Lu Qing Wan then asked him, "Does Shi Er Yue know about this?"
Duan Yue's posture of loyalty was resolute. Therefore, although she had some reservations about the people of the Samsara Hall, she trusted Shi Er Yue implicitly.
If Shi Er Yue had also conspired to hide it from her, Lu Qing Wan might have been so angry that she wanted to kill someone.
Fortunately, Li Qing gave her an acceptable answer, "Your subordinate has investigated. Shi Er Yue does not know what Liu Han Yan has done.
Moreover, at least for now, apart from the matters that were openly acknowledged here, Shi Er Yue has never had any private contact with anyone from the Samsara Hall."
This answer was undoubtedly very satisfying to Lu Qing Wan. The frown on her brow eased slightly.
"Since you have investigated so much, can you be sure of Liu Han Yan's current identity?"
Li Qing lowered his head in shame, "Every attempt to investigate Liu Han Yan is met with obstruction.
So far, your subordinate has not been able to ascertain Liu Han Yan's specific identity. We only know that Wuyan Palace is also investigating her.
However, the Samsara Hall, the Turkic royal court, and the Southern Qi imperial family are all protecting her. Even the martial artists of Southern Qi are helping her conceal her identity. Our investigation is indeed fraught with difficulties."
"Samsara Hall, the Southern Qi imperial family, the Turkic royal court. She has quite a few people helping her!"
The teacup in her hand creaked as she gripped it. Lu Qing Wan gritted her teeth and said, "Continue investigating. As long as the Princess of Liang does not stop investigating me, you must not stop investigating her.
I want to see what my birth mother is capable of that so many people are busy shifting the blame for me."
Li Qing naturally agreed. He was about to ask something else when Chi Yao Yao, who had been unconscious all along, suddenly moaned in pain.
Lu Qing Wan's attention was instantly drawn to Chi Yao Yao. Feng Xi Wu subconsciously wanted to follow, but Li Qing suddenly spoke, "Your Highness, the medicinal herbs from Banyue Pavilion have arrived."
These were the herbs Lu Qing Wan had prepared to save Chi Yao Yao. Without Feng Xi Wu needing to say anything, Lu Qing Wan urgently said, "Go quickly and get the medicine. As I told you before, keep each type of herb separate, do not mix them."
Feng Xi Wu had no choice but to follow Li Qing out.
As they left the room, Li Jin and Li Su stood at the doorway without moving. Feng Xi Wu's eyes turned cold, "Have the medicinal herbs really arrived?"
Li Qing lowered his head and answered a question with a non-sequitur, "Please move to another room to speak, Your Highness."
Asking to move to another room within the Samsara Hall's stronghold, Feng Xi Wu knew who Li Qing was guarding against without needing to ask.
Feng Xi Wu silently gestured for Li Jin and Li Su to protect Lu Qing Wan, and then followed Li Qing out of the inn.
Not long after leaving, Li Qing spoke in a low voice, "Your Highness, there is a tail behind us. Shall we shake it off?"
"No need. Go directly to Banyue Pavilion."
His relationship with Banyue Pavilion was no longer a secret to the Samsara Hall members. Deliberately shaking them off would only arouse suspicion.
Li Qing then led Feng Xi Wu directly to Banyue Pavilion's stronghold in Wulan City.
Sitting down imposingly on a tea seat, Feng Xi Wu realized that after taking such a long detour, Banyue Pavilion's stronghold was actually directly opposite the Samsara Hall's stronghold.
An unfamiliar guard carried a large box in and placed it beside Feng Xi Wu, respectfully saying, "Reporting to Your Highness, all the medicinal herbs you requested are here. As per the Consort's instructions, each herb is packaged separately to prevent mutual interaction of medicinal properties."
That guard was a disciple specially sent by Shen Tang Zhou who understood pharmacology. He was about to explain further to Feng Xi Wu when Feng Xi Wu waved him away.
