Li Rong walked back holding the qin. Only then did Shangguan Ya return from the distance with her people. Walking to Li Rong’s side, she glanced at Li Rong’s expression and asked carefully, “Did you have a falling out?”

“First bring the corpses back,” Li Rong didn’t respond, saying calmly, “Also bring back those who are alive for interrogation.”

With that, Li Rong turned and called to Jing Lan, whose face was still somewhat pale. She handed the qin to Jing Lan. “Give the qin to the best craftsman and have it repaired.”

Jing Lan acknowledged and carried the qin away.

After Jing Lan left, Li Rong went with Shangguan Ya to see those captured assassins.

The prisoners had already been escorted to the Supervisory Bureau by Shangguan Ya. The two walked outward together. Just as they exited Butterfly Gorge, Li Rong saw a group of horses galloping toward them before hurriedly stopping.

Li Rong looked up, rather surprised, and couldn’t help but call out, “Lord Su?”

Su Ronghua composed his expression, glanced around the surroundings, dismounted and bowed to Li Rong. “Your Highness.”

“How did you get here?” Li Rong smiled. “Lord Su should still be on leave.”

“Hearing that Your Highness encountered trouble,” Su Ronghua caught his breath before speaking, “this subject came especially to assist.”

“Lord Su arrived neither early nor late,” Shangguan Ya walked out from behind Li Rong, saying with a smile, “Coming right after everything was finished—what perfect timing.”

“Shangguan need not be so sarcastic.” Su Ronghua glanced indifferently at Shangguan Ya, then turned to look at Li Rong. “This subject only received word when Your Highness left the city. I gathered people and rushed here in haste, not deliberately delaying…”

“I know.” Li Rong nodded. “I appreciate your coming at all.”

With that, Li Rong turned and beckoned to Shangguan Ya, saying softly, “Let’s go.”

Li Rong stepped forward, glancing indifferently at the people Su Ronghua had brought. She said nothing. Shangguan Ya leaned close and whispered, “Your Highness, he brought people from the Ministry of Justice.”

Li Rong acknowledged with a sound but said nothing more.

The two boarded the carriage and returned to the Supervisory Bureau. Li Rong had the assassins detained separately, then had the leader brought over.

The man was bound tightly, with torn cloth stuffed in his mouth. Shangguan Ya bent down and whispered in Li Rong’s ear, “This man was determined to die. He had a poison sac in his mouth that was removed.”

Li Rong examined the person carefully and recognized him. In her previous life, this person had been somewhat famous—he was Lin Feibai, the deputy hall master of the top assassin organization Seven Stars Hall.

Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh lightly. “They even brought Hall Master Lin—the Chen family must have invested quite a fortune this time.”

Lin Feibai kept a cold face and said nothing. Li Rong felt some lingering fear in her heart.

That they had brought out someone like Lin Feibai—fortunately today she had the assassin forces cut into two parts, leaving fewer outside to be surrounded by greater numbers, while trapping more inside to be ambushed with explosives. If they had truly fought head-on, today would have been more perilous than fortunate, with no return likely.

No wonder the Chen family had such audacity—they had been counting on her certain death today.

Someone behind the scenes must have promised the Chen family something. Once she died, even if the investigation traced back to the Chen family, they would just have Old Madam Chen take the blame. Those behind them would then maneuver to protect Chen Guang.

This time, Old Madam Chen had also risked her life, determined to protect this son of hers.

Having figured all this out, Li Rong looked up at Lin Feibai. “Hall Master Lin, I want to talk with you. I’ll have someone straighten out your tongue now. If you try anything like biting off your tongue to commit suicide, tomorrow I’ll have soldiers storm Qinqu Mountain and wipe out your Seven Stars Hall. Do you understand?”

Hearing Qinqu Mountain mentioned, Lin Feibai’s eyes suddenly widened, showing some shock.

What assassin organizations feared most was having their lair discovered. They had dared to come because they believed that even if things were exposed, the people in the palace couldn’t find them. They hadn’t expected Li Rong to immediately reveal their base location. Lin Feibai instantly panicked.

