Chapter 44: The Only Person I Truly Loved And Lost Was Li Rong

The empress and Li Rong locked eyes, neither yielding. After a moment, the empress reluctantly stepped back. After all, with Li Rong’s statement, if she insisted on making Li Rong withdraw forcefully, it would damage her pride and make the situation awkward.

Anyway, Li Chuan’s choice of a bride was already decided, and adding Li Rong to the mix wouldn’t hurt.

So, the empress smiled and said, “You’re quite stubborn. Then, let princess Rong also present an incense burner.”

“Thank you, mother.” Li Rong smiled and bowed.

After a while, incense burners and commonly used fragrances were arranged on trays and placed in front of each girl.

If it was about identifying scents, most noble girls knew, but actually blending fragrances was a different skill. However, being able to identify scents was considered a foundation. So, everyone started working, at least able to mix their commonly used sachets and place them in the incense burners.

Li Rong wasn’t an expert, but she had experience with fragrance blending from Pei Wenxuan. He had prepared a few sachets for her before. Following a recipe he had given her, she leisurely blended the fragrance while keeping an eye on her surroundings.

Everyone was busy picking and sniffing the materials in front of them. Especially Shangguan Ya, recommended by empress and consort Rou’s niece, Xiao Wei; they were obviously skilled, displaying graceful and proficient movements, looking beautiful.

Behind lady Shangguan, Qin Zhenzhen seemed unsure of what to do. She kept her head down, grinding the materials in front of her, as if trying hard to blend in and find something to do.

While selecting materials, Li Rong pondered the thoughts of everyone involved in this situation.

Consort Rou recommended her niece, and the empress, in support of miss Shangguan, didn’t care whether the crown prince married lady Rou’s niece or someone else, as long as it wasn’t someone like Su Rongwen or from a prominent family.

Consort Rou was cunning and certainly wouldn’t have missed the empress secretly instructing the crown prince, passing on the information about the fragrance Shangguan Ya could blend. Then, she would make sure the crown prince chose miss Shangguan’s fragrance.

Therefore, consort Rou must have her own arrangements.

Observing the incense burners in front of her, identical in appearance with a piece of goose-yellow silk below and a fragrance note with each girl’s name underneath, Li Rong speculated about the coming selection process by Li Chuan. The attendants would carry the incense burners to Li Chuan, who would then choose based on the scents and return the selected name.

If she is consort Rou, she will definitely arrange for someone to intercept Shangguan Ya’s incense halfway, and switch the fragrance of Shangguan Ya and Xiao Wei.

Li Chuan chose Shangguan Ya’s fragrance, which is equivalent to choosing Xiao Wei’s fragrance.

Li Rong guessed everyone’s thoughts, remained calm on the surface, adjusted the fragrance while seemingly recording something on paper. After a while, when the time was almost up, the empress announced that the attendants would collect the incense burners and move them to the front hall.

The scene became chaotic for a while, and everyone relaxed. Li Rong looked at Xiao Wei, who was smiling confidently, and then glanced at Shangguan Ya on the opposite side.

The attendant collecting the incense burners was about to reach Shangguan Ya. She covered the incense burner, lifted it, and then seemed to drop something. She turned her head and looked at Qin Zhenzhen behind her, saying, “Miss Qin, could you please help me? My sachet seems to have rolled over to your side. Can you kindly pick it up?”

Qin Zhenzhen didn’t say much, turned around to pick up Shangguan Ya’s sachet. When she lowered her head, Shangguan Ya quickly switched the two incense burners, then turned around and put Qin Zhenzhen’s incense burner on her tray, handing it to the approaching attendant.

Up to this point, miss Shangguan’s movements were extremely fast. When Qin Zhenzhen turned around, the attendant had already walked away with the incense burner.

Qin Zhenzhen handed her the dropped sachet, and Shangguan Ya nodded and said, “Thank you.”

Just as she was about to turn around, Qin Zhenzhen whispered, “You didn’t switch my incense burner.”

Shangguan Ya hadn’t expected Qin Zhenzhen to notice so quickly. She was a little stunned and then immediately showed a hint of confusion, as if she didn’t know what had happened. “Miss Qin, what do you mean?”

Qin Zhenzhen looked at her, and her clear eyes seemed to know everything. At this moment, the attendant bowed to take away Qin Zhenzhen’s plate. Qin Zhenzhen was about to say something when Shangguan Ya grabbed her wrist. Shangguan Ya spoke rapidly, “What kind of incense did miss Qin use just now? It smelled very interesting.”

