Chapter 20: Li Rong, If You Could Fall For Me, My Life Would Be Yours

Pei Wenxuan was caught off guard by Li Rong’s actions. After a moment of silence, he finally said, “My cunning mind may be small, but your thick skin is quite something.”

Turning his face away, he held the lamp and continued to walk slowly, saying, “You’re not young anymore. Su Rongqing is in his prime. Don’t think about robbing the cradle.”

Li Rong remained silent. Pei Wenxuan chuckled, “What, calling you old, and you’re not happy?”

“I’m old, and you’re not old?” Li Rong glared at Pei Wenxuan, then turned her head, saying lightly, “I just feel that your heart is too impure, don’t want to bother with you.”

“My heart is impure?” Pei Wenxuan mocked with a smile, “Dare you say you don’t think that way?”

“Well, I do dare,” Li Rong confidently explained, “Appointing Su Rongqing to oversee this is because he’s suitable. If we investigate this case together, courtiers won’t accept it. If someone else does it, they’ll either be my uncle’s people, likely biased towards the Yang family, or they won’t want to risk getting involved in this mess. Now that Su Minzhi has spoken up, accepting his son investigate, others won’t dare to object.”

“You seem quite confident in him.”

Pei Wenxuan involuntarily slowed his pace, speaking indifferently. Li Rong walked ahead, listening to Pei Wenxuan’s words, and couldn’t help but laugh, “Although the Su family avoids trouble, they are still a distinguished family. Rongqing is a gentleman. When it comes to handling matters, he won’t shy away.”

“Speaking so grandiosely,” Pei Wenxuan’s voice was calm, “In the previous life, you said the same to me.”

“Huh?”

Li Rong was somewhat confused. She turned around and saw Pei Wenxuan stop in his tracks, calmly looking at her. “In the previous life, when you asked me to save Su Rongqing, you also presented a set of grand principles, saying that the Su family was wrongly accused and that settling old scores would not be good for me or the emperor. You said that you were saving Su Rongqing for the sake of righteousness, nothing else, right?”

Li Rong remained silent. The April spring breeze was still a bit chilly, and Pei Wenxuan watched her quietly, questioning, “What happened afterward?”

Li Rong stayed silent, looking at Pei Wenxuan’s indifferent expression. She couldn’t help but laugh, “Is this the reason you dislike him?”

Pei Wenxuan was taken aback, and Li Rong, observing his expression, continued, “Because I lied to you?”

Pei Wenxuan sneered but didn’t respond. It could be considered a kind of tacit agreement. Li Rong raised her hand, tucking her hair behind her ear, and said lightly, “I’ve said it before, I really thought that way at the time. Didn’t you also not believe it? Why bring it up now?”

“I’m just reminding you,” Pei Wenxuan said coldly, “Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment. If you fell into his hands in the previous life and still fall into them in this life, it’s because you’re foolish.”

“Even so, what does it have to do with you?” Li Rong, hearing a hint of reprimand in his tone, felt a bit annoyed. She coldly eyed him and continued, “In a few years, you and I will part ways. In this life, master Pei can rest assured that if I were to kill you, it wouldn’t be because someone instigated it.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. He pressed his lips together, seemingly frustrated.

Li Rong smirked, “Every time, we have to quarrel. After the quarrel, you end up angering yourself. You really are…”

“I won’t send you. Go back on your own,” Li Rong didn’t finish her sentence. Unable to bear it any longer, Pei Wenxuan swiftly stepped forward, thrust the palace lantern into Li Rong’s hand, and turned to leave.

Li Rong didn’t expect that even after Pei Wenxuan’s rebirth, he was no longer the prime minister, yet his temper remained so strong. Holding the lantern, she was momentarily stunned. Pei Wenxuan took a few steps, then remembered something, turned back with a furrowed brow, and reached out, saying, “Give me some men. Tonight, the Yang Mansion’s people might leave the city.”

Being angry was one thing, but when it came to people and money, Pei Wenxuan was resolute.

Li Rong laughed in exasperation, took the token and slapped it into Pei Wenxuan’s hand, saying, “Go find people yourself.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t reply to her, took the token, turned around, and left. He went to the princess’s mansion to gather people on his own.

Watching Pei Wenxuan’s brisk departure, Li Rong felt both angry and unsure why she was angry. When he was far away, she held back for a while, finally calming herself down. She advised herself for a few moments, reminding herself that getting angry over such a person wasn’t worth it.

