"Someone hurry, bring water and a cloth for the Regent to wipe his face."
Consort Ye, seeing the ink stains on Feng Xiwu's face, knew things were bad. She quickly called for palace servants to help Feng Xiwu clean up.
The servants scurried off to prepare. Feng Xiwu looked at the ink on his fingertips and said in a chilling tone, "Can anyone tell this king why there is dog blood mixed in this ink?"
The young noblemen and ladies present shook their heads in denial, while the servants repeatedly kowtowed and begged for mercy.
"Regent, please enlighten us. This ink was prepared beforehand. We servants were only responsible for bringing it from the side hall.
If we had known there was dog blood mixed in, we would never have dared to bring it here to offend all the honored guests!"
The servants pleaded earnestly, and others remained silent. The situation reached a deadlock.
Feng Xiwu's expression was stern, but there was no sign of anger. "Yu Hualong, the Qixi Palace Banquet is specifically hosted by the Consort for the talented young men of the court, with ladies accompanying them.
You, an outside male of the former court, entered the palace without being summoned. What is your intention?"
"Your Highness the Regent, please forgive me. This subordinate did not know Your Highness was present. Had I known, I would never have dared to offend Your Highness!"
The middle-aged man who had been sent flying by Feng Xiwu's palm ignored the pain and knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing.
"Answer my question. You entered the palace without being summoned. What is your intention?"
"Replying to Your Highness, this subordinate received news that there were malevolent spirits appearing in Chonghua Palace today and rushed here specifically.
Originally, this subordinate was just taking precautions, but I did not expect that malevolent spirits would actually dare to appear in the imperial palace. I implore Your Highness to permit this subordinate to find these spirits to prevent them from harming His Majesty and the princes!"
He had been beaten until he coughed up blood, yet he still hadn't given up on hunting the so-called malevolent spirits.
"The malevolent spirit you speak of is my betrothed."
Feng Xiwu rebuked him angrily, "Are you trying to say that I am also a malevolent spirit?"
"This subordinate would never dare!"
The man's head struck the ground. "It's just that this subordinate heard that Miss Lu's temperament changed drastically after she went to Xiangguo Temple.
This subordinate had heard of Miss Lu's disposition before, and her recent actions are indeed completely different from before.
This is why this subordinate dared not be careless. Earlier, Your Highness must have seen that after Miss Lu was doused with black dog blood, she exuded a strange green light. This is precisely a symptom of being possessed by malevolent spirits!
I implore Your Highness to permit this subordinate to exorcise the spirits to prevent them from harming others!"
"Yes, Your Highness the Regent!"
"My eldest sister has been like a changed person since she returned from Xiangguo Temple that day, even her appearance is not the same as before."
Lu Siwan seized the opportunity to speak, "In the past few days, she has beaten and frightened the old servants who have been serving her for many years, all of them are clamoring to leave the estate!
This is truly too inconceivable. If she is possessed by malevolent spirits, then it can be explained."
Fearing that her words would not convince Feng Xiwu, she pulled Feng Qingheng into the matter. "Oh, and His Highness Prince Chen can also bear witness. My eldest sister was very timid before.
But that day, she not only dared to curse at His Highness Prince Chen but also used a hairpin to injure the horse, causing the carriage to overturn, and both this humble subject and His Highness Prince Chen fell into the water.
Before this, my eldest sister would absolutely never have shown any disrespect to His Highness Prince Chen!"
After speaking, Lu Siwan looked at Feng Qingheng with timid eyes and said cautiously, "Your Highness, you are right, hasn't my eldest sister changed beyond recognition?"
Whether Lu Qingwan was a malevolent spirit or not, she couldn't prove. However, she was certain that no man could tolerate his fiancée being entangled with another man.
Even if she couldn't solidify Lu Qingwan's reputation as a malevolent spirit this time, she wanted to make the Regent utterly detest Lu Qingwan.
Whether it was Prince Chen or the Regent, as long as she, Lu Siwan, was around, Lu Qingwan would never dream of surpassing her and living a good life!
Feng Qingheng was actually quite displeased when Lu Siwan mentioned him, as being replaced as a bride on his wedding day was not a glorious matter.
