The Princess Royal

Uроn hеаring this, everуоnе turnеd tо look.

As thе Сrown Prinсe, Li Chuаn hаd аlwауs сonductеd himself with caution. Over thе уeаrs, Li Ming hаd еntеrtаined thе thоught оf dерosing thе Crown Prinсе cоuntless times, yеt had nevеr found anу соnсrеtе fаult. How соuld Cui Yulаng, а minоr offiсial frоm thе Ministry оf Ritеs, darе to impeаch the Crоwn Рrinсe sо boldly?

Li Ming, intriguеd bу thеse wоrds, immеdiаtеlу sаid, "As I rесall, Lоrd Cui is аn officiаl of thе Мinistrу of Ritеs, is hе nоt? Нow is it that yоu’ve taken up the dutiеs of the Cеnsoratе?"

"Thоugh I аm but a lоw-ranking official in the Ministry of Rites, my words may carry little weight, yet when it concerns matters of the state, I dare not remain silent."

Cui Yulang spoke with such righteous conviction that even Li Rong couldn’t help but glance back, wondering if he had truly uncovered some evidence against Li Chuan.

Her heart grew slightly uneasy. She had instructed Cui Yulang to impeach Li Chuan, but not to act recklessly.

From his elevated position, Li Chuan raised an eyebrow. He was well aware of his own actions and could not think of any grave offense he had committed that endangered the state. Thus, he too was curious and said directly, "Lord Cui speaks with such gravity. Why not elaborate?"

"Your Majesty," Cui Yulang, hearing Li Chuan’s mocking tone, steeled himself and said, "In recent years, natural and man-made disasters have plagued the land, leaving the people in dire straits. Setting aside last year, just this year’s ice disaster has stirred widespread discontent among the populace. Such heavenly omens are a result of the Crown Prince’s lack of virtue..."

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Before Cui Yulang could finish, Li Ming erupted in anger.

Such vague accusations of natural disasters typically implied the ruler’s lack of virtue, not the Crown Prince’s. Li Ming would not allow him to continue. Grabbing a memorial from beside him, he hurled it at Cui Yulang and roared, "Drag this fool away and have him beaten! How dare you speak such superstitious nonsense in the court?"

"Your Majesty," Cui Yulang hastily knelt and pleaded, "Last year, during the autumn sacrifice organized by the Ministry of Rites, the Crown Prince sneezed during the ceremony. This act may have offended the heavens and constituted grave disrespect!"

Hearing a clear accusation against Li Chuan, Li Ming’s expression softened slightly. Gu Zidao, the Minister of Rites, cast a cold glance at Cui Yulang kneeling on the ground and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, last year, the Crown Prince was afflicted with a cold but still completed the sacrifice despite his illness. His sincerity was evident to the heavens. The heavens are merciful, and the Crown Prince is virtuous. They would surely not take offense at a mere sneeze. Although some regions have experienced minor disasters in recent years, there is nothing extraordinary about it. Great Xia is vast, and it is normal for certain areas to suffer calamities each year. To forcibly attribute this to divine punishment is far too far-fetched."

Gu Zidao turned to Cui Yulang and rebuked him sharply, "Such a villain spreading falsehoods deserves punishment!"

Once Gu Zidao spoke, the other ministers echoed his sentiment. Li Chuan remained expressionless, utterly disinterested in dealing with a clown like Cui Yulang. Li Rong also lost interest and simply wished this fool could be beaten to death right there in the court.

Of all things to bring up, why choose such an absurd accusation? He deserved to be punished.

Seeing Li Rong’s gaze and her turned head, unwilling to look any further, Cui Yulang felt both aggrieved and embarrassed. This was his first collaboration with Li Rong, and it had turned into such a mess. He couldn’t help but feel awkward. But what else could he do?

He truly couldn’t find anything else to impeach.The court had been clamoring for punishment against him for a while before Li Ming finally spoke, saying only, "Although what Minister Cui said was somewhat absurd, it was not entirely without reason. Very well, Minister Cui shall be fined two months' salary, and the Crown Prince... the Crown Prince shall go to the ancestral temple today and kneel there for another night, as an explanation for last year's autumn sacrifice."

When Li Ming said this, Li Chuan's expression remained unchanged, but a chill flickered in his eyes.

All the ministers present frowned, yet none said more.

After all, kneeling in the ancestral temple for a night to show sincerity and filial piety could hardly be faulted and was indeed no great matter. It was just that, originally, it was Cui Yulang who had stirred up trouble, yet in the end, two people were punished. From this perspective, it was unfair no matter how one looked at it.