Once her emotions settled, she said, “Let’s go.”

Jinglan and Jingmei exchanged a glance before approaching. Jingmei scrutinized Li Rong for a moment and whispered, “Why did young master Pei leave?”

“He’s ill.”

Li Rong answered without hesitation, and the maids exchanged another glance but dared not speak.

Walking in the night breeze, Li Rong’s mood eased after a while. She said lightly, “Let’s go back to the palace. We’ll meet again tomorrow.”

In fact, Pei Wenxuan had never liked Su Rongqing’s quirks. This had been going on for more than just a day or two, even after his rebirth. Li Rong knew that this was something he couldn’t change.

From the beginning, the two of them never got along. Pei Wenxuan felt that Su Rongqing was affected and overly dramatic. Although Su Rongqing had never said anything negative about Pei Wenxuan, whenever they stood side by side, any discerning person could sense an invisible rejection between them.

This dynamic persisted whether Su Rongqing was present or not, and when she was around, it became even more pronounced. Over time, it seemed that they existed in a state of either having Su Rongqing without Pei Wenxuan or having Pei Wenxuan without Su Rongqing.

At the beginning, Li Rong had wondered if Pei Wenxuan had a slight liking for her, hence the jealousy. However, as time passed, she realized that Pei Wenxuan’s animosity towards Su Rongqing was not merely due to a momentary jealousy but stemmed from resentment.

Su Rongqing, born into a noble family, enjoyed parental love and a privileged upbringing. In contrast, Pei Wenxuan, also a noble, faced struggles. Jealousy took root in Pei Wenxuan’s heart from a young age when confronted with Su Rongqing.

Despite overcoming challenges and establishing his own status, marrying her and supporting the family, the fact that she chose Su Rongqing over him was a significant humiliation for Pei Wenxuan.

It wasn’t jealousy; Pei Wenxuan simply disliked Su Rongqing. Perhaps there was some initial goodwill towards her in the earlier years, but it had long since faded away over the years.

Li Rong was self-aware. She knew she wasn’t a likable girl, especially with her power struggles and conflicts with Pei Wenxuan. He probably grew tired of her.

Pei Wenxuan, despite being generally kind, had a bit of pity for people who had experienced hardships, especially considering his own return from a distant place. This might be the reason he took the initiative to propose cooperation.

However, deep down, the mutual dislike between them was well understood. When two people who know each other inside out despise each other, it’s a frightening situation. They are aware of each other’s vulnerabilities and tactics, making every move, every word, a targeted strike at the other’s most sensitive spots.

Salt on the wound, cutting words – these were the specialties of a couple who had spent half their lives wearing each other down.

Li Rong returned to her palace slowly, putting the events of the day behind her. Although she had a princess mansion for years, she always resided in the palace. Only the officials of the princess mansion and the two thousand guards and servants provided by Zhan Shi and Li Ming lived there, constituting her estate. Pei Wenxuan took her token, gathered people, and guarded outside the Yang family’s residence at night.

As expected, the Yang family almost entirely evacuated during the night, leaving only the old lady and some female relatives to keep up appearances at home. Pei Wenxuan’s night vigil outside the city became a successful capture operation, apprehending one after another throughout the night, just as he anticipated.

Li Rong had a good night’s sleep, and by dawn, she got up to freshen up. She went to the entrance of the main hall early, where the court officials were standing, engaged in casual conversations. The presence of the princess participating in the morning court was unusual, and it raised speculation among the officials. Unless specifically summoned, a princess wouldn’t directly attend the morning court. Thus, when Li Rong appeared, people began to wonder why she was there.

The few senior ministers who had listened to Li Ming’s passionate speech the day before were not surprised. The old monk remained seated, ignoring Li Rong.

Li Rong scanned the crowd but didn’t see the person she was looking for. After waiting for a while, Pei Wenxuan, yawning, finally arrived.

Given his rank, a minor official like him wouldn’t be allowed to enter the main hall. Li Rong, seeing him yawning and walking towards her, paid no attention to the curious gazes around her. Pei Wenxuan stood by her side, hands clasped in his sleeves, and mumbled, “It’s done.”

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

Li Rong observed him from head to toe, noticing the dark circles around his eyes as if he had been beaten. Unable to hold back, she asked, “Did you not sleep again?”

“Thanks to the princess,” Pei Wenxuan shook off his fatigue and looked a bit more spirited. He explained, “Another sleepless night.”

