The Princess Royal

"It's bееn а lоng time."

Pеi Wеnхuаn smilеd: "It should have bееn over thrеe yеаrs, right?"

Аs thе twо оf them spоke, Li Rong gave Li Chuan а lоok, thеn led him tо thе fаrthеst cоrnеr оf thе рrison сell, as far аwаy frоm Pei Wenхuan as рossible, аnd whisреrеd: "Whу is shе hеre?"

"Sis, yоu knоw her?"

Li Сhuаn glаncеd at thе twо who werе tаlking and lоwered his voiсe to Li Rong: "I mеt hеr аt the еntrance оf Ninе Lu Мountаin. Shе sаw mе аnd stаrted hitting mе—rеallу fierсe."

Li Rong: "..."

Тhis was trulу thе first timе she hаd hеаrd sоmeone dеscribe Qin Zhenzhen like thаt.

"And then?"

Li Rong ignоred Li Chuаn's desсriрtion аnd went straight to the point: "She said she's Qin Lin's sister. I don't know if it's true or not. Anyway, after people from the palace arrived, as soon as she heard who I was, she immediately offered to help me contact Qin Lin, but on one condition," Li Chuan tilted his chin, "to come see Pei Wenxuan."

As he spoke, Li Chuan frowned: "Sis, is there something going on between them?"

Li Rong: "..."

Li Chuan was rarely this perceptive.

Li Chuan was fairly steady in government affairs, but when it came to matters of the heart, Li Rong felt his emotional intelligence was basically no different from a six-year-old's.

Qin Zhenzhen was talking to Pei Wenxuan. She asked about his situation in general, and Pei Wenxuan answered each question. After confirming that Pei Wenxuan was fine, Qin Zhenzhen sighed in relief: "Knowing that Brother is safe, I can rest easy. By the way," Qin Zhenzhen remembered, "did you receive the jade pendant from before?"

"Even sending a jade pendant," Li Chuan leaned close to Li Rong's ear and whispered, "there's definitely something going on between them."

Li Rong tapped her shoulder with her fan, a playful smile curling her lips. She opened the folding fan, covering her face with it, leaned closer to Li Chuan, and mouthed silently: "Time for the show."

"Received." Pei Wenxuan's voice rang out, calm and measured. "I know this wasn't your intention. I don't blame you; you don't need to worry."

"Brother Pei, you misunderstand. This was my idea." Qin Zhenzhen spoke openly and honestly, her expression sincere. "I've wanted to return this jade pendant to Brother Pei for a long time, but before, Brother Pei was in mourning, so I couldn't. Now that you're back, I should have delivered it myself, but my elder brother said that since I've grown up, it's inconvenient for me to see you, so he delivered it for me."

Li Chuan listened in confusion, while Li Rong hid behind her fan, her shoulders shaking as she laughed silently.

Looking at Qin Zhenzhen's utterly earnest face now, and recalling how Pei Wenxuan had previously sworn to her that Qin Zhenzhen had been forced, she could almost hear the invisible slaps—sharp and crisp—echoing in the air.

Pei Wenxuan fell silent. After a long moment, he finally spoke stiffly: "Brother Qin is very thoughtful."

"Yes," Qin Zhenzhen smiled. "Although you and my elder brother don't meet often, he cares deeply for you. My elder brother told me that when the two families arranged the engagement back then, no one expected the Pei family to rise to such prominence. Now that Brother Pei is the legitimate heir of the Pei family, your future is limitless. My elder brother told me not to hold you back, not to let the playful words exchanged between our families years ago ruin your chance for a good marriage."

Pei Wenxuan: "..."

Li Rong leaned against the wall, laughing so hard she nearly turned over. Li Chuan looked utterly bewildered.

After a long while, Li Rong heard Pei Wenxuan's voice, devoid of any emotion: "Did Qin Lin tell you all this?"That utterly emotionless tone revealed Pei Wenxuan's state of extreme emotional restraint. Just from hearing his voice, Li Rong could sense Pei Wenxuan's impulse to tear Qin Lin apart with his bare hands.

What nonsense about the Pei family's legitimate son having boundless prospects—it was all deceptive talk. If his prospects were truly boundless, how could he only hold a minor eighth-rank official position?

