Months later, returning to the posthouse, Nie Mingyang, Hu Yan Zheng, and their respective envoys had already departed.
Of the vast Bayanguan, only Hu Yan Che, who was originally a hostage, and Princess Feifeng Xie Shi Luan, who later requested to be a hostage, remained.
Lu Qing Wan's sudden visit caught the postmaster of Bayanguan off guard. The first to notice her was Hu Yan Che.
Upon seeing Lu Qing Wan, he awkwardly bowed, "This prince greets the Regent's Consort!"
Lu Qing Wan nodded, "His Highness, the First Prince, you may dispense with the ceremony."
He then rose, nervously rubbing his hands, and asked Lu Qing Wan, "Is the Consort looking for Princess Feifeng?"
"That's right."
Lu Qing Wan's excuse was well-prepared. "The Prince is gravely ill. This consort heard that Xiliang has a secret medicine that can nourish the lungs. I specifically came to inquire with Princess Feifeng to see if she could help us find such a medicine."
Hu Yan Che nodded repeatedly, "I see. I just saw Princess Feifeng practicing her sword in the backyard. Perhaps the Consort could go to the backyard to find her."
"Oh?"
Lu Qing Wan changed her direction, "Thank you, His Highness, the First Prince, for the reminder. Otherwise, this consort would have taken many a roundabout path."
Although the posthouse was merely a place for foreign envoys to lodge, it was also a place to showcase the strength of the current dynasty, hence the luxurious construction of Bayanguan.
Even the facilities were not much inferior to those of dukes and marquises.
The backyard Hu Yan Che mentioned was actually a place for entertainment, offering activities like horse riding, archery, singing, and dancing.
Lu Qing Wan circled around to the backyard and saw Xie Shi Luan practicing her sword. The sword in her hand was much wider than the conventional swords Lu Qing Wan had seen, and it looked heavy.
Yet, held by Xie Shi Luan, the sword seemed to move on its own, exuding a remarkable agility, as if splitting clouds and cleaving the moon were mere trifles.
Lu Qing Wan looked at her own hands. While she had always practiced internal and external martial arts, she had done so in isolation, never having truly engaged in combat.
Lost in thought for a moment, the whistling wind from before stopped. Xie Shi Luan concluded her swordplay with an exceptionally elegant move and then walked towards her, "Regent's Consort, why have you come at this hour?"
Lu Qing Wan smiled faintly, "Shall we find a different place to talk?"
Xie Shi Luan laughed heartily, "Look at me, I've forgotten where we are. Consort, please!"
After she finished speaking, she led the way towards a pavilion.
In the vast backyard, besides Yue Er and Li Yang, it was just the two of them.
Lu Qing Wan frowned as she watched Xie Shi Luan pour tea and water for herself.
"What is the postmaster of Bayanguan doing? Have you not even been assigned any maids to serve you?"
"Consort, please do not be angry. It is not the postmaster's fault." Xie Shi Luan said with a wry smile, "It is our Consort's hand that reaches too far. In the past three months, the maids around me have changed three times, and none of them could last a month. I am too lazy to change them anymore."
Lu Qing Wan found this unbelievable, "Are the palace maids of our Great Gan imperial palace so spineless?" She could understand if Xie Shi Yu sent spies to Xie Shi Luan's side, but three waves of people in three months seemed a bit excessive.
Xie Shi Luan shook her head, "Consort, you do not know how skilled my half-sister is at manipulating people. Let alone those palace maids, I myself almost died several times because of her schemes before I managed to cling to life. A few palace maids are truly not worth mentioning."
Lu Qing Wan clicked her tongue, "Indeed. How about this, I will send you a few people, and you must not refuse. I guarantee they will only be for your daily care, they will not be bribed by anyone, nor will they become my spies. Once they enter your service, they will be your people, and I will no longer interfere."
Xie Shi Luan paused for a moment, then said cheerfully, "Then I thank you in advance."
Lu Qing Wan shook her head, "It is a small matter, not worth mentioning."
Xie Shi Luan smiled at her, "Consort, you come to find me at this juncture, surely not just to help me solve some minor issues, right?"
Lu Qing Wan also smiled, "You know me well, General Xie. I do indeed have something to discuss with you, but I am somewhat unsure how to begin."
Xie Shi Luan was taken aback, "Since you do not know how to begin, just say it directly. As for how I will respond, I will consider it."
"Alright, since that is the case, then I shall be blunt." Lu Qing Wan's bluntness was indeed without reservation. "Currently, my Prince is gravely ill, His Majesty's health is declining day by day, and the northern frontier has engaged in war with Bei Wei. General, do you think that if there were another powerful bargaining chip, Xiliang would seize the opportunity to march east and wage war against Great Gan again?"
Lu Qing Wan's directness startled Xie Shi Luan. She stammered, "Can you tell me what this powerful bargaining chip you speak of is?"
"A bargaining chip that can give Xiliang a legitimate reason to send troops. If it is not brought up, it has little impact on both countries. If it is brought up, both sides can argue their case. However, if Xiliang truly intends to dispatch troops, it would be justifiable. The Xiliang princess who came to Great Gan has clearly changed. Xiliang can naturally hold Great Gan accountable. But if Great Gan were to retort that Xiliang sent a fake princess to mock Great Gan and disrespect its national prestige, that would also be plausible. Therefore, whether Xiliang sends troops or not has little to do with whether Princess An Yang is real or fake. Lu Qing Wan merely wants to ascertain if Xiliang is prepared for war."
Xie Shi Luan frowned and looked at Lu Qing Wan for a long time before she said, stunned, "If your so-called bargaining chip is indeed substantial enough, Xiao Jing An will definitely send troops. The legitimacy of his throne is questionable, and he desperately needs some clear achievements to stabilize his position. Consort is an intelligent person, you should know that conquering new territories is the most effective way for a ruler in troubled times to prove themselves. Xiao Jing An, being so impatient and greedy, is someone who cannot resist such temptation."
Lu Qing Wan did not know Xiao Jing An, and her understanding of this Xiliang Emperor came entirely from Xie Shi Luan. Feng Xi Wu had also mentioned Xiao Jing An a few times, and did not seem to hold a high opinion of his character. Hearing this, her heart sank considerably. "In that case, I understand."
Xie Shi Luan did not know what she understood, and spoke dazedly, "Is the imperial court planning to select consorts for Prince Jing and Prince Chen?"
Lu Qing Wan's mind snapped back in surprise, "This is all private speculation, it has not been officially discussed yet. Where did you hear about it?"
"It wasn't me, it was Xiao Jing An." Xie Shi Luan's expression was one of barely suppressed disgust. "He asked me to participate in the selection and said he would present a state letter to His Majesty urging a marriage alliance between the two countries. Can you ask the Regent to speak to His Majesty for me? I do not want to participate in the consort selection. I just want to quietly be a hostage. Whether it is Prince Chen or Prince Jing, I am not interested."
Lu Qing Wan nodded, "I can ask my Prince to intercede for you, but what His Majesty decides is beyond my control. However, if you truly wish to quietly be a hostage, then what is the meaning of your alliance with my Prince?"