Chapter 119: Even When I Hated You The Most, I Still Didn’t Want You To Look Down On Me

The rain was getting heavier, and Li Ming’s faint curses could still be heard. Pei Wenxuan withdrew his gaze from Su Rongqing’s side and turned to look at the eunuch guarding the door. He stepped forward and handed over the memorial hidden in his sleeve, asking the eunuch to pass it on to Li Ming. Then he turned back and said to Li Rong, “Your Highness, let’s go.”

Li Rong hesitated, glanced into the imperial study, and finally nodded. She turned to instruct the eunuch beside her, saying she was leaving early, and then walked out with Pei Wenxuan.

The two walked through wind and rain. Once they exited the palace, Pei Wenxuan raised his hand and placed it on Li Rong’s shoulder, using his wide sleeve to shield her from the rain.

“Why did you come?”

Li Rong spoke softly, “You came so boldly to pick me up from the palace. Aren’t you afraid Father will suspect something?”

“I submitted a memorial requesting to serve as the chief examiner for the imperial examination,” Pei Wenxuan explained patiently. “The appointments will be confirmed tomorrow, so it’s normal for me to come tonight to show loyalty. Besides,” he glanced back at the palace, “he’s not in the mood to pay attention to us right now.”

“Su Ronghua entered the palace,” Li Rong reminded him.

Pei Wenxuan’s expression didn’t change. He simply said, “I know.”

“Right now, in Father’s eyes, the things he can investigate are limited. Someone brought Hongde into the palace, Hongde’s child was taken away by the Su family, and now the testimony is missing, the memorial hall caught fire, and Hongde was killed. These three events corroborate the earlier two. Though not conclusive, they’re enough for Father to convict Su Rongqing. Now Su Ronghua has come forward and admitted to the first two events, which contradicts the latter three. These three events now seem too abrupt…”

Li Rong frowned. “Father might think we deliberately framed him.”

“How would he think that?” Pei Wenxuan asked calmly.

Li Rong thought carefully. “From Father’s perspective, these three events could be seen as Su Rongqing trying to cover up his own actions, but they could also be seen as us trying to frame Su Rongqing. Why wouldn’t Father think we’re the ones framing him?”

“First, we have no reason to frame Su Rongqing. If we were going to frame someone, it would be Su Ronghua, who is the tutor of Prince Su.”

“Second, Su Ronghua’s timing is too perfect, too deliberate—he’s not trustworthy.”

“Third,” Pei Wenxuan turned his head and said softly, “Su Ronghua brought Hongde’s child into the palace.”

Li Rong was stunned.

Pei Wenxuan tilted the umbrella toward Li Rong and continued gently, “Their best option would’ve been to kill the child. As long as the child wasn’t found in the Su residence, they could deny everything, and His Majesty would have no solid evidence against them. But Su Ronghua didn’t kill the child—he brought him into the palace to return the hostage and admit guilt.”

“And Hongde committed suicide. Unless he was threatened, he wouldn’t have done that. Now that Su Ronghua has brought the child into the palace, Hongde’s death is clearly tied to the Su family. So His Majesty is eighty percent certain that we didn’t kill Hongde. The remaining twenty percent is just his usual suspicion.”

Li Rong gradually calmed down from Pei Wenxuan’s words. Pei Wenxuan helped her into the carriage, then closed the umbrella and climbed in after her.

Li Rong’s outer robe was damp, so Pei Wenxuan helped her take it off and handed her a spare garment from inside the carriage.

Li Rong sat in the carriage, watching Pei Wenxuan kneeling before her, busy with the clothes, and listened as he continued, “Now that Su Ronghua has taken the blame, Su Rongqing should be fine.”

“What about Su Ronghua?”

Li Rong spoke softly, and Pei Wenxuan was silent for a moment before he slowly said, “Leaving officialdom might not be a bad thing for him.”

“Then all the effort you went through,” Li Rong gave a bitter smile, “was it all for nothing?”

“Who said it was for nothing?” Pei Wenxuan looked up and smiled. “Do you think I went to all this trouble just to pin a crime on Su Rongqing?”

That response genuinely surprised Li Rong.

Although Pei Wenxuan hadn’t said it outright, Li Rong had guessed most of his intentions. She had assumed his goal was to take Su Rongqing’s position as Minister of Justice—but apparently, that wasn’t the case?

