After Li Rong spoke, she raised her hand to pour water into Pei Wenxuan’s mouth. Pei Wenxuan nearly choked to death. He struggled to push away the cup, saying urgently, “What are you doing!”

“Got your energy back?”

Li Rong smiled and stood up, saying to those nearby, “Help him up. Let’s go.”

With that, Li Rong boarded the carriage first. Others helped Pei Wenxuan onto the carriage, then withdrew.

The carriage set off, departing with a clip-clop. Li Rong sat in her seat, wearing the dancing girl’s dress, draped in Pei Wenxuan’s clothes, her posture composed and elegant. In her every gesture and movement, she naturally exuded an indescribable charm and allure.

When Pei Wenxuan entered the carriage and saw Li Rong’s appearance, his expression steadied momentarily. Then he averted his gaze, pretending he hadn’t seen anything, went to sit opposite Li Rong, closed his eyes, and lay down.

“Not even going to ask where I’m taking you?”

Seeing Pei Wenxuan play dead, Li Rong asked with a smile. Without opening his eyes, Pei Wenxuan said indifferently, “At least you won’t take me to my death.”

“So confident?”

Li Rong laughed softly. “You certainly trust me now.”

“You could very well kill me right now, then go for the marriage alliance tomorrow. Perhaps then you could wear that Persian dancing girl outfit forever.”

Hearing how much Pei Wenxuan disliked the outfit, Li Rong couldn’t help but look down at herself, then said, “I think this outfit looks quite good. Why do you have so many opinions?”

Pei Wenxuan was about to speak when Li Rong immediately reminded him, “Don’t you dare mention vulgarity to me. I remember when I was young and wore this outfit, you told me it suited me very well and had a distinctive charm.”

This one sentence left Pei Wenxuan speechless. All his words were stuck, unable to come out or go down. After holding back for a long time, he finally said, “I don’t think it’s appropriate now.”

Li Rong laughed mockingly. “Pei Wenxuan, when you were young, you were quite the romantic gentleman. Now you’re no different from those decrepit old men.”

When they were young, Pei Wenxuan wasn’t like Su Rongqing—a gentleman known by all for his grace. The outside world said he was somewhat taciturn, dull, even rigid.

But in fact, he would accompany her to see the lanterns during the Lantern Festival, watch her play and dress up as these Persian dancing girls, veiled and joining the crowd to dance together. At those times, he could smile warmly and praise her, saying no one looked better than her. After the dancing, when the cold wind blew, he would silently place his hand on her shoulder, using his wide sleeve to shield her from the cold.

Then she would blink and ask him, “Aren’t you angry?”

Pei Wenxuan would look down at the person in his arms with a half-smile, half-serious expression. “Seeing peonies bloom gloriously throughout the capital—I’m too delighted to be angry.”

Li Rong raised an eyebrow. Knowing this was a warning not to tease her, Pei Wenxuan straightened his expression and said gently, “I was a bit displeased in my heart, but seeing you happy, I found I wasn’t unhappy at all. Moreover, speaking reasonably,” Pei Wenxuan’s tone became serious, “everything about Your Highness belongs to Your Highness. I have no right to interfere. I need only accompany you.”

These words pleased her, so Li Rong said, “Everything about me is mine, but what about you?”

Seeing joy dancing in Li Rong’s eyes and brows, Pei Wenxuan turned his fan, embracing the young lady as they walked through the bustling streets of Hua Jing, blocking surrounding people for Li Rong, and said with a smile, “Aside from righteousness, family, and old friends, everything of Pei Wenxuan belongs to Your Highness.”

“Righteousness, family, old friends,” Li Rong recited, somewhat displeased. “After excluding all these, what’s left of you?”

“If I didn’t exclude these,” Pei Wenxuan said helplessly, “and my life had only Your Highness, wouldn’t I be a disloyal, unfilial, and unrighteous person? Would Your Highness like such a person?”

Thinking about it, Li Rong indeed wouldn’t like that. Moreover, deep in her heart, she knew clearly that if there really were such devotion, she couldn’t accept it either.

She was just teasing, but Pei Wenxuan always spoke seriously, so she didn’t press further, simply stopping in her tracks.

Seeing her stop, Pei Wenxuan turned to look at her. Li Rong spread her arms and tilted her chin up lightly. “Fine then. Since you can give me so much of yourself, I’ll reluctantly be a little nicer to you.”

Then she looked at Pei Wenxuan’s outer robe. “Put your coat on me.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan paused. He stared at Li Rong blankly, not knowing what he was thinking. Seeing him in a daze, Li Rong couldn’t help but urge him, “Hurry up.”

