After giving her instructions, Li Rong looked into the distance. Su Rongqing seemed to have finished his inspections and instructions. After greeting Su Ronghua, who had come from another porridge station, Su Ronghua left first. Li Rong checked the sky and saw it was still early. It would be some time before the Moon Elder Temple became lively in the evening.

So she simply had the carriage move forward a few steps. She changed into plain clothes inside the carriage and stepped down.

Su Rongqing had already gone somewhere—perhaps finishing his business and returning home. She walked around the porridge stall area to look.

Compared to the Su family’s wealth, their porridge station appeared rather shabby. When other aristocratic families distributed relief porridge during disasters, they used fine rice with full, plump grains, earning much praise. But the Su family’s porridge used the lowest quality brown rice, with some grit mixed in, looking completely unappetizing.

She remembered it wasn’t like this in her previous life. In that life, the Su family’s rice was very good, but because of that, many people who weren’t disaster victims would come to take advantage of the free food and drink.

This change made her feel more emotional. Though in her heart she was already fairly certain of Su Rongqing’s origins, every time she truly realized it, she always felt somewhat wistful.

What was he doing coming back?

Li Rong laughed bitterly. She and Pei Wenxuan had come back and could rekindle their former relationship, but him coming back…

What was he trying to achieve?

While Li Rong was observing the porridge station, Cui Yulang went to the palace to give lessons to Prince Su at Consort Rou’s request.

Led by palace attendants, he arrived at Prince Su’s study location. Upon entering, he saw Prince Su Li Cheng sitting properly in the upper position. Behind him was a screen, and behind the screen one could vaguely see the silhouette of a woman. Cui Yulang had a general idea and knew this must be Consort Rou.

He pretended to know nothing and knelt respectfully. “This humble minister greets Your Highness.”

“Rise.” Li Cheng sat cross-legged with his hands resting on his knees, looking quite imposing.

Cui Yulang stood up. A maid came forward to set a cushion for him, and he knelt facing Li Cheng. Then the maid quickly withdrew, leaving only him and Li Cheng in the room.

“My mother said she wanted to see you.” Li Cheng immediately stated his purpose directly. As he spoke, Li Cheng lifted himself from the floor and moved to sit to one side. Consort Rou also emerged from behind the screen, moving gracefully to sit in Li Cheng’s original position.

“This humble minister greets Consort Rou.”

Cui Yulang quickly bowed to Consort Rou. She smiled. “Lord Cui need not be so formal.”

With that, Consort Rou gave Li Cheng a look. Li Cheng pursed his lips and stood up reluctantly to pour tea for Cui Yulang and Consort Rou.

Cui Yulang glanced at Li Cheng’s expression. Knowing that Li Cheng wasn’t willingly pouring tea for him, he quickly said, “There’s no need for Your Highness to do so. This humble minister can do it himself.”

“Cheng’er.” Just as Li Cheng was happily about to let go, Consort Rou glared at him. Li Cheng’s face immediately fell, and he only said, “Lord Cui need not be restrained. This prince will pour tea for you.”

Cui Yulang could only laugh awkwardly and nod his thanks.

After Li Cheng finished pouring tea for Cui Yulang, Consort Rou looked him up and down, then said, “This palace has heard that today Lord Cui impeached the Crown Prince and was even fined a month’s salary.”

Hearing this, Cui Yulang’s face showed indignation. Consort Rou observed him and said slowly, “Lord Cui did nothing wrong. The Crown Prince made an error during last year’s sacrifice. Even if it was an unintentional mistake, it was still the cause of this year’s disasters. His Majesty punishing you was truly a helpless measure.”

“Your Ladyship sees clearly,” Cui Yulang sighed. “Nowadays the court is full of aristocratic family collusion. For humble scholars like this minister, anything we say is wrong.”

“Has Lord Cui considered,” Consort Rou hinted, “finding an ally to seek a path forward for humble scholars?”

Cui Yulang didn’t respond. He slowly raised his head to look at Consort Rou. She smiled as she met his gaze. After a long while, Cui Yulang said slowly, “The path Your Ladyship wishes to take is too dangerous. If Your Ladyship wants to use me, I have one request.”