Distracted by this, Qin Zhenzhen watched as the attendant took away the incense burner.

After the attendant left, Shangguan Ya released her and whispered, “Don’t worry, I won’t harm you. Please do me a favor.”

With that, Shangguan Ya let go of her and turned away.

All of this happened in just a moment. Li Rong, watching from afar, couldn’t see exactly what happened between the two on the other side or what was said. However, seeing Shangguan Ya swiftly exchanging incense burners with Qin Zhenzhen, who seemed to want to say something, she could guess a bit.

Shangguan Ya must have been persuaded by her. However, Shangguan Ya didn’t have the power to convince the Shangguan family and the empress. So, she had to use this method.

Now, Li Chuan could choose any girl from a second-rate aristocratic family, and Li Ming would grant marriage on the spot. Qin Zhenzhen’s identity was just right, and with the Qin family’s background, even though Qin Zhenzhen’s father had passed away, her uncles were still around. If Li Chuan married Qin Zhenzhen, it would add a few more chips to his military power.

Shangguan Ya knew that the empress was paving the way for her. She gave this path to Qin Zhenzhen. As long as Qin Zhenzhen was married today, Shangguan Ya’s status as a side concubine was impossible. The marriage between the Shangguan family and Li Chuan would then fall through. Qin Zhenzhen’s identity was still better than Xiao Wei’s. This decision was indeed considering everyone.

However, Li Rong was always worried that Qin Zhenzhen and Li Chuan would repeat the mistakes, so just as Shangguan Ya turned back, she lowered her eyes, drank tea, and said to Jinglan beside her, “Go find the consort Wenxuan and ask him to give the recipe of my fragrance to the crown prince. Let the crown prince choose my fragrance.”

Jinglan responded and discreetly took away the ingredients of the fragrance that Li Rong had written down earlier, then quietly withdrew.

The news from various parties spread to the main hall. The attendants brought the empress’s message and the fragrances of various noble ladies to the banquet. The emperor listened to the empress’s suggestion and laughed, “Today is a gathering for you young people. Since you want to choose, let all of you do it together. The leader of this fragrance selection will be appointed by the crown prince, and the remaining two will be selected by all of you. How about it?”

The people present immediately responded, and from the top of the great hall seating, each censer was passed down one by one. The top three names were then selected and written on paper according to their numbers.

Li Chuan sat on the high seat, his expression indiscernible between sorrow and joy. Before taking his seat, he had received instructions from the empress, confirming the individuals to be chosen today. He felt like something heavy was pressing on his heart. While everyone else was happy, he couldn’t shake off a sense of inexplicable oppression.

Just like countless moments in his life, waiting for the moment of decision.

The sense of powerlessness, fate being controlled, surged up again and again. As he sat in the elevated position overlooking others, this absurd contrast became vividly clear in his mind.

Accompanying the censers were notes from Li Rong, and Pei Wenxuan quickly took the note from the attendant. After a swift glance, he pondered for a moment.

He looked towards Li Chuan sitting on the high platform. After a moment of contemplation, he instructed quietly while the censer was being handed over to him by the attendant, “Inform His Highness the crown prince, choose princess Rong, white sandalwood.”

The attendant remained composed. After a while, when the censer was passed to the crown prince, the attendant whispered quickly, “Choose princess Rong, white sandalwood.”

Li Chuan’s hand paused slightly, and the attendant got up and went to the next table.

Pei Wenxuan identified the continuously incoming scents. Distinguishing fragrances was a challenging task, especially in this ongoing process, where many people found it almost impossible due to the loss of their sense of smell.

However, Pei Wenxuan was proficient in the art of fragrance. He continuously searched for the white sandalwood scent written by Li Rong while contemplating what exactly happened among the female guests.

As the censers circulated, the censers of Shangguan Ya and Xiao Wei were successively brought in. Before entering the hall, the attendants quickly exchanged the names written on the papers placed under the censers and then passed them on.

In two consecutive exchanges, Qin Zhenzhen’s censer completely switched to Xiao Wei’s name, and Xiao Wei’s censer switched to Shangguan Ya’s name. Shangguan Ya’s censer, in turn, switched to Qin Zhenzhen’s name.

