Chapter 38: At The Palace Banquet, Li Rong Confronts Consort Rou

The two of them slept for less than two hours when a knocking sound came from outside. Jinglan stood outside, respectfully saying, “Your Highness, consort, His Majesty has arranged a banquet in the Hall of Supreme Harmony at noon today. You need to get up.”

Li Rong, hearing this, forced herself to open her eyes with determination, nudged Pei Wenxuan, “Get up, quickly.”

Pei Wenxuan covered his eyes with his hand, a pained expression on his face. After a moment, he propped himself up and shook his head, saying, “Get up.”

Encouraging each other, the two got up. Just as they were about to leave, Li Rong moved, causing the white silk on the bed to fall. Both of them looked at the white silk, and Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan, “You handle it.”

Pei Wenxuan helplessly stepped forward, picked up the white silk, cut his finger, stained it with blood, and threw it back on the bed. He then said to the outside, “Come in and attend.”

Jinglan entered and a group of maidservants approached, assisting the two in grooming. After changing into palace attire, they boarded a carriage to the palace.

They were both extremely tired on the way, resting against the carriage sides. When they arrived at the palace and felt the carriage stop, they finally snapped back to reality.

They rested in the carriage for a moment before finally exiting, one after the other. By now, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was already filled with people.

Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan respectfully greeted the officials in the hall as they walked to the back. Behind the hall, there was a small room where the emperor and empress held a separate banquet for the royal family. Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan entered the small hall, paid respects to the emperor and empress, received gifts, and were then allowed to sit beside the emperor.

The palace banquet was lively, with all the palace members present. Everyone was silently assessing Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan remained composed, pretending not to notice the gazes of the people around him. He conversed with Li Ming about trivial matters.

Li Ming was familiar with Pei Wenxuan. Normally, they discussed official matters. At this moment, they rarely touched upon personal topics. However, given Li Ming’s special care for Pei Wenxuan, it carried a different meaning in the eyes of the onlookers.

After a few exchanges between Li Ming and Pei Wenxuan, Li Ming inquired about the situation at princess Li Rong’s residence. Li Rong followed up with the answers. After a brief chat, it was time to start the banquet.

Dishes were brought out one by one. Since Li Rong had disciplined the princesses beforehand, they dared not cause any trouble. The meal proceeded peacefully. After finishing most of the food, everyone sat down for casual conversation. The noble consorts individually inquired about Pei Wenxuan. He answered each question meticulously. Afterward, consort Rou softly laughed, “I didn’t expect the child to grow up so quickly. Now that the marriage of princess Rong has been settled, sister,” Consort Rou turned to the empress, speaking gently, “I wonder if preparations have been made for the marriage of crown prince?”

Li Chuan is two years younger than Li Rong. Now that Li Rong has become married, everyone’s attention is focused on Li Chuan.

The empress smiled calmly, saying, “Chuan is still young, let’s not consider these matters for now.”

“Crown prince is not too young,” Consort Mei added, “Your Majesty, back in the day, when you were of a similar age, you had already arranged a marriage with the empress, right?”

Upon hearing this, the empress, without leaving any trace, glanced at consort Mei with a hint of warning, “You seem to care a lot about the crown prince.”

“As for the crown prince,” Consort Rou laughed gently on the side, “who wouldn’t care? But what sister says is true. The crown prince still has four years until his coming-of-age ceremony. It’s not urgent, but these four years can’t be idle either. Slowly selecting, and finding a suitable match is the key.”

As consort Rou expressed her thoughts fervently, the emperor looked at her with no expression on his face. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Regarding the crown prince,” Consort Rou seemed a bit embarrassed, “it’s all up to sister’s decision. How can a lowly concubine have any ideas?”

“Although the crown prince is the empress’s son, he has also been under your watchful eyes,” the emperor lifted his teacup, raising his hand slightly, “but feel free to speak your mind.”

“This is what I think,” Consort Rou tucked her hair behind her ear, looking at Li Chuan, “The crown prince holds a prestigious status. When it comes to status, there’s hardly any woman in this world who can match. There’s no need to prioritize status as the primary consideration for a marriage. The most important thing is character. I have a little niece at home, gentle and virtuous, around the same age as the crown prince. I dare to recommend her, feeling that this little niece is very suitable.”

