Lu Qing Wan sat in the chair, her hands bleeding from clenching them so hard, barely restraining the urge to dismember Madam Zhang on the spot.
"At all costs, keep her alive. I want her to witness her precious children utterly ruined, and the Zhang family clan utterly destroyed! Utterly destroyed!"
She repeated the last part fiercely, unable to hold back a gush of blood.
Her heart ached so intensely that she couldn't tell if it was the original host's torment or if she had truly merged with her and was experiencing it firsthand.
One thought consumed her: she would destroy everything Madam Zhang cherished.
Li Su and Tang Xiao were terrified. "Your Highness, are you alright? Madam Zhang deserves her fate. Please don't sicken yourself with anger!"
"It's fine. I still need to see her brought to justice!"
Lu Qing Wan, supported by Li Su, rose. "Take me to the Marquis's manor."
Li Su hurriedly helped her up. Tang Xiao and Ying Yi followed closely.
The group, in a flurry, helped Lu Qing Wan into the carriage and rushed towards the Prince's manor.
Ying Er was dumbfounded. "I merely went to the Marquis's manor and back to the Prince's manor. What happened?"
"Less chatter. Take Her Highness to the Marquis's manor immediately."
Given Lu Qing Wan's demeanor, they would surely need to call upon Physician Shen. If anything happened, the Prince would flay them alive.
When Feng Xi Wu received the news, he was in the palace discussing the Western Frontier negotiations with Emperor Jing You.
Upon hearing Tang Xiao's report, he immediately asked, "How is the Princess Consort's condition?"
"Not good," Tang Xiao replied truthfully. "Before I arrived, Her Highness spat blood. It looked like an ailment caused by extreme anger."
Feng Xi Wu decisively turned to Emperor Jing You. "Imperial Brother, I shall return to check on her. You may make the decisions regarding the negotiations; I have no objections."
Emperor Jing You raised an eyebrow. "In that case, I wish to temporarily postpone this matter until after the Emperor's Birthday celebration. You have no objections to that, either?"
"Imperial Brother, that's a different matter," Feng Xi Wu flatly refused Emperor Jing You's probing. "I understand the Princess Consort's temperament. She will not tolerate this for a moment, nor should she have to."
Being so enraged as to spit blood, yet being forced to hold back from immediately killing Madam Zhang, was already unfair to Lu Qing Wan. He would not have his little Princess Consort suffer further.
Emperor Jing You, as if he had expected this refusal, did not get angry. "If the case is not to be suppressed, then you shall be responsible for receiving the envoys from all countries."
Feng Xi Wu shook his head in resignation. "Is there still room for discussion on this matter?"
Emperor Jing You smiled and patted his shoulder. "You know me best, Xi Wu!"
Feng Xi Wu impatiently slapped Emperor Jing You's hand away and drove his four-wheeled carriage away. Emperor Jing You chided him, "This brat! He's truly willing to sacrifice for his Princess Consort!"
Hosting envoys was no easy task. Doing it well brought no credit, while mistakes incurred blame. It was a classic thankless job. Feng Xi Wu usually avoided it. For him to agree this time, Emperor Jing You felt as sour as pickled cucumber.
The nearby eunuch chuckled silently. "This marriage was bestowed by Your Majesty. It is good that the Regent Prince dotes on the Princess Consort. Perhaps next year you will have a plump, fair-skinned grand-nephew!"
Emperor Jing You laughed heartily, "You old rascal..."
If the eunuch had dared to look up, he would have noticed that the smile did not reach Emperor Jing You's eyes.
As Feng Xi Wu exited the Wei Yang Palace, he immediately gave orders, "To the Marquis's manor."
Marquis Zhao Lie's Manor.
When Lu Qing Wan arrived, a group of people were coming out from the courtyard gate, looking dishevelled.
The person at the front, dressed in a purple official robe, immediately suppressed his stern expression upon seeing Lu Qing Wan and respectfully said, "Greetings, Princess Consort?"