Feng Xi Wu then said with a cold face, "Speak. Why did you go to such lengths to get me out here, to avoid the Consort?"
Li Qing remained silent. He took something out of his sleeve and handed it to Feng Xi Wu, "Your Highness, please take a look at this."
It was a bamboo tube sealed with beeswax, the same sealing device used by Banyue Pavilion and the Xuanjia Army to transmit top-secret intelligence.
Feng Xi Wu took it with suspicion, then raised an eyebrow, "Did you open it and look?"
Li Qing shook his head repeatedly, "Your subordinate did not. This intelligence was directly sent by Xiao Ba. He personally told your subordinate the core message inside."
Top-secret intelligence from Banyue Pavilion would be personally delivered to Feng Xi Wu by the first person to receive it, to ensure the information did not leak.
This time, it was probably because Feng Xi Wu had been by Lu Qing Wan's side, and Ying Ba, not daring to let Lu Qing Wan hear it but also not daring to delay, had confided in Li Qing.
Li Qing, knowing this, did not dare to speak of it and could only find a way to get Feng Xi Wu to come out and see it himself. Such intelligence was enough to pique Feng Xi Wu's curiosity completely.
Without wasting any more time, he directly opened the intelligence. On the strip of paper, barely an inch wide, were a few brief sentences. Feng Xi Wu, however, read them with his whole body stiffening. He incredulously reread it, but it was still the same few sentences.
"Liu Han Yan has remarried the Emperor of Southern Qi, bore three sons and one daughter, and is now over four months pregnant..."
What caught his eye the most were the last few words on the slip, "...does not wish to acknowledge the Consort."
These simple words carried immense weight in Feng Xi Wu's heart. He repeated them, word by word, to confirm the message.
Convinced that it meant what he understood, Feng Xi Wu raised his hand and swept all the cups, plates, and bowls on the table to the ground.
He wanted to roar and curse, but fearing that the news might leak and cause trouble for Lu Qing Wan, he did not dare to utter a sound.
He slammed the table hard and turned to look at Li Qing, who was trembling, "How many people know the contents of this matter?"
Li Qing lowered his head and dared not say a word, "The people on this line all know Liu Han Yan's current identity as the Empress of Southern Qi. However, only Shi Qi and Ying Ba, along with the three of us subordinates, know that she is the Consort's birth mother."
"Then have these two buried alive on this line. If anyone else learns of this matter, this line will cease to exist."
Li Qing quickly agreed, "Your subordinate understands."
Feng Xi Wu closed his eyes, then asked again, "The Consort's background has been investigated from last year to this year. Do you know who her birth father is?"
Li Qing shook his head, "Liu Han Yan is extremely secretive about this. We subordinates truly have no way to investigate."
"Then go and investigate Liu Han Yan's husband and her children.
If one day, Liu Han Yan or her enemies provoke us, the King and the Consort, then let the blood of her cherished husband and her daughters wash away the grievances the Consort has suffered."
Feng Xi Wu was furious. Li Qing did not dare to delay and quickly agreed.
After a long hesitation, he finally revealed the intelligence he had been holding back, "Your Highness, Liu Han Yan... seems to want her youngest daughter, Nalan Ruo Xue, to become the Saintess of the Samsara Hall."
Feng Xi Wu suddenly looked over. Li Qing trembled all over and, enduring his fear, continued, "Liu Han Yan sent someone to inform the master of the Samsara Hall, requesting that Nalan Ruo Xue be brought back to the Samsara Hall to recognize her lineage.
Although Liu Xun Ran refused, he sent many valuable gifts to Liu Han Yan and her children..."
"A good Samsara Hall, a good Liu Xun Ran!"
Feng Xi Wu's fists were clenched so tight they made cracking sounds. Without a word, he flicked his sleeve and left.
Li Qing almost fell to his knees on the spot. He quickly said to the empty air, "Immediately send people to investigate!"
Then he scrambled to chase after him.