Chapter 90: Unfortunately, Only You And I Returned

After Su Rongqing spoke, Li Ming felt completely at ease and nodded, saying, “Since Minister Su also agrees, let Minister Pei handle this case. Draft the decree.”

With that, Li Ming ordered the decree to be drafted, assigning Pei Liming to investigate the case.

Once the investigator was decided, Xie Lanqing’s expression turned grim. Li Ming waved his hand and said, “Take him away.”

At this moment, Xie Lanqing finally reacted. He threw himself at Li Ming’s feet, pleading urgently, “Your Majesty, this old minister has been wronged! Your Majesty, someone must be framing me. Bring the clear water and test it again! Test it one more time!”

“Drag him out.”

Li Ming waved his hand, and the guards on either side rushed in, dragging Xie Lanqing out.

Xie Lanqing wailed and struggled as he was pulled away, showing no trace of the severe injuries he had claimed earlier.

After Xie Lanqing was taken away, Lin Feibai stood dazed in place, staring at the bowl of clear water mixed with blood beads. When the guards approached to escort him, he snapped back to reality, shook off their grip, and strode out, saying, “I’ll walk myself.”

Once Lin Feibai left, Li Ming seemed exhausted. He waved his hand and said, “I’m tired. All of you, leave. Pei Wenxuan, stay behind—I have a few words for you.”

Everyone bowed respectfully and departed.

Li Rong followed the crowd out, wiping her tears with red eyes. She stopped at the corridor outside the imperial study.

Shangguan Ya approached her and asked, “Is Your Highness waiting for the Prince Consort?”

“Yes,” Li Rong sniffled, seemingly just recovering from her emotions. Shangguan Ya sighed, “Your Highness keeps so many grievances bottled up inside. It pains me to see it. In the future, please confide in me more. Don’t bear everything alone.”

“You’re right,” Li Rong smiled. “You may go now.”

Shangguan Ya nodded gracefully, glanced at the people still talking nearby, and, mindful of gossip, bowed and left.

As the crowd dispersed after their conversations, a cold breeze brushed Li Rong’s face. She slowly composed herself, standing in the corridor, quietly gazing at the courtyard.

Moments later, someone stood beside her. Neither spoke for a while until Su Rongqing’s voice slowly broke the silence, “Your Highness’s actions today were far beyond my expectations.”

“Your actions today, Lord Su, were also beyond mine,” Li Rong replied.

“Your Highness thought I wouldn’t act?”

Su Rongqing stood at a distance—not too far, not too close, about the length of a forearm, the same distance he had always maintained with her in the past.

Li Rong noticed this and felt a fleeting sense of deja vu. Collecting herself, she said calmly, “I thought you wouldn’t let go of Xie Lanqing’s case.”

“He attempted to assassinate Your Highness,” Su Rongqing said evenly. “I would not shield him.”

Li Rong gave a soft acknowledgment. After a long pause, Su Rongqing spoke again, “Your Highness, why did you establish the Inspectorate?”

“For the country, the people, and for justice,” Li Rong answered flatly, her quick response carrying a hint of nonchalance. In the courtyard, frost seemed to form on the withered branches in the wind. Su Rongqing gazed at the ice on the branches and said quietly, “Your Highness, is opposing the noble families now your idea of justice?”

Li Rong paused at his words. Su Rongqing lowered his gaze, his voice steady, “There may be corrupt elements within the noble families, but they are the foundation of Great Xia. Water too clear has no fish. For the sake of a few corrupt individuals, shaking the foundation of Great Xia could lead to war and instability. Where, then, would your vision of justice for the nation and its people stand?”

Li Rong looked at the courtyard in silence. Su Rongqing turned to her, “Your Highness, since marrying Pei Wenxuan, have you been happy?”

“Of course, I’ve been happy,” Li Rong smiled. “The Prince Consort is a good man.”

“That’s good,” Su Rongqing said gently, looking at her. “When Your Highness married, I had a small wish. I hoped your marriage would be free of power struggles, pure and untainted, leaving you with no regrets.”

Li Rong was startled by his words and turned to look at him. At that moment, Pei Wenxuan’s voice came from the entrance as he bid farewell to an attendant.

“Thank you for escorting me, Eunuch Fu. I’ll take my leave.”

“Take care, Prince Consort.”

As Pei Wenxuan’s footsteps approached, Li Rong stared at Su Rongqing. He turned away and said, “Hearing that Your Highness is doing well puts me at ease. Tomorrow, Su Lin will submit a memorial to retire and return to his hometown. I hope Your Highness will act with greater caution in the future.”

With that, Su Rongqing bowed respectfully and left before Pei Wenxuan arrived.

Pei Wenxuan saw Li Rong watching Su Rongqing leave. He paused briefly before walking up behind her, hands tucked in his sleeves, and leaned in with a teasing smile, “Well, you seem quite captivated.”

“Has Father finished speaking with you?” Li Rong turned to him, smiling as she redirected the conversation. “What did he say?”

“And what did you and Lord Su talk about?” Pei Wenxuan strolled to her side, drawling, “You seemed quite moved by something.”

“You’re right,” Li Rong nodded, tapping her fan against her palm with a sigh. “He did say something important that touched me deeply. I couldn’t help but think a bit more of him.”

“Haven’t you thought enough about him already?” Pei Wenxuan sneered. “What more could you want? To put him on a pedestal? That’d be tough on Lord Su.”

