Being held by him, Li Rong’s heart gradually settled.

The people nearby all smiled waiting for them. After Li Rong composed herself for a while, seeing that Pei Wenxuan still hadn’t released his hold, she coughed lightly and reminded him quietly, “We should return.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan hugged her tightly once more before slowly releasing her. Then he said to Li Rong, “I was presumptuous with Your Highness just now. Please forgive me.”

“Why are we being so formal with each other?” Li Rong spoke while looking him up and down, then smiled. “Let’s hurry back. You stink.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan’s ears immediately burned hot. Previously when Li Rong had criticized him, he hadn’t felt much about it. But now when Li Rong criticized him, he involuntarily became somewhat constrained, wishing he could immediately scrub himself completely clean, then roll around in incense, appearing before Li Rong presentable and proper without the slightest flaw.

Pei Wenxuan unconsciously moved farther from Li Rong, feigning composure as he said, “Mm, let’s return first.”

Li Ming had sent word ahead. Li Rong followed Pei Wenxuan and proceeded smoothly out of the palace without obstruction.

Li Rong roughly asked Pei Wenxuan about conditions on the road. Pei Wenxuan answered everything. Li Rong nodded, her face showing neither joy nor anger. Only at the very end did she finally ask, “You yourself weren’t injured, were you?”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan smiled, his tone involuntarily becoming much gentler. “No, don’t worry. My journey was very smooth.”

“That’s true.” Li Rong pondered subsequent matters, saying slowly, “You’ve always been clever.”

As they talked, Pei Wenxuan helped Li Rong board the carriage. After Li Rong got on, she saw Pei Wenxuan had no intention of entering and rolled up the curtain to look at the young man outside. “Why aren’t you getting on?”

“This official’s appearance is improper. I’ll just go to the carriage behind.”

Pei Wenxuan smiled. “To avoid offending Your Highness with the smell.”

Hearing this, Li Rong raised an eyebrow. “I thought you couldn’t wait to stink me to death.”

“Your Highness is joking.” Pei Wenxuan felt somewhat embarrassed, thinking Li Rong’s mouth was really too harsh. Li Rong laughed. “Get on. If I don’t mind, what do you mind? There are still many things to ask about.”

Having received Li Rong’s words, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t very well remain stiff. He could only board the carriage, then deliberately sat far from Li Rong.

Seeing him sitting so far away, Li Rong felt rather helpless and commanded, “Sit closer.”

“Your Highness…”

“Otherwise I’ll sit closer to you.”

Pei Wenxuan was at a loss for words. After hesitating a moment, he finally sat next to Li Rong.

He feigned composure. Li Rong saw his awkwardness and couldn’t help saying, “After one trip out, were you scared out of your wits by someone or something? Why are you so timid seeing me?”

“I’m not timid,” Pei Wenxuan said reflexively. “I just feel…”

“You stink.”

Li Rong cut off his words. She kept bringing this up, which made Pei Wenxuan somewhat angry too. He couldn’t help himself and said directly, “You don’t stink. You go out for twenty days traveling constantly and try it yourself.”

Li Rong laughed, poking him with her fan. “I wouldn’t. This kind of thing is for you to do.”

Seeing Li Rong laugh, Pei Wenxuan’s heart softened again. Then he heard Li Rong say slowly, “What kind of disheveled state haven’t we seen each other in? What are you pretending for with me?”

“I always hope,” Pei Wenxuan lowered his eyes, “Your Highness can see more of my best self.”

Li Rong’s hand movements paused. She raised her eyes to look at Pei Wenxuan and saw him gazing down at the teacup in his hands, his upright features showing no joy or anger. That sentence just now was said carelessly, without any hint of flirtation.

Li Rong thought Pei Wenxuan was quite skilled—he could always say heart-stirring words in an utterly proper manner. One couldn’t tell if he habitually spoke without restraint or had genuine feelings elsewhere.

If it were a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young girl hearing these vague suggestions from him every day, she would probably have misunderstood long ago.