Seeing Lin Feibai’s emotional reaction, Li Rong raised her hand and had someone remove the torn cloth from his mouth. As soon as Lin Feibai could speak, he immediately said, “How did you know?”

“How I know doesn’t matter. Young Master Lin just needs to obediently cooperate. I know you assassins were all trained together from childhood—your brothers are all at Qinqu Mountain, aren’t they? What do you say I have people set out today and catch them completely off guard?”

Lin Feibai kept a cold face and said nothing. Li Rong continued, “I know that in your line of work, revealing employer information is taboo. I won’t make you testify in person, nor will I expose you. You only need to tell me what you know.”

“And after I tell you?” Lin Feibai said coldly. “You’ll take what I say and go find the culprit. Either way, won’t I be dead?”

“Not necessarily,” Li Rong coaxed persuasively. “You can leave me a clue, and I’ll investigate following it, treating it as something I discovered myself. Then I’ll give you a chance—you break out of jail and escape, return to notify your brothers to move somewhere else. How about that?”

“Such a good deal exists in this world?” Lin Feibai scoffed. “Does Your Highness take me for a child?”

“Of course there are conditions.”

Li Rong fanned herself. “I want to place an order with Seven Stars Hall. You must accept it.”

Lin Feibai said nothing. Li Rong knew he was waiting for her to continue. She leaned forward and said quietly, “The ones who had your people assassinate Pei Wenxuan were your people, weren’t they?”

Lin Feibai remained silent, tacitly acknowledging. Li Rong smiled, lowered her voice, and said seriously, “Whoever proposed having you assassinate Pei Wenxuan—go back and kill him for me using the same method!”

“After you act, have someone disguise themselves as an ordinary person and conduct a transaction with me. I can sell you a piece of land from my fief. Of course, you won’t actually need to pay me—it’s just a transaction on the surface, pretending we don’t know each other. You can move your base from Qinqu Mountain into my fief, and I’ll guarantee your safety.”

Lin Feibai showed hesitation. Seeing that he hadn’t immediately agreed to such favorable terms, Li Rong understood that the people behind him must have offered equivalent conditions.

She thought about Qinqu Mountain’s location, picked up her tea and took a sip, saying slowly, “Think carefully. The Xie family is just an aristocratic clan after all. Even if they have much land, the officials and military there nominally belong to the court. If Father Emperor orders an investigation into you, whether the officials there will listen to the Xie family or the court remains to be seen. But my fief—”

Li Rong looked up at Lin Feibai. “I am a princess. My fief is mine. Do you understand the difference?”

Lin Feibai’s expression shifted. Li Rong toyed with the tea bowl in her hands. “I’ll give you the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to think carefully.”

“Since you’ve already fallen into the mud pit, between me and the Xie family, you must choose a side. Before I stand up, you need to give me an answer.”

Lin Feibai said nothing. Li Rong lowered her head and stirred the tea leaves floating on the water’s surface in the bowl. After the time for one cup of tea passed, Li Rong stood up decisively. Just as she was about to leave, she heard Lin Feibai say extremely quickly, “It’s Xie Lanqing.”

Li Rong stopped. Lin Feibai looked up at Li Rong. “Minister of Justice Xie Lanqing. Are you certain you still want to kill him?”

Xie Lanqing was the current master of the Xie family. A single assassination might not be difficult—what would be difficult was the retaliation from such a great clan mobilizing its full strength.

Li Rong remained silent. Shangguan Ya frowned, about to speak, when she heard Li Rong say, “Kill him.”

With that, Li Rong walked out, instructing Shangguan Ya, “Have people interrogate thoroughly. I’m going out first.”

Shangguan Ya reluctantly acknowledged and, after seeing Li Rong out, turned back. She spread paper and brush in front of Lin Feibai and said decisively, “Confess.”

Lin Feibai looked up at her, his sharp, hawk-like eyes staring at her for a long time. Shangguan Ya felt somewhat unnerved by his stare. “What are you staring at me for?”

“I remember you.” Lin Feibai spoke coldly. Shangguan Ya raised an eyebrow. Lin Feibai continued, “The one who stuffed the cloth in my mouth.”