The censers of the three individuals were sent up in order. Xiao Wei and Shangguan Ya were highly skilled in adjusting fragrances. In no time after entering the hall, Su Ronghua exclaimed, “I wonder who crafted the number thirty-four censer? Deserving of today’s top three!”

He always had no manners, shouting like this. However, no one was surprised, except for Su Rongqing beside him, who reminded him, “Big brother, just write it on the paper. The final decision should be made by His Highness the crown prince.”

“It’s fine,” Li Chuan heard Su Rongqing’s reminder to Su Ronghua. He was still waiting for various messages, afraid that others might not convey them to him. He smiled and said, “Feel free to express your opinions; discussing is good.”

With that, Li Rong’s censer was presented.

Li Rong had no talent in fragrance blending; all her formulas were copied from Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan could discern it with just one sniff. He even noticed that Li Rong’s hands trembled, and she had put slightly less agarwood.

Pei Wenxuan felt somewhat disdainful, thinking he needed to teach Li Rong properly when they returned. It wasn’t suitable for a princess to always copy his formulas; it would be too embarrassing.

While contemplating how to teach Li Rong later, he showed an appreciative expression on his face. With a calm voice audible to Li Chuan, he chuckled, “The white sandalwood scent of number forty-one is quite good; it deserves recognition.”

Upon hearing this, Li Chuan looked up towards Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan smiled and glanced at Li Chuan without a trace, nodding slightly.

Li Chuan had a sense of assurance, understanding that this was Li Rong’s censer. He didn’t know why, but suddenly he felt a bit joyful and moved.

She is, after all, his sister, different from the others in this deep palace.

Li Rong’s incense burner reached Li Chuan’s front, and Li Chuan picked up the incense burner, took a sniff, and pretended to be serious as he wrote the incense burner’s number on the side.

After all the incense burners were passed, they began to tally the scores.

Because the leader was appointed by Li Chuan, others only needed to select the top two. After tallying the numbers, Li Chuan handed over the leader’s number he had set, and then the attendants drew out the corresponding names from under the tray, handed them to Li Chuan, and he announced.

Li Ming smiled and patiently waited for Li Chuan to announce the top three. Li Chuan picked a name and calmly said, “Third place, miss Shangguan Ya.”

With miss Shangguan Ya in third place, Li Ming’s smile deepened. Li Chuan drew out the second paper, “Second place, Qin Zhenzhen.”

Saying this, Li Chuan saw the name on the last paper, smiled, and lifted his head, seemingly pleased. “First place, princess Li Rong.”

Upon hearing this, Li Ming was suddenly stunned, then he furrowed his brow, “Why is Rong also among them?”

“Father,” Li Chuan seemed unaware of what was happening, turned and smiled, “Although sister’s previous fragrance mixing wasn’t great, this time it’s indeed good. Father, please don’t let the previous impression cloud your judgment.”

With Li Chuan’s words, Li Ming couldn’t find words to say for a moment. He couldn’t say that this was meant for choosing a consort for Li Chuan and that it was impossible for Li Rong to participate, let alone have Li Chuan choose her.

Fortunately, Li Chuan choosing Li Rong, although it didn’t fulfill their intention of selecting a consort from a humble background, was still better than choosing Shangguan Ya. Li Ming quickly smiled, “You’re right. I shouldn’t have underestimated her. Rewards should be given where due. Summon them over for the rewards.”

Li Ming’s instructions were conveyed, and Fulai brought them to the Imperial Garden.

All the girls were waiting for the results. When Fulai walked on the long corridor across the lake, everyone became a bit nervous.

Fulai arrived at the pavilion, first saluted the empress, consort Rou, and then explained the purpose, “The top three winning girls have been selected. I am here on His Majesty’s orders to invite the three girls to the main hall for the rewards.”

The empress xonsort nodded and gestured, “You may announce.”

Fulai saluted and turned around, facing everyone, “Please, princess Rong, miss Qin Zhenzhen, and miss Shangguan Ya, accompany me to the main hall for the rewards.”

Upon hearing this, Consort Rou’s face changed dramatically, Xiao Wei looked incredulous, Shangguan Ya and Qin Zhenzhen both showed surprise, and the empress frowned, quite uneasy, “Who is the winner of this fragrance competition?”

“Replying to Your Majesty,” Fulai smiled, “It is Princess Rong.”

The empress raised her eyes and looked at Li Rong. Li Rong immediately showed a surprised expression and happily exclaimed, “Is it me?”

