The imperial carriage traveled unimpeded, with all pedestrians and vehicles clearing the way.
Lu Qingwan felt it hadn't been long before the carriage stopped, and Tang Xiao's voice followed, "Wangfei, we've arrived at the side gate of the manor."
Lu Qingwan, disguised as Lin Sa, could not enter through the main gate. Without a word from her, Tang Xiao knew to stop at the side entrance.
She alighted from the carriage and, familiar with the route, entered the narrow side door. She was startled by Yue'er, who suddenly appeared.
"What are you doing standing here? Has something happened in the manor?"
Yue'er replied in a soft, delicate voice, modulating her tone, "The Duchess of Hua has arrived. Commander Li Jin is currently handling the situation at the front. He asked me to wait here for you.
Commander Li Jin mentioned that the Duchess of Hua is likely here to plead with you and the Prince for the Duke of Xu's wife.
He politely told the Old Madam of Hua's manor that Wangfei is currently attending to the Prince's medication. Does Wangfei wish to see the Old Madam of Hua?"
Lu Qingwan preferred not to see her, but considering the implications of the Duke of Xu's matter, she decided to proceed cautiously.
"First, have Li Yang or one of the others come to me. As for whether I will see the Old Madam of Hua, I will decide later."
Yue'er, keenly aware that Lu Qingwan was no longer the same person she once was and that these matters were beyond her purview, did not utter another word. She scurried away on her tiny feet to find the others.
Lu Qingwan returned to Wutong Yuan and quickly changed her clothes. Just as she had changed back into her women's attire, Li Su's voice sounded, "Wangfei, Yue'er said you were looking for me?"
Lu Qingwan walked a few steps to the dressing table, "Help me with my hair."
Li Su picked up a comb and began styling Lu Qingwan's hair as a matter of course. Lu Qingwan took the opportunity to ask her,
"The Hua family is nominally my mother's maternal relatives. However, my father and the Hua and Xu families don't seem to be very close. Do you know if there's any story behind this?"
Li Su's movements paused for a moment, then she replied, "Of all the people in the manor, only I and the Prince know about this. Not even Li Jin and the others are aware.
Wangfei, please do not be angry after hearing this, nor should you clash with the Duchess of Hua and her family. Otherwise, it might lead to great trouble."
Lu Qingwan was stunned. "What do you mean?"
"After returning from the Palace of Reincarnation, the Prince learned of Wangfei's identity. Fearing that someone might use this matter to cause trouble, he specially ordered me to use the power of Half-Moon Pavilion to thoroughly investigate the events of that year.
It was then that we discovered the Old Madam of Hua knew the late Marquis of Zhaolie's wife was not the true Princess An Yang from the moment she entered the Marquis's manor.
At that time, Marquis Lu was at the height of his power, and the late Marquis of Zhaolie's wife had an inseparable connection with the Hua family.
Fearing that the Hua family would be implicated if the truth came out, the Old Madam of Hua demanded that Marquis Lu secretly have his wife executed, claiming she died of illness.
At that time, the late Marquis of Zhaolie's wife was already pregnant. The Marquis decisively rejected the Old Madam of Hua's proposal and drove her out of the Marquis's manor.
From then on, the Hua, Xu, and Marquis of Zhaolie families had no further private contact."
Li Su delivered the information objectively, without any bias.
Lu Qingwan, however, listened with confusion. "My father refused the Old Madam of Hua's proposal, and she accepted it? For all these years, she hasn't done anything else?"
Li Su nodded. "After all, Princess An Yang was involved with the Hua family. It is likely that the Old Madam of Hua was also worried about implicating herself, and she has not mentioned this matter again in all these years."
Lu Qingwan immediately understood. "Let's go. Accompany me to meet this shrewd Old Madam of Hua. I'm very curious what she wants to say by coming to see me at this time?"
In the main hall of the manor, the Old Madam of Hua was already growing impatient.
She drank cup after cup of tea, yet the person she wished to see had not even appeared.
By now, Li Jin had stopped refilling the tea. The Old Madam of Hua anxiously kept signaling to the person beside her. The young woman next to her then asked Li Jin, "Commander Li Jin, when exactly will Wangfei arrive?
It's been almost an hour. No matter how complicated the medicine Wangfei is preparing for the Prince, she should have finished by now, shouldn't she?"
Li Jin calmly replied, "Miss Hua, your words are misplaced. The Prince is gravely ill, and Wangfei attending to him with medication is both an order from His Majesty and her duty as the Regent's Princess Consort. She naturally must be careful, cautious, and diligent.
Let alone an hour, even a whole day would not be considered long.
Perhaps, if the Old Madam and Miss Hua have urgent matters, you can tell them to me, and I will relay them to Wangfei. When Wangfei is free, she can reply to you both?"
This watertight response left the Hua family's young lady speechless with anger.
For the sake of appearances, the Old Madam of Hua chided her a couple of times, "Whether the Prince's health is good or not concerns the safety of Da Qian. I am not impatient, so why are you?"
The young lady was exasperated but still feigned obedience, "Grandmother's teachings are correct. Yun'er has made a mistake."
As soon as she finished speaking, the guards at the door announced, "Greetings, Wangfei!"
The few people in the main hall turned their heads at the sound and saw Lu Qingwan strolling in.
She was not wearing the Regent's Princess Consort's formal attire but a light blue, cross-collared long dress, with a pure white fox fur cloak draped over it. Her hair was styled into an elegant and dignified peony bun, and she walked gracefully against the light.
Without the need for an entourage, she exuded an aura of nobility.
The Old Madam of Hua felt a strong dizziness, but she could not help but rise to pay her respects, "This old one greets the Regent's Princess Consort!"
The woman standing behind her also bowed, "This humble subject greets the Regent's Princess Consort."
"Both of you are excused."
Lu Qingwan did not stand on ceremony. She walked directly to the head seat and sat down. "The Prince is unwell, and this consort's attendance upon him has caused some delay. I apologize for making you both wait.
May I know the reason for Old Madam Hua and Miss Hua's visit?"
Lu Qingwan treated them as if they were complete strangers, showing no deference due to a junior.
A flicker of displeasure crossed the Old Madam of Hua's eyes, but seeing that she had something to ask of them, she suppressed it.
Her gaze shifted, glancing at Li Jin, Li Su, and Yue'er, and she said cautiously, "This old one has some private matters to discuss with Wangfei. Would Wangfei be willing to dismiss her attendants?"
Lu Qingwan shook her head without hesitation. "There's no need for that. They are the people Wangfei and the Prince trust the most. There is nothing I cannot let them know."
The Duchess of Hua's expression stiffened, and her tone grew slightly cold. "Even if it concerns the Marquis of Zhaolie's official position, Wangfei does not mind?"
She invoked Lu Zhenting's name, perhaps thinking Lu Qingwan would be somewhat apprehensive.
To her surprise, Lu Qingwan was unmoved and replied with three words, "I do not mind."
Her unyielding demeanor truly baffled the Duchess of Hua.
After a long pause, she finally found her voice again. "Since Wangfei does not mind, then this old one will speak.
I believe Wangfei is already aware of the Duke of Xu's predicament. I implore Wangfei, for the sake of the Duke of Xu's wife being the full sister of your maternal grandmother, to help them. This old one and the entire Duke of Xu family will be eternally grateful."
Despite her words of gratitude, Lu Qingwan detected no sincerity. Furthermore, she sensed a degree of certainty from the Duchess of Hua's expression, as if she was convinced that Lu Qingwan had no choice but to help.