Hearing Pei Wenxuan say “what a pity,” Li Rong couldn’t stop laughing. She pressed her lips together, lowered her head, and raised her hand, saying, “I won’t discuss these things with you anymore. I still have matters to attend to.”

“What does Your Highness still need to do?”

“Naturally, to go see Lin Feibai.”

As Li Rong spoke, she turned to look at Pei Wenxuan. “Now that Xie Lanqing is gone, your uncle at the Ministry of Justice should have some say in matters, shouldn’t he?”

Pei Wenxuan raised his hand and bowed. “I await Your Highness’s instructions.”

The two left the palace gates together. Pei Wenxuan first sent someone to find Pei Liming. By the time they arrived at the Ministry of Justice, Pei Liming was already standing at the entrance. Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan dismounted from the carriage together. Pei Wenxuan happily stepped forward and respectfully said, “Uncle.”

Pei Liming first bowed to Li Rong. “Your Highness.”

Then he turned and nodded at Pei Wenxuan. “You arrived quite quickly?”

“Your Highness came urgently.” Pei Wenxuan lowered his voice. “Has the person arrived?”

“Already waiting at the Ministry of Justice, and Miss Shangguan has also come.”

“Shangguan Ya came too?”

Pei Wenxuan was rather surprised. Pei Liming nodded. “I let her in.”

Speaking thus, Pei Liming raised his hand toward Li Rong and bowed respectfully. “Your Highness, please.”

Li Rong nodded. “Vice Minister Pei is too kind.”

“As it should be.”

Pei Liming spoke and led Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan inside. When the two reached the entrance, they saw Shangguan Ya sitting at the prison door. She held a handful of peanuts in her hand, had her legs crossed, and was leisurely watching Lin Feibai inside.

Lin Feibai sat on the bed in his cell with his back to Shangguan Ya. As soon as Li Rong entered, Shangguan Ya stood up. “Your Highness.”

Hearing this, Lin Feibai’s ears twitched. After Li Rong entered, Pei Liming tactfully said, “Your Highness, this humble official will guide you only this far. You may stay here for half a shichen, but it’s still better to finish questioning as quickly as possible to avoid loose tongues.”

“Understood.” Li Rong bowed slightly to Pei Liming. “Thank you, Vice Minister Pei.”

“I’ll see Uncle off.”

Pei Wenxuan spoke and escorted Pei Liming out. Only Li Rong, Shangguan Ya, and Lin Feibai remained in the prison. Shangguan Ya quickly moved a stool for Li Rong. “Your Highness, please sit.”

“Why are you here?”

Li Rong was somewhat curious. Shangguan Ya smiled. “I guessed Your Highness would come to interrogate Lin Feibai now, so I came ahead of time. I’ve been extremely curious in my heart, just waiting for Your Highness to resolve my doubts.”

“Resolve what doubts?” Li Rong took the tea from Shangguan Ya’s hand and looked toward Lin Feibai. “What mysteries can Young Master Lin not tell you about?”

“I already asked.” Shangguan Ya sighed. “He’s stubborn. Until now, he hasn’t said a single word.”

Li Rong smiled. She set the tea aside, leaned back against her stool, and said gently, “Young Master Lin, don’t you have anything you want to ask me?”

Lin Feibai had his back to Li Rong. He didn’t speak. Li Rong waited patiently. After a long while, Lin Feibai finally said, “My mother never spoke to me about him.”

Lin Feibai’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “She only said my father was dead, that my father had wronged her and abandoned her at Qinqu Mountain. I grew up hating my father together with her. I always thought he wasn’t a good man, that he abandoned my mother.”

“What is it you don’t understand?” Li Rong gently tapped her palm with her fan.

“She died two years ago.”

“The Seven Stars Hall Master died two years ago?” Shangguan Ya was somewhat surprised. Lin Feibai didn’t acknowledge her, only continued in a low voice. “Two years ago, in her final moment, she was still clutching this necklace. She said she wanted to see the owner of this necklace. She had already sent someone to notify that person. She would wait for him.”

“She told me to wait at the mountain gate. From the mountain gate, I could see people on the mountain path. I could see that person coming at the first opportunity. That person would wear black clothes. If he came, I should tell her.”

“I stood at the mountain gate waiting. That day, heavy snow fell. I waited for a very long time.”

“I waited until heavy snow covered my entire body, until the morning light of the next day melted the ice and snow. I still didn’t see anyone come. When I returned, she had already fallen asleep.”

“Until her death, she clutched this necklace.”

Lin Feibai raised his hand and gripped the necklace. “I thought this was her most important possession, so I kept it. Before she died, she left me many instructions. One of them was that she owed Xie Lanqing three things, and the last one she couldn’t complete, so she asked me to help her.”

“So when Xie Lanqing came to Qinqu Mountain to request the Seven Stars Hall’s help, even though I knew getting involved in this matter would bring catastrophic disaster to the Seven Stars Hall, I still came.”

“But I don’t understand.”