Shangguan Ya: “…”

“I won’t confess. Get someone else.” Lin Feibai turned his head away, keeping a cold face and saying nothing more.

Shangguan Ya’s temper flared instantly. She raised her hand to strike, but remembering that Lin Feibai held key evidence, her raised hand paused mid-air, caught in a dilemma.

Just as things grew awkward, a light laugh came from the doorway. “Want to change interrogators? Fine, I’ll do it.”

With that, Su Ronghua walked in from the entrance, sat down opposite Lin Feibai, swept his robe aside, leaned back in the chair, and said indifferently, “This young master, speak.”

Lin Feibai said nothing. Su Ronghua raised his hand and pointed at the floor cloth. He directly ordered, “Stuff that floor cloth in his mouth.”

Hearing this, Lin Feibai’s eyes widened. He said angrily, “You dare?”

“If Lady Shangguan dares, why wouldn’t I? You’re really underestimating me. Stuff it!”

At Su Ronghua’s command, the jailers hesitated briefly before finally two of them stepped forward to pick up the floor cloth. Lin Feibai couldn’t stand it anymore. He suddenly turned back and said to Shangguan Ya, “Make him leave!”

Shangguan Ya spread her hands. “You were the one who wanted to change interrogators.”

“I’m not changing anymore,” Lin Feibai said with a sullen face, extremely impatient. “Make him leave and I’ll confess right now.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Ya laughed derisively. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to say that from the start?”

With that, Shangguan Ya turned and bowed to Su Ronghua, raising her hand in a gesture of invitation. “Lord Su?”

Seeing Shangguan Ya’s gesture asking him to leave, Su Ronghua sighed. “When you need me, I’m Zhong Wuyan; when you don’t, I’m Xia Yingchun. How heartless, truly heartless.”

While lamenting, Su Ronghua stood up, bowed to Shangguan Ya, and walked out.

Shangguan Ya turned back around and pushed the paper and brush in front of Lin Feibai. “Hall Master Lin, please?”

By the time Shangguan Ya finished interrogating Lin Feibai, it was already late at night. With his high position, Lin Feibai knew many things. The confession went on and on with an enormous amount of information. After Shangguan Ya organized the statement, she came out and instructed others as she walked forward, “Detain the others for now. I’ll interrogate them tomorrow.”

“My lady, Her Highness worked through the night interrogating and has already finished with everyone.”

The attendant held a lantern to light Shangguan Ya’s way. Shangguan Ya paused, somewhat surprised. “Her Highness still hasn’t left?”

“Yes.”

The attendant smiled. “Her Highness is still reviewing documents.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Ya hesitated briefly before changing direction and frowning. “I’ll go check on Her Highness.”

Shangguan Ya made her way to Li Rong’s study. From far off she could see her still in the study. A lamp burned on her desk. She sat with her back perfectly straight, as if tireless, quietly reviewing the confessions that had just been extracted through interrogation.

Shangguan Ya walked to the entrance of Li Rong’s room and stood at the doorway for a while. Su Ronghua happened to be locking his own door as he came out. Seeing Shangguan Ya, he called out somewhat surprised, “Lady Shangguan?”

Shangguan Ya was startled by Su Ronghua. Li Rong also heard the two talking. She looked up toward the doorway where the two stood. She smiled. “You two still haven’t left?”

“Your Highness.” Shangguan Ya and Su Ronghua bowed to Li Rong together. Li Rong glanced at the moon outside and urged, “It’s late. Go home early.”

“Your Highness…” Shangguan Ya hesitated. Li Rong seemed to know what she wanted to say and spoke with some weariness, “Go back. Today’s situation was special. If Lord Su finds it convenient, please escort Lady Shangguan home.”

After they had dared to do something so bold today, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t retaliate. If they couldn’t kill Li Rong, targeting Shangguan Ya was possible. With Su Ronghua accompanying Shangguan Ya, anyone wanting to move against her would have to consider the Su family’s reputation.

Li Rong only mentioned it casually, but unexpectedly Su Ronghua actually agreed. Li Rong felt more at ease and nodded, only saying, “Go on then.”

Shangguan Ya said nothing. Su Ronghua raised his hand. “Lady Shangguan, please.”

