“It’s been a long time.”

Pei Wenxuan smiled, “It should be over three years now, right?”

As the two of them talked, Li Rong gave Li Chuan a look, then led him to the edge of the cell, the farthest spot from Pei Wenxuan, and whispered, “Why did she come?”

“Sister, you know her?”

Li Chuan glanced at the two people talking and said to Li Rong in a low voice, “I met her at the entrance to Nine Hut Mountain. She beat me up the moment she saw me. Quite spirited.”

Li Rong: “…”

This was truly the first time she’d heard anyone describe Qin Zhenzhen this way.

“And then?”

Li Rong ignored Li Chuan’s description and jumped straight to the point. “She said she’s Qin Lin’s younger sister. I don’t know if it’s true or not. Anyway, after the palace people arrived, she immediately said she’d help me invite Qin Lin once she heard who I was. But the condition was,” Li Chuan raised his chin, “to come see Pei Wenxuan.”

As he spoke, Li Chuan frowned, “Sister, is there something going on between them?”

Li Rong: “…”

Li Chuan was rarely perceptive for once.

Li Chuan was fairly stable when it came to government affairs, but when it came to emotions, Li Rong felt his mental state was basically no different from a six-year-old’s.

Qin Zhenzhen was speaking with Pei Wenxuan. She generally asked about Pei Wenxuan’s situation, and Pei Wenxuan answered everything. After confirming Pei Wenxuan had no problems, Qin Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Knowing Elder Brother is unharmed, I can rest assured. By the way,” Qin Zhenzhen remembered, “you received the jade pendant from before, didn’t you?”

“Even sending jade pendants,” Li Chuan leaned close to Li Rong’s ear and whispered, “There’s definitely something between them.”

Li Rong tapped her shoulder with her fan, curled her lips in a smile showing a hint of watching a good show unfold, opened her folding fan, used it to cover her face, leaned closer to Li Chuan, and murmured with her lips, “Time to watch the show.”

“I received it.” Pei Wenxuan’s voice sounded, speaking slowly. “I know this wasn’t your intention. I don’t blame you. You needn’t worry.”

“Elder Brother Pei has misunderstood. This was my intention.” Qin Zhenzhen spoke openly and with complete sincerity. “I’ve wanted to return this jade pendant to Elder Brother Pei for a long time, but Elder Brother Pei was in mourning before, so I didn’t have the chance. Now that you’ve returned, I should have delivered it personally, but my elder brother said that now that I’ve grown up, it’s inconvenient for me to see you, so he sent it on my behalf.”

Li Chuan listened in confusion, while Li Rong covered herself with her fan, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

Looking at Qin Zhenzhen’s currently upright face, recalling how Pei Wenxuan had previously sworn to her that Qin Zhenzhen had been forced, she heard the invisible sound of face-slapping—”smack smack smack”—crisp and clear.

Pei Wenxuan fell silent. After a moment, he spoke stiffly, “Elder Brother Qin was thoughtful.”

“Yes,” Qin Zhenzhen smiled. “Although you and my elder brother don’t meet often, he thinks of you very much. My elder brother told me that when our two families arranged the engagement, they never imagined the Pei family would have their current prestige. Now Elder Brother Pei is the legitimate son of the Pei family with boundless prospects. My elder brother told me not to delay you, and not to let the joke between our two families back then ruin your good marriage prospects.”

Pei Wenxuan: “…”

Li Rong leaned against the wall laughing so hard she turned around. Li Chuan’s face was full of confusion.

After a long while, Li Rong heard Pei Wenxuan’s voice devoid of any emotion, “Qin Lin told you all this?”

This emotionless voice demonstrated Pei Wenxuan’s state of extreme emotional restraint. Just from hearing his voice, Li Rong could sense Pei Wenxuan’s impulse to tear Qin Lin apart.

What “legitimate son of the Pei family with boundless prospects”—that was all deceitful nonsense. If his prospects were truly boundless, would he only be an eighth-rank minor official?

That was clearly Qin Lin looking down on him and deceiving Qin Zhenzhen.

It was just that Qin Zhenzhen, as a sheltered young lady, never paid much attention to these complex external relationships. The Pei family maintained proper appearances, and it was normal for sons of aristocratic families to start from lower-ranking positions with real authority. As for which lower-ranking positions had authority and which didn’t—that wasn’t something Qin Zhenzhen could understand.