Li Rong saw clearly: Li Ming's intention was plain—causing trouble for Li Chuan would not be met with consequences.

What he hoped for was that those below would find more ways to trouble Li Chuan.

Li Rong couldn't help but smile, though her heart felt somewhat cold. If even she felt this way, how much more so must Li Chuan?

Li Chuan was still young after all. Though he tried hard to restrain himself, traces of anger were still visible on his face. After the court session ended, Li Chuan walked out of the hall with his entourage. Passing by Cui Yulang, he couldn't help but stop and call out, "Minister Cui."

Hearing this, Cui Yulang felt a chill in his heart, but he could not back down now. He was still waiting for the person behind him, so he mustered his courage and replied, "Your Highness."

"In matters of the court in the future, you must weigh them carefully. Minister Cui has not been an official for long; it would be wise to seek more advice from your seniors on matters of officialdom."

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness."

Cold sweat broke out on Cui Yulang's back. Li Chuan did not respond further and, leading his people down the steps, walked away.

Li Rong followed, stepping out of the hall. As she passed Cui Yulang, she whispered softly, "It's alright."

No matter how angry Li Chuan was, he would not do anything to Cui Yulang.

If it were the Li Chuan of her previous life in his later years, he might indeed have taken action, but she knew the seventeen-year-old Li Chuan all too well.

He would not harm Cui Yulang over his own personal affairs.

However, her mother, upon hearing of this matter, might not be so restrained. She still had to go to the palace and speak with her mother about it.

Moreover, since her separation from Pei Wenxuan, she had not entered the palace. Her mother must surely be missing her.

Thinking this, Li Rong first sent someone to inform Shangguan Yue in the palace, then headed directly toward the inner palace.

As Li Rong made her way to the inner palace, Cui Yulang had just reached the palace gate when a palace maid called out to him, "Minister Cui."

Cui Yulang halted his steps. The palace maid approached and said quietly, "Today, Prince Su's painting instructor has fallen ill and cannot attend. Consort Rou has sent me to ask if Minister Cui is still available today?"

Hearing this, Cui Yulang smiled and replied respectfully, "It is my honor to serve His Highness."

When Li Rong arrived at Weiyang Palace, there was already commotion inside.

This was a common occurrence. Whenever something happened in the court, Shangguan Yue would always scold Li Chuan.

"You are too soft-hearted, unable to handle even such a small matter. How can your sister and I rely on you in the future? Now that Cui Yulang has set this precedent, what will you do? Watch as those ministers gain power and trouble you?"Li Rong listened to Shangguan Yue's shouting, then turned to look at the old maidservant who had led her in. This maidservant was Shangguan Yue's dowry attendant and could be considered her confidante. Seeing Li Rong glance over, the maidservant whispered, "Everyone has been cleared out, Your Highness. Rest assured, this old servant will only escort you this far."

Li Rong nodded, knowing that her mother, having spent so many years in the palace, would not make a mistake in such matters.

She stepped inside and said with a smile, "What's the scene this time? Every time I come back, I see Mother scolding my brother."

"You still dare to speak?!"

As soon as Li Rong spoke, Shangguan Yue immediately turned around and scolded, "Such a major matter as a divorce, and you didn't discuss it with me beforehand. When trouble arose, you didn't even come to the palace to consult me. How long has it been? Only now do you come. Do you still have me, your mother, in your heart?!"

"Mother, Sister is also upset," Li Chuan quickly interjected. "Don't scold her..."

"You shut up!" Shangguan Yue scolded her daughter, then turned to her son, glaring at Li Chuan. "Reflect on yourself properly."

Li Rong was accustomed to Shangguan Yue's temperament. She treated Li Rong relatively well, rarely hitting or scolding her since childhood, but she was extremely harsh toward Li Chuan. Now that Li Rong was married and her fate was tied to Li Chuan's future as the Crown Prince, Shangguan Yue had gradually begun treating them equally, wanting to control everything.

Li Rong smiled as she helped Shangguan Yue sit down, speaking gently, "Mother, don't be too angry. It's easy to get worked up and harm your liver. Just speak calmly about everything."

As she spoke, Li Rong handed a cup of tea to Shangguan Yue and sat down beside her. "What caused the argument today?"

"I heard that Cui Yulang impeached him," Shangguan Yue set the teacup down on the table with a clink, pointing at Li Chuan angrily. "I told him to teach that arrogant brat a lesson, but he refused. Can't you see what your father intends? If Chuan'er doesn't suppress them after Cui Yulang's precedent today, who knows how many more will come to trouble him in the future!"

