Chapter 53: Then Don’t Try Anymore, He Regrets Letting Her Look for Su Rongqing

Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan were both stunned when they heard Shangguan Ya’s voice. Pei Wenxuan glanced around and quietly reminded Li Rong, “This place is not far from the gambling house.”

Li Rong nodded. Indeed, this area was near the gambling house, with various inns and teahouses around. Shangguan Ya was dressed in men’s clothing, likely just having finished gambling and come here for a meal.

Li Rong calmed down a little and quietly instructed Pei Wenxuan, “Go find people and send someone to the residence to bring… bring Xun Chuan here. I’ll wait for you with Shangguan Ya in that teahouse.”

Pei Wenxuan responded and quickly parted ways with the people nearby.

Shangguan Ya walked up to Li Rong and, looking up at the gate of the Ministry of Justice, smiled. “Here to take care of business at the Ministry?”

“Did you come here to eat?” Li Rong asked.

“Yes,” Shangguan Ya replied nonchalantly. “I haven’t eaten since noon and was starving. If Your Highness has no business, why not join me?”

“Alright.”

Li Rong smiled, got down from the carriage, and walked toward the teahouse Shangguan Ya had pointed out to Pei Wenxuan. Walking side by side with Shangguan Ya, she lowered her voice, “The Qin family case must be over by now. You must have received the imperial decree from the Supervisory Department today, right?”

“Yes,” Li Rong glanced back at the Ministry of Justice and said casually, “These little devils are hard to deal with.”

“So what does Your Highness plan to do?” Shangguan Ya asked, hands behind her back, glancing toward where Pei Wenxuan had gone. “It seems like you’re not planning to go to the palace to report to them?”

“What’s the point?” Li Rong chuckled softly. “If I can’t handle these little devils, how can I go to the palace and ask for someone else to intervene? I’m afraid my father will strip me of my position tomorrow.”

“So what’s your plan?” Shangguan Ya raised an eyebrow. Li Rong, as they entered the teahouse, casually replied, “Just wait and watch for the show.”

Shangguan Ya nodded. “Alright.”

The two of them took a private room on the second floor. After they sat down, Shangguan Ya picked up the menu and began rapidly listing dishes. She then turned to look at Li Rong, who was seated by the window, gazing toward the Ministry of Justice and idly twirling a fan in her hand.

Pouring herself some tea, Shangguan Ya seemed a bit puzzled. “Just now, I think I saw the Duke of the State. What did you ask him to do?”

“To gather some people.”

Li Rong, hearing Shangguan Ya’s question, turned her head to glance at her from head to toe, slightly surprised. “You gamble outside every day, and your family doesn’t know?”

“Not yet,” Shangguan Ya shrugged. “Maybe they have found out, but it’s not a big deal. They probably just let it slide.”

“With a daughter like you, your father must be dying of a headache,” Li Rong remarked with a slight chuckle.

Li Rong smiled, and Shangguan Ya raised a finger, shaking it as she said, “You’re mistaken. If my father had a daughter as clever and witty as me, he would be overjoyed.”

As they spoke, the dishes were served. Shangguan Ya buried herself in eating, and seeing how much she enjoyed the food, Li Rong also picked up her chopsticks and joined in.

The two of them chatted casually while eating. When they finished their meal, for some unknown reason, their conversation turned to Li Rong’s marriage. They sat by the window, watching the people passing by below. Shangguan Ya picked up a cup of tea and casually said, “This marriage looks well-matched from the outside, but those of us with eyes can see it clearly. Pei Wenxuan’s status is a bit low. I thought you wouldn’t look twice at him, but it turns out you two have a good relationship.”

Li Rong smiled when she heard this, replying, “He’s not bad.”

“Indeed,” Shangguan Ya nodded, “He’s good-looking and has a good temper. But Your Highness,” Shangguan Ya set down her teacup, leaned closer, and whispered, “I’m curious about something.”

“Hm?”

“You two,” Shangguan Ya lowered her voice even more, “Have you… consummated the marriage?”

Li Rong raised her eyes and looked at Shangguan Ya, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“Your Highness,” Shangguan Ya said with some embarrassment, “Although I’ve never experienced it myself, I’ve seen it. You and the Prince Consort are newlyweds, always inseparable, and you have a good relationship, but your actions towards each other don’t show any intimacy. You even keep some distance when walking together, and your gazes are open and honest. I’ll be frank,” Shangguan Ya sighed, “What’s the difference between your relationship with the Prince Consort and mine with you?”

Li Rong was momentarily taken aback by Shangguan Ya’s insight.