Clearly, Qin Lin looked down on him and was just deceiving Qin Zhenzhen.

However, Qin Zhenzhen, as a woman confined to the inner chambers, had never paid much attention to these complex external relationships. The Pei family maintained appearances well, and it was common for scions of noble families to start from low-ranking official positions with actual authority. As for which low-ranking positions held real power and which did not, that was beyond Qin Zhenzhen's understanding.

Thus, after Qin Lin's grand deception, Qin Zhenzhen harbored no suspicions whatsoever. She handed over the jade pendant and had her brother go and break off the engagement. Now, seeing not a trace of joy in Pei Wenxuan's expression, she sensed something was amiss and hesitantly asked, "Is there... something wrong with what my brother said?"

Pei Wenxuan: "..."

Wrong. Everything was wrong.

But at this moment, Pei Wenxuan had no desire to explain anything to Qin Zhenzhen. After all, the decision had already been made, and there was no need for explanations. So, he replied expressionlessly, "It's nothing. I'm just grateful for your brother's concern."

Hearing this, Li Rong couldn't hold back and finally burst out laughing.

Qin Zhenzhen truly couldn't bear it any longer. She turned to look over, unable to understand why this Princess Ping Le had been laughing nonstop from the very beginning.

She couldn't help but ask curiously, "What is Your Highness laughing at?"

"Nothing," Li Rong composed herself, wiping away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, and quickly said, "I just thought of something funny."

Hearing Li Rong laughing at him, Pei Wenxuan felt rather helpless. He immediately knew she was mocking him over their earlier argument. He couldn't help feeling somewhat embarrassed and cleared his throat lightly, saying, "I'm fine, no need to worry. Go back and advise your brother a few words. The Crown Prince..."

"My brother already has a plan for this matter," Qin Zhenzhen interjected as soon as Pei Wenxuan brought it up. "Brother Pei, don't worry. My brother will go, but he needs to wait one more day."

"Oh, so your brother will go, and yet you told me you'd persuade him for me, asking me to help you in return?" Li Chuan, who had been listening nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Were you deceiving me?"

Hearing Li Chuan speak up, Qin Zhenzhen immediately lost her previous composure and replied with cold indifference, "It was only after this commoner persuaded him that he agreed to go. How is that deception?"

"You..."

"Chuan'er," Li Rong reminded Li Chuan, "mind your manners."

Hearing this, Li Chuan turned to look at Li Rong, utterly astonished. "Sister, I haven't even said anything yet, and you're already accusing me of being rude?"

"I already know what you were about to say."

Li Rong raised an eyebrow and continued, "Alright, enough of this idle talk. Go back now and gather all the information about the court affairs. Make preparations for tomorrow morning. The fact that Father allowed me to come here means the Yang family must have pressured him. If nothing unexpected happens, at tomorrow's Morning Court Assembly, Father will likely assign you to supervise the war in the northwest. You must not agree directly—keep refusing persistently."

"I understand," Li Chuan pursed his lips. "I've long been prepared for these matters. Don't worry."

"Second Miss Qin," Li Rong looked up and turned her gaze to Qin Zhenzhen beside her. "If the Crown Prince is forced to the front lines tomorrow, can your brother confirm he will go?"She stared at Qin Zhenzhen, who, upon hearing these words, respectfully bowed and said, "Your Highness, rest assured. My brother's difficulty with Your Highness was merely to test your character and not a sign of refusal."

Li Rong nodded, then after a moment of thought, she looked at Li Chuan and added, "If Qin Lin accompanies you to the front lines, do not let anyone know. Quietly place him in the military camp, and do not let others know he is your man."

Li Chuan was taken aback for a moment before he understood and replied, "Understood."

They had gone to such great lengths to bring down the Yang family—they were not doing it to pave the way for Li Ming.

The fundamental goal was to allow Li Chuan to insert his own people into the northwest. Li Ming would undoubtedly replace the main general in the later stages of the war, taking all the credit for himself. If Qin Lin went directly with Li Chuan, he would likely be suppressed by Li Ming as soon as he showed any promise.

The safest plan now was for Qin Lin to take his friend Cui Qinghe to the front lines, starting from scratch with an identity unrelated to Li Chuan. With their intelligence and strategies, they would advise Li Chuan, resolve the threat posed by the Yang family in the northwest border, and then defeat the Rong Kingdom.

