The Princess Royal

Ехtrа Chaptеr 2 - Аmnesia

Нe had lоst his mеmоrу.

Whеn Рei Wenхuan opened his eуеs in the еarlу mоrning, hе wаs aсutеlу аwаre оf this fact.

Thе skу was still dаrk, and there wеre rustling sounds frоm outside. Реi Wеnхuаn turnеd his hеad and hеаrd a wоmаn sрeаking in a hushеd tоne, giving instructiоns: "Тhe Imрerial Son-in-Lаw was hit on the hеаd bу a vаse yestеrdау. Tаkе gооd саre оf him аnd let him rеst thesе next fеw daуs. Dоn’t lеt him worrу аbоut оfficial duties."

"Whаt if the Imperial Son-in-Lаw doesn’t listen tо advicе?"

Somеоne sоunded quite worried. The woman sneered, her tone full of authority: "Then let him kneel and wait for me to return. I’d like to see how he plans to die."

With that, the woman left, surrounded by her attendants.

After a moment of thought, Pei Wenxuan understood.

He was an Imperial Son-in-Law, and he had been hit on the head by a vase yesterday.

His wife was likely a princess of considerable power—a woman who attended the Morning Court Assembly, which was no ordinary feat.

Moreover, his wife seemed to look down on him, showing him no respect whatsoever, which suggested there was little affection between them.

To become an Imperial Son-in-Law, his status must have been high. Now that he had lost his memory, in such an environment, it was unlikely to be a coincidence. There were probably more conflicts at play, and he couldn’t afford to reveal his weakness. For now, he needed to stabilize the situation.

As he pondered this, Pei Wenxuan surveyed his surroundings. After resting in bed for a while, he slowly got up and called out, "Someone come in."

A young man pushed the door open and entered, respectful yet with a hint of joy in his voice. "Young Master, you’re awake? Shall I call someone to attend to you?"

Pei Wenxuan nodded calmly, pretending to be composed. He had already deduced—this person was likely someone he had brought with him before coming to the Princess's Manor, which was why he addressed him as "Young Master." Compared to the larger environment, this person was relatively trustworthy.

But he still needed to observe further.

So he allowed the other to help him up and assist him with washing up. He remained silent the entire time, which made the young man somewhat uneasy. The young man forced a smile and asked, "Young Master, you’re unusually quiet today. Is everything all right?"

"Everything’s fine."

Pei Wenxuan picked up a towel, wiping his hands as he spoke softly. "I’ll be resting at home today to recover. Find a storyteller for me—I’d like to relax a bit."

"Young Master is in such a refined mood today! Tong Ye will go and invite the best storyteller in the capital!"

So his name was Tong Ye.

Pei Wenxuan silently noted this.

Seeing the other rush out eagerly, he thought for a moment and added, "Actually, I’ll go with you."

For now, finding a completely unfamiliar place might be safer.

Pei Wenxuan got up and followed Tong Ye to a quiet teahouse.

Downstairs, the storyteller was narrating the most popular tale among the common people at the time—"The Overbearing Princess." In this story, Princess Yun Xi secretly admired the capital’s most distinguished nobleman, Yu Wuyuan. The two were originally in love, but due to political struggles, she was forced to marry Du Yunxiu, who came from a humble background. Yun Xi disliked Du Yunxiu, but for the sake of her interests, she collaborated with him, using his help to assist her younger brother in ascending the throne. After Du Yunxiu became the Prime Minister, he discovered that Yun Xi and Yu Wuyuan were secretly having an affair. In a fit of rage, he killed Yu Wuyuan. From then on, Yun Xi hated him to the core. One was a powerful elder princess holding great authority, the other was a Regent Prince who dominated the court. Though they were husband and wife in name, they were actually bitter enemies, entangled in a lifelong struggle of love and hate...

The storyteller narrated with great emotion, and the women in the audience wept uncontrollably. Some lamented Yu Wuyuan’s tragic death, while others grieved over Du Yunxiu’s deep affection, wishing they could become Yun Xi and take her place.Pei Wenxuan listened indifferently to the story. Tong Ye stole a glance at him and said nervously, "Young Master, these are just wild rumors among the common folk. Please don’t be angry."

Pei Wenxuan paused for a moment. Seeing Tong Ye’s reaction, he suddenly realized that this matter was related to him.

