Ying Yi's hand trembled at the sudden news, and the galloping horse stopped abruptly, nearly tossing Lu Qing Wan out of the carriage.
Lu Qing Wan's voice drifted out, "The Earl of Yong An, he's that childhood sweetheart of Consort Dowager Wen's, isn't he?"
"Yes, Princess Consort."
Li Su pressed close to the carriage and whispered, "His Highness asks that you return to the manor first. We must deliberate on subsequent matters."
Lu Qing Wan didn't reply. She merely lifted the curtain and beckoned Li Su closer. Lu Qing Wan then whispered in her ear for a long while.
Li Su's neck grew stiff from listening. She finally looked up, her expression somewhat subtle. "Princess Consort, would this… not be too improper?"
Lu Qing Wan abruptly dropped the curtain. "What's improper about it? I think it's perfectly fine. Isn't the Tian Xuan Sect formidable? Suppressing the entire Da Qian empire is nothing. It's impressive if they can suppress the imperial courts of all nations! I am creating a larger stage for them. It's generous of me not to have asked them for money. Do they dare to complain?"
Li Su shook her head repeatedly. "Your subordinate understands. I will attend to it immediately."
"Go on."
Lu Qing Wan waved her hand leisurely. "Let's go, back to the manor."
Li Su galloped away. The carriage creaked and swayed on the snow-covered ground, making one drowsy.
Li Qing apologized, "I'm sorry, Princess Consort. If I hadn't misled you, and we had gone directly to the imperial mausoleum, we might still have seen Consort Dowager Wen." As soon as they made their move, Consort Dowager Wen's servants had all perished in the fire, and the Earl of Yong An had also died suddenly. It was clear someone had prevented them from contacting Consort Dowager Wen. Feeling guilty for delaying Lu Qing Wan's important matters, Li Qing blamed herself intensely.
Lu Qing Wan, however, was quite carefree. "Alright, in the time it took us to go to the Divine Strategy Camp prison, was it enough to burn down the South Manor and kill people, or for the Earl of Yong An to die suddenly? It's obvious someone had planned this in advance. No wonder we were up early but arrived too late. Go back and rest well. After today, there will be more hard battles to fight!"
Though she said this, having gone out and accomplished nothing, and having someone intercept the person she was looking for, Lu Qing Wan's mood was far from as calm as she appeared. Even though her words were composed and rational, her small face had already stiffened.
As soon as she returned to the manor, she sought out Feng Xi Wu. "Where is His Highness?" The guards, seeing her cold expression, dared not say an extra word. "Reporting to the Princess Consort, His Highness is resting in the medicinal pharmacy."
Hearing this, Lu Qing Wan walked towards the medicinal pharmacy without a word. The snow crunched beneath her feet, as if she were crushing Feng Qing Heng's face with each step. The moment she entered Wan Ju, she saw Feng Xi Wu standing under the eaves, gazing into the distance towards the entrance. Lu Qing Wan paused for a moment, then walked in quickly. "In such cold weather, why are you standing here? You've already lost so much blood, you're prone to feeling cold. Why aren't you cherishing your own body?" She chattered on like a worried little wife, instinctively tightening the cloak on Feng Xi Wu's shoulders.
Feng Xi Wu let her ramble. When she finished, he slowly said, "Not long after you went out, my subordinates reported that the South Manor was ablaze and the Earl of Yong An had died suddenly. I surmised you would be upset, and indeed, your lips are so pouted they could hang an oil pot." He then playfully pinched Lu Qing Wan's mouth.
Lu Qing Wan turned her head to shake off his offending paw. "I was upset on the way here, but I figured it out. The one who killed to silence them this time wasn't Feng Qing Heng and his cronies, but our Emperor, wasn't it?" As they spoke, they entered the medicinal pharmacy. The moment Lu Qing Wan stepped inside, her eyes lit up. The previously bare floor was now covered with a thick, plush carpet, on which a small table was set with tea and pastries, looking incredibly cozy.
Lu Qing Wan joyfully kicked off her shoes and hopped onto the carpet. She crawled a few steps, then turned to face Feng Xi Wu and patted the empty space beside her. "Did you have this prepared? Come here quickly…" A small surprise was enough to make her babble with delight.
Feng Xi Wu, amused, removed his shoes and socks and walked barefoot onto the carpet. "You always love running around barefoot. Since there are underfloor heaters in winter, I had people prepare this carpet. Are you that happy?" Lu Qing Wan nodded vigorously, like a bobblehead doll. "I've always been a restless sleeper and loved to spin 360 degrees in bed, often rolling onto the floor. Later, when I was brought home, Grandfather found out and prepared an empty room for me, covering the floor directly with thick bedding and cushions so I could roll however I pleased…"
She stopped midway, suddenly remembering that the Lu Qing Wan of this world had no grandfather. The original owner hadn't even met the Old Marquis of Wenchang. So, people easily got carried away when they were happy. Lu Qing Wan only regretted that after living such a comfortable life, she had forgotten what it was like to live on the edge of a knife.
Just as she was pondering how to cover her slip, Feng Xi Wu pinched the soft flesh of her cheek. "No wonder you always sleep like you're practicing martial arts. Was the bed Your Highness prepared for me too small, not giving you enough room to maneuver? It's my fault. Shall I get you a bigger bed?"
Lu Qing Wan looked up in astonishment and saw Feng Xi Wu's eyes full of indulgence, without a trace of suspicion. Whether he hadn't noticed her slip of the tongue or hadn't paid attention to the details, that look of adoration and tone of voice did relieve Lu Qing Wan.
"Forget about changing the bed. Anyway, you always lock me in your arms when I wake up, so there's no room for me to maneuver no matter how big the bed is. This is fine." She picked at the carpet's fibers with a complex feeling, trying to naturally change the subject. "The South Manor ablaze, the Earl of Yong An dying suddenly, is this the Emperor's compensation to you?" He had so obviously protected Feng Qing Heng. If he still wanted Feng Xi Wu to guard Da Qian as always, Emperor Jing You would have felt uneasy himself if he hadn't shown some gesture.
Feng Xi Wu nodded in agreement. "You could say that. After all, Feng Qing Heng is ambitious and has long harbored resentment towards me. He only wants to get rid of me, but he's never considered whether he has the ability to protect the vast empire of Da Qian if I'm gone. My imperial brother knows this much better than he does. That's why I said that even if my imperial brother wanted to protect Feng Qing Heng, he wouldn't, and wouldn't dare, take my life."
Lu Qing Wan raised an eyebrow. "So, you accept this so-called compensation from His Majesty?"
"Why wouldn't I accept it?" Feng Xi Wu said matter-of-factly. "Although I am not the late Emperor's biological son, as long as my imperial brother and I know this, it's fine. If it's to be revealed one day, it should be revealed by me myself. Revealing it at this time amidst these schemers would have a completely different meaning. Moreover, this identity as Regent King is still useful to me. How can I let them succeed in snatching my power?"
Lu Qing Wan nodded in agreement. "That's how it should be. If everything goes their way, wouldn't that be too easy for them?"