On the way back to the manor, Lu Qingwan was still a bit worried. "Why is Your Highness so certain that Xie Shixuan will come to find you proactively?"
Feng Xiwu did not answer but instead asked, "Then how did Consort know that Xie Shixuan or someone close to her had been mistreated by a man?"
The situation earlier did not allow for much private conversation between the two, but Lu Qingwan still told Feng Xiwu the reason why Xie Shixuan had attacked someone as concisely as possible. Naturally, she also told him about the other things Xie Shixuan had said.
What truly concerned Feng Xiwu, however, was that Lu Qingwan had taken the initiative to handle the negotiation upon entering Xie Shixuan's room, keeping all males outside. Although it seemed, to some extent, that she had helped Da Gan and helped him, he did not believe that the short time Lu Qingwan spent in Xie Shixuan's room was enough for her to observe that Xie Shixuan had suffered such trauma.
"It's very simple. The reason I rushed in to see Xie Shixuan was because her state was indeed very poor at the time, and I thought she might have committed suicide. She was very resistant when I rushed over to check her pulse. This is normal; after all, no one likes a stranger getting too close without reason."
As Lu Qingwan spoke, she playfully reached out to touch Feng Xiwu's hand as if conducting an experiment. He, however, took the initiative and clasped her hand in his. "It's useless to experiment on this King; this King and you are not strangers."
Lu Qingwan withdrew her hand speechlessly. "But when you all came in, although she was trying her best to endure it, I was checking her pulse at the time and clearly felt her trembling and nervousness. And Han Guang said she injured Nie Mingyang because he was molesting a palace maid, so it's not hard to understand, is it?"
Feng Xiwu nodded in agreement. Lu Qingwan forced an awkward, not polite smile. "So, can Your Highness answer my question now?"
Xie Shixuan was a princess sent by Xiliang for a diplomatic marriage. Although Lu Qingwan had spoken to her before she left, hoping she would be honest with Emperor Jingyou or Feng Xiwu, she did not truly believe Xie Shixuan would do so. Therefore, she was genuinely curious about where Feng Xiwu's confidence came from, being so sure that Xie Shixuan would seek him out.
Feng Xiwu's explanation was also very direct. "Regarding the medicine you mentioned, I have also heard of it. Such a medicine that harms others and benefits oneself could never have been self-administered by Xie Shixuan. And the only person who could make her take that medicine and have the opportunity to administer it would be one person."
Lu Qingwan raised her eyebrows and guessed, "Xiliang Emperor Xiao Jing'an?"
"Consort is indeed sharp as ice and wise as jade, understanding with just a hint." Feng Xiwu paid a compliment without any psychological burden. "And Li Jin just said that the person they chose for the diplomatic marriage was this King. So, if she doesn't come to this King, who else could she go to?"
"If that's the case, Xiao Jing'an should also know that Xie Shixuan suffered that kind of trauma. It's even possible that the person who left Xie Shixuan with psychological trauma is him." Lu Qingwan felt her inner detective radar go on high alert. "He first traumatized Xie Shixuan, leaving her with psychological shadows, and then administered the medicine to seal all her internal energy. Normally, on their wedding night during consummation, Xie Shixuan would be greatly stimulated again, which would activate the effects of the medicine, and she would use all her strength to attack you. Afterwards, she would also succumb to the poison herself. By then, Da Gan would have no witnesses to investigate the truth. What a vicious plan to kill two birds with one stone!"
Lu Qingwan couldn't help but gasp, but she was puzzled. "But why? Xiao Jing'an has just ascended the throne and is in need of capable individuals. Xie Shixuan is a pillar of support for him. You are currently severely injured and pose no threat to him. Why would he pay such a heavy price, not hesitating to lose a valuable general, to take your life?"
"A hypocrite who has done all sorts of evil deeds, wearing a new mask, naturally has to clean up his own messes." Feng Xiwu was very disdainful of Xiao Jing'an. Seeing Lu Qingwan looking at him in confusion, he did not get annoyed but patiently explained, "It was Xiao Jing'an who injured this King's leg. Before, the old emperor supported him, and he only needed to protect his own life. Now that the old emperor has passed away, he has become emperor but is powerless to turn the tide of the war. He fears this King's revenge and is also worried that Xie Shixuan's power will overshadow him. He devised this plan to eliminate future troubles, which is not surprising."
Lu Qingwan was completely shocked after listening. "Overshadow him?"
"Of course, it's also possible that he did something more unspeakable, and wants to kill Xie Shixuan to silence her. That's not something this King would know!"
Lu Qingwan sighed blankly, "I thought Feng Qingheng was shameless enough, should I be grateful that he was relatively kind and spared my life?"
Feng Xiwu: ...
The next morning, Lu Qingwan was dragged out of bed by Feng Xiwu before she could even open her eyes. She stumbled around groggily, trying to dodge him, while Feng Xiwu did not rush her and patiently played along. He would help her up when she fell and support her when she leaned over. As he kept helping her, her sleepiness began to fade.
Lu Qingwan was extremely sleepy; even Feng Xiwu's handsome face couldn't comfort her. She mumbled listlessly, "You're so annoying!"
Feng Xiwu chuckled and pinched her cheek. He loved it when Lu Qingwan was groggy in the morning; she was so soft and adorable. "There's a lot to do today, and you need to get up early to get ready. After today, I won't disturb your sweet dreams anymore. You can sleep as long as you want."
Lu Qingwan was awake, but her mind hadn't fully caught up. She didn't mind his hand on her face and instinctively slapped it away, getting up like a wandering spirit to wash up. Today was a palace banquet, so her hairstyle and clothes couldn't be haphazard. After Lu Qingwan finished washing up, Manchun was already waiting at the dressing table. "Consort, shall we style your hair in a 'Cloud-Chasing' bun today and use this set of hair ornaments? What do you think?"
Lu Qingwan looked over and saw a set of pure gold hair ornaments laid out on the dressing table. Manchun, considering her preferences, had chosen hairpins and clips that were small and exquisite, except for the nine-phoenix coronet that represented the consort's status, which looked quite weighty. Overall, they were not so heavy as to break her neck. Lu Qingwan was satisfied. "Let's use this set."
Manchun bowed. As Lu Qingwan sat down, she began to style her hair gently. It had to be said that people from the palace had excellent skills. Despite the complicated hairstyle, Lu Qingwan didn't feel any pain from her hair being pulled. She looked in the mirror. "Your craftsmanship is truly superb!"
"It is Consort who is already beautiful. Otherwise, no matter how good my skills are, I couldn't dress up Consort's elegance even a tenth as well!"
"Well said." Feng Xiwu's voice came, filled with a smile. "It's rare for Consort to be happy. Go down and receive your reward."
"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Consort!" Manchun was overjoyed but maintained her composure. Realizing that it was not appropriate for her to linger, she wisely retreated.