Аftеr а vigоrоus and satisfуing bоut оf раssion, both laу оn the bed сatching thеir brеаth, unmоving. Реi Wenxuаn wanted to embracе hеr, but Li Rong рushed him аwау with sоme distаstе. "Yоu'rе swеatу."
Pei Wenхuаn chuсkled and didn't prеss further. Li Rong thеn realizеd hеr аttitudе might hаvе bеen toо hаrsh, so shе turnеd sidеwaуs and gеntlу rested hеr hеad аgainst Pei Wеnxuan's shouldеr. Реi Wenхuan lifted his arm tо рillоw his heаd аnd аskеd hеr, "Did it hurt?"
"Nо." Li Rong сlоsed hеr eуes to rеst, but her bоdу fеlt stickу. Shе wаntеd to sleeр but was too uncomfоrtable, and gеtting up felt tоo ехhausting. Sеeing her restlessness, Pei Wenxuan understood the reason. He draped his clothes over himself, got up, went out, and had water brought in to wipe her clean.
Li Rong lazily accepted his care and finally fell asleep contentedly.
They slept through the afternoon. When they woke, the edict for their separation still hadn't arrived. Li Rong couldn't help but nudge Pei Wenxuan with her elbow. "Father still hasn't issued the order. You're not lying to me, are you?"
"Would I lie to you about something like this?"
Pei Wenxuan laughed softly, then thought for a moment. "He probably has other considerations now."
"What should we do then?"
Pei Wenxuan didn't answer immediately. He remained silent for a while before speaking slowly. "I'll first have someone forge a confession from Hongde. You go to the Supervisory Department later and meet with Hongde. Once there, dismiss everyone else, leaving only you and Hongde inside. When you come out, bring the confession with you and claim you've obtained it. After retrieving the confession, return and draft a memorial. Submit the confession and the memorial together."
"But a forged confession is still fake," Li Rong frowned. "Even if we submit it, it'll be exposed upon examination."
"Don't worry about that," Pei Wenxuan smiled. "I have my arrangements. You only need to do one thing."
"What?"
"Absolutely believe that this confession is genuine."
Li Rong thought for a moment, hesitated briefly, then nodded. Though she didn't know Pei Wenxuan's plan, she was willing to trust him this once.
From her experience, when the two of them worked together, one had to take the lead. If each pursued their own methods, things would fall apart.
Seeing Li Rong agree so readily, Pei Wenxuan couldn't help but feel pleased. "Your Highness isn't going to ask more questions?"
"You have your plans."
Li Rong waved her hand dismissively. Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan leaned down and kissed her. "So obedient."
With that, Pei Wenxuan got up to dress, speaking as he did so. "There's no time to waste. I'll go make arrangements now. Your Highness, rest a while longer. I'll come find you once I have the confession."
"Mm."
Li Rong nodded. Pei Wenxuan finished dressing and saw her lying on the bed, lost in thought. Not knowing what she was pondering, he couldn't resist adding, "Don't just laze around in bed. Get up and eat something."
"I know."
Li Rong replied lazily, thinking the man was fussy.
"And don't consume anything cold recently, nor approach things unsuitable for pregnant women. The chances are slim, but it's better to be safe."
"You think too highly of yourself," Li Rong scoffed. "You think you can succeed in one try?"
Pei Wenxuan felt a bit embarrassed by her teasing. Grabbing his outer robe, he walked to the bedside, leaned down, and kissed Li Rong, who was still lying on the bed. Gently, he said, "I'll take my leave now."Li Rong was growing somewhat irritated by his prolonged indecision about leaving, but she still restrained her temper and replied, "Mm."
Pei Wenxuan stood up and walked out the door. Upon reaching the doorway, he felt a slight chill and couldn't help but turn back: "Add an extra layer of clothing when you go out. The weather is changing..."
"Get out!"
Li Rong finally lost her patience and snapped impatiently. Hearing her tone, Pei Wenxuan knew she was likely annoyed. Thinking it over, he realized he was being meddlesome and decided not to delay any longer, turning to leave.
Hongde had drawn talismans and written incantations for many people, so his handwriting couldn't be obtained directly. They found a master skilled in imitating handwriting to forge a copy. Although it couldn't withstand close scrutiny, at a glance, it looked quite similar.