He hadn’t slept much the previous night, and yesterday was a tense day. Thinking about this cruel reality, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but say, “If it continues like this, without the princess taking action, I’m afraid I won’t last much longer.”

Li Rong covered her face with a small fan and chuckled softly. Pei Wenxuan had grown accustomed to her finding joy when he was displeased. Speaking in a low voice, he added, “Last night, they relocated like a colony of ants. All those young masters gathered together, so let’s keep them together today?”

“Up to you,” Li Rong whispered, “Let’s talk about it later in the morning.”

As the two were talking, they saw Su Minzhi leading Su Rongqing in. The Su family had a good reputation in the court, and upon their arrival, they naturally became the center of attention. Su Rongqing greeted people along with his father, and then stood in a prominent position.

When Su Rongqing entered, everyone couldn’t help but look over, including Li Rong. Pei Wenxuan noticed that Li Rong was watching Su Rongqing as she walked by. Without showing any signs, he approached Li Rong and whispered, “Let me remind you, don’t say everything you think when you meet someone. His position may not be clear.”

While they were talking, Su Rongqing looked over. He saw Li Rong, paused for a moment, and then smiled, giving a nod to Li Rong.

Li Rong nodded in return, and Pei Wenxuan made a soft sound of “heh” on the side. Li Rong ignored him, fearing that it might lead to an argument. So, the two stood side by side on the edge of the square. Then, the eunuch announced the start of the court session, and the ministers, in two columns, slowly walked into the hall amid the chanting and shouting.

Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan did not have official positions to enter the court, so they stood at the entrance, waiting for Li Ming’s summons.

Pei Wenxuan felt a bit tired, so he simply closed his eyes and said, “I’ll take a nap. Wake me up if there’s something.”

He didn’t wait for Li Rong’s response and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes to sleep.

Outside the main hall, there weren’t many people, and it was quite empty. On the contrary, the hall was lively, with ministers chatting loudly. For Pei Wenxuan, it turned out to be a perfect lullaby.

Initially, he stood leaning against the wall, but once asleep, he couldn’t control himself. Involuntarily, he leaned towards Li Rong.

Just as Li Rong was thinking about something, she felt Pei Wenxuan gradually getting closer. Suddenly aware of the weightlessness, he abruptly woke up and quickly straightened up.

Seeing him so tired, Li Rong felt somewhat disgusted and couldn’t help but say, “Are you that sleepy?”

“Try it yourself.” Pei Wenxuan, not having slept well and in a bad mood, smirked. Li Rong laughed, “Pei Wenxuan, you are really delicate.”

“Who am I doing this for?” Pei Wenxuan retorted immediately. After his retort, he stiffened, feeling a bit awkward, and turned his head, saying, “I won’t bother you.”

Li Rong remained silent. Pei Wenxuan closed his eyes again, and after a while, he suddenly heard Li Rong say, “Lean on me then.”

Pei Wenxuan ignored her, and then felt Li Rong leaning over. Their shoulders touched, and Li Rong’s usually cold voice seemed to carry warmth as she calmly said, “I’ve stabilized myself. Lean on me, you won’t fall.”

Pretending not to hear, Pei Wenxuan stood shoulder to shoulder with her on a step. He squinted and looked ahead, as the morning light gradually bathed the white jade steps, slowly ascending and then falling upon both of them.

The morning light brought warmth, but it was still not as warm as the slight heat from Li Rong’s shoulder. Pei Wenxuan seemed extremely tired, standing like this, and he felt a rare sense of peace.

He felt as if he might be asleep, or maybe not. Vaguely, he could still hear voices, the chirping of birds, but it felt as if he were in a dream.

Li Rong crossed her arms, listening to the ministers speaking in the court.

Li Ming disclosed the news of the Yang family losing three cities at the border. The court was shocked, and Li Ming requested a case against the Yang family. Naturally, there was a heated argument.

Most officials remained silent, but some believed Li Ming’s request was unreasonable. The Yang family had achieved significant military merits, and the ongoing frontline battles couldn’t be overshadowed by a few defeats, leading to the imprisonment and punishment of the families of frontline soldiers.

Listening to these officials defending the Yang family, Li Ming sneered, “So, if the Yang family members were accused of deceiving the emperor, kidnapping the princess, assassinating imperial officials, and colluding with enemy nations, would it still be unreasonable to investigate?!”

No one dared to speak in the entire hall. After a long silence, a minister hesitated and said, “May I ask Your Majesty where you heard these rumors?”

