. Her current words clearly indicated she found Su Shang's actions unreliable.
Lu Qing Wan organized the paper she was about to use for prescriptions and said calmly, "You're right, Su Shang is indeed not perfect."
Ru Yue remained silent, awaiting her next words.
Lu Qing Wan then said very rationally, "With the Prince's ascension to the throne of Da Qian, I am the mistress of the central palace. I will encounter more and more people who don't align with my vision in the future. Can I simply dismiss them just because I don't like them?"
"Naturally, you can't. But there should be a bottom line, shouldn't there? Although Ru Yue holds herself to high standards, she's not foolish enough to expect everyone to meet them. As far as I know, Cheng Nan Shu's time at Ji Ci Hospital has been at best mediocre, not outstanding. She hasn't provided any significant help to Ji Ci Hospital or Su Shang personally. Even with this, Su Shang would question your decision because of her. If it were someone else who flattered her, wouldn't she betray you completely?"
The Twelve Moons, backed by the Samsara Hall and as Lu Qing Wan's confidantes, were well-informed of various movements. Ru Yue spoke with conviction, and she wouldn't feel guilty even if Su Shang and Cheng Nan Shu were present.
Upon hearing this, Lu Qing Wan smiled, "How can you be so sure Cheng Nan Shu hasn't tried to curry favor with Su Shang?"
Ru Yue was stunned, "I often share intelligence with Wu Ying and Hua Ying, and I haven't heard of any significant actions from Cheng Nan Shu."
Lu Qing Wan, being far away in Da Qin, couldn't possibly neglect the vast Ji Ci Hospital. The Twelve Moons and Wu Ying were her best eyes and ears. Yet, Ru Yue, who was supposed to be Lu Qing Wan's informant, had discovered nothing, which made her question everything.
Lu Qing Wan lowered her head and chuckled, "What actions does she need to take? Her clan destroyed, her husband in danger, raising a child alone in this foreign land. She's constantly threatened by villains. She's already quite pitiful, isn't she?"
Lu Qing Wan remembered the scene when she first met Su Shang. Even though Lu Qing Wan herself was barely clothed, she still snatched a young girl from a pimp who was trying to sell her to a brothel due to her greedy parents. How could such a righteous person not fall for a "white lotus" who knew how to evoke sympathy and play the victim?
Ru Yue was momentarily stunned, "Mistress, are you saying that Su Shang didn't intentionally betray you, but rather Cheng Nan Shu deliberately sought pity?"
Lu Qing Wan didn't directly answer her question, but spoke with a heavy tone, "The people of Bu Ye Zhou have all experienced various forms of suffering and possess weaknesses that others cannot comprehend. If someone specifically targets their weaknesses and designs a trap for them, they may have been negligent, but their crime doesn't warrant death. As their mistress, and you as a comrade, we must at least give them a chance to amend their ways, rather than abandoning them without hesitation at the first mistake. If that were the case, why would I have saved her in the first place?"
Ru Yue lowered her head in shame, "I understand. I will remind Su Shang."
Lu Qing Wan nodded, "Go. Fetch me Nie Wu Ming's medical records from when he was recuperating here. I have a use for them."
Ru Yue quietly withdrew. As she stepped out, she brushed past Cheng Nan Shu. Cheng Nan Shu, wearing the uniform of a Ji Ci Hospital attendant, had a sickly pale complexion and was so thin she seemed like she could be blown over by the wind. The pure white hairpins trembled on her simple bun. Even her light makeup couldn't hide her pretty features. Seeing Ru Yue emerge, she bowed gracefully at the doorway. Ru Yue glanced at her coldly, ignored her completely, but then naturally spoke to Cheng Nan Shu behind her.
Cheng Nan Shu's expression shifted slightly, and she retreated to the side. After speaking with Li Su, she timidly followed Li Su out. Li Su didn't avoid her at all and directly presented Cheng Nan Shu's activity investigation report to Lu Qing Wan, calmly saying, "Wangfei, here is what you requested."
As Su Shang had said, Cheng Nan Shu had clearly explained the origins, intentions, and conversations with the non-normal patients she had interacted with. However, a common thread was that she had unceremoniously rejected any overtures from the Northern Wei royalty, Wu An Palace, or the Cheng family elders. In other words, this activity investigation report held no value.
Lu Qing Wan briefly scanned it, then casually tossed it aside, and directly asked Cheng Nan Shu, "Nie Wu Ming said back then that he couldn't protect you and your child and entrusted you to me. Now he's on the verge of becoming the Emperor of Northern Wei, why haven't you left yet?"
Cheng Nan Shu was stunned at first. A mist quickly formed in her alluring peach blossom eyes, and she trembled, "Doctor Lin, you don't want me anymore? Did I do something wrong? I can change. I only found out about my cousin's return to Northern Wei not long ago. You can ask Sister Su Shang, I really..."