Once the northwest border was pacified, Li Ming would replace the main general but could not replace all the lower-ranking officers. Qin Lin would remain in the northwest, while they coordinated with him from Huajing regarding military provisions and deployments. In time, the military power in the northwest would eventually fall into Qin Lin's hands.

These calculations were clear to everyone present except Qin Zhenzhen. Li Chuan respectfully said, "Sister, rest assured. I will arrange it."

Li Rong acknowledged with a sound and glanced at the sky. "It's getting late now. You should head back."

Li Chuan nodded in agreement, then turned to Qin Zhenzhen. "You can leave now, right?"

Qin Zhenzhen glanced at Pei Wenxuan, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Seeing Brother Pei safe and sound puts my mind at ease. It is inconvenient for us to meet now, so I hope Brother Pei will take good care of himself. If you ever face difficulties and need my help in the future, please have someone contact my brother's people on Nine Lu Mountain to relay the message. I will not refuse."

Hearing Qin Zhenzhen's words, Pei Wenxuan remained expressionless, nodding slightly and replying, "Don't worry. I am doing well."

Qin Zhenzhen nodded, put her hat back on, and returned to Li Chuan's side. Li Chuan looked at Li Rong and said, "Sister, I'm leaving now."

Li Rong nodded. Li Chuan led Qin Zhenzhen away, teasing her about her short stature while she remained cold and ignored him. Watching the two walk away, Li Rong suddenly called out, "Chuan'er."

Li Chuan turned back in confusion and saw Li Rong standing in the prison at the end of the corridor, quietly watching him. Her expression held a hint of struggle, which Li Chuan couldn't quite understand. After a long moment, he heard Li Rong say, "Have someone else escort Miss Qin later. There are matters in the palace waiting for you, so return early."

Hearing this, Li Chuan smiled. "Understood. You even have to remind me about such things—do you think I'm a child?"

With that, he waved his hand and left with Qin Zhenzhen.

Watching Li Chuan's retreating figure, Li Rong stood there somewhat dazed. Although Pei Wenxuan couldn't see her expression, he could guess her thoughts. "You don’t want the Crown Prince and Miss Qin to meet again?"

This time, he was careful with his words and didn’t call her "Zhenzhen."

Hearing his words, Li Rong replied indifferently, "And what about you?""This time we encountered them a bit too early." Pei Wenxuan expressed some concern. "I wonder what changes might occur."

Li Rong remained silent. She understood Pei Wenxuan's worry. Just as her half Spring Banquet had already turned everything completely different from the previous life, now that Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen had met so much earlier, no one knew what transformations might follow.

In the previous life, Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen had met only a year later.

Qin Zhenzhen entered the palace through the imperial consort selection and became Li Chuan's concubine. In the early days at the Eastern Palace, Qin Zhenzhen and Li Chuan did not get along. Li Chuan hardly ever saw her, and she often suffered bullying within the palace. It was only after Pei Wenxuan intervened and mediated several times that Qin Zhenzhen finally caught Li Chuan's eye.

No one knew what happened to Li Chuan. He had never understood love before, but after being with Qin Zhenzhen, he suddenly became obsessed, wholeheartedly devoted only to this one person.

Yet beneath such intense favor lay not only love but also a sharp blade.

Thus, one year after Li Chuan ascended the throne, Qin Zhenzhen gave birth to Li Ping, and shortly after, she died in the inner palace.

On the day she died, Li Chuan clung to her corpse, refusing to let go. It was only when Li Rong arrived that she managed to pull the body from his embrace.

After Qin Zhenzhen's death, Li Chuan insisted on burying her with the rites of an Empress, placing her in his own imperial mausoleum ahead of time. Back then, everyone merely thought Li Chuan was grieving and believed he would recover after some years.

But he never did. His temper grew worse, and he became increasingly tyrannical. The Crown Prince, once renowned for his benevolence in his youth, ultimately walked a path similar to Li Ming's.

He exhausted military resources, suppressed noble families, and ruled the court with an iron fist. Only Li Rong could manage him to some extent.

But later, after the Su family case, a rift finally formed between the siblings.

