"That won't be necessary."
Wen Ruge hooked her lips with confidence, "Does Your Highness the Princess mean you want me to offer a token of submission?"
Lu Qingwan smiled faintly, "If you wish for revenge, or for freedom, I will spare no effort to help you achieve your desires, out of respect for Elder Wen.
But if you seek to enter officialdom, I keep no useless individuals by my side."
Wen Ruge's expression flickered, and a terrifying killing intent immediately appeared on her face, "What if I can help you find the person behind the scenes, hiding behind the remnants of the Turks and Northern Wei, stirring up trouble?"
Lu Qingwan's heart gave a slight jolt.
The Hanxiao Hall and Sansheng Tower had indeed been existences that transcended the imperial court thousands of years ago, known to all under heaven.
But now, let alone a sheltered woman like Wen Ruge, without special channels of information, even a powerful figure like Elder Wen might not be aware of them.
Because the matters involved the birth parents of both sides, and to avoid widespread gossip, affairs related to Sansheng Tower and Hanxiao Hall were handled by non-court powers such as Bu Ye Zhou and Banyue Ge, or Wufeng Tang, rather than the imperial court.
Yet now, Wen Ruge was calmly stating to her face that she could find the mastermind behind it all, which genuinely surprised Lu Qingwan.
"Tell me, how do you plan to find them?
Or rather, what clues have you already gathered?"
Wen Ruge tilted her head and looked outside the painted boat, "I know that Your Highness the Princess is the master of Bu Ye Zhou, His Highness the Prince is the master of Banyue Ge, and the master of this Yanliu Ge is Hanxiao Hall."
She then asked Lu Qingwan, with a hint of persuasion, "Does Your Highness the Princess know how many establishments like Yanliu Ge there are in this world?"
Perhaps to facilitate negotiations with Lu Qingwan, Wen Ruge was extremely patient, revealing her leverage very slowly.
She feared that if she presented all her chips, Lu Qingwan might still refuse her terms.
But she did not know that Lu Qingwan, having interacted with those people for so long, had already learned what she needed to know.
Therefore, when Wen Ruge believed her words were enough to attract Lu Qingwan's attention, the latter calmly asked, "Did you discover the insignia of the shops under Hanxiao Hall?"
Unlike Lu Qingwan's Bu Ye Zhou, Hanxiao Hall, in its prime, was involved in too many industries, and its subordinate shops did not have a unified name, only a maple leaf mark in the corner of their signs.
But later, as the imperial court stabilized, perhaps for self-preservation, or to prevent the court from relying on martial arts factions, they decisively withdrew from public view.
The insignia of those shops were no longer as conspicuous as they had been.
If Wen Ruge could discover the insignia of Hanxiao Hall's shops through her own abilities, it indicated some competence.
Wen Ruge had not expected that what she considered a bargaining chip would be so casually revealed by Lu Qingwan.
Even though she had prepared herself to bury the hatchet with Lu Qingwan, she still felt a bit of humiliation.
But at the same time, she completely understood that even if she felt she had risked everything and had nothing to lose,
She still had no standing to negotiate with Lu Qingwan.
Seeing the situation clearly, Wen Ruge stopped trying to outsmart Lu Qingwan and said decisively and efficiently, "I did find the unified insignia of the shops under Hanxiao Hall, but it's of little use.
Hanxiao Hall is currently suffering from severe internal strife, with numerous factions. Those unfamiliar with the internal situation would not know which branch a shop you enter directly belongs to.
The reason I said I can find those people is because I know when the person who constantly opposes you and His Highness the Prince will appear.
And I also know that as long as I can obtain a small personal item from him, Your Highness the Princess can follow the clues to find the other party."
Wen Ruge's straightforwardness made Lu Qingwan feel better.
"I understand what the Princess means, but the Princess should know that our enmity with the Grand Elder of Hanxiao Hall has never been about killing him; that is not our goal.
What we want is to expose the depravity of Hanxiao Hall openly and thoroughly annihilate the fighting strength under the Grand Elder.
To prevent them from causing trouble everywhere and disrupting the peace of the world.
A prosperous nation with peace and prosperity in all corners of the land, that is the original intention of His Highness the Prince and myself."
Wen Ruge intended to use the life of the leader of Hanxiao Hall as a ticket into officialdom for herself, but she did not expect Lu Qingwan's ambition to be so grand.
She froze for a moment, then quickly found her position, "I was narrow-minded. In the face of the nation and its people, merely killing one person, aside from personal vengeance, is indeed meaningless.
However, in my current situation, what can I do?"
As she spoke, she gracefully rose and bowed to Lu Qingwan, "I beg Your Highness the Princess for guidance."
Lu Qingwan did not evade Wen Ruge's sudden, grand bow. She accepted it firmly before saying, "Come back with me.
Whether you return to the Wen family or fake your death and enter officialdom under a new identity, at least let Elder Wen and Old Madam see you.
These matters are not for you to handle."
"Does Your Highness the Princess not trust me?"
Wen Ruge looked at Lu Qingwan with some agitation, "I know I was foolish before and committed many unforgivable acts.
But I truly regret them now. I no longer covet His Highness the Prince, nor do I covet a position in the palace.
I just want to have my own pursuits, like you, and be able to defend myself when someone bullies me, instead of waiting to be rescued..."
Deeply aware of her precarious position, she knew that only with Lu Qingwan's approval could she pursue her own goals.
Therefore, after she had said so much, when Lu Qingwan directly suggested sending her back, Wen Ruge's emotions were somewhat out of control.
Lu Qingwan, however, simply shook her head calmly, "I understand what you mean, but Princess, the matters concerning Hanxiao Hall, if they are to be acted upon, will be earth-shattering.
People will die.
If the situation demands it, whether it be soldiers in the army, officials in the court, or even His Highness the Prince and myself, death is acceptable.
As long as it serves the greater good, and the sacrifice of a few can bring about lasting peace, I can accept it.
But your death would be of no help in resolving the issue with Hanxiao Hall, yet it would greatly impact several high-ranking officials in the court. This trade is not worthwhile."
Fearing that Wen Ruge might still feel she was being appeased, Lu Qingwan added, "If you truly wish to enter officialdom, I suggest you first consult Elder Wen to understand the responsibilities and capabilities of various official positions in the court.
If you are not afraid of hardship and wish for rapid promotion, join the army.
Like Chi Yaoyao, she is now the sole grain officer in the Xuanjia Army and is reportedly about to be promoted to battalion commander.
With your martial arts background, you will not struggle in the army.
If you wish to pursue a civil service career, you must be prepared for verbal battles with the remonstrance officials in court.
I will only provide the opportunity to enter officialdom; whether you can establish yourself in court depends on your own abilities."
Hearing Lu Qingwan's words, Wen Ruge finally understood, "You are still willing to use me?"