As these words were spoken, Li Chuan’s gaze coldly swept over. The empress’s expression was also very unpleasant. The emperor looked at Li Chuan, saw his displeased face, furrowed his brows, then turned to Li Rong. Seeing Li Rong casually blowing the tea leaves in her teacup with a contented look, he couldn’t help but feel a bit puzzled and inquired, “Rong’er, don’t you inquire about your brother’s marriage?”

Li Rong, being called out, looked up with a confused expression, “What’s there to ask about?”

“For such a big matter,” Li Ming laughed at Li Rong’s playful response, “you don’t care at all?”

“Father emperor,” Li Rong put down her teacup, looking serious, “the palace has its rules. Does father not know? Although Chuan is my younger brother, he is also the heir to the throne. Regarding his marriage, besides father emperor and mother empress, who dares to have a say? Moreover, father emperor is wise; he will surely find a good match for Chuan. I won’t bother with such matters.”

Speaking, she looked up at Rou with a smile and said, “Consort Rou, why bother with so much?”

Consort Rou responded calmly to this remark, and Hua Yue quickly interjected, “Sister, that’s not right. We are all family, and my mother is also doing it for the good of the crown prince. Your words really hurt people’s hearts.”

“Oh, sister, do you really want me to be so clear?” Li Rong sighed, turned to Li Ming, and said, “Father, I don’t want to hurt consort Rou’s feelings, after all, in my heart, consort Rou has watched me grow up. In an ordinary family, she would be like a wet nurse or foster mother. It’s just that there are some things, I feel it’s not appropriate to say out loud. Father, what do you think? Should I say it or not?”

The use of words like “wet nurse” and “foster mother” caused a change in Hua Yue’s expression. After a glance at both sides, Li Ming said, “Go ahead.”

“Chuan is the crown prince, and the matter of choosing a wife is very important. Family background, appearance, character, all are indispensable. Among the noblewomen, there are many choices, so why pick a girl from a small and humble family? If the crown prince really marries consort Rou’s niece as the crown princess, how would the courtiers think? How would the people think? If Chuan wants to marry a girl, at least she should be from a prestigious family like me,” Li Rong said with a smile, pulling Pei Wenxuan’s hand. “At least, she should be a legitimate young lady from a prominent family, right?”

Li Rong’s words sounded innocent and romantic. Li Ming’s face didn’t look good at first, but when Li Rong took Pei Wenxuan’s hand, he immediately felt relieved, thinking that this daughter was just disdainful of consort Rou’s background.

Although he didn’t like this matter very much, he could understand it. After all, consort Rou’s background was indeed not respectable. With Li Rong’s personality, it was common for her not to appreciate it. Consort Rou even wanted to send her niece to become the crown princess, which Li Ming also felt was inappropriate.

Li Ming nodded and steered the conversation away, “Chuan is still young. Let’s talk about this later. Keep an eye out for suitable girls, and inform the empress when there is one.”

After saying this, the empress’s expression improved. The group chatted for a while, and a eunuch came from outside, whispered something to Li Ming, who responded, then raised his head and said to everyone, “It’s about time. I have other matters to attend to, so let’s disperse.”

After Li Ming finished speaking, everyone knelt to see him off. When Li Ming reached the outer hall, he exchanged a few words with the courtiers and then left.

After Li Ming left, the empress announced the end of the banquet. Li Rong went forward to bid farewell to the empress and Li Chuan, then left with Pei Wenxuan.

The two of them greeted each other as they left the banquet and boarded the carriage. As soon as they entered the carriage, Li Rong let out a sigh of relief. She sat by the table and slumped down. Pei Wenxuan sat opposite her, also looking quite exhausted. While pouring tea for himself, he spoke, “Eating with your family is too tiring. After one meal, it feels like attending a morning court session. And all the topics are about you women; it’s uncomfortable for me.”

“Do you think I’m not uncomfortable?” Li Rong took the tea he poured, getting a bit angry. “What kind of person is consort Rou! Just because of her niece, she wants to climb onto Chuan? She should take a good look at herself. A toad wanting to eat swan meat. Today, she got off easy!”

“What else do you want to do?” Pei Wenxuan sipped his tea, looking serious. “Poison her?”

“I wouldn’t mind doing that,” Li Rong turned to look at him. “Can you do it? If you can, I’ll pay a thousand gold coins for her head.”

“A thousand gold coins for the head of the noble consort?” Pei Wenxuan laughed, and Li Rong smirked, turning her head away. “But,” Pei Wenxuan pondered, speaking seriously, “the crown prince’s marriage is indeed something to consider.”

