“Your Highness,” Pei Xuanqing furrowed his brow. He stood up, frowning as he said, “Although Wenxuan married you and is your husband, and this old minister understands your eagerness to protect your spouse, Wenxuan is also a member of the Pei family. In our Great Xia, there is no precedent for someone who becomes a Prince Consort to leave their clan. Once he is a Pei family member, he is forever a Pei family member. This old minister hopes Your Highness will be understanding.”

“Understanding of what?” Li Rong sneered coldly, “Understanding of you ungrateful, shortsighted people?”

“Your Highness,” Pei Liwen hurriedly spoke up, “How can you…”

“Shut up!” Li Rong slapped Pei Liwen across the face, shouting angrily. Pei Liwen was stunned by the strike, covering his face as he stared at Li Rong in a daze.

After this scene, not a single person from the Pei family dared to speak. She turned her head, fixing her gaze on Pei Xuanqing, and said coldly, “I know perfectly well why you summoned Pei Wenxuan here today. You think that by beating him today, you can provide an explanation to the other aristocratic families and give me a warning—telling me not to establish the Supervisory Bureau and meddle in affairs.”

“Do you think,” Li Rong looked around, “that because the Pei family is now considered a major clan in court, with Pei Lixian as Chief Minister of the Chancellery, a position equivalent to Chancellor, Pei Liwen as Minister of Works, and numerous other descendants scattered throughout the court, you’ve become just like those aristocratic families? When they ask you to trouble me, you eagerly serve as their blade? Should I remind all of you—”

Li Rong spoke with mockery, “The Pei clan originated as a humble family from Luzhou. Before this generation, you couldn’t even compare to a second-rate aristocratic family in court, and your highest official position was merely a fourth-rank minister. It was Pei Wenxuan’s father, Pei Lizhi, who brought your clan members from Luzhou to the capital, who elevated you from a humble family to an aristocratic one!”

“And now? How long has it been since Pei Lizhi passed away, yet you treat his orphan and widow this way.”

“Your Highness,” Pei Lixian said coldly, “You’ve gone too far with those words.”

“Too far?” Li Rong laughed aloud, “Pei Wenxuan was the top scholar three years ago, of aristocratic background. With his credentials, he should have been sitting in a position of real power long ago. But where is he now? If he hadn’t married me, he would still be holding an insignificant position lower than a jailer! You can deceive Yun Shi with that nonsense about how all aristocratic young men need tempering, but do you think you can deceive me?!”

“When he was ill, you blocked people from seeing him; when he went out to socialize, you gave him no money and made things difficult at every turn. Now that he’s in court, relying on himself, trying to secure a way forward for the Pei family, you blind fools bully him to this extent!”

“You say you’re his family,” Li Rong swept her gaze across everyone present, speaking with mockery, “Have you ever cared about him even a little, helped him even once?”

“Establishing the Supervisory Bureau is my business and His Majesty’s business. Even if you beat him to death, neither His Majesty nor I will back down. And you’d better remember well—how the Pei family rose to where you are. Don’t sit in high places so long that you forget where you came from.”

With that, Li Rong turned to look at Pei Wenxuan, “Who did this?”

Pei Wenxuan knew Li Rong was in a rage and didn’t dare say much. He could only obediently raise his hand and point out the culprits.

Li Rong directly ordered the people beside her, “Break their hands.”

Having said this, Li Rong pulled Pei Wenxuan up and walked straight out.

Two male screams of agony came from the great hall. Li Rong led Pei Wenxuan to the entrance, when she suddenly remembered something. She stopped, turned around, and looked back at the Pei family members.

“Today, I’ll say this one final time. Pei Wenxuan is my Prince Consort, my person. If the Pei family doesn’t want him, then remove him from the family registry, and I’ll establish a new household with him. But if you intend to keep him, then however you respect me, you will respect him likewise.”

“As for Yun Shi,” Li Rong guessed Yun Shi should also be present, so she raised her voice, “If you cannot learn how to care for your own child, then return to your Buddhist hall, eat vegetarian food, chant sutras, and commemorate your husband for the rest of your life.”

“Pei Wenxuan already has a new home. He has people to care for him and people who love him. If you cannot bear the responsibility of being a mother, please stop causing him trouble. He may tolerate it, but I will not.”

“Do you all understand?”

Li Rong swept her gaze across everyone. No one dared to speak. The servants whose hands had been broken rolled on the ground, wailing. Seeing that no one responded, Li Rong turned her head, pulled Pei Wenxuan along, and walked out.

She walked urgently, clearly restraining her emotions. Pei Wenxuan was dragged along by her, and every movement made his wounds hurt. Yet somehow, being pulled along by Li Rong like this, walking through the familiar corridors and paths of the Pei family, even with his back wounds aching, he felt an inexplicable joy.

He felt as if he were walking on a path blooming with flowers, with Li Rong pulling him, leading him toward a completely new, unknown, yet extraordinarily beautiful world.

Looking at Li Rong’s back, he couldn’t help but smile. He held Li Rong’s hand, involuntarily gripping it tighter. He very much wanted to keep holding her hand, to keep following behind her, watching her display all her emotions for him.

Only now did he realize that when Li Rong lost her composure because of him, he could feel such immense happiness.

Li Rong dragged him all the way out of the Pei mansion. When they reached the entrance, she finally let him go, then suddenly and unexpectedly turned around, slapping Pei Wenxuan across the face, “Are you an idiot?! You didn’t know what they were doing?”

“I calculated it all. It’s nothing serious.” Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong’s anger, yet his smile wouldn’t stop. Hearing this, Li Rong became even more furious. She laughed in anger, saying only, “Fine, fine, fine. What did you calculate? How did you consider that if your second uncle had been determined to go through with it today and let the servants take the opportunity to cripple you, your entire life would have been ruined?”