“Yes,” Fulai praised, “Your Highness’s skills in fragrance blending are extraordinary, and everyone praises it. Your Highness, please hurry and go to the front hall to receive the reward.”

“Very well,” Li Rong stood up with a joyful expression. “I haven’t received a reward in a long time; it’s truly a happy occasion.”

With that, Li Rong turned and bowed to the empress, saying, “Mother, I’ll go to father’s place to receive the reward.”

The empress looked at Li Rong, finding it difficult to speak for a moment. After holding back for a while, she finally said, “Go then.”

Li Rong bowed and left, leading Shangguan Ya and Qin Zhenzhen to follow Fulai to the main hall.

Li Rong walked ahead, Shangguan Ya and Qin Zhenzhen stood side by side. Shangguan Ya quietly nudged Qin Zhenzhen and whispered, “Your fragrance blending technique is not bad, huh?”

Qin Zhenzhen frowned, lowered her voice, and said, “I don’t know it. The incense burner is empty.”

“And you can still receive a reward for that?”

Shangguan Ya was incredulous, beginning to quickly think about possible conspiracies. Li Rong, listening ahead, smiled and turned her head to remind Shangguan Ya, “Can your write down your fragrance ingredients?”

Shangguan Ya immediately caught on, shocked, “It’s…”

Li Rong raised her hand and gently pressed it against her lips. Shangguan Ya understood immediately.

Fulai overheard their conversation and walked ahead to facilitate their talk. Li Rong took a few steps back, walking between the two. She turned to Qin Zhenzhen and said, “Do you know she switched your incense burner?”

Qin Zhenzhen hesitated for a moment, then replied, “I know.”

“You didn’t say anything?”

Qin Zhenzhen looked up, glanced at Shangguan Ya smiling beside her, and shook her head, “I didn’t put anything in the incense burner. If she’s harming me, I can prove that the incense burner is not mine. If she’s not harming me, she must have her own difficulties, and I helped her out casually, it doesn’t matter.”

Li Rong heard this and felt somewhat helpless.

Shangguan Ya sighed and said, “You should consider yourself lucky that it’s me you encountered today.”

Qin Zhenzhen smiled, “If it weren’t for miss Shangguan, I might not have helped at all.”

“Oh?” Li Rong was curious, “Why would you help if it’s her?”

“Because my father once said,” Qin Zhenzhen looked at the moon reflected in the water, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes, “if you want to know if someone is trustworthy, look into their eyes.”

“And what do you see in mine?” Li Rong asked curiously. Qin Zhenzhen turned her head, quietly looking at Li Rong. After a while, Qin Zhenzhen gently said, “Your Highness is a good person.”

“Then you’ve got it wrong.” Shangguan Ya put her hand on Li Rong’s shoulder, leaned over halfway, and said with a smile, “This Highness is a tough nut to crack.”

Li Rong, with Shangguan Ya’s hand on her shoulder, glanced at Shangguan Ya indifferently. Shangguan Ya wasn’t afraid, smiling as she met Li Rong’s gaze. After a brief moment of eye contact, Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh. She pushed Shangguan Ya slightly and whispered, “You’re quite bold.”

Shangguan Ya, pushed by her, laughed heartily, saying, “Since the worst side is known to Your Highness, why not be a bit more unrestrained? If Your Highness is interested, how about finding some time in the future to go to the poetry society with me for tea?”

“Tea?” Li Rong sneered, “Why not bring some silver and gamble a bit?”

Shangguan Ya, asked like this, suddenly felt awkward. She touched her nose and whispered, “Can’t we be a bit more subtle in the palace?”

Three people played and frolicked along the way until they reached the main hall. Li Rong lifted her eyes and first saw Li Ming on the high seat, followed by Li Chuan. Below them was Su Rongqing, and after her was Pei Wenxuan.

Pei Wenxuan, noticing Li Rong looking over, raised his wine cup and raised an eyebrow, seemingly in a somewhat boastful manner.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan’s expression, Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh. Her gaze subtly swept over him, then returned to Li Ming. She smiled and bowed to Li Ming, “Greetings, father emperor.”

“Rise.” Li Ming, on the high platform, raised his hand to let her stand. He then supported his hands on his knees, smiled, and said, “I remember you weren’t particularly skilled in the art of incense before. Today, you truly shone.”

“Thanks to the son-in-law,” Li Rong smiled, her eyes falling on Pei Wenxuan. “The incense recipes I used today were actually taught by the son-in-law.”

