Наving rесеivеd Li Мing's reward, Li Rоng lеft thе раlace in high sрirits. Nоt long aftеr, she swaрреd сlоthеs with Jing Mei аnd instructed her, "Go back аnd find mу bodу doublе. Тhе Suрervisоrу Dераrtment will сome to sеаl the mаnor tomorrоw. For the nеxt few dауs, hаvе thе dоublе stay in thе rеsidenсе аnd keеp uр thе pretеnsе."
Jing Lan аnd Jing Mei noddеd. Jing Mei cоuldn't hеlр but ask, "Тhen what arе Yоur Нighness's аrrаngеmеnts?"
"I'm gоing tо staу аt the nеw housе."
As Li Rong thоught of Реi Wеnxuаn, shе idlу twirlеd the folding fan in hеr hand. Jing Mei didn't understand. "Whу is Your Highness gоing to the nеw housе? Dо yоu miss the Imperial Son-in-Law?"
Li Rong's hand paused. Jing Lan coughed lightly. "Your Highness, please go on ahead without worry. Jing Mei and I will arrange everything here."
With Jing Lan's interruption, Li Rong's embarrassment eased somewhat. She responded with an "en" and, seeing that they had reached a suitable spot, had the carriage stop. Disguised as a maidservant, she alighted and led a few guards into the shadows.
Once they were in a hidden spot, the shadow guard who had cleared the way returned and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, no one is following."
Only after confirming her safety did Li Rong turn and hurry to the new residence.
While Li Rong was rushing toward the house she had newly purchased, Pei Wenxuan was still in his room, looking over several potential questions for this year's imperial examination.
All the arrangements for the examination were now in place. They were just waiting for Consort Rou to handle the cheating case and settle the candidates before the exams could begin.
As Pei Wenxuan deliberated over the questions, Tong Ye's voice came from outside, hushed. "Young Master, Her Highness has sent someone over, saying they have an urgent matter to see you about."
Hearing that someone from Li Rong had arrived, Pei Wenxuan knew she must have finished her business in the palace. He kept his head down, circled a character on the exam question, and wrote a revised annotation. As he wrote, he said slowly, "Come in."
A moment later, a woman in black walked in. She wore a cloak that concealed her face. Pei Wenxuan didn't look up, continuing to review the document in his hand as he said calmly, "How is Her Highness?"
"She has already returned."
A raspy female voice sounded. The hand with which Pei Wenxuan held his brush paused. He frowned and looked up at the woman standing in the room.
The woman wore a veil and was shrouded in a black cloak, completely obscuring her figure and face. Pei Wenxuan watched her quietly for a moment, then turned his head away again. "Oh," he said indifferently. "That's good. Did Her Highness have anything else to say?"
Li Rong stood her ground. Seeing that Pei Wenxuan was ignoring her, seemingly not having recognized her at all, she grew a little peeved. She lowered her voice and said huskily, "Her Highness said nothing else, only that the Princess's Manor is to be sealed tomorrow. Fearing that you would be lonely from not seeing her for a long time, she sent me, your servant, to attend to you."
"You are an impertinent servant," Pei Wenxuan said, frowning at her. "Get out!"
Seeing Pei Wenxuan's chaste and virtuous act, Li Rong couldn't help but laugh.
She reached her hands into her cloak and began to remove her clothes, one piece at a time. Pei Wenxuan averted his gaze, looking down at the official document in his hand. "What are you doing?" he asked coolly.
"My lord, I was sent to the manor by Her Highness. There is no need for you to be nervous," Li Rong said as she shed her last piece of clothing and, barefoot, began to walk toward Pei Wenxuan.
The black cloak offered a faint glimpse of a pair of fair, shapely feet and slender ankles, appearing and disappearing beneath the fabric. When they touched the floor, they were like blooming lotuses.
As she spoke, she passed a candlestick. With a sweep of her wide sleeve, the entire room was plunged into darkness.
In the pitch-black, the woman fell into Pei Wenxuan's arms. A smooth, soft hand reached out from under the cloak and hooked around his neck. "Her Highness will not blame you," she whispered.
"Is that so?"
Pei Wenxuan could finally no longer keep up the pretense, his tone laced with a hint of laughter in the night.
Li Rong instantly realized Pei Wenxuan had been tricking her and immediately tried to get up. But she had only straightened halfway before she was pulled back down, tumbling completely into his embrace.
Pei Wenxuan wrapped one arm around her and used his other hand to lift her chin, making her look at him. He smiled as he studied the jade-like beauty in the moonlight. "Did Your Highness come here tonight planning to throw yourself into my arms, a clandestine elopement?"
Hearing his words, Li Rong rolled her eyes. She hooked her arms around his neck and sat up straight in his lap, saying languidly, "I've hit a dead end and come to seek refuge with you, my lord. I plan to eat your food, drink your wine, and use your things."
As she spoke, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Is my lord willing to part with them?"
Pei Wenxuan laughed at her words, rubbing his nose against her cheek. "When have I ever been reluctant to spend money on you?" he murmured. Pei Wenxuan grew bold, leaning in to kiss her. "Everything I have belongs to Your Highness."
"Pei Wenxuan," Li Rong said, somewhat smugly, "wouldn't you say this is... a transaction of power for sex?"
Pei Wenxuan showed a look of surprise. "So Your Highness's beauty can be traded?"
Li Rong mulled it over and decided his words didn't sound quite right. Pei Wenxuan swept the items off the desk behind her, clearing it with a single motion. He then lifted her onto it, bracing his hands on either side of her. "You should have said so earlier," he said with a smile. "In our last life, this humble servant had some meager power. Whatever Your Highness wanted, I would have given it all."