"You may rise." Lu Qing Wan nodded haughtily. "May I ask who this official is...?"
"Your humble servant is Han Guang, the Prefect of Jingzhao." He was tall and lean, with a bronze complexion and a handsome face, but his eyes were exceptionally stern.
As Lu Qing Wan appraised Han Guang, Li Su whispered in her ear, "Lord Han was personally promoted by His Majesty. He is upright and incorruptible. It is rumored that His Majesty intends to promote him to Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."
This meant he was a reliable person. Lu Qing Wan subtly looked at Han Guang. "Lord Han, are you here to investigate the murder of Madam Lan?"
"What murder? Madam Lan simply died of a serious illness. Lu Qing Wan, do not speak nonsense and spread alarm here!"
Before Han Guang could speak, Feng Qing Heng rushed out from behind, scolding Lu Qing Wan fiercely.
Lu Qing Wan's eyelids flickered slightly, and she said coldly, "Prince Chen, allow this consort to remind you. I am now your Imperial Aunt. According to the rules, you should address me as Imperial Aunt."
Feng Qing Heng's face instantly turned ashen. Seeing Lu Qing Wan's exquisitely beautiful and flawless face made his expression even worse. When did this wench become so beautiful? If he had known she possessed such stunning beauty, he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of switching brides. Thinking of Lu Si Wan's current status, he felt it was a loss. The thought of Lu Zhen Ting having died in battle on the front lines brought him some comfort. He then stiffened his neck, looking at Lu Qing Wan haughtily. "Lu Qing Wan, are you truly foolish or just pretending? Marquis Lu was gravely injured and died on the front lines. Have you truly heard no rumors? Guess what, when the news of Marquis Lu's death arrives, will that crippled Feng Xi Wu divorce you? You are now throwing your weight around relying on the status of his crippled consort's wife. Aren't you afraid of being divorced by him and having no way to salvage the situation?"
As soon as Feng Qing Heng finished speaking, Lu Qing Wan raised her hand and slapped him.
*Slap!* The crisp sound of the slap echoed on Feng Qing Heng's face. Everyone was stunned. They could hardly believe that Lu Qing Wan, who had once been infatuated with Prince Chen, had actually slapped him.
"You dare to hit me?!" Feng Qing Heng, both humiliated and enraged, stiffened his neck to retaliate. However, Lu Qing Wan showed no fear. "First, you curse my father, then you insult my husband. Feng Qing Heng, have I not shown you enough respect?"
Feng Qing Heng had never seen Lu Qing Wan like this. Her gaze was firm, her expression stubborn, and there was no trace of him in her eyes. He raised his hand, which froze in mid-air, unable to come down.
Lu Qing Wan didn't even look at him. She turned to the Prefect of Jingzhao and said, "Lord Han, you have arrived at a most opportune moment. This consort has a case that requires your assistance. I request Lord Han to step inside the courtyard so that this consort may explain it to you in detail."
"No!" As soon as he heard Lu Qing Wan wanted Han Guang to investigate a case, Feng Qing Heng's stunned mind, momentarily paralyzed by Lu Qing Wan's intensity, snapped back. "Madam Lan will not be buried until tomorrow. Wan'er is inconsolable. Today, Madam Lan must be buried, no matter what."
"Try me!" Lu Qing Wan snatched a yamen runner's sabre and held it to Feng Qing Heng's throat.
"Princess Consort, you must not!" Han Guang was startled and quickly called out to persuade Lu Qing Wan. "Your Highness, you can tell this humble official whatever you need. Right and wrong, this humble official can help you determine. If that doesn't work, there are the Three Judicial Offices and the Regent Prince. You must absolutely not harm anyone and break the law!"
"My mother has been in that cold pool for over a decade. Whoever dares to stop me from finding my mother, I will kill!" Lu Qing Wan's eyes were bloodshot, like a madwoman. "Feng Qing Heng, I am not afraid of death. Are you?"