Lin Feibai clenched his fist. “This man insulted her, wronged her, never gave her a proper status in his entire life. She clearly hated him so much, so why did she still want me to help him?!”

“Words betray the heart.”

Shangguan Ya spoke directly. Lin Feibai didn’t acknowledge Shangguan Ya. He turned his head and stared at Li Rong. “You know why, don’t you?”

“I don’t know.” Li Rong answered calmly. “All I know is that she hoped you would live well.”

“And I came today not to answer your questions, but to give you an opportunity.”

“What opportunity?”

“An opportunity to survive.” Li Rong straightened her body and spoke slowly. “And also an opportunity for revenge.”

While Li Rong spoke with Lin Feibai, Pei Wenxuan escorted Pei Liming to the entrance. The guards around them had all been dismissed. Pei Liming sighed and said, “You acted too rashly. You should have come to tell me about this matter earlier.”

“I didn’t know such a thing would happen today either.” Pei Wenxuan smiled bitterly. “Your Highness didn’t tell me. It came too suddenly. His Majesty asked for someone on short notice, so I could only drag Uncle out to help.”

Though it was said that Pei Liming was helping, both Pei Wenxuan and Pei Liming understood clearly in their hearts that Xie Lanqing would inevitably roll down from his position as Minister of Justice. Whoever in the Ministry of Justice took over Xie Lanqing’s case would be hinting at who would take the Minister’s position.

Pei Liming had stayed in the Right Vice Minister position for nearly ten years and had finally made it through. The person giving him this opportunity to advance was not Pei Lixian, the Chancellor of the Secretariat whom the Pei family members supported, but rather Pei Wenxuan. Though Pei Liming said nothing outwardly, he gradually began to calculate inwardly.

Although Pei Lixian’s official position wasn’t low, over all these years, he hadn’t brought much actual benefit to the family. But though Pei Wenxuan was currently young, his methods were extraordinary. Behind him stood Li Rong, and he was generous with his actions. Now he had directly handed the opportunity to be promoted to Minister into his hands. How could Pei Liming not be pleased?

He restrained his thoughts, waved his hand, and only said, “We’re all clan members. Why be so formal?”

“Uncle speaks truly.” Pei Wenxuan was warm and courteous. “We’re all clan members. In the future, Uncle must look after me more.”

Pei Lixian laughed. Now that he had accepted Pei Wenxuan’s favor, not only did Pei Wenxuan not mention it at all, but he gave face at every turn to avoid embarrassing him. In just a few words, Pei Lixian already liked Pei Wenxuan extremely and regretted not paying more attention to and caring for this nephew earlier.

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Pei Wenxuan took his leave and returned. When he got back to the prison, he heard Li Rong saying to Lin Feibai, “You only need to tell the truth, don’t conceal anything. Whatever punishment Xie Lanqing deserves, he will receive. That will be enough. Although you tried to assassinate me, I will still report to Father Emperor, saying you atoned for your crimes with merit, and ask him to revoke your punishment.”

Pei Wenxuan heard Li Rong’s voice and stood behind her. Lin Feibai’s expression didn’t change. He only said, “Won’t Your Highness use me again?”

“Rest assured about that.” Li Rong smiled. “I used you before because you wanted to use me. Now that you’re no longer using me, naturally I won’t actively use you either.”

“I don’t believe a single word from you Hua Jing people.” Lin Feibai spoke coldly. Shangguan Ya sneered. “Then whose words do you believe?”

“But I’m willing to testify against Xie Lanqing.”

Receiving this response, Li Rong also felt relieved. This time, she had truly obtained evidence against Minister Xie and could kick him down from his high position.

Li Rong stood up and nodded. “As long as you’re willing, that’s good. Then I’ll take my leave first. I wish Young Master Lin an early release from prison.”

Li Rong spoke and walked out. Pei Wenxuan followed behind her. Shangguan Ya also followed Li Rong outward. Halfway there, Shangguan Ya suddenly remembered something. She turned around, pulled out a deck of leaf cards from her sleeve, placed them in the cell, raised her chin, and consoled him. “Don’t be too sad either. Play some cards, and the days will pass quickly. There are plenty of happy things in this world. No need to ruin yourself over a few unrelated people.”

Lin Feibai ignored her. Shangguan Ya clicked her tongue. “Ungrateful.”

After speaking, Shangguan Ya turned around and caught up with Li Rong. “Hey, Your Highness, wait for me. Don’t walk so fast.”

Shangguan Ya’s voice faded into the distance. Lin Feibai hesitated for a moment before going to the edge of the cell. He reached out his hand and gripped those leaf cards.

The leaf cards were drawn by Shangguan Ya herself. Her painting skills were inherited from famous masters. Drawing a few leaf cards not only displayed exquisite technique but also incorporated many innovations.

For example, adding a flower crown to the head of the warrior in the picture, or adding a birdcage to the scholar’s hand. Lin Feibai looked quietly for a moment, then sneered disdainfully. Then he put away the leaf cards and tucked them into his chest.

Shangguan Ya chased after Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan and ran out. Li Rong turned to look at her. “What did you leave him?”