After a moment of silence, he instructed Tong Ye to summon the storyteller under the pretense of giving a reward. Once the storyteller arrived, Pei Wenxuan dismissed Tong Ye. He picked up his tea and asked calmly, "Sir, do you know where the story of The Overbearing Princess originated from?"

Hearing this, the storyteller immediately knelt with a thud, sensing he had provoked someone extraordinary.

Pei Wenxuan smiled faintly and placed a piece of broken gold on the table. "Say as much as you know. You won’t be held accountable."

The storyteller knew a great deal. After chatting with him for an afternoon, Pei Wenxuan roughly understood that the story indeed originated from him, the princess named "Li Rong," and Su Rongqing, the most distinguished young master in the capital at the time.

Upon learning this, Pei Wenxuan’s first reaction was anger. How dare Li Rong publicly cuckold him like this? It was utterly humiliating!

How could he have ever liked her so much in the past? Shameful!

Fortunately, he had now come to his senses. According to the storyteller, he and Li Rong were currently locked in a fierce political struggle in court, though neither could decisively strike the other.

Having grasped this, Pei Wenxuan glanced at the sky and stood up to leave.

Li Rong was about to return to the manor, and he still had to put on an act.

With his mind preoccupied, Pei Wenxuan returned to the manor. As he walked, he subtly probed Tong Ye for information. Tong Ye was simple-minded, and soon Pei Wenxuan had a clear understanding of the Princess's Manor.

After waiting for a while, Pei Wenxuan heard commotion outside—Li Rong had returned.

As soon as she entered, Li Rong lost her temper in the room. "Look at those mad dogs under your command!"

It seemed she had suffered grievances in court and was now venting at him. "They keep targeting Cui Yulang with their accusations. Yes, it was wrong for Cui Yulang to execute Li Nan without authorization while inspecting Bingzhou, but if he hadn’t killed him, he wouldn’t have made it back alive. Can’t the Censorate give him a way out? Must they insist on executing Cui Yulang to be satisfied?!"

Pei Wenxuan listened quietly, understanding that this was undoubtedly a conflict between them.

Li Rong was still seething with anger. After her outburst, she noticed Pei Wenxuan sitting at the table, seemingly waiting for her to join him for dinner. Her heart softened slightly, and she waited for him to console her.

Although he never yielded to her in court, he had always indulged her at home. She sat down and, seeing him remain silent, added, "Did you hear me? Go talk to the Censorate tomorrow. It’s not a big deal—just give him some face."

"The court has its own laws and regulations," Pei Wenxuan adopted the most fitting attitude for a couple who were only united in appearance. Faced with Li Rong’s anger, he had to maintain a stance of impartial refusal. "Your Highness can speak to the Censorate yourself. Why come to me?"

Hearing this, Li Rong widened her eyes. "What did you say? How dare you speak to me like this?!"

Indeed, she was utterly unreasonable.

Pei Wenxuan had reached a conclusion in his mind. He sneered coldly, stood up, and stormed off, his sleeves flaring.

Li Rong gripped her chopsticks and glanced at Tong Ye beside her. Sweat beaded on Tong Ye’s forehead as he hurriedly explained, "Today, the young master went out to listen to a story and heard something about The Overbearing Princess…"

At the mention of this, Li Rong’s expression changed. She had heard of this story before.

She looked up toward the outside of the room, but Pei Wenxuan had already walked far away.

Su Rongqing…He really did mind after all.

Li Rong felt a sudden shortness of breath, not daring to comment further on Pei Wenxuan's abrupt temper.

She ate a few bites of her meal, went to the study to calm down for a while, thought it over, and finally decided to soften her approach with Pei Wenxuan that evening.

Pei Wenxuan had always been even-tempered, so if he was this angry, he must have been holding in his frustration.

Once she made up her mind, she finished her tasks for the day, then went to the bathhouse to wash herself until she was fragrant and relaxed. She casually draped a thin robe over herself and entered the room.

Pei Wenxuan was in the room, pondering what to do next, when he heard the door creak. He looked up to see Li Rong walk in, wearing a sheer gauze robe and casually brushing back her hair.

The robe was so thin that the undergarment beneath was almost visible through it.

Though this woman was fierce, her figure was first-rate. Dressed like this, pretending to casually brush back her hair as she entered the room—this kind of innocent yet seductive allure, subtly exuding sensuality, was the most enticing.

