Just as Pei Wenxuan left the palace, Fulai presented the results of the talisman handwriting comparison.

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

Li Ming took the talisman paper from the tray and held it in his hands to examine. Fulai waited quietly at his side. After a long while, Li Ming sighed. “Fulai, do you know what’s most difficult about being a sovereign?”

“Your Majesty asks such a question,” Fulai smiled, “how could this servant understand such things?”

Li Ming looked at the talisman paper. After a long while, he tossed it onto the table and stood up. “The most difficult thing is that everyone around you might deceive you. When others want to hear the truth, they can hear it. When I want to hear the truth, I must find it among a pile of lies. And the most terrifying thing is—everyone knows this.”

Li Ming walked out of the imperial study. Fulai followed behind him. The two slowly walked along the corridor. Li Ming spoke unhurriedly: “They grasp your weaknesses, control your emotions. You think you can find the truth, but those so-called truths are actually lies wrapped in layers of truth and falsehood.”

“Look at this talisman. From forcibly promoting Pei Wenxuan to Vice Minister of Personnel, to Hongde saying Pingle privately contacted the Crown Prince—all of this strikes at my heart. They know what I worry about, so they show me exactly that. Such an obvious flaw in this talisman, yet I didn’t notice it. Tell me, when discussing matters between the Crown Prince and Pingle, how did Pei Wenxuan get dragged into it?”

“Your Majesty is wise and can always make decisions.” Fulai flattered him. Li Ming scoffed. “Wise? Where am I wise? This talisman has problems, but does that mean Pei Wenxuan has no problems? Who knows whether what he said is true or false?”

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

It was March now. The weather was warming up, and the flowers and plants in the courtyard burst with vigorous life. He felt somewhat weary and couldn’t help but say, “Fulai, who do you think is telling the truth?”

“Your Majesty puts this old servant in a difficult position.”

“Just say it,” Li Ming said casually. “Consider it idle chat. It doesn’t matter if you’re wrong.”

“This servant feels… actually, in this world, no matter what happens, everything boils down to fundamentals.” Fulai seemed to consider each word carefully. “People never waste great effort for no reason. Look at all these incidents—if what Consort Rou said is true, Lord Pei actively seized the Vice Minister of Personnel position, the Princess privately had Master Hongde delay the Crown Prince’s marriage, and acknowledged the marriage talisman between her and Lord Pei—what would be the point? If what Lord Pei said is true, that someone schemed against him and Her Highness regarding the Vice Minister position, then Master Hongde slandered him and Her Highness, and someone used the talisman to create distance between Your Majesty and them—then what does the person behind all this seek?”

Hearing Fulai’s words, Li Ming remained silent.

He repeatedly pondered everyone’s intentions. Before long, he felt a headache coming on. He involuntarily raised his hand to rub his forehead. “Forget it, I won’t think about it anymore.”

“The wind is strong outside. Your Majesty should return and rest.” Fulai stepped forward to support Li Ming. Li Ming let him help him, walking back while somewhat helplessly saying, “I’m old. My body isn’t what it used to be.”

“Your Majesty is merely somewhat tired.”

Fulai said slowly, “Rest a bit and you’ll be fine. This servant will have the imperial physician come to care for you. You needn’t worry.”

“Mm.” Li Ming let Fulai support him as he entered the room. Fulai glanced at him and said slowly, “Your Majesty, regarding the divorce between the Prince Consort and Her Highness Pingle, should the decree be drafted now?”

Hearing Fulai’s words, Li Ming’s headache intensified.

“Leave it for now.” He waved his hand.

Fulai helped Li Ming lie down on the bed, saying in a low voice, “Then regarding Master Hongde entering the palace, should it be investigated?”

Li Ming said nothing. Fulai reached out to massage Li Ming’s head, slowing his tone. “Consort Rou has a gentle temperament and has always followed Your Majesty’s instructions. For her to now actively bring Master Hongde into the palace, there’s likely some villain instigating behind the scenes. This servant is worried…”

“You go investigate.”