"The matrons in the palace said that a man's words can't be trusted," Li Rong said, rising slightly to whisper in his ear, "especially in bed."
"For example, a certain someone once told me," Li Rong continued, tracing a finger over Pei Wenxuan's chest, "that it would be worth it to die on top of me."
"I wasn't lying about that."
Pei Wenxuan chuckled, then heard Li Rong let out a muffled grunt and grip his hand tightly.
"How did your talk with His Majesty go tonight?"
Pei Wenxuan's voice was very steady. Li Rong gripped the edge of the desk, her tone maintaining its previous coolness. "It's more or less settled. I hinted at the method of the Conscription Order and reminded him of the issue of military power. When he thinks about Qin Lin's matter later, he will secretly give Qin Lin the Conscription Order."
"After all, the border cannot be lost. He can't mobilize the aristocratic families' troops, and he's reluctant to send his own faction to fight. His only choice is to let Qin Lin be worn down on the front lines."
Pei Wenxuan grunted in acknowledgment, his hands braced on the edge of the desk. Li Rong clenched her jaw and said nothing, but Pei Wenxuan seemed to enjoy talking to her at times like this, as if he wanted to see just how long she could hold out.
After a long while, Li Rong's mind began to wander, and her words to Pei Wenxuan lost their restraint. She started to complain, a rare occurrence. "He's going to any lengths to put Prince Su on the throne," she murmured. "He sent Xiao Su to the northwest to give Prince Su military power, had Consort Rou handle the case of the commoner scholars to build up Prince Su's own faction, and made Su Ronghua his teacher to let the Jiangnan aristocratic families establish ties with him. He's just waiting to bide his time for another ten or twenty years, raise Li Cheng into a capable adult, and then hand over a perfectly managed empire to Li Cheng. I just don't understand. We're all his children, so why the difference? If he had even a shred of pity for Chuan'er and me, he would have found a way..."
"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan knew her thoughts were drifting into a dark place. Unwilling to let her dwell on such things, he interlaced his fingers with hers and asked softly, "Did you come to my residence because you missed me?"
Li Rong found it difficult to think and mumbled a vague affirmation. Pei Wenxuan lowered his head and kissed her. "So you're just going to stay here?"
"En," Li Rong said with her eyes closed, her voice low. "I'll hide out here for the time being. I'll wait in your room for you to come back every day..."
Before Li Rong could finish, everything stopped. She had no idea what Pei Wenxuan was thinking.
Li Rong opened her eyes in a daze. Pei Wenxuan was also a little embarrassed. After a moment of silence, Li Rong let out a laugh and simply said, "Have someone bring water."
Pei Wenxuan got up, carried Li Rong back to the couch, and had someone fetch water.
After they had washed up and were lying in bed together, Pei Wenxuan asked again about the arrangements at the Princess's Manor. After confirming there were no issues, he pulled her into his arms.
His movements were a little forceful, as if he were extremely happy. Li Rong thought back to what had just happened and couldn't help but feel a little curious. She propped her head on her hand and turned on her side to look at Pei Wenxuan. "What were you thinking about just now? Why were you so excited?"
Hearing her question, even in the dark, Li Rong could feel that he seemed to be blushing.
She couldn't resist reaching out to touch his face, wanting to confirm if it was hot. Pei Wenxuan quickly pushed her hand away and whispered, "Stop fooling around."
"Are you blushing?" Li Rong pressed. Pei Wenxuan pulled her into his embrace. "Your Highness, let's sleep."
The more he tried to hide it, the more curious Li Rong became. She poked her head out from his arms and hugged him. "Tell me. How can I sleep if you don't tell me?"
As she spoke, she reached up and touched his earlobe, confirming that it was indeed very hot.
She shook Pei Wenxuan, demanding, "If you don't tell me, neither of us will get any sleep. I can catch up on sleep during the day, but you still have to attend court..."
"Alright."
Pei Wenxuan sounded a little helpless. He opened his eyes. "If I tell you, you can't laugh at me."
"I promise I won't laugh." Li Rong blinked. "Hurry up and tell me."
"Actually, I've always had a wish."
Pei Wenxuan's voice was very soft. He held Li Rong, his tone gentle. "I hope that one day, Your Highness can be my Highness alone. It doesn't have to be for a long time. A few months would be good, a few days would be fine. Even just a few hours would make me very happy."
It was an answer that took Li Rong by surprise. Having been with men before, she had initially thought Pei Wenxuan would give her a more "carnal" reason. But she was discovering that every time she thought Pei Wenxuan was lost in carnal pleasure, he would give her a response that was beyond the physical, something far more tender.
She leaned gently against Pei Wenxuan. After a moment, she asked, "What does it mean to be your Highness alone?"
Hearing Li Rong's question, Pei Wenxuan showed a hint of surprise. A moment later, he lowered his head and kissed her on the forehead. "Just like this. This is wonderful."
"You in my arms, and me in your heart."
"That's enough."
Li Rong didn't speak, merely looking up at him.
"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan smiled. He took her hand, his voice gentle. "With me here, you can walk out of the past."
Whether Li Ming cared for her or not, whether Shangguan Yue loved her or Li Chuan, whether anyone had ever liked her in the past, no matter how many broken relationships or how much human darkness she had witnessed—with him, Pei Wenxuan, here, he would not let her drown in the past.
He would pull her out, and together, they would walk toward a better future.
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