Shangguan Ya was very observant. She had known about this matter in her past life as well, and she never expected that Shangguan Ya not only observed things in public matters but also had an interest in such private matters.

Seeing Li Rong’s expression, Shangguan Ya smiled and returned to her seat, looking quite pleased. “I really guessed right. Your Highness, don’t worry, I won’t spread rumors. I’m just curious—what kind of relationship do you two have?”

Li Rong didn’t mind that Shangguan Ya knew. She knew Shangguan Ya was a person who understood boundaries, and since she had asked, Li Rong didn’t hide it. Holding her teacup, she smiled and said, “The kind of relationship you mentioned.”

“Hm?”

“Friends,” Li Rong said softly. “Good friends.”

“Then,” Shangguan Ya pondered before continuing, “You can’t be friends forever, can you?”

“Why not?” Li Rong raised an eyebrow, and Shangguan Ya quickly added, “You’ll need to have a child eventually.”

Hearing this, Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re still so young, and you haven’t even solved your own marriage problems. Why are you rushing mine?”

“As for me,” Shangguan Ya shrugged, “I’ll leave my marriage to fate. Anyway, our family has plenty of children. Honestly, if I don’t meet someone I like, I’d rather stay at home and adopt a child from one of the concubines and put it under my name. But you’re different,” Shangguan Ya quickly added, “You and the Prince Consort are already married. You’re planning to live your life that way, but what about him?”

“Don’t you think,” Li Rong smiled, seeing that Shangguan Ya’s thoughts had gone off track, “that one day, the Prince Consort and I might make our own choices?”

Shangguan Ya was stunned for a moment, then said in surprise, “Are you planning to divorce in the future?!”

“Why not?” Li Rong shrugged nonchalantly. “He values family, and I don’t mind spending my life alone. He, on the other hand, needs someone to be with him. I won’t hold him back. Besides, there are so many handsome men in this world, why should I stick to such a good friend? After all, finding a man is easy…”

“Sisters are rare,” Shangguan Ya chimed in, understanding Li Rong’s meaning. The two of them shared a moment of understanding and smiled. Shangguan Ya, looking pleased, said, “Then Your Highness, do you have someone in mind for the future? Given your age, most of the good young men are already at marriageable age. If you don’t make a move, the pool of potential suitors will get smaller.”

“You’re right. I’ve been thinking about it too,” Li Rong replied.

Li Rong spoke softly, “But for now, we should focus on state matters. These things can wait until later. If nothing suitable comes up, what’s wrong with keeping a few lovers?” 

Shangguan Ya nodded, but at that moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by a deep voice saying, “Your Highness, this is Xun Chuan, ordered to come.” 

Hearing the voice, Li Rong nodded and replied, “Come in.” 

As her words fell, a young man wearing a half iron mask walked in. He wasn’t particularly tall, but his figure was well-proportioned, giving him a slender appearance. Though his physique was on the weaker side for a man, he stood with poise, neither servile nor arrogant, and respectfully bowed to Shangguan Ya, saying, “Young Master.” 

Shangguan Ya sized him up before looking at Li Rong, who introduced him, “This is my subordinate, Xun Chuan from the Inspection Division.” 

Shangguan Ya nodded and returned a polite bow, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Shangguan.” 

“Please, have a seat. We’ll wait a moment. The Prince Consort will bring some people over soon.” 

Xun Chuan acknowledged and, without hesitation, sat down on a nearby chair. 

Li Rong adjusted her tea cup and spoke calmly, “In a while, the Prince Consort will bring a few new people. They might not follow orders very well, so if they don’t take action, you’ll have to take charge. Understand?” 

“Understood.”

The young man replied, seemingly well aware of the situation. 

The 500 men from the Inspection Division had been carefully selected by Li Rong recently. While they were capable, people of such ability naturally understood the current political climate and might be reluctant to get involved. Today, Li Rong planned to take action directly at the Ministry of Justice, bringing these people with her to remind them of what was expected. 

After waiting for a while, they saw Pei Wenxuan arrive with his men. 

Shangguan Ya, excited, said, “They’re here! Your Highness, can I join the fun?” 

“Just put on a mask,” Li Rong replied with some distaste, “Don’t let anyone recognize you.”

“I have experience with this.” Shangguan Ya quickly pulled out half of an iron mask, which looked somewhat similar to the one beside Xun Chuan. Shangguan Ya said seriously, “I always carry one, just in case someone recognizes me.”

With such thorough preparation, Li Rong felt a bit embarrassed to stop her from going.

