Chapter 115: If You Want To Dance The Hu Xuan Dance, You Can Do It Anywhere

Pei Wenxuan had just left the palace when Fulai presented the results of the comparison of the handwriting on the talisman.

“Your Majesty,” Fulai said respectfully, “the handwriting on this talisman is indeed fake.”

Li Ming took the talisman from the tray and examined it closely. Fulai stood quietly by his side. After a long while, Li Ming sighed and said, “Fulai, do you know what the hardest part of being a ruler is?”

“Your Majesty, that’s quite a question,” Fulai chuckled. “How could a servant like me understand such things?”

Li Ming stared at the talisman for a long time before tossing it onto the table and standing up. “It’s that everyone around you might be lying to you. Others can hear the truth if they want to, but I have to sift through a pile of lies to find it. And the scariest part is—everyone knows this.”

Li Ming walked out of the imperial study, Fulai following behind. As they strolled slowly down the corridor, Li Ming spoke again, “They know your weaknesses, manipulate your emotions. You think you’ve found the truth, but even that so-called truth is wrapped in layers of lies.”

“Look at this talisman—from forcibly promoting Pei Wenxuan to Assistant Minister of Personnel, to Master Hongde claiming that Princess Pingle has private ties with the Crown Prince—it’s all aimed at my heart. They know what I worry about, so they show me exactly that. The flaws in this talisman are so obvious, yet I didn’t notice. Tell me, how did a matter between the Crown Prince and Princess Pingle end up involving Pei Wenxuan?”

“Your Majesty is wise and always makes sound decisions,” Fulai flattered.

Li Ming sneered, “Wise? How am I wise? The talisman is suspicious, but isn’t Pei Wenxuan also questionable? Who knows if what he says is true or false?”

As he spoke, Li Ming stopped and looked at the flowers and plants in the courtyard.

It was March, and the weather was warming. The courtyard was full of vibrant life. He felt a bit weary and said, “Fulai, who do you think is telling the truth?”

“Your Majesty is putting this old servant in a tough spot.”

“Just say it,” Li Ming said casually. “We’re just chatting. It’s fine if you’re wrong.”

“This servant thinks… no matter what happens in this world, everything follows a pattern,” Fulai seemed to ponder each word carefully. “People don’t go to great lengths for no reason. Look at all these events—if Consort Rou is telling the truth, then Lord Pei actively sought the promotion, the princess privately asked Master Hongde to delay the Crown Prince’s marriage, and acknowledged her bond with Lord Pei through the talisman. What’s the motive? If Lord Pei is telling the truth, then someone plotted to link him and the Crown Prince to the Assistant Minister position, then Master Hongde falsely accused him, and someone used the talisman to implicate Your Majesty. What’s the motive behind that?”

Li Ming listened quietly.

He kept thinking about everyone’s intentions. After a while, he felt a headache coming on and instinctively raised his hand to rub his forehead. “Enough. I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

“The wind is strong outside. Your Majesty should go back and rest,” Fulai stepped forward to support him. As Li Ming walked back with his help, he spoke with some helplessness, “I’m getting old. My body isn’t what it used to be.”

“You’re just a little tired, Your Majesty.”

Fulai said gently, “Rest will help. I’ll call the imperial physician to come and help you recover. No need to worry.”

“Mm.” Supported by Fulai, Li Ming entered the room. Fulai glanced at him and asked slowly, “Your Majesty, regarding the separation of the Princess Pingle and her consort—should we draft the decree now?”

Li Ming’s headache worsened at the question.

“Leave it for now,” he waved his hand.

Fulai helped Li Ming lie down and asked in a low voice, “Should we investigate Master Hongde’s entry into the palace?”

Li Ming didn’t speak. Fulai reached out to massage his head for him, softening his tone: “Consort Rou has a gentle temperament and has always followed His Majesty’s orders. For her to take the initiative to bring Master Hongde into the palace now—there must be someone behind this stirring trouble. This servant worries that…”

“Go investigate it.”

