"I entered through the side door as arranged by my aunt. There were no obstacles along the way, but once I was inside the room, I, I..."
"Enough, you don't need to elaborate on that."
Lu Qingwan knew the specifics of what happened after the drug took effect. She skipped that part and asked Wen Ruge, "Besides this incident, do you know if Wen Yayai has done anything else detrimental to His Highness? For example, planting people in the prince's mansion, or sending intelligence to the Xuanjia Army or even to Saibei?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Xiwu's eyes narrowed immediately. Lu Qingwan wouldn't speak without reason; her question meant she must have learned something.
Wen Ruge, not as sensitive as him, merely shook her head. "Aunt did not allow me to interfere in her affairs. She usually discussed them with Mama Xu. However, I remember once, she angrily reprimanded Mama Xu, calling her foolish, and saying that once the moldy rice entered the pass, His Highness would surely discover it was their doing."
"Moldy rice?!"
Lu Qingwan exclaimed in surprise, "When was this?"
"A month or so ago, I recall the court was discussing how the military provisions had been replaced. I was so scared that I returned to the Prime Minister's mansion and didn't dare to go to the South Residence's detached villa again."
Lu Qingwan exchanged a surprised glance with Feng Xiwu. "The matter of the military provisions being replaced... is also related to her?"
Feng Xiwu signaled her to remain calm and directly asked Wen Ruge, "Is there anything else? Tell it all at once."
Wen Ruge shook her head. "Nothing else. I'm not lying. Aunt kept most of her actions from me, so I don't know much."
Having witnessed his mother's schemes for years, Feng Xiwu knew that his nominal mother, the concubine, was by no means a simple woman. He believed Wen Ruge's words. "Last question: did your second aunt deliver the message to you on behalf of Wen Yayai out of her own volition, or was she coerced?"
Wen Ruge continued to shake her head. "I can't say for sure. But I know that my second uncle is away for long periods, and she gets bored alone in her chambers. She often visits Aunt at the South Residence's detached villa. Several young members of her maternal clan, the Huangs of Jiangxia, were recommended by Aunt and have taken up official positions in the court."
Lu Qingwan raised an eyebrow and studied Wen Ruge for a moment, then calmly said, "Think carefully. Is there anything else you haven't fully explained?"
Wen Ruge resolutely denied it. "The South Residence's detached villa is, after all, a place for women. The visitors are simple, and there's not much to explain. The fact that I know this much is already thanks to my status as the legitimate granddaughter of the Prime Minister's mansion. There's truly nothing else."
Lu Qingwan nodded. "In that case, Li Su, prepare the princess's hair and makeup. Send her back looking radiant."
Meeting Wen Ruge's astonished gaze, Lu Qingwan said with a composed expression, "Tomorrow, wear this outfit and go around with your young lady friends. Say that His Highness specifically ordered me to give it to you as thanks for your care of me while he was away from the capital."
Wen Ruge was not foolish and quickly understood that Lu Qingwan wanted her to take the initiative, to preempt anyone from using today's incident to spread rumors and cause trouble. No longer looking displeased with Lu Qingwan, she sincerely bowed to her. "You saved me today. I will find an opportunity to repay this kindness."
Lu Qingwan curved her lips. "Repayments are not necessary. No one in the entire Daqian can replicate this makeup and attire. I don't ask for much from you. Hand over six thousand taels of silver, and we'll be square, owing each other nothing."
"Six thousand taels!" Even though Wen Ruge kept telling herself that Lu Qingwan was her savior and she shouldn't be disrespectful, she couldn't help but exclaim. "An outfit costing so much? Are you robbing me?!"
Lu Qingwan smiled faintly. "I'm not bullying you. You can go ask at Lirenfang. It's only for a day; I can wait." Her composed demeanor completely intimidated Wen Ruge. She looked at Lu Qingwan with a mixture of disbelief and suspicion for a few moments but ultimately said nothing more.
Seeing this, Li Su stepped forward. "Your Highness, please come this way. This subordinate will have someone attend to your makeup."
Wen Ruge bowed deeply to Feng Xiwu and Lu Qingwan, then turned and withdrew. Only Lu Qingwan and Feng Xiwu remained in the room, looking at each other for a long time. Feng Xiwu suddenly bent down, lifted her, and placed her on his lap.
Lu Qingwan was startled. "What are you doing? Why are you suddenly acting so peculiar?"
"Hugging my precious one!" Feng Xiwu kissed Lu Qingwan's cheek with satisfaction, making a loud sound. Lu Qingwan, blushing, playfully hit him. "Don't get any ideas. Do you really think I care that much about that arrogant woman Wen Ruge? Haven't you considered that if she leaves the prince's mansion with a ruined reputation, it wouldn't be good for us?"
"Who cares about her?" Feng Xiwu grinned, showing off his white teeth. "I am grateful to my Princess Consort for protecting my purity! My Princess Consort knows that I have remained chaste for her all along. If another woman were to defile me, wouldn't I have to die to prove my loyalty?"
"Heh heh," Lu Qingwan gave a fake laugh. "I don't believe you would have let them succeed if I weren't here! However, those people outside really need to be dealt with. Someone as large as that barged into our room, and they didn't recognize her just because she imitated my makeup? Their eyes are truly blind."
"I understand. I will punish them severely." Feng Xiwu, with his arm around Lu Qingwan's waist, held her on his lap as if she were a child, and said lazily, "However, these are not the main issues. There is now a more thorny problem that might affect the overall situation."
"The moldy rice matter." Lu Qingwan said in unison, "The case of the military provisions being replaced had made no progress before. I thought it was because the matter was of great importance and the other party was too cautious. But hearing what Wen Ruge said, it suddenly occurred to me: if that moldy rice was never transported from Daqian to Saibei in the first place, wouldn't we be wasting our efforts by investigating its source?"
"Precisely." Feng Xiwu continued, "I will immediately send someone to the Imperial Mausoleum and go to the palace to see the Emperor tomorrow morning."
"You've said everything I was going to say, so I have nothing else to do." Lu Qingwan jumped up. "I don't know what kind of troubles will arise tomorrow. I'm going to sleep. Recharge my energy, and we'll leave no stone unturned in defeating them!" She gestured and went into the bathroom. Tsk, after dealing with Feng Qingheng, she encountered this troublesome matter. She hadn't even had time to wash up. She was exhausted.
Feng Qingheng watched her amuse herself with a smile and then went to the outer room. Li Qing was already waiting there. Upon seeing Feng Xiwu emerge, he immediately knelt on one knee. "This subordinate's defenses were inadequate, allowing those with intentions to exploit a loophole. I request Your Highness to punish me."
"Li Jin and Li Yang are no longer here, so your punishment can wait. Go to the Imperial Mausoleum and personally interrogate Wen Yayai. You must extract all the information from her. Also, expedite the delivery of the items I brought back from the northwest. They must arrive before New Year's Eve."