“Announce!” Li Ming raised his hand, and then the sharp voice of the eunuch echoed, “Announce princess Rong and Pei Wenxuan into the hall!”

Hearing their names, Li Rong turned her head and saw the young man slowly opening his eyes in the morning light.

His facial features were well-defined, and from the side, it seemed as if mountain ranges were overlapping. His eyelashes were long, and in the morning light, when he opened his eyes, they fluttered like butterfly wings, dancing in the radiance.

“Let’s go.”

Li Rong smiled gently, stood straight, and walked towards the main hall. Pei Wenxuan, watching Li Rong’s slender back in the morning light, felt a moment of dizziness and a vague sense of trance. After a moment, he came to his senses, couldn’t help but smile faintly, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened his eyes again, adjusted his expression, and walked inside. Following Li Rong, he knelt on the ground, loudly proclaiming, “Your humble subject greets Your Majesty, long live for countless years!”

“Rise,” Li Ming raised his hand, “Pei Wenxuan, read the reports to them.”

To establish a case against the Yang family, someone had to wield the pen. Others dared not write this report, but Pei Wenxuan had already prepared it the previous night.

The writing was sharp, without any disguise. It passionately and vehemently accused the Yang family of deceiving the emperor, acting tyrannically and unreasonably, colluding with enemy nations, and being lawless. After this scathing criticism, the entire hall fell silent. After a while, the Ministry of Justice reacted, and a debate ensued between Pei Wenxuan and the officials.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan arguing with the officials, Li Rong instinctively stepped back behind him, watching him engage in verbal combat.

Pei Wenxuan was a tough character with an even tougher mouth. In the past, he had always argued with her, and whether in the court or elsewhere, he could make everyone feel like they had spit out a mouthful of blood after arguing with him. Now, seeing Pei Wenxuan arguing with others, Li Rong unexpectedly felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

The entire Ministry of Justice took turns challenging Pei Wenxuan, who fought against them alone. Initially, Li Ming thought about intervening, but seeing how formidable Pei Wenxuan was, he fell silent and just sat there, sipping tea and listening to these people mockingly.

Li Rong retreated to the side, had tea prepared, and waited for Pei Wenxuan to finish arguing with these officials. When the room fell silent, she silently handed him the tea. Pei Wenxuan, accustomed to it, took the tea and drank it. After finishing, he suddenly felt something was off, turned around, and saw Li Rong with a smiling expression, as if saying, “Continue.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t know why, but in the presence of Li Rong like this, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. He pretended to remain calm, turned his head away, and looked at the ministers across from him who were still debating.

In the court, most debates were about stating grand principles, assigning significant labels, regardless of whether they were practically feasible. As long as one could stand on an “absolutely correct” principle, no one could say anything against you.

Pei Wenxuan was well aware of the routine in the court, and being in the prime of his youth, he enthusiastically debated with these people all morning. The drowsiness was completely gone, and he became quite lively.

The opposing officials either couldn’t argue back or couldn’t sway the opinions. In the end, they all admitted defeat. Li Ming, seeing that it was almost over, said, “Alright, since we’ve discussed it, let’s settle it this way.”

With that, Li Ming pointed at three people, “Princess Rong, Pei Wenxuan, Su Rongqing.”

The three individuals singled out stepped forward. Li Ming calmly said, “Concerning the high-profile Yang family, princess Rong will preside over this case. Pei Wenxuan is appointed as a supervisory censor to assist princess Rong in the trial. Since both are involved in this case, Su Rongqing, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Justice, will oversee and supervise. How do you all feel about this?”

No one spoke.

The argument had come to an end.

Satisfied, Li Ming nodded and said to the people around him, “Draft the decree. Yang Quan planned to harm the princess and assassinate minister. While the death penalty is avoidable, he cannot escape punishment. Considering the Yang family’s contributions, they won’t be handed over to prison immediately. After searching for evidence, they will be temporarily detained in their residence.”

Li Ming raised his head and said calmly, “Princess Rong, should I assign another five hundred people to you? Is that sufficient?”

“Thank you, father emperor,” Li Rong joyfully responded. “I will make sure to handle it properly.”

The courtiers remained silent. Li Ming seemed a bit weary, nodded, waved his hand, and announced, “The court session is over.”

Everyone bowed and paid their respects, sending off Li Ming. After he left, Li Rong stood up, glanced at Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing beside her, and smiled, “Now, I plan to search the Yang residence. How do you two plan to proceed?”

