Before going to the Southern Lands, Lu Qingwan's words would have been mere speculation.
But after learning about Consort Ye's background and the string of accidents that had occurred over the past three years, this speculation became rather significant.
The carriage rumbled back to the manor. Lu Qingwan and Li Jin were already waiting at the entrance. "My Lord, Shen Tangzhou, Lian Yu, and Li Qing have all arrived."
Feng Xi Wu nodded slightly, his hand grasping Lu Qingwan's. "Go back and rest first. Let Li Su accompany you. I'll be back later."
"Oh."
Lu Qingwan tried her best to ignore the burning gazes of several subordinates and replied with a blush. She watched Feng Xi Wu enter the study, and then, accompanied by Li Su, returned to her room.
In the room, simple congee, side dishes, and washing tools, along with new clothes for changing, had been prepared in advance.
Li Su stood respectfully by the side. "It is winter now, and the weather in Shangjing is not as mild as in the Southern Lands. As the Princess Consort is not here, Li Jin has, as usual, had four sets of winter clothes made, all of common styles.
"The Princess Consort can look at them later. If you don't like them, you can have new ones made."
Li Su had only returned to the manor a little over an hour earlier than Lu Qingwan, but everything was already in order.
Lu Qingwan was quite impressed by this ability to get things done wherever she went. "Aren't my clothes always managed by Man Chun? Why are they assigned to you too?"
Li Su pursed her lips and smiled lightly. "The Princess Consort hasn't been back for a long time, and even when you were in the manor, you rarely summoned them.
"As you sent over the patterns for winter clothes a few days ago, Man Chun and Yue'er were borrowed by Miss Wu Ying.
"Liang Xia and the others didn't know the Princess Consort would return tonight and had already retired. I didn't want to disturb them."
Lu Qingwan understood. "Then I'll have to trouble you. I'll look at the clothes tomorrow.
"Please instruct the kitchen to prepare some light snacks to be sent to the study. My Lord hasn't eaten dinner yet. Also, remind him to take his medicine."
Feng Xi Wu's tonic medicine was still ongoing, and Lu Qingwan had personally overseen him taking it all the way.
While Emperor Jing You's poisoning was important, Lu Qingwan herself didn't care much about it. What she cared about was her beloved's health.
Li Su also readily agreed. "Dinner has already been prepared. As for the medicine, I will remind His Lordship.
"Does the Princess Consort wish to rest early, or wait for His Lordship to return?"
The way the question was phrased, if she said she would wait for Feng Xi Wu, and Li Su relayed the message, Feng Xi Wu would inevitably become anxious.
As her thoughts raced, she yawned. "I'm so sleepy. I'll go to bed first.
"If I oversleep tomorrow morning, don't wake me. I need to catch up on the sleep I've missed these past few days."
Li Su chuckled and shook her head, tidying up the bowls and plates before quietly withdrawing.
Although Lu Qingwan's mind was in a flurry, she was also genuinely exhausted. Since she had said it, she decided to follow through.
After washing up, she hopped onto the bed and became inseparable from the mattress and bedding.
The room had been prepared with thick winter quilts. Lu Qingwan was so bundled up inside that if one didn't look closely, they wouldn't even realize there was a person on the bed.
Meanwhile, the candlelight in the study flickered unstably throughout the night.
The master bedroom of Wutong Garden did not welcome its other occupant all night.
The next day was the tenth of October.
Lu Qingwan did not sleep until noon as she had said she would. Instead, she was woken up early by a familiar sound of banging on the door.
"You want to die, Li Yang? Come here and let me kill you!"
Lu Qingwan opened the door, her face still groggy with sleep. To her surprise, it wasn't Li Yang banging on the door, but Li Su.
Lu Qingwan leaned against the doorframe, contrary to her usual expectation. "What grievance could this be, Li Su? Did everything I told you last night go in one ear and out the other?"
"Princess Consort, please forgive me. It's not that I want to court death, but someone is waiting for a life-saving miracle!"
Li Su said with a tear-streaked face, making Lu Qingwan instantly alert. "The strategist, the strategist has been… molested!"
"Who?"
Lu Qingwan's blood returned instantly. "Young Master Lian Yu, such a cold and aloof beauty, who dared to molest him?
"Which brave soul has done what I've always wanted to do but dared not?"
...
After a moment of silence, Feng Xi Wu's face appeared in Lu Qingwan's line of sight. "What is this 'thing Princess Consort wanted to do but dared not'?"
"Uh..."
Lu Qingwan guiltily recalled what she had just said and decided to play ostrich.
"Well, Li Su, explain it clearly. If the strategist was molested, why aren't you coming to My Lord for justice? Why are you looking for me?"
Li Su covered her face. Princess Consort, you're playing ostrich, why must you drag me down with you?!
Looking at her Lord's dark expression, Li Su silently retreated.
Lu Qingwan still wanted to salvage the situation, but Feng Xi Wu was already in front of her. "There's a widespread outbreak of mushroom poisoning in the capital. The symptoms are similar to what my Imperial Brother looked like yesterday.
"I've already sent people to gather all the patients and take them to Bai Xing Lin for treatment.
"The number of patients is still increasing. You need to change your clothes immediately and go to Bai Xing Lin for treatment."
"Huh?"
Lu Qingwan blinked and quickly regained her senses. "If there are too many people, I won't be able to manage alone. You should summon some obedient doctors to Bai Xing Lin as well.
"Remember, they must be obedient!
"At a critical juncture like this, I don't want to get into a debate with a bunch of self-important old physicians in front of the patients!"
She turned and ran back to her room, directly disguised herself as Lin Sa, and left. It took less than fifteen minutes, her speed was incredibly fast.
Ying Yi was waiting at the door. Feng Xi Wu also watched her. "The doctors have been prepared. Let Ying Yi and Ying Er accompany you.
"There are quite a few female patients inside. I've asked Li Su to bring some medical women to assist you.
"I still need to go into the palace to discuss state affairs with my Imperial Brother. You must be careful."
Lu Qingwan casually agreed. "Keep the bracelet with you. If something comes up, I'll have Ying Yi tell you. Don't believe anyone else, no matter what they say."
Emperor Jing You had only been poisoned yesterday, and today there was a widespread mushroom poisoning incident in the capital. It was clearly someone trying to take advantage of the chaos.
Now, the person who could detoxify and Feng Xi Wu, who was most likely to help Emperor Jing You control the situation, were both in danger. No one was safe.
Feng Xi Wu nodded. "You too. I'll only let Li Yang and Li Su transmit information. Don't believe anything anyone else says."
After giving each other their warnings, they headed in different directions.
Li Su was still worried. "Princess Consort, what about the strategist? Aren't you going to help him?"
Lu Qingwan heard her words and only then remembered that she had almost forgotten the first patient of the day. "Where is the patient?"
"He's at Fan She. You know this person too, it's Miss Chi!"
Li Su was jumping with anxiety. "The strategist discussed state affairs with His Lordship all night yesterday. This morning, he went out for breakfast and was pestered by Miss Chi.
"She insisted on tying up the strategist and taking him as her bandit king husband. I barely managed to trap her in a private room so that no outsiders would see. She's still in the private room at Fan She right now!"
Lu Qingwan exclaimed, "Others get poisoned and see little people or people they know, but she wants to tie up Lian Yu as her husband?!
"Are you sure she's poisoned by mushrooms, or is she just lust-crazed?"