Pei Wenxuan felt a reaction stirring within him, and remembering the storyteller's mention of "Du Yunxiu," he grew annoyed.

This woman must have used such tricks to control him in the past. But now, he was no longer infatuated with her—he was perfectly clear-headed!

Li Rong entered the room and saw Pei Wenxuan's cold expression. Knowing he was deeply angered, she cleared her throat softly and feigned concern, saying, "Um, not asleep yet?"

"None of Your Highness's concern."

Pei Wenxuan lowered his head, looking at the memorial before him.

Li Rong sat across from him, her eyes quietly fixed on him.

Those eyes were incredibly beautiful; just gazing into them could stir one's heart. Pei Wenxuan felt that he had indeed been firmly controlled by her in the past—at the very least, his body had been completely under her sway.

This filled him with anger and humiliation. He remained silent, his face cold, as Li Rong reached out, tugged at his sleeve, and shook it gently. "Brother Pei~"

Pei Wenxuan stiffened. Li Rong cooed, "Look at me, don't be angry anymore."

Two faces in public and private—she really knew how to lower herself.

Pei Wenxuan sneered inwardly. He already knew her intentions. He raised his head and looked at her with a hint of mockery. "Want me to help you settle things with the Censorate?"

Li Rong quickly nodded, thinking this was Pei Wenxuan's way of signaling reconciliation.

The Censorate wasn't a big deal, but if Pei Wenxuan wanted to help her, wasn't that a sign of reconciliation?

Pei Wenxuan set down his brush and leaned back in his chair. "If you want to seduce me, you need to show some sincerity."

Li Rong looked confused.

Pei Wenxuan patted his lap, his eyes filled with mockery and cold arrogance. "Come up here, do it yourself."

Li Rong's expression turned ugly, her gaze at him indescribable.

"It seems Your Highness isn't as capable as I thought," Pei Wenxuan sneered. "I thought you knew how to lower yourself. Did you think the past could be wiped away so easily? Li Rong," Pei Wenxuan scoffed, "from today on, don't dream of it anymore. I'm no longer the Pei Wenxuan of the past, letting you bully me."

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

Li Rong felt cold sweat break out, wondering just what the storyteller had fabricated to provoke Pei Wenxuan like this.

Seeing her pale face, Pei Wenxuan felt he had achieved his goal and stood up to leave.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan rise, Li Rong quickly stood up, pushed him back down, and hurriedly said, "I'll do it, I'll do it myself. Don't lose your temper."

"What are you doing!"Pei Wenxuan grew tense as Li Rong began tugging at his clothes. She pressed him into the chair, straddling him while pulling at his garments.

Panicked, Pei Wenxuan struggled and cried out, "Let go! Don't touch me! Have you no shame? Li Rong!"

As Li Rong tugged at him, he found it difficult to push her away—she was a woman, after all, and dressed too lightly. Touching her anywhere felt inappropriate. Moreover, an inexplicable resistance held him back, making him instinctively reluctant to hurt her.

Seeing that Pei Wenxuan was still restraining himself even in such a moment, Li Rong knew she had a chance. She quickly employed every trick she knew, accomplishing her goal amid his stream of curses.

"Li Rong, you have no decency! You're shameless! Don't touch my clothes! Let me go! Don't touch me there! Don't you dare—"

Suddenly, it was done. Pei Wenxuan fell silent.

The room grew quiet. Li Rong wrapped her arms around his neck, exerting her own strength, and asked with a smile, "Don't dare what?"

Pei Wenxuan couldn't speak.

He gripped the armrests of the chair tightly.

Now he understood how he had fallen before. This woman... this woman!!

In the end, Pei Wenxuan briefly yielded to his desires. He thought to himself, seize the moment first; there would be plenty of time later.

Pei Wenxuan reflected deeply on his mistake.

Beauty could lead a man astray—he finally understood.

He didn't know how he had agreed to help Li Rong settle the matter with the Censorate, but by the next day's Morning Court Assembly, it was already a done deal.

Though he and Li Rong were like fire and water, a promise was a promise. He still had the decency of a gentleman to uphold.

He gradually pieced together his usual habits and allies, then gave the order regarding Cui Yulang's matter. A follower in the Censorate sighed and remarked, "My lord has bowed to Her Highness after all."

"This is the last time."

