Chapter 82: I Like You; Didn’t You Already Know That?

Shouts of killing erupted outside, the carriage accelerated rapidly, and the three girls inside were jolted left and right, each finding a protruding spot to hold onto and stabilize themselves.

Jingmei and Jinglan were already pale with fright, still trying to remain calm. Arrows struck the carriage wall one after another, seemingly about to pierce through at any moment.

“Your Highness,” Jinglan trembled as she spoke, “Will the carriage… will the carriage be shot through?”

Just by listening to the sound of arrows crashing outside, it was clear how intense the arrow rain was. If it weren’t for the specially made carriage, they would have been turned into sieves inside.

Li Rong held onto herself, listening to the sounds outside, and calmly said, “Don’t panic, the carriage won’t be pierced. It might overturn soon, so hold on tight.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a horse outside let out a miserable cry, and the carriage was instantly turned upside down. Li Rong exerted force to stabilize herself and avoid rolling around with the carriage’s momentum, but she was still struck by the immense force, hitting the carriage wall hard.

Li Rong took a breath and saw a guard lift the curtain, urgently saying, “Your Highness, come out quickly.”

Li Rong didn’t have time to worry about her demeanor and rushed out, instructing Jingmei and Jinglan, “Run to other places.”

After speaking, Li Rong followed the guard to the side, mounted a horse, and then galloped towards Butterfly Gorge.

Jinglan and Jingmei climbed out of the carriage and ran wildly towards the other side of the forest.

Shangguan Ya had already ambushed people on both sides of Butterfly Gorge. They needed to quickly find Shangguan Ya.

Li Rong, under the guard’s protection, galloped towards Butterfly Gorge. The guards and assassins behind fought and retreated, leading the assassins into the gorge. Shangguan Ya stood high, watching the assassins being led into Butterfly Gorge. Seeing that most of them had rushed in, Shangguan Ya shouted, “Drop the rocks!”

As soon as she finished speaking, rocks were pushed down from both sides of the gorge, splitting the assassins’ team into two.

Pei Wenxuan was tuning his zither strings when he heard the urgent sound of hooves. He looked up to see Li Rong in red, protected by guards, galloping towards him. Pei Wenxuan’s pupils contracted, and then he heard a loud rumble. The entrance to Butterfly Gorge was blocked by huge rocks, raising billowing dust. Li Rong galloped through the creek and peonies towards him, shouting, “Pei Wenxuan, move aside!”

Behind her, assassins and guards were fighting fiercely, two groups battling in the sea of flowers. Pei Wenxuan watched as peonies were trampled, petals flying everywhere, and Li Rong in red galloped through the sea of flowers.

Pei Wenxuan’s face turned pale. He looked at the peonies he had painstakingly gathered from around Huajing, watching them turn into flying petals amidst the fight, while the people fought fiercely, unaware.

He trembled with anger, unable to speak.

Li Rong rode up to him, jumped down, and pulled him, saying, “What are you standing there for? Run!”

Saying this, Pei Wenxuan was pulled by Li Rong and ran forward. Assassins chased after Li Rong, and guards blocked them. Li Rong turned to her guards and shouted, “Retreat! Take everyone and retreat!”

“Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan finally reacted, realizing what was happening. He looked up at Li Rong, urgently wanting to say the words he had prepared for a long time, “I waited here for…”

“Hold your breath!”

Before Pei Wenxuan could finish, Li Rong pushed him into the cold lake.

Li Rong pushed decisively and forcefully, as if using all her strength. Pei Wenxuan, unprepared, was directly pushed down.

Lake water filled Pei Wenxuan’s mouth and nose, but fortunately, he instinctively followed Li Rong’s words and held his breath.

After falling into the water, the most important thing was to stay calm. Pei Wenxuan panicked for a moment but quickly calmed down, adjusted his posture, and then felt someone pull him forward.

Pei Wenxuan knew it was Li Rong, quickly following her. They swam forward for less than a hundred meters before Li Rong pulled him up. As soon as they surfaced, they felt the ground shake. Pei Wenxuan grabbed Li Rong with one hand and the shore with the other. Then they quickly climbed ashore.

In the cold winter, as soon as the two of them got ashore, they felt the biting cold envelop them.

Pei Wenxuan didn’t have time to ask what was going on before he saw Li Rong shivering and quickly grabbing a bundle nearby, pulling out clothes, and throwing one to Pei Wenxuan, trembling as she said, “Change into this.”

Saying this, she didn’t care that Pei Wenxuan was there and started changing clothes directly.

Pei Wenxuan hurriedly turned around, not daring to look at her. Things were developing too quickly, catching him off guard. He didn’t have time to think much and could only follow Li Rong in quickly changing clothes.

After changing clothes, their hair was still wet, but the warmth slightly eased the tension from earlier. Li Rong turned to Pei Wenxuan, smiled, and said, “Did I scare you?”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak, pursing his lips and staring at Li Rong.