“That wouldn’t happen.” Pei Wenxuan smiled, then added, “Besides, didn’t you come?”

With that, Pei Wenxuan seemed to remember something, “Didn’t you go to dinner with Su Rongqing? I specifically instructed them not to disturb you.”

Li Rong didn’t speak. She stared at Pei Wenxuan. She couldn’t quite identify what emotion she was feeling. She just looked at this person, acting as if nothing had happened in the face of everything. She felt an indescribable discomfort and bitterness spreading through her heart.

Pity, sorrow, pitifulness, mixed with emotions she couldn’t articulate or identify clearly, made her keep a cold face as she stared intently at him.

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong finally spoke, “When will you ever think more about yourself, when will you feel that you yourself are important, and stop throwing yourself into everything?”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. In truth, Li Rong’s expression was no different from usual, yet in that instant, he seemed to see moisture in Li Rong’s eyes.

Tenderness soaked into his heart, making him suddenly feel that he himself held some measure of worth.

She worried about him, cared about him, felt indignation on his behalf, felt heartache for him.

Pei Wenxuan smiled. He stepped forward and embraced Li Rong, pulling her into his arms and tightening his hold.

“I’ll try harder from now on.”

Pei Wenxuan said in a low voice, “Try harder to be more capable, so I won’t make you worry.”

“I’m not worried.”

Li Rong’s voice was stiff, “I just think you’ve embarrassed me. You’re my Prince Consort. Only I’m allowed to bully you.”

“Alright.” Pei Wenxuan smiled as he held her tighter, “From now on, I’ll only let you bully me.”

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong heard him yield, and her tone softened as well, “Why are you so hopeless?”

“I was wrong.”

Pei Wenxuan said gently, “I won’t let anyone bully me again from now on.”

Li Rong felt that Pei Wenxuan was placating her, but since the conversation had reached this point, she had nothing more to say. Xun Chuan led people out. Being held like this in broad daylight made Li Rong somewhat embarrassed. She said in a low voice, “Let’s get in the carriage.”

Pei Wenxuan agreed and slowly released Li Rong. Xun Chuan walked over from the side. Seeing the two of them, she nodded to Pei Wenxuan, then reported the situation to Li Rong.

Li Rong had Pei Wenxuan board the carriage first, then listened to a general report from Xun Chuan about the information she’d gathered while observing inside the Pei family earlier. She only said, “I’ll cause more trouble for the Pei family tomorrow. You continue looking for Luo Jun. Have you found him yet?”

“No.” Xun Chuan frowned, “He’s not at home. He’s been missing for several days now. I’m still pursuing leads.”

“Mm.” Li Rong nodded, “Continue investigating. It’s getting late. Let’s head back.”

After Li Rong finished speaking, she boarded the carriage. Once inside, Pei Wenxuan was already seated in his place, looking perfectly composed aside from his somewhat pale complexion.

Li Rong entered with a cold expression, sat down beside him, and said, “Let me see.”

“Wait until we get home, then let the physician look at it.”

Pei Wenxuan smiled, “You looking at it won’t help anyway.”

“Turn around.”

Li Rong’s voice was cold. Pei Wenxuan’s expression stiffened, but after glancing at Li Rong’s face, he ultimately turned around, smiling as he said, “Don’t blame me if it scares you.”

With that, Li Rong saw his garments mottled with bloodstains.

Earlier in the dark night, she hadn’t been able to see clearly, but now under candlelight, it was much more distinct. Li Rong gazed silently. Seeing her not speak, Pei Wenxuan joked, “What, should I take off my clothes for you to see?”

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong’s voice was hoarse, “Doesn’t it hurt?”

Pei Wenxuan had his back to her. After a while, he sighed, “Your Highness, I’m different from you. You were born noble. Much of the time, you can dominate others with your status and power alone. But I cannot. Ethics, righteousness—there are always things weighing me down. I cannot be like Your Highness.”

“The same words—Your Highness can say them today, but I cannot.”

Pei Wenxuan smiled bitterly, “This humble minister has grown accustomed to this life and doesn’t feel there’s anything wrong with it. It’s only that making Your Highness suffer along with me is truly this minister’s fault. Originally, I didn’t want to alarm Your Highness, but I didn’t expect Your Highness would still come. However, Your Highness needn’t worry. Now that I’ve been injured, my mother is a fence-sitter. Tomorrow, as long as I can persuade my mother to stand on our side, we can negotiate with Grandfather. I won’t insist that the Pei family be handed over to me, but my father’s share of assets must be divided to my side.”

Li Rong listened to Pei Wenxuan speak. She didn’t respond much. From behind, she undid Pei Wenxuan’s belt and pulled down his clothes.

Pei Wenxuan had his back to her. Feeling her movements, he knew she wanted to examine his wounds and treat them simply. Yet somehow, an inexplicable nervousness rose within him.

Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan’s exposed back under the lamplight. His complexion was fair, his back bearing the particular leanness of a scholar. Bloody marks crisscrossed his back, looking rather horrifying.

Li Rong stared at those bloody marks. The lamplight in the carriage was somewhat glaring. She leaned forward, examining those wounds.

Her breath fell upon Pei Wenxuan’s back. Pei Wenxuan’s body went rigid.

He felt she was too close, yet wished she would come even closer. Heaven and hell overlapped in that moment. Li Rong gently placed her hand on his shoulder, her forehead lightly touching the uninjured part of his back.

“Pei Wenxuan, actually, when I complained about you having no money before, I was just teasing you.”

She said in a low voice, “Don’t do this anymore in the future. Seeing you fight so desperately, I feel terrible.”

Author’s Note: Little Pei has finally been adopted and taken home by the Princess! Taking him away!