"Yоur Маjеsty, we imрlоrе уоu to detain Соnsort Rou fоr thorough invеstigаtiоn аnd рunish hеr acсording to the law."
"Your Mаjеsty, wе implоrе уоu to dеtаin Соnsоrt Rou fоr thorough investigаtiоn and рunish her acсording to thе law."
"Your Маjеstу, wе imрlоre yоu tо detаin Соnsort Rоu for thоrоugh investigatiоn аnd punish hеr accоrding to the law!"
Аs sооn as Li Rоng's voice fеll, оffiсials immеdiаtеlу fоllоwed suit, knееling and sрeаking out onе aftеr аnоther.
Frоm thе nоblе families Cоnsort Rou had offendеd to ordinarу scholаrs from humblе bаckgrоunds.
Li Ming looked at the officials kneeling across the hall—nobles and commoners, civil and military officials—only Su Rongqing and Pei Wenxuan remained standing in place.
Pei Wenxuan glanced at Su Rongqing, who returned a cold gaze. After a brief confrontation in the air, Li Ming's slow voice rang out: "Ministers Su and Pei, why do you not kneel?"
Hearing this, Su Minzhi and Pei Lixian both looked up at the two standing men.
After a brief standoff with their elders, both knelt down: "Your subjects concur, imploring Your Majesty to detain Consort Rou for thorough investigation and punish her according to the law."
Li Ming listened to these words, quietly observing the full assembly of officials. After a long while, he gave a light laugh: "Good."
His gaze fell upon Li Rong: "Very good indeed."
"You all force me," Li Ming raised his hand, pointing at the crowd, then violently swept everything from the entire table onto the floor, "all of you force me!"
"Imperial Father," Li Rong's voice remained calm, "it is not us forcing you. If Consort Rou had not committed these acts, no one could touch her. But since Consort Rou has done these things, she should know that justice may be slow but is inevitable." Li Rong raised her eyes to look at Consort Rou standing beside Li Ming, "Sooner or later, this day would come."
"You are the sovereign, the emperor," Li Rong placed her hand on her knee and stood up, "You bear the responsibility for all the people, you should set an example, not show favoritism, not pervert the law. Your daughter knows you favor Consort Rou, but the imperial examinations are your lifelong endeavor. Do you truly intend to destroy the justice deserved by these hundreds of loyal scholars for the sake of a woman, to ruin the governance of Great Xia, to tarnish your reputation in the annals of history?! If you still shield her today, how will the ancestors of our Li clan view you, how will the court officials view you, how will the common people view you, and how will history's impartial brush record you for generations to come?"
"Your Majesty," Li Rong did not call him 'Imperial Father,' she spoke like a civil official prepared to remonstrate unto death, "I am both your child and your subject. I cannot watch my father bear this eternal infamy. I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice impartially," Li Rong knelt on one knee, raising her hands before her, "and immediately detain her in prison for rigorous investigation!"
Li Ming did not speak, his fists clenched tightly. Fulai looked at the court officials, then at Li Ming, and said with concern, "Your Majesty..."
Hearing Fulai's call, Li Ming looked at this man who had grown up with him. He saw the worry in Fulai's eyes, and after a long while, he finally closed his eyes: "Guards."
"Your Majesty?!" Consort Rou turned to look at Li Ming, shocked, "You do not believe me?"
"Guards!" Li Ming dared not look at Consort Rou, shouting loudly, "Take Consort Rou away, send her to prison. This case shall be handled by..."
"Your Majesty," Wang Houmin suddenly spoke up, "Princess Pingle single-handedly established the Supervisory Department, toiling with great merit, yet she was falsely accused by Consort Rou of plotting against scholar Chen Hozhao. Now that Chen Hozhao is not dead, Princess Pingle's name has been cleared. If not rewarded, she should at least not be punished. I request that Princess Pingle be reinstated to the Supervisory Department to thoroughly investigate Consort Rou's case!"Wang Houmin spoke, and the entire hall fell into silence.