The three of them didn’t wait for Pei Wenxuan to arrive and walked down together. As Pei Wenxuan approached the entrance of the tavern, he saw Li Rong leading two young people, both wearing half masks, walking down. Pei Wenxuan was momentarily stunned and, after glancing around for a moment, suppressed his doubts and said to Li Rong, “Your Highness, the people have arrived.”

“Then let’s go,” Li Rong replied.

Li Rong walked ahead, leading the group to the Ministry of Justice. When they reached the entrance, the guards were about to stop them, but Li Rong gave a look, and Xun Chuan raised his hand to show the token. He raised his sword to push aside the guard at the door, coldly saying, “The Supervisory Division is handling a case, let us pass.”

“How dare you block the way of the Princess,” Shangguan Ya shouted, “What kind of boldness is this? Can’t you see the imperial decree?!”

With their combined efforts, the guards immediately cleared the way. Li Rong entered calmly with a smile, and Pei Wenxuan stood beside her, whispering, “Where did you find these two treasures?”

Li Rong gave Pei Wenxuan a glance and smiled, “Aren’t they more useful than you?”

Pei Wenxuan was momentarily speechless. The four of them, along with a group of bewildered young people, headed straight for the warehouse where the case files were stored. The gatekeeper saw them enter and immediately said, “You stay here; I’ll go find Lord Su.”

Currently, the highest-ranking official at the Ministry of Justice was Su Rongqing, so they could only think of looking for him.

Li Rong led the group briskly to the warehouse. The record keeper smiled when he saw her. “Your Highness, have you found Chief Gao?”

“I found him, but he’s not here.”

Li Rong smiled and said, “However, I read the imperial decree again, and after looking it over from all angles, it seems to say that I should investigate the Qin case, and everyone else is to cooperate fully. I thought about it, and the Supervisory Division doesn’t seem to belong to the Ministry of Justice. If I want to access the case files, why should I follow the Ministry’s rules? The record keeper should just give them to me; if anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.”

“Your Highness,” the record keeper chuckled apologetically, “You’re putting me in a difficult position.”

“Do you not want to give them to me?” Li Rong smiled and glanced at Pei Wenxuan. “Go.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan directly entered the warehouse.

Pei Wenxuan had spent several years at the Ministry of Justice in his previous life, so he was familiar with the place where the case files were stored. As soon as he entered, the record keeper became anxious, rushing to stop him. Seeing this, Xun Chuan immediately stepped forward and pinned the record keeper to the desk with his sword, the blade pressed against the record keeper’s neck. He glanced at the other guards who were preparing to act, and coldly said, “Who dares?”

“What are you all standing there for?” Li Rong coldly glared at the others who were frozen, too scared to act. She slapped the desk with her fan, angrily saying, “You’re from the Supervisory Division—do I still need to tell you what to do?!”

Hearing Li Rong’s sharp command, the others hastily drew their swords and blocked the door to the warehouse.

Inside, Pei Wenxuan was slowly searching for the case files. With the record keeper pinned to the desk, Li Rong casually sat nearby, idly fanning herself. The record keeper, gasping for breath, tried to persuade her, “Your Highness, although my official rank is low, I am still an imperial official. Since Your Highness is now in charge of the Qin case, you should follow proper procedures. Acting in such a domineering manner, even His Majesty would not approve if he heard of it.”

“Exactly,” Li Rong nodded, her smile bright, “I will wait for your memorial tomorrow at the morning court.”

As she finished speaking, footsteps were heard from outside. Moments later, Su Rongqing arrived at the door with his people. Upon seeing the scene, he frowned and asked, “Your Highness, what is going on here?”

“I have been ordered to investigate the Qin case,” Li Rong explained. “This record keeper has repeatedly made things difficult for me and clashed with me. In his panic, he even attempted to assault me. My subordinates, anxious to protect me, may have acted a bit hastily. Please forgive me, Lord Su.”

With that, Li Rong raised her hand and said, “Xun Chuan, show some restraint.”

Upon hearing Li Rong’s words, Xun Chuan released the record keeper. The moment the record keeper was free, he rushed towards Su Rongqing and urgently said, “My Lord! They want to take the case files without an official order. I am just following the internal rules of the Ministry of Justice, but the Princess is forcefully trying to seize the files. I haven’t even touched a hair on the Princess’s head, please, My Lord, make a decision!”

“Oh, so you’re saying I’m lying?”

As Li Rong spoke, she secretly used the ring on her finger to make a small cut on her arm, then held it up to Su Rongqing, looking rather aggrieved. “Lord Su, look, this is the injury he gave me. I am of noble birth—do you really think I would harm myself just to falsely accuse him?”

Su Rongqing stared at the wound on Li Rong’s arm for a moment. Li Rong blinked and asked, “Lord Su, don’t you think so?”