In the previous life, Li Chuan’s marriage was arranged in the following spring, and the candidates were likely to be decided around this time. The empress already had a candidate in mind for the crown princess, and the search was only for concubines.

Li Rong thought for a moment, listening as Pei Wenxuan continued, “I wonder how the princess plans for the crown prince’s marriage. Will it follow the same path as the previous life, using marriage to connect with influential families and solidify the crown prince’s position, or do you have other plans?”

“What do you think?” Li Rong lifted her teacup and took a sip.

In reality, both of them understood that they were not discussing Li Chuan’s marriage but rather the position of the crown prince and how to compete for it.

“In the previous life, the empress selected a legitimate wife for the crown prince and four concubines, which indeed solidified the relationship between the crown prince and influential families. If His Highness thinks that, in this life, the crown prince should follow the same path, leveraging the power of influential families and complementing it with the military strength in the northwest to confront the emperor head-on, then that is indeed one path.”

Li Rong remained silent, tapping her palm lightly with a golden folding fan. “What about the other path?” Pei Wenxuan asked.

“In the previous life, do you recall how the crown prince was deposed?” Pei Wenxuan suddenly asked. Li Rong knew he wouldn’t ask without reason, so she thought carefully before responding, “Chuan had no military power in his hands; he relied entirely on influential families. The emperor used the crown prince’s uncle, Su Wang, as a puppet and secretly supported ordinary aristocratic families. Any aristocratic family that sided with Su Wang was promoted, creating a counterbalance against Chuan.”

Li Ming was an extremely patient emperor. His encirclement of Li Chuan was almost all-encompassing. He supported ordinary aristocratic families and secretly fueled conflicts between these second-tier families and the top-tier families, suppressing those who supported Li Chuan in the court.

He plotted to take away the military power of the Yang family and handed it over to Li Chuan’s uncle, giving Su Wang the military strength to counter Li Chuan.

At the same time, he manipulated the relationships among Li Chuan’s consorts, intensifying the estrangement between Li Chuan and his in-law aristocratic families, leading to the death of one of the concubines. From the inner court to the court, there was almost no peaceful place.

“The crown prince was bound by these powerful aristocratic families, but his heart was set on the entire realm, not just one family. In the later period, the crown prince and these aristocratic families seemed united but had underlying disputes. After prime minister Shangguan Xu fell ill and passed away, the Shangguan family declined, and the crown prince was forced to establish closer ties with other aristocratic families. However, these noble families were not completely obedient to the crown prince. So, after Qin Lin achieved victories on the border, the emperor’s suspicion of the crown prince reached its peak, leading to the Tai Prefecture Incident.”

Pei Wenxuan’s voice was calm as he reminded Li Rong of the events in the previous life.

The Tai Prefecture Incident was the nominal reason for Li Chuan’s deposition. One of the crown prince’s consorts, lady Nie, and her family, in the name of the crown prince, illegally seized nearly a thousand acres of fertile land in their hometown in Tai Prefecture, resulting in the brutal deaths of nearly a hundred people. One survivor managed to escape and brought the case to Hua Jing to seek justice.

This case has shocked the Great Xia, and there is not a person under the heavens who is not indignant. Prior to this, there were already numerous incidents of aristocrats associated with Li Chuan being unjustly treated. With this case added, the grievances of the people throughout the Great Xia boiled over. Scholars from various regions wrote articles condemning Li Chuan, and hundreds of officials knelt at the door of the imperial study, pleading for the crown prince’s removal, even at the cost of their lives. Li Chuan, devoid of military power and losing the support of the people, was deposed as a matter of course.

After Li Chuan was imprisoned, in order to demonstrate justice, Li Ming announced a thorough investigation into the Shangguan family. As a result, Li Rong was imprisoned, Qin Zhenzhen went to the northwest, and Pei Wenxuan traveled to persuade people in various regions.

In the end, Pei Wenxuan persuaded the major noble families, instilling fear in them of favoring an ordinary lord like Su Wang for the throne. He promised them significant benefits, eventually uniting the powerful clans. Along with Qin Lin, they attacked the capital, supporting Li Chuan’s ascension to the throne.

Whether defeated or victorious, it was always the aristocratic families that benefited. Li Chuan clearly understood the nature of these families, which were like blood-sucking behemoths entwined with the nation. The emperor was a puppet in their hands; they could elevate him or depose him.

Thus, throughout his life, Li Chuan followed in the footsteps of Li Ming, engaging in a lifelong struggle against the aristocracy.

