He spoke, then took the initiative to comfort Lu Qing Wan.
"As for the island, you don't need to worry either.
Meng Fu Yuan, that old villain, is ruthless. In the past twenty years, as his status has risen, anyone unwilling to go along with him has either been executed on trumped-up charges, or cleverly pushed out of headquarters. The San Sheng Lou was no exception.
Nowadays, there are almost no innocent people on that island. If there are any, one can only say that those who achieve great things do not bother with trifles."
Lu Qing Wan was silent.
She knew that war was inevitable. Although the battle with San Sheng Lou and Han Xiao Dian was not a conventional large-scale war, its consequences, if not handled well, would be no less severe than a regular large-scale war. When she decided to launch a full-scale attack on San Sheng Lou and Han Xiao Dian, she had already prepared herself for the sacrifice of a small portion of people's interests. Therefore, her heart was not troubled by this matter.
She hesitated for a moment, then asked.
"Your understanding of San Sheng Lou and Han Xiao Dian far exceeds my imagination. If possible, can you tell me what their positions are within San Sheng Lou and Han Xiao Dian, and what they have been doing all these years?"
Liu Xun Ran looked at Lu Qing Wan with a heavy gaze, as if reluctant, yet also resigned. Finally, he spoke, "Your mother's current identity is the current楼主 (Lou Zhu - Master/Leader) of San Sheng Lou, Meng Fu Yao. Your father was once Nangong Che, the Wu Lie Crown Prince of the Southern Qi, and is now the Grand Elder of San Sheng Lou. For years, they have been purging their ranks and trying to stop Meng Fu Yuan from wreaking havoc on the world."
It sounded quite impressive, the Hall Master of Han Xiao Dian, and the wife of the Hall Master of Han Xiao Dian. Yet, Lu Qing Wan felt no excitement, nor did she think they were that formidable.
"They've been purging their ranks for twenty-two years and still haven't finished. I don't think they'll achieve anything in this lifetime." Lu Qing Wan made no secret of her disdain for her so-called birth parents.
"What about the Crown Prince and Princess Chengan?" Hearing that Liu Xun Ran seemed unwilling to elaborate on the Meng Fu Yao couple's actions, she didn't press further and instead inquired about Si Feng Wu's parents. She had always felt that, compared to her own parents, the Crown Prince and Princess Chengan would not have been so heartless. The fact that they had arranged a safe passage for the Si Feng Wu brothers during such a critical time at least indicated that they had some affection for their children.
When Liu Xun Ran mentioned the Crown Prince and Princess Chengan, his expression softened, and he said without hesitation, "They are very powerful." After offering this sincere praise, he patiently explained, "You probably don't know. When Emperor Geng Shi was able to launch that coup and ascend the throne amidst the chaos, Meng Fu Yuan, that old villain, was instrumental in stirring up trouble. His goal was your parents."
Liu Xun Ran's gaze fell on Lu Qing Wan and Si Feng Wu. Without them needing to ask, he continued, "You must be curious why Meng Fu Yuan went to such lengths to capture them. If I put it another way, you should understand."
He said, "Before you left Zhong Zhou, you should have added their names to the roster that Lan Ting Shuang gave you."
With that, both of them understood.
Si Feng Wu unconsciously clenched his fists. "So, all these years, they didn't not want to return, but were unable to?"
Lu Qing Wan's hand was being gripped painfully, but she did not overreact. She calmly patted Si Feng Wu's hand. "Don't get agitated. This is a good thing! If they can't return, we'll help them return. Although it might be difficult, compared to fratricide, this outcome is much better."
Before Liu Xun Ran had said these words, she and Si Feng Wu had already prepared for indiscriminate attacks on the Phantom Night Sea Domain. Although she had entrusted the beast army to find the Crown Prince and Princess Chengan and the Meng Fu Yao couple, under the barrage of artillery, no one could guarantee their survival. Logically, they understood that parents who gave birth but did not raise them were not worth their painstaking efforts to save. However, as mortals with flesh and blood, how could they act so righteously about killing their own parents? Even if their actions were for the greater good and did not affect the overall plan due to their existence, their hearts would surely be troubled. Now, knowing that the Crown Prince and Princess Chengan were trapped by Meng Fu Yuan, although rescuing them might be difficult, this kind of physical harm was much easier to bear than the magical damage of patricide and matricide.
Lu Qing Wan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that her parents were unable to return due to being held by Meng Fu Yuan.
Si Feng Wu's face was deathly pale. "This is indeed a good thing, but I almost killed them." It was only because of recent troubles and the great distance between the Phantom Night Sea Domain and the New Capital that things were delayed until now. Otherwise, their artillery would have leveled the Phantom Night Sea Domain long ago. If they had found out at that time that their parents were being forcibly held on the island, Si Feng Wu felt that dying eight hundred times would not be enough to atone for his sins.
Lu Qing Wan stroked his back like comforting a child, patiently and gently soothing him. "Don't overestimate yourself. The distance between the New Capital and the Phantom Night Sea Domain is not insignificant. Even if we didn't personally go, if our brothers on the front lines acted, it would take at least two months for them to prepare artillery and troops. In those two months, we would have countless opportunities to change our minds and let them go. Just like now, no matter what we thought before, we are now finding ways to save them. Isn't this the best outcome? Why are you still brooding over this?"
After comforting Si Feng Wu, she turned to Liu Xun Ran. "Hall Master, you said just now that they are very powerful. Can you elaborate on how they are powerful?"
Liu Xun Ran, who had never seen anyone console another with such insincerity as Lu Qing Wan, was taken aback for a moment before reacting.
"You have all seen the list given by Lan Ting Shuang, but do you know what Meng Fu Yuan, that old villain, used those captured people for?"
Lu Qing Wan shook her head decisively.
"If you hadn't told us, we wouldn't even know those people were captured by Meng Fu Yuan. We thought it was those people from Wu An Palace! So, what did Meng Fu Yuan want those people for?"
"The Han Xiao Dian has been passed down for a thousand years, but its influence is no longer what it once was. Although the Han Xiao Dian's businesses appear to be spread across the continent, in reality, the entire Han Xiao Dian has been in decline. Logically, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Meng Fu Yuan, as a Grand Elder, should have accepted the status quo. With the foundation of Han Xiao Dian, it could have lasted for another few hundred years. But Meng Fu Yuan was unwilling. When he learned from the books of Han Xiao Dian that the Green Phoenix Empress was a soul from another world, he became convinced that if there was another soul from another world, Han Xiao Dian could surely make a comeback."