The joyous Qixi Palace banquet had turned into this, and everyone left the palace with lingering fear.
At the palace gate, Chi Yaoyao was still worried, "Qing Wan, based on what you said, your aunt is not an easy person. Now that Lu Siwan is so badly injured, when you go back, won't your aunt bully you again?"
From being framed and splashed with dog blood early in the morning, Lu Qing Wan had become a pitiable child in Miss Chi's heart, someone unloved and uncared for, at the mercy of the Lan family mother and daughter.
Chi Jingchuan also frowned, "Yes, Miss Lu. Your concubine mother is truly improper. Why don't you stay at our residence with my sister for a few days, and then return to the Zhaolie Marquis's manor once this matter is settled?"
Anyone with eyes could see that Lu Siwan was the one causing trouble today. A concubine's daughter trying to step over the legitimate daughter and implicating a prince of the court would surely lead to punishment for Lu Siwan and the Lan family. Chi Jingchuan thought that after Lu Siwan and her mother faced consequences, they wouldn't dare to bully Lu Qing Wan anymore.
For the first time, receiving such kindness from a stranger, Lu Qing Wan was genuinely touched. She said earnestly, "I appreciate your kindness, both of you. However, staying outside is not a long-term solution. I have to go back home eventually. I bid you farewell."
Lu Qing Wan quickly bid them goodbye and told the coachman to depart, acting as if she were fleeing.
When Feng Xiwu heard Li Jin's report, he was taken aback, "Didn't she get along quite well with that girl from the Chi family? Why aren't they getting along now?" A young man with a cold and stern demeanor had appeared beside him at some point.
He said with great emotion, "People who have been surrounded by malice for a long time, when suddenly shown kindness, become more flustered and at a loss than if they were still being bullied."
Feng Xiwu raised an eyebrow, so she was bullied for so long that she didn't know how to accept others' kindness?
"Miss, Miss, the people from the palace have sent the second daughter back. The eunuch who brought her also conveyed His Majesty's oral decree, stating that the second daughter is not content with her place, is cunning, and caused Prince Chen to be injured. She is not fit to be Prince Chen's secondary consort. Considering she has already performed the ritual of Zhou Gong with Prince Chen, she is to be demoted to the position of a concubine, without a formal enfeoffment ceremony, and directly brought into the prince's manor."
Yue'er, excited and forgetting her place, grabbed Lu Qing Wan's arm and shook it vigorously. "Did you hear that, Miss? The second daughter can't be a secondary consort and has been demoted to a concubine! The heavens have eyes, this is karma. It serves her right for bullying Miss every day, and now she's finally facing retribution!"
Lu Qing Wan rubbed her temples from the commotion, gently pressing the chattering little maid. "Don't be so quick to gloat. The Qixi Palace banquet caused such a stir, did the Emperor only punish Lu Siwan and say nothing else?" Lu Siwan was to be dealt with, but Feng Qingheng was also responsible for the original body's death. Did Feng Qingheng not receive any punishment at all?
"I heard that Minister Yu from the Imperial Observatory was dismissed and some eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department were also beaten. Other than that, there was nothing else." Yue'er didn't understand why her young lady wasn't happy at all when Lu Siwan had been punished.
"Oh, right, Miss. His Majesty has ordered Prince Chen to recuperate in his manor and not leave until his injuries are healed." It was essentially house arrest disguised as recuperation; the Emperor would decide when the injuries were healed. Such a punishment was merely a slap on the wrist, and Lu Qing Wan was naturally dissatisfied. However, Feng Qingheng was a prince of the court, and she couldn't do anything to him for the time being. Being dissatisfied was useless, so she decided not to trouble herself further.
"Never mind them. Let's go see Wuying." This guard she picked up along the way would be of great use to her; she had to make sure he was well looked after.
A few days passed, and Wuying learned of Lu Qing Wan's identity. He also learned about Lu Qing Wan's predicament from Yue'er, who often complained about the Lan family mother and daughter to pass the time. His attitude towards her improved significantly compared to a few days ago.
Seeing Lu Qing Wan arrive, he greeted her respectfully, "Miss, why have you come?"
"To check on you." Lu Qing Wan extended her hand, and Wuying cooperated by extending his wrist. "As expected of a martial artist, your recovery is faster than that of ordinary people. Has the Netherworld Flower caused trouble these past few days?"
"It hasn't acted up, but I can still feel that toxin within me, it hasn't been removed." After Lu Qing Wan mentioned helping him detoxify that day, she hadn't returned to the side room, nor had she spoken of detoxification. Wuying was getting impatient. Finally, when she brought it up, Wuying couldn't help but ask, "Miss, you said before that you would detoxify me, does that promise still stand?"
"Of course, it stands." Lu Qing Wan withdrew her hand. "What, are you in a hurry?"
Wuying lowered his head bitterly, "How could I not be in a hurry?"
"Rest assured, the Netherworld Flower is within you. You understand better than anyone how terrifying that toxin is. Your injuries need to recover at least seventy to eighty percent before you can endure the pain of detoxification. Moreover, to detoxify, we need to go to a different place." Lu Qing Wan pointed outside the window. "If we act here, I fear that before your poison is removed, I will lose my life."
Wuying glanced at the window and said coldly, "Let me deal with her."
"If you deal with this one, another will come. They will hide more discreetly, and I will have to spend effort finding them. Let her watch for now, she won't be watching for much longer." Lu Qing Wan calmly gave Wuying some medicine and left gracefully.
As soon as she stepped out, she heard Chi Yaoyao's cheerful voice, "A'wan, I've come to play with you!" Her maid followed unsteadily behind her, "Miss, slow down..."
Once she caught up, she nagged Chi Yaoyao like an old woman, "Miss, this is someone else's residence. Have you forgotten what Madam instructed you?"
"Oh, I haven't forgotten. A'wan is not the type of person who sticks to rigid rules, right A'wan?" Chi Yaoyao grinned and pulled Lu Qing Wan to her side for support.
Lu Qing Wan chuckled, "Miss Chi is right, with me, you don't need to be bound by those trivial rules."
With Lu Qing Wan's support, Chi Yaoyao proudly snorted at her maid and handed the box in her arms to Lu Qing Wan with both hands. "Here, my mother asked me to give this to you. See if you like it?"
Lu Qing Wan was stunned, "Why would your mother send me a gift for no reason?"
"What do you mean for no reason? Didn't you give me a bottle of medicine? That medicine helped our family a great deal!" Chi Yaoyao was so excited she stammered. "Yesterday, my mother had an attack, and even the imperial physicians from the palace were helpless. I gave her that medicine, and she recovered immediately. So, she insisted on me thanking you properly!"
Seeing Lu Qing Wan hesitate, Chi Yaoyao eagerly opened the box, revealing a delicate set of blue sapphire jewelry. "My mother said this was a coming-of-age gift from the late Empress Dowager. She doesn't need it anymore, and since you're about to marry the Regent, consider it an early wedding gift."
Lu Qing Wan frantically waved her hands, "I can't accept this. Please take it back. My few pills are not worth this much." It was just a quick-acting heart relief pill; it wasn't even worth a single sapphire from the jewelry set. If she accepted this, she would have nightmares.
Chi Yaoyao, however, stubbornly held the box, refusing to take it back. "Your medicine might not be worth this much, but my mother's life is invaluable to our Chi family. My grandfather and the others all agreed to this set of jewelry as a thank you gift. If they weren't afraid of scaring you, my father would have added a measure of pearls. If you don't accept it, I won't be able to report back!"