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan immediately spoke up, assuring everyone, "It won't happen again. From now on, I will not be bewitched by that enchantress."

The ministers: "???"

"Don't worry," Pei Wenxuan patted the shoulder of the minister nearest to him. "In the future, I will not go easy on her."

But you've never gone easy on her before.

The ministers held back for a long time, wanting to ask Pei Wenxuan why he had broken his rule today. He had never let personal feelings sway him into making concessions to Li Rong before. Seeing him radiant and full of energy, it seemed their marital relationship had improved. Yet he dared to say, "I won't go easy on her in the future"?

Wasn't their relationship only getting better?

But no one dared to voice these thoughts. Whatever Pei Wenxuan said, they accepted.

Seeing the ministers silent and hesitant to speak, Pei Wenxuan thought they still didn't fully trust him.

No matter. In time, he would prove to them that he was no longer the Pei Wenxuan who bowed for love.

How could a man debase himself for love?

Pei Wenxuan sneered inwardly as he walked out. Just outside the Censorate, he saw an elegant young man standing at the entrance.

The man had a handsome appearance, the kind women favored. Spotting Pei Wenxuan, he quickly greeted him, "Lord Pei!"

Pei Wenxuan halted and looked at him. Cui Yulang stepped forward respectfully and said, "I've troubled Lord Pei with my affairs."

Pei Wenxuan immediately guessed his identity and nodded. "It was nothing."

"Since you've helped me, I should return the favor."Cui Yulang smiled as he took out a box of pills from the container. "It's about what we discussed last time."

Pei Wenxuan looked up at him. Cui Yulang chuckled, "This medicine dissolves in water without color or taste. Her Highness won't notice anything. Only heaven, earth, you, and I know of this matter. I know Her Highness has been busy lately, which has strained your relationship. Whether to use it or not is up to you," Cui Yulang placed the medicine box into Pei Wenxuan's hand. "Sometimes taking extraordinary measures isn't necessarily wrong. You don't have to be too rigid..."

"I understand," Pei Wenxuan interrupted Cui Yulang's persuasion.

If he hadn't understood what this pill meant at first, what was there not to understand now?

It must be that he and Li Rong were already at odds like fire and water, and this medicine was something he had asked Cui Yulang for to poison Li Rong.

He was no longer the naive person he once was—he would not soften his heart.

He raised his head and looked coldly at Cui Yulang. "This medicine only needs to be placed in water?"

"How long until it takes effect?"

"Almost immediately."

"Is there an antidote?"

"No, don't worry, this will definitely succeed."

"What are the symptoms after it takes effect?"

"First, there will be difficulty breathing, flushed face, panting, and body heat. After that..." Cui Yulang's expression turned meaningful. "I don't need to say more, do I?"

Pei Wenxuan understood—death was never easy to speak of.

"Are there any other precautions?"

"Well..." Cui Yulang, seeing Pei Wenxuan's deeply troubled expression, felt something was off. Why was he being so serious about an aphrodisiac?

Previously, when Pei Wenxuan had mentioned to him that Li Rong had been too busy lately and had no interest in romance, he had thought of this method. Last time, he had been scolded by Pei Wenxuan for bringing it up. Now that Pei Wenxuan was accepting it... it was a significant change, so seriousness was normal.

So Cui Yulang patted Pei Wenxuan on the shoulder and comforted him, "It's nothing, just don't carry too much psychological burden."

Though he said not to carry too much psychological burden, when Pei Wenxuan saw Li Rong enter the room, he still felt hesitation.

After all, she had been his wife for so many years. Even though she had deceived him, harmed him, committed adultery, and hated him to the bone, still...

Pei Wenxuan looked at the cup beside him, already laced with the medicine, and felt a pang in his heart.

It seemed... he could still be moved by her.

But he couldn't be like this.

Pei Wenxuan hardened his expression. This woman was cunning and malicious. If he didn't eliminate her, there would surely be more trouble in the future. Since he had already agreed with Cui Yulang on the assassination plan, he just needed to carry it out.

Having made up his mind, Pei Wenxuan watched as Li Rong entered the room, removed her outer robe, and turned to look at him. She couldn't help but smile. "Why are you still unhappy?"

"It's nothing, just thinking about court matters."

Pei Wenxuan looked up and smiled. "Last night was my fault. Let me apologize to you."