Shangguan Ya sighed and bowed quietly. “Your Highness should return home early as well.”

Li Rong acknowledged with a sound and looked down at the memorial. “I’ll go back once I finish handling matters.”

Seeing Li Rong like this, Shangguan Ya couldn’t say anything more and left with Su Ronghua. Su Ronghua quietly observed her and said with a light laugh, “Lady Shangguan seems to have something on her mind.”

“It’s nothing really.”

Shangguan Ya smiled.

“Thank you for escorting me home today, Lord Su.”

“It’s nothing.” Su Ronghua walked alongside Shangguan Ya. “Being able to escort Miss Shangguan home is this humble one’s honor.”

Shangguan Ya said nothing. After a while, she sighed. “Su Ronghua, I truly can’t understand you.”

“Mm?”

“We all know clearly why you’re able to work at the Supervisory Bureau. But escorting me home today means helping Her Highness and me.”

“Miss Shangguan, I’m not always opposing you.” Su Ronghua rarely showed some seriousness. “I have my own sense of right and wrong. If I think you’ve gone too far, I’ll help the others. If I think the others have gone too far, I’ll help you.”

“Doesn’t Lord Su have his own position?” Shangguan Ya looked up at him. Su Ronghua lowered his head with a smile. “I do, but my position is my own sense of right and wrong, which has nothing to do with either aristocratic families or imperial power.”

“Is that so?” Shangguan Ya’s voice was very light, clearly placating. Su Ronghua sighed. “Forget it, forget it. It’s rare to have such an opportunity—I won’t discuss these things with Miss Shangguan. Miss Shangguan’s worries today are probably related to Her Highness. Why not tell me about it?”

Shangguan Ya said nothing. The two stepped out the door. Su Ronghua tapped his fan against his palm and said slowly, “Even if Miss Shangguan doesn’t speak, I know. With all those peonies covering the mountain today, Lord Pei must have put in considerable effort, yet the Princess set up an ambush there. The relationship between Lord Pei and the Princess seems quite delicate.”

Shangguan Ya stopped walking. Su Ronghua turned to look at her. “Is Miss Shangguan wondering why, when Her Highness clearly has feelings for Lord Pei and Lord Pei has feelings for Her Highness, their relationship still seems so strained?”

“Su Ronghua,” Shangguan Ya looked up, staring at him coldly, “Is Her Highness someone you can casually discuss?”

Su Ronghua smiled. He moved closer to Shangguan Ya and said softly, “Smile.”

Shangguan Ya said nothing. She stared at Su Ronghua and only said, “Why?”

Though she didn’t specify, Su Ronghua understood that Shangguan Ya was asking for the answer to the question he had just posed. He raised an eyebrow. “Is this your attitude when asking someone for help?”

“If you won’t say it, forget it.” Shangguan Ya’s voice was very light. She turned directly toward the carriage. Before reaching it, she heard Su Ronghua say, “Because she cares.”

“The more Her Highness cares about something, the more she dares not touch it. She and Pei Wenxuan are different. Back then, Lord Pei Lizhi and his wife were deeply in love, extraordinarily so. Therefore, Pei Wenxuan values feelings more in matters of the heart and has more courage. But Her Highness was born in the palace. You and I both know that for those of our birth, from childhood teachings onward, between husband and wife there are only rules. Love is like the moon in the sky, flowers reflected in water. Doesn’t Her Highness think the same?”

“Born in different places, naturally their temperaments differ. Pei Wenxuan seems gentle and modest, but is actually extremely strong-willed. Once he decides on something, he advances step by step, fighting for every inch of ground, especially in matters of the heart—he won’t rest until he achieves his goal. But Her Highness is not like that. Her Highness regards feelings both seriously and tragically. She fears losing her sense of proportion in matters of the heart, so the more she cares, the more afraid she becomes.”

“Why do you say such things about Her Highness?”

Shangguan Ya turned around, frowning. Every sentence Su Ronghua spoke was irrefutable, but what struck her as strange was why Su Ronghua understood Li Rong so well.

Su Ronghua shrugged. “Not my words—someone told me.”

“Who?”

