Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, remaining silent.

Li Rong quickly said: “Five taels per sheet—look how many sheets there are here.”

“Can’t help.”

Pei Wenxuan’s smile collapsed. He directly stood up: “Going to sleep.”

“Wait, no,” Li Rong quickly chased after him. “Weren’t things fine just now? Why suddenly go to sleep?”

Pei Wenxuan ignored her, got on the bed himself, lifted the covers, lay down, pulled the covers over himself, and closed his eyes.

Li Rong sat beside him and gently pushed him: “It’s not even a big deal. Just mention it to them—they won’t refuse to give you face. Forget the young masters from aristocratic families—the ordinary scholars should be fine, right?”

“Not going. It’s embarrassing.”

Pei Wenxuan kept his eyes closed, speaking decisively. Li Rong thought about it—perhaps among men, there were still some rules she didn’t understand. Pei Wenxuan had always accommodated her. If he said he couldn’t go, it probably really was inconvenient. It wasn’t a big deal anyway, so she let it go. She put the stack of papers on the table, washed up, undressed, and returned to the bedside.

Pei Wenxuan was blocking the bed edge sleeping. Li Rong patted him: “Move over—I need to get in.”

Pei Wenxuan faced away from her, wrapped in the covers, completely motionless, eyes closed as he said: “Not moving. Climb over yourself.”

Li Rong was infuriated by this attitude. She stood at the bedside, her voice turning cold: “Are you moving or not?”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. Li Rong reached out to pull him. Feeling her about to use force, Pei Wenxuan directly sat up cross-legged, making space.

Li Rong looked at him mockingly and elegantly got on the bed. Seeing that glance, Pei Wenxuan felt somewhat aggrieved, as if he’d somehow lost. Watching her lie down, he muttered quietly: “I moved, didn’t I? Why are you so fierce?”

After saying this, feeling he’d won back a round, Pei Wenxuan was finally satisfied and lay down to sleep.

The next morning when Li Rong got up, she took that stack of papers back to the Constabulary Bureau. As soon as Shangguan Ya saw Li Rong arrive, she came forward full of hope: “Your Highness, how did it go? So quickly?”

“Pei Wenxuan isn’t willing to do this—he finds it embarrassing.”

Li Rong handed the papers to Shangguan Ya, directly saying: “Stop fussing over these things. Hurry and give me Liu Hangchun’s materials.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Ya cried out in anguish: “Your Highness, you don’t keep your word…”

“When did I promise you I’d definitely get them back?”

Li Rong raised her hand and tapped Shangguan Ya’s head once with her fan, sitting back by her desk: “I said I’d try to help you—don’t push your luck.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Ya sighed. Not daring to trouble Li Rong further, she sat down and placed Liu Hangchun’s materials on the desk, sighing: “It’s all here.”

In the court, if an official served long enough, there would inevitably be some questionable matters to investigate. Since Li Rong had the Constabulary Bureau specifically investigate Liu Hangchun, Shangguan Ya quickly compiled a batch of materials.

This Liu Hangchun in the Ministry of Personnel had no major faults but a pile of minor ones. Normally Li Rong wouldn’t even bother looking at such cases, but Liu Hangchun happened to be responsible for personnel transfers of officials below fifth rank within the Ministry. For Pei Wenxuan to enter the Ministry without going through Wang Houwen’s hands, it would be best to be below fifth rank. That way the list wouldn’t need to be submitted to Minister of Personnel Wang Houwen for review.

Currently the Imperial Examinations weren’t highly valued. Once in the Ministry of Personnel, casually becoming a Merit Assessment Bureau Director or Vice Director would allow him to be arranged to preside over the Imperial Examinations as chief examiner.

In the previous life, this year’s examinations were the Dragon and Tiger Rankings, producing outstanding talents. If Pei Wenxuan became this term’s chief examiner, his disciples would be numerous in court in the future, and his wings would grow full.