“How would putting him on a pedestal be tough on him?” Li Rong raised an eyebrow.

Pei Wenxuan shook his head with mock pity. “The space on your pedestal is so small, he’d have to balance on one leg—left leg gets tired, switch to the right; right leg gets tired, switch to the left. How could Lord Su not be exhausted?”

Li Rong nearly burst out laughing but held it in, saying slowly, “That does sound exhausting. Such a tiring task is probably beyond you, Lord Pei. Best leave it to someone else.”

“Not at all,” Pei Wenxuan replied instantly. “Your Highness underestimates me. Balancing on one leg is my specialty. If you’re willing, I could stand on your pedestal for a lifetime.”

Li Rong couldn’t hold back her laughter this time. Pei Wenxuan dropped the playful tone and asked, “What did Su Rongqing say to you?”

“He said Su Lin will submit a memorial tomorrow to retire and return to his hometown.”

“What’s his angle?” Pei Wenxuan frowned. Li Rong tapped her fan against her palm, saying slowly, “It’s likely a gesture of goodwill, to make me trust their way of handling things. He told me the noble families are the foundation of Great Xia and shouldn’t be shaken. Stability, he said, is more important than pursuing absolute justice.”

Pei Wenxuan fell silent. Li Rong glanced at him, “What did Father say?”

“He asked about the details of the assassination and about my cousin’s capabilities.”

Li Rong nodded. “With Minister Pei taking over Xie Lanqing’s case, once it’s resolved, he’ll likely assume control of the Ministry of Justice, which will make our work much easier.”

Pei Wenxuan murmured in agreement. As they walked along the corridor, Li Rong grew quiet, prompting Pei Wenxuan to ask, “What’s on your mind, Your Highness?”

“I’m wondering,” Li Rong looked up, “don’t you think Su Rongqing is acting a bit strange?”

“How so?”

“At the start of this life, he told me privately he wanted to align with the Crown Prince. But the Su family has always remained neutral. His decision to use me to approach the Crown Prince feels reckless.”

“Maybe he’s still young,” Pei Wenxuan said calmly. “Perhaps he thought Su Ronghua’s appointment as tutor to Prince Su disrupted the Su family’s neutrality, so he chose this to balance their stance.”

“But he didn’t do this in our past life.”

“Or maybe he did, and you didn’t know,” Pei Wenxuan said softly. “After all, when the Crown Prince was deposed, the Su family was the first to switch allegiance to him, wasn’t it?”

Li Rong tapped her fan against her palm, continuing, “And now…”

“He supports the Crown Prince mainly because he’s the legitimate heir of the Empress. But with the Inspectorate threatening the interests of multiple families, he naturally opposes it.”

Li Rong said nothing. Pei Wenxuan went on, “And when he discussed marriage with you at Beiyan Tower, it was likely because he saw how your marriage affected you. You married a commoner and established the Inspectorate. With it in your hands and your refusal to let go, the noble families have two choices: exile you from the capital or keep you as a lingering threat.”

“Exiling you would anger the Crown Prince, and the Su family likely wants to maintain the current balance, ensuring the Crown Prince and the noble families work together to prevent Consort Rou from gaining ground. But keeping you, with the Inspectorate in your hands, gives you too much power over the families. The only solution, then, is to marry you in your moment of crisis.”

“You’re a princess, Your Highness, but you’re still a woman,” Pei Wenxuan looked at her. “To the world, you’re a ruler, but without a husband’s protection, the traditional roles of husband and wife could crush you.”

Li Rong fell silent. After a long pause, she gave a bitter smile, “If you put it that way, Su Rongqing’s intentions are rather distasteful.”

“That’s the Su family’s thinking, which is why they’re willing to risk suspicion to let him marry you,” Pei Wenxuan said evenly. “But that’s not him.”

Li Rong turned to him, noting his neutral expression. She asked, “What does he think, then?”

“What does he think?” Pei Wenxuan looked at her. “Doesn’t Your Highness know?”

Li Rong laughed lightly, “I don’t.”

“I tend to overestimate myself,” she said, walking ahead slowly. “Sometimes, in a fleeting moment, I think someone likes me. I get nervous, my heart races, and I even plan how to reject them—or sometimes, I don’t plan to reject at all. But when they don’t act, and I make a move or two, I realize I was imagining things.”

“So often, I don’t know if what I feel is real or not.”

Pei Wenxuan watched her walk ahead, her silhouette calm and steady. After a long moment, he said softly, “What Your Highness feels is real.”

Li Rong stopped and turned to look at him. Pei Wenxuan smiled, “It’s just that the person responding to you spoke falsely. Some lies come from their own ignorance of their heart, and some come because they cannot return your feelings.”

Li Rong gazed at him quietly. After a while, she smiled, “Don’t you dislike him? Why do you keep defending him?”

“I do dislike him, but that doesn’t mean I’ll slander him,” Pei Wenxuan sighed. “Sometimes, I regret that only you and I came back.”

“And if not?” Li Rong raised an eyebrow, curious. “What would you do?”

“If he had come back too,” a glint of coldness flashed in Pei Wenxuan’s eyes, “we’d settle old scores and grudges, each with our own methods. But alas, we’re dealing with a young pup now,” he said with a hint of regret. “Holding a grudge feels beneath me.”

“Such a pity.”

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