So when this master deceiver Qin Lin deceived her, Qin Zhenzhen completely believed him without doubt. She gave back the jade pendant and had her own brother break off the engagement. Now seeing that Pei Wenxuan’s expression didn’t show even half a hint of joy, she sensed something was wrong and said somewhat hesitantly, “What my brother said… was there something incorrect?”

Pei Wenxuan: “…”

Incorrect. All incorrect.

But right now Pei Wenxuan didn’t want to explain to Qin Zhenzhen. After all, the decision had been made, and there was no need for explanation. So he replied expressionlessly, “Nothing. I’m just grateful for Elder Brother’s concern.”

Hearing this, Li Rong couldn’t hold back and finally laughed out loud.

Qin Zhenzhen really couldn’t stand it anymore. She turned her head to look over, somewhat unable to understand why this Princess Pingle had been laughing nonstop from the very beginning.

She couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What is Your Highness laughing at?”

“Nothing,” Li Rong composed herself a bit, wiped away the tears of laughter at the corners of her eyes, and quickly said, “I just thought of something funny.”

Hearing Li Rong mocking him, Pei Wenxuan felt quite helpless. With one thought, he knew Li Rong was laughing at him about their earlier quarrel. His face couldn’t quite hold up for a moment. He coughed lightly and said, “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry. Go back and persuade your brother. The Crown Prince…”

“My brother knows what he’s doing about this matter.” Hearing Pei Wenxuan mention this, Qin Zhenzhen simply said, “Elder Brother Pei, rest assured. My brother will go, but he needs to wait one more day.”

“Oh, so your brother will go. Yet you told me you’d help me persuade him and asked me to help you?” Li Chuan, listening from the side, raised an eyebrow. “You deceived me?”

Hearing Li Chuan speak, Qin Zhenzhen immediately lost her previous peace and said with cold indifference, “This commoner woman only persuaded him to go. Where is the deception?”

“You…”

“Chuan’er,” Li Rong reminded Li Chuan, “Don’t be rude.”

Hearing this, Li Chuan turned to look at Li Rong, quite shocked. “Sister, I haven’t even said anything yet and you’re saying I’m being rude?”

“I already know what you wanted to say.”

Li Rong raised an eyebrow, then said, “Alright, stop with all this nonsense. Go back now and find out clearly what’s happening at court. Prepare for tomorrow morning. That Father Emperor could let me come here proves the Yang family must have pressured him. If I’m not mistaken, at tomorrow’s morning court, Father Emperor should dispatch you to the northwest to supervise the battle. You cannot agree directly—you must keep refusing.”

“I understand.” Li Chuan pressed his lips together. “I’ve already prepared for these matters. Don’t worry.”

“Second Miss Qin,” Li Rong raised her eyes to look at Qin Zhenzhen beside her, “If the Crown Prince is forced to be dispatched to the front lines tomorrow, can your brother definitely go?”

She stared at Qin Zhenzhen. Receiving these words, Qin Zhenzhen respectfully bowed and said, “Your Highness the Princess can rest assured. My brother is making things difficult for His Highness only to test His Highness’s character. He has no intention of refusing.”

Li Rong nodded. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Li Chuan and said again, “If Qin Lin goes with you to the front lines, don’t let anyone know. Quietly place him in the military camp. Don’t let others know he’s your person.”

Li Chuan was stunned. After a moment, he understood and responded, “Understood.”

After going through so much trouble to bring down the Yang family, they weren’t doing it as a wedding gift for Li Ming.

The fundamental purpose was to let Li Chuan plant his own people in the northwest. Li Ming would definitely replace the commanding general in the later stages of this war to claim all the credit for himself. If Qin Lin went directly with Li Chuan, as soon as he showed his head, Li Ming would nip him in the bud.

The most secure plan now was for Qin Lin to take his good friend Cui Qinghe to the front lines, starting from scratch with an identity unrelated to Li Chuan. Then with the two men’s wisdom and strategy, they would help Li Chuan plan, resolve the Yang family’s hidden dangers on the northwestern border, and then strike against the Rong Kingdom.