“That you need not know.”

Su Ronghua chuckled lightly. “I’m telling you this merely to resolve Miss Shangguan’s confusion. Pei Wenxuan and Her Highness are actually not well-matched. Her Highness cannot accept Pei Wenxuan’s feelings. Her Highness will be afraid.”

Shangguan Ya said nothing. She looked quietly at Su Ronghua. Su Ronghua stepped forward and sighed. “So you shouldn’t worry about them. Let fate take its course.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Ya smiled.

“Whether they match or not isn’t for you to decide.”

Having dropped this line, she turned and walked back toward the Supervisory Bureau. Su Ronghua froze, then watched Shangguan Ya cross through the courtyard and hurry into Li Rong’s room.

Li Rong was still writing with her head lowered. Shangguan Ya walked up to Li Rong and abruptly pulled the brush from her hand, saying seriously, “Your Highness, stop writing.”

Li Rong’s movements stopped. She heard Shangguan Ya say, “Your Highness, if you want a divorce, divorce early. If you still want to keep the Prince Consort, go back now.”

“Why haven’t you left yet?”

Li Rong smiled and looked up at Shangguan Ya, somewhat helpless. “Why are you meddling in so much at such a young age?”

“Your Highness, you’re only eighteen years old this year.”

Shangguan Ya looked at her seriously. “If anything, I’m actually a few years older than Your Highness. Your Highness, heed my advice—go back.”

Li Rong said nothing. Her expression remained calm, as if she completely hadn’t understood what Shangguan Ya was saying.

Shangguan Ya frowned. “Your Highness, you’ve always been decisive in your actions. Why are you avoiding this? You can’t keep reviewing memorials at the Supervisory Bureau until you die—you’ll have to see him eventually.”

Listening, Li Rong smiled after a moment and turned to look at the lamp flame. “You think I’m being indecisive and unlikeable now, don’t you?”

Shangguan Ya paused. Li Rong took the brush back from her hand and said gently, “If I go back now, this is the me that Pei Wenxuan will see.”

“So what?”

Shangguan Ya couldn’t help but speak. “Pei Wenxuan has feelings for you, and you’re not indifferent to him either.”

“Who told you I care about him?”

Li Rong kept her head down, placing each character on the page. Shangguan Ya laughed in exasperation. Not caring about protocol, she asked directly, “Your Highness, have you ever served soup to anyone else?”

Li Rong paused her brush. Shangguan Ya continued, “Have you ever attended to anyone? Have you ever carefully concerned yourself with anyone else’s feelings? Do you care whether others like or dislike you?”

“You say you don’t care about him? When the assassins said they would kill you, you told me not to worry. But when they assassinated Pei Wenxuan, you wanted to catch them all in one net. Now, killing Xie Lanqing is clearly too risky, yet to warn them, you still want to kill him…”

“You’re being insolent!”

Li Rong shouted. Shangguan Ya pressed her lips together and stared at Li Rong. “Your Highness, if you continue like this, have you thought about how you’ll spend the rest of your life? If you continue like this, you’ll drive away everyone who likes you and everyone you like!”

“Haven’t I lived through it before?” Li Rong responded calmly to Shangguan Ya’s questioning, speaking extremely seriously. “I’ve thought it through very clearly. I don’t care about others, and I don’t need others to care about me. In this lifetime, I’ll ensure those I care about live well. I myself have money and power. Whoever I want by my side, I’ll have by my side. I have my whole life figured out clearly—I don’t need you to tell me how to live my life!”

Listening to Li Rong’s response, Shangguan Ya was somewhat shocked. Li Rong put down her brush, seeming somewhat annoyed that she had actually said such things to Shangguan Ya.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, adjusted her emotions and stood up, trying to be as calm as possible. “I understand. You all think everything should have a conclusion. Pei Wenxuan wants this conclusion and forces me. Now you’re forcing me too. He’s right—I just don’t want to give anything but hope he’ll stay by my side.” As Li Rong spoke, she paused again. She worked hard to control her tone, making herself appear no different from usual. “I know this is selfish. No matter how well I treat him, if I can’t give him what he wants, I should make everything clear and shouldn’t keep him.”