“So, in this lifetime, why doesn’t the crown prince distance himself from the aristocracy?”

“Distance himself from the aristocracy?” Li Rong furrowed her brows. “Who will support Chuan in the future if he does that?”

“Don’t we exist?” Pei Wenxuan turned to look at Li Rong. “Now that we have sent Qin Lin to the northwest, where he joins forces with Cui Qinghe, we can assist them secretly and help them control the military power in the northwest.”

“And then?”

“I will align myself with the emperor, cooperating with him to cultivate an ordinary family that can resist the Shangguan family. As for His Highness the crown prince, he doesn’t need to do anything except be a good crown prince, not aligning with any faction, avoiding any stain, winning the people’s hearts—that’s enough.”

“But if the emperor intends to harm him, won’t he be isolated and helpless?”

Li Rong expressed some concern, and upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but smile.

“Doesn’t Her Highness understand why the emperor wants to depose the crown prince?”

With this question, Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, who pondered for a moment before saying, “What do you think is the reason?”

“His Majesty wants to depose not the crown prince, but the crown prince in the hands of the aristocracy.”

As Li Rong listened to Pei Wenxuan’s words, she played with the fan in her hand, lowering her gaze. Many things were unclear when one was young, but with age comes understanding.

Li Ming’s persistent desire to depose the crown prince in those days wasn’t just because he didn’t want the Shangguan family to rise; perhaps he also realized the pressure that these powerful noble families posed to his political power.

Li Ming was an emperor more inclined to warfare than Li Chuan. Unifying the northern border was his lifelong ambition. If he attempted to go to war externally, these nobles who longed for peace, these influential family forces, would undoubtedly be the most difficult core issues to resolve on the battlefield.

In his youth, Li Chuan advocated benevolent rule, and being from the Shangguan family, his so-called benevolence was the type of monarch that aristocratic families loved. The closer Li Chuan was associated with the noble families, the more Li Ming would perceive him as a puppet cultivated by the aristocracy, an imperial prince wasted by the noble families.

She probably understood Pei Wenxuan’s train of thought, raising her eyes and saying, “So, you hope Chuan can extricate himself from the conflict between the aristocracy and the emperor, not becoming a target in their confrontation.”

“Yes,” Pei Wenxuan affirmed, “and then I will be the emperor’s blade. I’ll help His Majesty remove the abscesses of those noble families, redirecting His Majesty’s attention to the aristocracy rather than the crown prince. That way, the crown prince will be temporarily safe.”

“But Chuan can’t have no one supporting him,” Li Rong still expressed concern. “He needs people to help him.”

“Isn’t there the imperial examination system?”

Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, who was momentarily taken aback.

If it weren’t for reliving a lifetime, Li Rong might have laughed at those three words.

With the imperial examination system in place, most of the selected individuals were still the offspring of nobility. Even if there were occasional true commoners entering, they would only serve as minor officials in the corners, never entering the realm of power struggles.

However, Li Rong had witnessed how Pei Wenxuan manipulated this system and the effects when the newly generated forces under this system were utilized by the monarch. After a moment of contemplation, she concluded, “Chuan should focus on himself, temporarily avoiding conflicts, secretly promoting talents from humble origins to gain the people’s support. You become the leader of ordinary nobility, engage in the struggle against the first-class aristocratic families, weaken the power of the current emperor and the existing powerful clans. I will maintain a balance between the Shangguan family and other major clans. If one day the emperor decides to settle the score with the crown prince…”

“The entire court, from the first-class aristocratic families to those from humble origins through the imperial examination, will mostly be loyal to His Highness,” Pei Wenxuan interrupted Li Rong, speaking earnestly. “Moreover, the crown prince won’t engage in overly intense conflicts with the aristocracy in the future. The scene of the crown prince ruthlessly purging the aristocracy, as seen in the previous life’s early stages, will not repeat.”

Li Rong remained silent, and seeing her hesitation, Pei Wenxuan speculated on what she might be pondering.

“You still don’t like people from humble backgrounds,” he remarked.

“People from humble beginnings,” Li Rong looked up at him, her gaze sharp, “mostly harbor a bloodthirsty greed for power. Given power, they can’t control their desire for wealth. Even the noblest families are like this, let alone them.”

“All people are like that,” Pei Wenxuan said calmly, “what’s the distinction between high and low?”

“How many years have you said that to me?” Li Rong sneered. “How many of your people have been found guilty of corruption and bribery? Do I need to remind you?”