“Oh?” Consort Rou picked up her tea cup and said leisurely, “What is Lord Cui’s request?”

“This humble minister requests that Your Ladyship trust me absolutely.”

Hearing this, Consort Rou paused. She looked up and stared at Cui Yulang. After a moment, she laughed softly. “Lord Cui, you and I are not yet familiar. So-called absolute trust requires time. But I can guarantee,” Consort Rou raised her hand and placed it on her chest, “that once I employ Lord Cui, I will not harbor excessive suspicion. As long as Lord Cui does not disappoint my expectations, I will absolutely trust Lord Cui.”

“However,” Consort Rou tilted her head, “how does Lord Cui plan to earn this palace’s trust?”

Cui Yulang straightened up, his face showing some confidence.

“May I ask Consort Rou, the Constabulary Bureau,” Cui Yulang lowered his voice, “does Your Ladyship want it or not?”

Consort Rou’s eyes immediately grew cold. Cui Yulang fanned himself, smiling as he watched Consort Rou. “Consort Rou has countless strategists under her command. This humble minister naturally knows it’s extremely difficult to gain Your Ladyship’s trust, so this minister did not come empty-handed.”

“Impeaching the Crown Prince was this minister’s calling card.”

Consort Rou looked up, her eyes showing seriousness.

If impeaching the Crown Prince was just to draw her recruitment, then this person’s intelligence was indeed not merely a humble scholar worth recruiting, but a talent who must be recruited.

“And the Constabulary Bureau,” Cui Yulang leaned forward slightly, “is my gift to Your Ladyship.”

“Does Your Ladyship want this great gift, or not?”

When Cui Yulang left the palace, Li Rong had already looked at several porridge stations and finally encountered another scholar.

That scholar seemed to have also traveled a long way to get there, looking dusty and travel-worn. He took out a letter and found a Su family servant. After some conversation, the servant led the scholar away.

Li Rong quickly followed. Following the servant and scholar, after they entered a small alley and walked for a short while, they reached a residential compound. Li Rong hid at the corner, listening as the servant knocked on the main door. After the door opened, the guiding servant said, “This young master has also come to Hua Jing to participate in the imperial examinations. Take him in and look after him well.”

“Please, young master.”

Someone inside led the scholar in. After waiting a while, she heard someone inside say, “Everyone today is here for the examinations?”

“Yes.” The guide seemed somewhat distressed.

“That’s too bad.” The person inside sighed. “Not a single one came to file complaints today…”

“Your Highness.”

Just as Li Rong wanted to listen more closely, she heard a calm voice sound from behind her. Li Rong was so startled she almost jumped, but she instinctively controlled all her body movements. After freezing for a moment and recovering her composure, she smiled and turned around to see Su Rongqing standing not far behind her.

His hands were tucked in his sleeves, his expression showing neither sadness nor joy, as calm as a deity without any emotion.

“Lord Su,” Li Rong pretended nothing had happened and smiled. “What are you doing here?”

“This is property under the Su Manor’s name, used to house examination candidates who recently lack money to stay at inns.” Su Rongqing’s expression didn’t question what Li Rong was doing there; he only said, “Has Your Highness lost her way? Does Your Highness need this humble minister to guide you?”

“Yes,” since Su Rongqing offered a way out, Li Rong naturally took it. “Then I’ll trouble Lord Su.”

Su Rongqing nodded and gestured for Li Rong to go first.

Li Rong walked forward in the direction he indicated, and Su Rongqing followed behind.

At a distance of half a step, neither too far nor too close, just like in her previous life when he was still her retainer.

After walking a few steps, Li Rong felt somewhat uncomfortable. She stopped and turned to look at Su Rongqing, pointing ahead with her small fan. “Didn’t Lord Su say he would guide the way? Come forward.”

Hearing this, Su Rongqing stared fixedly at Li Rong.

His hands in his sleeves clenched into tight fists, but his face maintained composure.

Li Rong smiled lightly and tilted her head, only asking, “Lord Su?”