Li Ming didn’t want to hear these things, but he also knew this matter couldn’t be delayed. The longer it was delayed, the harder it would be to clarify. He waved his hand and turned over. “Summon the imperial physician to perform acupuncture on me.”

Fulai acknowledged and gave the young eunuch beside him a look. The young eunuch walked out.

Once Li Ming had a headache, the palace was thrown into chaos. By this time, Pei Wenxuan had more or less returned to the Princess Manor. After asking where Li Rong was, he learned she was sleeping.

After last night’s exhausting activities, she was probably tired. Pei Wenxuan thought for a moment and had people clear the inner courtyard, saying he was going to the study.

Once inside the inner courtyard, he went straight to the bedroom. Tong Ye couldn’t help but feel somewhat curious. “Young master, didn’t you say you were going to the study?”

Pei Wenxuan looked at him with the gaze one uses for an idiot. “The outer courtyard has many people with loose tongues. Her Highness and I are still in conflict. Don’t let people know I went to see Her Highness.”

Tong Ye couldn’t quite process this, but Pei Wenxuan still sent him away. “Go guard the study entrance. If anyone comes, say I’m in the study.”

Tong Ye nodded dumbly and watched Pei Wenxuan enter the bedroom and close the door. He recovered after a moment, remembering what he should do, and turned to guard the study entrance.

Li Rong had been too exhausted last night. Unbearably sleepy, she lay in bed sleeping and didn’t know Pei Wenxuan had entered.

Pei Wenxuan quietly closed the door, removed his official robes, and controlled the water sounds as he washed his hands.

Hearing the water sounds, Li Rong finally opened her eyes. She vaguely saw a young man’s back and called out indistinctly, “Wenxuan?”

That voice was like a murmur. Pei Wenxuan immediately thought of last night.

He placed his hands in the water, closed his eyes to recover for a moment, and responded, “Sleep first. I’m back.”

Li Rong was still somewhat drowsy, but she was concerned about palace matters. She simply sprawled on the bed with one hand hanging over the edge, eyes closed, asking indistinctly, “What did Father Emperor say to you?”

Pei Wenxuan washed his hands clean and came to her side. Li Rong didn’t open her eyes, simply feeling herself being lifted and moved inward. Pei Wenxuan lifted the blanket and got in. As soon as he entered, Li Rong’s hand hooked around his neck. Like a cat, she leaned against his chest, mumbling, “Did he want us to divorce?”

“He didn’t say,” Pei Wenxuan said. In his arms was warm, fragrant, soft jade—he couldn’t bear to let go, yet it was somewhat torturous. His gaze fell on the wall as he aimlessly stroked Li Rong’s back, as if soothing a child. He said slowly, “I brought it up myself. I filed a complaint against you.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan smiled. He lowered his head to nuzzle Li Rong’s nose with his own. “I have a kitten who scratched and bit me. I don’t want this kitten anymore.”

Hearing his words, Li Rong was amused and laughed. “Fine, fine, fine. I apologize. But didn’t you tie me up too?”

Pei Wenxuan smiled without speaking. Li Rong stayed in his embrace for a moment before remembering the rest. “And then?”

“Then I filed a complaint against Consort Rou, saying she used the talisman to deceive you, reminding His Majesty that he might be being manipulated. Then His Majesty said he would issue a decree for us to divorce, and I came back.”

“You filed a counter-complaint against Consort Rou?” Li Rong smiled. “Father Emperor has always favored her. I’m afraid it won’t have much effect.”

“If I only said Consort Rou framed you, of course it wouldn’t have much effect. You’re political enemies. What His Majesty needs to do is merely balance things, not letting you go too far.”

As Pei Wenxuan spoke, he could no longer restrain himself. He simply turned over to press down on Li Rong. His hands moved like playing a zither, his sounds like striking jade—elegant yet carrying a hint of romance as he said slowly, “But if I let His Majesty realize that someone used Consort Rou and that striking at him is their true purpose, then he won’t tolerate it.”

“His purpose?” Li Rong closed her eyes, her tone trembling slightly.