“And how many of your people have resorted to deception, betrayal, and misconduct to the point of failure? Do I need to remind you?” 

Pei Wenxuan retorted reflexively, and Li Rong looked at him with a cold gaze. Caught off guard by that piercing look, Pei Wenxuan, after a moment’s pause, inexplicably felt a bit short of breath.

He cleared his throat, turned his head away, and said in a calm tone, “I’m just offering a suggestion. In the end, the decision is yours, Your Highness. If you choose the first path, we’ll continue down the same old road. The aftermath, with the crown prince dealing with the aristocracy, will be as it was in the previous life.”

Li Rong remained silent, tapping her palm with her fingers. Pei Wenxuan glanced at her and continued, “Or, we could try the second path. There’s not much risk, and once successful, the crown prince’s future ascent to the throne will face fewer obstacles. You won’t have to engage in constant struggles with the aristocracy, and you won’t need to laboriously maintain the relationship between the Shangguan family, the emperor, and the crown prince. His Majesty will be happier, and your relationship with him might improve a bit…”

Li Rong listened to Pei Wenxuan desperately talking about the benefits behind, unable to help but lower her head and laugh. Pei Wenxuan saw her smile and leaned over, asking, “What does Your Highness think?”

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong turned her head to look at him, “it’s a pity not to send you into the palace to serve, with such a clever mouth.”

“Not a pity,” Pei Wenxuan smiled at Li Rong, “serving Your Highness is just as good.”

“Let’s do as you said.” Li Rong said indifferently, “But if so, Chuan cannot marry now. Even if he does, he cannot marry a noble. The other consorts are easier to handle, but Shangguan’s…”

Pei Wenxuan knew about the extraordinary friendship between Li Rong and Shangguan Ya. He raised his eyebrows, “How do you plan to handle it?”

“I need to meet Shangguan Ya.” Li Rong looked up, closing her fan in her palm, calmly saying, “This matter must be brought up by Shangguan Ya herself.”

Otherwise, after the Shangguan family had gone to such great lengths to help, if Li Chuan went back on his word, there might be no one willing to help Li Chuan in the future.

Pei Wenxuan nodded and applauded, “Good strategy.”

Li Rong glanced at him lightly, “Exaggerated.”

“Then it’s settled.” Pei Wenxuan resumed his usual demeanor, picked up the tea, and said calmly, “I’ll assist His Majesty here, and you’ll be responsible for contacting the Shangguan and Su families and other nobles. Don’t let them feel completely estranged from the crown prince.”

Speaking of this, Pei Wenxuan remembered something and looked at Li Rong, covering up the faint bitterness in his heart, “Your Highness can also take advantage of this opportunity to build a good relationship with master Su.”

“In that case, I’ll have to rely on you as well,” Li Rong said calmly, “to contact miss Qin more and cultivate some relationship. She and Chuan have a complicated fate, so it’s better not to meet.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan got a headache. He regretted his loose tongue and quickly changed the subject, “When we arrive at the Pei residence later, if there’s anything you’re unhappy about meeting my family, feel free to express it.”

Li Rong, hearing Pei Wenxuan mention his family, was already prepared and nodded in response.

The two of them fell into a moment of silence, sitting quietly in the carriage. After a while, for some reason, Li Rong suddenly remembered Pei Wenxuan’s words from the previous night.

She didn’t dare to delve into that topic deeply. When Pei Wenxuan brought it up abruptly, she could only playfully divert the conversation, pretending not to care.

But Pei Wenxuan was too persistent, forcing her to think and confront the issue.

Lifting the curtain with a golden fan, she gazed at the birds flying outside.

“Pei Wenxuan.”

She suddenly called his name. Pei Wenxuan looked up in confusion, and Li Rong turned her head, quietly looking at him.

“I trust you once in my life. If you lead me astray, I’ll have you beheaded and fed to the dogs.”

Pei Wenxuan was momentarily confused. He didn’t know what Li Rong was trusting him with.

After a moment of thought, he guessed it must be about the succession plan he had laid out for her. Confidently, he smiled, raised his hand forward, and nodded slightly, saying, “Your Highness, rest assured. I’ve thought through everything. Absolutely no problem.”

Seeing Pei Wenxuan’s confident smile, Li Rong couldn’t tell if he had genuinely thought it through or if he was overconfident.

But Li Rong didn’t want to argue with him.

Pei Wenxuan was unpredictable in certain details, and she had grown accustomed to it.

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