It was only when Li Rong called to him that Su Rongqing snapped back to his senses. The record keeper was standing to the side, his face full of shock, and he hurriedly said, “Your Highness, with so many people watching, how can you turn right into wrong like this? You…”

“Lord Chen,” Su Rongqing finally spoke, his tone calm. “Enough. You’re injured, go take a rest.”

With that, Su Rongqing took a piece of white silk from his sleeve, gently supporting Li Rong’s hand with one hand while using the other to cover her wound with the silk. He tied it carefully, then lowered his gaze and said softly, “I believe the Princess. There’s no need for Your Highness to show me this wound.”

Li Rong hadn’t expected Su Rongqing to be so understanding, and she was momentarily stunned. Pei Wenxuan, having found the case files, turned around happily but froze when he saw Su Rongqing tending to Li Rong’s injury. Li Rong was staring at him, still in a daze.

It felt as though something had sharply pierced Pei Wenxuan’s heart, and for a moment, he stood frozen.

Once Su Rongqing finished bandaging Li Rong’s wound, he spoke quietly, “The Minister of Personnel is usually not here at the Ministry of Justice, and I handle things here on a daily basis. If Your Highness encounters any trouble, you can come directly to me. There’s no need to trouble those below.”

“Mm.”

Li Rong calmed down after hearing Su Rongqing speak in such a soothing tone. Pei Wenxuan, holding the case files, walked up behind Li Rong and whispered, “Your Highness, I’ve found the files.”

“Since you’ve found them,” Su Rongqing said, his voice neutral, “I shall escort the Princess out.”

“There are so many people here,” Pei Wenxuan said with a smile, “There’s no need for Lord Su to accompany us. We’ve disturbed the peace of the Ministry of Justice; I hope Lord Su will forgive us.”

Su Rongqing listened to Pei Wenxuan’s words and looked up at him: “Your Highness, as the head of the Supervision Department, you naturally belong here. I wonder what status Lord Pei holds to force his way into the Ministry of Justice today?”

“Your Highness is new to court and still has many matters to learn. I, as her husband, have been entrusted by her to assist here. Is that not acceptable?” Pei Wenxuan responded.

Su Rongqing coldly stared at him, and Pei Wenxuan silently waited. After a while, Su Rongqing said, “Since Lord Pei feels no problem with it, then let’s wait until tomorrow’s morning court and see what His Majesty has to say.”

“Looking forward to it, Lord Su.” Pei Wenxuan bowed and turned to Li Rong, saying, “Your Highness, let us go.”

“Then…” Li Rong was about to greet Su Rongqing, but before she could react, Pei Wenxuan grabbed her and, without waiting for her to respond, dragged her out.

The remaining people were somewhat confused. Shangguan Ya glanced around, her eyes darting about.

Xun Chuan walked over to Shangguan Ya, saying calmly, “Stop looking, let’s go.”

With that, she led the group out. Shangguan Ya smiled and bowed to Su Rongqing before chasing after Li Rong.

Pei Wenxuan dragged Li Rong out of the door. Finally, Li Rong spoke, unable to suppress a laugh: “What’s your temper? Are you really upset just because Su Rongqing said she would report you? Fine, stop pulling me forward, people are still behind us.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan finally stopped. His expression darkened as he turned around and asked, “Is your hand alright?”

“What could possibly happen?” Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan as he carefully examined her hand. Smiling, she said, “It’s just a little scratch from my ring. Nothing serious.”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing but continued to stare at the white cloth on her hand. Shangguan Ya and Xun Chuan led the group out. Shangguan Ya smiled and said, “Your Highness, the case files are now in hand, a major task is complete.”

“Right, where are you going now?” Pei Wenxuan replied.

“I have to go back.” Shangguan Ya thought for a moment and then added, “Your Highness, why not accompany me for a while?”

“Sure.”

Li Rong knew Shangguan Ya had something to say and turned to Xun Chuan, saying, “You lead them back to the Princess’s residence first. I’ll be back soon.”

Xun Chuan nodded in agreement. Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan escorted Shangguan Ya to a carriage. Once they were settled, Shangguan Ya said, “Take me to the Juxian Tea House. I’ll head back from there later.”

“You’re really good at playing the game,” Pei Wenxuan remarked.

Shangguan Ya smiled but remained silent.

Pei Wenxuan didn’t interfere with the conversation between the two women. He pulled Li Rong’s hand over gently, unwrapping the white cloth from Su Rongqing’s hand and tossing it aside. After examining the injury and confirming it wasn’t severe, he took some water and ointment to treat her wound.