Only then did Pei Wenxuan come to his senses. He removed his garment and draped it over Li Rong. Just as he pulled the clothing to the front of Li Rong’s body, the Lantern Festival fireworks burst into bloom. People coming and going on the street, men and women alike, all looked up at the sky together. Li Rong was no exception. She quickly raised her head, and the fireworks fell into her eyes. At that very moment, Pei Wenxuan silently grasped her hand, and in the instant when everyone looked up at the fireworks, he lowered his head and kissed her lips.

That kiss vanished in an instant, dispersing like fireworks, yet it startled Li Rong into standing frozen in place, unable to recover for a long time. After all, Pei Wenxuan had always been a cautious and somewhat rigid person. She never dared imagine he would do such a thing in public.

Yet he maintained his composed demeanor, holding her hand and saying with a smile, “Your Highness, let’s go.”

Li Rong said nothing. She simply let him pull her along. He walked ahead while she followed in his footsteps. After a long while, she said softly, “With so many people around, why did you kiss me?”

Pei Wenxuan walked ahead. She couldn’t see that his face had actually flushed red. She only heard his usually clear and upright voice, tinged with an indescribable tenderness, saying softly and gently, “Rongrong, I’m very happy.”

He didn’t explain much, only said that one sentence—he was very happy.

As for what made him happy, what brought him joy, why he had that momentary loss of composure—even he himself couldn’t say clearly.

Recalling the Pei Wenxuan of that time and looking at the person now lying with his eyes closed playing dead, Li Rong couldn’t help but sigh and murmur, “Time ages people so.”

“As if you’re not old yourself.”

Hearing her mention the past, Pei Wenxuan was irritated and turned to his side, muttering, “Old hag.”

Li Rong gave a soft “Heh.” “Decrepit old man.”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. He didn’t know if he’d drunk too much, but hearing Li Rong say these things made his heart ache.

If one didn’t recall how beautiful the past was, one wouldn’t realize how wretched one had become.

When Li Rong reminded him, he realized it had been many, many years since he’d had the mindset of his youth—that composed, gentle, calm state of mind full of hope and fearlessness.

He remembered that when he was young, he had many interests. He could paint and compose poetry. When the mood struck, he could play the zither and practice swordsmanship. He was a perfectly qualified young master of a prestigious family.

On clear days, he would climb mountains or sail boats, immersing himself freely in the landscapes. Back then, he felt that everyone in this world was good, everything was beautiful—especially Li Rong. Every time she smiled with curved eyes, he felt that in this world, it seemed there would never be winter again.

But somehow, he himself didn’t know how it happened. Li Rong quarreled with him, they separated, his mother passed away, Li Rong got together with Su Rongqing, Qin Zhenzhen died in the inner palace, Li Chuan’s temperament changed drastically, and as his power grew and his position rose higher, everything became stranger and stranger.

Every day he felt exhausted. Everything was tiring. Each day, after finishing official duties, his greatest wish was to find a place, quiet and peaceful, with no one around, where he could close the door and be alone. He feared seeing people around him because every day, the people he encountered either quarreled with him, required cautious flattery, or demanded vigilance. Even Li Rong—when they met, it was endless mockery and abuse.

Day and night, year after year, repeatedly like this. The more tired, the more irritable; the more irritable, the more tired. After this vicious cycle, he lived like a trapped beast, thrashing about everywhere every day. Only now, looking back, did he discover he’d long since battered himself bloody and beyond recognition.

Hearing Li Rong speak of such beautiful past times, he could no longer sleep. He simply stared at the swaying carriage wall with open eyes, saying nothing.

Li Rong sipped her tea. Seeing he seemed to have fallen asleep, she took out the account books from the side to examine. After a while, she suddenly heard Pei Wenxuan say, “I’m quite detestable, aren’t I?”

Li Rong paused her movements. After a moment, she said slowly, “Aren’t I detestable too?”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. Li Rong lowered her eyes and turned a page, saying flatly, “Always quarreling with you, always criticizing you. We’re both the same. You don’t need to feel inferior.”

Hearing Li Rong’s words, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t speak for a moment. Knowing he might be thinking of something and his emotions were unsettled, Li Rong advised, “You’ve been drinking. Your brain isn’t working well. Don’t overthink. Hurry and sleep. Tomorrow we’ll go to Mount Jiulu to find Qin Lin. According to the timeline, news of the Yang Family being surrounded will soon reach the front lines. At that time, the Yang Family members at the front will definitely cause some trouble. Chuan’er will probably have to go there soon. Before then, we need to persuade Qin Lin to accompany Chuan’er to the front lines.”

Hearing Li Rong calmly discuss the situation with him, Pei Wenxuan almost habitually listened to Li Rong’s words and responded, “I know Qin Lin well. What I’m actually most worried about is Cui Qinghe… Tomorrow at Mount Jiulu, we’ll see how things go. No need to worry.”