In the previous life, before so many incidents occurred, these disciples honed themselves in unimportant positions for several years before beginning to show their talents. But in this life, now that she’d arrested so many people, the court suddenly had so many vacant positions. When these disciples entered court and they made some maneuvers, their promotions would be much faster than in the previous life.

Li Rong had Pei Wenxuan’s path clearly arranged in her mind. After briefly reviewing Liu Hangchun’s materials, she had the shadow guards report Liu Hangchun’s location, then personally went to the street to intercept him.

According to the shadow guards’ intelligence, Liu Hangchun was currently at a tavern enjoying entertainment with singing girls. Li Rong went next door to the tavern, reserved a private room, then had someone notify Liu Hangchun.

Li Rong drank tea alone in the room. Before long, she saw Liu Hangchun enter in a panic, kneeling on the ground urgently: “This official greets Your Highness. This official didn’t know Your Highness was here and failed to greet you properly. Please forgive this official’s offense.”

“Just here for a meal—Lord Liu needn’t be restrained.”

Li Rong smiled and raised her hand: “Lord Liu, please sit.”

Currently was the time for official personnel transfers. Though Liu Hangchun’s rank wasn’t high, he held an important position in the Ministry of Personnel. Naturally he knew that if Li Rong personally sought him out, it wouldn’t just be for tea and chat.

Li Rong personally poured tea for him. Liu Hangchun sat rigidly, raising his hand to wipe sweat from his forehead, not daring to speak.

“Time is limited, so I won’t beat around the bush with Lord Liu—I’ll speak directly.”

The sound of tea pouring filled the room. Li Rong’s tone was calm, sounding as if she were making casual conversation: “I’ve come to ask Lord Liu for a favor. I heard that this time, personnel transfers of officials below fifth rank in the Ministry are entirely at Lord Liu’s discretion. I have someone here—outstanding talent, upright character. I’d like to recommend him to Lord Liu for a Merit Assessment Bureau Director position. I wonder if Lord Liu can help with this favor?”

“Your Highness,” Liu Hangchun showed a troubled expression, “the Merit Assessment Bureau Director positions are currently all filled. The Ministry of Personnel has no plans to recruit for this position.”

“If there’s no position, we can create a position,” Li Rong smiled. “Doesn’t the Ministry currently lack a Bureau Chief? Move the Vice Directors up to Bureau Chief positions, move a Merit Assessment Bureau Director to Vice Director positions—won’t a position open up?”

“Your Highness goes to such lengths,” Liu Hangchun suggested, “why not directly send your recommended person to the Bureau Chief position?”

Liu Hangchun didn’t want to handle this hot potato. Hearing his words, Li Rong smiled as she looked at him: “Is Lord Liu declining?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Liu Hangchun quickly knelt down, urgently saying, “If Your Highness has difficulties, this official will naturally do everything possible to help. It’s just that the Merit Assessment Bureau Director position is too minor. Your Highness…”

“But I feel his qualifications aren’t sufficient. A Merit Assessment Bureau Director is enough. This is exactly what I want him to be—understand?”

Liu Hangchun stopped responding. He knelt on the ground, desperately thinking how to answer. Li Rong picked up her teacup, saying slowly: “Lord Liu, there’s a box on the table. Open it and look.”

Being able to leave this topic, Liu Hangchun was more than willing. He breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stood, and opened the box.

As soon as the box opened, the color of gold bars met his eyes. Liu Hangchun froze, then immediately panicked. His hands let go and the box lid snapped shut again. Liu Hangchun hastily knelt down, kowtowing desperately: “Your Highness, spare my life! Your Highness, please don’t make things difficult for this humble one anymore.”

“Lord Liu jests—is this palace making things difficult for you?”

Li Rong stirred the tea leaves with her teacup, leaning against the table, saying leisurely: “This palace knows Lord Liu’s rules, so I specially brought gold bars. Today this palace is also giving Lord Liu a choice. Either Lord Liu accepts these gold bars. Or,” Li Rong put down the teacup and leaned forward, smiling, “Lord Liu, take a trip to the Constabulary Bureau?”