Watching the interaction between the two, Shangguan Ya remained quiet for a moment before speaking softly, “Your Highness, I’ll be brief. This may be a bit forward, but it’s just a suggestion.”

“Go ahead,” Pei Wenxuan said.

“Based on what you said today, it seems you are searching for a suitable candidate for the next position. Why not consider Su Rongqing?” Shangguan Ya proposed.

At these words, Pei Wenxuan froze, and Li Rong raised an eyebrow. Shangguan Ya continued, “From what I observed today, Su Rongqing doesn’t seem entirely indifferent toward Your Highness. If Your Highness manages to win him over, it would make things much easier in the future.”

“What do you mean by that?” Pei Wenxuan gave her a cold look. Shangguan Ya smiled apologetically and said, “I’ve heard about the future plans of you two from the Princess today, so I offer this suggestion. If Your Highness is interested, Su Rongqing’s character, talent, family background, and status are perfectly suited to you. Why not take this opportunity to secure her position? This would not only help stabilize Su Rongqing’s position, making it easier to set up Your Highness’s Supervision Department, but it would also solve your future marriage issues. Otherwise, when you two part ways, suitable young talents might already be married, leaving only regrets. It’s a win-win situation, and I believe it’s a good choice.”

“You mention this, and I have been considering it as well,” Li Rong said slowly. “It’s just that I haven’t fully decided what I think of Su Rongqing yet…”

“Not decided? You mean you have some fondness for him?” Shangguan Ya thought for a moment before continuing. “Feelings are something that develop over time. As long as Your Highness doesn’t mind, I could help arrange things.”

“Arrange what?” Pei Wenxuan interjected directly. “The matters of Your Highness’s marriage should not be intertwined with these political matters.”

“If it’s simply about sacrificing emotions for power, then of course it shouldn’t be,” Shangguan Ya replied with a smile. “But if Your Highness is already inclined, wouldn’t this be a case of things falling into place, a delightful addition? Pei Wenxuan, you and I are both friends of His Highness, and naturally, we are thinking about what’s best for her.”

“Or should I say,” Shangguan Ya continued with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, “Pei Wenxuan, do you have other ideas?”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent, staring at Shangguan Ya. The carriage reached the entrance of the tea house, and the coachman respectfully announced from outside, “Your Highness, we have arrived at Juxian Tea House.”

“Oh, that was quick,” Shangguan Ya stood up and bowed to the two of them. “I’ll go ahead. If Your Highness has made up your mind, just let me know, and I will make arrangements.”

With that, she lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage.

Once she left, the carriage resumed its journey. Pei Wenxuan finished applying the ointment to Li Rong’s wound and carefully bandaged it before speaking in a low voice: “What do you think of her suggestion?”

“Well…” Li Rong pondered for a moment. “It’s not a bad idea. What do you think?”

“Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes to look at her. “You and I married for power, and when we part, it’s because I wanted you to find someone you truly like, free from any political considerations. If Your Highness is now associating with Su Rongqing for power, how is that any different from what you and I did?”

“This is of course different,” Li Rong smiled. “I would only be with him once I’m sure I like him.”

“Then why not wait until you’re certain?” Pei Wenxuan asked seriously.

Li Rong considered his question. “How am I supposed to be certain?”

Pei Wenxuan was taken aback by the question. Li Rong spoke softly, “You told me that Su Rongqing now is different from the one in my past life. If I don’t interact with him, how can I know if I like him?”

“And,” she added with a smile, “Shangguan Ya is right. This is just an opportunity that makes things easier. Pei Wenxuan, I know you value emotions highly and can’t tolerate anything that complicates them, but not everything in life has to be so strictly divided. I can’t keep clashing with the Ministry of Justice like this. I need someone in between to smooth things over.”

“Then let me handle the negotiations for Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan said promptly. “If Your Highness finds it inconvenient to act through the Ministry of Justice, there are other ways. I can help Your Highness…”

“Why couldn’t it be Su Rongqing?” Li Rong frowned as she looked at Pei Wenxuan. “Wasn’t it you who suggested that I should give him a try?”

Pei Wenxuan was taken aback, staring at Li Rong’s earnest yet puzzled expression. A wave of inexplicable bitterness surged in his chest, making him feel stifled. He gazed at Li Rong in silence, saying nothing.

After a brief pause, Li Rong spoke slowly, “Wenxuan, I know you have always held animosity toward Su Rongqing, but you are not someone who acts out of emotion. Can you give me a reason?”