Pei Wenxuan knew Li Rong couldn’t think of it at the moment, so he reminded her. “Everything His Majesty does is merely to expand his own power. His greatest opponents are actually these aristocratic families and imperial relatives. He established Prince Su, promoted Consort Rou—all for this purpose. Now establishing the Constabulary Bureau and using me is also for this. His Majesty cares about my promotion, your collusion with the Crown Prince, or our feelings—all because he fears we’re actually chess pieces of the aristocratic families. But isn’t he afraid of the same for Consort Rou?”

Pei Wenxuan’s breath sprayed on Li Rong’s skin. Hearing him calmly discuss political affairs, Li Rong couldn’t help but grip the bed sheets tighter, trying to remain calm.

This seemed like a contest between the two of them—it all depended on who wanted to lose. Li Rong didn’t want to lose in such a place.

So one prowled gracefully, as if seeking an opportunity to attack at any moment.

While the other defended strictly, standing firm like a mountain, watching what methods the opponent would employ.

“So what you mean,” Li Rong pondered, controlling her tone, “is you want His Majesty to realize that Consort Rou’s hostility toward me is being used by the aristocratic families. Consort Rou has become a puppet of the aristocratic families?”

As Li Rong spoke, she shut her eyes tightly. “Just relying on your one complaint, I’m afraid it won’t be enough.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Pei Wenxuan chuckled lightly. “When playing chess, pieces are placed one by one.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan threaded his hand through her back, lifting her entire person slightly off the bed, then kissed her thoroughly.

This kiss was different from before—like finally entering the main topic after a long warm-up.

The sudden feeling of weightlessness made Li Rong instinctively tense, then mixed with all other sensations.

Pei Wenxuan gently nibbled her lips, as if educating her. “Did you really think that just because he schemed against me in the shadows, I truly can’t scheme against him?”

He didn’t specify who “he” referred to, but Li Rong detected from his slightly forceful movements who that person should be.

Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh. “You already lost in the previous life, and you’re still not convinced?”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan flipped Li Rong over, pressing her down against the bed.

“You dare say that?” He chuckled lightly. “If it weren’t for considering you, he would have died a thousand times over.”

“Who can’t talk big?” Li Rong smiled as she provoked him. “Lord Pei, you need some actual results, don’t you think?”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan scoffed. He knew she was joking, but he still took it seriously.

He pinched her chin. “Just wait and see.”

Seeing his childishness, Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Hearing her laughter, Pei Wenxuan grew somewhat annoyed, though his face didn’t show it. He simply made sure she couldn’t laugh anymore.

In just a moment, Li Rong truly couldn’t laugh anymore.

After a long while, Li Rong could no longer restrain herself. She said hoarsely, “Aren’t you coming yet?”

“Rest another two days.”

Pei Wenxuan lowered his head to kiss her. “Otherwise it will hurt.”

Li Rong said nothing. She endured for a while and finally couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t help but pound the bed board once, shouting in a low voice, “If you can’t, then get off!”

Pei Wenxuan’s movements froze. After a moment, he took a deep breath and got up to lower the bed curtains.

“Then let me examine you,” said the person inside the bed curtains in a hoarse voice, “to see if you can handle it.”

Li Rong: “…”

She didn’t want to speak. She looked expressionlessly at Pei Wenxuan, whose robes hung loosely as he knelt at the head of the bed, saying he wanted to seriously examine her.

“I’m warning you just this once.”

Her expression was extremely cold. “If you tell me I can’t, I’ll kick you down and dance the Whirling Dance while stepping on your face.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan looked up with a smile. After careful confirmation, he finally determined that Li Rong had recovered quite well.

Last night he had been careful, so there were no real injuries. After getting up, medicine had been applied. Now she had recuperated extremely well.

“If my lady wants to dance the Whirling Dance, you should have told your husband earlier. I’ll prepare clothes for you.” Pei Wenxuan didn’t lower Li Rong’s skirt. He held onto her skirt as he leaned down. “You can dance wherever you want.”

“On my face, on my body, in my heart—all are fine.”