Li Ming swept his gaze over the crowd. "Is this what all of you intend?"
"We have no objections," the officials replied in unison. Li Ming smiled. "Good. I have an excellent daughter."
Li Ming raised his hand and clapped. "Very good. Clever indeed."
Upon hearing Li Ming's words, Li Rong knelt on the ground and bowed deeply. "Your daughter thanks Your Majesty."
As Li Ming listened to Li Rong's words, he felt a sharp pain begin to throb in his head. Forcing himself to endure it, he stood up. "Since you have all made your decision, what more do you need from me? Court is dismissed."
With that, Li Ming stepped down from the dais.
The pain in his head grew increasingly severe. Fulai hurried forward to support him.
As he descended from the high platform and passed by Li Rong, Li Ming suddenly halted.
He raised his eyes to look at Li Rong, who met his gaze without flinching.
She noticed the fine beads of sweat on Li Ming's forehead and saw the icy yet sorrowful glint in her father's eyes.
After a long silence, she finally took a step back. "Your daughter respectfully bids farewell to Your Majesty."
Li Ming closed his eyes, let out a soft chuckle, shook his head, and walked away.
Li Rong and Li Chuan both watched Li Ming's retreating figure. He struggled to hold himself upright, and everyone could see that he was trying to walk with dignity, unwilling to lose his imperial bearing.
But he could no longer manage it.
He had grown old.
Illness gnawed at his body and will. No matter how hard he tried, he was now an old man defeated by time.
Pei Wenxuan glanced sideways and saw that both Li Rong and Li Chuan wore expressions of pity, mixed with a deep, unspoken sorrow.
However, Li Chuan, being young, wore his emotions more openly and genuinely. Li Rong's gaze was like a stagnant pool of water, utterly devoid of ripples.
Yet it was precisely because Li Chuan stood beside her, as if laying bare all her inner feelings, that Pei Wenxuan clearly realized the disappointment, sorrow, and pity Li Rong must have felt as a child in that moment.
Li Ming's figure disappeared beyond the court gates.
Li Rong finally snapped back to attention. She looked up at Consort Rou on the high platform and said coldly, "Guards, seize the criminal Xiao Rou!"
Upon hearing Li Rong's command, the soldiers rushed forward. Just as they were about to lay hands on Consort Rou, she shouted, "Do not touch me!"
With that, Consort Rou flicked her sleeves, stepped forward, and said coldly, "This consort will walk on her own."
Knowing the situation was hopeless, Consort Rou offered little resistance. Surrounded by soldiers, she was escorted out.
After Consort Rou had been taken away, Li Rong thanked each of the court officials in turn. When she finally reached Su Rongqing, few people remained in the hall. Looking at him, Li Rong clasped her hands before her and smiled faintly. "I thought Minister Su would not help me."
Su Rongqing said nothing. He bowed and silently stepped back.
"It's not too late to turn back now."
Li Rong suddenly spoke to remind him. Su Rongqing, with his back to Li Rong, paused for a moment before replying in a low, hoarse voice, "Thank you for Your Highness's kindness. Rongqing appreciates it."
Having said that, Su Rongqing walked away.
Pei Wenxuan approached Li Rong from behind and said calmly, "Your Highness is quite generous."
Li Rong turned her head and smiled. "If I can avoid making an enemy, I would prefer not to."
"Even if she tried to kill you, you wouldn't hold it against her?""I am quite lenient towards four types of people." Li Rong lightly tapped her palm with a small fan as she walked out alongside Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan glanced over, and heard Li Rong say with a smile, "Those with wealth, power, talent, or beauty."
"Then you must be extremely lenient towards Su Rongqing," Pei Wenxuan remarked with a smile, though Li Rong detected a hint of displeasure in his tone.
Li Rong shot him a sidelong glance and poked him with her fan. "No matter how lenient I am with him, it can't compare to how lenient I am with you."