“We will follow Your Highness’s arrangements,” Pei Wenxuan respectfully replied, and Su Rongqing lightly smiled, “Me too.”

Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan and then at Su Rongqing. Seeing the two standing together with smiles on their faces, in harmony, she felt a strange and inexplicable sense of unease for the first time in many years. She cleared her throat, took a step forward, and said, “There’s no time to waste. Let’s go.”

Li Rong hurriedly distanced herself from them. Su Rongqing and Pei Wenxuan followed behind Li Rong. Li Rong couldn’t explain the reason, but her heart was beating rapidly.

The three of them walked out of the palace together, got on a carriage, and Li Rong led Jinglan and Jingmei to go ahead in the front carriage. She said to Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing, “I will go first, you two follow later.”

Saying that, Li Rong got on the carriage and, after instructing the guards to go to the Yang residence gate, she quickly lowered the curtain, used a fan to fan herself in a hurry, as if she had been holding back for a long time.

“Princess, what’s wrong?”

Seeing Li Rong’s appearance, Jingmei prepared tea for her and couldn’t help but laugh, “Why are you like this?”

Li Rong shook her head, poured tea from the side, and after calming down for a moment, she sighed with a tone of relief, “I suddenly pity those men with multiple wives and concubines.”

“Why does the princess say so?” Jingmei was puzzled. Li Rong, in a tone as if she had survived a disaster, sighed, “The heartbeat is too fast, can’t stand it.”

In the past, there was a time when she had thought about having many lovers, preferably those with the appearance of Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing, enjoying the pleasure of being surrounded by them every day.

But today, she suddenly realized that sometimes having too many people around might not bring happiness.

At least at this moment, she only felt fear, confusion, and uneasiness, with no happiness at all.

While Li Rong was emotionally fluctuating, Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing were exceptionally calm. The two of them shared a carriage and, with nothing else to do, started playing chess.

“I’m afraid the marriage between the gentleman and the princess has been decided.”

Su Rongqing picked up a chess piece, his voice calm, “I heard there was a commotion in the palace last night.”

“Master Su seems to be quite concerned about the princess’s marriage.”

“Who in Hua Jing wouldn’t be concerned? Now master Pei is a figure of discussion in the capital.”

“What are they discussing? Whether I will marry the princess?” Pei Wenxuan said, placing a chess piece on the board with a “snap” and looking at Su Rongqing, “Then let me be straightforward with master Su.”

“Princess, I have decided to marry her.”

Su Rongqing smiled, tapping his fan lightly in his palm, “Is that so? However, master Pei, I’m curious,” as Su Rongqing placed a chess piece on the board, he continued, “What does master Pei think of the princess?”

“She’s fine,” Pei Wenxuan said casually, “eloquent and understanding.”

As Pei Wenxuan spoke, another term popped into his mind—sharp-tongued.

“Considerate.”

Always able to step on the sore spots.

“She’s a great lady.”

After praising Li Rong, Pei Wenxuan suddenly felt a sense of not wanting to speak anymore. He felt that expressing these words had almost depleted all his energy.

Listening to Pei Wenxuan’s words, Su Rongqing nodded and gently said, “But I heard that master Pei had a pre-arranged marriage before, and regarding that girl…”

Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan raised a cold gaze and looked at Su Rongqing. Understanding the warning in Pei Wenxuan’s eyes, Su Rongqing nodded, “Understood, some people are like the bright moon, beautiful but unattainable.”

“Master Su, please refrain from mentioning Her Highness,” Pei Wenxuan said indifferently, “Otherwise, I might get confused about who master Su’s ‘bright moon’ is.”

“Just a joke.” Su Rongqing shook his fan, “Let’s continue with the game.”

The two continued playing chess, but the moves became messy and disorganized. Pei Wenxuan lost interest and directly said, “Master Su, I’m really tired. I’ll take a nap, and won’t bother you further.”

Su Rongqing smiled gently, “Please.”

Pei Wenxuan responded with a nod, leaned against the side, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Before falling asleep, for some reason, he thought of Li Rong’s visit in the early morning. She stood beside him, allowing him to lean on her, and yet she stood firm and stable. Despite her seemingly fragile figure, as if a breeze could blow her away, he wondered how she could stand so steadily.

Pei Wenxuan was lost in his thoughts, unaware of it himself, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

When Pei Wenxuan woke up, he went to the Yang mansion. Li Rong had already sent people to surround the mansion in advance. As he got off the horse carriage, he saw the guards and soldiers of the Yang mansion facing off.