Fortunately, Li Rong considered herself a person with extreme self-awareness and never thought about such things in a positive light.

After all, one of life’s greatest illusions is that someone likes you.

And Pei Wenxuan never had any sense of propriety in such matters. Li Rong didn’t take it to heart and only said, “Now that you’ve returned with evidence, the people in the aristocratic families must all be anxious.”

“Mm.” Pei Wenxuan followed Li Rong’s words. “This is an opportunity to divide the aristocratic families. Soon, Lord Shangguan will probably come looking for Your Highness.”

“I already had Mother convey my attitude to him before. Actually, Uncle should already be clear about my stance. Now we only need to investigate the military provisions case to the end and not worry about anything else. As for the Shangguan family’s thinking,” Li Rong tapped her fan against her palm, “that depends on Aya’s abilities.”

Pei Wenxuan acknowledged. The two fell silent, each harboring their own thoughts. Having finished discussing business, they actually had many other things they could discuss, but when the words reached their lips, because there seemed to be too much to say, they suddenly didn’t know how to begin. In the end, Li Rong simply gave up and only said, “You’re tired too. Rest for a while. When we get back to the house, I’ll handle some other matters. You sleep first.”

Hearing Li Rong’s words, Pei Wenxuan somehow felt somewhat disappointed.

His face showed nothing. He acknowledged and took a blanket from the side, leaning against the small table to sleep.

From Hua Jing to the northwest, he had spent twenty days making a round trip while also auditing accounts and recording testimonies along the way. He had almost no time to rest at all.

Once he leaned against the table, no matter how much was on his mind, he couldn’t help falling asleep.

When his steady breathing sounded in the carriage, Li Rong finally turned to look at him. With this look, she found it somewhat difficult to look away.

This person had lost much weight. Stubble had grown on his face, completely different from his previous appearance as a young nobleman in Hua Jing.

She watched quietly for a while. Time passed quickly. By the time she reacted, they had already arrived at the Princess’s residence.

Li Rong pushed Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan groggily woke up. Li Rong reminded him, “You go rest first. I need to check on the Qin family.”

“I’ll go with you…” As soon as the words left his mouth, Pei Wenxuan seemed to remember something. Feeling it was somewhat improper, he only said, “Then I’ll go rest first.”

Li Rong knew what Pei Wenxuan minded. She found it somewhat funny, but she truly felt Pei Wenxuan needed to rest and said, “Go.”

Pei Wenxuan got off the carriage with her. Li Rong went directly to find the Qin family while Pei Wenxuan followed the servants toward the rear courtyard. After walking a few steps, he finally couldn’t help it and turned back to call out to Li Rong, “Your Highness.”

Li Rong turned her head and saw Pei Wenxuan standing at the end of the corridor. He pressed his lips together and only said, “Doesn’t Your Highness want to ask more?”

Li Rong was stunned. Seeing she didn’t react, Pei Wenxuan waved his hand. “Your Highness, attend to your business first. I’ll go rest.”

Having spoken, without waiting for Li Rong’s response, he left directly. Li Rong was somewhat bewildered by Pei Wenxuan’s reaction. She stood in place for a moment. Hearing Jing Lan beside her remind, “Your Highness, the Qin family has all been settled,” she finally reacted, nodded, and collected herself before proceeding to the courtyard.

She arrived at the courtyard where the Qin family was settled. The Qin family members had all gathered in the great hall. Just reaching the doorway, she heard women’s crying and comforting voices intertwining.

Li Rong walked into the courtyard. Xun Chuan stepped forward and first bowed to Li Rong. “Your Highness.”

“Are you all right?”

Li Rong observed her briefly. Seeing her expression was normal, she smiled. “I heard you rescued prisoners from the execution ground today.”

“Today the supervising official executed early,” Xun Chuan pressed her lips together, “so I…”

“Well done.” Li Rong raised her hand and patted her shoulder, interrupting her self-reproach with a smile. “We need precisely people like you with the courage and spirit to oppose the aristocratic families.”