“So your real goal is…”

“Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan reached up and removed the hairpin from Li Rong’s hair, letting her dark locks fall. He gazed at the beautiful treasure before him and said softly, “Su Rongqing has always caused trouble for us—not because of who we are. And I’ve troubled Su Rongqing—not because of who he is.”

“His goal,” Li Rong said bitterly, “is Chuan’er, isn’t it?”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t respond immediately. After a pause, he finally said, “Back when the Crown Prince was deposed, the Su and Shangguan families, along with the Hundred Families, joined forces to restore him to the throne. But after ascending, the Crown Prince repeatedly suppressed the aristocratic families for the sake of governance… Even if the Su family wasn’t destroyed, if it happened again, no noble family would support a Crown Prince they knew would suppress them.”

Li Rong was silent. Pei Wenxuan noticed her sadness and felt a tightness in his chest.

He didn’t want to speak further. After drying Li Rong’s hair, he sat to the side and took out a memorial, lowering his head to read.

After a while, Li Rong returned to the topic and asked softly, “So your goal is Consort Rou?”

“Mhm,” Pei Wenxuan replied perfunctorily.

Li Rong continued analyzing, “The real problem now is Su Rongqing and Consort Rou joining forces. I established the Inspectorate to use Father’s authority to control the aristocratic families. According to our plan, you and I would spend three years placing our people in court. Then, if another Crown Prince is deposed, we wouldn’t need the aristocrats—we could directly support Chuan’er’s succession.”

“Chuan’er is kind by nature. If we resolve the aristocratic conflicts while Father is still alive, he’ll be able to implement his policies freely. The situation from the previous life might not repeat. But now that Su Rongqing is back, and he’s teamed up with Consort Rou, she’s like a tiger with wings. Su Rongqing can manage her court influence, and she already has more trust from Father than we do. So whether Su Rongqing becomes Minister isn’t the key—what matters is that he doesn’t ally with Consort Rou.”

“Consort Rou suffered a setback this time and will likely doubt his abilities. And for Su Ronghua to take the blame, he must confirm his connection with Consort Rou. Because both Su brothers were implicated, Consort Rou will likely question future cooperation. If we take advantage of this and drive a wedge between them, then defeat them one by one—it’ll be much easier.”

As Li Rong spoke, she grew excited and turned to Pei Wenxuan. “So, have you figured out how to drive that wedge?”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t respond, still reading. Li Rong’s smile froze. After a moment of hesitation, she asked tentatively, “Are you… angry again?”

“You can tell I’m angry?” Pei Wenxuan sneered. “Should I praise you for finally opening your eyes?”

“No need for that,” Li Rong chuckled and waved her hand. “I’ll gift you a pair of embroidered shoes tomorrow. Don’t thank me.”

“What would I do with those?” Pei Wenxuan frowned.

Pei Wenxuan let out a cold laugh and raised his hand to swat away her fan, but just as he did, Li Rong grabbed his hand. Then, like a slippery eel, she swiftly climbed onto him and straddled him. One hand intertwined with his fingers, the other pressed against his head as she kissed him.

Pei Wenxuan had intended to struggle a bit to show some dignity, but just as he moved, Li Rong called out sweetly, “Brother Pei.”

At that moment, he felt he had not only lost his dignity—he had lost his spine.

After Li Rong kissed him, she hooked her arms around his neck and looked at his slightly flushed face under the lamplight, smiling as she asked, “What were you angry about just now?”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t respond.

Li Rong leaned against his chest and rubbed her face against him. “Tell me. If you say it, I can change.”

Still, Pei Wenxuan said nothing. So Li Rong teased him again, “Say it. Are you still mad at me?”

“I forgot,” Pei Wenxuan said hoarsely.

Li Rong looked up and saw the tips of his ears were bright red.

So she was sure—Pei Wenxuan had truly forgotten.

Because forgetting why he was angry over something like this was, for Pei Wenxuan, a little embarrassing.

Too undignified.

While the two of them playfully made their way back to the princess’s residence, Su Ronghua was still kneeling on the ground, listening to Li Ming’s interrogation.

“If it was you, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

“I am guilty,” Su Ronghua replied.

“You’re saying this now,” Li Ming pointed at him, “Was it you or Su Rongqing?”

