Lu Qing Wan was not foolish; how could she not detect their clumsy and deliberate avoidance?
She had never considered acknowledging Liu Han Yan as her birth mother, so she hadn't asked before.
But now, Liu Han Yan's enemies had come to their doorstep, and Xue Hong Yi would rather protect her personally than reveal Liu Han Yan's identity. Of course, Lu Qing Wan would be rebellious.
After all, wasn't the ultimate human nature rebellion?
No one could ask her to go against her nature!
But she truly hadn't expected Xue Hong Yi to be determined to keep it a secret, even resorting to outright lies.
"Who can say for sure? Don't forget Nie Wu Ming is the nominal master of the Wu An Palace. He has plotted against you more than once.
It's quite normal for the Princess of Liang, as his subordinate, to help deal with you, isn't it?"
If the Princess of Liang hadn't subtly inquired about Liu Han Yan, Lu Qing Wan would have accepted Xue Hong Yi's words.
But now, Lu Qing Wan felt Xue Hong Yi was insulting her intelligence.
However, even so, she didn't ask anymore. She had benefited from their help, so she felt indebted.
Since she had accepted the Reincarnation Hall, she knew that unless she could make substantial contributions to it, she could never achieve true equality with the members of the Reincarnation Hall.
So, after a brief moment of stunned silence, she said, "You're right, my thoughts had wandered too far."
Xue Hong Yi, fearing Lu Qing Wan would press for details, had spoken carelessly in his haste.
But by the time he realized it and wanted to backtrack, Lu Qing Wan had already given him no opportunity to speak.
As if nothing had happened, with a smile still on her face, she said to Feng Xi Wu, "Feng Qing Heng must be killed. Have you thought about how Da Gan will be handled?"
Feng Xi Wu saw all of Lu Qing Wan's emotional changes and quietly held her hand.
Then, he also pretended nothing had happened and said naturally, "Feng Qing Heng has been on the throne for almost a year. His character is something the subjects of Da Gan should understand by now.
Let's wait a bit longer. While we are handling our personal affairs, let Nie Wu Ming pressure Feng Qing Heng further.
The Xuan Jia Army will save Da Gan from dire straits at the most crucial moment. In the future, let Da Gan become a vassal state of Da Qin. What do you think?"
Lu Qing Wan's eyebrows unfurled. "Since we are to expand Da Qin's territory, is one Da Gan not enough?
Let's also annex Bei Wei, Xi Liang, and Yun Qiang?"
Feng Xi Wu chuckled, "My Princess has great ambition; I am ashamed of my inferiority."
"Hu Yan Che did not hold back when he used me, and neither did Nie Wu Ming.
As for Xi Liang, if Xie Shi Luan had avenged her great hatred and overthrown Xiao Jing An, it would have been fine to leave Xi Liang as it was, considering our past cooperation.
Lu Qing Wan snorted angrily. "Who knows what she did. She had already reached Xi Liang City but still kept Xiao Jing An as emperor, and instead killed Xiao Jing Cheng.
Xiao Jing An crippled you, and I haven't forgotten the revenge for my father's death in the snow mountains of the northwest.
In my eyes, none of the southeastern three kingdoms and one region are innocent."
Feng Xi Wu looked at his domineering little princess, his eyes filled with overwhelming affection.
"Good, we'll do as you say. The three kingdoms and one region, not one will be spared."
He secretly mused that with his little princess's grand ambitions, he needed to recruit more troops.
Fighting alone is the bravest, just like before, let Li Jin and the others recruit orphaned youths from various countries into the Xuan Jia Army?
Lu Qing Wan didn't know that in a few short words, Feng Xi Wu had already decided to expand the Xuan Jia Army.
Slightly suppressing the frustration in her heart, she calmly asked Xue Hong Yi, "I have never met Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi before. It's my first time meeting her and asking for help. It doesn't seem appropriate to come empty-handed.
Do you know what Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi likes? I want to prepare a gift for her."
Xue Hong Yi knew what he had done and expected Lu Qing Wan to sulk with him for a long time, as she had before.
He hadn't expected Lu Qing Wan to initiate conversation with him again so soon. Startled, he quickly replied, "Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi, as the daughter of the Grand Elder, her lifelong wish is to contribute to the Reincarnation Hall.
To make the Reincarnation Hall completely surpass secular powers, so it doesn't have to fear Da Qin, Nan Qi, and other countries at all.
But these things don't seem achievable in a short period, do they?"
He was momentarily stunned and couldn't recall what Feng Zi Yi truly liked, so he spoke of Feng Zi Yi's lifelong ambition as her wish.
Unexpectedly, Lu Qing Wan seriously considered it.
Gently tugging Feng Xi Wu's sleeve, Lu Qing Wan meekly discussed with him, "I want to give Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi the design and manufacturing methods of the Hong Yi Cannon. Do you agree?"
Feng Xi Wu snapped out of his thoughts. "It's your own property; if you want to give it to someone, it's naturally fine. But a few Hong Yi Cannons don't seem to be enough to help Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi achieve her ambition, do they?"
"So, if Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi is willing, we'll have to borrow some people from you!"
Lu Qing Wan smiled sweetly, but Feng Xi Wu clearly saw her digging into his own foundation with a small hoe.
He had no choice but to indulge his little princess.
Thus, he said, seemingly helplessly, but in reality, with immense indulgence, "The soldiers of the Xuan Jia Army have long been accustomed to following me. Even if they are given to Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi, she probably won't be able to command them with ease.
If Elder Martial Sister Zi Yi doesn't mind, I can give her a comprehensive plan for recruiting and training soldiers, and designate an area in the Three Kingdoms or Da Gan for her to station troops.
As for how well she can train them, and whether it will be enough to dispel the nations' covetousness towards the Reincarnation Hall, that will depend on her."
Indeed, both Feng Xi Wu and Lu Qing Wan knew very well that while the Reincarnation Hall appeared glorious and mysterious, it was actually a sought-after prize in the eyes of the royal families of various nations.
Especially powerful nations like Da Qin and Nan Qi, as well as some wealthy aristocratic families, while outwardly wary of the Reincarnation Hall, were actually dissatisfied with its superiority over the various nations.
However, because the nations' intentions were not unified, no one dared to rashly attack the Reincarnation Hall.
But once the decision-makers of a dynasty decided to deal with the Reincarnation Hall, no matter how powerful the Reincarnation Hall was, how could it contend with a vast national machine?
Feng Zi Yi worried about this, and Lu Qing Wan intended to use her and Feng Xi Wu's power to help the Reincarnation Hall resolve this hidden danger, in order to gain the right to speak equally within the Reincarnation Hall.
In a few brief exchanges, the two of them brought the Reincarnation Hall's long-standing hidden danger into the open and proposed a solution.
Xue Hong Yi stared blankly at the two of them and belatedly said, "Are you going to help the Reincarnation Hall train its soldiers?"