“I knew it,” Li Ming turned to look at Li Chuan beside him. “With your sister’s mediocre skills, how could I not be aware?”

With that, Li Ming assessed Qin Zhenzhen and Shangguan Ya. Slowly, he said, “I’ve heard about Ya’s abilities, but this miss Qin, looks somewhat unfamiliar. Miss Qin,” Li Ming looked at Qin Zhenzhen, raising his hand, “come forward and let me see the face of the girl who can create such a fragrance.”

Qin Zhenzhen frowned. She glanced at Shangguan Ya and walked forward.

Li Ming quietly examined her, and everyone’s hearts raced.

Li Rong thought quickly about how to respond if Li Ming used this opportunity to discuss a marriage proposal.

Instinctively, she looked up. Originally, she wanted to look in Pei Wenxuan’s direction, but unexpectedly, she faced Su Rongqing. Su Rongqing was also looking at her, and in that brief moment of eye contact, Li Rong was stunned.

Seemingly aware of her concern, Su Rongqing spoke suddenly, “Your Majesty, the three young ladies have been standing like this for a while. They might be tired. It’s better to reward them with something and let them retire.”

The words were somewhat impolite; if it were Su Ronghua, it wouldn’t be surprising, but coming from the always composed Su Rongqing, it was somewhat strange.

Everyone turned to look. Su Rongqing had a smiling face and respectfully gazed at Li Ming.

After pondering for a moment, Li Ming laughed, “Su Rongqing is right. Chuan, you help me give the rewards to the three ladies.”

Li Chuan responded and stood up. Leading the attendants, he approached Li Rong. He handed her a pair of golden phoenix and pearl hairpins and winked at her, whispering, “Sis, thank you.”

He seemed very happy, and Li Rong was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected Li Chuan to be so delighted. Li Chuan handed her the items, smiled, and left. Li Rong stood in place, following Li Chuan’s gaze, and saw him approaching Qin Zhenzhen.

Qin Zhenzhen was respectful, but Li Chuan’s eyes had a teasing glint. “I didn’t expect, Miss Qin, that not only are your martial arts skills good, but you’re also skilled in the art of fragrance.”

“Your Highness is too kind.” Qin Zhenzhen lowered her eyes, looking at the ground, showing no sign of crossing boundaries.

Li Chuan handed the items to Qin Zhenzhen, who thanked him in a proper manner. Li Chuan then walked to Shangguan Ya. Shangguan Ya was a distant relative, not very familiar, so Li Chuan showed more respect. After handing over the gifts, he returned to his position.

After receiving their rewards, Li Ming seemed a bit tired. He said, “The night is falling, and I feel a bit weary. You young people can leave.”

Saying that, Li Ming was helped up by Fulai and left amidst respectful farewells.

After Li Ming left, the three girls walked out of the main hall together. Shangguan Ya looked at the two and smiled, “Are you going back now?”

“I should go back first.”

Qin Zhenzhen said, looking up at Shangguan Ya, “How about you?”

“My father might stay a while,” Shangguan Ya pointed to the main hall. “I’ll go back to the royal garden and chat with a few friends. You two go ahead.”

“Alright.” Li Rong nodded. “I’ll wait for the husband to go back together.”

“You two have a good relationship.” Shangguan Ya raised an eyebrow, and Li Rong almost wanted to kick her. She noticed that Shangguan Ya seemed to think they had some secret, and so she urged, “Hurry, we’ll meet at the teahouse another day.”

“Sure.”

Shangguan Ya agreed and turned to leave.

After Shangguan Ya left, Qin Zhenzhen turned to Li Rong, bowed respectfully, and said, “Your Highness, unless there is something else, this humble maiden will take her leave.”

“Wait!” Li Rong stopped her. Qin Zhenzhen turned back, looking at Li Rong standing on the steps.

Qin Zhenzhen was dressed elegantly, with delicate features. A gentle breeze lifted the plain dress she wore.

Seemingly due to her martial arts practice, she carried an indescribable elegance, standing tall like a pine in the Song Zhu Pavilion, yet sharp as a drawn sword. In this palace, even if she just stood there, she exuded a noticeable sense of not fitting in, different from the Qin Zhenzhen that Li Rong had seen years ago.