“It was me,” Su Ronghua answered decisively. “I didn’t dare admit it before, but I couldn’t bear to see my younger brother wrongly accused, so I had to come forward and confess. I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness.”

“If it was you, why did Hongde name your brother in his confession?”

“When I approached Hongde, I didn’t show my face,” Su Ronghua lowered his head and explained. “Perhaps Hongde guessed I was from the Su family based on something. In Huajing, my brother is more well-known than I am. Maybe Hongde mistook him for me.”

“Mistook him,” Li Ming nodded, clearly not believing it. “If it was a mistake, then why did you set fire to the memorial hall and kill him? What was your motive?”

“I don’t know anything about the fire in the memorial hall. As for Hongde, it was a misunderstanding. I did tell him that if something happened, he should protect me. But I don’t understand why he suddenly committed suicide on the way.”

These words were half true and half false. Li Ming quietly tried to discern the truth in them. He stared at Su Ronghua, who continued to express remorse:

“Your Majesty, I was confused for a moment. As the Crown Prince’s tutor, I naturally care deeply for Prince Su and Consort Rou. Princess Pingle is the head of the Inspection Bureau, with high status and power. She and the Crown Prince are siblings—how could they be separated? Consort Rou was concerned about this, so I came up with this plan…”

“You insolent fool!” Li Ming exploded upon hearing this. Even though he knew Su Ronghua acted for the sake of Consort Rou and Prince Su, he couldn’t help but curse. “You and Consort Rou—utter fools! Why did I appoint Princess Pingle? Without her, would your Su family dare to confront the mighty Shangguan clan? The Shangguan family could mobilize their entire clan for the Crown Prince. Could you?”

“Now Princess Pingle, driven by ambition and stirred up by Pei Wenxuan, is caught in a power struggle with the aristocratic families. Whether their motives are true or false, the result is that the Shangguan family has lost its position in court, and the aristocrats have made room for my people to rise. That’s the outcome! Why is she so anxious? And even if she is, why are you anxious too? Is this how you help her?!”

“I admit my fault,” Su Ronghua said, frantically kowtowing. “I was short-sighted and failed to understand Your Majesty’s deeper intentions. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”

Li Ming looked at Su Ronghua, suddenly weary. After a long silence, he waved his hand. “Enough. Leave. You’re not suited for court anymore. Go.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great mercy.”

Su Ronghua rose and left.

Outside the imperial study, Su Rongqing was waiting. The guards kept their distance. He stood quietly in the rain, clearly waiting for his brother.

Su Ronghua walked up beside him. The brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the rain. After a long silence, Su Rongqing said calmly, “You shouldn’t have come today.”

“If I hadn’t,” Su Ronghua said with a bitter smile, “what would’ve happened to you?”

“Rongqing,” Su Ronghua looked up at the sky, “I may not know what you’re doing, but don’t forget—I’m your brother. You’re not walking this path alone.”

“But some paths,” Su Rongqing replied calmly, “are meant to be walked alone. If I reach the end and die there, if you’re willing, come and collect my body.”

“Rongqing!” Su Ronghua’s voice tightened, brows furrowed. “What nonsense are you saying?!”

“Don’t interfere with me again.”

Su Rongqing turned to him, eyes cold. “What happened today must never happen again. I’ll walk my own path and bear my own sins. If you truly care about me,” he looked at the stunned young man before him, haunted by the memory of Su Ronghua slitting his own throat with a shard of tile in a past life, his voice trembling, “then please—just be yourself.”

“Go back.” Su Rongqing turned and walked back into the imperial study, his voice hoarse. “Go have a drink with Shangguan Ya. When the time is right, propose to her.”

Su Ronghua stood frozen, watching Su Rongqing’s figure disappear into the darkness. Someone handed him an umbrella and reminded him to leave. Only then did he come to his senses.

He stepped down into the rain and walked out of the palace. When the gates closed behind him with a creak, he couldn’t help but turn back.

The towering palace gates looked like the gaping maw of a beast. He stood there, dazed and uncertain.

He didn’t know where to go. He didn’t want to return to the Su residence, but he had no idea where else to go.

He watched as power corrupted the people he loved most. The entire capital of Huajing felt like a pot of warm water set over flames—slowly, unknowingly, boiling people until they were unrecognizable.

Though he couldn’t fully understand Su Rongqing’s words, he vaguely realized one thing.