As he spoke, Pei Wenxuan picked up the teacup laced with the medicine. "Please, Your Highness, drink this cup of tea as a sign of forgiveness."

Hearing Pei Wenxuan lower his head to apologize and coax her, Li Rong chuckled softly. "It's not a big deal. I never expected you to help me settle things with the Censorate."

As she spoke, Li Rong took the teacup and, without the slightest suspicion, drank it directly.

Pei Wenxuan was stunned. None of the prepared explanations he had thought of were needed—she trusted him so completely!

For a moment, Pei Wenxuan was at a loss. But since he had decided to kill her before losing his memory, he must have been resolute. He couldn't waver now.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan lost in thought, Li Rong waved her hand in front of his face. "What's wrong with you?""We..." Pei Wenxuan looked up at her, his eyes filled with sorrow, "talk one last time?"

Li Rong was bewildered: "One last time?"

"You're going to die." Pei Wenxuan looked at her, deadly serious.

Li Rong frowned: "Why do you say that?"

"Do you feel short of breath?"

As Pei Wenxuan spoke, Li Rong began to feel hot. Her breathing grew involuntarily rapid, and her body started reacting strangely.

She tried to take a step back to sit down, but her legs gave way as she moved.

Pei Wenxuan instinctively caught her, supporting her, and saw her raise her head, her eyes glistening with moisture: "You... what did you give me?"

"Poison."

Pei Wenxuan helped Li Rong sit in the chair, his eyes fixed on her calmly, as if looking at a dying person.

Li Rong gripped the armrests, laughing in exasperation.

This was truly the first time she had encountered such a poison.

But her intuition told her something was off about Pei Wenxuan. Without exposing him, she simply stared at him and said, "Oh?"

"You think I wouldn't kill you?" Seeing the hint of mockery in her expression, as if she didn't believe him, Pei Wenxuan grew angry. He reached out and pinched her chin, "On what grounds? Because of this face of yours?"

"Why... are you killing me?"

The drug was quite potent. Li Rong's speech was already faltering. Looking at Pei Wenxuan before her was like a starving person seeing a piece of plump, white meat—she wanted to pounce and devour it.

But she was accustomed to self-control, so she continued to play along with Pei Wenxuan. Hearing her question, Pei Wenxuan sneered, "You dare ask me? You've been secretly involved with Su Rongqing, used me, and now you're my enemy, constantly thinking of killing me. On a daily basis, you humiliate me in every way. As your husband, I receive not a shred of affection from you. Shouldn't I kill you?"

This barrage of questions left Li Rong stunned. She closed her eyes, took a moment to compose herself, then looked up and stared at Pei Wenxuan: "Where was the first time we did it in this lifetime?"

"You think seducing me will make me spare you?"

Pei Wenxuan sneered, "Give up. I have no feelings left for you."

Listening to Pei Wenxuan's words and recalling his recent behavior, an idea surfaced in Li Rong's mind.

She stared at Pei Wenxuan: "Did you hit your head and damage your brain?"

"Hah," Pei Wenxuan mocked, "Still trying to trick me into talking?"

Seeing Pei Wenxuan's demeanor, Li Rong closed her eyes.

Don't get angry.

Don't get angry with someone who's mentally unwell.

After a long while, she slapped the armrest and shouted, "Someone! Call the physician!"

"Give up," Pei Wenxuan stood up, looking rather pitiful, "There's no antidote for this poison."

"No antidote?"

Li Rong was sweating profusely, as if she had been pulled out of water. She stared fixedly at Pei Wenxuan, whose gaze made his heart ache with pain and sorrow.

At that moment, Jing Mei pushed the door open and entered, respectfully saying, "Your High—"

Before she could finish, she was stunned by the scene in the room.

Pei Wenxuan stood in the room, looking at Li Rong, his chin slightly raised in an arrogant posture, his eyes filled with pity and pain.

Meanwhile, Li Rong sat in the chair, gripping the armrests tightly, drenched in sweat, her eyes fixed intently on Pei Wenxuan.

"Your Highness?"

Jing Mei hesitated. Li Rong gritted her teeth and said, "Tie the Imperial Son-in-Law to the bed, now!"

Realizing something was wrong, Jing Mei immediately went out to call for help.