“Your Highness…” Xun Chuan felt somewhat uneasy. Li Rong withdrew her hand and comforted her. “I’m telling the truth. Don’t worry—I don’t speak in irony with you.”

She knew she wouldn’t understand.

Xun Chuan felt more at ease. Li Rong entered with her, asking quietly, “How is the family?”

“All well.” Xun Chuan said softly, “Hearing that the Prince Consort cleared the Qin family’s name in court today, everyone in the Qin family is extremely grateful to Your Highness and the Prince Consort.”

As they talked, they entered the great hall. Seeing Li Rong, Qin Lang excitedly stepped forward, about to kneel. “Your Highness…”

“Lord Qin,” Li Rong quickly reached out to support him, “you’re injured. Rest well first.”

“Your Highness, the entire Qin family was saved by Your Highness. Your Highness’s grace to the Qin family is like giving us new life. This old one…” As Qin Lang spoke, his voice choked up. Li Rong glanced at Xun Chuan. Xun Chuan stepped forward, supporting Qin Lang to sit down, speaking in her deliberately altered hoarse voice, “Lord Qin, please sit and speak.”

Qin Lang nodded and sat down. Li Rong also sat beside him and chatted with him for a while.

The Qin family members who had survived the great disaster were all very excited, coming forward one after another to bow to Li Rong. Only Qin Lin stood quietly to the side throughout. At the end, seeing Li Rong was somewhat weary, he stepped forward. “Your Highness, now that the Qin family is all safe, if Your Highness is tired, you may make other arrangements. Another day, this official will bring the family’s old and young to properly thank Your Highness.”

Li Rong had only come to check on the Qin family’s situation. Having confirmed all was well, she followed Qin Lin’s words to step down gracefully, standing up. “Then rest well. This palace will take its leave first.”

Qin Lin acknowledged and personally escorted Li Rong away.

Along the way, Qin Lin didn’t say a word. Li Rong found it rather strange and couldn’t help smiling. “I thought after such a major event, Lord Qin would at least thank this palace.”

“The words ‘thank you’ never have any real meaning.” Qin Lin stopped walking. Li Rong turned to look at him, involuntarily raising an eyebrow. Qin Lin’s expression was calm. “What this official can return to Your Highness is only the power of the northwest.”

Li Rong didn’t speak. She quietly gazed at Qin Lin. Qin Lin raised his eyes to look at Li Rong. “This is what Your Highness wants most, isn’t it?”

“General Qin is quite confident in his own abilities.”

“It’s not that I’m confident in myself—it’s that Your Highness is confident in me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have initially forced the Crown Prince to make three visits to the thatched cottage to come to Nine Darkness Mountain to invite this one.”

Qin Lin spoke while looking at the sky, raising his hand. “Your Highness, please. There should be many more matters ahead. Your Highness shouldn’t delay.”

Having spoken, Qin Lin bowed and turned to leave.

Li Rong stood in place for a moment, laughed lightly, and turned to exit through the gate.

After looking after the Qin family, in the afternoon Li Rong went directly to find Shangguan Ya. Shangguan Ya and Xun Chuan handed over all the confessions they had collected these days and also recounted everything they had done recently. After Li Rong grasped all the information, she discussed the next steps with Shangguan Ya. “Your father should soon want to come find me, but I definitely intend to investigate the military provisions case thoroughly. You need to find a way to persuade him, letting him use this opportunity to reorganize the Shangguan family. If he comes forward to reorganize, it will definitely be inconvenient. At that time, you can volunteer, having the Shangguan family conduct an internal investigation.”

“This way, within the Shangguan family, I’ll become someone with a voice.” Shangguan Ya smiled. “I could even discuss with Father having me serve as the Shangguan family’s representative to negotiate with Your Highness.”

“Exactly.” Li Rong acknowledged and discussed some details with Shangguan Ya. After finishing their discussion, Li Rong looked at the sky and said, “I’ll head back first.”

