"I'm not in a hurry."
Lu Qingwan quickly calmed herself. "Steward Zhou has been in the capital for nearly thirty years. Few people in the Marquis's mansion even know his ancestral home is in the south.
It's even less likely for outsiders to know about his relationship with Lu Siwan.
Yet, the other party could use such a secret matter to frame Steward Zhou. This person's schemes and methods are definitely not simple; they must be thoroughly investigated."
Feng Xiwu repeatedly agreed, but Lu Qingwan did not relax at all.
"It's not just Steward Zhou, but also Deng Wenyuan.
He went to such great lengths to impersonate Xu Zhihuan. To avoid his identity being discovered, he should have tried to stay out of the spotlight. Yet, he took a risk and publicly injured Yuan'er. What was he trying to achieve?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Xiwu looked at Li Qing. "Since you know it was Xu Zhihuan who acted, have you investigated his motive?"
Li Qing lowered his gaze. "Reporting to Your Highness, my subordinates had people question Xu Zhihuan. He vehemently denied it and adamantly refused to admit to having injured the young heir.
However, the Shence Camp's internal guards personally witnessed him injure the young heir."
The Shence Camp was Feng Xiwu's own territory, and the Shence Camp guards who served as escorts at the palace banquet were his most trusted confidantes. They would not deceive Li Qing.
Lu Qingwan found it amusing. "The evidence is irrefutable, yet his mouth is still so stubborn. Whose influence is this Xu Zhihuan relying on?"
Feng Xiwu's gaze turned cold. "Regardless of whose influence he relies on, I want to see whose words are tougher: his or the Shence Camp's eighteen torture instruments?"
As Feng Xiwu spoke, he directly issued an order, "Take the person to the Shence Camp prison. I don't care what methods you use, but you must find out the person behind both him and Steward Zhou."
Li Qing quickly acknowledged and left.
The next day, Lu Qingwan arrived at Bai Xing Lin early in the morning.
Thinking of the tools in the spatial laboratory that could be used to make cosmetics, Lu Qingwan was full of energy. Therefore, the gates of Bai Xing Lin opened half an hour earlier than usual that day.
The patients who came for Lu Qingwan were overjoyed and flooded into Bai Xing Lin. Although it was a clinic for treating illnesses and saving lives, it was more bustling than a teahouse for entertainment.
Most of the patients had common ailments, which Lu Qingwan could treat with the existing herbal remedies of this era.
Easily gaining experience, Lu Qingwan was content. Even though she was busy beyond compare, her face was full of smiles, which made the patients happy.
"What is bothering this patient?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she met a pair of familiar eyes – Xie Shixuan.
Almost letting out "Princess Feifeng" from her mouth, Lu Qingwan quickly swallowed it back and offered an awkward yet polite smile. "Miss, what is bothering you?"
Xie Shixuan was specially dressed as an ordinary woman of the Great Qian today. Her aura was not as imposing. She wore a goose-yellow ruqun, a light blue Jiangning satin cloak, and her hair was styled in a simple low bun.
She wore a thin veil on her face, revealing only her eyes. Indeed, a partial reveal was the most alluring.
Lu Qingwan's gaze swept over her from head to toe, and then... she was intensely envious.
Years of habit made Xie Shixuan's posture upright even when sitting. The proud fullness of her chest aggressively faced Lu Qingwan, as if issuing a challenge.
Lu Qingwan inexplicably straightened her own posture, feeling somewhat insulted.
"Divine Doctor Lin, may I have my pulse taken?"
Looking up to meet Xie Shixuan's almost murderous gaze, Lu Qingwan coughed dryly. "Of course."
She reached out to take her pulse, but Xie Shixuan withdrew her hand. "I've heard that Divine Doctor Lin can perform a silk thread pulse diagnosis?"
Xie Shixuan was also a bit skeptical of Lu Qingwan's reputation as a divine doctor. Could the Regent of the Great Qian be reliable? Why did the recommended divine doctor look like a lecher?
Lu Qingwan said sheepishly, "Silk thread pulse diagnosis is also possible."
Taking out the fine thread that had not been seen for a long time, she said, "Miss, please extend your hand."
Xie Shixuan skillfully placed one end of the silk thread on her wrist. Lu Qingwan's smile disappeared, and she began to take her pulse seriously.
Actually, she had a general understanding of Xie Shixuan's pulse. However, as they had not seen each other for half a month, Lu Qingwan decided to give her a thorough examination just to be safe.
Upon examining her, her expression turned slightly grim. Xie Shixuan asked nervously, "Doctor, can my illness be cured?"
"Are you the patient introduced by Shen Ci?"
They had agreed to use Shen Ci as a cover to have the Regent's mansion support Bai Xing Lin, so she had to lay the groundwork first.
Moreover, with Feng Xiwu's identity as a guarantor, it would be more convenient to discuss the illness.
Xie Shixuan's expression indeed relaxed upon hearing this. She nodded and said, "It is me."
"Please step inside for a chat."
Xie Shixuan did not want her condition to be known by outsiders, so she cooperated and entered the room.
Turning to the inner hall, Lu Qingwan suddenly spoke, "The poison Miss was afflicted with is called 'Drunk Beauty.' I presume Shen Ci has told you about the symptoms. Curing it is not a problem.
However, you now have another poison in your body called 'Heart-Devouring Powder,' which makes one extremely irritable. Moreover, it is a chronic poison.
If you hadn't come here today, under the influence of the Heart-Devouring Powder, the Drunk Beauty in your body would fully manifest within ten days at the fastest, or within a month at the slowest."
Xie Shixuan's body swayed slightly. Just as Lu Qingwan was about to help her, she steadied herself with great effort.
"Then, can this Drunk Beauty... still be cured?"
"It can be cured, but if the Heart-Devouring Powder around you is not completely dealt with, helping you recover your internal energy would be a disaster rather than a blessing for you."
Imagine a martial arts expert who cannot control their emotions at all, and can lash out and injure people at will, while those around them are defenseless. Would that be good for Xie Shixuan?
With every word Lu Qingwan spoke, Xie Shixuan's complexion grew paler. Lu Qingwan was worried she would impulsively rush back to kill someone. Unexpectedly, Xie Shixuan managed to suppress her surging anger.
"Then I'll trouble Divine Doctor Lin to cure me. As for the Heart-Devouring Powder, I will deal with it myself when I return."
Lu Qingwan shrugged. She was only reminding her as a physician. How Xie Shixuan dealt with it was of no concern to her.
"Miss, please undress and lie face down on the bed. Let me administer acupuncture to detoxify you."
Xie Shixuan's eyes suddenly widened, and her hand went to the soft sword at her waist. Lu Qingwan quickly lunged forward and held her hand, smiling wryly and placing Xie Shixuan's hand on her own chest. "Miss, can you rest assured now?"
Xie Shixuan's eyes widened in shock.
Her pair of narrow, phoenix-like eyes were forced into the shape of almond eyes.
"We are both women. It is inconvenient when traveling alone. I ask Miss to keep this a secret for me."
Xie Shixuan was speechless and nodded silently.
After that, she did whatever Lu Qingwan said, as docile as a marionette.
Lu Qingwan amusedly took out silver needles, disinfected them with an alcohol lamp, and then inserted them into the major acupoints on Xie Shixuan's body.
"The Drunk Beauty poison is extremely potent. Acupuncture detoxification is essentially forcefully releasing blocked internal energy. Please bear with it and do not move around.
Otherwise, at best, your internal energy will be lost completely. At worst, your entire body will be paralyzed. I will not be responsible!"