Once the northwestern border was pacified, when Li Ming replaced the commanding general, he couldn’t possibly replace all the lower-ranking generals. If Qin Lin remained in the northwest, and they coordinated from Hua Jing with military provisions and deployment arrangements for Qin Lin, given time, the military authority of the northwest would sooner or later fall into Qin Lin’s hands.

Everyone present except Qin Zhenzhen understood these calculations in their hearts. Li Chuan said respectfully, “Elder Sister, rest assured. I’ll arrange it.”

Li Rong acknowledged with a sound and looked at the sky, “It’s getting late now. You should head back first.”

Li Chuan nodded in agreement, then turned to look at Qin Zhenzhen, “You can leave now, right?”

Qin Zhenzhen glanced at Pei Wenxuan, hesitated for a moment, then said, “Seeing Elder Brother Pei is well, I can rest easy. Meeting now is quite inconvenient. I hope Elder Brother Pei will take good care of himself. If you ever face any difficulties that need my help, have my elder brother send someone to Nine Hut Mountain to find my elder brother’s people to relay the message. Zhenzhen will definitely not refuse.”

Hearing Qin Zhenzhen’s words, Pei Wenxuan’s expression remained calm. He nodded and simply responded, “Rest assured. I’m doing well.”

Qin Zhenzhen nodded, put her hat back on, and returned to Li Chuan’s side. Li Chuan glanced at Li Rong, “Sister, I’m leaving now.”

Li Rong nodded. Li Chuan led Qin Zhenzhen outside. Li Chuan complained that Qin Zhenzhen was short, while Qin Zhenzhen maintained a cold expression and ignored him. Li Rong watched the two walking away and suddenly called out, “Chuan’er.”

Li Chuan turned back somewhat puzzled. He saw Li Rong standing quietly in the cell at the end of the corridor watching him. Her expression carried continued struggle. Li Chuan couldn’t quite understand. After a long while, he finally heard Li Rong speak, “Have someone else escort Second Miss Qin later. There are matters waiting for you in the palace. Return early.”

Hearing this, Li Chuan laughed, “I know. You even need to instruct me on such things? Do you take me for a child?”

With that, Li Chuan waved his hand and left with Qin Zhenzhen.

Li Rong watched Li Chuan’s retreating figure, standing there still somewhat dazed. Although Pei Wenxuan couldn’t see Li Rong’s expression, he guessed her thoughts, “Don’t want the Crown Prince and Second Miss Qin to encounter each other anymore?”

This time he was careful with his wording and didn’t call her “Zhenzhen” again.

Hearing his words, Li Rong said flatly, “And you do?”

“This encounter happened a bit early.” Pei Wenxuan was somewhat worried. “I don’t know what changes might occur.”

Li Rong said nothing. She understood Pei Wenxuan’s worry. Just like how she held just half a spring banquet and created chaos completely different from the last life, and now Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen had met so much earlier—who knew what changes might occur.

In the last life, Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen had only met a year later.

Qin Zhenzhen had entered the palace due to the consort selection, becoming Li Chuan’s secondary consort. In the first period after entering the Eastern Palace, Qin Zhenzhen and Li Chuan were at odds, and Li Chuan almost never met with her. She was often bullied in the Eastern Palace. Later, after Pei Wenxuan helped and brought them together several times, Qin Zhenzhen finally caught Li Chuan’s eye.

Who knew what was wrong with Li Chuan—he never understood romantic love before, but after being with Qin Zhenzhen, he suddenly went mad, single-mindedly devoted only to this one person.

But under such lavish favor came not only love but also a blade.

So one year after Li Chuan ascended the throne, Qin Zhenzhen gave birth to Li Ping and died shortly after in the inner palace.

The day she died, Li Chuan held her corpse and refused to let go. It was Li Rong who went over and dragged the body from Li Chuan’s arms.

After Qin Zhenzhen’s death, Li Chuan insisted on burying her with empress rites and placed her in his own imperial mausoleum ahead of time. At that time, everyone just thought Li Chuan was consumed by grief, assuming that after a few years Li Chuan would recover.

But he never did. His temper grew worse and worse, becoming increasingly violent. The Crown Prince who had been renowned for benevolence in his youth ultimately walked the same old path as Li Ming.

