“I beseech Your Majesty to place Consort Rou under arrest for thorough investigation and punishment according to law.”
“I beseech Your Majesty to place Consort Rou under arrest for thorough investigation and punishment according to law.”
“I beseech Your Majesty to place Consort Rou under arrest for thorough investigation and punishment according to law!”
The moment Li Rong’s voice fell, officials immediately knelt down one after another, voicing their agreement.
From the aristocratic families that Consort Rou had offended to ordinary scholars from humble backgrounds.
Li Ming looked at the officials kneeling all over the floor—aristocratic families and humble clans alike. Of all the civil and military officials in the entire court, only Su Rongqing and Pei Wenxuan remained standing in place.
Pei Wenxuan glanced at Su Rongqing. Su Rongqing looked back coldly, their gazes clashing in midair for a moment before Li Ming’s slow voice rose: “Su, my beloved minister, and Pei, my beloved minister, why do you not kneel?”
Hearing these words, both Su Minzhi and Pei Lixian raised their heads, looking at the two men still standing.
After a brief standoff with their elders, both men knelt down: “This minister seconds the motion. We beseech Your Majesty to place Consort Rou under arrest for thorough investigation and punishment according to law.”
Li Ming listened to these words. He quietly observed the entire court full of civil and military officials. After a long while, he let out a soft laugh: “Good.”
His gaze fell upon Li Rong: “Very good indeed.”
“You all force me,” Li Ming raised his hand, pointing at everyone, then suddenly swept everything on the entire table crashing to the floor: “You all force me!”
“Father Emperor,” Li Rong’s voice remained calm, “it is not we who force you. If Consort Rou had not done these things, no one could do anything to her. But since Consort Rou has done them, she should know that heaven’s net is wide, its meshes are coarse yet nothing escapes.” Li Rong raised her eyes, looking at Consort Rou standing beside Li Ming. “Sooner or later, this day would come.”
“You are the Emperor, Your Majesty,” Li Rong pressed her hand on her knee and rose to her feet. “The welfare of all the people rests upon you. You should serve as a model, not showing favoritism, not perverting the law. This daughter knows you favor Consort Rou, but the imperial examinations are your life’s work. Would you truly, for the sake of one woman, destroy the justice these hundreds of loyal scholars deserve, destroy Great Xia’s court principles, destroy your lifelong reputation in the history books?! If you still favor her today, how will the ancestors of the Li clan view you? How will the court ministers view you? How will the common people under heaven view you? And in thousands of years to come, when historians record this with their brushes, how will they write about you?”
“Your Majesty,” Li Rong did not call him ‘Father Emperor.’ She was like a minister prepared to remonstrate unto death. “This daughter is both child and minister. This daughter cannot watch as Father Emperor bears this eternal infamy. Please, Father Emperor, enforce the law impartially.” Li Rong knelt on one knee, raising her hands forward. “Immediately place her under arrest in prison for strict investigation!”
Li Ming did not speak. He clenched his fists tightly. Fulai looked at the court ministers, then at Li Ming, saying somewhat worriedly: “Your Majesty…”
Hearing Fulai’s call, Li Ming looked toward this person who had grown up with him. He saw the concern in Fulai’s eyes. After a long while, he finally closed his eyes: “Someone come.”
“Your Majesty?!” Consort Rou turned her head to look at Li Ming, shocked. “You don’t believe me?”
“Someone come!” Li Ming did not dare look at Consort Rou. He shouted loudly, “Take Consort Rou away, send her to prison. This case will be handled by…”
“Your Majesty,” Wang Houmin suddenly spoke up, “Princess Pingle single-handedly established the Constabulary Bureau with great merit and hard work, yet was falsely accused by Consort Rou of plotting to harm the scholar Chen Houzhao. Now that Chen Houzhao has not died, Princess Pingle has been cleared of false charges. If she is not to be rewarded, she certainly should not be punished. Please allow Princess Pingle to return to the Constabulary Bureau to thoroughly investigate the case of Consort Rou!”
