Lu Qing Wan patted Elder Madam Wen’s arm reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Madam. The County Princess is just a little shaken. I’ll give her some medicine and perform a few more acupuncture treatments, and she’ll recover.
Also, I have some good news for you. The County Princess is still pure. Nothing happened at the brothel.”
If Lu Qing Wan’s ability to cure Wen Ru Ge’s madness was icing on the cake, then her statement was akin to sending charcoal in winter.
Elder Madam Wen was so overcome with emotion that tears streamed down her face on the spot.
Lu Qing Wan, however, said with a hint of coldness, "I have other matters to attend to outside today. The Prince is also waiting for me. I must take my leave.
Commander Wen, could you escort me out?”
Wen Ru Song’s tense expression actually eased upon hearing this. Elder Madam Wen also quickly said, “Quickly, Song’er, see the Consort off. Don’t delay her important business.”
After a small deception, Lu Qing Wan swiftly departed the Wen residence, leaving in such a hurry as if something was chasing her.
Once outside the Prime Minister’s mansion, just as Wen Ru Song was about to speak, Lu Qing Wan cut him off.
“Let’s talk in the carriage.”
Wen Ru Song’s expression had been grim since Lu Qing Wan left Elder Madam Wen’s room. Hearing this, he instantly understood that there might be some hidden story behind what he had just overheard.
He had already prepared himself to ask Lu Qing Wan about it, but as soon as they got into the carriage, Lu Qing Wan blurted out, “When did Wen Ru Ge first start acting crazy?”
All of Wen Ru Song’s questions were instantly silenced.
He pondered Lu Qing Wan’s question for a moment before replying, “About… three to five days after she was rescued. Why does the Consort ask?”
Lu Qing Wan’s next words were astonishing.
“She is not the real Wen Ru Ge.”
Wen Ru Song almost cried out in shock, but quickly recovered. “So, the Consort discovered upon entering the room that my younger sister was being impersonated, and you deliberately said those things to draw the imposter out?”
Wen Ru Song was a martial artist and had been standing by the door. Without even trying to eavesdrop, he had heard everything Lu Qing Wan and Wen Ru Ge had said.
The Wen family’s loyalty to Si Feng Wu stemmed partly from preserving their own prosperity, but they had also genuinely aided Si Feng Wu. Hearing Lu Qing Wan’s seemingly heartless words, Wen Ru Song couldn’t help but feel a pang in his chest.
It was only upon hearing Lu Qing Wan’s words that he realized she had been acting.
Lu Qing Wan answered his unspoken question, "The County Princess Ru Ge and I had some grievances, but long before the County Princess Ru Ge went to the Southern Border, I had already let them go.
Because of Wen Ya Yi’s interference, I became quite familiar with the County Princess Ru Ge.
This imposter, however, clearly only has a superficial understanding of the grievances between myself and the County Princess Ru Ge.
She herself doesn’t know the County Princess Ru Ge well, and fearing that you would discover she is a fake, she deliberately feigned madness to avoid interacting with you.
Her true motive for impersonating the County Princess Ru Ge is far from what she claims.
I ask Commander Wen to help me in this act, so that we may follow the clues. And, if possible, to find the real County Princess Ru Ge.”
Wen Ru Song had no objections in this regard, but he was somewhat perplexed.
“The Consort interacted with my younger sister—no, the imposter—for less than fifteen minutes and her attitude changed so drastically. It was so sudden, how did you determine she wasn't my sister?”
Wen Ru Song found the current Wen Ru Ge at the Wen residence quite distasteful, but she was still his sister, and he felt he should protect her if he could.
If Lu Qing Wan couldn’t provide evidence that the Wen Ru Ge present was fake, then no matter how much he disliked her, Wen Ru Song would never help Lu Qing Wan against his own sister.
Lu Qing Wan did not take offense at Wen Ru Song’s attitude.
After all, Wen Ru Song was Wen Ru Ge’s biological brother. If he were to treat Wen Ru Ge as an enemy after just a few words from her, she would lament the coldness of human relationships!
Therefore, she patiently explained, “There are two reasons. Firstly, before the County Princess Ru Ge went to the Southern Border, we had already resolved our grievances.
I could see that she had truly let go then.
Even if there were lingering concerns in her heart, they should have gradually faded with time. How could she, after so long, suddenly hate me to this extent and scheme to enter the harem?”
As she spoke, she extended her slender finger and waved it. “Secondly, it was her pulse.
To a physician, a person’s pulse is as unique as their bloodline.
The County Princess Ru Ge was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, raised in pampered luxury, and her health was exceptionally well-maintained. Crucially, she had never practiced martial arts.
The person in the room, however, appears frail, yet she is a master.
The difference between them is so obvious, do you think I could mistake one for the other?”
In fact, by the time Lu Qing Wan declared that the Wen Ru Ge currently at the Wen mansion was an imposter, Wen Ru Song had rationally accepted it.
After all, he was quite familiar with Lu Qing Wan and knew very well that she would never speak so definitively unless she was absolutely certain.
It was just that emotionally, he was still unwilling to accept that his younger sister had been replaced by such an imposter, a fact he himself had never noticed.
Hearing Lu Qing Wan’s explanation, Wen Ru Song first sighed as if resigned to fate, then began to worry about his family’s safety. “If she is a master, will she pose a threat to our grandparents in the future?”
Lu Qing Wan smiled gently. “Commander Wen, please rest assured.
To better imitate the County Princess Ru Ge, she deliberately used medicine to suppress her internal energy.
Before I left, I did something to her, and even if she takes the antidote, she won’t be able to use her internal energy.”
Although the imposter had her fangs and claws removed, Wen Ru Song did not entirely relax.
“This imposter has been in the residence for at least half a year. Consort, do you think my sister… can be found?”
Although today’s Wen Ru Ge was an imposter, the real Wen Ru Ge was the one who was abducted and taken to the brothel.
At the time, everyone assumed the kidnappers had abducted Wen Ru Ge to threaten Elder Wen and Elder Madam Wen into stealing the King of Ten Thousand Phoenixes.
But now, it seemed stealing the King of Ten Thousand Phoenixes was indeed their goal.
And having this imposter replace Wen Ru Ge was not without the intention of leveraging the Wen family’s debt to Si Feng Wu to infiltrate and cause further damage.
Although their specific plan was not yet clear, the fact that they managed to get the fake Wen Ru Ge into the palace was enough to infer that their ambitions were significant.
Since this was such a crucial plan, no mistakes could be afforded.
Therefore, to prevent the imposter from being exposed, it was naturally best for the real Wen Ru Ge to be eliminated as soon as possible.
Thus, both Lu Qing Wan and Wen Ru Song were well aware that Wen Ru Ge's situation was dire.
Wen Ru Song’s question was merely to elicit a more optimistic answer from Lu Qing Wan.