His younger brother was walking a path completely different from his own, and for the rest of their lives, their roads would never cross again.

Su Ronghua couldn’t help but tilt his head back, trying to look up at the pitch-black sky. Just then, a lively female voice rang out:

“Oh? No flogging?”

Su Ronghua slowly turned around at the sound.

The woman wore blue robes, a bamboo hat on her head, and held a paper umbrella in one hand. A wine gourd hung at her waist.

“What kind of outfit is that?”

Su Ronghua couldn’t help but laugh. “Out in the middle of the night like this—are you, a noble lady, planning to roam the martial world?”

“Lord Su guessed right.”

Shangguan Ya looked up at him and smiled. “I was planning to spend the night on the mountain and wait for the sunrise. But when I heard you risked everything to enter the palace for your brother, I thought I’d stop by. Didn’t expect to find you enjoying the rain. Aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?”

“Well, I figured Lord Shangguan would come pick me up,” Su Ronghua said with a smile, stepping forward to take the umbrella from her hand. He looked down at her with a grin. “Wanted to make you worry a little more.”

“Then you thought wrong. I’m not the type to worry about others.”

“No matter,” Su Ronghua tilted his head slightly. “I think I did a pretty good job.”

“I brought wine. Do you have time to wait for the sunrise with me?”

Shangguan Ya patted the wine gourd at her waist. Su Ronghua laughed aloud. “Of course. How could I let a lady like you climb a mountain alone without a protector?”

“Then I’ll thank you, Lord Su.” Shangguan Ya turned, the jade pendant at her waist swaying as she walked. She waved her hand like she was ordering a servant. “Let’s go.”

Su Ronghua smiled brightly. Holding the umbrella, he followed behind her.

Suddenly, he felt like he had found a guide—someone he could follow without thinking, just stepping in her footprints, one step at a time.

Meanwhile, Su Rongqing was kneeling before Li Ming.

“Your Majesty may trust no one now,” he said, “but if that’s the case, why not test it?”

Li Ming stared at him. “Test what?”

Su Rongqing raised his head, eyes filled with resolve. “Test everything Your Majesty doubts.”

Pei Wenxuan thought he had won—but how could it be that easy?

He had crawled out of a 25-year-long inferno, not to let everything repeat itself.

He would drag down everyone who had destroyed his faith, his honor, his family, and his hope in his past life—drag them all into hell with him.

At that moment, Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan also arrived at the Princess’s residence. Shoulder to shoulder, they entered together. Pei Wenxuan, now in better spirits, finally remembered what had bothered him earlier in the carriage.

“What were you thinking about in the carriage? You seemed lost in thought for a long time. Were you feeling sorry?”

“Sorry for what?”

Li Rong laughed, but as soon as she spoke, she realized what Pei Wenxuan meant. She sighed. “What is there to feel sorry for? I was just thinking—how is it that everyone seems fine now, yet things still ended up like they did in the previous life?”

“Su Ronghua is now willing to risk himself to save Hongde’s child, but later he poisoned Qin Zhenzhen for Shangguan Ya.”

“Ah Ya can now clearly distinguish right from wrong, but later she manipulated countless things in the palace.”

“Chuan’er is kind and benevolent by nature, but in the end, he implicated the entire Su family over Qin Zhenzhen’s death.”

“And Su Rongqing… a noble gentleman like a breeze and moonlight, eventually became a blade-wielding demon from hell.”

Li Rong gave a bitter smile. “So tell me, who was really at fault? Was it Father?”

“Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan said gently, “to remain unstained in the mud is the mark of a saint. But most people—like you and me—are just ordinary.”

“And what we’re doing now,” he continued, taking her hand, “is digging away the mud. The people of the past life belong to the past. This life has only just begun.”

“Then what about you?”

Li Rong suddenly asked. Pei Wenxuan looked at her. “What?”

“You said only saints remain unstained. Did you commit evil in your past life?”

Li Rong turned to him, curious. Pei Wenxuan didn’t answer. As they walked down the corridor, Li Rong grew puzzled. “Pei Wenxuan?”

“I was just an ordinary person.”

Pei Wenxuan’s voice was faint, without joy or sorrow. “But every time I wanted to do something evil in that life, I would think of you.”

Li Rong was stunned.

Pei Wenxuan gave a bitter smile. “I don’t know why. Even when I hated you the most, I still didn’t want you to look down on me.”

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