“This humble minister,” Su Rongqing’s voice was somewhat hoarse, “dares not overstep.”

“Lord Su is merely guiding the way. How is that overstepping?” Li Rong smiled warmly. “Now Lord Su is the legitimate son of the Su family, Vice Minister of Justice, not some servant. Lord Su need not be so restrained.”

Hearing Li Rong’s words, Su Rongqing’s face turned paler inch by inch. Each of Li Rong’s sentences, each word, seemed to scrape across his heart.

Li Rong watched the changes in his expression, waiting calmly without showing emotion. After a long while, Su Rongqing seemed to understand something. He laughed lowly and stepped forward. “Your Highness, please.”

With that, Su Rongqing walked ahead at a short distance, with Li Rong half a step behind him as he led the way forward.

She had originally wanted to ask something, to probe for information, but seeing Su Rongqing, she suddenly lost interest.

She inexplicably had a feeling that if she asked, Su Rongqing would answer.

But if he truly answered, she wouldn’t know how to deal with it.

She couldn’t do what Shangguan Ya did—knowing the other party was attending a banquet, yet still being able to turn it into a trap. She could use conspiracy and strategy to defeat this person, but she just couldn’t win this way.

The two of them remained silent for half the journey. Instead, it was Su Rongqing who asked first, “Won’t Your Highness ask something?”

“What is there to ask?”

Li Rong walked out of the alley with him, only saying, “What I want to know, I’ll investigate myself. What you want to do isn’t hard to guess either.”

“Your Highness has always been forthright.”

Su Rongqing answered calmly. Li Rong smiled. “If I were to ask you anything, there would only be one occasion for that.”

Su Rongqing turned to look at her. Li Rong clasped her hands behind her back. “Either I’m dead, or you’ve lost.”

As they spoke, they walked out of the alley. Having left the narrow lane, Li Rong waved her hand. “No need to see me off, Lord Su. I’ll go on my own.”

With that, Li Rong turned to leave, but Su Rongqing suddenly called out, “Your Highness.”

Li Rong stopped and turned back, only to see Su Rongqing standing quietly in the crowd watching her.

This place was not far from the Moon Elder Temple. As lanterns were just being lit, people came and went. The lamplight cast a warm glow on Su Rongqing. Su Rongqing extended his hand and performed the bow he used in her previous life when he was her retainer, only saying, “Farewell.”

Li Rong watched his gesture without speaking. Just then, a young man shaking a rattle drum suddenly bumped into her.

Li Rong looked up and met his eyes.

He wore a fox-face mask, a water-blue robe with silver patterns. The eyes visible through the mask carried a warning. As they brushed past each other, he whispered, “Stop looking.”

Li Rong instantly wanted to laugh, but knowing Su Rongqing was still watching, she suppressed her laughter. She nodded to Su Rongqing, then turned and followed Pei Wenxuan’s steps into the crowd.

Pei Wenxuan walked ahead of her as if they were strangers. One hand behind his back, the other holding a rattle drum, the small beads on either side gently struck the drum surface, making a tapping sound that made him look like an utterly bored young master.

He was quite tall, standing half a head above the crowd. Li Rong didn’t need to deliberately search—she could spot him at a glance. After following him for a moment, she saw a hidden guard standing at the entrance of a wine shop. Li Rong turned and entered the shop, quickly changing her clothes and hairstyle. When she emerged, she wore a peach blossom mask on her face.

On the main street near the Moon Elder Temple, many men and women wore masks. Li Rong’s mask didn’t stand out. She looked around the crowd and saw Pei Wenxuan bargaining with a vendor at a small stall.

Li Rong walked up behind him and cleared her throat lightly. Pei Wenxuan didn’t move, only saying to the vendor, “A bit less.”

Li Rong ignored him, walking down the street with her hands behind her back. After a short while, she felt someone beside her.

Without turning around, she knew who it was. Suppressing a smile, she said, “How much did you save?”

“Do you care about a coin or two?” Pei Wenxuan flicked his hand, and Li Rong heard the whoosh of a fan opening. She turned to look and discovered Pei Wenxuan had brought a fan today, affecting an elegant manner that somewhat resembled Cui Yulang.

Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you take lessons from Cui Yulang?”

“For such a small matter, do I need lessons from him? You really underestimate me.”

Pei Wenxuan’s tone was disdainful. Li Rong looked him up and down and only said, “Your mask today suits you well—crafty and cunning.”

“Your mask isn’t bad either,” Pei Wenxuan’s tone was somewhat cool. “Though the person doesn’t resemble a peach blossom, you certainly have plenty of rotten peach blossoms in your fate.”

“Are you saying I’m not good-looking?”

Li Rong struck first. Pei Wenxuan didn’t dare engage directly, so he shifted the battlefield. “I’m saying you have many rotten peach blossoms.”

“Then you should be happy.” Li Rong smiled teasingly. “You’re the best among all those rotten peach blossoms. You should be proud.”

Pei Wenxuan scoffed but said nothing. Neither of them brought up serious matters, just walking aimlessly down the street like an ordinary young couple.

They walked very close, shoulder to shoulder, their clothes brushing and tangling as they moved silently forward through the crowd.

After a while, Li Rong gently extended her hand. Hidden beneath their sleeves where others couldn’t see, she hooked Pei Wenxuan’s little finger with hers. Pei Wenxuan turned his head and saw Li Rong blink, her cunning eyes carrying a hint of laughter, as if certain he wouldn’t get angry.

Pei Wenxuan restrained his smile, pulled his hand away and turned his head, giving her the cold shoulder in one smooth motion. Li Rong’s expression immediately changed. Just as she was about to scold him, she felt Pei Wenxuan pull her hand again. This time he not only pulled her hand but also placed something in it.

The object was very smooth, shaped like a crescent moon, just slightly larger than a fingernail. As he pressed it into her palm, she heard him say softly, “For you.”

His voice was very soft, as if somewhat embarrassed. Li Rong didn’t know why, but she was also infected by his mood. She lowered her eyes as they walked hand in hand down the street, asking quietly, “What is it?”

“A pair of crescent moons.”

Pei Wenxuan explained, “I’m wearing one, and the other is for you.”

“Did you buy it from that street stall just now?”

Li Rong laughed. Pei Wenxuan felt somewhat embarrassed. Li Rong teased, “You got fooled again.”

Pei Wenxuan: “…”

He tugged at the crescent moon, wanting to take it back, his voice slightly lower. “If you don’t want it, forget it.”

But before he could pull the pendant out, Li Rong gripped it tightly in her hand and raised her arm.

The red string of the crescent moon pendant was still wrapped around Li Rong’s finger. She opened her palm and the pendant hung in midair. Walking backwards, Li Rong showed Pei Wenxuan the crescent moon, smiling. “Want to take back what you put in my hand?”

With that, Li Rong raised her hand and put it around her own neck, lifting her head somewhat proudly. “No way—”

Before she could finish the word “way,” Pei Wenxuan stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Then Li Rong heard someone apologizing frantically, “Sorry, sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“It’s fine.”

Li Rong knew it was her fault for walking backwards. She turned from Pei Wenxuan’s embrace to reassure the middle-aged man with a child, “I wasn’t being careful either.”

The man had the child apologize to her. Seeing how cute the child was, Li Rong gave her the rattle drum Pei Wenxuan had been playing with earlier. After the child left, Li Rong turned back to see Pei Wenxuan standing behind her, his eyes behind the fox mask extraordinarily gentle.

She felt somewhat embarrassed being looked at like that and couldn’t help saying, “What are you looking at me for?”

“You didn’t used to be this patient.” Pei Wenxuan spoke directly. “Seeing you coax that child just now, I thought you looked quite beautiful.”

Li Rong laughed softly but said nothing more. She understood what Pei Wenxuan meant.

In her previous life, she was full of hostility. She had no patience with children and easily became irritated when things happened. How could she have had such patience?