Once Wang Houmin spoke, the entire hall fell silent.
Li Ming swept his gaze across everyone: “Is this what you all mean?”
“This minister has no objection.” Everyone answered in unison. Li Ming laughed: “Good, I have a fine daughter.”
Li Ming raised his hand and clapped: “Very good indeed. Very clever indeed.”
Hearing Li Ming’s words, Li Rong knelt on the ground and bowed in respect: “This daughter thanks Father Emperor.”
Listening to Li Rong’s words, Li Ming felt his head begin to ache violently. He forced himself to stand up: “Since you have all decided, what need is there for me? Court is dismissed.”
With that, Li Ming stepped down from the platform.
His head was beginning to hurt quite severely. Fulai hurried forward to support Li Ming.
As he descended from the high platform, the instant Li Ming and Li Rong passed each other, Li Ming stopped.
He raised his eyes to look at Li Rong. Li Rong met his gaze unflinchingly.
She saw the fine perspiration on Li Ming’s forehead and also saw the gaze of this father—cold yet carrying a trace of sorrow.
She remained silent for a long while before finally stepping back: “This daughter respectfully sees off Father Emperor.”
Li Ming closed his eyes, smiled faintly, shook his head, and walked out.
Li Rong and Li Chuan watched Li Ming’s retreating figure together. He tried his utmost to support himself. Everyone could see that he wanted to walk more properly, not losing his imperial dignity.
But he could not do it anymore.
He was old.
Pain gnawed at his body and will. No matter how hard he tried, he was already an old man defeated by time.
Pei Wenxuan glanced sideways, seeing both Li Rong’s and Li Chuan’s eyes carrying some pity, mixed with a trace of indescribable, deeply hidden sorrow.
It was just that Li Chuan was young after all—all his emotions were exposed more authentically. Li Rong’s gaze was like a stagnant pool of water, without the slightest ripple.
But precisely because Li Chuan was beside her, it was as if all her inner feelings were displayed before everyone. Only then did Pei Wenxuan clearly realize that at this moment, as a daughter, Li Rong felt all the disappointment, sadness, and pity one would expect.
Li Ming’s figure disappeared at the great gate of the court.
Li Rong finally came to her senses. She raised her eyes to look at Consort Rou on the high platform and said coldly: “Someone come, take down the criminal Xiao Rou!”
Hearing Li Rong’s words, soldiers ran forward. Just as they were about to touch Consort Rou, she shouted loudly: “No one touch me!”
After speaking, Consort Rou flicked her sleeve, stepped forward, and said coldly: “This palace will walk by herself.”
Knowing the situation was lost, Consort Rou did not resist much. Surrounded by soldiers, she was escorted out.
After Consort Rou left, Li Rong thanked the court ministers one by one. When she finally reached Su Rongqing, there were hardly any people left in the great hall. Li Rong looked at him, placing her hands in front of her body, and smiled: “I thought Lord Su would not help me.”
Su Rongqing did not speak. He performed a bow and silently withdrew.
“There is still time to turn back now.”
Li Rong suddenly spoke to remind him. Su Rongqing had his back to Li Rong. He paused for a moment, speaking in a low, hoarse voice: “Thank you for Your Highness’s kind intention. Rongqing appreciates it.”
After Su Rongqing finished speaking, he stepped away to leave.
Pei Wenxuan walked behind Li Rong and said lightly: “Your Highness is quite generous.”
Li Rong turned her head and smiled: “If we need not be enemies, I still do not wish to be enemies.”
“He tried to kill you and you do not hold it against him?”
“I am quite tolerant toward four types of people.” Li Rong lightly tapped her palm with her small fan, walking out together with Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan looked over, and heard Li Rong raise a smile. “Those with money, power, talent, and looks.”
“Then toward Su Rongqing, you must be extremely tolerant.” Pei Wenxuan’s expression carried a smile, but his tone made Li Rong detect a trace of displeasure.
Li Rong glanced at him sideways, poking him with her fan: “No matter how tolerant, it does not compare to my tolerance toward you.”
