She scooped out some melon seeds, a gesture of feigned cooperation with Lu Qingwan's melon-eating expression. "What do you want to inquire about him?"
"Uh, this subject's daughter was poisoned before and seemed to have offended Young Master Lianyu greatly. I originally intended to visit him to apologize, but who knew he would go to the front lines and be gone for months.
This subject's daughter thought that the border region is harsh and cold, and life must be difficult.
If possible, this subject's daughter would like to send some things to Young Master Lianyu as a token of apology."
Feng Xiwu had always stayed out of his subordinates' affairs.
But seeing his little princess's satisfied expression after eating melon seeds, he changed his usual stance and said, "In a few days, this king will send a batch of New Year's goods to the border troops.
Since you have this intention, prepare it early, and this king will send someone to collect it."
Chi Yaoyao was overjoyed and quickly stood up, exclaiming excitedly, "Thank you, Your Highness, this subject's daughter will go back to prepare now. This subject's daughter takes her leave!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned and ran. She dashed to the door before waving her hand vigorously, "A'wan, I'm leaving first. I'll come find you to play again in a few days!"
Lu Qingwan chuckled and turned to look at Feng Xiwu. "I strongly suspect her real intention is to inquire about Lianyu, not to deliver a message for Scholar Chi.
That letter from Scholar Chi to you, wasn't it just a pretense?"
The smile on Feng Xiwu's face had not yet faded, but it did not reach his eyes. "It's not a pretense at all. Look..."
Lu Qingwan took the letter with suspicion. Upon seeing its contents, her face suddenly darkened.
"Is what's written in here half true and half false? If they were to reveal it, it would have a significant impact on you, wouldn't it?"
Feng Xiwu's expression was inscrutable. "I don't quite understand the affairs of elders.
But since they have this plan, even if it's false, they will at least fabricate a plausible story to go with it and try to suppress this king at all costs."
Lu Qingwan deeply agreed. "Quickly send someone to verify it. See if such a person truly exists.
And what about Chancellor Wen? Do you need to go see him personally?"
After speaking, Lu Qingwan was no longer so sure. "Of course, this is only if your relationship with Chancellor Wen is truly as harmonious as I see it.
Otherwise, if you go to him to ask, it would be no different from delivering yourself into danger."
With the kind-faced but malicious Consort Ye in front and Emperor Jingyou's drastically changed demeanor behind, Lu Qingwan truly couldn't discern who around Feng Xiwu was trustworthy and who wasn't.
Feng Xiwu appeared to be in a similar state of confusion. After pondering, he cautiously said, "To be on the safe side, let's not ask him.
There's no time to investigate slowly. Take that 'obeying water' with you, and let's go see Grand Consort Wen."
"This is indeed the fastest way to confirm the truth of the news."
Lu Qingwan readily agreed. "However, shouldn't you not go?
Your injuries are already enough trouble, I'll take Li Qing and Ying Yi, Ying Er with me. If anything comes up, they can run errands.
It's the same old rule: besides Liyang, Lijing, and Lisu, I trust no one around you."
It was his own matter, yet he was to be confined to the manor. Feng Xiwu instinctively objected.
But remembering how Lu Qingwan had cried golden tears of heartache when she discovered his injury while he was still angry, he agreed to her arrangement.
"Be careful on the way. Come back after the interrogation.
If you want to know anything, ask this king when you return. Don't believe anything Grand Consort Wen says."
"I know. Let's eat first."
Even though the sudden news had dampened her spirits, seeing the two large food containers that had not yet been opened beside them, she couldn't help but chuckle.
"By the way, how did Scholar Chi know about Grand Consort Wen and those people's schemes?
To fabricate a childhood sweetheart for Grand Consort Wen, making you, a high and mighty regent, into a despised bastard child, thereby negating your royal identity, and step by step undermining your position.
Such a far-fetched idea would truly be hard for an ordinary person to come up with, wouldn't it?
Before it was even implemented, Scholar Chi found out. Are Scholar Chi's informants that powerful?"
The letter Scholar Chi had entrusted Chi Yaoyao to deliver to Feng Xiwu was not complicated, just a few lines.
It merely stated that someone intended to collude with Grand Consort Wen and fabricate a childhood sweetheart lover for her, claiming him to be Feng Xiwu's biological father.
With Grand Consort Wen's testimony, the title of bastard child would most likely be pinned on Feng Xiwu.
If the other party succeeded, let alone continue to be regent, Feng Xiwu might not even be able to live legitimately in Daqian.
Tampering with royal bloodlines was a crime punishable by nine generations of extermination.
It had to be admitted that this scheme was both idiotic and disgusting.
But it also had to be acknowledged that in a royal family where bloodline reigned supreme, such a disgusting trick was indeed quite effective.
This was why Lu Qingwan couldn't help but be curious as to how Scholar Chi, a complete civil official, would know of such a sordid plan.
"Although Scholar Chi leads a low-key life, he is still a great scholar of this era, second only to Chancellor Wen.
Furthermore, as the Minister of Personnel, he oversees the appointments and dismissals of officials in Daqian. It is not an exaggeration to say that he has disciples all over the land.
He is also benevolent and charitable, possessing both the kindness of a scholar and the righteousness of a warrior. Those who owe him favors are everywhere.
It is not surprising that he could obtain intelligence that we have not yet accessed."
Lu Qingwan nodded, her curiosity satisfied, and her attention returned to the matter at hand.
"Grand Consort Wen was just sent by His Majesty to guard the imperial mausoleum, and the other party immediately launched such a move. Does this mean they had prepared two backup plans?
If you had died on your way back to the capital, they would have exposed Shen An and accused me of harming the current regent and poisoning the current emperor, thus forcing the Regent's Manor to withdraw from court.
If you had returned alive, they would use Grand Consort Wen as a trump card to seize your power through the issue of your lineage.
They really went to great lengths to get rid of you, didn't they?"
Feng Xiwu was neither angry nor annoyed. "Their painstaking efforts only prove how pivotal my position is in Daqian, don't they?
Moreover, you can rest assured. Although my imperial brother has to protect Feng Qingheng, he will not, and dare not, take this king's life.
This matter, if they bring it before my imperial brother, this king is not afraid."
Lu Qingwan shook her head. "If they truly intended to eliminate you through His Majesty, I would be more at ease.
I am worried they will repeat their past actions, like they did with my mother's situation, spreading rumors in the market now, rising from the bottom up, layer by layer.
And then having Grand Consort Wen personally accuse you of being the bastard child they speak of. Even if His Majesty tries his best to protect you, will the common people still believe you?"
Although it was all about public opinion pressure, Feng Xiwu's situation and that of Princess Anyang were fundamentally different.
Princess Anyang had passed away more than ten years ago. No matter how fierce the rumors were, as long as the court and Xiliang said she was real, no one could do anything.
But Feng Xiwu was different. Grand Consort Wen was his nominal birth mother. No one would believe that Grand Consort Wen would risk her own purity to harm her son.
When a mother personally identifies her son as a bastard child, it is self-evident whose words the world will believe.
Lu Qingwan felt the situation was becoming increasingly serious. She put down her chopsticks and stood up. "Without further ado, I will go see Grand Consort Wen now."