Thanks to Emperor Jingyou's trust, Prime Minister Wen held absolute authority among the officials.
Even the Duke of Pei, who often hopped around like an energetic grasshopper, dared not show disrespect to Prime Minister Wen in public.
He could only suppress his anger and compromise, "Prime Minister, you speak wisely. It is I who was overly anxious.
However, can we not move His Majesty until the imperial physicians have examined him? The Regent's Consort is still under suspicion. What if..."
His words stopped short, but everyone knew what followed his "what if."
Prime Minister Wen knew Lu Qingwan's identity and also knew she was incapable of regicide. Without changing his expression, he glanced at Lu Qingwan. Seeing she had no objections, he then agreed.
"Very well. Eunuch Fu, please first invite Physician Meng to examine His Majesty."
Fu An bowed his head in assent and scurried away with quick, small steps.
At that moment, the Duke of Pei eagerly pressed, "Regent's Consort, now, can you explain why Consort Yu said you poisoned His Majesty?"
"Duke of Pei, your question is most interesting!
Consort Yu said those words. Why she said them, ask her, how would I know?"
Fully aware that the Duke of Pei had ill intentions, Lu Qingwan retorted to every word he spoke, showing no inclination to converse politely.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, someone interjected to smooth things over, "Regent's Consort, please do not be angry. The Duke of Pei is merely concerned for His Majesty.
After all, at the time of the incident, only you and Consort Yu were in Weiyang Palace.
Consort Yu has been in the palace for days, and His Majesty was always well. Yet, the moment you arrived, His Majesty vomited blood.
It is only natural for people to have suspicions!"
The newcomer was somewhat unfamiliar. Thanks to the lineage of aristocratic families, Lu Qingwan pondered for a moment and recalled.
This was the Marquis of Ning, chosen by Emperor Jingyou to officiate the wedding of Prince Jing, and the brother of Consort Ning. He had always lacked presence in court.
She wondered what had gotten into him today to come to the palace to assert his presence.
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingwan extended her hand, "Marquis of Ning, it is fortunate you do not work in the Ministry of Justice, otherwise, with such a mind, who knows how many wrongful convictions would occur!"
The Marquis of Ning had heard of Lu Qingwan's reputation, but being publicly rebuked by a young woman was a first.
His face flushed red, "What does the Regent's Consort mean by that?"
"Before the imperial physicians arrive, no one knows why His Majesty vomited blood. Even if there are suspicions, should I and Consort Yu not both be considered suspects and interrogated?
Yet, you immediately condemned me. Such arbitrary judgment, is it not the breeding ground for wrongful convictions?"
The Marquis of Ning was extremely embarrassed by her retort and tried to defend himself further, but Feng Qingheng had already arrived, alerted by the news.
Hearing Lu Qingwan's voice from afar, he sternly declared, "Lu Qingwan, do not argue semantics.
This King knows you are always eloquent, twisting black into white. But now, it is His Majesty who has been harmed, and only you and Consort Yu were present.
Consort Yu and the various lords will be interrogated later.
But now, please answer this King's question. What explanation do you have for Consort Yu's accusation?"
If he had been like the Duke of Pei or the Duke of Ning, directly deeming Lu Qingwan the murderer of Emperor Jingyou, Lu Qingwan could have retorted as she had with the Duke of Pei and the Marquis of Ning.
But he was uncharacteristically calm, and his questions were logical and well-reasoned.
If Lu Qingwan were to retort again, it would appear as if she were guilty.
Therefore, she could only respond earnestly, "Naturally, this Consort would not harm His Majesty. However, this is not something this Consort alone can decide.
We must wait for the imperial physicians to examine His Majesty's condition.
As for why Consort Yu slandered this Consort, this Consort is also very perplexed."
Her hawk-like eyes fixed directly on Consort Yu. "As the one who was with His Majesty before and after the incident, Consort Yu's suspicion is no less than mine, perhaps even more.
Consort Yu's haste in accusing this Consort makes it impossible for this Consort not to suspect you are the villain crying 'stop thief'!"
In front of all the officials, Consort Yu lost her earlier accusatory and aggressive demeanor.
"If not for His Majesty's promotion, I would still be a mere palace maid serving tea and water. What reason would I have to harm His Majesty?
On the other hand, Regent's Consort, ever since you were jilted by Prince Chen, you have become a different person. First, the Regent was gravely ill, and then His Majesty narrowly escaped death multiple times."
At this point, she became somewhat agitated. "Just now, if I heard correctly, His Majesty summoned you to the palace today because you poisoned the Regent, and His Majesty discovered it?
You feared His Majesty would punish you, so you acted desperately to silence him, but were you not too audacious?
Even if Tang Xiao and Fu An were not present, I was. I owe His Majesty many favors, how could I let you harm His Majesty in such a manner?"
"Lu Qingwan!"
The Duke of Pei, as if he had grasped some leverage against Lu Qingwan, no longer addressed her as Regent's Consort, but called her by name. He then righteously declared, "First poisoning the Regent, then attempting to murder His Majesty, what else is there you would not dare to do?"
Feng Qingheng also chimed in, "Lu Qingwan, this King believes he has never wronged you. Even when you and Lu Siwan toyed with me like a monkey, for Marquis Lu's sake, this King tolerated it.
But are you and your father too much?
Marquis Lu, relying on His Majesty's trust, sold vital strategic materials like iron sand to the Xiliang people.
And you, you poisoned your Imperial Uncle and attempted to murder His Majesty.
Is it not simply because your birth mother is not Princess Anyang, but a female bandit impersonating Princess Anyang?
To cover your tracks, do you truly need to resort to such unscrupulous means?"
If Consort Yu's accusation had been unconvincing due to lack of evidence, Feng Qingheng's words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky.
"Prince Chen, is it true that Marquis Lu privately sold iron sand to Xiliang?
Is the wife of Marquis Zhaolie truly an imposter? If so, were the rumors circulating in the marketplace not just rumors?"
"Of course, they were not rumors."
Duke Hua, who had been hiding in the crowd, finally found an opportunity to speak.
Upon hearing this, everyone asked, "Does Duke Hua know the reason behind this?"
Due to the decline of his family's status and his lack of presence among the court officials, Duke Hua, who had been marginalized, finally stepped forward.
He spoke with a theatrical flair before saying, "Everyone, you may not know, but my mother discovered over twenty years ago that the Princess Anyang was an imposter.
We thought Marquis Zhaolie had been deceived, so we kindly went to remind him.
Who would have thought that Lu Zhenting had already been infatuated by that false princess? Not only did he refuse to listen, but he also threatened my mother with the lives of everyone in the Hua State Duke's mansion.
My mother, being a mere woman, dared not speak out and was threatened by him for twenty years."
Lu Qingwan scoffed, having seen villains cry foul, but never such shamelessness.
"Since Old Madam Hua was threatened by my father for twenty years, why does she dare to speak now?
Did she suddenly become brave and no longer fear my father's threats?
Or did Duke Hua know beforehand that someone intended to slander my father, and with my father imprisoned and unable to prove his innocence, he was so eager to slander us and condemn us?"