“Your people should be fine,” Li Rong saw his apparent dissatisfaction, thinking he was worried about the safety of those outside, and reassured him, “I just had someone command your people to retreat. The range of these explosives has a safe zone. When we came earlier, I instructed that unless absolutely necessary, the explosives should only be ignited after ensuring everyone is in the safe zone.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak, nodding slightly, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Li Rong saw his unusual expression and couldn’t help but ask, “Were you trying to tell me something earlier?”

“Nothing.”

Pei Wenxuan turned his head, hiding his expression, and looked towards the light outside the cave, “Was today all arranged by Your Highness?”

“You already know, don’t you?” Li Rong laughed, “Don’t be angry, I have everything under control. We’ve already split their forces into two, with a small part blocked outside. I instructed Shangguan Ya to capture some of them alive, securing evidence of the Chen family’s assassination attempts.”

“Your Highness used yourself as bait.” Pei Wenxuan’s voice was very low. Li Rong laughed coldly, “I don’t have the patience to keep dealing with them. They keep pulling these stunts from time to time, and I can’t be on guard against them every day. It’s better to lure them out and catch them all at once.”

“Too risky.”

Pei Wenxuan’s voice was suppressed, seeming somewhat distracted, trying hard to control himself. Li Rong noticed and hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “It won’t happen again, don’t worry.”

Pei Wenxuan looked outside the cave, remaining silent. Li Rong glanced at his disheveled hair and the clothes he had taken off. Only then did she notice that Pei Wenxuan was wearing white today.

He hadn’t worn white for many years.

Li Rong didn’t know why, but she felt a bit uneasy. She wanted to say something, but Pei Wenxuan was silent, and she didn’t know where to start.

The sounds of fighting outside gradually diminished. After a moment, Shangguan Ya’s voice came from outside, loudly asking, “Your Highness, are you alright?”

“I’m here.”

Li Rong immediately raised her voice. Shangguan Ya followed the sound, leading people inside. She had a joyful expression, looking like she had encountered something good. She saluted Li Rong and then nodded to Pei Wenxuan, “Lord Pei.”

Pei Wenxuan silently returned the salute. Shangguan Ya then turned to Li Rong and said, “Your Highness, we captured twelve people alive today. We have ten injured on our side, but everyone else is fine.”

“Take the people back for interrogation.”

Li Rong immediately said, “Bring the bodies back too, check them one by one.”

“Understood.”

After speaking, Shangguan Ya looked Li Rong up and down, “You should go back first, don’t catch a cold. Leave the rest to me.”

Saying this, Shangguan Ya looked at Pei Wenxuan and smiled, “Consort, you have made a great contribution this time. His Highness said you will be richly rewarded.”

Pei Wenxuan’s expression did not change, he respectfully said, “Thank you, Your Highness.”

Li Rong nodded, not knowing what to say, she raised her hand and pointed outside.

“Let’s go.”

Pei Wenxuan nodded and walked out directly. Shangguan Ya sensed something was wrong and walked beside Li Rong, whispering, “Your Highness, the consort looks very unhappy.”

Li Rong responded, looking at Pei Wenxuan’s thin back, lightly tapping her palm with a small fan, seemingly deep in thought.

When they walked out, Li Rong saw a mess, bodies lying in a sea of flowers, the creek stained red with blood. The table and zither Pei Wenxuan had prepared were smashed on the ground, and the stove warming the wine had rolled to the side.

Pei Wenxuan looked at the scene, paused for a moment, then walked forward silently, hands tucked into his sleeves, stepping through the sea of flowers.

He wore a black cloak, his hair loose, the wind blowing the shattered peony petals towards him. Li Rong looked up and saw his figure walking out of the gorge, gradually moving away.

“In this cold winter,” Shangguan Ya was somewhat surprised, “where did he get so many peonies?”

Li Rong’s gaze fell on the peonies beside her. She paused for a moment, then walked to the zither table.

She raised her hand to touch the zither, seeing the words “Green Sandalwood” carved on it. She instantly remembered that this was Pei Wenxuan’s favorite zither.

A mountain of peonies, the most cherished zither, if he was just cooperating with her to lure the enemy, why would he go to such great lengths?

Li Rong stared blankly at everything. Shangguan Ya, after a brief surprise, quickly reacted. She hurried to Li Rong’s side, stuffed the zither into Li Rong’s arms, and urgently said, “Your Highness, why are you still standing here? Hurry and chase after him!”

“Chase…” Li Rong raised her head in confusion, “Chase after him?”

“Chase after him, otherwise the consort will be very sad.” Shangguan Ya seriously pulled Li Rong up, pushing her, “Hurry, I’ll disperse the people for you, you can talk freely.”

Li Rong held the zither, feeling a bit at a loss. Shangguan Ya kept pushing her, and after a moment, she finally reacted, coldly saying, “Stop pushing, I’ll go.”

Saying this, Li Rong held the zither and walked through the crowd.

She walked quickly but was very restrained, like a tightly stretched string, using great effort, wanting to catch up with him but afraid of losing her composure. She quickly walked to Pei Wenxuan’s back and called out loudly, “Pei Wenxuan.”

Pei Wenxuan stopped but did not turn around. Li Rong pursed her lips and said softly, “Your zither.”

Pei Wenxuan was silent for a long time, his voice hoarse, “The zither is broken, just leave it.”

