Check out this new novel ? about a wronged hero who breaks all shackles – an intriguing story awaiting exploration. It symbolizes various aspects such as vulnerability, resilience, or even societal outcast status. While facing great injustices, despite his many hardships, this character is poised to rise above all adversity.
Sick Dog
Chapter 4: Humble Subject Su Rongqing, Greets Her Highness The Princess
When Li Rong’s people silently infiltrated the Pei family, Pei Wenxuan was standing in front of a basin of clear water, quietly examining his own appearance.
Surprisingly, he came back to life.
He looked at his twenty-year-old self in disbelief. However, years of court life taught him to control his emotions. Even if his heart was in turmoil, he remained calm on the surface.
Beside him, the attendant Tong Yezhan nervously whispered, “Young master, are you okay?”
Since early morning, he asked once what day it was, and he has been staring into space until now. Although Pei Wenxuan is usually not very talkative, he rarely remains this silent. Tong Yezhan couldn’t help but feel a bit scared, and then he said, “Young master, if you’re not feeling well, I can fetch a doctor for you.”
Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan finally looked up. After replying with a simple “no need,” he washed his face and went straight out.
He walked out of the courtyard, and Tong Yezhan hurriedly followed. After holding back for a moment, he finally said, “Young master, if there’s something on your mind, don’t keep it to yourself. Speak up, maybe it will feel better. Miss Qin came to break off the engagement, and it’s not her fault. She is sincere towards you, but…”
“No need to say more.”
Pei Wenxuan saw Tong Yezhan speaking more and more, halted his steps, turned to him, and instructed, “This matter, don’t mention it in the future.”
With that, he folded his sleeves, stood outside the courtyard, and gazed at the tall towers in the distant palace. The tower soared into the clouds, adorned with red lacquer and golden tiles, with bronze bells hanging under the eaves that tinkled when the wind blew, just like the towers he remembered.
Back when he was in the prime minister’s residence, whenever he encountered troubles, he liked to stand in the courtyard, look up at the distant tower, and now this habit seemed to have been preserved. As he gazed at the tower, his inner turmoil slowly calmed down, and he began to contemplate his situation.
He remembered being twenty years old, having just finished mourning at his hometown and returning to Hua Jing. His second uncle controlled the Pei family, his mother was weak and easily influenced, pretending to be ill to avoid trouble. Although he was the rightful heir of the Pei family, he faced constant ostracism from the family. As the eldest son of the prominent Pei family in Huajing, he could only work as a low-ranking official in the Ministry of Justice.
The current days should be just after his broken engagement.
When his father was still alive, he arranged for him to be engaged to Qin Zhenzhen from the Qin family at a very young age. The engagement was not too formal due to their young age; they exchanged jade pendants, and that was it. Thus, he and Qin Zhenzhen grew up together, always thinking of marrying each other. Unexpectedly, things took a sudden turn.
His father passed away early, and now the Qin family had developed a good relationship with his second uncle, Pei Lixian. So, Qin Zhenzhen breaking off their engagement was reasonable.
The engagement wasn’t formal enough back then, and now breaking it off was quite simple. After returning the tokens exchanged back then, there wasn’t even a sealed letter; just some money was left, and then she left.
Of course, he didn’t blame Qin Zhenzhen; he understood the logic that he lacked the ability and couldn’t blame a girl for that.
What happened later?
Pei Wenxuan tried hard to recall.
Later on, it seemed that his awkward identity caught the emperor’s attention, and he was betrothed to Li Rong.
Given Li Rong’s current status, finding her a poor commoner would damage her reputation, and if he found her a noble, it would be like adding wings to a tiger—something the emperor couldn’t afford. With his seemingly noble but actually hopeless background, he appeared to be the most suitable match for Li Rong.
With the title of a royal husband, the Pei family began to pay attention to him again, and he finally had a real backing in the court. Considering the timeline, the imperial decree for the marriage should come down very soon. Once again, he had to marry Li Rong.
Thinking about this, he couldn’t help but sigh bitterly.
Him and Li Rong, they were enemies from the past.
After a lifetime of cooperation and suspicion, he had thought that even if Li Rong didn’t have marital feelings for him, they could at least have a friendship. However, in the face of power, she was still able to ruthlessly strike him down without batting an eye.
