Mu Qing Tang felt much more at ease with Li Yang's return. Following Feng Xi Wu's advice, she remained quietly in the manor, not stepping out.
However, after only two days of peace, Tang Xiao arrived.
"Today is not the day for Prince Chen and his consort to enter the palace to offer tea. Why has His Majesty summoned me?"
Lu Qing Wan looked bewildered.
Tang Xiao was also confused. "His Majesty said that Prince Chen's selection of a consort, you contributed a great deal. Furthermore, you are an elder to Prince Chen. For Prince Chen to offer tea, it is only fitting that you be present.
"And for Prince Chen's consort to be entered into the royal jade registry, it requires you to preside."
Lu Qing Wan blinked. "I preside over Prince Chen's consort being entered into the royal jade registry?
"Why was there not so much fuss when the Prince and I went to offer tea to His Majesty?"
Li Yang chuckled beside her, his dark face breaking into a wide, toothy grin that was blinding. "Naturally, that is because the Prince doted on his consort and handled everything personally.
"Prince Chen's consort does not have such privileges. Even if Prince Chen wished to handle it personally, entering the royal jade registry is not something he can simply preside over."
He wore an expression of great pride.
Lu Qing Wan clicked her tongue. "Wait a moment, I'll change my clothes."
She then instructed Li Yang, "Go, tell Li Su to come and help me change."
Li Su rushed over, and while assisting Lu Qing Wan with her attire, asked, "What does the Consort require of me?"
"The Prince repeatedly warned me not to enter the palace, but since His Majesty has summoned me, I must go.
"Should anything happen and I cannot convey a message, I will release Teng Snake. That will signify I am in danger, and Prime Minister Wen and Prince Nan should come to my rescue.
"If I release Da Bai, it means His Majesty has news, and the Prince should hurry back to Shang Jing and lead the Qin army to aid the Emperor.
"If only a single bird perches on my window and refuses to leave, it signifies that both His Majesty and I are safe. No matter how long I remain in the palace, do not act rashly."
Li Su acknowledged each instruction and then added, "Allow Liang Xia and Ren Dong to accompany you into the palace. Should anything arise, having someone by your side is better than nothing."
During this period, Liang Xia had learned much from Lu Qing Wan and showed significant progress in poisoning and detoxification. Ren Dong's Qing Gong had also reached new heights.
In the ever-treacherous confines of the imperial palace, these two were far more useful than ordinary maids.
As the Consort, Lu Qing Wan entering the palace with at least two maids was standard protocol.
Since it was unavoidable, she naturally would not refuse to bring two capable individuals.
"You make the arrangements. Have them follow as soon as possible."
Li Su immediately hurried off to summon the two maids, while Lu Qing Wan met up with Tang Xiao.
"There are so many eunuchs in the palace, why does His Majesty always have you summon me? As the commander of the Shence Battalion, are you that idle?"
Tang Xiao, bending slightly behind her, responded with a smile on his usually stern face, "The Prince is gravely ill and bedridden, unable to frequently interact with His Majesty.
"Fearing that false messages might cause delays, he and His Majesty agreed that any matters, public or private, would be conveyed to the Prince and Consort by my person.
"And all news from the Prince's manor is personally delivered to the palace by Li Jin."
At this point, Tang Xiao suddenly remembered something, and without Lu Qing Wan asking, he elaborated, "Even if we are unable to deliver the message ourselves, the paper used for correspondence will bear coded markings.
"Currently, the palace is peaceful. His Majesty therefore has me run errands each time. This way, the Prince can be assured, and His Majesty is also at ease."
Lu Qing Wan suddenly understood. "So that's how it is. No wonder the Prince once told me not to believe anyone's words except those of Li Jin and a few others."
Saying this, she changed the subject. "I hear His Majesty is quite fond of the newly enfeoffed Consort Yu lately. What sort of person is this Consort Yu?"
Tang Xiao seemed to have been waiting for this question. He launched into a torrent of complaints.
"She's merely a pretty face with neither outstanding abilities nor character. Relying on her looks and a slight resemblance to the late Empress Dowager, she struts around the Weiyang Palace, issuing orders and pointing fingers.
"Minor matters are one thing, but she even cast suspicion on the medicine Consort uses for His Majesty.
"I don't know which gossiper told her that His Majesty was poisoned by Bai Xing Lin.
"She then baselessly speculated that Consort might have deliberately poisoned His Majesty to win his favor, then staged a show of magnanimity by offering the antidote, a performance she orchestrated herself..."
Tang Xiao rambled on, but Lu Qing Wan only caught one point. "She knows I am Lin Sa?"
Tang Xiao abruptly stopped walking and exclaimed in alarm, "Consort, why don't you feign illness and not go?"
Lu Qing Wan turned back, her gaze suspicious. "Why suddenly offer me such advice?
"I've been lively and energetic these past few days, attending to patients at Bai Xing Lin daily. His Majesty is surely aware of this, right?
"If I were to feign illness and not go, and then have someone whisper in his ear, wouldn't that make His Majesty believe I have something to hide?"
Tang Xiao was extremely anxious. "But Consort, His Majesty has been bewitched by Consort Yu these past few days. He listens to whatever Consort Yu says.
"If Consort Yu were to act against you, how would I explain myself to the Prince?"
Lu Qing Wan smiled faintly. "If that were truly the case, then I must go even more.
"You and I both know that His Majesty has been rational his entire life. He would not be swayed by one woman.
"If he were to make a decision that goes against reason, it would only signify that his mind is not abnormal, but his body is.
"Looking across the entire Da Gan, who is more suited than I to see His Majesty at this moment?"
Although Tang Xiao was worried about Lu Qing Wan, he was even more concerned about Emperor Jing You. Hearing her words, he did not try to dissuade her any further.
However, Lu Qing Wan never expected that this time, before her medical skills could be put to use, she would find herself in a predicament.
With Tang Xiao personally guiding the way and Lu Qing Wan's significant status, the carriage traveled directly to the Weiyang Palace before stopping.
Liang Xia and Ren Dong followed closely behind Lu Qing Wan into the Weiyang Palace. Emperor Jing You, uncharacteristically, was not in his sleeping quarters but sat in a high seat within the Weiyang Palace.
Feng Qing Heng and Prince Chen's consort, Chen Ruo Yu, were also seated below. As soon as Lu Qing Wan entered, their gazes turned towards her.
Lu Qing Wan curtsied. "This concubine greets Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty peace."
"Rise."
Emperor Jing You's voice was full of vigor, his tone rising at the end, indicating he was in a very good mood.
Lu Qing Wan, however, did not notice this. As she stood up, all her attention was drawn to the woman seated beside Emperor Jing You.
She inwardly laughed at Tang Xiao's lack of aesthetic judgment, for this was clearly a beautiful woman of exquisite grace.
Her oval face, full of auspiciousness, was a stark contrast to the common melon-seed shaped faces in the palace, yet it appeared remarkably auspicious.
Her slightly thick, unplucked eyebrows, paired with a round nose, clear, watery almond eyes, and full lips, seemed to have been sculpted according to the standards of auspiciousness spoken of by elders.
Emperor Jing You, seeing her staring at Consort Yu, chuckled and teased, "Xi Wu says you admire beauty, without regard to gender.
"You once drooled over Noble Consort Ye, and now you've set your sights on my Consort Yu?"
Lu Qing Wan snapped back to attention, feigning embarrassment. "It seems my Prince has spoken ill of me to Your Majesty often in private. Is he bullying me because I don't have an elder sister to support me?"