Li Rong couldn’t describe her feelings, she felt as if this broken zither had struck her heart.

What Pei Wenxuan said about leaving it seemed not just about the zither, but…

Li Rong didn’t let herself think further, she just held the zither, speaking coldly, “This zither has been with you for a long time, it can still be used after being repaired.”

“I’ve repaired it too many times,” Pei Wenxuan said slowly, “No need.”

Li Rong tightened her grip on the zither. Pei Wenxuan turned slightly, looking at Li Rong. Li Rong’s face showed no expression. He seriously looked at her for a long time, then smiled, “Your Highness, I prepared for a long time today. The peonies were bought at a high price, the clothes were praised by Your Highness years ago, everything was according to Your Highness’s preferences, just afraid Your Highness wouldn’t like it.”

He said this, seeming embarrassed, lowering his eyes, looking at the petals on the ground, with a smile on his lips, “Your Highness should have informed me in advance.”

“I thought you knew.”

Li Rong spoke calmly, “You have always been perceptive and insightful. After the assassination attempt, I took you out, thinking you had already noticed and investigated me secretly, which is why you cooperated with me in moving these flowers to Butterfly Gorge so grandly.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent. Li Rong lowered her eyes and said softly, “It was you who lost your usual rationality.”

“Your Highness is right,” Pei Wenxuan smiled, “In the past, I never understood why Your Highness resisted matters of love so much. Now I understand.”

Saying this, Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, “When you have someone in your heart, it’s inevitable to lose composure. I had already noticed Your Highness’s unusual behavior, but I thought it was Your Highness showing goodwill towards me. It was I who lost my sense of proportion and almost disrupted Your Highness’s plan.”

Every word Pei Wenxuan said pierced Li Rong’s heart. For the first time, Li Rong realized that even plain sentences could be so hurtful.

But she couldn’t show it. She listened indifferently as Pei Wenxuan spoke, “It was my mistake. Rest assured, Your Highness, it won’t happen again.”

After saying this, Pei Wenxuan gracefully bowed and turned to leave.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan leave, Li Rong’s fingers tightly gripped the zither. Watching him walk away, she finally couldn’t hold back and called out to him, “Pei Wenxuan!”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t turn around and continued walking. Li Rong gritted her teeth and shouted, “Why is everything decided by you? You say we should be friends, so we are friends. Now you say we shouldn’t be friends, so we aren’t. You come and go as you please. What right do you have to throw such a tantrum at me?!”

“Yes,” Pei Wenxuan stopped and turned around, shouting back at Li Rong, “I have no right. I never had any right. In the past, I wasn’t in your heart. Now, no matter what I do, I can’t stay in your heart. I’m not in your heart, so I don’t even have the right to like you, to pursue you, right?”

Li Rong’s eyes widened. Pei Wenxuan looked at her expression and laughed mockingly, “Are you surprised? Didn’t you already know?”

Saying this, Pei Wenxuan stepped forward, clenching his fists, controlling himself, and speaking in a low voice that only the two of them could hear, “You know everything, but you hide it in your heart. You pretend not to know, just hoping I can continue to maintain the so-called friendship with you and keep being good to you.”

“You don’t want to be with me,” Pei Wenxuan’s voice trembled, “But you can’t bear to lose my talents, can’t bear to lose my kindness to you. So you show goodwill to keep me, but reject me when I get close. But Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan’s eyes reddened, “Feelings can’t be trampled like this. You can say you don’t like me, but you must at least respect this affection.”

“If you had cared even a little about today’s events, you wouldn’t have been so unaware.”

“I can’t guess your schemes, not because I’m stupid, but because I prefer to believe that you called me out sincerely to go somewhere and relax, unrelated to these schemes.”

“And you, knowing my movements, couldn’t guess my actions, not because you don’t understand, but because your heart prefers to believe I’m playing schemes rather than…” Pei Wenxuan paused, staring at the woman in front of him who showed no change in expression after hearing everything he said.

He suddenly felt tired, felt humiliated. He even felt that if he said this, he would truly lose completely, losing even the last bit of dignity.

“Rather than what?” Li Rong looked up, quietly watching him.

Pei Wenxuan, seeing her extremely calm eyes, couldn’t help but laugh, “Your Highness is still a step ahead.”

Saying this, he turned his head and said hoarsely, “Your Highness still has important matters to attend to, I shall take my leave.”

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong’s voice was somewhat tired. She looked at the ground and spoke softly, “I have never said these things to you.”

“It’s not just you who feels that your feelings have been trampled on, and it’s not just you who has felt pitiful.”

Pei Wenxuan was stunned. After Li Rong finished speaking, she felt she had lost her composure. She took a deep breath, turned around with the zither, and tried to calm herself down, “You should go back first, I still have things to do.”

“Your Highness…”

“Go back!”

Li Rong shouted. Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. He quietly watched Li Rong’s proud and solitary back. After a long time, he raised his hand and saluted Li Rong.

“I will wait for Your Highness to come home.”

His voice was very low, with a hint of pleading.

Li Rong stopped walking. After a long time, she finally responded, “Hmm.”

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