"Don't rush to get angry. This matter won't require you to endure, nor will you have to."
Feng Xiwu quickly grabbed Lu Qingwan's hand and soothed her. "Regardless of anything else, the fact remains that the item was sent by the Duke of Pei.
To plot against the current Regent, no matter how silver-tongued he may be, his merit in protecting the emperor is essentially gone.
That pot of Lily of the Valley was brought back by his son, Chu Xiaotang, who cannot escape his share of the blame.
When the Emperor eventually bestows rewards for merits, I will seize the opportunity to raise my doubts, ensuring that father and son receive their just punishment and allowing you to hold your head high."
He paid no mind to his subordinates still present, shamelessly showering her with affection, which warmed and exasperated Lu Qingwan.
"What are you saying?
They harmed you. Ensuring they receive their due punishment is to seek justice for you, yet you say it's for me to hold my head high?
You've got it backward, haven't you?"
Despite her words, she had calmed down.
Feng Xiwu, observing her expression, noticed she was no longer agitated and became serious.
"Seriously, concerning the coup attempt, the Duke of Pei and Prince Jing are by no means innocent. However, they have already distanced themselves.
If we want them to expose themselves, Consort, will you play another scene with me?"
Lu Qingwan raised an eyebrow. "I'm eager to hear it."
Instead of answering, Feng Xiwu asked, "Didn't I already show symptoms of poisoning? If you hadn't cured me of the蠱, what would my condition be right now?"
"According to the plans of Noble Consort Ye and the Duke of Pei, you should have succumbed to the poison by now.
If someone risked their life to save you, the best outcome would be to become a living corpse."
Lu Qingwan understood his implication. "You want to turn their plan against them, making them believe their scheme has succeeded?"
"Yes.
The Duke of Pei is not a fool, and Prince Jing is even more cunning.
They must know that even if they changed their minds at the last moment during the coup attempt and distanced themselves, the Emperor wouldn't truly believe they were entirely innocent.
Feng Xiwu's expression was complex, heavy with worry.
"Even if the Emperor doesn't suspect them, they wouldn't dare gamble the future and lives of so many in the Prince Jing faction.
Once the succession is contested, there's no turning back.
Now that they have drawn the Emperor's and the ministers' suspicion, they are in a precarious position. To escape their predicament, they will inevitably accelerate all their actions.
If I remain unharmed, it will undoubtedly tie their hands. Since this step must be taken sooner or later, I will give them a push."
One had to admit that Feng Xiwu's reasoning was sound.
Once seeds of doubt were sown, in yesterday's situation, the Duke of Pei and Prince Jing clearly harbored malicious intent. However, because Prince Jing shielded Emperor Jingyou with his own body from an arrow, and the Duke of Pei fought valiantly against assassins during the actual skirmish, making a show of protecting the Emperor, on the surface, both men appeared to be meritorious officials who had aided the Emperor and were his benefactors.
Even if Emperor Jingyou harbored doubts, he could only begrudgingly accept it.
As for the suspicious circumstances surrounding the two, not only did they lack evidence, but even a shred of insufficient proof would cause Emperor Jingyou, a wise ruler acclaimed by the world while alive, to be perceived as ungrateful and a tyrant who abandoned his loyal subjects, thus ruining his reputation in his later years.
"This is entrapment, isn't it?"
Lu Qingwan's eyes sparkled as she looked at Feng Xiwu. "However, to catch such big fish as the Duke of Pei and Prince Jing, making you a living corpse might not be quite enough?"
Feng Xiwu looked at her playful expression, feeling as if the tip of a little fox's tail had lightly brushed his heart, tickling him.
"Then, Consort, do you have any better ideas?"
His overly sweet tone, unaware of its cloying nature, made Lian Yu beside them grimace with disdain.
"Isn't His Majesty already ill? Let him stay sick for a few more days."
Lu Qingwan blinked. "You saw many people when you were poisoned, didn't you? Prince Ning and Duke Xu conspired to rebel, were so angered that their anger boiled over, and then were frightened by the assassins. It would be only natural for them to fall suddenly ill, wouldn't it?"
The two were meticulously planning their flawless strategy, never imagining that before Feng Xiwu could even go to the palace to discuss matters with Emperor Jingyou, news of his illness would spread.
At that time, Lu Qingwan had just finished her morning exercises and was meditating in the courtyard.
Mid-way through circulating her energy, she heard Li Jin reporting this matter to Feng Xiwu. Distracted, she directly vomited blood.
This greatly startled the people busy around her, and Feng Xiwu even abandoned his wheelchair and rushed over. "What's wrong? Why did you suddenly vomit blood?"
"Don't, don't touch me."
Lu Qingwan sat on the ground, slowly retracting her sprawled legs. "Military advisor, please help me adjust my internal energy."
Everyone present were martial artists and understood what Lu Qingwan meant.
Lian Yu walked directly over, knelt on one knee behind Lu Qingwan, and placed his palm on her back.
His actions were concise and natural, devoid of any flashy, superfluous movements.
However, Lu Qingwan felt the chaotic internal energy within her like a lost traveler finding a guide, gradually returning to her Dantian.
Her distended meridians were also unblocked, eliminating the sluggishness she felt during the vomiting, as if her meridians were stuffed with weeds.
After all, it was merely a momentary distraction that caused the internal energy to become disordered, and Lu Qingwan was not seriously injured. Lian Yu's assistance in regulating her energy didn't take long. Soon, she was fine.
Opening her eyes, Feng Xiwu thrust a round pill towards her lips. "How dare you get distracted while practicing? What were you thinking?"
"I didn't do it on purpose. Who told you to discuss serious matters in front of me?"
Lu Qingwan still looked wronged.
Feng Xiwu was utterly speechless. He roughly pushed the pill into her mouth, his fingertip brushing Lu Qingwan's tongue, causing him to retract it as if he'd been shocked.
Lu Qingwan, like an offended little beast, opened her mouth. Before she could utter a curse, her eyes suddenly widened, and she stretched her neck forward like a duck.
Her bizarre movement made everyone think she was being playful, while Feng Xiwu patiently coaxed her.
"Stop fooling around and take your medicine.
While disordered internal energy isn't a severe injury, if it's not properly regulated the first time, any small mistake during future practice could lead to habitual meridian stagnation, and in severe cases, qi deviation."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Qingwan transformed into a mighty female warrior and shoved him away. She grabbed the tea on the small table and gulped it down.
It was Lian Yu who reacted quickly. "Consort, are you... choking?"
Lu Qingwan drank a whole pot of water, but the pill was still stuck in her throat, neither going down nor up.
It choked her so much that her eyes turned red, like a rabbit's.
Hearing Lian Yu's words, she nodded vigorously, dropped the teapot, and pointed to her mouth to show Feng Xiwu.
He strode over, placed a fist against Lu Qingwan's abdomen, and patted her back a few times. The finger-sized pill then shot out of Lu Qingwan's mouth with a "poof."