Li Ming didn’t want to hear any of this, but he also knew the matter couldn’t be delayed. Every moment wasted made the truth harder to uncover.

He waved his hand dismissively and turned away. “Summon the imperial physician to perform acupuncture on me.”

Fulai acknowledged the order and shot a glance at a young eunuch nearby, who promptly left.

Whenever Li Ming’s head ached, the palace was thrown into chaos. By this time, Pei Wenxuan had nearly returned to the princess’s residence. Upon inquiring about Li Rong’s whereabouts, he learned she was sleeping.

After the exhausting events of the previous night, she was likely worn out. Pei Wenxuan thought for a moment, then ordered the inner courtyard cleared before announcing he was heading to the study.

But once inside the inner courtyard, he went straight to the bedroom. Tong Ye couldn’t help but be puzzled: “Young Master, weren’t you going to the study?”

Pei Wenxuan gave him a look as if he were an idiot. “The outer courtyard is full of prying eyes. Her Highness and I are supposedly still at odds—no one should know I went to see her.”

Tong Ye was slow to process this, but Pei Wenxuan shooed him away. “Go guard the study door. If anyone asks, say I’m inside.”

Tong Ye nodded blankly and watched as Pei Wenxuan entered the bedroom and shut the door. After a moment of dazed silence, he remembered his task and hurried off to stand watch outside the study.

Li Rong had been far too exhausted the night before and was now deeply asleep, unaware that Pei Wenxuan had entered.

Pei Wenxuan closed the door quietly, removed his official robes, and washed his hands with controlled movements to minimize noise.

The sound of water finally roused Li Rong, who cracked her eyes open to see the faint outline of a young man’s back. She murmured drowsily, “Wenxuan?”

Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, and it instantly brought back memories of the previous night for Pei Wenxuan.

He let his hands linger in the water, closing his eyes for a brief moment to steady himself before responding, “Go back to sleep. I’m here now.”

Li Rong was still half-asleep, but she was concerned about the palace affairs, so she rolled onto her stomach, letting one arm dangle off the bed as she mumbled with her eyes closed, “What did Father say to you?”

Pei Wenxuan finished washing his hands and came to her side. Without opening her eyes, Li Rong felt herself being lifted and gently shifted further onto the bed. Pei Wenxuan slipped under the covers, and as soon as he did, Li Rong’s arm looped around his neck, pulling herself against his chest like a clingy kitten. She nuzzled into him and grumbled, “Did he tell us to divorce?”

“He didn’t say anything,” Pei Wenxuan replied, his arms full of her warm, soft form—both a delight and a torment. His gaze drifted absently to the wall as he stroked her back soothingly, as if calming a child. “I was the one who brought it up. I lodged a complaint against you.”

Then Pei Wenxuan chuckled, lowering his head to nudge her nose playfully with his own. “I told him I have a little cat who scratches and bites me, and I don’t want her anymore.”

Li Rong laughed at his words. “Fine, fine. I’ll apologize. But didn’t you tie me up too?”

Pei Wenxuan smiled without answering. Li Rong nestled against him for a while before remembering to ask, “And then?”

“Then I accused Consort Rou of deceiving you with talismans and warned His Majesty that he might be being manipulated. After that, he said he’d issue an edict for our divorce, so I came back.”

“You counter-accused Consort Rou?” Li Rong laughed. “Father has always favored her—it probably won’t have much effect.”

“If I had only accused her of framing you, of course it wouldn’t have mattered. You two are political enemies to begin with. His Majesty’s role is simply to maintain balance, ensuring neither of you goes too far.”

As he spoke, Pei Wenxuan grew restless. He flipped over, pinning Li Rong beneath him. His hands moved like a musician plucking strings, his touch as smooth as polished jade—graceful yet carrying a hint of mischief. Slowly, he murmured, “But if His Majesty realizes someone is using Consort Rou to undermine his true objectives, he won’t tolerate it.”

“His objectives?” Li Rong’s voice trembled slightly as she kept her eyes closed.

