"I am from Great Wei, sent by King Zhen Ding to see if Feng Xi Wu is truly dead... Ah!"
After a sharp cry, the man stopped breathing.
Lu Qing Wan pointed the three-edged awl in her hand at the remaining two, "Do you want to speak, or shall I ask?"
One of them stammered in terror, "You, he already confessed, why did you still kill him? If you do this, how can we..."
Before he could finish, another scream echoed. Lu Qing Wan's awl on the tip of her whip pierced the man's spine, "Do you think you have the right to negotiate with me now?"
The man was stunned, unsure if it was from the pain or Lu Qing Wan's domineering demeanor that had frightened him. He had been stabbed, and for a long time, he couldn't make a sound.
Lu Qing Wan repeated her previous action, without asking anything, and after two or three such instances, the one being stabbed hadn't even spoken, but the one beside him was already terrified to the point of no return.
"I'll speak, I'll speak! If I speak, will you let me go? I am from Xi Liang, under the order of the Noble Consort to use Lu Zhen Ting's body to lure Feng Xi Wu to the Snow Mountain Sinkhole. Noble Consort said that if you knew Feng Xi Wu died saving your father's remains, you would be even more grief-stricken than she!"
Lu Qing Wan's three-edged awl pressed against the man's neck, "Xie Shi Yu and I have no enmity, why does she hate me so much?"
The man trembled violently, "I don't know, I really don't know! I am just a hidden guard, why would Noble Consort tell me such things? Regent Princess, please let me go... Ahhh..."
A series of pained groans, and the man's head lolled to the side, dead.
Lu Qing Wan's three-edged awl was aimed at the last person. He had more than three stab wounds, yet he still endured. He was in so much pain that he bit his lip until it bled, but he didn't utter a single word.
Lu Qing Wan scoffed, "Yun Qiang, Da Qian, Tian Xuan Sect, or Da Qin..."
"Oh, so it's Da Qin?"
She easily gleaned the information she wanted from the expression of the death warrior, then used the three-edged awl to sever the man's Achilles tendon. She said slowly, "Your silence is so tight, it seems your master truly fears Feng Xi Wu. Go back and tell him that from now on, he will have more than just Feng Xi Wu to fear. I will become his lifelong nightmare."
Having said that, with a swish, the three-edged awl at the end of her steel whip flew out and, with a dull thud, embedded itself in a thick poplar tree. "Come out."
Li Su walked over with his hands raised, "Princess Consort, it is your subordinate."
Lu Qing Wan narrowed her eyes, "You actually managed to follow me, I underestimated you."
Li Su kept his hands raised and said calmly, "Princess Consort, Marquis Lu asked this subordinate to inform you that the poison administered to her was by the most skilled hidden guard under Bei Ming Xiao, the Sect Master of Tian Xuan Sect. He also said that if this revenge is not taken, he will die with regret."
Li Su was not familiar with Lu Zhen Ting, and at first, he could not understand why Lu Zhen Ting, although not Lu Qing Wan's biological father, seemed to love Lu Qing Wan so much. Yet, at the point of death, he had made such a seemingly impossible request of Lu Qing Wan. Now, seeing Lu Qing Wan's demeanor, he finally understood. Lu Zhen Ting's goal was not for Lu Qing Wan to avenge him, but to ensure Lu Qing Wan survived. Lu Zhen Ting knew that if something happened to him, Lu Qing Wan would surely seek revenge. However, given her current status and abilities, killing anyone would bring trouble upon her. But if she could suppress her impulsiveness and wait until she had the ability to kill the hidden guard serving the Sect Master of Tian Xuan Sect, she would also have the means to protect herself. At that time, even if she made powerful enemies, it would not endanger her life. Li Su only hoped that after hearing Lu Zhen Ting's dying words, Lu Qing Wan would calm down a little, at least ensuring her own safety even if she sought revenge.
But what he didn't know was that Lu Qing Wan had no attachments in this world. With Feng Xi Wu and Lu Zhen Ting falling one after another, she had nothing left to fear. Lu Qing Wan acted entirely on impulse, without regard for consequences. Upon hearing this, she simply looked at Li Su coldly and said, "I am well aware of who my enemies are. Either draw your sword and join me, or return to your princely manor. I am Feng Xi Wu's Princess Consort, do not try to influence my decisions in any way."
Unwilling to listen to Li Su's rambling, she deliberately revealed the Ten Thousand Phoenixes King in her hand. "Remember, this is the second time you have disobeyed my orders." Lu Qing Wan said to Li Su in an almost ruthless tone, "Before I fulfill all the responsibilities that come with the identity of Regent Princess Consort, you have one more chance to defy me. But that time, I probably won't easily overlook it for any reason."
As her voice fell, she forcefully tore off her armor. Seeing the red maiden's dress, for some reason, she suddenly wrapped the already torn armor around herself, and then, with somewhat hurried steps, walked away.
Li Su bit his lip and followed silently. Lu Qing Wan did not chase her away, and Shi Er Yue did not stop her from following. No one knew what Lu Qing Wan intended to do. At such a time, no one dared to say anything to provoke her. Little did they know, Lu Qing Wan actually made her way to the Xi Liang camp. At that time, the Xi Liang people were in disarray, terrified by the artillery fire, and were routed by the counterattack of the Xuan Jia Army, with the camp almost entirely empty. It was at this moment that Lu Qing Wan brazenly stormed into the Xi Liang camp, heading straight for the main tent.
"Who dares to trespass in the camp?" The panicked Xi Liang soldiers rushed out to meet the enemy, but before they could raise their swords, their heads had already fallen. It wasn't until an unexpected person appeared that a brief chaos ended.
Xie Shi Luan, clad in red armor, spoke leisurely, "Long time no see, Regent Princess Consort!"
Lu Qing Wan, ignoring the blood of the Xi Liang soldiers on her hands, walked directly in front of Xie Shi Luan and said, "Do you dare to lead your troops to attack Xi Liang City?"
Xie Shi Luan readily agreed, "That is precisely my intention. Does the Regent Princess Consort wish to be my strategist?"
Lu Qing Wan, however, changed the subject, "If I recall correctly, we agreed that I would let you return to Xi Liang, and you would withdraw the Xi Liang army to relieve the Xuan Jia Army. The current situation, shouldn't you explain it to me?"
The Xuan Jia Army was trapped in the Snow Mountain, and the Xi Liang army was still attacking the Xuan Jia Army. Just now, Xie Shi Yu's minions were trying to confirm if she was in extreme grief over Feng Xi Wu's death for Lu Zhen Ting. She could not see what role Xie Shi Luan had played in this war, and coming here was to question her. Xie Shi Luan was also bold, and upon hearing this, she stated frankly, "By the time I arrived, the situation was already set. With the combined forces of Bei Wei and Yun Qiang, plus such harsh conditions, even if I forced the withdrawal of the Xi Liang army, it would not have changed the overall situation. Instead of that, wouldn't it be better to give the Xuan Jia Army some achievements, and give Feng Qing Heng one less reason to revoke the Xuan Jia Army's designation?"