After the Su family case, she was bedridden due to injuries, and Li Chuan came to visit her.

By then, he had grown very thin. They were separated by a curtain, and as Li Rong looked at his silhouette, he seemed like a mere shadow.

He spoke somewhat distractedly, and somehow, the conversation turned to Qin Zhenzhen.

That day, he spoke at length, as if he were back in his youth. Towards the end, he suddenly said, "Elder Sister, there is a beast in my heart. I cannot cage it. I fear it, and I fear myself. I am sorry for hurting you."

"Fortunately," Li Chuan chuckled lightly, "what I needed to do is already done. From now on, everything is entrusted to you, Sister."

After saying this, he stood up and, like a transcendent Daoist, drifted out of her room.

Not long after the Su family was buried, Li Chuan announced he would renounce the world and become a monk. Pei Wenxuan led the officials to block the Great Traveling Palace, kneeling for an entire day, and finally reached a compromise. Li Chuan would not become a monk, but he would no longer handle affairs of state.

For the next twenty-five years, Li Chuan never attended a single Morning Court Assembly again. He immersed himself daily in the illusions described by Daoist alchemists, attempting to find a way to bring the dead back to life.

In the latter half of her life, she wondered countless times: if she had not let Li Chuan experience the Crown Prince's deposition, if she had not let him meet Qin Zhenzhen, would her brother have remained like he was in his youth—forever hopeful, like a fire in the cold, illuminating this world?

But back then, there was no turning back. She did not dwell on what could not be changed and simply muddled through.

Now, however, it was different. She truly had a choice.The two of them leaned against the same wall, each standing on opposite sides. Li Rong remained silent, while Pei Wenxuan gazed up at the afternoon sky. After a long while, Li Rong slowly spoke, "This time, you won’t let her enter the palace again, will you?"

Pei Wenxuan didn’t respond. Li Rong was somewhat puzzled, "Why aren’t you answering?"

"Looking at you."

Pei Wenxuan spoke calmly. Li Rong was rather surprised, "Why look at me?"

"If you agree, I’ll go and speak to Qin Lin. Once I’ve spoken, if they still insist on her entering the palace, that’s her affair. As for whether to directly intervene to prevent her from entering the palace—that’s your affair."

These words left Li Rong bewildered; she couldn’t understand them.

She paused for a moment, turning the matter over in her mind, then cautiously said, "I’m sorry, could you… explain a bit more clearly? I don’t quite follow."

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan lowered his gaze, "I shouldn’t have intervened back then."

Li Rong was even more confused. She faintly grasped the literal meaning of the sentence—Pei Wenxuan seemed to be saying he no longer intended to involve himself with Qin Zhenzhen—

But how could that be?

Li Rong was at a loss.

Setting aside Qin Zhenzhen’s significance in Pei Wenxuan’s heart, even if she held little weight and was merely a friend, given Pei Wenxuan’s nature, it was impossible for him to stand by and watch Qin Zhenzhen enter the palace knowing it would lead to her death.

And what did he mean by "if she agrees"?

What did she need to agree to?

Since when did Pei Wenxuan’s affairs require her consent? Was it any of her business?

Li Rong was utterly perplexed. She didn’t even know how many questions to ask or from which angle to begin.

Pei Wenxuan leaned against the wall, head bowed in silence. He knew Li Rong would question him; his heart raced with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. After all these years, he had never found the right moment to say these words, and now he hoped she would ask.

Yet he wasn’t sure if he should answer. After so much time had passed, speaking of such things seemed to only add to the sorrow and regret, with little other purpose.

After a quiet pause, Li Rong finally spoke, "So, what you mean is, you’ll intervene if I ask you to, and you won’t if I don’t?"

Pei Wenxuan kept his head down. After a moment, he softly replied, "Mm."

"Wh… why?"

Li Rong’s words stumbled. Pei Wenxuan lowered his gaze and spoke slowly, "Between people, there are boundaries. Each person is like a spider’s web, connected to others. Everyone must move within these boundaries. If you cross them, even a slight shift in one direction will cause pain to those on the other side."

Pei Wenxuan’s words were subtle, but Li Rong understood. She leaned gently against the wall, listening to his rare, earnest, and calm speech.

