Emperor Jing You gritted his teeth, "Yu Chuwei is currently in the Shence Camp prison. The people from Tianxuan Sect have not yet seen her.
Coincidentally, the Northern Frontier has achieved a great victory. I will hold a celebration banquet tomorrow and send invitations to the Tianxuan Sect.
At that time, all civil and military officials will gather. Regent Consort, please exert yourself and make Yu Chuwei speak the truth appropriately."
What was meant by "speak the truth appropriately" was to make Consort Yu admit that the child in her womb was not Emperor Jing You's, but without revealing her collusion with Feng Qingheng.
Lu Qingwan understood, but found it both amusing and frustrating. "Your Majesty thinks far too highly of your humble consort!
Your humble consort studies medicine, not sorcery. I either speak everything or nothing at all. This is not something I can control."
Emperor Jing You also knew he was asking too much, and was about to try persuading Lu Qingwan again when Feng Xiwu, standing by, leisurely said, "Actually, there is a way to make her stop at the right moment."
Emperor Jing You had been worried about this matter since he learned of Consort Yu's pregnancy. Upon hearing this, he immediately became energized.
"What method? Tell me about it."
Feng Xiwu took Lu Qingwan's hand and sat on the wide grand tutor's chair, a slight smile on his lips, his eyes squinting in contentment.
"A disciple of a sect sneaks into the palace to become a consort, attempting to confuse the royal bloodline and publicly shame the royal family.
The Emperor is enraged and banishes her. Out of sight, out of mind. Are there any problems with this?"
Lu Qingwan, hearing Feng Xiwu's suggestion, readily chimed in, "Since the Emperor is enraged, it wouldn't be strange for him to smash a teacup or strike Consort Yu, would it?"
Feng Xiwu's words were easy to understand, but Lu Qingwan's interjection made Emperor Jing You somewhat suspicious. "If you want me to take action, what do you intend to do?"
"Even if Consort Yu is silenced at the celebration banquet, who can guarantee she won't speak out in private?
It would be troublesome for people of the Tianxuan Sect to die in Daqian, but if she herself forgets, Daqian cannot be blamed, can it?"
Lu Qingwan spoke with a light tone, but Feng Xiwu unconsciously pulled her closer. "You have a way?"
"There is a way, naturally, but I have two conditions."
It was Feng Xiwu who asked, but Lu Qingwan was speaking to Emperor Jing You.
Emperor Jing You said leisurely, "What are your conditions? Tell me."
"Firstly, before Your Majesty enfeebles Feng Qingheng as Crown Prince, you must clear my father of the charges falsely laid against him. Even if it is mentioned in the future, the case of private iron ore trading will have nothing to do with my father."
As expected, Emperor Jing You nodded without hesitation. "Marquis Lu was slandered. I can clarify it for him.
Tell me your second condition."
Lu Qingwan saw his promptness and did not beat around the bush. "My second condition is that you personally announce that my mother is the true Princess An Yang. If anyone mentions it again, they will be punished for disrupting diplomatic relations between the two countries."
The case of private iron ore trading and the identity of Princess An Yang were both bargaining chips used by Feng Qingheng to attack her.
If Emperor Jing You took these chips away completely, she could at least have a period of peace.
Emperor Jing You also knew that only by appeasing Lu Qingwan could he appease Feng Xiwu, so he was exceptionally lenient towards Lu Qingwan.
"Good, I agree to this condition of yours."
Lu Qingwan smiled with satisfaction. "Since that is the case, at the celebration banquet, Your Majesty need only question Consort Yu.
At that time, you merely need to distract everyone's attention slightly, and Consort Yu will be handled by me."
Emperor Jing You chuckled, "It's truly not easy to get you and your husband to do something for me."
Feng Xiwu did not respond to Emperor Jing You's implied complaint and handed Emperor Jing You the memorial Lu Qingwan had read earlier.
"This is Wen Yayue's confession. I believe there might be something in it that interests Your Majesty."
Seeing Feng Xiwu's expression, Emperor Jing You already had an idea of the memorial's value.
But after reading it, he couldn't suppress his anger. "The moldy grain case, did she orchestrate it for Prince Jing?"
Feng Xiwu nodded. "It's the same approach as when she defected to Feng Qingheng. Those one million shi of military rations were her proof of loyalty to Prince Jing.
Of course, at that time, Prince Jing had not yet been implicated by Ding Kun, nor did he know about the matter of Jianchuang Zhui Zou. Therefore, Wen Ruge was also her trump card when she defected to Prince Jing."
Emperor Jing You irritably threw the memorial onto the desk and asked Feng Xiwu, "Has it been thoroughly investigated? Did Wen Qi actively help her transport that moldy grain into Beixiao Pass, or was his rigid nature exploited by her?"
"I only received the confession yesterday. I have already sent people to investigate.
According to my judgment, Wen Qi is inherently upright, uncompromising, and loves his soldiers as his own. He would not do such a foolish thing.
However, Wen Qi's wife's brother is the Tongzhi of Suzhou Prefecture, who can also allow the carriages and horses of the Beixiao Pass guards to enter and exit freely. Moreover, his wife, Madam Huang, has also had frequent private contact with Wen Yayue.
It is unlikely that Wen Qi can remain completely uninvolved in this matter."
Emperor Jing You was both angry and helpless, pounding the table. "Prime Minister Wen had a lifetime of fame, how could he have such a foolish son!
That Wen Ruge is also a troublesome person.
I was still hoping that Prime Minister Wen could assist another ruler for Daqian. These people are going to drag my Prime Minister down!"
Feng Xiwu agreed with this sentiment. "Wen Qi is an official of the court. If this matter is truly investigated, he cannot escape.
As for Wen Ruge, with Prime Minister Wen around, no matter how foolish or useless she is, she will still be an object of contention and calculation for all sides.
If Your Majesty does not want Prime Minister Wen to be burdened further, let the eldest branch of the Wen family take her to the Southern Territory.
At that time, we kept her in Shangjing hoping she would accompany Prime Minister Wen and his wife, and fulfill her filial duties to her parents on behalf of the Wen Tan couple.
Now, it seems that without her, Prime Minister Wen and the Old Madam can live a few years longer."
Emperor Jing You nodded repeatedly. "I have the same idea. This way, let's not make Prime Minister Wen difficult.
We'll say that there have been consecutive battles in the Northern and Western frontiers, and the Southern Territory is peaceful due to Wen Tan's good governance. We will specially bestow some New Year's goods for Wen Ruge to take with her, and visit relatives along the way."
Feng Xiwu merely wanted to send Wen Ruge away. He did not care how she left, so he calmly accepted the order.
Emperor Jing You waved his hand. "You two may withdraw, and let me have some peace alone."
The successive news was indeed quite troublesome.
After bidding farewell to Emperor Jing You, the two left the palace hand in hand.
As soon as they got into the carriage, Lu Qingwan said, "Is our Emperor going to make an example of Su Bojun and Pan Fuxiang?"
Feng Xiwu was pouring tea for her and asked curiously, tilting his head, "Where did you see that Your Majesty is going to make an example of Su Bojun and Pan Fuxiang?"
"Sending Wen Ruge to the Southern Territory has many excuses, but he insisted on finding an excuse like the Southern Territory being peaceful due to Wen Tan's good governance.
Doesn't this allude to the fact that Su Bojun and Pan Fuxiang, who are also provincial governors, are incompetent?
Of course, it could also be a way to pave the way for Wen Qi's acquittal, as I see Your Majesty doesn't want to hurt Prime Minister Wen's feelings.
But our Emperor is like a lotus root, how can he do one thing with only one purpose? Don't you agree?"