"Oh?" Pei Wenxuan turned to look at her. "He can even be compared to me in your heart?"
"Tsk," Li Rong waved her hand dismissively. "You're being boring now."
Pei Wenxuan chuckled as he and Li Rong descended the steps together.
The two stood very close. Beneath their feet stretched a vast open ground, and ahead loomed the majestic palace gates. Li Rong held her fan in one hand, while Pei Wenxuan gripped his court tablet in the other. With unspoken understanding, they left their inner hands free. As their sleeves brushed against each other, Pei Wenxuan gently took her hand.
"Li Rong," Pei Wenxuan's voice was soft, "I will always be by your side."
Li Rong turned to look at him. Pei Wenxuan saw the confusion in her eyes and met her gaze, speaking lightly, "I have always loved you."
Li Rong made a disgusted face. "Ugh, how nauseating."
Pei Wenxuan said nothing, simply watching the warmth melt into her eyes, his own expression full of gentle amusement.
Li Rong understood this was Pei Wenxuan's way of comforting her.
When one walks a dark path for too long, if no one reaches out a hand, they may never see the light again.
She slowly composed her expression, her voice barely audible. "I thought you would think I'm very happy."
"How could that be?"
"In your heart," the breeze gently brushed through Li Rong's hair, "haven't I always been a woman greedy for power? Now that Consort Rou has been detained, I should be happy."
"But are you happy?" Pei Wenxuan asked directly. Li Rong paused, then after a moment, replied slowly, "What is there to be happy about in the struggles between people?"
"Perhaps I would have been happy before," Li Rong said as they exited the palace gates, her gaze lifting to the distant horizon. "But after experiencing so much, I feel there is nothing to celebrate in defeating someone like Consort Rou. What would truly be worth celebrating is a world without people like her."
"I am not much nobler than Consort Rou," Li Rong smiled bitterly. "I am merely fortunate to have been born into a better position."
"Your compassion for her is your own kindness, Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan nodded gently. "In this world, the majority suffer hardship. Yet it is always the minority who commit evil."
"If everyone used their unfortunate circumstances as an excuse for wrongdoing, then there would be no principles left to restrain the human heart. Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan looked at her earnestly, "to despise evil is to praise goodness."
"But am I good?" Li Rong found it somewhat laughable.
"You can become good."
Pei Wenxuan answered calmly, "A goodness that wields the sword."
The wind blew from afar, causing their robes to flutter noisily. The warmth of their clasped hands was the only comfort in the cold.
Meanwhile, Consort Rou had already arrived at the imperial study.
Li Ming had ordered Consort Rou to be brought directly to the imperial study. As soon as she entered, she saw Li Ming reclining on the couch. His headache seemed to have flared up again, leaving his face pale with pain. Fulai knelt beside him, massaging his head. Hearing Consort Rou enter, Li Ming forced his eyes open to see the woman he had cherished for most of his life kneeling quietly before him."Come here."
Li Ming watched as Consort Rou raised her hand, then beckoned her over with a weak voice.
Consort Rou obediently stepped forward. As soon as she stopped before the bed, Li Ming suddenly raised his hand and, without warning, slapped her hard, sending her sprawling to the ground. "Wretched woman!"
Li Ming roared, "You worthless mud that can't even cling to a wall! A lowborn wretch from a pigsty! Have you never seen money before?"
Li Ming's head throbbed painfully, and his anger only intensified the agony. This suffering made him increasingly irritable. Gazing at the woman lying on the floor, he gasped softly, "How much effort did I expend to place you in this position? How many times did I warn you—only interact with the noble families I designated for you, and avoid all others! Look at the mess you've made now..."
Li Ming pointed a trembling finger at Consort Rou, his voice shaking, "For just a bit of money, for a few measly silver coins, you've destroyed half a lifetime of my hard work! Xiao Rou," Li Ming gritted his teeth, "you're digging your own grave!"
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