Lu Qing Wan took a pill and gave it to the golden eagle, then asked Li Su, "Do you have anything to tie this with?"
Li Su decisively took out a needle case from his embrace, used silk thread to tie the small medicine bottle, and fastened one end to the golden eagle's claw.
He added, "Your Highness, please wait a moment. This subordinate will write a note for Shen Tang Zhou. Otherwise, if he mistakes this medicine for his own and someone eats it, it will be bad."
Lu Qing Wan nodded in admiration, "Good idea. If someone eats this, they'll lose a layer of skin."
The master and servant collaborated to win over the golden eagle and then let it go. Li Su couldn't help but chuckle, "With that bottle of medicine hanging from the golden eagle's claw, it'll be so tempted all the way that it'll be starving."
Lu Qing Wan tilted her head up proudly, "If not for that, how could we keep it for Sai Bei? If it ate it all, the pills wouldn't matter, but my golden eagle formation would be stillborn."
Li Su immediately became serious, "Is Your Highness planning to train golden eagles to deliver messages for us?"
"Carrier pigeons are too slow, and they can easily be intercepted. Golden eagles are fierce and fly very high. Anyone who wants to intercept them will have to think twice. More importantly, golden eagles are intelligent and can proactively gather information, which is much more effective than carrier pigeons."
Li Su chuckled, "No wonder Your Highness went to such lengths to trick that golden eagle. You have no idea, Your Highness, the expression and tone you used just now were exactly like those procuresses in pleasure houses tricking honest girls into selling themselves..."
Lu Qing Wan walked with her hands behind her back, like an old man taking a post-meal stroll, and said leisurely, "Once the golden eagle formation is established, at least the intelligence business of the Three Kingdoms and the Barbarian Tribes will be all mine. It's a business with no capital and endless profit, so why not do it?"
Li Su followed behind, sighing with emotion. One, already in Shangjing, considered Tianxuan City as his own; the other, not even having feathers yet, was planning to monopolize the intelligence business of the Three Kingdoms and the Barbarian Tribes. These two people were truly one more daring than the other, and no one was more suited to each other!
The moon was high in the sky, another peaceful night. After Li Su served Lu Qing Wan her bath, she said in a low voice, "It's getting late. Your Highness should sleep early. This subordinate will guard you."
Lu Qing Wan lay on the couch and sighed, "I really need to get a good night's sleep. If I don't sleep soon, I'll die of exhaustion."
Li Su chuckled dumbly, "How can Your Highness curse herself like that? Could it be that you're too tired to think straight?"
Lu Qing Wan closed her eyes and answered out of context, "Tomorrow, have Tie Shou and Wu Ying come to see me. If there are conditions, find a reliable fireworks master..."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, until her slightly trembling eyelids finally became still. Only then did Li Su confirm that Lu Qing Wan had fallen asleep. She quietly pushed open the door to the outer room and made arrangements for everything Lu Qing Wan had instructed. Then, she slipped into the inner room and lay down directly on the steps to sleep.
The room fell into complete silence until the sky turned bright and Lu Qing Wan woke up. Li Su had already anticipated Lu Qing Wan's waking time and had all the washing supplies and clothes ready. While watching Lu Qing Wan wash and change, Li Su seized the opportunity to report the intelligence she had gathered while doing Lu Qing Wan's hair.
"The matter of the exchanged armaments has been confirmed to be related to Hu Yan Che. However, when Hu Yan Che fled, the matter of the exchanged armaments had not yet come to light. He was well-prepared and unhindered, and has now fled far away. Although His Highness has sent people to intercept him along the way, it is uncertain if they can catch him."
Lu Qing Wan was not surprised by this. "When Hu Yan Che was in Shangjing, he acted like a pathetic little cabbage, deceiving many people. But since he could cooperate with the Yun Qi court to exchange grain and armaments, it is enough to prove that he was not acting alone in Shangjing. I never expected to catch him so easily."
Li Su agreed, "That makes sense. But with Hu Yan Che's escape, Princess Fei Feng has also been detained by the new emperor. Although Princess Fei Feng has presented a personal decree from the late emperor, and the Prime Minister and Prince Ning are witnesses, the new emperor refused to release Princess Fei Feng, citing that letting her go would be like letting a tiger return to the mountains. Currently, the new emperor and old officials like Wen Xiang are in a stalemate, and the outcome is yet unknown."
Lu Qing Wan scoffed, "He's quite loyal to Xie Shi Yu, his ally. Who is currently guarding the border for Xi Liang in place of Xie Shi Luan?"
"Song Chu He, an extremely pedantic and stubborn old general, and Xie Shi Luan's arch-nemesis."
"In that case, once Xie Shi Luan returns, there will surely be an internal power struggle, right? At that time, even if Yun Qi and Bei Wei intend to join forces with Xi Liang to attack Da Gan, will those two listen to Xiao Jing An?"
Li Su's eyes lit up, "This subordinate understands. This subordinate will go and try to remind the lords."
Lu Qing Wan took the hairpin from her hand, "Go, and while you're at it, find out if there's been any recent activity from the Tian Xuan Sect."
Li Su acknowledged the order, "Miss Wu Ying and Tie Shou have arrived. Shall I let them in?" When Feng Xi Wu was around, the couple often entertained guests in their own room. After Feng Xi Wu left, Lu Qing Wan suddenly didn't want anyone to intrude into their small world. She stood up, walked to the desk, picked up the cannon design and the introductory booklet, and faintly ordered Li Su, "Let them wait in the warm pavilion."
Li Qing responded, and then followed Lu Qing Wan out the door. As soon as they stepped out, Li Qing came in carrying a large food box. Seeing Lu Qing Wan, he immediately stepped forward, "Your Highness, this is a festival gift from Miss Chi. However, this subordinate found this in the food box." He said, handing a letter to Lu Qing Wan and pointing to the red flame symbol on it, "This is the mark of Wu An Palace. If this subordinate guesses correctly, it should be from Nie Wu Ming."
Lu Qing Wan immediately opened the letter. There were only a few words, but they made her furious. "Xie Shi Yu, I haven't found trouble with her yet, and she's come to find me first."
Lu Qing Wan gritted her teeth and called out, "Duan Yue!" A black figure descended from the sky. Lu Qing Wan said through gritted teeth, "Go to the northwest immediately and find my father. Also, remind His Highness to be careful of Marquis Xuan Wu and his son." She extended her hand, and a small bundle landed in her palm. Lu Qing Wan handed the sparrow to Duan Yue, "When you get to the northwest, follow it. It will lead you to my father."
Duan Yue responded without a word and left. Li Qing said nervously, "Your Highness, has Lord Marquis met with an accident?"
"Feng Qing Heng bought over Marquis Xuan Wu and his son and Xie Shi Yu's people to kill my father. As for Xie Shi Yu, suffice it to say that a royal tomb is enough to make her obey Feng Qing Heng. And Marquis Xuan Wu and his son, if they kill my father, Marquis Xuan Wu can fill my father's vacant position and become the Governor of Liaodong."
Li Qing was also shocked and angry upon hearing this, "This subordinate will immediately send a message to His Highness, asking him to be vigilant against Marquis Xuan Wu and his son." Marquis Xuan Wu and his son controlled eighty thousand Northern Prefecture cavalry. If they rebelled, they would not be to be underestimated.
Lu Qing Wan thought for a moment and instructed him, "Tell His Highness our intelligence sources and remind him to be careful, while also verifying the authenticity of the intelligence. After all, Nie Wu Ming is from Bei Wei, and his intelligence cannot be fully trusted."