Liu Hangchun’s body stiffened. Li Rong leaned back in her chair, speaking carelessly: “You know my style. If you help me with this favor and Wang Houwen asks about it, as long as you do your job properly, he can’t really do anything to you. If you don’t help me, that’s fine too—I’ll just replace you with someone who will help me. Lord Liu, you can’t walk two paths—you must choose one. So tell me, do you want the gold, or would you like to have tea at my Constabulary Bureau?”

“My Prince Consort is a talented person,” Li Rong said, lowering her head to touch her painted nails. “As long as you don’t play tricks, he’s more than qualified to be Merit Assessment Bureau Director. I’m merely asking you to act impartially. Lord Liu, are you saying you refuse to take the proper path and insist on taking a crooked one?”

Liu Hangchun remained silent for a long time. Finally he made his decision. Taking a deep breath, he only said: “Your Highness, this matter isn’t for Liu to decide. Whether he can enter the Ministry of Personnel and become Merit Assessment Bureau Director depends entirely on the Prince Consort himself. Liu can only act impartially. Please rest assured, Your Highness.”

Li Rong understood Liu Hangchun’s meaning. Since both sides meant offending someone, he simply wouldn’t help either.

However, with Pei Wenxuan’s talent, if no one helped either side, becoming Merit Assessment Bureau Director was more than sufficient.

So Li Rong smiled and responded: “If Lord Liu says this, this palace is reassured.”

Liu Hangchun breathed a sigh of relief: “If Your Highness is satisfied, if there’s nothing else, this official will take his leave first.”

Li Rong nodded and raised her hand: “Lord Liu, take care.”

Liu Hangchun respectfully bowed, then rose wiping sweat and departed. After he left, Shangguan Ya entered. Seeing Li Rong’s smiling expression, she knew the matter was accomplished. She sat down, quite pleased: “The Ministry of Personnel’s personnel transfer list will be confirmed soon—just these few days. As long as Liu Hangchun adds the Prince Consort’s name now, even if Wang Houwen finds out later, it will be a done deal.”

Li Rong nodded, saying slowly: “After Pei Wenxuan enters the Ministry of Personnel and Xie Lanqing is gone, the Ministry of Justice currently has Pei Liming temporarily acting as Vice Minister of Justice. When the Ministry of Personnel’s transfer list comes out, the Ministry of Justice’s transfer list should also come out. Pei Liming’s position as Minister of Justice should be secure.”

“The Pei family filling the positions the Shangguan family vacated will put His Majesty much more at ease. However, Your Highness, I have a question.”

Shangguan Ya picked up a cup. Li Rong responded: “Speak.”

“Is Your Highness confident,” Shangguan Ya raised her eyes to look at Li Rong, “that you can absolutely control the Pei family?”

Li Rong said nothing. She drank her tea, her expression serene.

“Your Highness, allow me to remind you,” Shangguan Ya took a sip of tea, her tone gentle. “I very much support Your Highness building marital affection—harmonious relations are excellent. But raising a cat is adorable; raising a tiger requires more careful consideration.”

“I understand your concerns.”

Li Rong answered slowly: “It’s just that in extraordinary times, we always need to use some people. The Shangguan family occupying those positions is too conspicuous. After Pei family members fill them, His Majesty’s wariness can be relaxed. In recent years, every day he just thought about taking action to suppress the Shangguan family and seize military power for Consort Rou. This past half year, aside from Chuan’er’s marriage, has he rarely concerned himself with these matters?”

“He now thinks that under Pei Wenxuan’s instigation, I’m competing with Chuan’er for power. He believes that as someone from a humble family, Pei Wenxuan is willing to use me for profit. So we’ll perform this act for him to see. The Shangguan family temporarily avoids the spotlight while we support humble families according to his wishes. When he finally discovers Pei Wenxuan is also one of our people,” Li Rong smiled, “I wonder what he’ll think.”

“He’ll probably want to kill Pei Wenxuan.”