Pei Wenxuan sighed, "Why struggle? You're going to die anyway."Li Rong sneered at his words. Guards rushed in, pressed Pei Wenxuan down, and tied him up tightly on the bed. Once he was securely bound, Li Rong dismissed the guards.

Pei Wenxuan frowned, watching uneasily as Li Rong removed her clothes and approached him.

"Why aren't you dead yet?"

Li Rong sneered, "When your mind clears up, I'll see how you die!"

After a bout of passion, he felt as though he had nearly died on this woman.

Why didn't this poison finish her off?

Pei Wenxuan lay on the bed, savoring the sensation from earlier, still somewhat puzzled.

Li Rong got up and dressed, calling for servants to summon a physician.

"That vase last time must have damaged his brain," Li Rong whispered. "Let Doctor Xue handle it."

Pei Wenxuan sneered inwardly. Did they think he was a three-year-old child, trying to deceive him with this act just because he'd lost his memory?

They played their roles thoroughly.

Soon enough, an old man entered, examined him, and concluded that there was a blood clot in his brain causing memory loss. There were two ways to recover: either through external stimulation to naturally recall, or through acupuncture.

"But acupuncture is quite risky... It's best if he can remember naturally. Go along with his thoughts and help him awaken his memories together," Doctor Xue advised simply.

After Doctor Xue left, Li Rong made her decision.

Naturally, she couldn't let Pei Wenxuan take such risks, so she would try to awaken his memories.

She thought for a moment, organized her words, and spoke with difficulty, "Wenxuan, I am your wife..."

"Hah," Pei Wenxuan scoffed.

"We used to be in love."

"Hah hah."

"We even have a child. Her name is Li Xi, and you adored her."

"Su Rongqing is in the past. Now, my heart belongs only to you."

"Hah hah hah."

"You have to believe me."

"Hah," Pei Wenxuan laughed out loud. "Pathetic," he sneered. "Your acting is far too clumsy."

Hearing this, Li Rong felt a pang of frustration. She turned away and instructed Jing Mei, "Let's go with acupuncture. If he dies from it, so be it."

Of course, that wasn't really an option.

Li Rong had no choice but to patiently recount their past to Pei Wenxuan.

At the same time, she set out to investigate who had provided the medicine and what Pei Wenxuan had secretly done.

Upon learning the medicine came from Cui Yulang, Li Rong decided to banish him from the capital.

Frightened, Cui Yulang rushed to the Princess's Manor overnight, pleading with Li Rong through tears and snot.

Li Rong looked at him and said only, "Your only chance to stay is to restore Pei Wenxuan to normal."

Cui Yulang quickly agreed, promising profusely, and then went to see Pei Wenxuan.

Lately, Pei Wenxuan felt his life was in danger and kept trying to escape, forcing Li Rong to confine him.

As soon as Cui Yulang entered the room, he saw Pei Wenxuan sitting coldly behind the desk. Steeling himself, Cui Yulang went in and began recounting the beautiful love story between Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong.

Pei Wenxuan seemed to accept it well, and Cui Yulang breathed a sigh of relief.

"I understand. I will treat the princess well," Pei Wenxuan nodded.

Both Cui Yulang and Li Rong, hiding behind the door, felt relieved.

Pei Wenxuan escorted Cui Yulang out. Overjoyed, Cui Yulang reached the doorway when Pei Wenxuan grasped his hand and slipped a piece of paper into it.

The moment Cui Yulang took the paper, his body stiffened. Pei Wenxuan gave a serious nod and turned away.

After Pei Wenxuan left, Cui Yulang unfolded the note and read: "Tomorrow at mao hour, the princess will pass through Vermilion Bird Alley. Set an ambush and assassinate her."

Seeing these words, Cui Yulang nearly collapsed.

Who could cure this illness?!

Cui Yulang failed but managed to stay in Huajing, though he was banned from visiting brothels for three years, losing the company of his beloved courtesans.

With Cui Yulang unsuccessful, Li Rong had to take matters into her own hands.

She took Pei Wenxuan to familiarize him with their surroundings.

"This is where I do my makeup. You often helped me with it.""This is where you read..."

"This is your favorite brush..."

"This is..."

"What's this?" Pei Wenxuan pulled a washboard from under the bed. Li Rong hesitated for a long moment. She didn't know if telling him about this now would help his condition improve, but she couldn't lie to him either. She could only force out an answer, "It's the washboard you kneel on when you make mistakes..."