Her heart suddenly trembled. In an instant, images of Li Chuan joking with her flashed in her mind. The scenes overlapped with the later scene of Qin Zhenzhen’s funeral, causing a tightness in her throat and an intangible sense of anxiety to spread.

She looked at the girl waiting for her words under the moonlight. After a long time, she finally said, “Today, Shangguan Ya exchanged her incense burner with yours. Originally, she intended for you to take her place and be bestowed as the crown prince’s consort.”

Qin Zhenzhen showed surprise, and Li Rong continued, “I’m helping you at someone’s request. There’s no emotional attachment between Pei Wenxuan and me. We made a pact; once we break free from these constraints in the future, we will divorce.”

Listening to these words, Qin Zhenzhen slowly widened her eyes. Li Rong smiled, “There are many intrigues in the palace. If you happen to move within the palace in the future, you need to be cautious.”

Having said that, Li Rong didn’t wait for Qin Zhenzhen to respond. She turned around and walked into the main hall to find Pei Wenxuan.

Pei Wenxuan had just bid farewell to someone and turned around to see Li Rong waiting for him at the door. His heart warmed, and he walked up with a smile, stopping by Li Rong’s side. He looked her up and down, raised his eyebrows, and said, “Your Highness, you seem to be in great spirits today. Are you pleased with the outcome?”

Li Rong lowered her head and smiled, “It seems lord Pei is also quite happy today.”

“Unless His Highness bullies me, when do I ever feel unhappy?” Pei Wenxuan replied.

Returning together, Pei Wenxuan asked curiously, “How is it in the Royal Garden today? Why is it so lively?”

Li Rong recounted what had happened in the Royal Garden to Pei Wenxuan. While they talked, they got onto the carriage. Pei Wenxuan sighed, “The world of women is always so exciting.”

“You can join if you want,” Li Rong said with a smile.

Pei Wenxuan quickly waved his hand, “No need, it’s not something I need to deal with. Only princess can handle such situations.”

Li Rong chuckled without saying a word, turning her head to look out of the window.

By now, they had left the palace city, and the bright moon outside illuminated everything. Li Rong gazed at the moon in silence and said, “The moon will always become full again after it wanes. Pei Wenxuan, do you think things destined are difficult to change?”

Pei Wenxuan found it strange why Li Rong suddenly asked this. He couldn’t help but ask, “What are you asking?”

“Today, I suddenly understand why Chuan likes Qin Zhenzhen,” Li Rong turned to Pei Wenxuan and said, “Given Chuan’s temperament, it’s not surprising to like someone like her in the palace.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent. He looked into Li Rong’s eyes, and in that moment, he seemed to understand her meaning. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Have you thought about what to do after our divorce?” Li Rong asked with curiosity, looking at him. Pei Wenxuan quietly watched her, feeling a hint of bitterness spreading, but he maintained a smile on his lips, “I haven’t thought too much about it.”

“Are you not regretful that Qin Zhenzhen died in the previous life?” Li Rong continued. Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak, smiling at Li Rong. She went on, “I know you have feelings for her. In the previous life, she left early, and you felt guilty. You’re the kind of person who doesn’t think much about whom you like, but for her sake in this life, you should try a little harder.”

“Try harder for what?”

Pei Wenxuan folded his hands in his sleeves, leaning against the carriage wall, listening to Li Rong calmly saying, “She is now at a marriageable age. If our divorce goes smoothly, it will probably take three years. If you don’t make a commitment to her now, she might marry someone else before that. I often speak to you in jest, but today, I’m serious,” Li Rong looked up at him, “You should do something.”

“Such as?”

“Today, I told her that I am helping her because of you. I also informed her that we don’t have any feelings, and we will divorce in few years. She didn’t react, and I left. In the future, we’ll arrange some opportunities, and you can approach her. Since you already had feelings, treat her well, confess to her again. When you two are committed, we will inform Qin Lin, send her to the north to hide for these three years. After that, we will proceed with the divorce,” Li Rong smiled, looking at Pei Wenxuan, “I’ll go propose for you.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent, quietly observing Li Rong.

Li Rong was puzzled, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“What is there for me to say?” Pei Wenxuan chuckled, “Hasn’t Your Highness already arranged everything? Everyone’s roles in your heart, their purposes, aren’t they all clear?”

“If you have any dissatisfaction,” Li Rong spoke slowly, “you can tell me. Do you feel that sending her to the north is unfair to her?”