Pei Wenxuan gradually calmed down. Meeting Li Rong’s questioning gaze, he lowered his eyes after a long silence. “Your Highness is right. I acted emotionally. I argued with him earlier today, and I was annoyed. Hearing Shangguan Ya’s words unsettled me. Please, pay it no mind.”

Li Rong chuckled at his response. “Why are you acting like a child? You’re regressing as you age.”

“People tend to become more childlike as they grow older,” Pei Wenxuan replied with a bitter smile, changing the subject. “Your Highness, injuring yourself over a scribe is inappropriate. Please refrain from doing so in the future.”

“Got it,” Li Rong waved her hand dismissively, seeing him fuss. “It’s no big deal. That ‘precious body’ nonsense is just for appearances. Aren’t we all humans? It’s just a scratch, and you’ve already gone overboard with the bandaging.”

“Your Highness must still take care of your health,” Pei Wenxuan said, his tone laced with exhaustion.

Li Rong glanced back at him thoughtfully. After a moment, she leaned closer. Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes to meet hers, hearing her voice tinged with concern. “Pei Wenxuan, is something on your mind?”

“Nothing,” Pei Wenxuan replied with a bitter smile. “I’m just thinking that Su Rongqing will surely accuse me at court tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Li Rong patted his shoulder lightly. “At most, Father will dock your salary as a formality. Whatever he deducts publicly, I’ll reimburse you privately. And if Su Rongqing and I end up together, I’ll make him repay you tenfold.”

“Thank you,” Pei Wenxuan said indifferently. “It’s a minor matter. I won’t hold a grudge.”

Seeing no change in his expression, Li Rong scratched her nose and fell silent. Turning away, she said, “Hand me the Qin family’s case file.”

Pei Wenxuan responded affirmatively and passed the file to her. Li Rong opened it and quietly read it in the carriage.

The dossier consisted of three sections. The first provided an overview of the Qin case, the second detailed the investigation process along with reports and approvals from involved officials, and the third contained transcribed testimonies and evidence records.

While the original testimonies and evidence were stored elsewhere and unavailable for the moment, Li Rong carefully reviewed the case summary.

According to the record, the case was initially uncovered by a censor named Wen Ping from the Imperial Censorate. Wen Ping received an anonymous tip alleging that during the war between Rong and Daxia, the Qin family, stationed at Huangping County with 3,000 troops, feigned defeat under Yang Lie’s orders, abandoning the city and fleeing.

After receiving the tip, Wen Ping obtained the Ministry of War’s official records of the battle, confirming that both sides had 3,000 troops, with the defending force eventually retreating. This raised suspicion, as conventional tactics dictate that the attacking force should outnumber the defenders for a successful siege. Detecting anomalies, Wen Ping submitted a memorial requesting the Ministry of Justice to open a case.

Justice Ministry official Cui Shuyun took up the investigation and located Luo Juan, a deputy involved in the battle. Luo admitted they abandoned the city despite having the means to win. Based on this testimony, along with military logs and the tip-off letter, Cui Shuyun petitioned to seal the Qin household and detain relevant individuals. 

During the raid, letters from Yang Lie to Qin family head Qin Lang were found, promising 1,000 taels of gold for staging the defeat. Additionally, 1,000 taels of gold were discovered in the Qin estate’s cellar.

Qin Lang confessed under interrogation, admitting to taking bribes from Yang Lie and instructing his son Qin Feng to surrender Huangping County under false pretenses.

Thus, the case was closed.

Li Rong carefully examined the transcribed letter from Yang Lie, the Qin family’s confessions, and the Ministry of War’s logs. After a while, she chuckled and said, “They certainly went to some effort, but offering just a thousand taels of gold for the entire Qin family? That’s a rather low bid.”

Hearing her switch to discussing the case, Pei Wenxuan composed himself. He reached for the dossier beside Li Rong and, after reviewing it with her, spoke slowly, “There are likely three key angles to tackle this case.”

“First, we need to identify the person who wrote the anonymous letter and locate Luo Juan,” Li Rong began. “Luo Juan’s testimony is almost certainly fabricated. We need to find a few more people who were involved in the battle back then.”

“Then there’s Yang Lie’s letter,” Pei Wenxuan continued. “We must retrieve it and verify its authenticity.”

“Lastly, the thousand taels of gold,” Li Rong pondered aloud. “We’ll need to track down those who conducted the search of the Qin residence. Only they would know how that gold ended up there.

“Tomorrow, we’ll have Xun Chuan locate Luo Juan and some of the old soldiers who participated in the battle to get their testimonies on the case,” Pei Wenxuan suggested. “As for Yang Lie’s letter and the search team from the Qin estate…”

Li Rong hesitated, and Pei Wenxuan’s intuition told him something was amiss. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Li Rong say, “If Su Rongqing is willing to speak, that would make things much easier.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent, his gaze lowered. After a long pause, he asked, “And if Su Rongqing refuses?”

