Lu Qing Wan, clad in luxurious brocade and exuding nobility, now held a horsewhip in her hand.
The envoy, who had been ranting earlier, was instantly silenced by fear. Seeing the formidable Xuan Jia Army behind Lu Qing Wan, he stammered, "Your, your Highness, what is the meaning of this? I am an envoy of Da Gan, your uncle…"
"Guards, drag this old scoundrel away and send him to the Ministry of Works to move bricks. As for the others, those willing to renounce allegiance to the Da Gan court will be sent back the way they came. Those who stubbornly refuse will also be sent to the Ministry of Works and dealt with as criminal slaves."
As her voice fell, she kicked open the inner door, and a slender venomous snake lunged at them. Teng She shot out from Lu Qing Wan's wrist, its emerald-green venomous tongue becoming Teng She's meal. Immediately after, Teng She coiled its long body with agility around the shamaness standing at the doorway.
Everything happened so swiftly that it wasn't until the Xuan Jia Army had rounded up all the members of the envoy's delegation, and the former Nan Zhao royal shamaness was coiled by Teng She into a Michelin Man shape, that people reacted. Seeing Teng She, as thick as an adult's thigh, with its gaping maw and flickering tongue, everyone, inside and out, screamed.
Lu Qing Wan, however, ignored everyone's bewildered gazes and walked directly into the house. Her sharp eyes swept around, but she couldn't find Chi Yao Yao. Without questioning anyone, she brought out Da Bai to help search. Da Bai perched on her arm, twitched its little nose, then hopped down and landed on a chest in the room.
Lu Qing Wan's expression changed dramatically. She strode over and opened the chest. The moment she looked inside, her eyes welled up with tears. There, Chi Yao Yao, a grown woman, was crammed into a space no more than two feet long and four feet wide, her body contorted into a twisted posture. Her limbs were bound, her mouth gagged, and her face was ashen and gaunt.
Upon seeing Lu Qing Wan, she first squeezed her eyes shut tightly, then tears streamed down her face. Lu Qing Wan's eyes instantly reddened. "Yao Yao, don't be afraid. I'm here to save you. I'll take you home right away…" She wanted to personally lift Chi Yao Yao out, but the alarm in the space laboratory blared as if malfunctioning, and Chi Yao Yao repeatedly shook her head, weeping inconsolably within moments.
Lu Qing Wan was further enraged. That shamaness not only used Chi Yao Yao's body to raise蛊 (gu worms/parasites) but had also turned her into a 'medicine person' (yao ren). Chi Yao Yao was now covered in potent venom that would instantly kill anyone who touched her. In a fit of fury, Lu Qing Wan bent down, lifted Chi Yao Yao, and coldly ordered the shamaness, "Take her back with you. Use the imperial torture chamber and have Teng She personally guard her. Duan Yue, interrogate her."
Li Yang and Li Su dared not delay. December acted immediately, taking Teng She and the shamaness away from the Lang Qiao Inn in a flash. Lu Qing Wan walked out of the Lang Qiao Inn. Many recognized her. Seeing the Xuan Jia Army behind her escorting so many people, they all kept their distance, not daring to approach. This conveniently allowed Lu Qing Wan to depart.
As she descended to the lobby, she bumped directly into Feng Xi Wu, who was hurrying towards her. They were still about four to five feet apart when Feng Xi Wu felt a sharp pain in his wrist. He quickly realized it was the anti-poison bracelet Lu Qing Wan had given him that had been triggered. The stronger the contact with the poison, the greater the electric shock from the bracelet. His wrist was almost numb from the jolt.
Instead of retreating, he advanced, rushing closer to Lu Qing Wan. Feng Xi Wu asked anxiously, "What potent poison is this? Are you alright?"
Lu Qing Wan, her voice filled with grief and sadness, answered a question he hadn't asked, "I want to kill every last remnant of the former Nan Zhao royal family."
Feng Xi Wu was perhaps surprised by Lu Qing Wan's sudden declaration. He paused, then nodded. "I will immediately have the Wu Feng Hall search for their whereabouts and contact Xue Hong Yi. Since we're taking action, let's eradicate them completely."
The tears that Lu Qing Wan had been holding back since seeing Chi Yao Yao finally streamed down her face. She sobbed, "Feng Xi Wu, they… they turned Yao Yao into a medicine person. She's my only friend…"
When Lu Qing Wan came out, she had covered Chi Yao Yao with one of Li Su's outer garments. Feng Xi Wu only saw someone in her arms but didn't realize it was Chi Yao Yao, whom he hadn't seen in half a year. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he regained his composure. "My carriage should be here by now. Let's take her back first, and then I'll find a way to help you save her."
Knowing Lu Qing Wan's strength and Chi Yao Yao's poisonous state, Feng Xi Wu didn't offer to help carry her. He simply had several cushions arranged in the carriage beforehand to make it more comfortable for both Lu Qing Wan and Chi Yao Yao. Then he instructed Li Jin, "Return to the manor and prepare the pharmacy, and arrange for a disinfectant bath. Send orders to Wu Feng Hall and Ban Yue Ge, and also relay a message to Xue Hong Yi, authorizing joint efforts to track down the remnants of the former Nan Zhao royal family. Have my imperial brother prepare transit documents for me and the princess, so we can be ready to return to Da Gan at any time."
Li Jin acknowledged each instruction and quickly departed. Back in the carriage, Feng Xi Wu looked at Lu Qing Wan's sorrowful expression and said softly, "Regarding the removal of the蛊, the Reincarnation Hall likely has many experts. I'll send word to Xue Hong Yi to find someone to help you, alright?"
Feng Xi Wu had always found Lu Qing Wan's attitude towards Chi Yao Yao somewhat perplexing. She cared for Chi Yao Yao's safety like a loving elder, advised her on her girlish worries, and even went out of her way to create opportunities for her and Lian Yu, whom she fancied. Yet, in Feng Xi Wu's memory, Lu Qing Wan had never actively sought out Chi Yao Yao, nor did she discuss typical topics of interest for young girls with her. He had assumed Lu Qing Wan didn't value Chi Yao Yao that much, but each time, she had arranged things perfectly for her. Now, with Chi Yao Yao in danger, her emotions were clearly greatly stimulated. Feng Xi Wu didn't dare to ask her if Chi Yao Yao's condition was optimistic; he could only do his utmost to increase Chi Yao Yao's chances of survival.
Lu Qing Wan, hearing this, nodded mutely. "I heard that among the seven envoys of the Reincarnation Hall, besides Liu Han Yan, Senior Uncle Zi Yi has the most superb medical skills. Ask Xue Hong Yi to invite Senior Uncle Zi Yi here. Yao Yao's current condition is likely not optimistic."
Feng Xi Wu nodded and lightly tapped the carriage wall. Li Su, who was following outside, quickly ordered someone to relay the message to Xue Hong Yi.
Lu Qing Wan's tears had flowed once, and there would be no second time. Hugging Chi Yao Yao, she sniffled and absentmindedly began to recount long-forgotten past events to Feng Xi Wu. "My parents had special identities and achieved many merits, which also meant many enemies. When I was young, I was always moving, constantly moving, so I had no friends. Around the age of seven, I managed to stay in one place for over a year. There was a little sister in the neighboring house, a year older than me. Like Yao Yao, she was very outgoing. I only happened to walk to school with her once, and she started waiting for me at my doorstep every day to go to school together, dragging me to play with the children in the school, and waiting for me to finish school together…"