Pei Wenxuan knew she hadn’t yet connected the dots, so he reminded her, “Everything His Majesty does is to expand his own power. His greatest adversaries are the noble clans. Promoting Prince Su and elevating Consort Rou serves that purpose. Now, establishing the Surveillance Bureau and using me—it’s all for the same goal. His Majesty cares about my rise, your alliance with the Crown Prince, even our relationship—because he fears we might be pawns of the noble families. But does he not fear the same of Consort Rou?”

His breath brushed against Li Rong’s skin as he calmly dissected court politics. She clutched the bedsheets, forcing herself to stay composed.

It was like a silent contest between them—a test of who would yield first. Li Rong refused to lose in this kind of game.

One danced along the edges, probing for an opening, waiting to strike.

The other stood firm, unshaken, watching to see what tricks the other might play.

“So you mean,” Li Rong mused, carefully controlling her tone, “you want His Majesty to realize that Consort Rou’s hostility toward me is being exploited by the noble clans? That she’s become their puppet?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “But just your accusation alone won’t be enough.”

“No matter,” Pei Wenxuan chuckled. “In a game of chess, the pieces are placed one by one.”

With that, he slid a hand beneath her back, lifting her slightly off the bed before sealing her lips in a deep kiss.

This kiss was different from before—like a prelude finally giving way to the main act.

The sudden weightlessness made Li Rong tense instinctively, her senses overwhelmed by the rush of sensations.

Pei Wenxuan nipped lightly at her lower lip, as if admonishing her. “Did you really think he could scheme against me in the shadows without me plotting right back?”

He didn’t specify who “he” referred to, but Li Rong sensed the target of his words from the subtle aggression in his movements.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “You lost to him in our past life—still not over it?”

At that, Pei Wenxuan flipped her onto her stomach, pressing her into the mattress.

“Still daring to bring that up?” His voice was light with amusement. “If not for having to protect you, he’d have died a thousand times over.”

“Anyone can boast,” Li Rong teased, eyes glinting with challenge. “Lord Pei, shouldn’t you back it up with results?”

Pei Wenxuan let out a derisive laugh. He knew she was baiting him, but he played along.

Pinching her chin, he smirked. “Just wait and see.”

Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh at his childish behavior. The sound of her laughter irritated Pei Wenxuan, though his expression remained composed—he simply made sure she wouldn’t be laughing for long.

Before long, Li Rong truly wasn’t laughing anymore.

After what felt like an eternity, Li Rong, her voice hoarse with impatience, finally demanded, “Are you going to start or not?”

“You should rest for a couple more days.”

Pei Wenxuan leaned down to kiss her gently. “Otherwise, it’ll hurt.”

Li Rong said nothing. She endured for a while longer before her patience finally snapped. She slammed a fist against the bed and growled through gritted teeth, “If you can’t do it, then get the hell off!”

Pei Wenxuan froze for a moment. Then, after taking a deep breath, he sat up and drew the bed curtains shut.

“Then let me examine you first,” came his low, rough voice from within the canopy. “Let’s see if you’re really ready.”

Li Rong: “…”

She didn’t respond, merely staring blankly at Pei Wenxuan, whose robes hung loosely off his shoulders as he knelt at the head of the bed, declaring with utmost seriousness that he needed to inspect her.

“I’ll only warn you once.”

Her voice was ice-cold. “If you dare tell me I’m not ready, I’ll kick you off this bed, stomp on your face, and dance the huxuan on top of you.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan looked up and smiled. After a thorough examination, he finally concluded that Li Rong was, in fact, perfectly fine.

He had been careful the night before, ensuring she wasn’t injured, and after applying medicine earlier, she had recovered exceptionally well.

“If my wife wishes to dance the huxuan, she need only say so. I’ll prepare the robes for you.” Pei Wenxuan didn’t release the hem of her skirt—instead, he tugged it lightly as he leaned over her. “You can dance wherever you like.”

“On my face, on my body—or right here in my heart.”

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