Li Chuan pressed his lips together tightly. Seeing his expression, Shangguan Yue grew even more furious. She turned to look at her daughter, but upon seeing Li Rong's smiling face, she inexplicably felt a trace of fear. Recalling Li Rong's methods from last year, she thought it unwise to speak too harshly, so she softened her tone, sounding somewhat aggrieved. "Although both of us hold high positions, we are still women in the end. Our honor and disgrace are tied to Chuan'er. If anything happens to him, what will become of us? I'm only planning for his sake, but he won't listen. With his temperament, does he even resemble a Crown Prince? If I had another son..."

"Mother," Li Rong interrupted Shangguan Yue calmly, "have some tea first."

Shangguan Yue knew she had spoken out of turn and fell silent. Li Rong stood up and helped Li Chuan to his feet, urging him to sit up. Li Chuan kept his head down and said nothing, but when Li Rong tried to have him sit beside Shangguan Yue, he instead sat next to Li Rong.

Caught between mother and son, Li Rong felt somewhat awkward. She took a sip of tea to calm her emotions, cleared her throat softly, and said, "I came today specifically to discuss the matter of Cui Yulang."

"Sister," Li Chuan lowered his eyes and whispered, "Although Cui Yulang impeached me, he hasn't done anything wrong. There's no need to..."

"Cui Yulang is my man."Li Rong boldly addressed Li Chuan, who abruptly looked up, and Shangguan Yue also turned to her in shock. Li Rong took a sip of tea and said slowly, "It was also me who told him to impeach you. Don’t touch him."

Though she said "you all," her gaze was fixed mainly on Shangguan Yue.

Shangguan Yue stared blankly at Li Rong, puzzled. "Rong'er, what are you…"

"Mother," Li Rong smiled, looking at Shangguan Yue gently. "Chuan'er is not young anymore. We can’t keep waiting for Consort Rou to grow stronger, can we?"

"You want to move against Consort Rou?" Shangguan Yue frowned. "But what does Cui Yulang have to do with this? And your father has always protected her. If you want to act against her…"

"Don’t worry, Mother," Li Rong reassured her. "I know what I’m doing."

Shangguan Yue hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. With the serious matters settled, the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward. Shangguan Yue took a sip of tea, hesitated again, and then brought up the matter between Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan. "I’ve heard a bit about your divorce from Pei Wenxuan."

She spoke softly. "It couldn’t be helped. If you still care for him, you can be together again when the time is right."

Though she said this, a man who chose divorce for the sake of power might not be someone her daughter would choose anyway.

As her mother, she knew Li Rong’s temperament all too well.

But what she understood was the nineteen-year-old Li Rong.

Li Rong smiled and didn’t elaborate further. She chatted casually with Shangguan Yue for a while. Shangguan Yue offered a few words of advice, and the three of them had lunch together. Afterward, Shangguan Yue felt tired and went for a nap, leaving Li Rong and Li Chuan sitting together.

Li Chuan remained silent. Li Rong glanced at him. "What’s wrong? Are you ignoring me too after arguing with Mother?"

"How could I?"

Li Chuan smiled bitterly. "I’m just a bit tired and want to rest."

Li Rong knew he was lying. No one would feel good after being treated so harshly by their father in the morning and then hearing their mother say it would be better if she had another son. After a pause, Li Rong said slowly, "Don’t take Mother’s words to heart. She was just angry."

Li Chuan listened and replied softly, "It’s fine."

He poured tea for Li Rong. "What Mother said is right."

The sound of tea trickling into the cup filled the air. Li Chuan seemed genuinely exhausted. Though still a youth, he showed a weariness that bordered on world-weariness.

"If Mother had another son, perhaps everyone would be better off. I wouldn’t have to be the crown prince, and Mother wouldn’t have to pin all her hopes on me."

Li Rong looked up at him. Li Chuan set down the teapot and leaned back in his chair. "If Elder Sister were a prince, I wouldn’t have to bear this burden."

"Chuan'er…"

"I’m just saying," Li Chuan smiled. "I know Elder Sister won’t blame me. I’m just talking. I know," he said, whether to Li Rong or himself, "Elder Sister and Mother have sacrificed so much for me. Since I enjoy this honor, I have no right to retreat. Don’t worry, Elder Sister. I just need a moment."

Li Rong couldn’t find the words. The siblings sat together for a while. Li Chuan lay back in his chair, closing his eyes to rest. Li Rong stayed by his side. As they sat in the courtyard, Li Rong watched the spring flowers blooming beautifully and guarded Li Chuan beside her. Suddenly, an indescribable sorrow welled up inside her.In this life, she had Pei Wenxuan. Once Li Chuan became emperor and the power struggles among the noble families and court were resolved, she would have everything—power, love, and freedom.