“So early?” Shangguan Ya was somewhat surprised. “Why not stay for dinner?”

“No need.” Li Rong waved her hand. “Pei Wenxuan just returned today. I’ll go back earlier—there are still matters to discuss.”

“I see.” Shangguan Ya nodded. “All right, then let’s meet another day.”

Li Rong nodded and walked out. Xun Chuan still had some details to confirm with Shangguan Ya. After Li Rong left, Shangguan Ya was still looking thoughtfully in the direction Li Rong had gone. Xun Chuan couldn’t help saying, “What are you thinking about?”

“No, I was just thinking,” Shangguan Ya turned her head, “do you think Her Highness likes Lord Su more, or the Prince Consort more?”

Xun Chuan frowned. “Is this something you should be thinking about?”

“Thinking about serious matters all the time gives me a headache.” Shangguan Ya sighed. “Watching Her Highness’s drama is so much better.”

Xun Chuan was momentarily speechless and only said, “Just manage yourself well.”

Speaking thus, she reminded, “Hurry and finish the work to avoid accidentally running into Su Ronghua again.”

Hearing this person’s name, Shangguan Ya sucked in a sharp breath. She didn’t know why, but she kept easily “encountering” Su Ronghua everywhere. Just thinking about it scared her. She couldn’t help saying, “Xun Chuan, can you help me with something?”

“No.” Xun Chuan refused decisively, but Shangguan Ya still said, “Could you beat him up for me?”

“If you don’t do proper work, I’ll beat you up.” Xun Chuan flipped through the papers on the table, speaking very seriously. Shangguan Ya sighed, raising her hand to slap her forehead. “Ah, so much for friends being loyal to each other—the ancients truly deceived me.”

Li Rong said goodbye to Shangguan Ya. When she returned, Pei Wenxuan had just woken.

He had slept for a day and was in much better spirits. Having just changed clothes, he heard the sound of Li Rong returning to the residence outside.

He was somewhat surprised Li Rong had returned so early, but still first stood up and went to the door to receive Li Rong.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan standing at the door, Li Rong smiled. “Didn’t sleep a bit longer?”

“I slept all day.”

Pei Wenxuan smiled and went with Li Rong to the dining hall.

Li Rong saw his smile didn’t reach his eyes and couldn’t help saying, “Seeing your complexion isn’t good—you probably haven’t slept enough.”

“I’ve slept enough, just haven’t recovered yet.”

Pei Wenxuan spoke while sitting down with Li Rong. Li Rong nodded, watching the servants lay out dishes. On one hand picking up chopsticks, on the other hand she told Pei Wenxuan about today’s schedule, recounting the information she had exchanged with Shangguan Ya and also explaining tomorrow’s plans.

Pei Wenxuan listened quietly, his expression showing neither joy nor anger, only responding steadily according to what Li Rong said.

This atmosphere made Li Rong feel somewhat awkward. After the two finished eating, Pei Wenxuan didn’t stay. After taking leave from Li Rong, he departed first, going to the study.

Pei Wenxuan had taken over twenty days of sick leave. Official business had piled up like a mountain. After burying himself in the study, he didn’t come out. Li Rong waited in her room for a while. Seeing he didn’t return, she also stood up and brought over memorials to review.

Neither spoke. Each reviewed memorials in their own room.

By midnight, Jing Lan and Jing Mei couldn’t help becoming anxious. Jing Mei said quietly to Jing Lan, “Don’t you think it’s strange? They finally reunited after such difficulty, so why are they like this?”

Jing Lan didn’t speak. After a while, she sighed. “I’ll go invite the Prince Consort.”

Speaking thus, Jing Lan went to Pei Wenxuan’s study door. Tong Ye guarded before the door, dozing off and almost asleep. Jing Lan went forward, waking Tong Ye, and said quietly, “Isn’t the Prince Consort going to sleep?”