He engaged in militarism, suppressed aristocratic families, and ruled the court with an iron fist. Only Li Rong could manage him somewhat.

But later, after the Su family case, the siblings ultimately developed a rift.

After the Su family case, she was bedridden due to injuries, and Li Chuan came to see her.

By then he was already very gaunt. They were separated by a curtain, and Li Rong looked at his silhouette, feeling as if he were a paper cutout.

His speech was somewhat confused. Somehow, he started talking about Qin Zhenzhen.

That day he said a great deal, like when he was young. Toward the end, he suddenly spoke up.

He said, “Elder Sister, there’s a beast in my heart. I can’t contain it. I fear it, and I fear myself. I’m sorry for hurting you.”

“Fortunately,” Li Chuan laughed softly, “I’ve already done what I needed to do. From now on, I’ll trouble Elder Sister with everything.”

After saying this, he stood up and, like an otherworldly Daoist priest, drifted away from her room.

Not long after the Su family was buried, Li Chuan announced he would become a monk. Pei Wenxuan led the court officials to kneel outside the Great Practice Palace for a full day, finally reaching a compromise—Li Chuan wouldn’t become a monk, but he wouldn’t manage affairs anymore either.

For the next twenty-five years, Li Chuan never attended morning court again. Every day he immersed himself in the illusions depicted by Daoist priests, attempting to find methods of resurrection.

In the latter half of her life, she recalled countless times—if she hadn’t made Li Chuan experience being deposed as Crown Prince, hadn’t let him meet Qin Zhenzhen, would her younger brother have spent his whole life as he was in youth, forever hopeful, like a fire in the cold, illuminating this world.

But at that time, there was no path back to walk. She didn’t think about things she couldn’t change and just muddled through.

But now was different. She truly had a choice.

The two of them leaned against the same wall, each standing on opposite sides. Li Rong didn’t speak. Pei Wenxuan looked up at the afternoon sky. After a long while, Li Rong spoke slowly, “This time, you won’t let her enter the palace again, will you?”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. Li Rong was somewhat puzzled, “Why no response?”

“It’s up to you.”

Pei Wenxuan spoke flatly. Li Rong was quite surprised, “Why is it up to me?”

“If you agree, I’ll mention it to Qin Lin. After I’ve said it, if they still want her to enter the palace, that’s her business. As for whether to directly intervene to prevent her from entering the palace—that’s your matter.”

These words left Li Rong completely baffled. She didn’t understand.

She paused for a moment, thinking left and right, carefully saying, “I’m sorry, could you… speak a bit more clearly? I don’t quite understand.”

Receiving these words, Pei Wenxuan lowered his eyes, “I shouldn’t have interfered back then.”

Li Rong understood even less. She vaguely seemed to grasp the literal meaning of this sentence—Pei Wenxuan seemed to be saying he didn’t plan to manage Qin Zhenzhen anymore.

But how could that be possible?

Li Rong was bewildered.

Never mind Qin Zhenzhen’s weight in Pei Wenxuan’s heart—even if Qin Zhenzhen held no weight in Pei Wenxuan’s heart and was just a friend, given Pei Wenxuan’s personality, he couldn’t possibly watch Qin Zhenzhen go to her death knowing she would die if she entered the palace.

And what did he mean by “if you agree”?

What did she need to agree to?

When did Pei Wenxuan’s affairs need her agreement? Could she even control them?

Li Rong was completely at sea. She didn’t even know how many questions to divide this into or from what angle to ask.

Pei Wenxuan leaned against the wall with his head down, not speaking. He knew Li Rong would ask him. His heart beat somewhat fast, and he was a bit nervous. He somewhat anticipated Li Rong asking out loud—after all, these were words he hadn’t found the right opportunity to say for so many years.

But he didn’t know if he should answer. After all, so many years had passed. Saying these things seemed to do nothing but add to people’s sadness and regret.

The two quietly paused. Li Rong finally spoke, “Um, do you mean that if I let you manage it, you’ll manage it, but if I don’t let you, you won’t?”

Pei Wenxuan kept his head down. After a moment, he responded softly, “Mm.”

“Wh… why?”