“Today’s events were my fault.” Li Rong spoke rationally, her tone without the slightest fluctuation. “I’ve been avoiding his feelings in my heart, so I always think of everything in the worst possible way. If I had just been a bit more careful today, I wouldn’t have hurt him. I should apologize to him and make things clear with him. I shouldn’t presumptuously treat him well, thinking that can compensate for what he’s given me. Whatever he wants, I must give. If I can’t give it, I need to make it clear. You don’t need to say more—I’ll go back.”

Shangguan Ya listened in a daze. Li Rong decisively flung her sleeve and walked out the door. Shangguan Ya took a long moment to react, saying somewhat incredulously, “Your Highness.”

Li Rong stopped. Shangguan Ya turned to look at her. “Why have you never thought about being with him?”

Li Rong said nothing. She faced away from Shangguan Ya. After a long time, she said calmly, “Go back.”

With that, Li Rong stepped forward and left. She boarded the carriage and sat inside alone.

The moment the solitary space engulfed her, she clenched her palms.

She repeatedly opened and closed her hands, regulated her breathing, and forced back all the emotions that surged up.

These were all small matters, nothing to worry about. She shouldn’t lose her composure over such things. What needed to be resolved should be resolved—she shouldn’t drag things out.

All her rationality controlled her, yet in certain moments, Shangguan Ya’s question would surge up: Why have you never thought about being with him?

Why indeed?

It wasn’t that she had never thought about it, but every time she imagined the future, she would inadvertently wonder—how long would they be together, would they separate, what would she become after being together, and what would happen after they separated?

She had seen her mother sit alone in North Swallow Tower through the entire night. She had seen countless women in the palace receive promises only to part for various reasons. She firmly remembered the humiliation and self-loathing she felt when, at eighteen, she heard Pei Wenxuan say “I can’t let her go.” She clearly remembered Su Rongqing’s bewildered helplessness when she tentatively asked “Can I divorce him?” and he knelt before her.

All those past experiences were carved into her bones. She refused to pull out such a humiliating side of herself for others to see.

She only wanted the Li Rong in everyone’s eyes to be proud, never bowing her head, even if arrogant.

She reviewed her past, cooling her heart inch by inch, letting herself calm down.

After a long while, the carriage stopped. She heard Jing Lan outside respectfully say, “Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”

Li Rong composed herself inside the carriage before responding. She reached out her hand and, supported by Jing Lan, descended from the carriage. A cold wind blew gently, bringing with it an inexplicable chill that swept over her. She stood at the entrance of the Princess’s Manor, looked up at the gold-lettered plaque, and somehow thought of the Princess’s Manor from her previous life.

In her memories, the Princess’s Manor had always been cold and quiet. Even with Su Rongqing following behind her like a shadow, silently accompanying her through every corner, she would still feel bone-deep cold surge up and seep into her bones.

But in this life’s Princess’s Manor, she had never felt that way.

When Su Rongqing was behind her, he was like her shadow, another version of herself. They were too alike, buried together in this Princess’s Manor, lifeless. No one understood her better than Su Rongqing, but precisely because of this, when they sank into darkness together, neither could save the other—they could only sink together.

But Pei Wenxuan was different. He and she were completely different people. When he stood behind her, she knew of his existence. She could clearly sense that there was a person who, no matter what circumstances she fell into, could reach out and pull her up.

This feeling frightened her yet made her uncontrollably yearn for it, so even knowing she dwelled in mire, she still couldn’t help reaching out toward him.

But she knew clearly that her feelings were a swamp. When she reached out to Pei Wenxuan, she was merely pulling someone from the shore into the swamp to drown with her.

She would ruin Pei Wenxuan.

Her sensitivity, her suspicion, her selfishness—all would wear down this person who held the most beautiful expectations about love, gradually transforming him into someone similar to her.

Li Rong walked step by step into the courtyard, then she saw the young man standing in the corridor.

He wore a single robe with a pure white fox fur coat draped outside, quietly looking up at the moon in the sky.

Silver frost fell. Li Rong stopped at the corridor entrance. She didn’t dare step forward.

