"Impossible," exclaimed Xie Wenzhong, the Minister of Works, his voice laced with urgency. "If Marquis Lu, a great general in his own right, had truly fallen, the front lines would surely have shown some sign of it."
"Exactly!
Regent Princess, you are a woman confined to the inner chambers. Where did you hear such news? To jump to conclusions so readily, how can you possibly occupy such an important position as the Regent Princess?"
...
The ministers shifted their focus, from accusing Lu Qingwan of meddling in state affairs to accusing her of fabricating military intelligence. Each word was a nail, aiming to crucify her on the pillar of shame.
Yet, Lu Qingwan seemed not to hear their harsh accusations. Her gaze was fixed solely on Feng Qingheng, who occupied the Dragon Throne.
"That is a question you should ask our Emperor!
A dispatch arrived from the border, eight hundred li in haste, reporting my father's death. One hundred thousand Black Armored troops and eighty thousand Northern Prefecture cavalry were surrounded by a force of five hundred thousand from Xiliang, Northern Wei, and Yun Qiang in the northwestern snow mountains.
Instead of immediately summoning his ministers to discuss the matter, the Emperor chose to suppress this urgent dispatch. What was his intention?"
Though Lu Qingwan claimed ignorance of Feng Qingheng's motives, most of the ministers, upon hearing her words, understood Feng Qingheng's scheme.
For a moment, they glanced from Lu Qingwan to Feng Qingheng, at a loss.
Finally, the uninformed Grand Scholar Chi exclaimed, "Marquis Zhaolie is dead, and the Regent and his hundred and eighty thousand royal troops are trapped in the snow mountains. Regent Princess, from what source did you obtain this news?
This is no small matter. Can the Regent Princess guarantee the authenticity of this information?"
Chi's words voiced the doubts of the assembled officials, but they also served to remind Feng Qingheng, giving him an excuse to deal with Lu Qingwan.
After Chi finished speaking, Feng Qingheng chimed in, "Indeed, Regent Princess, this news is yet unconfirmed. How can it be broadcast so widely?
What if the intelligence is erroneous? Would it not cause unnecessary panic without offering any assistance to the front lines?"
As Feng Qingheng spoke, Chi realized he had been used.
Feng Qingheng's words made it seem as though he and Chi were colluding.
Indeed, as soon as Feng Qingheng finished speaking, Lu Qingwan's fury erupted. "Your Majesty, are you not being too irresponsible with your words?
How could an eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch from the border be mistaken?
Even if it were a mistake, concerning one hundred and eighty thousand royal troops, you should at least dispatch someone to verify it!
By simply suppressing the report, are you waiting for casualty reports from those thirteen thousand royal troops to prove the truth or falsehood of this intelligence?
Or do you genuinely wish for the Regent to fall on the battlefield like my father, and for those one hundred and eighty thousand royal troops to be buried with him?"
"Regent Princess, you must choose your words carefully!"
The Assistant Minister of Rites was startled by Lu Qingwan's outburst and quickly tried to dissuade her.
Prime Minister Wen, seeing Lu Qingwan pressing Feng Qingheng so relentlessly, as if intending to provoke him, feared that Lu Qingwan would bring danger upon herself.
He quickly interjected, "Your Majesty, what the Regent Princess says is indeed logical. An eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch from the border should not be mistaken.
The most urgent matter now is to relieve the hundred and eighty thousand royal troops from their predicament, and to bring Marquis Zhaolie's remains back!
If prolonged, it will not only be detrimental to the overall situation but will also chill the hearts of the three armies!"
Lu Qingwan, hearing this, was so startled she wanted to look at Prime Minister Wen, but her rationality forced her to hold back.
Prime Minister Wen had anticipated her intention and preempted her request.
The same matter, spoken by Prime Minister Wen and by her, would elicit different reactions from Feng Qingheng and the civil and military officials. Prime Minister Wen was helping her.
Indeed, after Prime Minister Wen spoke, many officials echoed his sentiments.
"Yes, Your Majesty, an eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch from the border should not be wrong. The most pressing matter now is to relieve the hundred and eighty thousand royal troops and to bring Marquis Lu's remains back to the capital!
If the remains of a fallen hero are left in a foreign land, what will the people of the Great Qian empire think of our court?"
...
Amidst the cacophony of voices, Feng Qingheng finally spoke, "Dispatching troops to relieve the hundred and eighty thousand royal troops is not an issue. I have already ordered the Ministry of War yesterday to mobilize the Black Armored Army to reinforce Beixiao Pass.
However, Marquis Zhaolie's remains are currently in the hands of Prince Zhen from Northern Wei, Cheng Jiuxiao. Bringing them back will likely not be easy."
These words struck like thunder, leaving the entire court in disarray.
However, a sudden voice made Lu Qingwan's desire to kill instantly ignite.
Amidst the shock and daze, a person exclaimed, "Could it be that Marquis Lu did not fall in battle but was captured by Northern Wei?"
If it were merely that, it would be one thing. But coupled with his pointed expression and tone, it made it sound as if Lu Zhenting had been defeated and captured.
Lu Qingwan, with astonishing speed, found the detestable person in the crowd and, with a few strides, kicked him in the chest.
The tall and robust military official crashed against the dragon pillar in the Hall of Diligent Governance with a loud thud, then fell heavily to the ground.
Lu Qingwan strode forward and placed her foot on his chest.
"My father fought fiercely against the Northern Wei army to cover the retreat of the Northern Prefecture cavalry until his last breath.
In the chaos of battle, the Northern Prefecture cavalry had no time to attend to his remains, which is why he ended up in the lands of barbarians, his heroic spirit unable to return home. But this does not mean that a sycophant like you can insult him."
The civil and military officials were stunned by her sudden action. Once they recovered, they began to clamor, "Regardless, Regent Princess, you cannot lay hands on someone!
This is the Hall of Diligent Governance. You are not allowed to bring weapons in, do you not know this?"
A group of people chattered incessantly, and Lu Qingwan felt a buzzing in her ears, like the droning of mosquitoes.
"All of you, shut up!"
Lu Qingwan's cold gaze swept across the hall. "My father died on the battlefield, and my husband is trapped. I am now alone and unburdened. You talk to me about rules and etiquette.
Can rules and etiquette bring my father back from the dead? Can they free my father from his encirclement?
Can they?!"
Her voice was hoarse, like a wounded beast, her eyes filled with hatred, staring directly at everyone.
The civil and military officials were all shaken by her gaze.
Lu Qingwan stared intently at Feng Qingheng on the upper seat and said in a choked voice, "Today, I ask you one thing: Can you issue a state letter, demanding Cheng Jiuxiao hand over my father's remains?
If you can, then uphold the might of the Great Qian armies in the name of the Great Qian Emperor.
If you cannot, then strip my father of all his titles. As long as he is no longer a minister of Great Qian and has no connection to the court, I will not ask anything more from the court.
I will find a way to bring my father's remains home myself."
Issuing a state letter and granting or revoking noble titles were indeed matters that fell within the scope of governance.
However, facing Lu Qingwan like this, no one had the audacity to use the excuse of her meddling in state affairs to make her retract her words.
Prince Nan cried out, "Your Majesty, the situation on the battlefield changes rapidly, and it is not something we can control with mere words.
However, Marquis Lu is already deceased and poses no threat to Northern Wei. I implore Your Majesty to issue a state letter, demanding Northern Wei return Marquis Lu's remains, to comfort the souls of Marquis Lu and the fallen soldiers."
The remains of a fallen famous general lying in a foreign country were not only a tragedy for General Lu Zhenting himself but also an insult to Great Qian.