However, after listening to Lu Siwan's words, he remembered Lu Qingwan's decisive annulment of their engagement that day, and her current indifference to him.
He then inexplicably said, "Imperial Uncle, Wan'er is right. Lu Qingwan's changes are indeed quite significant.
Moreover, Master Yu is the Director of the Imperial Observatory, he would likely not casually say someone is possessed by malevolent spirits."
Seeing Feng Qingheng support her, Lu Siwan was overjoyed and smugly added fuel to the fire.
"Your Highness is right. And, everyone saw the terrifying green light emanating from my sister earlier.
Your wedding date is approaching soon. If my sister is truly unclean, it wouldn't be good for you, Regent!"
Feng Xiwu listened to the two of them sing in harmony, his expression unfathomable. "If it is as you say, and Lu Qingwan is possessed by malevolent spirits, how should these spirits be captured?"
Feng Qingheng was speechless. Lu Siwan was anxious. She tugged at her sleeve and said, "This humble subject heard that there is a type of fire that can force malevolent spirits out of a person without truly harming the possessed person."
Feng Xiwu looked at Yu Hualong. "Is there such a fire?"
"There is such a fire, usually used by those of the Xuanmen sect to exorcise spirits..."
"Then let's try it!"
After Lu Siwan spoke, she realized she had been too hasty and quickly tried to cover. "Regent, please forgive me. This humble subject is just too worried about my eldest sister.
Since that fire can force out malevolent spirits without harming my eldest sister, could you let Master Yu try?"
"Sure, let's try?"
A lazy voice sounded. Everyone turned to see Lu Qingwan, dressed anew, walking out.
Her previous clothes were ruined by the ink mixed with black dog blood. Now, she was wearing a lake-blue peony patterned palace dress, her hair styled into an elaborate cloud bun. She was radiant and captivating.
Supported by Chi Yaoyao and Yue'er, she walked directly towards Lu Siwan. "However, acting differently and emitting green light means being possessed by malevolent spirits. Then, is your body also not entirely clean?"
Lu Siwan looked at her timidly. "Sister, what do you mean? This sister doesn't quite understand?"
"Don't worry, you'll understand soon."
As Lu Qingwan spoke, she turned and took the bronze basin from Li Yang's hand, then flung it.
Splash! The entire basin of ink was splashed all over Lu Siwan and Feng Qingheng's faces.
Lu Qingwan returned the bronze basin to Li Yang. "Oh my, why are you two also emitting green light? Could it be that you are also possessed by malevolent spirits?
Master Yu, quickly light a fire to burn them and force out those malevolent spirits!"
"Lu Qingwan, you useless woman, what are you doing?"
Feng Qingheng was almost furious. He wanted to strike, but the dog blood in his eyes was stinging painfully. He couldn't even tell where Lu Qingwan was, let alone strike her!
"Proving my innocence!"
Lu Qingwan clapped her hands and said coldly, "I won't even mention why there was dog blood in the ink prepared by the palace.
A basin of dog blood mixed with a little fishwort to slander me as being possessed by malevolent spirits? I think you are the ones whose hearts are filled with malevolent spirits, leading you to devise such a vile method to slander others!"
Lu Qingwan turned and knelt on the ground, bowing to Consort Ye. "This humble subject was reckless and ruined your banquet, Your Highness Consort. I beg for your punishment!" Consort Ye, who had been observing from the side since the incident, raised an eyebrow. "You knew you would ruin my banquet and still acted so recklessly. Do you think I won't punish you?"
"No, this humble subject has never dared, nor will I, presume to guess Your Highness Consort's intentions. It's just that this humble subject dares to believe that no matter how angry Your Highness Consort is, she wouldn't take this humble subject's life."
Lu Qingwan maintained her kneeling posture, earnestly saying, "But others might not be so fortunate.
Confined in a Zen room at Xiangguo Temple for a day and a night, and finally released, only to be falsely accused of damaging a carriage and harming my younger sister.
Now it's being possessed by malevolent spirits. If I endure this today, I don't know if this life will last until my father returns.
Having no other choice, this humble subject can only cut off her own arm to survive. I implore Your Highness Consort and Your Highness the Regent to investigate thoroughly and restore this humble subject's innocence."