“Oh?” Pei Wenxuan turned to look at her. “In your heart, he can already be compared with me?”
“Tsk,” Li Rong waved her hand, “you are being boring like this.”
Pei Wenxuan smiled. He and Li Rong descended the steps together.
The two walked very close together. Beneath their feet was broad level ground, and ahead stood the magnificent palace gates. Li Rong held her fan in one hand, Pei Wenxuan gripped his tablet in one hand, and the two instinctively left their approaching hands free. As their garments brushed together, Pei Wenxuan gently grasped her hand.
“Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan’s voice was very soft, “I will always be with you.”
Li Rong turned to look at him. Pei Wenxuan saw the puzzlement in her eyes. He turned to look at her, speaking casually: “I will always love you.”
Li Rong showed a disgusted expression: “Ew, gross.”
Pei Wenxuan said nothing. He looked at the melting smile in the depths of her eyes, his own smile warm and bright.
Li Rong understood this was Pei Wenxuan’s comfort.
When a person walks on a dark path for too long, if no one pulls them along, they can no longer see the light.
She slowly restrained her expression, her voice very soft: “I thought you would think I was happy.”
“How could that be?”
“In your heart,” the wind gently brushed through Li Rong’s hair, “am I not always a woman who covets power and influence? Now that Consort Rou has been arrested, I should be happy.”
“But are you happy?” Pei Wenxuan asked her directly. Li Rong paused, and after a moment, she said slowly, “What is there to be happy about in struggles between people?”
“In the past, perhaps I would have felt happy,” the two emerged from the palace gates together. Li Rong raised her eyes to gaze into the distance. “But after experiencing so many things, I feel that killing someone like Consort Rou brings no particular joy. What would truly bring joy would be if there were no people like Consort Rou.”
“I am not much nobler than Consort Rou,” Li Rong smiled bitterly. “I am merely born into slightly better circumstances than her.”
“Your Highness pities her—this is your own kindness,” Pei Wenxuan nodded gently. “In this world, those who suffer hardship are the majority. But those who commit evil have always been the minority.”
“If everyone used their tragic birth as a reason to commit evil, then in this world, there would no longer be any principles to constrain the human heart. Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes to look at her, speaking earnestly, “contempt for evil is praise for goodness.”
“But am I good?” Li Rong found it somewhat laughable.
“You can become good.”
Pei Wenxuan answered calmly: “Goodness that wields the sword.”
Wind blew from afar, making their robes flutter loudly. Their clasped hands were the only warm place in this cold.
At this time, Consort Rou had already arrived at the imperial study.
Li Ming had someone bring Consort Rou directly to the imperial study. The moment Consort Rou entered the room, she saw Li Ming lying reclined on the couch. His headache condition seemed to have flared up again, the pain making his face turn pale. Fulai knelt beside him massaging his head. Hearing Consort Rou enter, Li Ming struggled to raise his eyes and saw this woman he had doted on for most of his life kneeling quietly before him.
“Come here.”
Li Ming looked at Consort Rou, raised his hand, beckoning to Consort Rou with his fingers, speaking weakly.
Consort Rou obediently moved forward. Just as she stopped before the couch, Li Ming raised his hand and, without warning, viciously slapped Consort Rou to the ground: “Slut!”
Li Ming shouted: “Rotten mud that cannot stick to the wall, lowborn bastard from a pigsty! Have you never seen money before?”
Li Ming’s head ached terribly. Getting angry made it hurt even more. This kind of pain made him increasingly irritable. Looking at the woman fallen on the ground, he breathed lightly: “How much effort did I expend to place you in this position, how many times did I instruct you—apart from the aristocratic families I suppressed for you, do not get involved with any others! Look at the fine deeds you have done now…”
Li Ming raised his hand, pointing at Consort Rou, trembling as he spoke: “For such a small amount of money, for such a paltry sum of silver, you destroyed half my life’s work! Xiao Rou,” Li Ming gritted his teeth, “you are seeking your own death!”