Shangguan Ya also smiled, but after thinking, she added: “However, His Majesty also can’t completely trust Pei Wenxuan. His current indulgence of Your Highness is only because he feels that regardless of whether Your Highness and Pei Wenxuan are truly loyal, you’re indeed cleaning out court parasites. If Pei Wenxuan has ulterior motives, he’ll cut his losses in time. But Your Highness, while His Majesty can cut losses in time, you… should also take precautions.”

Hearing this, Li Rong raised her eyes to look at her, only saying: “What are you worried about?”

“Worried that Your Highness will be bewitched by beauty.”

“Your Highness,” Shangguan Ya became serious, “I hope Your Highness achieves harmony and fulfillment in your feelings, but I also hope Your Highness won’t forget your identity. After all, the honor and disgrace of the entire Shangguan family rests with Your Highness.”

“Rest assured,” Li Rong said leisurely. “I’m more aware of this than you.”

“Very good,” Shangguan Ya nodded, saying happily. “With Your Highness being such a wise master leading the way, I’m reassured. Well, today’s business is also finished—I’ll go get busy first.”

Hearing this, Li Rong was somewhat curious: “What else do you need to be busy with?”

“A sister’s request. Since Your Highness won’t help, I can only seek another way.”

Li Rong raised an eyebrow and watched Shangguan Ya bow: “Your Highness, I’ll withdraw first.”

With that, Shangguan Ya departed. Seeing Shangguan Ya’s manner, Li Rong couldn’t help having someone follow her to see what she was doing.

The shadow guard followed Shangguan Ya all the way and saw her arrive at a gambling house, call out Su Ronghua, then hand him a stack of papers: “Just these. Find the people whose names are written on the papers and have them sign their names and write something—anything. Five taels per sheet. After it’s done, we split it fifty-fifty.”

Su Ronghua looked at the thick stack of papers Shangguan Ya held and raised an eyebrow: “The Shangguan family’s young miss, you’re running around for such small money?”

“I lost gambling a few days ago and have no prospects this month.” Shangguan Ya looked completely serious. “I plan to gather some capital, go back and gamble again to win my money back!”

“You shouldn’t go send away more money, should you?” Su Ronghua frowned. Shangguan Ya raised her eyes to look at him: “Lord Su, tell me—are you helping with this favor or not?”

“Mm,” Su Ronghua thought about it. “Whose signatures do you want?”

“You’ll help?”

Shangguan Ya became happy. She handed the stack of papers to Su Ronghua: “This one is mine. Have them write a few more sentences. Look, I want Cui Yulang, Lin Zifan, and also that Xie Shangqing…”

Shangguan Ya listed a pile of names. Su Ronghua maintained his smile. After listening, he nodded, took back the papers, and smiled: “Rest assured—the matter is in my hands.”

“Really? Thank you so much.”

“No need for thanks.”

Su Ronghua said gently: “Helping correct your eyesight is what I should do. Otherwise, for the Shangguan family’s young miss to go blind at such a young age wouldn’t be good.”

Shangguan Ya was somewhat bewildered and watched Su Ronghua walk away holding the papers.

By evening, Su Ronghua had someone deliver the papers back to Shangguan Ya. Shangguan Ya happily went to the door herself to receive them. After getting them, her expression instantly changed.

She saw that every single sheet had the same handwriting.

Written on them were:

Su Ronghua, Hua Jing’s Number One Handsome Man

Su Ronghua, Handsome and Dashing

Su Ronghua, Talented and Good-Looking

Su Ronghua…

Shangguan Ya rapidly flipped through the papers to the end, wanting to see if there were a few written by others. After flipping to the bottom, she saw Su Ronghua’s wild cursive script writing—

Please recite and memorize the above content in full.

He’d even generously included a portrait of his handsome profile, with words beside it: Suggest mounting in bedroom for daily eye nourishment.

