Li Rong walked out of the Imperial Study and immediately raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face, her expression turning cold.

She boarded her carriage and took a moment to calm her emotions before they passed. By the time she returned home, Pei Wenxuan had just finished playing a game of chess with himself and was putting away the pieces.

Li Rong entered the room. Pei Wenxuan happened to look up and saw Li Rong’s tear-stained appearance. His movements paused momentarily, then he smiled imperceptibly, only saying, “How did one trip to the palace turn you into a painted cat face?”

“You still have the mood to care about my painted cat face?”

Li Rong scoffed, “Why don’t you care about your own official career?”

“My official career isn’t really that important.”

As Pei Wenxuan spoke, his gaze still couldn’t move away from Li Rong’s face. After a moment, he sighed and beckoned to Li Rong, saying gently, “Your Highness, come here.”

Li Rong was somewhat bewildered. She walked to stand before Pei Wenxuan. He pulled her to sit down, then went to wring out a cloth. He returned to Li Rong and bent down, carefully wiping her face.

He was very close to her, his movements gentle and slow, wiping the tear tracks from her face as if this were the most important matter at hand.

Li Rong let him wipe her face. Involuntarily, she softened, like a cat whose fur had been smoothed down. She said in a low voice, “Aren’t you going to ask what I said at the palace?”

“If we can’t have the Vice Minister of Personnel position, then we can’t,” Pei Wenxuan spoke lightly. “As for the remaining Merit Assessment Director position, I’ll think of another way.”

“I secured the position for you.”

Li Rong suddenly spoke. Pei Wenxuan’s movements paused. He looked up to see Li Rong looking at him seriously. “I told Father Emperor that you were being bullied, that we weren’t living well. So I had someone transfer you to Merit Assessment Director. Someone moved you to the Vice Minister of Personnel position—certainly someone is framing us. I asked him to give me justice.”

Li Rong smiled. “I accused Huale of one thing—saying she claimed Father Emperor was suspicious of me, which is why he married me to you, and wouldn’t even give you a Sixth Rank position, making me constantly ridiculed by Huale. Everyone gossips about me behind my back for marrying you.”

“Now Father Emperor will certainly have people investigate the matter of your transfer behind the scenes. We didn’t do this. If Father Emperor insists on investigating, in the end it will probably still lead back to Consort Rou. By then, he’ll likely panic. To prove he doesn’t suspect me, he’ll definitely have to preserve the Vice Minister of Personnel position for you.”

Hearing her words, Pei Wenxuan showed no reaction. He just looked into her eyes, remaining silent for a long time.

Li Rong nudged him with her elbow. “What are you looking at me for? Say something.”

“This humble minister is just somewhat curious.” Pei Wenxuan finished wiping her face and set the cloth aside. He took a comb and began combing her hair, speaking as he combed, “Your Highness has rarely cried in front of this humble minister in your entire life, but before His Majesty, you cry at will. Why is that?”

“Fake crying is easy to cry. But real crying—what need is there for that?” Li Rong spoke and sighed. “Besides, being seen crying is so embarrassing.”

No matter how tragically one fake cries, it’s still fake.

When one truly cries from the heart, even a single tear can easily pierce someone’s heart.

“But why are you asking this?” Li Rong suddenly remembered something, only saying, “Do you think what I said was appropriate? Father Emperor won’t overthink things, will he?”

“That won’t happen.”

Pei Wenxuan finished combing Li Rong’s hair and set the comb aside. He straightened a crooked hairpin, then said, “Your Highness needn’t worry too much. His Majesty will listen.”

“How can you be so confident?” Li Rong was quite puzzled. Pei Wenxuan smiled but didn’t elaborate. He thought for a moment. “However, what we should worry about now is whether His Majesty can find the person who inserted me into the Ministry of Personnel.”

Hearing Pei Wenxuan’s words, Li Rong understood his meaning.

Given Consort Rou’s caution, if she wanted to insert someone, she would naturally do it flawlessly. No matter how much investigating was done, it would be difficult to trace it back to her.

If they couldn’t find evidence of Consort Rou colluding with the Ministry of Personnel, making Li Ming believe Li Rong’s words would be somewhat difficult.

Li Rong thought for a moment. Seeing Li Rong thinking of solutions, Pei Wenxuan reminded her, “If you can’t find evidence, you can create doubts.”

“Doubts?”

“Previously, Huale wore the Xie family’s white magnolia hairpin. This matter already made His Majesty suspicious of their relationship with aristocratic families. Now you’ve said Consort Rou colluded with aristocratic families to frame me. Even without evidence, given His Majesty’s personality, he’ll probably begin to have doubts. At this time, why doesn’t Your Highness embellish things and give His Majesty a few more reasons to be suspicious?”

“Once there’s suspicion,” Pei Wenxuan lifted the purple clay teapot and poured himself tea, “His Majesty will certainly still protect Consort Rou. But once he protects her, his heart will feel more guilt toward you, and everything will go smoothly.”

“Good.”

Li Rong nodded. “I’ll discuss this matter with Aya.”

Pei Wenxuan acknowledged. Li Rong noticed his mood seemed low and couldn’t help asking with concern, “You seem very unhappy?”

“Not really.”

Pei Wenxuan smiled. “Your Highness needn’t be too sensitive.”

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong leaned close to him and stared at him. “I’ve even won your position back for you. Why are you still unhappy?”

“Your Highness stood up for me. Naturally I’m pleased.”

Pei Wenxuan sighed and spoke honestly. “It’s just that when I think about how Your Highness’s crying may have been fake, but the words you spoke were all true, my heart feels somewhat uncomfortable.”

“What words?”

Li Rong was somewhat confused. Pei Wenxuan continued, “Your Highness, I don’t know if my thoughts are correct.”

Pei Wenxuan knelt on one knee before Li Rong. He raised his hand to grasp Li Rong’s hand and lowered his eyes. “When a person can cry, whether real or fake, it must be because they have matters that make their heart ache.”

“Your Highness has many matters that cause heartache, but you never tell me about them.”