She didn’t elaborate on these changes and finally brought up serious matters. “Today I saw Su Rongqing taking in scholars who came to Hua Jing for the imperial examinations. I followed them and heard from their servants that he’s not only looking for people coming to take the examinations but also looking for people coming to file complaints.”

Li Rong frowned, quite uneasy. “I can’t figure out his intention. If he’s taking in scholars for the imperial examinations, I can at least guess he’s winning hearts. But he’s also looking for people filing complaints…”

“How is Cui Yulang doing?” Pei Wenxuan suddenly asked this question. Li Rong was stunned, realizing he had forcefully changed the subject. She stared at him fixedly.

Pei Wenxuan acted as if nothing had happened, smiling. “What did you discuss with him? How dare he impeach the Crown Prince today?”

“He impeached the Crown Prince so Consort Rou would approach him.”

Li Rong went along with Pei Wenxuan’s topic, smiling. “I’ll act out a few more scenes with him. Once we gain Consort Rou’s trust—he’s from a humble background and is naturally opposed to Su Rongqing—with him there, the alliance between Consort Rou and Su Rongqing won’t work.”

“Your Highness has done very cleverly.” Pei Wenxuan praised her. “Without Su Rongqing, Consort Rou is nothing to fear. Once Consort Rou and Prince Su fall, with just Su Rongqing alone—unless he plans to rebel—no matter what, he can’t defeat the Crown Prince.”

“That’s my plan.”

As they spoke, they reached the end of the stone bridge at the Moon Elder Temple. Seeing the path had come to an end, Li Rong smiled. “I’ve finished telling you everything. I should head back now.”

Pei Wenxuan acknowledged. Li Rong waved. “I’m leaving.”

With that, Li Rong stepped onto the stone bridge.

There were very few people around. Below the stone bridge, water reflected the bright moon, flowing gently. Just as Li Rong stepped onto the bridge, she heard Pei Wenxuan call out, “Rongrong.”

Li Rong turned back to look at Pei Wenxuan. He gazed at her quietly. After a long while, he raised his hand, pointed at himself, drew a circle on his chest, then raised his hand to point at Li Rong.

Li Rong understood clearly. This was him expressing in sign language: I like you.

Li Rong was silent for a moment, then smiled gently. “I know.”

Pei Wenxuan slowly smiled, watching Li Rong cross the stone bridge as lightly as a bird, then jog away and disappear from his sight.

Just after Li Rong left Pei Wenxuan, hidden guards jumped down from the surrounding walls and followed behind Li Rong.

The smile vanished from Li Rong’s face. She only said, “Have people separately watch Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing. Inform me immediately of any unusual movements.”

The guards acknowledged. Li Rong returned to the wine shop, changed back into her own clothes, and went downstairs as if she had simply eaten a meal at the wine shop. She boarded her carriage and headed back toward the Princess Manor. Li Rong leaned alone in the carriage. After a long while, she let out a heavy sigh.

Li Rong’s people soon had a response. Zhao Chongjiu delivered the information. “Lord Pei is also investigating Su Rongqing.”

“What about Su Rongqing’s people?”

Li Rong frowned and opened the information Zhao Chongjiu brought back. Zhao Chongjiu knelt on the ground and reported everything in detail. “According to this humble servant’s investigation, since the beginning of this year, Su Rongqing has been providing food, clothing, and shelter for scholars coming to the capital for examinations. Ordinary scholars stay in those large compounds Your Highness saw. But if they have grievances to air, they live separately in another estate.”

Li Rong listened quietly, frowning. “What is he gathering these people for?”

“We don’t know yet, but there’s one very interesting point.”

“Hmm?”

“Lord Pei’s people have infiltrated this group.”

Li Rong didn’t speak. She pondered Zhao Chongjiu’s words.

Su Rongqing was collecting people filing complaints, but Pei Wenxuan not only didn’t interfere but told her not to worry about it, and even sent people to muddy the waters.

Then these people being gathered together would most likely not be a small matter.

Li Rong thought quietly for a while, gradually forming a plan in her mind.

Zhao Chongjiu waited for her. After a long while, she finally understood.

“Quick,” Li Rong said urgently, “summon Cui Yulang back for me!”