The gates of the Yang mansion were tightly closed, and the soldiers on both sides dared not make a move. Li Rong walked to the side of the guards, and her attendant Zhang Jiangping stepped forward, respectfully saying, “Princess.”

“Where are the people from the Yang family?”

“They are all inside, refusing to come out. Princess, we dare not take action in your presence.”

Li Rong nodded and looked at the gates of the Yang mansion. She held a fan to her chest, lightly tapping her arm with it, not saying anything. Su Rongqing and Pei Wenxuan approached, and Su Rongqing asked in confusion, “Your Highness, why is the Yang mansion locking the gates?”

“Well,” Li Rong thought for a moment, “I dare not say.”

With that, Li Rong turned her head and beckoned to Pei Wenxuan. He approached and respectfully said, “Your Highness.”

“Do you think I can reason with the Yang family? Can you argue convincingly?”

“I cannot argue convincingly. In the court, there are ranks, and Your Highness can win. But now, in front of the Yang mansion, the listeners are all common people. The Yang family has a high reputation among the people. Without sufficient evidence, forcefully searching the mansion may tarnish our reputation.”

“Hmm,” Pei Wenxuan decisively spoke, “I admit defeat. Your Highness, let’s not struggle further.”

After thinking for a moment, Li Rong then turned to Zhang Jiangping and said, “Jiangping, guard the Yang family well. If they don’t come out, don’t go in.”

Zhang Jiangping agreed, and Li Rong took a brief look around, surveyed the situation, and then said to Su Rongqing, “Lord Su, in the current situation, searching the mansion is not appropriate. I intend to go to the Ministry of War to get some account books. Would lord Su be willing to help?”

“I will follow Your Highness’s orders,” Su Rongqing respectfully replied. Li Rong nodded and then said, “Please go to the Ministry of War to coordinate. If the Ministry of War is willing to investigate the accounts, I will go there later.”

Su Rongqing agreed, and Li Rong turned to Pei Wenxuan, saying, “Lord Pei.”

“I am here.”

“Lord Pei, you didn’t bring a carriage. I’ll accompany you part of the way.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Pei Wenxuan expressed his gratitude and, following Li Rong’s arrangement, boarded her carriage. After Li Rong instructed Jiangping to treat the Yang family members well, the curtains were drawn, and she entered the carriage.

Both sat on opposite sides as the carriage set off again. Jinglan and Jingmei did not enter; Li Rong poured tea for herself. Pei Wenxuan asked directly, “Where are we going?”

“Why don’t you think I’m sending you home?”

Li Rong raised an eyebrow, and Pei Wenxuan shook his head, “Today was fruitless. You can’t just go back like this.”

“Indeed, you know me well after all these years.” Li Rong lifted the tea cup, blew off the tea leaves on top, and spoke slowly, “Do you remember Taibai Yan?”

Pei Wenxuan thought carefully for a moment before finally recalling, “The moneylender you caught before?”

“Yes.” Li Rong nodded, “He frequently traveled between the northwest and the capital, with business extending to several countries. While he appeared to conduct legitimate business, in reality, he made a living by money laundering. The nobles in the capital had frequent dealings with him, including the Yang family.”

“Including the Yangs.”

Pei Wenxuan affirmed, and Li Rong responded, “Although the Yang family perished by my father’s hands, the investigation was not thorough. Later, I investigated Taibai Yan for Chuan’er and truly discovered the entire operation of the Yang family. Taibai Yan could thrive between nations not only because of his business acumen but also because he had a lifesaver—”

Saying this, Li Rong leaned closer to Pei Wenxuan and whispered, “Account books.”

“So, you’re not in a hurry to check the Ministry of War’s accounts.” Pei Wenxuan understood, and Li Rong smirked, “What’s the use of checking the accounts of the Ministry of War and the Yang family? Those are things people investigate every year. Can they be genuine? Besides, unless we can obtain evidence ourselves, those old foxes at the Ministry of War won’t dare to give you the account books. Unlike before, when we had widespread support, now in the court, nobody welcomes us. It’s just the two of us. We have to rely on each other.”

Listening to Li Rong, Pei Wenxuan analyzed, “If we get the money laundering account books from Taibai Yan, compare them with the accounts of the northwest military, and the Yang family’s accounts, we can roughly figure out the inflow and outflow of funds. The embezzlement within the Yang family should also become clear.”