If Su Rongqing didn’t cooperate, obtaining evidence such as Yang Lie’s letter would be significantly more challenging. As for the individuals involved in the search of the Qin estate, they might be even harder to extract information from. 

After all, the letter could be retrieved through pressure and persistence, but for the search team, a simple claim of “I don’t remember” might dismiss the matter entirely.

Hearing Pei Wenxuan’s concern, Li Rong could only say, “If Su Rongqing refuses to speak, we’ll need a two-pronged approach. First, check if there’s anyone else in the Ministry of Justice who can be brought into our fold. Second, we’ll follow formal procedures—whoever withholds evidence, we’ll make their life difficult until they hand it over.”

But such an approach would consume a great deal of time and effort, making it the least desirable option.

Pei Wenxuan responded with a simple, “Let’s do it this way.”

After arriving at the residence, Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan stepped off the carriage. Li Rong turned to someone nearby and instructed, “Send a message to Miss Shangguan, tell her to arrange things however she prefers. The sooner, the better.”

The servant hesitated for a moment before responding and hurrying off.

Pei Wenxuan, hearing Li Rong’s words, asked, “Does Your Highness have other plans?”

“I need to check on those dozen or so people. What about you?”

“I still have official duties to attend to, so I’ll return to the office.”

Li Rong, hearing this, realized he had been accompanying her the entire day and must have work piling up. Smiling, she said, “I’ve held you up today. I almost forgot you have your own responsibilities. In the future, I’ll handle things on my own, so you don’t have to work late into the night.”

“Your Highness’ matters are my matters. I chose to accompany you.”

Hearing Li Rong insist he attend to his duties made Pei Wenxuan feel even more conflicted. Taking a deep breath, he bowed and said, “I’ll take my leave now.”

As he turned and walked away, Li Rong called after him, “Just finish what absolutely needs to be done. Tomorrow, I’ll send Chuan’er to speak with your superior. Don’t be stubborn.”

Pei Wenxuan felt both touched and a little upset at her words. Bowing his head slightly, he replied in a low voice, “You shouldn’t stay up too late either. Rest early.”

“I know, go on.”

Pei Wenxuan headed to his office. Meanwhile, Li Rong entered the Princess’ residence and saw Xun Chuan standing in the courtyard with a group of people. Glancing at them, Li Rong sat down with a smile, holding her teacup. She spoke softly, “Your reassignment orders should have arrived by now.”

No one dared to speak. Li Rong continued in a calm tone, “You all come from humble backgrounds and have been stuck in the military without much progress. Though you’re capable, you haven’t been able to rise. Doesn’t that feel unfair?”

The group exchanged looks, unsure of how to respond. Li Rong called out their names one by one and said, “I know each of you. From now on, you’ll work diligently in the Department of Supervision. I won’t treat you poorly. I understand you might worry about getting into trouble, but let me be clear—once you stepped into the Department of Supervision, trouble became inevitable. Even if you don’t provoke it, it will find you.”

“If you perform well, I’ll give you a ladder to success,” she continued, her expression turning cold. “If you fail, I won’t even need to act—your lives will be forfeit. There’s no turning back for you now. Do you understand?”

The group’s expressions varied, but Li Rong laughed bitterly. “What’s wrong? Are you so used to being dogs that, when I offer you the chance to be human, you don’t want it?”

Finally, one of them reacted quickly, kneeling and saying, “We will follow Your Highness’ commands. From now on, we live as people of the Department of Supervision and die as its ghosts. We swear loyalty to Your Highness, with no second thoughts!”

“Good.” Li Rong stood, pointing to Xun Chuan. “From now on, he’s your superior—his name is Xun Chuan. And you,” she said, turning to the first man who knelt, “You’re Tian Sheng, correct? You’ll be the deputy. Tomorrow, divide the remaining personnel from the Department of Inspections into twelve squads. Each of you will lead a team, handling your own assignments. Report everything to Tian Sheng, who will compile it into a document for me. Xun Chuan will deliver it the day after tomorrow.”

Li Rong, feeling a bit tired after giving her instructions, yawned and said, “Alright, I’ll go rest now. Be careful on your way back.”

With that, she waved off the group amidst their respectful farewells and returned to her quarters. Once inside, she pulled out a confession from the Qin family’s case file and carefully reviewed it. Initially, she thought she would wait for Pei Wenxuan, but as the night deepened and he still hadn’t returned, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Yawning again, she washed up and went to bed.