Tong Ye shook his head, yawning. “The Prince Consort probably won’t sleep tonight. Sister Jing Lan, why did you come? Does Her Highness have instructions?”

Jing Lan didn’t speak. She thought for a moment and said quietly, “Go tell the Prince Consort that Her Highness hasn’t been well lately and still hasn’t slept. Have him go persuade her.”

Tong Ye exclaimed “Oh” in surprise, waking up. He hurriedly said, “Wait, I’ll go tell the Prince Consort. The Prince Consort cares about Her Highness most of all.”

Speaking thus, Tong Ye quickly went into the room, kneeling on the ground. “Young Master, this is bad. Please go persuade her.”

Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes, frowning. “Persuade what?”

“The Princess won’t sleep.” Tong Ye sighed. “I hear Her Highness hasn’t been well recently and was busy with government affairs again today. Please go check on her.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan immediately stood up. The anger he had suppressed all day finally found an outlet. He threw down the brush in his hand forcefully and said angrily, “Nonsense!”

Speaking thus, Pei Wenxuan strode directly back toward the room.

Li Rong was concentrating on reviewing today’s work reports that had come to the Constabulary Bureau. Having just finished reviewing one, she heard the door suddenly pushed open. Cold wind rushed in from outside. Li Rong looked up in surprise and saw Pei Wenxuan stride in. Without a word, he pulled away the memorial under her hand and tossed her brush aside.

Li Rong looked up at him in confusion. Pei Wenxuan folded his hands in his sleeves, looking down at Li Rong with a cold face. “Sleep.”

Jing Lan quickly closed the great door. Li Rong glanced at the servants who had run away swiftly, then looked at the imposing Pei Wenxuan. After hesitating a moment, she said slowly, “Then… let’s sleep?”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing and turned around to begin removing his outer robe. Li Rong stood to the side watching him lose his temper. After watching for a moment, she really couldn’t hold back and laughed aloud.

Pei Wenxuan’s movements froze. With his back to Li Rong, he said coldly, “What are you laughing at?”

“Held it in all day and finally found a reason to quarrel.” Li Rong smiled, leaning against a nearby pillar, looking at Pei Wenxuan frozen stiffly in place. “Poor Censor Pei must be quite stifled.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. He hung up his clothes and turned to make the bed.

Li Rong walked behind him. Seeing his angry appearance, she found words much easier to say. Softening her tone, she said, “I heard what you said today. Are you angry I don’t care enough about you? I’m at ease about you. I know your abilities reach the heavens—how could you so easily fall into danger? So I didn’t ask much. It’s not that I wasn’t worried about you. You don’t know—hearing something happened to you, my heart wasn’t at peace either.”

Pei Wenxuan spread the bedsheet and laid out the quilt, then stood up to wash his face.

Li Rong followed behind him, continuing, “You got angry first and put on a cold face first. Even though I want to say soft words, I can’t say them well. Ah, I say, Pei Wenxuan, think clearly—I’m a princess. Before the wedding, didn’t the palace send people to teach you proper conduct? How can your temper be so bad?”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. He opened the door and splashed out the water with a “bang,” then closed it again.

Everyone was startled. Li Rong swallowed. Considering Pei Wenxuan had achieved great merit, she decided not to quibble with him. She coughed lightly. “Fine, fine. Today I’ll be soft. What exactly are you angry about? Why not just say it?”

Pei Wenxuan fell silent. With his back to Li Rong, after a while he said, “Is there something you haven’t told me?”

“There are too many things I haven’t told you. I don’t even know which one to mention.”

Li Rong spoke frankly. “But if there’s something you want to know, I can tell you everything.”

Hearing Li Rong’s words, Pei Wenxuan somehow suddenly lost all his strength.

He suddenly felt he had lost composure, was being unreasonable and disruptive.

Actually, Li Rong hadn’t done anything wrong. It was him being anxious and uneasy. It was him caring about Su Rongqing’s words.

He had a knot in his heart, so Li Rong’s every little detail would be infinitely magnified.