Shangguan Ya was driven mad by this narcissistic-to-the-extreme behavior. Not caring that she was still at the main gate, she crazily tore up all the papers, leaving only that portrait. Then pointing at the servant who delivered the papers, she said in a trembling voice: “You go back and tell him—tell him to wait. He’s dead. He! Is! Dead!”

These matters were relayed to Li Rong by spies that night. After the spy finished explaining, Li Rong spat out a mouthful of tea, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: “Su Ronghua is really this unreliable?”

Pei Wenxuan was reviewing memorials beside her. Overhearing this, he raised his head to glance at Li Rong, then heard her continue: “But seriously, what about that portrait Su Ronghua sent Shangguan Ya? Is it good-looking?”

The shadow guard thought about it and responded: “Seems pretty good.”

“Then I’m somewhat curious. Say, did she tear up the portrait?”

The shadow guard shook his head: “No, Miss Shangguan had it mounted.”

“She really had it mounted to look at?”

Li Rong couldn’t quite understand Shangguan Ya’s meaning. Pei Wenxuan, listening from the side, put away his memorial and said flatly: “Stop chatting—time to sleep.”

Seeing it wasn’t early, Li Rong waved for the person to withdraw first.

Li Rong slept through the night. The next day when she went to the Constabulary Bureau to see Shangguan Ya, before going home, she coughed lightly and seemed to casually bring up: “Um, I heard Su Ronghua sent you a portrait and you had it mounted? What’s your meaning with this?”

“You know what I mounted it for?” Shangguan Ya laughed coldly. Li Rong turned to look at her. Shangguan Ya clenched her fist: “I placed it in my bedroom. Whenever I’m vexed and upset, I take darts and throw them at him, take a whip and lash him, to vent my anger!”

“You…” Li Rong didn’t know what to say for a moment. After thinking for a long time, she could only say: “You’re quite creative.”

Shangguan Ya nodded and spoke with a cold laugh: “He’d better not let me catch any dirt on him, or I’ll definitely make him pay.”

Li Rong listened to these words and let them pass. She nodded: “Mm, I know—you’re very formidable.”

The two chatted casually as they returned home. Recently Pei Wenxuan had been coming home early. When Li Rong entered the Princess residence and didn’t see Pei Wenxuan come to greet her, she turned to ask Jing Mei: “Where’s the Prince Consort? Why didn’t he come to greet me?”

“The Prince Consort is busy.”

Jing Mei smiled: “Today the Prince Consort moved home many portraits of himself and hung them in the bedroom, dining room, great hall, and gardens.”

“What is he doing?!” Li Rong exclaimed in shock. As she spoke, she saw Pei Wenxuan painting something on a screen in the bedroom. Li Rong quickly rushed forward. That was originally her favorite peony-and-butterfly gold-threaded brocade screen. Afraid Pei Wenxuan had gone mad, she quickly said: “Pei Wenxuan, what are you doing!”

Pei Wenxuan held his brush and turned with a smile to look at Li Rong: “Your Highness.”

Through the gap from his body, Li Rong saw the screen displayed a distant self-portrait of Pei Wenxuan ascending heights to admire the moon. Pei Wenxuan’s smile was gentle: “Yesterday hearing of Lord Su’s deeds, this humble servant thought about it and felt Lord Su was right. Recently with scholars from the capital coming and going frequently, women’s hearts are restless. I feared the crooked melons and cracked dates from the outside world would pollute Your Highness’s eyes, so I thought I should place more portraits of this humble servant where Your Highness frequents, to help Your Highness improve her aesthetics and refresh her eyes and spirit.”

“You…” Li Rong stared at the screen in shock. “Did you all discuss this together?”

“This humble servant did indeed ask several friendly officials. Recently they’ve all returned home to send self-portraits to their wives.”

Li Rong: “…”

After a long silence, to help Pei Wenxuan sober up a bit, Li Rong raised her hand and said to someone nearby: “Go get some darts.”

Pei Wenxuan showed a confused expression.

Li Rong said seriously: “Since you all discussed it together, then we have also discussed it together.”