Lying in bed, she regained a bit of energy and thought about waiting a little longer. After all, Pei Wenxuan had accompanied her all day. If she fell sound asleep while he worked late into the night, the man, with his petty grievances, might return feeling it was unfair and get upset.

With that in mind, she picked up a book from her bedside table and casually flipped through it, fighting off sleep. However, after a while, she couldn’t hold out any longer and drifted off without realizing it.

By the time Pei Wenxuan finished his work, it was already late at night. He returned to the residence under the starry sky. As soon as he entered, a servant greeted him with a bowl of pear soup, smiling as they said, “Consort, it’s autumn now, and the air is dry. Her Highness prepared this pear soup for you to soothe your throat.”

Pei Wenxuan paused, recognizing this small but thoughtful habit of Li Rong’s. He acknowledged it softly, took the bowl, and drank half before heading to the bath to freshen up. Once he was done, he made his way back to their room. 

At the door, he noticed the lights inside were still bright. Frowning slightly, he quietly asked Jinglan, who was standing nearby, “Has Her Highness not gone to sleep yet?”

“Her Highness said you had a long day and wanted to wait for your return.”

“You should’ve stopped her.” Pei Wenxuan’s heart softened at those words. Lowering his gaze, he murmured, “Don’t let her be so willful next time.”

“Please rest now, Consort,” Jinglan replied with a smile. “We’ll try to persuade her next time.”

Pei Wenxuan knew Jinglan’s words were meant to comfort him. Knowing Li Rong’s temperament, not to mention Jinglan or Jingmei, even he couldn’t stop her when she was determined. With a sigh of resignation, he pushed open the door. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Li Rong lying on the bed, and it was unclear whether she was awake or asleep.

He froze for a moment, then quietly walked over and stopped by the bedside.

Li Rong was lying askew on the bed, clearly not having gone to sleep properly. She was always meticulous about her posture, so this wasn’t normal. Beneath her face was a book, which she had obviously fallen asleep reading.

Though it was already autumn, she was still dressed in a single layer of clothing. A few strands of her hair had fallen across her face, the black locks contrasting sharply against her pale skin, making her hair appear like satin and her complexion as pure as snow.

Pei Wenxuan silently observed the girl who had waited for him so long that she’d fallen asleep. In that moment, he felt as if he were a drifting ship in the vast ocean, finally finding a safe harbor to anchor. He lingered in that gentle, peaceful moment, taking a seat by the bed. Quietly, he gazed at Li Rong, doing nothing but watching her. He felt a quiet joy, a subtle infatuation.

Suddenly, he realized that whether in his previous life or this one, everything he had longed for, cherished, and yearned for—the feeling of having a home—was encapsulated in this very moment.

Returning from the government office, he drank a bowl of pear soup, and then saw the proud girl, who had taken off her armor and was quietly sleeping beside him. That moment, the best time in the world, was given to him by Li Rong. Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but reach out and touch Li Rong’s face. He stared at her, suddenly afraid to think about how it would feel if such moments were never to be had again.

He felt the warmth under his hand and softly called out, “Rongrong.”

Li Rong, half asleep, noticed that Pei Wenxuan seemed to have returned. She mumbled, “Hmm? Pei Wenxuan? You’re back?”

Pei Wenxuan smiled when he heard her voice.

He gently lifted her and moved her to the inner side, speaking softly, “I’m back. Don’t wait for me anymore, okay?”

Li Rong was slightly awakened by his movement. She shook her head and said, “Aren’t you worried I’ll make you angry?”

“I’m not that easy to anger.”

Pei Wenxuan helplessly chuckled, “Don’t accuse me like that.”

“You’re quite petty,” Li Rong said as she turned her back to him and began to fall asleep again. “Turn off the lights.”

Pei Wenxuan sighed and got up to turn off the lights. Afterward, he got into bed. He gazed at Li Rong’s back. She seemed to have fallen asleep, and as he quietly watched her, he couldn’t help but smile. But just as he smiled, a feeling of unease crept over him. He hurriedly turned away from Li Rong, not daring to look at her.

Then, he suddenly realized something.

What was he smiling for? What was he happy about? What was he angry about? What was he afraid of?

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong seemed to remember something after falling asleep for a while. She turned over, and since they were so close, her head rested on his back. In a daze, she whispered, “Don’t get angry when you see Su Rongqing in the future. You keep telling me to try with him, but then you get angry all the time. It’s hard for me.”

Pei Wenxuan froze and didn’t say anything. He felt her leaning against him, and for a brief moment, he almost blurted something out.

Just don’t try then.

But he regretted the thought immediately.

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