But he was dead, and she couldn’t live either.
She sent him a deadly blade, and he reciprocated with a bowl of poison through her intestines.
There was never any debt between them, just fate.
Human resentments are ultimately unjust. In their thirty years of interaction, there was nothing unfair. He had his own love, and she had someone by her side. She gave him a sword, and he gave her poison.
Thinking about it this way, even if she killed him, he surprisingly harbored very little resentment. Now that he was given a second chance and had to marry Li Rong again, he found himself lacking much bitterness.
In fact, he couldn’t help but think.
At the age of eighteen, Li Rong still had a bit of innocence and kindness. When she saw him, she would occasionally blush. On the day they raised their veils, she looked up with sincerity in her eyes and said, “Pei Wenxuan, regardless of why we are together, since we are married, I still want to spend my life with you.”
If in this lifetime, he doesn’t let Li Rong discover that he cares about Qin Zhenzhen, or if in this lifetime, he chooses not to bother about Qin Zhenzhen anymore, she won’t be furious, won’t separate from him, and won’t meet Su Rongqing…
Perhaps, they can still be an ordinary couple, growing old together peacefully. He is already tired of the suspicions and struggles of the previous life. If possible, he also wants a simple family, living a peaceful life.
As for Qin Zhenzhen…
In the previous life, he couldn’t have her and protected her for a lifetime. Having gone through a whole lifetime, responsibility surpassed love, regrets surpassed longing. Since destiny decrees they cannot be together, so be it.
After realizing all this, Pei Wenxuan calmed down. He turned his head and said casually to Tong Ye, “Let’s go back.”
Now, he doesn’t need to do anything, just wait for the imperial decree for marriage.
However, after waiting for a few days in the house, the marriage decree did not arrive, but an invitation to the spring banquet of princess Rong was delivered to his residence.
Looking at the flashy invitation, Pei Wenxuan felt a bit uneasy. He furrowed his brows and couldn’t help but start to recall—did he attend the spring banquet hosted by Li Rong in the previous life? Is it that he, being too old, has memory loss, or is reality and his memory diverging?
While Pei Wenxuan was pondering over what this spring banquet was all about at home, Li Rong was in the palace, joyfully arranging the spring banquet.
She likes such lively occasions. When she was young, she thought it was noisy, but as she grew older, she realized that the elderly like to watch the young people making noise while complaining about it.
It made her feel lively!
In addition to arranging the spring banquet, she had many other things to do.
First, she went to pick out a bunch of clothes, sending all those cold-colored black and white clothes she had before to the bottom of the chest. She specifically chose bright red and gold colors, dressing herself in vibrant and dazzling attire, radiant and charming!
Then, she brought over all the skincare routines from her previous life, massaging, bathing, applying fragrant ointments from morning till night, not neglecting any details, fully enjoying the beauty of being a princess.
Finally, whenever she had time, she would listen to Jinglan reporting on the movements of those four young lords.
Lu Yusheng squats at home every day, counting ants. He has already counted two ant nests and befriended the ants.
Yang Quan has been practicing martial arts in the training ground recently, getting into fights and sending three colleagues to the medical center. Later, he himself was scolded by his father and has been lying in bed for two days.
Cui Yulang has been in high spirits at the brothel recently, writing thirty poems that received great praise.
As for Pei Wenxuan, he goes to work every day, practices calligraphy, and has become a court official at a young age, living like a retired official. The strangest thing he does every day is standing in front of his own door, as if waiting for something.
Of course, he finally successfully waited for her invitation to the spring banquet.
“This is really heaven helping those with determination,” Li Rong said while soaking in the petal-filled bath, listening to Jinglan’s report. Unable to resist, she asked, “Was he surprised or astonished at that time? Did he ever think, being a low-ranked official, how could he receive an invitation from princess Rong? Was he overjoyed?”
“No,” Jinglan replied calmly. “At that time, master Pei didn’t look too good. The servant named Tong Yezhan by his side asked how he could receive the invitation, wondering if it was delivered to the wrong person.”
“What did he say?”