Pei Wenxuan couldn’t bear it anymore. He stood up and shouted, “Stop the carriage!”

The carriage suddenly came to a halt, and Pei Wenxuan lifted the curtain and jumped out.

Li Rong was stunned, watching Pei Wenxuan’s retreating figure. She didn’t know what happened, but she felt like they had suddenly returned to the previous life. Pei Wenxuan, dissatisfied, not saying much, having a disagreement, and then getting angry and leaving.

She couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. Perhaps it was because of the events of the day, leaving her mentally exhausted.

Controlling her emotions, she calmly instructed outside, “Have someone follow the marquis to prevent any mishaps. Let’s head back first.”

There was a nervous acknowledgment from outside, and Li Rong raised her hand to support her forehead, feeling the carriage moving again.

Pei Wenxuan walked away from Li Rong’s carriage, his back turned. His mind was filled with unresolved anger, though he couldn’t pinpoint the reason.

He knew Li Rong’s temperament well.

When Li Rong decided on something, she would arrange it meticulously.

She was convinced in her heart that he still had resentment towards Qin Zhenzhen in his heart, thinking that Qin Zhenzhen was a regret in his life.

She speculated in her heart that Li Chuan might still like Qin Zhenzhen, feeling that Qin Zhenzhen and Li Chuan shouldn’t be together, and it wouldn’t have a good outcome.

So she chose the best outcome, letting Qin Zhenzhen be with him.

Could you blame her for anything?

But Pei Wenxuan just felt uncomfortable, an indescribable discomfort. He walked away from the carriage, and when he heard the carriage moving behind him, he suddenly stopped.

In an instant, he recalled the silhouette of Li Rong he had seen countless times in the previous life.

He turned around, watched the carriage gradually moving away, quietly observed. After a moment, he gritted his teeth, turned back, caught up with the carriage, and loudly shouted, hitting the carriage wall, “Stop! Stop for me!”

Li Rong was startled by Pei Wenxuan. The carriage stopped in response. Li Rong immediately used the golden fan to lift the curtain, looked coldly at Pei Wenxuan standing beside the carriage, and said angrily, “Are you out of your mind?”

The coachman, seeing that the two seemed about to quarrel, quickly jumped down and left. For a moment, only two people remained in the vicinity. Pei Wenxuan stared at Li Rong, coldly saying, “Li Rong, let me tell you, if you want to decide things for me in the future, at least ask me if I’m willing or not first.”

Li Rong stood still, and Pei Wenxuan continued to gaze at her. “What do you think I am, what do you think I want, what do you think I should do, you should at least ask me first.”

“So, it’s a question of questioning the accused,” Li Rong sighed helplessly, “For example, what did I misunderstand today, causing master Pei to be so angry?”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent, staring at her intensely.

He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

But he was well aware that if he continued to remain silent, if he avoided it like in the previous life, then this life would be no different from the last.

He clenched his fist, fixed his gaze on Li Rong, and after a long struggle, he finally spoke, “I don’t like Qin Zhenzhen.”

“I know,” Li Rong understood immediately upon hearing his words. She spoke gently, “After all these years, it’s impossible for you to like her the same way as before. But actually…”

“There’s no ‘actually,’” Pei Wenxuan interrupted her. “When I was young, I didn’t like her.”

Li Rong was stunned, and Pei Wenxuan continued, “I never missed her, I never thought about her, I never walked down the street and saw a hairpin and thought of buying it for her, and I never thought about kissing her.”

“Just because since I was little, they told me she was my wife, so I always thought that was what ‘liking’ meant.”

“But then I met someone,” Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, his eyes slightly moist, “I feel happy when I see her happy, I get nervous when I see her sad, if she glances at a hairpin, I’ll remember it, and her smile makes me feel like there’s no winter in the world.”

“When she’s not with me, I miss her. Even when I go to the government office, I think about writing her notes to bring back. I imagine how many children we might have, and I envision growing old with her.”

“Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan took a deep breath, “I have no regrets about Qin Zhenzhen. She’s gone, and as a friend, as an older brother, I did my best. I never once thought about starting a new life with her. If I had thought for a moment, I wouldn’t have gone to the spring banquet.”

“If I have any regrets…”

Pei Wenxuan’s voice trailed off, and he looked at Li Rong. After a long while, he hoarsely continued, “It’s only you.”

“Because the person I truly liked, and lost, is only Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan smiled, a smile that seemed like crying.

Previous

Next