But he couldn’t say these things. He didn’t want to show Li Rong his embarrassment when facing Su Rongqing.

He took a deep breath and shook his head. “This official has my own issues. Let’s sleep.”

Speaking thus, he said to Li Rong, “Your Highness, please go to the bed first. This official will extinguish the lights.”

Li Rong acknowledged, removed her outer robe, and went to bed.

Pei Wenxuan extinguished the lights and returned, sleeping on the outer side.

The two lay in the night with eyes open, neither sleeping. After a while, Li Rong spoke slowly, “When you weren’t here, everyone thought you had died.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. Li Rong continued, “But I knew you hadn’t.”

“Your Highness has always been at ease about me.”

Pei Wenxuan said indifferently, “Thank you for Your Highness’s trust.”

“It’s not only being at ease.”

Darkness breeds much courage in people. Li Rong turned on her side, looking at the young man lying flat across from her.

He had already washed up and returned to his usual noble young master appearance from Hua Jing.

Li Rong quietly looked at him, speaking softly, “It’s because I was still afraid.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan turned his head in surprise and saw the young woman with her hand pillowed under her head, lying on her side looking at him, smiling. “If you really died, I wouldn’t even know what to do. So regardless of whether I believed you or not, I had to treat you as alive.”

As Li Rong spoke these words, seeing Pei Wenxuan’s stunned gaze, she felt somewhat embarrassed and smiled. “See, saying these things is so awkward, which is why I don’t like to.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. He gazed at Li Rong. That gaze was too direct, burning Li Rong like fire.

Li Rong somehow felt her face growing hot. She shifted her gaze away, turned over with her back to Pei Wenxuan, and said quietly, “Don’t look at me like that. It’s quite embarrassing.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan laughed softly. That laugh carried a trace of hoarseness, mixing with Pei Wenxuan’s voice like a clear spring striking jade, making Li Rong’s ears burn.

Pei Wenxuan reached out to pull her, his voice gentle. “Let me look.”

Li Rong pushed him away, unwilling to turn back. Pei Wenxuan increased his strength and leaned closer, his voice soft. “Your Highness, let me look.”

Li Rong knew her face was flushed. Although it was nighttime, somehow she felt somewhat guilty. She and Pei Wenxuan pushed and pulled. Pei Wenxuan turned her over. Li Rong raised her hands to cover her face, lightly kicking at him.

Pei Wenxuan pinned her down, raising his hand to tickle her armpit. Li Rong couldn’t help laughing. Pei Wenxuan took the opportunity to press her hands to the sides, making her reveal her face.

Throughout, Pei Wenxuan feared hurting her and had to control his strength, so by the time he had completely restrained Li Rong, he had also expended considerable effort.

Both were breathing heavily. Pei Wenxuan pressed over her, his hair falling loose on both sides, gently brushing her face with a slight itch.

Li Rong looked at that handsome young master. The man gazed at her motionlessly, his eyes seeming to have substance, silently making her recall all the entanglements of the previous life.

Some things, if they hadn’t happened, were still nothing.

But if they had happened, they would always flash into mind at certain prompts.

Li Rong’s breathing unconsciously quickened. And Pei Wenxuan clearly perceived her change. His eyes darkened. He raised his hand with distinct knuckles, lightly resting it on her face, then gently sliding the back of his hand across her cheek.

His hand was somewhat cool. Between the touch of skin, there was an indescribable tingling that flowed upward, exploding through Li Rong’s mind.

“Your Highness,” when he softly called her name, his voice held more of the hoarseness rarely heard in daily life. “That you hold this official in your heart—this official is extremely joyful.”

Li Rong didn’t speak. Her heartbeat quickened. Then she saw Pei Wenxuan gently lean down.

“I offer all the world’s joys,” his lips fell upon Li Rong’s lips, his fingers sliding between Li Rong’s fingers, then with sweetness and burning heat turning the world upside down, murmuring in response, “to repay Your Highness’s favor.”