“A deck of leaf cards.” Shangguan Ya waved her hand. “So he won’t be bored.”

“You’re quite considerate.” Li Rong smiled. Shangguan Ya was somewhat embarrassed. “He’s rather pitiful too.”

“Alright then, where are you going now?”

“I’m going home. What about Your Highness?”

“I’m returning to the Princess Manor. I’ll give you a ride.”

Li Rong spoke and led Pei Wenxuan and Shangguan Ya onto the carriage.

After getting on the carriage, Pei Wenxuan poured tea for the two young ladies. Shangguan Ya sat to one side, thought for a moment, and finally said, “Your Highness, why do you think Lin Feibai’s mother was so contradictory? She taught Lin Feibai to hate Xie Lanqing for a lifetime, yet at the end, she had Lin Feibai help Xie Lanqing. What was the point?”

Li Rong smiled and raised her eyes to look at Shangguan Ya. “Have you ever died?”

“How could I have possibly died?” Shangguan Ya exclaimed in surprise. “Your Highness, no one in this world has died before.”

Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan exchanged a smile. Li Rong spoke slowly. “I imagine that Lin Feibai’s mother truly hated Xie Lanqing for a lifetime, but it was also because of love that she hated. So before dying, she kept waiting for him. She waited and waited, and by the final moment, whether he came or not actually didn’t matter anymore.”

“When people are dying, what they have most isn’t actually hate, but rather the final beauty in this life.”

Li Rong smiled slowly. “You see, Lin Feibai’s mother said she owed Xie Lanqing three requests. Actually, I’ve heard this story before. Back then, Xie Lanqing and the wandering swordswoman Lin Xia met by chance. The two fell in love at first sight. At that time, Xie Lanqing saved Lin Xia, and Lin Xia promised Xie Lanqing she could fulfill three requests for him.”

“Xie Lanqing’s first request was hoping Lin Xia would stay by his side.”

Shangguan Ya was somewhat surprised. “Back then, Minister Xie was quite romantic.”

“Xie Lanqing’s second request was hoping Lin Xia would leave his side. Actually, Lin Xia didn’t obey Xie Lanqing afterward. She and her junior martial sister together established the Seven Stars Hall at Qinqu Mountain. Xie Lanqing knew but never went to see her his entire life.”

“Perhaps because he heard she had a child?” Shangguan Ya thought about it. “He assumed she had a new life?”

“These three requests were their beginning. I think before Lin Xia died, what she thought of should also be Xie Lanqing’s good qualities. She no longer hated. She hoped this relationship could end in the most beautiful manner. And after she stopped hating, she would clearly realize that Lin Feibai was ultimately Xie Lanqing’s son. She hoped Lin Feibai and Xie Lanqing could have a good relationship.”

“Putting it that way, I can roughly understand as well.” Shangguan Ya nodded. “Lin Feibai really is somewhat pitiful.”

“All poor people are pitiful.” Pei Wenxuan spoke at the right moment. “He’s already doing quite well.”

Shangguan Ya nodded. “Indeed. The greatest sorrow in this world is poverty. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are given by heaven, but poverty always makes one doubt oneself.”

“Like being in a spider’s web. Clearly stuck, yet always wondering if it’s because one isn’t working hard enough that one can’t break free.”

As they spoke, the carriage arrived at the Shangguan Mansion. Shangguan Ya bowed to them both and said with a smile, “See you tomorrow.”

Speaking thus, Shangguan Ya jumped down from the carriage. After only the two of them remained in the carriage, Pei Wenxuan turned his head and looked at Li Rong. “Actually, I’m very curious. What did you see before you died?”

“What about you?”

Li Rong raised her eyebrows. Pei Wenxuan recalled for a moment and spoke slowly. “It was that New Year when you and I celebrated together. When we set off fireworks, the two of us stood together in the long corridor, and you called my name and told me to turn around.”

As Pei Wenxuan spoke, he smiled. “As soon as I turned around, you stood on your tiptoes, cupped my face, and kissed me.”

“Then you asked me if I could watch fireworks with you every year.”

“I agreed.” Pei Wenxuan lowered his head and picked up a cup of bitter tea. “What a pity you broke your promise.”

“Let’s watch again this year.”

Li Rong suddenly spoke. Pei Wenxuan raised his head, somewhat surprised. Li Rong turned her head and looked at him with a smile. “This year I’ll accompany you to watch fireworks. Pei Wenxuan, promise me one thing.” As Li Rong spoke, she leaned forward. Pei Wenxuan lowered his eyes to look at her. “What?”

“In this lifetime, for the promises we make to each other, either we don’t speak them, or we keep them to the end. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes.” Pei Wenxuan smiled and said in a hoarse voice, “No one should break their promise.”

“Pinky promise?” Li Rong raised her pinky finger. Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong’s appearance and found her childish, but because it was Li Rong, this childishness also became endearing.

He raised his hand and hooked Li Rong’s pinky finger.

“One hundred years, no changing.”