“Mm.” Receiving this response, Li Rong flipped through the account book. “Sleep. When we arrive at the Princess Manor shortly, I’ll wake you.”

Seeing Li Rong didn’t want to continue, Pei Wenxuan said no more. He closed his eyes and dozed off in a daze.

In his dreams, somehow he found himself back in those three years of mourning in Luzhou. Though he held no official position then, he was carefree. In seasons of gentle wind and warm sun, he would take a pot of wine and a flute, sail downstream alone, find a shady spot, and sleep on the lake for an afternoon. When returning, he would gather some lotus seeds and if he encountered children on the road, he would give them to them. When lotus flowers bloomed, he would also bring a lotus flower and casually give it to whatever little girl he met on the road that day.

In his dream, he couldn’t help but smile. Then he heard fireworks blooming in his dream, followed by eighteen-year-old Li Rong, dressed in Persian dancing girl costume, wearing a veil, mingling in the crowd, learning the movements from those people.

Her waist was slender, lithe as a snake. When she moved, the sequins hanging at her waist swayed gently, outlining a subtle, seductive allure. Her eyes were bright, looking at him through the crowd. Even with half her face covered, one could see that cat-like proud yet spirited smile.

Across the crowd, he gazed at the young lady from afar and couldn’t help but smile.

That young lady somehow walked before him. She wore his clothes on her body, looking at him with a smile full of warmth.

“Pei Wenxuan.” She called his name. After calling it, she said nothing else, only quietly watched him.

Then a young man appeared beside her. That person had a gentle expression, standing quietly with her. That person had the same features as Pei Wenxuan but a completely different temperament.

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong smiled, “I’m leaving.”

With that, Li Rong held hands with the other person, their forms slowly dissolving. Pei Wenxuan vaguely heard someone calling him: “Lord Pei? Young Master Pei? Pei Wenxuan? Pei-dog!”

In this succession of calls, Pei Wenxuan slowly opened his eyes and saw Li Rong looking down at him, lightly patting his face. “Are you dizzy or asleep? Hurry and get up. Let’s go.”

Pei Wenxuan came to his senses in a daze. Feigning composure, he nodded and slowly got up.

Li Rong looked him over. Seeing he was awake, she said, “I’ll get down first. Take your time.”

With that, Li Rong got off the carriage. After a moment, Pei Wenxuan also rose and descended from the carriage.

Then the two looked up and saw the plaque of the Princess Manor.

This was where they had lived for many years. Both were extremely familiar with it. But having experienced life and death and returned, standing at the entrance again, they felt an indescribable sense of vicissitude.

The two exchanged glances. Li Rong smiled. “We’re back.”

Pei Wenxuan also smiled. He lowered his head and said gently, “Let’s go in.”

Li Rong rarely came to the Princess Manor. As soon as she arrived, the entire manor immediately lit up and became bustling.

Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan went together to the rear courtyard. Pei Wenxuan was arranged into another room. Looking at this familiar yet strange place, Pei Wenxuan listened as Li Rong skillfully gave instructions: “Plant a peach blossom tree here, move the red maple over there to the East Garden, change all the incense in the rooms to Canglan wood from the Luo family, and that vase…”

Li Rong planned to change quite a lot. Walking all the way to the entrance of the rear courtyard, an attendant said to Pei Wenxuan, “Young master, this way please.”

Pei Wenxuan nodded. He bid farewell to Li Rong. “Your Highness, this humble subject will go rest first.”

“Alright,” Li Rong nodded casually, then turned to the steward again. “And that Chinese rose over there…”

Listening to Li Rong’s words, Pei Wenxuan turned back and walked along the corridor. He looked at the moonlight falling on the corridor, listening to Li Rong’s chattering voice. After a few steps, he stopped again. He turned back and saw Li Rong still wearing the dancing girl’s outfit, draped in his robe, yet commanding people with great authority.

That appearance was in many ways different from her youth, yet also seemed no different at all.

Pei Wenxuan watched quietly for a moment and couldn’t help but smile.

He suddenly called out, “Your Highness!”

Li Rong turned back and saw Pei Wenxuan standing in the corridor.

Looking at her, he suddenly said, “Actually, that outfit looks quite good on you.”

Hearing this, Li Rong was momentarily stunned. Then she saw Pei Wenxuan place his hands before him, bow, and say gently, “May Your Highness sleep well.”

In that instant, Li Rong felt a moment of confusion, as if she were seeing the twenty-year-old Pei Wenxuan, yet also as if she weren’t.

She couldn’t help but gently pat her own face.

“I need to sleep early.”

She murmured softly.