Xiao Chenyuan was taken away by Yan Lan for training and hadn't returned yet.
The reason Qing Wu was able to arrive so coincidentally was because she had received a tip-off from the wandering ghosts and little spirits around the outskirts of the capital.
It was truly suspicious how Asuna and her group of Hu envoys had appeared, and QingWu had guessed that the imposter would come knocking, but she hadn't expected them to be so impatient to 'feed' their hunger, waiting directly on the halfway path.
After returning to the manor, the shadow cat briefly appeared before disappearing into the study, and the Black Armor Guards who had returned from South Ridge were all in the courtyard drinking and feasting.
QingWu had indeed planned to host a grand feast to properly entertain them, and she wasn't just making empty promises.