Li Rong’s speech even stuttered a bit. Pei Wenxuan lowered his eyes and spoke slowly, “Between people, there are inherently boundaries. Every person is a spider’s web, one web connecting to others. Everyone needs to move within these boundaries. If they exceed them, whichever side you lean toward even slightly will cause pain to people on the other side.”

Pei Wenxuan’s words were implicit, but Li Rong understood. She leaned gently against the wall, listening to Pei Wenxuan’s rarely serious and peaceful speech.

“She has her brother, her husband, and herself. She should also bear her own life. Each of her choices will bring its results. Anyone’s interference is not a good thing.”

“I have my responsibilities, regardless of where they come from. Since I’ve agreed to marry you now, I will restrain myself with a husband’s requirements.”

“Until our contract ends?” Li Rong laughed lightly.

Pei Wenxuan was silent. After a moment, he said flatly, “Perhaps.”

Hearing Pei Wenxuan speak, Li Rong pulled a cushion to the wall corner, sat down cross-legged, arranged her clothing, and sighed, “Pei Wenxuan, you truly haven’t lived these fifty years in vain. If you had this realization early on, in our last life, we might really have grown old together.”

Receiving these words, Pei Wenxuan’s eyelashes trembled lightly.

He didn’t know why, but he felt Li Rong’s words were like a blade, instantly piercing through him. For a moment, he couldn’t distinguish where this feeling came from—perhaps from regret, perhaps from dissatisfaction with the last life, or perhaps from those unspoken feelings from youth in the last life. After lying dormant for years, in one instant they struck back, biting down viciously and tearing him bloody.

The pain made Pei Wenxuan instinctively calm down. He always entered a state of extreme composure under extreme emotions.

Li Rong arranged her clothes, completely unaware of Pei Wenxuan’s feelings, and continued laughing, “Back then I knew you were clever and would figure things out sooner or later. Sure enough! Look at you now, with your current appearance and thoughts—if you went out, how many young ladies would like you?”

“You knew early on I’d figure it out?” Pei Wenxuan spoke coldly. Li Rong waved her fan and responded, “I’m quite good at reading people.”

“Then how did you read me?”

“Now or before?”

“Back then.”

Hearing this, Li Rong thought seriously, making an effort to recall the Pei Wenxuan of thirty years ago, and slowly said, “You were quite nice back then, just stubborn inside and unable to think things through.”

“How so?”

“Back then you promised to take care of Qin Zhenzhen, so you thought a gentleman’s word is his bond, and regardless of your own situation, you insisted on helping her.” As Li Rong spoke, she poured herself tea and analyzed, “Moreover, you always felt in your heart that you liked Qin Zhenzhen. Then when you met me and suddenly fell at my feet, your heart collapsed, became conflicted. You couldn’t accept it, thinking, ‘How am I such a fickle man?’ So your motives had no problem—you just couldn’t think things through.”

Hearing Li Rong calmly describe everything from the past, Pei Wenxuan lowered his eyes. Listening to Li Rong evaluate his everything, he found it all extremely grating. Yet he clearly knew the fundamental reason for this discomfort came from the fact that what Li Rong said was all true.

“Back then,” his voice was steady without a hint of emotion, “you knew I liked you.”

“I’m not stupid.”

Li Rong blew on the green leaves in her tea, “If you didn’t like me, could you treat me so well? It’s just that back then I was still thin-skinned. In my heart I thought you liked me, but I wasn’t quite certain.”

“Then why…” Pei Wenxuan’s voice was hoarse, “didn’t you wait for me?”

If she had been willing to wait a bit longer, he might have been able to see his own heart clearly, to learn and grow. Their last life wouldn’t have had such an ending.

Hearing this, Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh, “How ridiculous. I’m not a junk collector—why should I wait for you?”

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong looked at her reflection in the cup, her voice peaceful, “Actually, you’ve never been able to see one thing clearly.”

“In the last life, it wasn’t that you wronged me, I left in despair, then gave up on myself and spent the rest of my life with a eunuch. Rather, I could have had you, but I chose not to. I found new love and spent my life with the one my heart preferred.”

“A woman resents her rival because in this competition of emotions, she feels that facing such an excellent woman with her current self, she has no chance of winning.”

