They were not being seen off, but directly escorted back to the Nanfu side residence.
Consort Dowager Wen, unwilling to accept this, immediately called out, "Feng Xi Wu," and said, "Your Highness, I am an elder. I have gone to great lengths to come and see you. Are you going to let your consort treat me like this?"
"Feng Xi Wu" cast a cold glance at her. "The inner court is not to interfere with state affairs. When Mother Consort said those words, did she consider how my Imperial Brother would view me if he knew?"
Consort Dowager Wen wanted to argue, but "Feng Xi Wu" did not give her the chance.
"The court has been unstable recently. Mother Consort is better off staying peacefully in the side residence. I have matters to discuss with the Consort, so I will take my leave."
With that, he tilted his head slightly, signaling Lu Qing Wan to follow.
Consort Dowager Wen watched in disbelief as "Feng Xi Wu" and Lu Qing Wan left, her anger causing her to pound the armrest of her chair.
"You scoundrel! You ungrateful son who forgets his mother after marrying a wife!"
Despite her angry curses, no one paid her any mind. Once she had vented her frustration, Li Jin calmly said, "Consort Dowager, this subordinate will arrange for someone to escort you back to the Nanfu side residence."
"Good, very good! My own son! I don't need you to send me, I'll walk myself!" Consort Dowager Wen left in a huff, the dragon-headed staff in her hand striking the marble floor with loud thuds.
Li Jin paid no attention to her words and, following Yu Qing's instructions, ordered men to escort Consort Dowager Wen. He even instructed his subordinates in front of her without any hesitation, "The Prince has ordered that the Consort Dowager must be safely returned to her residence without any delay."
The phrase "without any delay" meant that the guards were to escort Consort Dowager Wen to the Nanfu side residence to complete their task. While it was called an escort, it was in fact a form of surveillance.
Consort Dowager Wen trembled with rage, but Li Jin ignored her and leisurely returned to the Prince's manor.
He immediately reported to Yu Qing, "Consort, Consort Dowager Wen has left the manor. As you instructed, the hidden guards are following her. If Consort Dowager Wen contacts anyone outside, the hidden guards will send word immediately."
Lu Qing Wan nodded. If Consort Dowager Wen had only wanted her to arrange for Wen Ru Ge to become the Jing Prince's consort, she wouldn't have needed to come in person. She was more concerned that Consort Dowager Wen's visit to the manor was to inquire whether Feng Xi Wu was actually in the manor for someone else.
Li Jin understood her concerns and reassured her, "Consort, do not worry too much. Shen An's performance just now was very successful. If this subordinate did not know the Prince's true whereabouts, even this subordinate would have been deceived. Consort Dowager Wen has always been distant from the Prince, so she will not discover anything."
Shen An also said respectfully, "Yes, Consort. This subordinate has followed the Prince for many years and is very familiar with his habits. As you saw, my imitation should have been quite convincing. Consort Dowager Wen should not be able to tell."
Regardless of what they said, Lu Qing Wan remained silent. As the two were at a loss, the doorman hurried in.
"Consort, there is a letter for you here."
The doorman presented an envelope with only the words "For Lu Qing Wan's eyes only" written on it. Li Jin took the envelope, and Lu Qing Wan did not think much of it. "Open it and see."
As Li Jin opened the envelope and his hand reached the letter paper, a series of urgent alarms sounded in Lu Qing Wan's mind: "Attention, toxic substance detected!"
The spatial laboratory sounded the alarm twice. Li Jin, holding the letter paper, turned pale, his breathing became rapid, and his eyes began to glaze over. Lu Qing Wan grabbed the teapot on the table and poured its contents over him. Li Jin showed a brief moment of confusion before quickly kneeling down, "This subordinate apologizes for his impoliteness, please punish me, Consort!"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Lu Qing Wan glanced at him dismissively, put on a pair of medical gloves, and took the letter. She scanned it at lightning speed, her eyes instantly turning icy cold. She then asked the doorman, "Who delivered this letter?"
The doorman, confused, but seeing Li Jin kneeling, was also frightened into kneeling on the ground. "Consort, please forgive me. This letter was delivered by a young beggar. He said an old wet nurse gave him a copper coin and asked him to deliver the letter to the manor. I wanted to ask for the old wet nurse's specific features, but the beggar knew nothing. So, I let the beggar leave."
Lu Qing Wan let out a sneer. "She still knows how to save face, but the letter is written so plainly. What is the use of hiding the sender's identity?" She put the letter paper back into the envelope and handed it to Li Yang. "Preserve this well. Send a few more people to the Hua Guo Gong manor to prevent that old hag from going mad."
Li Yang took the envelope in a daze and, with a cheeky grin, innocently asked, "Consort, what happened to Li Jin?"
"An aphrodisiac. Those who come into contact with it will rapidly escalate their emotions but remain rational, making it most suitable for humiliation." Lu Qing Wan said it casually, but Li Yang was so scared he almost threw the envelope away. "Aphrodisiac... aphrodisiac! Consort, are you alright?" The Prince was not in the manor, and if the Consort were to be affected by an aphrodisiac, killing him would not be enough to atone for his sin!
Lu Qing Wan looked at him speechlessly. "Do I look like I'm alright?" Li Yang shook his head vigorously. Confirmed that Lu Qing Wan was unharmed, he finally remembered his companion. "Then Li Jin should be alright too, right?"
"The dosage was small and the contact time short, so there is no major problem." Lu Qing Wan looked at Li Jin with some disdain. "As a guard by the Prince's side, to rashly touch an item of unknown origin, your vigilance is truly not very good. Go to the dark hall yourself to receive your punishment. Afterward, compile a list of personnel who regularly accompany the Consort and the Prince, so I can prepare anti-toxic pearls per person."
Li Jin said with shame, "This subordinate was negligent and caused the Consort to be alarmed!"
Lu Qing Wan did not reply and disdainfully waved her hand, signaling him to leave quickly. Li Jin did not linger and left in a hurry.
Lu Qing Wan's gaze then fell on Shen An. "The Prince is seriously ill and has been bedridden for several days. If he insists on getting up today, will his condition worsen again?"
Shen An lowered his head and smiled bitterly. "This subordinate will obey all the Consort's arrangements."
Lu Qing Wan smiled with satisfaction. "The Prince is seriously ill and needs to invite Physician Shen back to the manor to attend to him. Li Qing, escort me to the palace to invite Physician Shen back."
With a command, the manor's carriage took Lu Qing Wan into the palace. It was already evening, and there were not many people in the Weiyang Palace. When Lu Qing Wan arrived, only Prime Minister Wen and Tang Xiao were by the Emperor's side, discussing something.
Upon seeing her, Emperor Jingyou raised an eyebrow. "Did they not say the Regent's Consort was ill? How does Your Majesty see you looking quite well?"
"If this concubine were truly ill, Your Majesty would have a headache." Lu Qing Wan did not lose out in verbal sparring, but she did not forget the proper etiquette. "This concubine greets Your Majesty and the Prime Minister."
"You are excused." Emperor Jingyou felt a sense of facing a smaller version of Feng Xi Wu when it came to Lu Qing Wan, allowing himself to be quite unrestrained in front of her. "You never come to the Third Treasure Hall without a reason. Tell me, what has happened now?"
Lu Qing Wan curtsied. "This concubine has come to report two important matters to Your Majesty. Additionally, there is one matter specifically concerning the Prime Minister."