Li Rong agreed and continued, “Now that we have trapped the Yang family members, they will seek help from the border. General Yang, upon receiving an urgent report at home, is likely to do something immediately to pressure the emperor. If they resign from their positions and lose control of the city, it’s probable that the entire court, both civil and military, will plead with us to appease the Yang family and ask them to fight properly.”

“At the right time, we’ll let the crown prince take charge of this matter,” Pei Wenxuan calmly spoke, as if everything was within his calculations. “We’ll bring Qin Lin and Cui Qinghe out of seclusion, accompany the crown prince to the front lines. As long as we endure for another half month on the front lines, the military resources of the enemy nation will be nearly depleted. At that time, it will be the opportune moment for the crown prince to achieve military success.”

Qin Lin and Cui Qinghe were the most capable generals under Li Chuan in the previous era. One excelled in civil matters, the other in martial affairs. During Li Chuan’s era, they almost pacified the entire northern region.

If they could bring them out of seclusion ahead of time, with their abilities, coupled with the support of the Shangguan family, Li Chuan, and the information provided by Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan’s foresight, it should be relatively easy to eliminate the remnants of the Yang family in the northwest.

Li Rong nodded and replied, “If Chuan’er can stabilize the Yang family, it will give us access to the accounts in the northwest. Once we have the accounts, the Yang family will be completely finished. Now, our first step is to obtain the money laundering accounts. With these accounts, when the Yang family applies pressure, we’ll have a reason to continue holding onto them.”

“Good,” Pei Wenxuan nodded. Then, he looked out the window at the bustling activity and asked with some confusion, “And what about us now?”

“Taibai Yan’s villa holds a private gathering on the tenth of every month, inviting wealthy merchants from various countries.”

Li Rong reminded Pei Wenxuan, “Today is the tenth.”

“You’re going?” Pei Wenxuan expressed surprise, and Li Rong nodded, “I know where he keeps the accounts. I need to go and retrieve them.”

“For such matters,” Pei Wenxuan frowned, “let the undercover guards handle it. It’s not appropriate for someone of your status.”

“I don’t know if I am precious?”

Li Rong gave Pei Wenxuan a glance, then said, “His room is equipped with mechanisms. To open the door, you must turn the correct buttons, and those buttons are in Persian. Among your secret guards, can you find someone who knows Persian?”

Pei Wenxuan choked for a moment and could only helplessly say, “Well…”

“Why?” Li Rong smiled, covering half of her face with a fan. “Are you worried about me?”

“I am worried about myself,” Pei Wenxuan glanced at her and quickly said, “If something happens to you, what use is my life?”

“Your thinking is not bad,” Li Rong nodded, pointed at his chest with the fan, and joked, “Starting from today, master Pei, remember, my life belongs to you.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

He discreetly stepped back, impatiently saying, “Stay away from me and don’t play these tricks on me.”

Li Rong knew that he didn’t like her teasing and laughed even more. Pei Wenxuan, seeing her arrogant, ignored her and asked, “It’s a private banquet. How do we get in?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve arranged for invitations. Later, we’ll change into different clothes and sneak in.”

“Alright.” Pei Wenxuan nodded. Thinking that Li Rong was usually reliable in handling matters, he felt reassured. So, he relaxed a bit and said to Li Rong, “I’ll take a nap for a while. Wake me up when we arrive.”

“Sure.” Li Rong took out a book from the side and leaned against it, leisurely saying, “I’ll read, and you sleep.”

Pei Wenxuan agreed and found a place to lie down.

Li Rong’s carriage was quite comfortable, but there was still some jolting. Pei Wenxuan closed his eyes, smelling the faint fragrance coming from Li Rong not far away. Somehow, he didn’t feel very sleepy for a while, so he opened his eyes.

Looking through the small table, he could see Li Rong’s embroidered peony-patterned luxurious dress with a combination of red and white. The wide-sleeved dress was tied at the waist, revealing Li Rong’s slender waist. The waist was less than a grasp, compared to the slightly undulating mountains above, giving off a charming and captivating allure.

Pei Wenxuan felt it was inappropriate and dared not look too much. He quickly shifted his gaze upwards and saw Li Rong’s hands, hands like carved white jade, flawless, with nails dyed in vermilion. Just by looking at them, it seemed as if they were gently stirring in one’s heart.

Pei Wenxuan furrowed his brows. He realized that he hadn’t truly examined Li Rong closely in many years. It dawned on him that Li Rong, by nature, was like a enchanting fairy.

