Her right hand, which held the whip, instinctively flinched back. "What do you want?"
Feng Xiwu remained silent. He drew Liyang's sword and swiftly slashed her wrist. The entire action was so fluid that it gave the Tianxuan Sect members no chance to intervene.
"I overlooked your past transgressions because I couldn't be bothered. If you dare to plot against the Princess Consort again, let's see if your Tianxuan Sect can protect you."
Having said that, Feng Xiwu instinctively reached out to embrace Lu Qingwan's waist, but his hand met only empty air.
Liyang, rubbing his nose, sheepishly said, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort feared you might frighten the young prince, so she has already taken him into the palace."
Hearing this, Feng Xiwu glanced over and saw Lu Qingwan hurrying away with a bun-like child, her other hand covering the little one's eyes. He felt a pang of jealousy and pouted, "I knew it, the moment this brat is back, the Princess Consort's eyes will only have him."
Muttering to himself, he tossed the sword to Liyang and strode away. Liyang offered an awkward, polite smile and followed closely.
Only then did the Tianxuan Sect members approach Bei Mingxue, who was trembling, to examine her. As they gathered around her, Bei Mingxue choked out, "Brother, Feng Xiwu, he... he actually crippled my hand for that bitch Lu Qingwan!" She had endured the pain, knowing that Feng Xiwu detested loud screaming. In that situation, she couldn't guarantee that Feng Xiwu wouldn't kill her in a fit of irritation if she screamed.
The others gasped, "She's the eldest daughter of the Tianxuan Sect. Even the Emperor shows them respect. For his Princess Consort, did the Regent King act too impulsively by crippling her hand?"
Their words drew glances, and they saw Feng Qingheng and his Consort arriving late. The crowd immediately understood; it wasn't about the bigger picture, but rather a confrontation between rivals, each eyeing the other with resentment. Here was Feng Qingheng, once pursued by Lu Qingwan, and there was Bei Mingxue, who was infatuated with Feng Xiwu. Now, the Chen King's Consort had entered the fray. The onlookers were like chard in a melon patch, faced with so many melons, unsure which to feast on.
Just as everyone was in a dilemma, a clear voice boomed, "The Emperor shows respect to the Tianxuan Sect? I've never heard that. Also, if Consort Chen feels the Regent King acted impulsively, why didn't she speak up before he made his move?"
A man in crimson brocade official robes embroidered with qilin stepped forward, his gaze cold as he looked at Feng Qingheng. "A mere woman from a sect dared to assault my Great Qian's Princess Consort at the palace gates. This is a disgrace to our nation. As a man, the Regent King should protect his wife and child. More importantly, as the Regent King of Great Qian, he should uphold our national prestige. If Consort Chen believes the Regent King acted impulsively, I assume she possesses the profound wisdom of cutting flesh to feed eagles. In the future, when you are bullied, I will surely remind your husband, King Chen, and Grand Tutor Chen, to stand by and applaud."
With a cold snort, he flicked his sleeve and departed. Consort Chen was stunned by the sudden appearance and the man's rebuke. As he walked away, she belatedly asked, "Your Highness, who was that? How dare he be so disrespectful to you and me? You..."
"Enough, just shut your mouth!" Feng Qingheng, using some method, had concealed the scars on his face, but his expression was still unnatural. He sharply interrupted Chen Ruoyu, his face etched with embarrassment. "You dare call yourself a Grand Tutor's daughter yet don't even recognize Prince Shao? From now on, avoid him if you see him. He is the one your father, the Emperor, shows respect to!"
As Feng Qingheng finished speaking, he strode into the palace gate without regard for Chen Ruoyu's ornate attire, which made quick movement difficult. Chen Ruoyu hadn't expected to be publicly humiliated for just a few words. What's more, the person who reprimanded her was the only驸马 (Fù mǎ, Emperor's son-in-law) with real power, someone even her own royal husband dared not provoke. Left behind by Feng Qingheng, feeling both ashamed and flustered, she discarded her years of cultivated virtuous image and angrily yelled at the other noble ladies, "What are you looking at? Anyone who dares to gossip, I'll tear your mouths apart!" She let out a hollow roar and quickly chased after Feng Qingheng. Even from a distance, the noble ladies could still hear her scolding her maids. For a moment, everyone questioned the character of Consort Chen, who came from a scholarly family.
While Feng Qingheng and Consort Chen were dealing with a mess too great to sort out, Feng Xiwu, seeing Lu Qingwan habitually heading towards Danfeng Tower, quickly followed. "That's wrong, we're not going there today."
Lu Qingwan felt a bit cold and worried the little prince might freeze, hence her hurried pace. Hearing Feng Xiwu, she stopped abruptly. "Not Danfeng Tower, then where?"
"Danfeng Tower is where the imperial family holds banquets. Today, my imperial brother is hosting a feast to celebrate the victory in Xijiang, and many are invited. So, we're going to Baohe Hall."
"The Emperor is quite particular about hosting his 'Hongmen Banquet,' isn't he?" Lu Qingwan muttered as she handed the little prince to Feng Xiwu. "This little fellow is heavy, hold him for a bit."
Feng Xiwu instinctively reached out, but complained, "He's already so big, why does he still need to be carried? Can't he walk by himself?"
Thanks to Lu Qingwan, the little prince was no longer afraid of Feng Xiwu's embrace. He wrapped his arms around his neck and giggled happily. Lu Qingwan pinched his cheek and smiled, "Our Yuan'er is still a baby. He only gets happy when he's kissed, hugged, and lifted high. When Yuan'er grows up, he can walk by himself, right?" The little prince's eyes crinkled with joy. "When Yuan'er grows up, Yuan'er and Father King will hug and lift Mother Consort high together, to make Mother Consort happy too!" Lu Qingwan laughed heartily, "Is that so? Mother Consort can't wait for Yuan'er to grow up!"
The father and son played happily, and Feng Xiwu watched them with contentment, yet he couldn't help but feel a touch of sourness. "You just spoil him. If you spoil him into a troublemaker later, you'll cry, and it'll be too late!" "We won't!" The little prince smartly contradicted his father. "Even if Yuan'er is a troublemaker, he'll be the troublemaker who loves Mother Consort the most!" Lu Qingwan burst into laughter. "Do you even know what a troublemaker is to make such a boast, little silly? You don't even know when your father is scolding you..."
Their joyful laughter, within the solemn and majestic imperial palace, added a rare spark of life to the cold, luxurious prison. After playing with the little prince to her heart's content, Lu Qingwan belatedly asked, "You crippled Bei Mingxue's hand. The Tianxuan Sect won't use this as an excuse to trouble the Emperor, will they?"
"Even if I hadn't crippled her hand, the Tianxuan Sect would still seize the opportunity to gain influence in the Great Qian court. Instead of constantly yielding and making them think Great Qian fears them, it's better to be bolder and deter them. With you and I performing this act, the Tianxuan Sect will have to think twice before making any demands."