Prime Minister Wen's words tonight were very clear: Emperor Jing You had already made all the arrangements.
Even if they hadn't visited today, on that fateful day, the three of them would have appeared.
The crucial point was that they had already learned what they needed to know. Visiting the Chi family and the Southern Prince's mansion seemed to have no practical significance anymore.
Feng Xi Wu pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Send someone to let them know we're safe. Tell them Chi Yao Yao, Chi Jing Chuan, and Nan Wu Shang are all safe. We won't be going."
His mood was visibly low. Lu Qing Wan, not letting him be alone, couldn't help but ask, "Conquering Da Gan is now an inevitable outcome. Why do you seem unhappy?"
Feng Xi Wu's eyes held a hint of confusion.
"Previously, my imperial brother strategized in court, and I slaughtered on the frontier. I always felt that my imperial brother and I weren't biological brothers, but were closer than brothers.
Even my real imperial brother wasn't as understanding as he was.
But the moment Prime Minister Wen hesitated when I spoke of changing the dynasty, I suddenly wanted to know how much of the brotherhood over the years was true and how much was false."
Lu Qing Wan was slightly taken aback.
She knew Feng Xi Wu had always been a man of deep loyalty and righteousness. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tolerated Feng Qing Heng for so long out of gratitude for Emperor Jing You and the late Empress Dowager saving his life.
However, she had always believed that since Feng Xi Wu could tolerate it, his feelings for Emperor Jing You were completely trustworthy.
Now, it seemed that wasn't the case.
She carefully chose her words and said earnestly, "Does that matter?"
Feng Xi Wu looked at her with bewildered eyes. "Doesn't it matter?"
"Feelings, whether love or brotherhood, are like drinking water – only you know if it's cold or warm.
No one knows better than you how Emperor Jing You treated you. If you believe he truly considered you a brother, then he was the elder brother you revered.
If you think everything he did was to make you continue to fight for Da Gan, then he was a cunning emperor.
He is no longer here. How you choose to interpret it is up to you."
Lu Qing Wan was not foolish. She always knew that many things in this world were not black and white; they existed in a vast, gray area.
She hadn't met the late Empress Dowager and couldn't comment on her, but Emperor Jing You's treatment of Feng Xi Wu was clearly not as much as the world perceived.
The three identical imperial edicts left to Prime Minister Wen, Prince Nan, and Scholar Chi, and the Royal Shadow Guards of the Wufeng Hall, who were rumored to obey the Emperor of Da Gan, all appeared to be ironclad proof of Emperor Jing You's regard for Feng Xi Wu.
Yet, they also became shackles binding Feng Xi Wu. If Feng Xi Wu had been slightly more pliable and been persuaded by Prime Minister Wen, even if he became the Emperor of Da Gan, he would have been nothing more than a guardian of the Feng family's empire.
In the future, if he or his descendants made any mistakes, countless descendants of the Feng family and their supporters would emerge to righteously accuse Feng Xi Wu and his descendants.
Feng Xi Wu's imperial throne would be like a loan from the Feng family. No matter how diligently he governed, he would never be able to secure it.
To take it a step further, if any of Emperor Jing You's sons had been capable, he would not have given the throne to Feng Xi Wu.
Lu Qing Wan knew this but couldn't say it too directly.
Both she and Feng Xi Wu had no parental fortune. His two elder brothers were all the family he had. Moreover, Emperor Jing You was already gone, and she didn't want to cruelly strip away Feng Xi Wu's only remaining spiritual support.
Feng Xi Wu listened to Lu Qing Wan's words, paused, then nodded seriously. "You're right. As long as I'm willing, my imperial brother will remain the elder brother I revere. This doesn't conflict with my conquering Da Gan."
Both were exceptionally insightful individuals. Hearing Feng Xi Wu's words, Lu Qing Wan knew he had made his decision.
She smiled gently at Feng Xi Wu. "I'm glad you've come to understand. Rest well tonight, and I'll accompany you to pay respects to the late Emperor and Empress Dowager tomorrow."
Feng Xi Wu nodded silently, embraced her, and quietly entered their temporary abode.
The subordinates were already accustomed to their master occasionally returning with their mistress in his arms after going out.
No one was surprised. They quietly attended to the couple's rest, and for a moment, the courtyard was even quieter than when the two masters were away.
Having gone out in the middle of the night, Lu Qing Wan and Feng Xi Wu naturally slept late.
Opening her eyes in a daze, even through the Moon Watching Gauze, Lu Qing Wan's eyes were stimulated by the weak winter sun.
She quickly buried her face in Feng Xi Wu's embrace and mumbled, "Li Su, what time is it?"
"Replying to Princess Consort, it's almost noon."
The two masters were still asleep, so Li Su did not enter to disturb them, replying to Lu Qing Wan from behind a curtain.
Hearing it was almost noon, Lu Qing Wan lazily sat up and nudged Feng Xi Wu.
"Hurry up and get up. You said you wanted to pay respects to the late Emperor and Empress Dowager. If you don't go soon, be careful they don't visit you in your dreams at midnight..."
Feng Xi Wu, before even opening his eyes, chuckled himself awake. "My imperial brother and Empress Dowager don't need to enter my dreams. I don't miss them that much.
However, A Wan could try. I'm quite curious what A Wan is like in dreams?"
With two vise-like arms, he held Lu Qing Wan's waist to prevent her from leaving. Feng Xi Wu lay there like a petulant child.
Lu Qing Wan helplessly pinched his cheek. "Stop talking nonsense and get up. The sun is already high in the sky, and you still have the nerve to lie there!"
...
After a period of playful banter, the two finally got up. They quickly washed and dressed, and upon entering the outer room, Li Su had already laid out the meal.
As they sat down, Li Jin, as usual, began to report the intelligence received from last night until this morning.
"Six days ago, the Northern Wei army launched an attack on the Da Gan King's army by the Emerald River bank. Xue Liang Chen ordered his soldiers to destroy bridges and burn ships, which delayed the Northern Wei army for half a day, but they still managed to cross the Emerald River."
Unexpectedly, the intelligence they had been worried about arrived so promptly. Lu Qing Wan quickly asked, "What is the situation of the battle?"
Li Jin shook his head, his tone filled with unspoken emotion.
"The inferior military equipment of the Da Gan King's army was worse than mere fire pokers. The Northern Wei army advanced rapidly, heading straight for Dengzhou.
However, just as they were about to break through Dengzhou's defenses, the Xuan Jia Army attacked the Northern Wei army from the rear, catching them completely off guard. Dengzhou is temporarily safe.
Just this morning, an urgent dispatch reporting the fall of the Emerald River has arrived in the city."
Lu Qing Wan's expression became amusingly intrigued. "Internal strife and external threats. Feng Qing Heng must be having a headache now?"
She fiddled with a small bun and asked Feng Xi Wu, "Shouldn't the state letter from Da Qin have arrived by now?"
No one knew that although the Da Qin envoy was still on their way, the state letter was already in Feng Xi Wu's possession.
As long as he wished, that letter, enough to drive Feng Qing Heng mad and shock half the court of Da Gan into a fright, could appear on Feng Qing Heng's desk at any moment.