Pei Wenxuan turned his head slightly and saw Li Rong. They were separated by a corridor, gazing quietly at each other.

The moment he saw Li Rong, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t describe what he felt—he just felt an indescribable sharp pain spreading through his heart.

He felt as if he were seeing Li Rong from his previous life, the cold and proud way she appeared before him every time.

Neither of them spoke, just quietly looking at each other.

After a long time, Pei Wenxuan smiled first. “Your Highness has returned.”

“Mm.”

Li Rong acknowledged. “Still not asleep?”

“I had something weighing on my mind. I wanted to wait for Your Highness to return to ask, so I kept waiting.”

“Ask then.”

Li Rong seemed to answer honestly, as if having already made a decision, she had nothing to fear.

Pei Wenxuan sensed her emotions were off. He paused before still saying, “At the end today when Your Highness mentioned the previous life and got angry with me, I saw Your Highness seemed saddened. Your Highness’s temperament has always been reserved. To be able to say such things, it must be because matters from the previous life hurt Your Highness too deeply. I know I shouldn’t ask such questions, but I still want to ask Your Highness.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan asked her seriously, “In the previous life, I hurt Your Highness. No matter how I explain, will Your Highness find it difficult to let go?”

“No. You explained matters from the previous life very clearly. I’ve also let them go.”

Li Rong lowered her eyes.

“Then what did Your Highness mean today when you said ‘You’re not the only one who feels their feelings were trampled on, and you’re not the only one who felt pitiable’?”

“I only wanted to tell you that you should maintain rationality at all times.”

Just as she had done back then.

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan’s movements stiffened. After a moment, he took a deep breath, seemingly finding it somewhat absurd. He wanted to say something but restrained himself. Finally, he laughed lightly. “Your Highness is still Your Highness after all. This subject was overthinking.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan raised his hand in salute and said respectfully, “Your Highness, this subject has been leaving early and returning late recently, quite busy. To avoid disturbing Your Highness, this subject plans to sleep in the study room from now on. I hope Your Highness will permit this.”

Li Rong kept her head down and acknowledged with a sound. “Mm.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Pei Wenxuan straightened and said flatly, “The night is deep and the dew heavy. Your Highness should rest early.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan turned to leave. Watching his back, Li Rong finally spoke. “I’m sorry.”

Pei Wenxuan stopped. Li Rong lowered her head, staring at the ground, and said softly, “In the past, I never made things clear with you and kept avoiding you. That was my fault. To have disappointed your feelings is also my fault.”

Listening to her words, Pei Wenxuan felt like laughing yet found it difficult to speak. After a long time, he exhaled a turbid breath and said indifferently, “Your Highness need not mind. Everything was my own decision. Whether to accept or not is Your Highness’s matter—there’s no question of right or wrong. Today I was presumptuous. I hope Your Highness will forgive me.”

Li Rong said nothing. Pei Wenxuan didn’t move. He didn’t know what he was waiting for, but he felt that if he left at this moment, perhaps there would be no turning back.

So he didn’t dare move, and the person behind him didn’t leave either.

The two stood at an impasse. In this silence, Li Rong slowly raised her head.

She quietly looked at Pei Wenxuan’s back. The lamplight cast a halo of light around him.

Every part of this person was beautiful—even just a back view was tall and slender, like bamboo or a sharp blade, beautiful at a glance.

Such a good person—at this moment, if he just took a step away, there should never be any further connection between them.

Pei Wenxuan was someone who, when he wanted something, could humble himself and act submissive, but in his bones he was actually quite proud. Reject him this once, and there would never be a second time.

She had never possessed him, yet was about to lose him.

Without this person, the Princess’s Manor would be as cold as in her previous life. Without this person, her life might also be like her previous life—aside from power and influence, nothing else.

Actually, she had made all the preparations on the way here, but at this moment, she discovered that no amount of preparation was enough.

She didn’t know why, but she suddenly recalled the words Shangguan Ya had asked her: “Your Highness, if you continue like this, have you thought about how you’ll spend the rest of your life?”

Following those words was what Pei Wenxuan had said to her on their wedding night as he sat before her, seriously telling her: “Because you want to live a very good life.”

