"Princess Consort, you are awake. Shall we return to your bed?"
Yue'er carefully lowered her voice. "It's cool at night. If you fall asleep here, you might catch a cold."
"Mmm, I know~"
Lu Qingwan yawned and got up, staggering into the bathroom.
Yue'er followed nervously, afraid she would fall asleep in the bath again like last time.
Fortunately, Lu Qingwan was not so exhausted that she fell asleep in the bath this time, saving the little maid from another scare.
After watching Lu Qingwan wash up properly and obediently get into bed, Yue'er cautiously withdrew.
Early the next morning, Man Chun and the others were summoned by Li Jin and returned to the prince's manor. Li Jin himself appeared at Wutong Garden early.
Lu Qingwan teased him with a smile, "I say, Li Jin, even though everyone knows you're a miser, do you have to show your miserly nature so vividly? As soon as money is mentioned, can't you wait another moment?"
Man Chun and the others pursed their lips and smiled at him. Li Jin scratched his head and explained awkwardly, "Princess Consort, please don't make fun of your subordinate. Your subordinate has important matters to report to you."
His expression was clearly not that of someone reporting important matters. Lu Qingwan assumed he was using important matters as an excuse to save face and continued to smile, "Alright, tell me then, what important matters require you to report so early in the morning?"
Li Jin's expression turned grim. "Tomorrow is Prince Chen's wedding. I heard that the person officiating Prince Chen's wedding has been changed from the Marquis of Ningguo to Chen Jianzhang, the Minister of Revenue. It is said to be His Majesty's decision."
Lu Qingwan's brows furrowed slightly. "Then who will be the officiant for Prince Jing's wedding in half a month?" Chen Jianzhang was not a highly respected elder. To officiate for two princes at once, he did not have that qualification.
Upon hearing this, Li Jin quickly replied, "Jing Chunnan, the Minister of Rites. This is also His Majesty's decision."
Lu Qingwan held a thumb-sized fried bun, which she hadn't put in her mouth for a long time. "It seems our Emperor is determined to establish Feng Qingheng as the Crown Prince. Very well, go to the storeroom and pick out two suitable gifts to send to the two princes. Don't be too stingy, lest people think the Regent's manor is reluctant to part with money."
With Feng Xiwu absent, gift selection naturally fell to Lu Qingwan. Since it was brought up, Li Jin asked, "A few years ago, when His Highness defeated Xiliang, His Majesty bestowed a pure gold statue of a xiezhi to His Highness. His Highness found it vulgar and put it away. If I send that to Prince Chen as a wedding gift, do you think it's appropriate, Princess Consort?"
"A pure gold xiezhi? Are you so flush with money that you don't know where to spend it, giving it to Feng Qingheng? Wouldn't it be better to exchange that xiezhi for some wine and meat for the Xuanjia Army brothers to celebrate the New Year?"
Li Jin's mouth twitched. "Then, what do you think would be more appropriate? Please enlighten me, Princess Consort."
Lu Qingwan actually pondered for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "That day I went to the training ground, I saw a bronze bell on the command platform. It was quite nice. Go find a temple and get a demon-repelling talisman to paste on it and send it to Feng Qingheng. Remember to send a few more people to eat your fill, don't let Feng Qingheng benefit."
Li Jin's mouth twitched as if he had an involuntary spasm. "Princess, Princess Consort, this is perhaps not appropriate?" On the wedding day, sending a bell and expecting to feast – it would be a miracle if Prince Chen didn't chase him out.
"Not appropriate?" Lu Qingwan looked serious. "I think it's very appropriate. Where is it not appropriate? Tell me?" That look in her eyes clearly indicated she didn't mean it.
Li Jin shook his head sheepishly. "No, the gift chosen by the Princess Consort is very appropriate, and could not be more fitting." He said not to be stingy, but she was being incredibly generous!
"Prince Jing's wedding is in half a month. His Highness should be back by then, and his wedding gift will be decided by His Highness. I will not interfere. Here are the designs for the New Year's clothes. We need to hurry with the materials and tailoring so that they can be on the shelves around the time before the Lunar New Year. As for this, hand it over to the jewelers to let them use their own creativity."
After spending the evening enthusiastically preparing, the news of Emperor Jingyou forcefully changing Prince Jing's officiant dampened Lu Qingwan's mood entirely.
"Prepare the carriage, I'm going to Bai Xing Lin." After speaking, she entered the inner chambers. The people outside looked at each other, not daring to make a sound.
Lu Qingwan returned to Bai Xing Lin after only one day of rest. The patients at Bai Xing Lin rejoiced, while the servants at the prince's manor were on pins and needles.
The next day, Feng Qingheng's wedding day, the gift sent by Lu Qingwan unexpectedly became the most conspicuous. While Lu Qingwan was still treating patients at Bai Xing Lin, news from Prince Chen's manor had already spread.
"During Prince Chen's wedding, the Regent's manor sent a bronze bell as a wedding gift. It is said that when Prince Chen saw the bell, he almost fainted from anger on the spot!" The patients discussed Feng Qingheng's gossip with great enthusiasm.
Those who heard it were also curious. "Giving a bronze bell on the wedding day, isn't that an insult? Isn't the Regent's manor showing too little respect to Prince Chen? Did Prince Chen just tolerate it?"
"What else could he do? The Regent is, after all, Prince Chen's uncle. And the guards from the Regent's manor said that the bell had been blessed by Master Ci Xi of Zhaojue Temple. It is said to clear the mind and prevent one from making mistakes and missing a good marriage..." The patients discussed as if they had witnessed the scene themselves.
Lu Qingwan chuckled inwardly at how Li Jin and the others could spin a tale, almost calling Feng Qingheng dim-witted! She shook her head and told the assistant next to her, "It's almost time. Let the other patients go back first. After seeing these few, I need to return." The assistant quickly complied and left. Lu Qingwan treated the few patients and then hurried back to the prince's manor.
However, before she could say anything to Li Jin and the others, Li Qing rushed over. He presented a letter with both hands. "Princess Consort, Princess Feifeng sent this letter, and specifically requested that you open it personally."
"What is it, so important?" Lu Qingwan suspiciously opened the envelope and was stunned. "His Majesty recently enfeoffed a Yu Meiren?"
Li Qing nodded. "Yes. It is said she is a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the late Empress Dowager. She appeared by His Majesty's side before His Highness left the capital. However, she only did chores like serving tea, so no one paid much attention. A few days ago, after you returned from the palace, she was somehow suddenly enfeoffed as a Meiren. Tang Xiao has been observing her, and Tengshe has not reacted abnormally, so we did not report it to you."
Lu Qingwan handed the letter in her hand to Li Qing. "A person of this identity, appearing by His Majesty's side at such a sensitive moment, can she have no ulterior motives?"
Li Qing took a look and was also extremely surprised. "People from the Xuan Tian Sect, or people arranged by the Consort of Xiliang? What do they want?"