By nightfall, Pei Wenxuan returned with a confession. He handed it to Li Rong, who skimmed through it and discovered that Hongde's entire statement claimed Su Rongqing had personally gone to Huguo Temple and used his influence to coerce Hongde into deceiving Consort Rou, fabricating false evidence to frame Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan.
This confession completely absolved Consort Rou of any blame, making it easier for Li Ming to take action.
Li Rong quietly read the confession. Seeing her remain silent, Pei Wenxuan's eyes turned slightly colder, though his smile remained as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, showing no trace of gloom. He only said softly, "If Your Highness finds this unsatisfactory, shall I prepare another confession that meets your approval?"
Li Rong paused for a moment before shaking her head lightly. "No, it's fine."
With that, she tucked the confession into her sleeve and asked again, "Is there anything else I should keep in mind?"
"Nothing else. Everything is arranged," Pei Wenxuan replied with a light laugh. "Just go and return early."
Li Rong nodded and stood up to leave. She hurried to the Supervisory Department and had Hongde brought out.
After several days in prison, Hongde had lost all semblance of his former dignified monk appearance, looking haggard and pitiful. Upon seeing Li Rong, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed, pleading, "Your Highness, I was also deceived! Please spare this humble commoner."
Li Rong dismissed everyone else and sat in a chair herself. Her expression was calm as she gently fanned herself and asked, "You say someone deceived you. Who was it?"
Hearing this, Hongde was momentarily stunned. Li Rong personally poured him tea and reassured him, "Come, take your time and explain."
Hongde fell silent for a long while before slowly saying, "This humble commoner... doesn't know."
"You claim someone deceived you, yet you say you don't know?" Li Rong laughed. "Do you think I'm a fool?"
"No, Your Highness," Hongde hurriedly explained. "It's just that I truly don't know. I only know that a young master came to Huguo Temple that night and summoned me. Who he was, I have no idea—I didn't even see the faces of his guards. But he kidnapped my son, so I had no choice."
"You have a son?" Li Rong was surprised, but then it dawned on her. Given Hongde's character, it wasn't strange for him to have taken a woman and fathered a son during his years of wandering.
What surprised her was that she hadn't known about this, yet the other party did.
But on second thought, it made sense. He had handled many matters back then, so it was only natural that he knew more details than she did.
Still, the thought stirred up an indescribable mix of disgust and pain within her. Li Rong lowered her gaze, gently stroking the small golden fan in her hand, and slowly asked, "And then?""He tied me up, put me in a carriage, and told me he was going to expose Your Highness's attempt to delay the Crown Prince's wedding date. I... I suppose I wasn't exactly lying, was I?"
"That is a lie."
Li Rong looked at him coldly. "I have never done such a thing."
Hongde was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, Your Highness has never sent anyone to find me. Regardless, Your Highness, I truly had no choice in this matter. I beg Your Highness to be magnanimous and spare me."
"I can be magnanimous," Li Rong nodded. "If you are willing to do as I say."
Hongde looked up at Li Rong. She smiled and said, "Accuse Su Rongqing of making you do all this."
"Su Rongqing?" Hongde reacted. "The eldest son of the Su family?"
Li Rong nodded. Hongde laughed, "Your Highness, how is that any different from telling me to go die?"
"So you refuse?"
Hongde fell silent. Li Rong understood—Hongde listened to Su Rongqing because his son was in his hands. Now, she had nothing to threaten him with except his own life. Given his status, if he accused Su Rongqing, the Su family would never spare him. Since death was certain either way, he probably didn't want to stir up trouble.
After all, he didn’t even know whose hands his child was really in.
Seeing Hongde’s lack of fear, Li Rong gave a light laugh and simply sat down to chat idly with him.
Hongde cautiously replied to Li Rong’s questions. Having served many high-ranking officials over the years, he managed to converse with her for a while.
Li Rong knew him inside and out, especially the dirty deeds he had committed. Hongde wasn’t someone who genuinely wanted to harm others; he simply loved money and had lied countless times to swindle it.
Li Rong asked him about his methods of deception, her expression respectful. Hongde, aware that his life might soon be over and that Li Rong knew his background, began to boast.
After listening carefully to his past, Li Rong couldn’t help but frown. "You’ve deceived so many people, harmed so many. Don’t you feel any guilt?"
Hongde paused as he drank his tea. After a moment, he suddenly laughed. "Then, Your Highness, don’t you feel any guilt?"
"What should I feel guilty about?"