Unlike other girls in the capital who valued slim and elegant beauty, Li Rong’s beauty was always flamboyant and alluring. While other beautiful women might be admired like a painting, ready to be framed and hung on the wall for daily admiration, Li Rong walked on the extreme. For ordinary men, they dared not meet her gaze, lacking the courage even to make eye contact. However, for someone like Pei Wenxuan who dared to look at her directly, just meeting her eyes could easily bring out that inexpressible darkness from deep within.

No one would think of treating her as a distant painting. Instead, they would want to get closer, possess her, and hold her in their arms, making themselves the unique and singular existence in her eyes.

This contradictory charm made her dazzling yet lonely. Few dared to approach her, look her in the eye, let alone accompany her.

Pei Wenxuan looked at her, his thoughts drifting for a moment. Li Rong noticed that Pei Wenxuan wasn’t sleeping and turned a page of the book, saying lightly, “Can’t sleep?”

“Yeah.”

Being discovered, Pei Wenxuan didn’t feel embarrassed. He casually said, “Don’t know why, feeling both tired and unable to sleep.”

“Shall I accompany you and chat a bit?”

Li Rong put down the book and looked at Pei Wenxuan.

Pei Wenxuan turned around, scrutinizing her, and cautiously said, “Do you have something you want to ask me?”

“Indeed,” Li Rong dusted off her sleeve, adjusted her clothes, leaned against the small table, and smiled at Pei Wenxuan. “I just want to know, why does master Pei have to kill Yang Quan?”

“Hmm?”

“I thought about it just now,” Li Rong said seriously. “In fact, master Pei doesn’t necessarily have to kill Yang Quan to marry me. There are many ways for master Pei to achieve that. Now that you’ve killed Yang Quan, either you die or the Yang family perishes. What is master Pei seeking by doing all this?”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent, and Li Rong waited quietly. Pei Wenxuan spoke slowly, “You wanted military power, didn’t you?”

Li Rong raised her eyebrows, and Pei Wenxuan looked at her, saying, “You want it, I’ll give it to you. What’s the problem?”

Upon hearing this, Li Rong was momentarily stunned, then hesitated before saying, “I think the friendship between you and me seems unable to bear such a heavy gift.”

“It has nothing to do with our friendship,” Pei Wenxuan chuckled. “I just don’t want to relive the same life as in my previous incarnation.”

He then looked out the window and continued, “I don’t want the Yang family to continue causing trouble. I don’t want the emperor and the Yang family to fight, with the war-torn country benefiting and ceding five cities, until I become the prime minister to clean up this mess.”

“I don’t want the crown prince to be on the verge of being deposed again due to lack of military power. When we met in prison, I heard you bid farewell to me, saying that if necessary, you could personally behead me.”

“Now that I have a chance to start anew, I believe,” Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, his expression serious, “I can live a better life.”

Li Rong remained silent. She closed the small fan in her hand and after a while, she chuckled softly, lowered her head, and said gently, “Talking about it, prime minister Pei is still paving the way for himself. Just now, you said it was for me. I listened, and,” Li Rong raised her eyes, her beautiful phoenix eyes full of charm, “I’m almost moved.”

“Oh?” Pei Wenxuan lifted his eyes, seemingly quite pleased. “So, Your Highness is moved by this? In that case, Your Highness should be moved.”

With a nonchalant tone, Pei Wenxuan joked, “If Your Highness is moved by me, I can at least guarantee that I won’t kill Your Highness.”

Hearing this, Li Rong laughed mockingly, “Afraid that if I want to take your life later, you’ll still need me to accompany you in death.”

Just like in the previous life, when he thought she had killed him, he immediately sent someone to deliver medicine to her. Unfortunately, she was one step ahead and didn’t get to taste the poison he had given her.

“Li Rong, I have something to tell you. I am willing to make a bet with you,” Pei Wenxuan reclined on the couch, one hand supporting his head, the other bent at the knee, earnestly looking at Li Rong. “If you can sincerely care for me, I’ll give you my life.”

“But, Princess Rong ” Pei Wenxuan leaned in, getting close to Li Rong, with only a foot of space between them. Li Rong could even feel their breaths intertwining, yet there was no hint of romance. Pei Wenxuan’s eyes were clear as he looked at her and whispered, “In all these years, have you ever truly cared for anyone?”

Author’s message: Li Rong: “Bring it on, then.”

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