"She has her brother, her husband, and herself—she should bear the responsibility for her own life. Every choice she makes will bring its consequences. Anyone’s interference is not a good thing."

"I have my own responsibilities, no matter where they come from. Now that I’ve agreed to marry you, I will hold myself to the standards of a husband."

"Until our contract ends?" Li Rong chuckled lightly.

Pei Wenxuan fell silent. After a moment, he said quietly, "Perhaps."Li Rong listened to Pei Wenxuan speak, pulled a rush cushion to the corner, and after sitting cross-legged, straightened her clothes and sighed, "Pei Wenxuan, you really haven't lived these fifty years in vain. If you had realized this earlier, we might have truly grown old together in our past life."

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan's eyelashes trembled slightly.

He didn't know why, but Li Rong's words felt like a sharp blade, instantly piercing through him. He couldn't immediately discern where this feeling came from—perhaps from regret, perhaps from dissatisfaction with their previous life, or perhaps it was the unspoken emotions of their youth in that past life, lying dormant for years, suddenly striking back in a single moment, biting down fiercely until blood flowed freely.

The pain instinctively calmed Pei Wenxuan. He had always entered an extreme state of calm under intense emotions.

Li Rong adjusted her clothes, completely unaware of Pei Wenxuan's feelings, and continued with a smile, "I always knew you were clever and would figure things out sooner or later. And sure enough, look at you now—with your appearance and your mindset, how many young ladies would adore you if you went out."

"You knew I would figure it out?" Pei Wenxuan asked coldly. Li Rong fanned herself and replied, "I'm quite accurate in judging people."

"And how did you see me?"

"Now or back then?"

"In those days."

Hearing this, Li Rong thought carefully, trying to recall Pei Wenxuan from thirty years ago, and slowly said, "You were a good person back then, just stubborn and unable to let go."

"How so?"

"You promised to take care of Qin Zhenzhen, and you believed a gentleman's word was unbreakable, regardless of your own circumstances, so you insisted on helping her." As she spoke, Li Rong poured herself tea and analyzed, "Moreover, you always believed you loved Qin Zhenzhen. But when you met me and suddenly fell for me, you felt conflicted and collapsed inside. You couldn't accept it, thinking, 'How could I be such a fickle man?' So, your intentions weren't the problem—you just couldn't let go."

Pei Wenxuan listened as Li Rong described the past with such ease. He lowered his eyes, feeling every word she said about him was unbearably harsh. Yet he knew clearly that the root of this harshness was that everything Li Rong said was true.

"Back then," he said calmly, without a trace of emotion, "you knew I liked you."

"I'm not stupid."

Li Rong blew on the green leaves floating in her tea. "If you didn't like me, why would you treat me so well? It's just that back then, I was still shy and unsure, even though I felt you liked me."

"Then why..." Pei Wenxuan's voice grew hoarse, "didn't you wait for me?"

If she had been willing to wait a little longer, he might have seen his own heart clearly, learned to grow, and their previous life wouldn't have ended the way it did.

Li Rong couldn't help but laugh at this. "That's a funny thing to say. I'm not collecting scraps—why should I wait for you?"

"Pei Wenxuan," Li Rong looked at her reflection in the cup, her voice calm, "there's one thing you've never been able to see clearly."

"It wasn't that you wronged me in our past life, and I left heartbroken, giving up on myself and spending the rest of my life with a eunuch. Rather, I could have had you, but I chose not to. I sought someone new and grew old with the one I truly loved.""A woman hates her rival because she feels that in the competition of emotions, facing an excellent woman as she is now, she has no chance of winning."

"So she always hopes that the other person is utterly repulsive, that her lover is blind, and that one day her lover will suddenly awaken to realize how wonderful and beautiful she is. But I don’t need such comfort."

Li Rong gave a light smile.

"I know winning over Qin Zhenzhen would be effortless for me. If I wanted to have you, I wouldn’t even need to do anything—I could simply wait. But I am unwilling."

