Lu Qingwan thought it was exceptionally generous of Feng Xi Wu to agree to her going to the Ministry of Justice prison to see Madam Zhang. To her surprise, Feng Xi Wu took the lead instead. "Prepare yourself, this Prince will take you to the Ministry of Justice to see Madam Zhang."
"Your Highness could just send someone to take me. There's no need for you to trouble yourself," she replied.
"What, you think this Prince's legs are too inconvenient and will embarrass you by being seen with him?"
Lu Qingwan's face instantly turned aghast. "Your Highness, why don't you look in the mirror before saying such things?"
Feng Xi Wu frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, your face is a banner when you go out. I'd have to be out of my mind to think you'd embarrass me by being seen with you."
Lu Qingwan spoke with the most ostentatious tone, uttering the most obsequious words. "I was just thinking, it's only been our wedding, and I'm already having Your Highness do this and that for me. I'm embarrassed!"
Embarrassment was a pretense; not wanting to owe favors was the truth.
The more she encountered, the more Lu Qingwan realized how inconvenient it was in this era, where everything relied on manpower, to not have her own resources.
She mentally reviewed her dowry and decided she must quickly build her own strength.
Feng Xi Wu saw that while she claimed to be embarrassed, her expression showed no such thing.
His eyelids drooped slightly. "As I said, you are this Prince's Consort. It is my duty to resolve your troubles. You don't need to feel embarrassed."
"Then, thank you, Your Highness."
Lu Qingwan grasped the armrest of the four-wheeled carriage. "Shall we set off now?"
...
At the Ministry of Justice, as soon as Feng Xi Wu entered, the guards at the entrance ran inside as if they had gone mad.
Lu Qingwan inwardly thought, 'Not good.' As expected, by the time they reached the area where Ministry officials handled official business, a crowd followed them in, bowing in unison. "Your subordinates pay respects to the Regent, the Regent Consort!"
Lu Qingwan's toes curled with embarrassment, almost digging a tomb for Feng Xi Wu, yet she had to maintain a calm smile.
Feng Xi Wu, however, remained genuinely calm. Without uttering a word of dismissal, he directly stated, "The Consort is worried about Princess An Yang's case and wishes to see the interrogation of Madam Zhang."
Most of the officials had already heard about Feng Xi Wu backing Lu Qingwan in front of the Marquis of Zhaolie's mansion yesterday, so they didn't seem too surprised.
The Minister of Justice, who stood at the head of the group, was tall and burly, looking more like a military general than a civil official.
Upon hearing Feng Xi Wu's words, his face immediately contorted into a bitter frown. "Regarding Princess An Yang, it's understandable that the Consort is anxious. However, this Madam Zhang is exceptionally stubborn. She confessed without reservation to plotting against Marquis Lu, but regarding Princess An Yang, she vehemently denies everything. Even the remark she made at the Marquis's mansion entrance, saying Princess An Yang couldn't outplay her, she claims was a slip of the tongue. Moreover, she holds a noble title, and I cannot resort to torture. The Marquis of Wenchang's mansion is also pressuring us to release her. I am in a difficult position!"
By immediately mentioning difficulties, he was clearly trying to forestall any pressure from Feng Xi Wu.
But if Feng Xi Wu could be deterred by a few words, he wouldn't be the powerful Regent.
Just as he was about to retort, his expression suddenly stiffened. Then, with a serious demeanor, he said, "The Consort has a method to make Madam Zhang speak. Bring her forth. After the Consort sees her, let's see if she can continue to be stubborn."
The venomous Regent didn't retort? Was the sun rising in the west?
The officials were greatly surprised. The Minister of Justice quickly responded, "Your Highness and Consort, please wait a moment. This subordinate will have someone bring Madam Zhang for interrogation."
Feng Xi Wu nodded. Lu Qingwan, with a guilty conscience, hurried forward and eagerly pushed the four-wheeled carriage towards the main hall of the Ministry of Justice.
After everyone had moved away, the person who had been standing behind Lu Qingwan and Feng Xi Wu scurried over to the Minister of Justice. "Your Excellency, something significant has happened. You need to re-evaluate Madam Zhang's case!"
The Minister of Justice, stroking his beard, glared. "Liu Yidao, are your wings getting tough? You dare to instruct this official on how to handle a case?"
"No, Your Excellency, can this subordinate harm you?"
The constable named Liu Yidao whispered conspiratorially, "The Regent was clearly about to cause trouble just now. Then the Consort pinched him, and he immediately changed his mind. If the Consort dares to pinch the Regent, can this matter end well?"
The Minister of Justice's eyes widened in alarm. "You say the Consort pinched the Regent? Is it true?"
"These eyes of mine were trained by catching assassins. Don't you know that?" Liu Yidao pointed to his eyes. "This subordinate saw clearly. The Regent's attitude changed drastically after the Consort pinched him once."
"Enough, go back to what you were doing. This official understands!" The Minister of Justice waved away the young constable, his face a mask of bewildered disbelief as he entered the hall.
He dawdled his way into the hall. The runners sent to bring Madam Zhang for interrogation had already arrived, rushing in in a panic. "Your Excellency, bad news, Your Excellency! Madam Zhang seems to be dead!"
"Hmm, who died?" The Minister of Justice hoped he had misheard.
At that moment, Lu Qingwan rushed over. "What do you mean 'seems to be dead'? Is she dead or not?"
The runner, flustered, forgot to bow. "She's... she's not dead, but she's only clinging to life."
Lu Qingwan decisively pushed the runner out. "Take me to the prison."
The runner still wanted to ask the Minister of Justice, but the Minister of Justice had already run ahead to lead the way. Because Li Yang was pushing Feng Xi Wu at lightning speed, and if anything were to happen to the Regent at the Ministry of Justice, the Minister of Justice's head would roll.
With Li Yang leading the way, Lu Qingwan arrived at the prison before anyone else from the Ministry of Justice. Seeing the open prison cell door, she rushed in and found Madam Zhang lying on the ground, spewing bloody fluids, her life hanging by a thread.
Lu Qingwan went up and grabbed Madam Zhang's wrist to feel her pulse, discovering she had been poisoned with a spider venom.
Simultaneously, the spatial laboratory issued a warning. "Attention, toxic substances detected."
Immediately, the Heavenly Book listed the components of the spider venom and its antidote. Lu Qingwan wanted to retrieve an antidote serum from the spatial laboratory but found that she had taken too many items to save Lu Zhenting, and the laboratory had reached its limit. It could no longer produce items.
She took out silver needles and decisively began acupuncture on Madam Zhang, saying without looking up, "Everyone, get out! There are poisonous spiders here!"
The Ministry of Justice personnel who had followed all blocked the entrance. The Minister of Justice, disregarding his own safety, rushed in and called out to Feng Xi Wu, "Your Highness, you heard that. Perhaps we should wait outside for the Consort?"
Feng Xi Wu seemed not to hear, his gaze fixed on Lu Qingwan. Fortunately, she didn't dawdle too much. After inserting a few needles into Madam Zhang, she decisively stood up and pushed Feng Xi Wu out. Her eyes scanned the ground like a hawk's, fearing the poisonous spiders would reach Feng Xi Wu.
But just as they were about to exit, a swarm of poisonous spiders emerged from the cracks in the wall by the doorway. The thumb-sized spiders were all bright red, clearly indicating their highly toxic nature.
"Hold steady!" Lu Qingwan shouted, and to everyone's surprise, she threw Feng Xi Wu, carriage and all, outwards. Then, with Li Yang in one hand and the Minister of Justice in the other, she charged out.