Lu Qing Wan's eyes sharpened, and she asked Li Su, "Feng Qing Heng intends to disband the Xuan Jia Army?"
Li Su lowered his head, "The Prince is a new Emperor's greatest concern, and the Xuan Jia Army was raised by the Prince himself. The new Emperor has this intention, but I don't yet know if he has finalized this plan."
Lu Qing Wan remained silent for a moment. Xie Shi Luan, thinking she didn't believe her, explained, "Before, it was because the Regent held immense authority in court, so he dared not. But now that the Regent is no longer here to obstruct him, what else would he not dare to do?"
Lu Qing Wan's sharp gaze suddenly fixed on Xie Shi Luan, "We just found the Prince, and General Xie has very timely information?"
Xie Shi Luan's expression remained unchanged, "The Regent's death is also a great regret for this general. However, Royal Consort, this is a battlefield. If I didn't have these capabilities, how would I dare to shamelessly discuss cooperation with you and the Prince?"
The Xie Shi Luan on the battlefield was indeed a different person from the Xie Shi Luan in the Da Gan relay station.
Lu Qing Wan did not waste words with her and directly said, "Regarding the intelligence on Xie Shi Yu and Xiao Jing An, can General Xie provide detailed information?"
"Of course."
Xie Shi Luan agreed without hesitation, "This general is about to lead troops back to Xiliang City. Won't Royal Consort accompany this general?"
"I only want Xie Shi Yu's head."
Lu Qing Wan glanced at her coldly, "The rest is none of my concern."
"Alright."
Xie Shi Luan pouted with some disappointment and pointed to a female guard beside her, "Her name is Ling Shuang. She is the person most familiar with Xiliang City around me. Naturally, this includes Xiao Jing An and Xie Shi Yu. If Royal Consort trusts this general, you can let Ling Shuang guide you. With her, you can avoid a lot of trouble in Xiliang."
Lu Qing Wan looked at Ling Shuang, a very heroic woman, the type Feng Xi Wu had described. She had trained in martial arts from a young age. While not unattractive, her joints were large, giving her a somewhat androgynous appearance.
"There's no need for her. I need a pass that allows me to travel freely within Xiliang."
Xie Shi Luan unhesitatingly produced a token and a letter of passage, "With these two items, you can enter anywhere except the Xiliang Imperial Palace."
Lu Qing Wan looked at her with the gaze one reserves for a fool, "I am going to the Xiliang Imperial Palace."
Xie Shi Luan was not annoyed. She spread her hands and said leisurely, "If Royal Consort can wait for this general to enter Xiliang City together, then this general can escort Royal Consort into the palace. But Royal Consort is clearly in a hurry, so this general can only apologize for being unable to help."
Xie Shi Luan didn't know what her intentions were, but she still wanted Lu Qing Wan to accompany her in attacking Xiliang City.
Lu Qing Wan, however, was unwilling to fall into her scheme. She took the token and letter of passage given by Xie Shi Luan and said, "The Prince is in danger, and the Xuan Jia Army will retaliate with all their might to avenge the Prince. You'd best look after yourself."
With that, she turned and left the Xiliang camp.
With Xie Shi Luan's letter of passage paving the way, leaving the Xiliang camp was smooth sailing.
Outside the Xiliang camp, Li Su nervously asked, "Royal Consort, are we really going to Xiliang?"
"What else?"
Lu Qing Wan strode forward, her expressionless face saying, "Do you think I abandoned hundreds of thousands of Xuan Jia soldiers and came to the Xiliang camp for fun?"
Li Su trotted to catch up with Lu Qing Wan's steps, "But the Prince is no longer here. If you leave, what will happen to the Xuan Jia Army? Moreover, Xiliang is Xiao Jing An and Xie Shi Yu's territory. You are entering Xiliang alone, aren't you like a lamb entering a wolf's den? Avenge the Prince is important, but..."
Lu Qing Wan suddenly turned around. Li Su, who hadn't had time to brake, almost collided with her.
She managed to steady herself and met Lu Qing Wan's murderous gaze, swallowing all her words.
"R-Royal Consort..."
Li Su swallowed and stammered her name, feeling that the Royal Consort was terrifying.
To her surprise, Lu Qing Wan didn't say a word. She simply glared at Li Su and turned away.
Everyone was curious where Lu Qing Wan was going, but after Li Su's encounter, no one dared to disturb her further.
Following Lu Qing Wan for about fifteen minutes, they saw a group of people resembling a merchant caravan waiting ahead.
Lu Qing Wan paused for a moment, and then someone stepped forward, "Your subordinate, Wen Ji Ting, greets the master."
Lu Qing Wan narrowed her eyes, "Who sent you here?"
Wen Ji Ting remained in a bowing posture and did not speak. Han Chen, standing behind her, said in a low voice, "He was already here. Royal Consort said she was going to Xiliang, so I sent a message to him. The situation is special, and it will be more convenient to enter Xiliang under the guise of a merchant caravan."
"Well done."
Lu Qing Wan did not skimp on her praise for Han Chen's arrangement.
Wen Ji Ting then said, "I have prepared new clothes for everyone. Change your clothes, rest for a night, and tomorrow morning, we can pass through the border into Xiliang."
The hidden guards remained in place. Lu Qing Wan waved her hand, "Go."
Only then did everyone move.
Lu Qing Wan left all her subordinates behind and went to a secluded spot to sit down.
In the late spring of the northwest, the temperature in the evening was like winter. The biting wind stung Lu Qing Wan's face as she sat in a wind-sheltered spot, silently looking in the direction of the snow mountains, Feng Qing Heng's blood-soaked appearance flashing through her mind. She still couldn't believe that the man who had promised to conquer Tian Xuan City and let her be the city lord's wife was dead. He was the God of War of Da Gan; if he had died on the battlefield, she would have been sad but not as lost as she was now. But it was not so. Feng Xi Wu had died in the snow mountains, frozen for miles. Thinking about why Feng Xi Wu had entered the snow mountain sinkhole and why he had fallen into an ambush, Lu Qing Wan deeply regretted not telling him her identity as a transmigator. If Feng Xi Wu had known that Lu Zhen Ting was not her biological father, would he not have rushed to retrieve Lu Zhen Ting's body and fallen into someone else's trap? Lu Qing Wan knew this thought was selfish. No matter what, she had become the Lu Qing Wan of this era and should bear all the responsibilities that belonged to this Lu Qing Wan. But now, all she wanted was for Feng Xi Wu to be alive.
Footsteps sounded behind her. Lu Qing Wan turned her head sharply. Li Su, who had changed into ordinary clothes, came over with a bundle.
"Royal Consort, Young Master Wen has also prepared clothes for you. Would you like to change?"
Behind her, Ru Yue held a basin of still steaming hot water, cotton cloths, and soap. Getting hot water in the wilderness was not easy. Lu Qing Wan silently stood up and walked to Ru Yue's side to wash.
The hot water on her face turned cold as soon as the cotton cloth was removed, making her skin feel like ice. Disregarding their surroundings, she directly took off her armor. Seeing the red clothes underneath, Lu Qing Wan quickly shed them and then put on the thick, dark blue Shu brocade outer garment brought by Li Su. Her eyes no longer held any hint of red, and she let out a long sigh of relief.