“You don’t want to live like you did in your previous life.”

“You want His Highness the Crown Prince to be well, you want a beautiful family, you want someone to love you and whom you love, you want children at your knees, you want in your old age to have someone to depend on mutually, to go to the Yellow Springs together. Isn’t that so?”

Isn’t that so?

Li Rong’s hands trembled slightly. She quietly gazed at that person’s back.

She watched him standing there all along, as if constantly waiting for her. She didn’t know why, but suddenly she felt a few traces of faint courage emerge.

Pei Wenxuan waited for a long time and finally felt somewhat weary. He spoke tiredly, “Your Highness, this subject is tired. I’ll take my leave first.”

“Pei Wenxuan.” Li Rong suddenly called out to him, her voice trembling.

Pei Wenxuan turned back in confusion, only to see Li Rong standing at the end of the corridor. She gazed at him, her eyes full of earnestness. “Can you wait for me a little longer?”

Actually, he didn’t know what she was thinking, but the moment Li Rong spoke, he felt as if she were like someone who had crossed mountains and forded rivers, tearing through thorns that had shredded her bloody, coming before him and crying out with all her strength.

“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong seemed utterly exhausted, “I’m not a likeable person. I know that in matters of the heart, I’m detestable. I’m not worth it either. I’m no good. I can’t trust you, and I can’t trust myself. I know countless principles, but I can’t live up to them.”

“But despite my thousand and ten thousand faults,” Li Rong forced a smile, “can you, considering that heaven has brought us together through two lifetimes with such difficulty, wait for me a little longer?”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. The brief silence exhausted her courage. Li Rong smiled awkwardly. She lowered her head, seeming somewhat embarrassed. “I’m just saying it casually. If you find it absurd, forget it. Just follow your heart. If you’re unhappy and want to leave, that’s nothing. We’re quite familiar already…”

As Li Rong said these things, Pei Wenxuan felt a slight pain spreading and permeating through his heart, falling finely and densely on the tender flesh, making one feel both distressed and bitter.

He looked at Li Rong and interrupted those self-deprecating words, speaking quietly, “Rong Rong.”

Hearing this form of address, Li Rong slowly raised her head to see Pei Wenxuan standing in the lamplight, a smile floating up on his face. His expression was gentle and tolerant, like a spring breeze brushing over slender willows, softly wrapping around one’s heart, smoothing away all pain.

“Don’t be afraid,” he spoke tenderly. “It’s alright if you’re slow.”

“I’m here. I’ve always been here.”

“You know,” Pei Wenxuan laughed out loud, “in the previous life, I waited for you for thirty years.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan slowly walked before her, reached out and gently placed his hand on her face. “I’m very patient. I can wait for a very, very long time, Rong Rong.”

He lowered his eyes to look at her, his voice low and hoarse with a few notes of tender affection. “I like you. I’ve liked you for a very long time.”

Listening to his words, Li Rong didn’t know what came over her.

Having never shed tears no matter how difficult things were in this life, at that very moment, tears came pouring out, falling onto his palm.

This confession, delayed by thirty years, finally arrived before her at such a disheveled yet ordinary moment.

“You…” Li Rong’s voice was hoarse. She seemed to want to laugh but couldn’t manage it. “Why didn’t you say it earlier?”

“It’s already been thirty years,” Li Rong raised her head, eyes red as she looked at him. “Telling me now—what do you intend to do?”

“I want to be with you.” Pei Wenxuan’s expression was calm. He spoke decisively, gazing at her. “I want to never let go. I want to embrace you when you cry, accompany you when you laugh. I want to hold an umbrella for you every time it rains. I want to be with you in every moment—whether you’re disheveled, joyful, glorious, at your lowest point, in life and death, at the Yellow Springs.”

“What did you take a liking to in me? My temper isn’t good, and I always bully you.”

Li Rong smiled. Pei Wenxuan smiled too.

“Perhaps I’m blind.”

His voice contained laughter warm as a spring day. “So I feel that in this world, there’s no one better than you.”

“Li Rong,” his fingers gently caressed across her face, “I’ll wait for you. You just need to keep moving forward.”

“I’ve always been here.”