Lan Ting Shuang was clearly not unaware of what she was doing; on the contrary, she was fully cognizant.
Even after being threatened by Lu Qing Wan, she calmly stated, "Those two who claimed to be elders of Bai Xing Lin's headquarters, the master and disciple.
The imposing Xie Shi Yu who came looking for you, only to try and recruit you for her own use.
The mysterious person at the northwest border who stopped King Qin from rescuing you, more effectively than you avenging Cheng Jiu Xiao yourself.
Their ultimate goal was to make you leave King Qin, and then they would reappear in your life under new identities, to be used by them."
Lan Ting Shuang did not seem in a hurry to persuade Lu Qing Wan.
After speaking, she turned her head to look at Feng Xi Wu, "As for King Qin, since you displayed your talent for warfare on the battlefield, have there not been many ill-intentioned people around you?
The Feng Wei previously investigated with this empress dowager. The emperor of the Qian Dynasty treated you quite well, but why, on his deathbed, did you almost come to fratricidal conflict?
Have you truly never pondered these matters?"
Lan Ting Shuang's list of incidents was something Lu Qing Wan and Feng Xi Wu had both considered, and even dealt with some people after each event.
However, they had never connected these matters and considered them systematically.
Now, hearing Lan Ting Shuang speak from an observer's perspective, they felt a chilling fear.
"To my knowledge, Empress Dowager, you were born and raised in Zhong Zhou, and the farthest you've traveled since birth is to Zhao Jue Temple in the suburbs.
It's not surprising that the Feng Wei could uncover these things, but it is very surprising that Empress Dowager speaks of them so casually."
Feng Xi Wu clearly realized that regardless of whether Lan Ting Shuang was telling the truth, Lu Qing Wan indeed bore strong resemblances to the people listed on the sheepskin scroll.
He had heard of some of these prominent figures, many of whom were publicly declared dead.
Whether they were truly dead or imprisoned and enslaved somewhere for refusing to compromise, he did not wish for such a fate to befall Lu Qing Wan.
He even strongly wished for all those who had designs on Lu Qing Wan to vanish on the spot.
Thus, he patiently negotiated with Lan Ting Shuang, "As you and I have discussed, my wife and I, with the backing of Wu Feng Tang and轮回殿, and possessing powers you are unaware of, can certainly protect Si Feng Chi.
However, the prerequisite is that Empress Dowager, you must tell us the source of this intelligence.
Don't say it was discovered by the Feng Wei; I can investigate the Feng Wei and would know their capabilities, they are not that competent."
Lan Ting Shuang seemed to have anticipated this outcome. Her expression was calm, but her words were profound.
"Feng Chi's biological father, the true King of Ji Zhou, is currently under their control."
Lan Ting Shuang, knowing she could not protect her only son and loving him dearly, revealed her greatest secret.
"The Feng Wei was also established by him. If not for that despicable Si Hong Ru, I would now be the Princess Consort of Ji Zhou, and he would not have been forced to become their puppet..."
Lan Ting Shuang, who had been as calm as a walking corpse since entering the room, finally revealed a trace of living emotion, her eyes blazing with fury.
Lu Qing Wan and Feng Xi Wu were stunned. "The person who died outside Dong Huang Pass was not the King of Ji Zhou?"
"Of course not, just a commoner imitating him, not fit to carry his shoes!"
Lan Ting Shuang exclaimed, "He was incompetent and greedy, made mistakes, and was to be held accountable by them. He actually dared to betray him by impersonating him in desperation.
Even if you hadn't killed him, I wouldn't have let him go!"
With just these words, Lu Qing Wan felt the dignity of a twenty-three-year empress dowager.
She clicked her tongue, finally starting to believe that Lan Ting Shuang truly feared she could not protect Si Feng Chi, and therefore revealed so many secrets to negotiate with them.
Exchanging a glance with Feng Xi Wu, Lu Qing Wan cut to the chase, "Empress Dowager has investigated so much. It's likely not foresight, but rather that you anticipated Si Feng Chi's current predicament and wish to save the true King of Ji Zhou from the fire, right?
Since you've already revealed so much, would you mind telling us who these people you speak of are?"
Lu Qing Wan asked this both to satisfy her own curiosity and to signal to Lan Ting Shuang that she was willing to consider her terms.
Unexpectedly, Lan Ting Shuang shook her head dejectedly. "Those people are very good at hiding. He feigned compromise, using my and previous connections to do many things for those people, and his own situation improved considerably.
But even now, he has never met the principal person in charge.
Occasionally, he can use opportunities to pass information to me, but in reality, he has been missing for twenty-two years, and doesn't even know where he is."
Lu Qing Wan was not surprised by this answer.
If the true King of Ji Zhou were easy to find, he wouldn't have been trapped for twenty-two years.
However, just as she had calmly accepted this less-than-pleasant answer, Lan Ting Shuang added another remark.
"Although I cannot tell you the identity of the other party or their stronghold, there is one person you might want to pay attention to."
"Who?"
"The Princess Consort of the King of Liang Zhou."
Lan Ting Shuang said without hesitation, "The Feng Wei had previously discovered that many people on this sheepskin scroll had had some contact with the King and Princess Consort of Liang Zhou before their misfortunes.
However, I had people investigate the King of Liang Zhou, and he is indeed the true King of Liang Zhou. Each time, he was manipulated by the Princess Consort of Liang Zhou, which led to his involvement with those missing individuals.
On the surface, the most suspicious is the King of Liang Zhou, but according to the Feng Wei's intelligence, the King of Liang Zhou is merely a scapegoat. The one truly manipulating everything should be the Princess Consort of Liang Zhou."
Lu Qing Wan, recalling the couple who had occasionally interjected and extricated them during the palace coup, began to consider the matter.
"We have seen Empress Dowager's sincerity. Allow us to verify the matters you have spoken of. If the intelligence is accurate, the new King of Ji Zhou will be under my protection."
Lan Ting Shuang knew that given Si Feng Chi's status, it would not be easy for him to live a peaceful life.
She had not expected to persuade these two to protect her son upon her arrival. Seeing Lu Qing Wan relent, she prudently rose to take her leave.
Lu Qing Wan lightly raised her hand, "Li Jin, escort the Empress Dowager on behalf of myself and the Prince."
Li Jin respectfully saw her out. In the flower hall, Lu Qing Wan and Feng Xi Wu exchanged glances, neither speaking.
After a while, Lu Qing Wan grew restless, waving her fair, tender paws in front of Feng Xi Wu. "Stop spacing out, tell me, what are you thinking?"
"Thinking of nothing."
Feng Xi Wu took her paws and began to play with them. "Like kneading dough.
What she said, at first listen, makes one's blood run cold, but in reality, it has basically no bearing on our current lives."
Lu Qing Wan clicked her tongue. "You're quite calm. I thought you'd be flustered by the sudden appearance of mysterious forces!
Since you think so too, then there's no problem."