Li Rong lifted her head, gazing at the colorful clouds filling the sky and the swallows chirping in the evening. "I, Li Rong, am of noble lineage, a blood relative of the emperor. Though my beauty may not be unparalleled under heaven, it is renowned throughout Huajing. Wealth and power are but embellishments—I am well-read, courteous, and sharp-witted. For a woman like me, when you ask why I didn’t wait for you, the question you should be asking is—"

Li Rong drained the tea in her cup in one gulp. "What makes you think you deserve my waiting? Even if Lord Pei is exceptionally handsome," she drawled, her tone tinged with playful mischief, "I am not so foolish as to be blinded by mere looks."

Pei Wenxuan listened to Li Rong’s words. Her speech was calm and magnanimous; even as she criticized him and spoke of unpleasant memories from the past, it was surprisingly refreshing and uplifting.

Pei Wenxuan crossed his arms, listening to Li Rong speak. He lowered his head, staring at his feet, and after a long moment of thought, he couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

Suddenly, he felt as though he were meeting Li Rong for the very first time.

The Li Rong of today was different from the one in her youth. She retained the determination and principles of her twenty-year-old self but possessed a level of magnanimity and tranquility far beyond what she had back then.

In the past, they were always arguing and quarreling. The moment he saw Su Rongqing by her side, he found it difficult to restrain himself.

Now, having set aside his prejudices, he felt an indescribable sense of admiration and fondness for her.

This fondness had nothing to do with romantic love; it was simply the feeling that a woman like Li Rong was truly someone who commanded attention.

Seeing that Pei Wenxuan remained silent for a long time, Li Rong wondered if she had struck a nerve. This man was notoriously petty, and now that she had pricked his pride, he might not speak for quite a while.

She sighed inwardly, cursing his pettiness, and stood up. "Are we still talking or not? If not, I’m leaving."

Pei Wenxuan said nothing, so Li Rong rose to her feet, fetched a book on her own, sat by the table, and began reading a storybook while cracking melon seeds.

After a while, she looked up and noticed a scroll of paper suddenly appearing in the corner of the cell.

The paper was rolled up with a red silk ribbon, neatly arranged like a gift, looking quite elegant.

Puzzled, Li Rong walked over, bent down, and picked up the rolled-up paper. On it, she recognized Pei Wenxuan’s handwriting, which read:

For Her Highness the Princess.

Pei Wenxuan’s calligraphy had always possessed the ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Even the simplest things, adorned with his writing, took on an air of elegance.

Li Rong pressed her lips together, finding it somewhat amusing. She untied the ribbon and unfolded the paper.

As the paper slowly unfurled, she saw an image of herself at eighteen, dressed in palace attire, with a peony hairpin, glancing back over her shoulder with a smile.

The face was that of her eighteen-year-old self, but the smile was not.

Radiant and bold, yet carrying a hint of enchanting charm—Li Rong couldn’t quite tell which version of herself this was.

Beneath the painting were words written by Pei Wenxuan:

Only the peony is the true beauty of the nation,

Its bloom stirs the entire capital in its season.

Seeing these words, Li Rong couldn’t help but smile.

Pei Wenxuan stood before his desk, carefully tracing the lines of Li Rong in the painting.

In truth, there was one thing he had never dared to confront in his previous life—that throughout his entire existence, he had never felt any woman was more beautiful than Li Rong.

Only the peony is the true beauty of the nation, and in his heart, the only woman who possessed the peony’s splendor was Li Rong.

Qin Zhenzhen might have been lovely, but that kind of loveliness had never made his heart race, nor had it ever left him in awe.

Only Li Rong.Yet she bloomed early and withered quickly, leaving only withered branches in his memory. He had nearly forgotten her beautiful form, until he suddenly looked back and saw it once more.

The peony had always been in full bloom—it was just that she no longer wished to let him see it, that was all.

Author's Note: [Mini Theater]

Q: "What does the painting Pei Wenxuan gave Li Rong mean?"

Li Rong: "A peace offering. Trying to use such small favors to keep me from arguing with him, to stand on the same side, and not give him a headache."

Pei Wenxuan: "..."

Q: "Pei Wenxuan, don't stay silent. Speak up."

Pei Wenxuan: "It's a love letter..."

Everyone: "..."

Pei Wenxuan: "Of course, the true meaning of this love letter will only become clear later. Looking back, you'll see my real intention..."

Everyone: "Intention?"

Pei Wenxuan: "I don't just want to avoid arguing with her—I want to marry her, so we can argue for a lifetime."