“Lord Pei said,” Jinglan recited, “the invitation was not sent to the wrong person. He looks good, so the invitation must be from you.”
Upon hearing this, Li Rong couldn’t help but spew out a mouthful of water. It was the first time she learned that Pei Wenxuan was so confident in his appearance. However, Li Rong quickly became puzzled—how did Pei Wenxuan know that she liked someone good-looking?
She kept this question in her heart.
Time passed quickly, and Li Rong felt like she had just adapted to the life in palace when the day of the spring banquet arrived.
On the first day of the banquet, she went to her suburban villa in advance, avoiding the schedules of other prominent families in the capital on the second day. When the second day dawned, young lords and ladies from various families began to arrive, and outside the courtyard, there were luxurious carriages and horses, servants bustling around, creating a very impressive scene.
After a while, two carriages approached from front and back. The front carriage had a carved jade character “Su,” and the rear carriage had a carved character “Pei.”
The two major noble families of Hua Jing arrived one after the other, and everyone stepped aside to make way.
After a while, the carriages came to a stop, and from the front carriage of the Su family, a person appeared first. He wore a white brocade robe, a jade hairpin, and had a clear and handsome face, exuding a refined and charming temperament.
As soon as he appeared, someone hurriedly called out, saying loudly, “Master Su, you’re here too!”
“The princess invited me,” Su Rongqing spoke, smiling, “how could I not come?”
With that, he got off the carriage, instructing the servants to make way for the carriage behind him. As soon as Su Rongqing appeared, everyone gathered around, chatting lively with him. When Pei Wenxuan got off the carriage, not many people paid attention.
Pei Wenxuan stepped down from the carriage, and upon hearing Su Rongqing’s voice, he couldn’t help but glance up. This was the person who had been with Li Rong for the past twenty years, and he didn’t like him.
His aversion to Su Rongqing had almost become instinctual.
After all, even if he and Li Rong had clarified their relationship and were living their own lives, Su Rongqing was still a challenge to his dignity, just like Qin Zhenzhen was to Li Rong.
This aversion had nothing to do with romantic feelings but was about that bit of self-esteem in one’s heart. However, this was already the next life, and Pei Wenxuan felt that dwelling on past matters was not very wise. He quickly turned his head and led Tong Yezhan into the courtyard.
While Su Rongqing was talking with others, his steps did not stop. He and Pei Wenxuan walked into the courtyard one after the other.
At this moment, Li Rong also woke up. After finishing her grooming, she yawned and hurried towards the courtyard where the main feast was being held. When she arrived at the entrance of the courtyard, she heard a familiar voice.
The voice had changed slightly over time, but it was still engraved in her heart.
She was too familiar with that voice, and instinctively turned her head.
Then, she saw two people approaching.
One in white attire and a jade crown, standing with a smile; the other in blue robes and a golden crown, staring at her in a daze. One was elegant and gentle, the other handsome and upright. The two stood not far apart, truly a stunning sight.
Li Rong looked at the two people, momentarily stunned. At this moment, Su Rongqing was the first to regain composure. He bowed to Li Rong, and between his lips and teeth were the countless sentences he had recited countless times in the past.
“I, Su Rongqing, pay my respects to princess Your Highness.”
Author’s message: Now, let’s make a multiple-choice question:
If you were a princess, what would you do?
1——Respond to Su Rongqing and chat with Su Rongqing.
2——Politely respond to Su Rongqing and chat with Pei Wenxuan.
3——Ignore everyone, respond politely, and leave immediately.
Come on, choose 1, 2, or 3. The option with the most comments will determine the beginning of the next chapter!
[Small Theater]
Pei Wenxuan: I am the only choice for my ex-wife. Now, I just need to wait patiently for the emperor to give me a wife. Waiting at the door every day is my greatest effort.
On the first day of waiting, the wife’s decree did not arrive.
On the second day of waiting, the wife’s decree did not arrive.
On the third day…
Wife’s messenger: Hello, your entry ticket for the fiance competition has arrived.
Pei Wenxuan: Why do I have to participate in the fiance competition?!!
Li Rong: Sorry, I have at least four backup options. Wait in line properly, compete hard, promise me you’ll do your best, okay?!
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