She handed the prepared prescription to the patient and asked the caregiver assisting her, "How many more people are waiting outside?"
The caregiver glanced at the list in his hand and let out a sigh of relief. "There are three more people, all long-term inpatients. If you're tired, I can have them wait until you're free to treat them."
"No need, let them come in."
The way the appointments were scheduled clearly indicated they were arranged by Meng Sheng herself. Lu Qingwan smiled faintly with satisfaction, thinking that the Jici Hospital in Da Qin should also be open by now. If she sent Meng Sheng over, this place could operate independently. Would that be alright?
Fleeting thoughts were resolved one by one in her mind, not delaying her treatment of patients.
After treating the last patient, Meng Sheng followed her in and asked, "Grandmaster, the common people outside are asking when you'll be back. I also want to know so I can schedule how many patients to arrange for you each day."
Lu Qingwan thought for a moment and said, "Starting tomorrow morning, have everyone take numbers. I'll be here holding clinics every day for the next few days, but I need one to two hours each day to handle other matters. How you arrange that is up to you."
Upon hearing that Lu Qingwan would be holding clinics consecutively, Meng Sheng became extremely excited. "Alright, I'll go arrange it right away!" Having said that, she had already darted out and quickly returned, "Oh, right, Master, the batch of apprentices that Prince Qin recruited for us are about to have their graduation assessment these past few days. Would you be willing to observe?"
"Of course!" Unifying the world was Si Fengwu's ideal, and healing the sick and saving lives was hers. Lu Qingwan was genuinely happy that both could achieve leaps in progress simultaneously. "When is the assessment? I will definitely be there to witness it."
Meng Sheng said excitedly, "It starts the day after tomorrow. One day for theory and one day for practical application. It won't take up too much of your time."
The timing was perfect, and Lu Qingwan readily agreed. "During the assessment, pay attention to those who are bold, meticulous, and skilled in treating external injuries. If any are willing to serve as military doctors in the Xuan Jia Army, compile a list for me."
Meng Sheng nodded vigorously and this time, truly left with excitement.
The office became completely quiet. Cheng Nan Shu no longer put on her act of a delicate, weak flower. She sat unceremoniously on the chair opposite Lu Qingwan. Lu Qingwan leaned back slightly, adopted a confident posture, and asked, "Have you decided?"
Cheng Nan Shu, unwilling to concede, retorted, "Is Consort too confident? You haven't chased me away yet. Am I not here to inform you that I will not cooperate with you?"
Without the forced pretense of weakness, she appeared much more agreeable when she acted naturally. "My subordinates were instructed last night. If you wanted to leave, they wouldn't stop you. Someone who could escape from the clutches of that old scoundrel Cheng Jiu Xiao and earn a living in Wu An Palace likely wouldn't be unable to escape this mere Jici Hospital. Yet, you haven't left. If it's not to cooperate with me, what else could it be?"
"It's really boring to talk to someone like you," Cheng Nan Shu complained, then got straight to the point. "Last night, you said that if I agreed to cooperate with you, you could guarantee the lives of my brother and myself, and also give my son a bright future. I'd really like to know how you plan to ensure our safety and give my son a brilliant future?"
Lu Qingwan countered with a question instead of answering, "You know there are people behind Nie Wuming, right?"
Cheng Nan Shu let out a bitter laugh. "You even know that!"
Lu Qingwan continued to herself, "You and Nie Wuming are a couple who have endured hardships. He holds great power now. While he can't give you the position of Empress, your brother currently holds military power, which can temporarily ensure your safety. But when I proposed cooperation, you hesitated but still decided to join me. Isn't it because you're worried about the people behind Nie Wuming targeting you, your brother, and your child? It couldn't be that you're afraid of Gao Lanxin, that hothouse flower, right?"
The noble ladies from aristocratic families were indeed formidable. If Gao Lanxin had married Nie Wuming in a peaceful era, she would have made a virtuous empress. However, the current Northern Wei was fraught with crises, and Cheng Nan Shu was someone who had crawled out of a pile of dead bodies. Apart from her family background, Cheng Nan Shu was inferior to Gao Lanxin in no way. Yet, it was precisely this difference in family background that led Nie Wuming to choose Gao Lanxin. Gao Qiqian, Gao Lanxin's father, reluctantly married his only daughter to Nie Wuming to become a powerful consort, and he would never allow Cheng Nan Shu and her brother to re-establish the Cheng family, which he had so painstakingly suppressed. Unless Cheng Nan Shu and her brother bowed their heads and continued to live as insignificant ants, they could have a brief period of safety. However, if they showed even a hint of dissatisfaction, Gao Qiqian and his daughter would relentlessly suppress them, and Nie Wuming, in order to consolidate his position, would only force them to compromise. If Cheng Nan Shu and her brother caused too much trouble, the people behind him would unhesitatingly eliminate these two obstacles. The person who had nurtured Nie Wuming for so long would never allow the Cheng siblings to block Nie Wuming's path. Lu Qingwan knew this, and Cheng Nan Shu also knew it, so it was natural for them to reach a consensus.
"When my Cheng family held great power in Northern Wei, the Gao family hadn't even touched the threshold of the aristocratic families. You think I'm afraid of her, Gao Lanxin?" Cheng Nan Shu scoffed. "Just tell me directly, what do you want me to do?"
"Return to Nie Wuming's side, either become his Empress or his favored concubine. In short, sever the support of the Gao family, and indeed all the aristocratic families of Northern Wei." Lu Qingwan stated her meticulously planned strategy without hesitation. "Have your brother preserve his strength, find an opportune moment, and lead his troops back to Shengjing to enthrone your son as the ruler of Northern Wei."
Cheng Nan Shu frowned as she listened. "What about you? We agreed to cooperate, yet it's all about me and my brother. Is your task just to sit in Shangjing and cheer us on?"
"Of course not." Lu Qingwan said proudly, "Without my help, do you think you'll live long enough to overthrow the Gao family and help your son ascend the throne?"
Cheng Nan Shu was stunned. Lu Qingwan continued, "I said, I want Northern Wei. Your son can be the ruler of Northern Wei, and my Prince will be the ruler of the southern three kingdoms and one region. Is there a problem?"
Cheng Nan Shu's eyes widened. It was hard to imagine how Lu Qingwan could utter such a devilish plan with such a calm expression. "You, you want the entire southern three kingdoms and one region?"
"Xiao Jing'an caused my husband to be crippled for three years. Hu Yan Che used me and colluded with Cheng Jiu Xiao, causing my father to die on the Northwest snow mountain. I want revenge. Is there a problem?" These royal family members, who valued the empire and power more than their own lives, which one of them wasn't? Lu Qingwan felt that nothing could strike them harder than taking away the empire they thought was within their grasp.