Li Rong frowned. Hongde took a sip of tea. "After I became a monk and had money, I read many books and learned a saying: 'When food and clothing are sufficient, one knows honor and shame.' There are many people like me in this world, especially among the low-born. I’m actually one of the better ones."
"Your Highness hasn’t seen those who kill for a few taels of silver," Hongde said with a mocking smile. "That’s what you call heinous. If there were only one or two people like me, you could say we were born evil. But if there are many... are there really that many bad people in the world?"
"You always ask why we do evil. Why don’t you ask yourselves why you do good?"
Li Rong listened to these words without changing her expression. In her youth, she would have scoffed, believing that good people remain good even in the mud, while bad people are always bad. But now she no longer thought that way. To emerge unstained from the mud is the mark of a sage, but how many sages are there in this world?
She didn’t say much more. Glancing outside, she noticed it was getting late. She stood up, ordered someone to leave tea for him, and walked out.
Returning to the Princess's Manor, she found Pei Wenxuan not in the room. Feeling somewhat puzzled, she looked at Jing Lan, who was making the bed, and turned to ask Jing Mei, who was washing her feet, "Where is the Imperial Son-in-Law?""The Imperial Son-in-Law has moved out of the inner courtyard."
Jing Mei looked up, her expression tinged with worry. "He said you would understand the reason, and I didn’t dare ask further. Your Highness, have you two quarreled again?"
In the Princess’s Manor, conflicts between the Imperial Son-in-Law and the Princess occurred so frequently that even the servants had grown weary of it.
Li Rong thought for a moment and understood Pei Wenxuan’s intention. Since Pei Wenxuan had requested a divorce from Li Ming, even if Li Ming hadn’t issued the decree yet, he still had to put on a show. The Princess’s Manor was undoubtedly filled with informants. While the inner courtyard was guarded by their trusted aides, if the two of them continued to appear harmonious, word might spread and arouse Li Ming’s suspicions once more.
Li Rong nodded without further comment. That evening, she carefully drafted a memorial, weighing each word, and placed it together with the testimonies. The next morning, when Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong met, Pei Wenxuan wore a cold expression while Li Rong smiled brightly. As they walked side by side, Pei Wenxuan whispered, "Is the memorial ready?"
"Yes," Li Rong replied. "Don’t worry."
That same day, Li Rong submitted the memorial.
According to procedure, unless under special circumstances, memorials were typically processed through the Memorial Hall. Officials there would review them, sorting them by urgency and type before presenting them to the emperor for approval.
Li Rong’s memorial entered the Memorial Hall. Since she hadn’t marked it with the red characters for "urgent," it would have to wait alongside ordinary memorials for the officials to review.
During the waiting period, Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong lived separately.
Pei Wenxuan stayed in the outer courtyard, while Li Rong remained in the inner courtyard. Apart from pretending to still be a couple during the Morning Court Assembly, they acted as if they had truly fallen out.
When news of this reached Li Ming, he listened in silence. After a long while, he sighed and said, "Let them be."
Hearing Li Ming’s tone, Fulai cautiously asked, "What about the decree Your Majesty mentioned earlier?"
"Let’s wait and see," Li Ming pondered. "A good woman does not marry twice. If a marriage need not be dissolved, then perhaps…" He paused, thinking it over. "Let’s wait a little longer."
With this news, Li Ming’s worries eased somewhat, but it was a hardship for Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan.
The two had just begun their newlywed life. In their previous lifetime, their happiness had lasted less than a year. Now, having finally made up for it in this life, they found themselves stuck in this situation. As a result, both tossed and turned sleeplessly at night. The only time they could be alone was in the carriage, but fearing that igniting passion would only lead to greater complications, they spent the journey drinking water and discussing serious matters.
After two days of torment, Li Rong gradually grew somewhat accustomed to it. She ate dinner alone and returned to her room listlessly. But as soon as she pushed open the door, someone clamped a hand over her mouth and pressed her against it.
Li Rong caught the familiar scent Pei Wenxuan always wore. Without even looking up, she knew who it was.
For some reason, her heart began to race, and she couldn’t help but swallow nervously.
She guessed that Pei Wenxuan had likely come to see her because he couldn’t bear it any longer.
She wasn’t sure whether she should act more reserved, match his excitement, or scold him for taking such a risk over this matter.
As she hesitated, she heard Pei Wenxuan lower his voice and say urgently, "Your memorial in the Memorial Hall has been taken. Before they react, you must hurry to the palace."
"The game has begun."
OpenNovel