But Li Chuan’s life had no end in sight. He would be trapped in the imperial palace for the rest of his life—for his mother, for her, for the Shangguan family, for the people, for Great Xia—but never for himself.

"How is Qin Lin doing in the northwest?"

Li Chuan seemed to have recovered somewhat. He turned to serious matters, and Li Rong looked back at him, nodding. "He’s managing. He and his uncle are stationed alone in a frontline city. Since there’s fighting on the front lines, Xiao Su doesn’t want to send his own men, so he placed them at the very front. When Qin Lin asks for troops, Xiao Su sends him the men he can’t control. Once these men reach the front lines, they all become Qin Lin’s people."

Li Rong spoke slowly. "Right now, aside from a lack of funds, everything else is fine."

Li Chuan nodded thoughtfully. "As for the money, I can send it privately—"

"I’ll find a way," Li Rong interrupted him. "If it’s traced back to you, it’ll be hard to explain."

Li Chuan hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

After discussing the details for a while, the time was almost up. Li Chuan was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. "By the way," he hesitated before finally asking, "how is Xun Chuan?"

Li Rong hadn’t expected Li Chuan to ask about Xun Chuan. She looked up, unable to hold back a smile. "Why are you asking about her?"

"It’s because of me," Li Chuan said bitterly, his words strained, "that she was forced to leave. So I’ve always felt a bit guilty and concerned. I hope she’s doing well, but it also feels like I’m trying to escape my own guilt. If she’s doing well, I won’t feel as guilty."

"Is there nothing else?"

Li Rong pressed with a smile. Li Chuan thought for a moment, then turned to look at the spring flowers blooming brightly in the courtyard. He smiled faintly. "Occasionally, I dream of the first time we met. I don’t know why. Aside from that, we weren’t really close, so what else could there be?"

Li Rong believed him. After all, in this lifetime, the two of them had barely spoken a few words.

"She’s doing well," Li Rong said slowly. "In a recent letter, she mentioned that Qin Lin took her into battle a few times and even gave her some men. Originally, she was supposed to gather intelligence in the northwest and cause trouble for Xiao Su, but after going to the battlefield a few times, she found she enjoyed it. She even asked me specifically if she could continue. How could I stop her?" Li Rong took a sip of tea and smiled. "Her recent letters have been much lighter in tone."

"That’s good."

Hearing this, Li Chuan thought for a moment and smiled.

"As long as she’s doing well."

With that, Li Chuan bowed to Li Rong and they parted ways.

Li Rong stayed alone in the palace for a while longer before finally standing up and leaving by herself.

As she rode in the carriage for a while, she began to feel the noise outside was a bit overwhelming. She couldn’t help but lift the carriage curtain and saw a large crowd on the street, seemingly gathered around a porridge distribution.

Li Rong had the carriage stop and watched the scene for a moment, then sent someone to find out what was happening.

While the guard hurried over, Li Rong waited and caught glimpses of a young man in white robes gesturing among the crowd, appearing and disappearing as people moved around.

Recognizing the man, Li Rong guessed what was happening. During times of famine, the Su family would distribute relief on the streets for three days each month.Li Rong lost interest after learning the situation and was about to lower the carriage curtain to leave when she saw a plainly dressed young man approach Su Rongqing. He handed him a piece of paper, and after exchanging a few words with him, the young man nodded repeatedly before being led away by someone.

Witnessing this scene, Li Rong couldn’t help but frown.

She kept her gaze fixed on Su Rongqing, who seemed to sense her attention. He looked up, meeting her eyes through the bustling crowd.

Their gazes held for a moment before Su Rongqing nodded slightly and turned away to attend to his own affairs.

The guard returned and whispered, “Your Highness, today the Su Clan is distributing porridge.”

Li Rong nodded and then asked, “I just saw someone take a piece of paper to ask Young Master Su something before being led away. What was that about?”

“I inquired about it just now,” the guard replied. “The Su Clan is offering special care to examinees this year. Any scholar who presents their own poetry can approach any member of the Su Clan and receive accommodation until the imperial examination results are announced.”

Li Rong’s brow furrowed deeply.

Su Rongqing’s move was far more effective in winning hearts than serving as a Chief Examiner for the imperial examination.

After a moment of silence, Li Rong lowered her voice and said, “Go find Lord Pei and tell him that tonight…”

She hesitated briefly, considering the most suitable location, and finally added, “In front of the Matchmaker Temple, I will wear a mask painted with peach blossoms and wait for him on the street.”