“So she keeps hoping the other person is disgusting, that her beloved is blind, that one day her beloved will suddenly realize how good and beautiful she is. But I don’t need such comfort.”

Li Rong smiled gently.

“I know winning over Qin Zhenzhen would be effortless for me. If I wanted to have you, I wouldn’t even need to do anything—just wait. But I was unwilling.”

Li Rong raised her head to see the colorful sunset clouds and evening swallows flying and calling, “I, Li Rong, am of imperial blood, the Emperor’s kin. My appearance, if not stunningly beautiful, is still renowned in Hua Jing. Wealth and power are mere decorations. I’m well-read, proper, and clever as ice and snow. For a woman like me, you ask why I didn’t wait for you? What you should ask is—”

Li Rong drained the tea in her cup, “What makes you worthy of having me wait for you? Even if Lord Pei is handsome,” Li Rong drew out her voice, her tone carrying a bit of playfulness, “I wouldn’t lose my wits over looks to that extent.”

Hearing Li Rong’s words, spoken with composure and open-mindedness, even while criticizing him and speaking of unpleasant past events, it was rare for her words to make one’s heart feel open and carefree.

Pei Wenxuan folded his arms across his chest, listening to Li Rong speak. He looked down at his feet, thought for a long while, and couldn’t help but laugh softly.

He suddenly felt as if he were meeting Li Rong for the first time.

The current Li Rong was somewhat different from her youthful self. She had the principles and persistence of twenty-year-old Li Rong but possessed an open-mindedness and tranquility that twenty-year-old Li Rong was far from having.

In the past they were always arguing, quarreling. Whenever he saw Su Rongqing by her side, he couldn’t control himself.

Now, letting go of prejudice to look at her, he surprisingly felt an indescribable admiration and fondness.

This fondness had nothing to do with romantic love—it was simply that a woman like Li Rong in this world truly made it difficult to look away.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan not responding for a long time, Li Rong couldn’t help but think she had perhaps poked at Pei Wenxuan’s sore spot. This person was always petty. Now that his sore spot had been jabbed, he probably wouldn’t speak for a long while.

She felt somewhat helpless, secretly cursing that this person was extremely petty. She stood up and said, “Are we still chatting or not? If not, I’m leaving.”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. Li Rong stood up, found a book for herself, sat at the table, and started reading a storybook while cracking melon seeds.

Before long, she raised her head and discovered a roll of paper had suddenly appeared in the corner of her cell.

This paper was rolled up with a red silk ribbon, looking proper and orderly, like a gift for someone—quite pretty.

Li Rong was somewhat puzzled. She walked forward, bent down to pick up this rolled writing, and saw it bore Pei Wenxuan’s handwriting, which read:

For Princess Your Highness to personally open.

Pei Wenxuan’s calligraphy always turned the mundane into magic. No matter how ordinary something was, adding his characters could give it an air of elegance.

Li Rong pressed her lips together, finding it somewhat amusing. She pulled open the silk ribbon and unfolded the paper.

The paper slowly unrolled to reveal eighteen-year-old Li Rong wearing palace dress, her hair adorned with peonies, turning back to smile over her shoulder.

That appearance was of an eighteen-year-old, but that smile was not that of eighteen-year-old Li Rong.

Bright and bold with boundless charm—Li Rong couldn’t quite distinguish exactly which version of herself this was.

Below the painting was an inscription in Pei Wenxuan’s calligraphy:

Only the peony is the true beauty of the nation; when flowers bloom, they move the capital.

Seeing this line, Li Rong couldn’t help but smile openly.

Pei Wenxuan stood before his writing desk, carefully outlining the lines of Li Rong in the painting.

Actually, one thing he never dared face directly in his last life was that throughout that lifetime, he never felt any woman was more beautiful than Li Rong.

Only the peony is the true beauty of the nation, and the young lady with peony’s glamour in his heart was only Li Rong.

Qin Zhenzhen might be wonderful, but that kind of wonderfulness never made his heart flutter, never left him utterly amazed.

Only Li Rong.

But she bloomed early and withered quickly, finally becoming dead branches remaining in his memory. He almost forgot those beautiful appearances until suddenly looking back, he saw them again.

The peony had always been blooming—it was just that she was unwilling to let him see it anymore, that was all.