The events outside the Zhaolie Marquis Manor on the day of the return visit had already become the talk of the town.
Han Guang had heard snippets and wanted to ask Lu Qingwan what exactly had happened. However, she was already calmly questioning Lu Siwan.
"I won't even mention how thick-skinned Madam Lan is, and how it's impossible for her to take her own life just because of a few sarcastic remarks.
My dear sister, can you tell me why she would disfigure herself if she were to commit suicide?"
Han Guang nodded vigorously, "Your Highness speaks the truth. Madam Wan, according to my knowledge, Concubine Lan was extremely fond of her beauty when she was alive.
Based on my experience, someone like that, even if they wanted to die, would want to die with dignity. Why would she disfigure herself?"
Lu Siwan was choked, she had never imagined that someone would investigate Madam Lan's death.
Even if someone were to investigate, Feng Qingheng would help her gloss over it, so she wasn't well-prepared.
Coupled with the fact that the scar on Madam Lan's face was self-inflicted, she became even more flustered.
Lu Qingwan snorted upon seeing this, "Lord Han, I'll leave this to you. I'm going to take a look outside."
This matter was originally hers. Knowing that Lu Qingwan was concerned about Princess Anyang's matter, Han Guang politely agreed.
"I thank Your Highness here. I brought a coroner when I came, so we don't need one here. Does Your Highness require a coroner?"
Everyone understood the role of a coroner.
Han Guang's intention was that the coroner could help determine if the body in the lotus pond was indeed Princess Anyang.
Lu Qingwan thought for a moment and agreed, "Then I thank Lord Han first."
Han Guang repeatedly shook his head. As he watched Lu Qingwan walk out of the mourning hall, he quickly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
He could see clearly now that she was clearly here for Prince Chen and Lu Siwan. She probably knew the truth of the matter.
He had walked right into her trap and still had to thank her. Realizing this, Han Guang shook his head with a bitter smile.
He then turned to interrogate the servants. Regardless of the calculations, he had still benefited, so he decided not to dwell on it.
Meanwhile, by the lotus pond, Li Su was in a stalemate with Steward Zhou.
"When building a lotus pond in a grand manor, which household wouldn't prepare drainage outlets? Yet, you claim to be unaware. How did you become the steward of the marquis manor with such incompetence?"
Li Su's little mouth babbled incessantly. Steward Zhou's face turned ashen, but he couldn't get angry, feeling so stifled that he was about to vomit blood.
Lu Qingwan knew about the illicit affair between Steward Zhou and Madam Lan. This old scoundrel had likely been involved in harming her original body's mother.
She raised her voice and reprimanded Li Su, "If there's no drainage, use manpower to drain it. Why are you arguing with him? Can a living person be suffocated by urine?"
Her bold words shocked everyone. Feng Qingheng seized the opportunity to mock, "Lu Qingwan, how can you be so vulgar? You've disgraced the imperial family!
Moreover, with so much water in this lotus pond, how many people would be needed to drain it manually? Do you have that many people at your disposal?"
Feng Qingheng firmly believed that Lu Qingwan, even as the Regent's Consort, was neglected and could not command so many people.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, he was severely proven wrong.
"Such a trivial matter, why trouble Your Highness? Li Yang, quickly bring your men to help Your Highness drain the water and find Princess Anyang's remains!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
As Li Yang responded, a group of Xuanjia soldiers marched into the courtyard with neat footsteps. Looking around, there were no less than fifty of them.
Everyone bowed in unison, "Greetings to the Regent, Your Highness, long live the King!"
Feng Qingheng also reluctantly bowed, "Greetings, Imperial Uncle."
Feng Xiwu ignored everyone and reached out to Lu Qingwan from afar, "Come here."
Lu Qingwan walked over and was caught by his hand. "You just vomited blood, and you're running around without resting. Why do you not cherish your body so much?"
"Compared to Your Highness, the blood I vomited is nothing."
Lu Qingwan pouted dismissively, "Did you bring them all here to help?"
"I anticipated that they wouldn't cooperate, and you wouldn't have the patience to wait, so I brought more people."
She tilted her head, "Sit down and rest. I'll find the person for you before it gets dark."
Li Jin quickly brought a chair. Lu Qingwan sat down as instructed, "Aren't you supposed to go into the palace to see His Majesty? Why did you leave so early?"
Feng Xiwu was lazy and didn't want to attend court every day. Emperor Jingyou indulged him. However, every time he entered the palace, he would be dragged into discussions about state affairs, and he wouldn't be released until dark.
He had come back unusually early today.
"Tang Xiao went into the palace to report Princess Anyang's matter to my Imperial Brother. I happened to be there as well."
He complained in a low voice, "My Imperial Brother wants to temporarily suppress this case and investigate it after the Empress's Birthday."
Lu Qingwan's temper flared upon hearing this. Feng Xiwu pressed her down, "I tried my best to persuade my Imperial Brother to agree not to suppress this case.
As a condition, I have to be responsible for entertaining the envoys. I had already declined this matter, but now it has fallen upon me again. Should Your Highness compensate me?"
This year's Empress's Birthday was Emperor Jingyou's fiftieth birthday. The envoys from Xiliang would also be coming. Lu Qingwan could understand Emperor Jingyou's desire to temporarily suppress Princess Anyang's case, but understanding did not equate to acceptance.
Hearing Feng Xiwu's words, Lu Qingwan knew he wasn't joking.
He was just trying to distract her and make her feel less sad. Lu Qingwan looked at the Xuanjia soldiers jumping into the lotus pond like dumplings and felt extremely touched, so she happily played along.
"How does Your Highness wish for me to compensate?"
Feng Xiwu raised his eyebrows, "Does Your Highness not know what I want?"
Lu Qingwan looked bewildered, "To be frank, before I married Your Highness, my connection with you was not deep. I truly don't know what Your Highness likes. Could Your Highness give me some pointers?"
Feng Xiwu looked at her bewildered expression and hooked his finger with a smile.
Lu Qingwan leaned in suspiciously. Feng Xiwu whispered and teased her with a smile, "On our wedding night, Your Highness's taste was something I greatly missed!
I remember Your Highness also enjoyed it very much. Just that one time, don't you think it's a pity?"
With a 'boom', Lu Qingwan's face turned completely red, unable to conceal her shyness even with thick makeup.
Lu Qingwan instantly pulled back with disgust, trying to maintain a calm expression, "As the dignified Regent, the Great Qian's God of War, is this all you've got?!"
Feng Xiwu brazenly declared, "I believe my ambitions are very grand!"
Lu Qingwan scoffed, "Since they are ambitions, Your Highness, please maintain them. Once they are realized, they are no longer called ambitions!"
Feng Qingheng watched the two of them flirting as if no one else was around. The jealousy in his eyes was almost unconcealable.
It was always like this. As long as Feng Xiwu appeared, no one else could be seen in anyone's eyes.
After finally getting rid of Lu Qingwan, whom he no longer wanted, and passing her to Feng Xiwu, he thought he could finally win against Feng Xiwu once.
But Lu Qingwan was not only no longer ugly, but her entire demeanor had changed.
Especially her shy and charming appearance in front of Feng Xiwu, she looked exceptionally alluring. Feng Qingheng suddenly deeply regretted letting Lu Siwan and her mother switch places.
If, if he hadn't disliked Lu Qingwan, the one sitting next to Lu Qingwan now would have been himself.
This thought, if not conceived, would be fine. But once it arose, it spread like wild grass, uncontrollable and unrestrained.