She knew it! She shouldn't have said that!!

Li Rong led Pei Wenxuan around the places where they had lived together, growing more and more uneasy with each step.

The entire Princess's Manor had been built with her as the center. Pei Wenxuan's traces were few and far between—his life seemed to have been entirely filled with her.

He only had one study; everything else was blended with her. Watching Li Rong introduce their daily life to him, Pei Wenxuan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "And you call this loving me?"

Li Rong suddenly realized that she truly hadn't cared enough about Pei Wenxuan.

In truth, she had merely been relying on the accumulation of too many years of feelings, that was all.

She suddenly wanted to know: if they could start over, would Pei Wenxuan still like her?

She looked up at Pei Wenxuan. Seeing her gaze, Pei Wenxuan felt a momentary fear. "What are you doing?"

"Forget it."

She smiled. "What happened before doesn't matter anymore. Starting today, you can just fall in love with me all over again."

"You think too highly of yourself."

Pei Wenxuan immediately retorted. Li Rong lowered her head with a smile, not particularly bothered.

Her greatest strength was her exceptional ability to take action.

From the moment she decided to be good to Pei Wenxuan, she began to execute her plan.

She learned what he liked and prepared everything for him.

The brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones he used were all carefully selected by her; the clothes he wore were all meticulously arranged by her.

He loved books, especially rare editions, so she began spending large sums of money to find them for him.

She used the incense he liked and added the things he enjoyed.

She put in the effort, and Pei Wenxuan noticed it all.

Every day, they attended court together and returned together. Hearing everyone say how deeply in love they had once been, like an immortal couple, he began to wonder...

Had he been wrong?

This doubt grew deeper with each day his heart stirred.

He found himself often thinking of her, often missing her, often caring about her.

He truly was under her control, deeply so.

Pei Wenxuan despised this version of himself, so he never showed it. With colleagues and friends, he remained gentle and refined, but the moment he faced Li Rong, he could drive her mad at any time.

The two often lay on the same bed, arguing.

Every time they argued, Li Rong would tell Pei Wenxuan to get lost, to get off the bed.

Pei Wenxuan felt that if he left just because she told him to, wouldn't he lose all face?

So he stubbornly occupied the bed. "I'm not leaving."

Li Rong had no way to deal with him, so she got up and pushed him. Back and forth, the two ended up pushing each other.

This behavior repeated itself in a cycle.

Li Xi was arranged to visit Pei Wenxuan every day, to recount her past with him in an attempt to awaken his paternal love.

Seeing Li Xi, who looked like a sticky rice dumpling, Pei Wenxuan actually liked her very much. But fearing it might be one of Li Rong's schemes, he remained cold and indifferent.

Li Xi didn't seem to mind, and the father and daughter maintained a respectful, if distant, relationship.

Until one day, Li Xi saw Li Rong and Cui Yulang standing at the entrance, talking. She walked over and happened to hear Cui Yulang teasing.

"Your Highness, there's no need to worry too much. If the Imperial Son-in-Law really can't remember, just forget it. You can divorce him and find another."

Hearing this, Li Xi turned and ran, rushing all the way back to the inner courtyard. She grabbed Pei Wenxuan's hand and burst into tears."Father," Li Xi sobbed, "the handsome uncle told Mother that if you still can't remember, she'll divorce you and find me a stepfather..."

Pei Wenxuan was instantly enraged upon seeing Li Xi cry and hearing her words.

He was still alive, yet someone dared to covet his wife and bully his daughter!

This was beyond endurance.

Pei Wenxuan reached for the sword hanging on the wall, drew it in one swift motion, and turned to Li Xi. "Come, Father will take you to seek revenge!"

No sooner had he spoken than a vase on the shelf, which had been wobbling from being struck by the sword, teetered unsteadily and crashed down onto Pei Wenxuan's head with a loud "thud."

Li Xi stared in shock and cried out, "Father!"

Pei Wenxuan woke up.

He lay in bed.

After recalling everything he had done, he felt life was no longer worth living. He was finished.

A long while later, he heard Li Rong entering the room. Struggling to rise with his bandaged head, he managed to get up.

When Li Rong pushed the door open, she saw Pei Wenxuan kneeling on a washboard, a white cloth wrapped around his head, bowing deeply as he cried out with utmost sincerity, "My lady, I was wrong!"