Аftеr dеаling with the Shangguаn fаmilу's аffаirs, Li Rong felt much mоrе at eаse. With the Shаngguаn fаmilу stауing out of it, аs long as she pressured Li Мing firmlу, the likеlihoоd оf him hаnding thе cаsе bасk tо her wаs very high.
She аnd Рei Wеnxuan rarеly went tо bed eаrlу, аnd thаt night sаw thе first hеavy snоwfаll of еаrlу winter.
Li Rоng was stаrtlеd awakе in thе middle оf the night by somеone knoсking оn thе doоr. The pеrsоn sеemеd ехtrеmеlу pаniсked, еven сarrying а hint of tеrrоr аs theу sаid, "Yоur Нighness, something tеrrible has happеned."
Li Rong abruрtly oрenеd hеr eуes. Pei Wenxuan reached out to hold her back, afraid she would catch a chill upon rising, and called out loudly, "Come in and speak."
As he spoke, Pei Wenxuan threw on his clothes and got up, fetching Li Rong's clothes for her. Jing Mei pushed the door open and entered, trembling as she said, "Your Highness, someone... someone..."
"Your Highness," Jing Lan walked in from outside the door, speaking respectfully, "News came tonight. On the road, someone saw Qin Zhenzhen return from the dead and kill Cui Shuyun."
Li Rong suddenly looked up, raising her voice, "What did you say?! Qin Zhenzhen?!"
"Yes," Jing Lan replied calmly. "The carriage driver said that while he was taking Cui Shuyun back to his residence, a woman blocked the road. The woman had blood on her head and called out Cui Shuyun's name. When Cui Shuyun came out, he was horrified and called her Qin Zhenzhen."
Cui Shuyun was the one from the Ministry of Justice investigating the Qin family case, so he knew almost everyone in the Qin family.
Li Rong quickly put on her clothes and asked urgently, "And then?"
"Qin Zhenzhen said she had come to claim his life. The guards nearby were so frightened they all ran away, leaving only the driver, who was too scared to move. He watched as Qin Zhenzhen stepped forward and killed him."
"Besides Cui Shuyun, were there any other deaths?"
"Wen Ping from the Censorate and Wang Xi, a director from the Ministry of War, are both dead. Wen Ping died in a brothel, and Wang Xi died in his own home. It is said that Wang Xi struggled with the ghost for a long time before finally dying."
"Were there any witnesses when Wang Xi died? Was Qin Zhenzhen dead or alive?"
Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan hurriedly walked out together, with Jing Lan following closely beside them. Jing Lan shook her head and whispered, "I don't know. There isn't more information yet. Your Highness, what should we do now?"
Hearing this, Li Rong stopped in her tracks.
"Qin Zhenzhen has returned from the dead. The Ministry of Justice will soon trace this back to us."
Qin Zhenzhen had died by crashing into the gate of the Princess's Manor, and Li Rong was the one who had ultimately buried her. Now that she was alive, no matter how much it was shrouded in talk of ghosts and spirits, they would surely come looking for Li Rong. After a moment of contemplation, Li Rong suddenly realized something, her eyes widening as she said, "Quick! Prepare the horses! To the cemetery!"
With that, Li Rong rushed out. Pei Wenxuan was momentarily stunned before exclaiming urgently, "Follow her."
Pei Wenxuan chased after Li Rong as she ran. While running, Li Rong said to Jing Mei, who was closely following her, "Go find some people and spread the word about tonight's events. Make it sound mysterious—say it was a vengeful ghost claiming lives, that many people saw it, that Qin Zhenzhen had a large hole in her head and wounds on her body, making it impossible for her to be dead. The more mysterious, the better."
"Yes."
Having received her orders and realizing it wasn't truly a ghostly apparition, Jing Mei calmed down considerably.
She hurried back to make arrangements. Jing Mei ordered people to prepare the horses. Li Rong ran out of the manor, swiftly mounted her horse, and Pei Wenxuan followed closely behind, donning his cloak and leading the group as they galloped toward the outskirts of the city.
"Clear the way."
Pei Wenxuan instructed those around him, "Don't let anyone follow."
The attendants, having received Pei Wenxuan's orders, nodded and rode off to disperse.Snow piled high on the road, and after leaving the city, the path grew increasingly difficult to traverse.
Pei Wenxuan followed closely behind Li Rong, shouting, "Why are we going to the cemetery?"
"To find Xun Chuan!" Li Rong called back. "She isn’t the type to stir up trouble!"
Given Xun Chuan’s temperament, if she truly intended to kill Cui Shuyun and the others, why wouldn’t she resort to assassination? Instead, she openly revealed her identity on the streets to kill a court official.
Because she wanted everyone to know that the killer was Qin Zhenzhen.
But once everyone knew Qin Zhenzhen was the murderer, they would inevitably trace it back to Li Rong. And if they traced it back to Li Rong, they would certainly open the coffin to verify whether Qin Zhenzhen was truly inside.
Thus, the easiest way for Qin Zhenzhen to clear Li Rong’s name was to lie in the coffin herself.
After the coffin was opened and the body examined, she would be lying inside. Even if it were a fresh corpse, it could be explained away as lingering resentment of a vengeful spirit, using tales of ghosts and gods as a cover.
In any case, the killer was already dead. Whether it was a case of resurrection or feigned death for revenge no longer mattered. After all, this case involved the Qin family’s wrongful accusation. Now that those involved were dead and the killer was dead, further investigation would yield little against Li Rong.
With Li Rong’s hint, Pei Wenxuan immediately grasped the key points. The two hurried to Qin Zhenzhen’s gravesite, located halfway up the mountain. Unable to ride their horses up, Pei Wenxuan supported Li Rong as they trudged through the snow, climbing all the way to the grave. From a distance, they saw someone by Qin Zhenzhen’s tomb, seemingly prying open the coffin. Li Rong rushed forward and shouted, "Xun Chuan!"
The blood-soaked figure, panting heavily, struggled to lift her head at Li Rong’s call.
In the darkness, Li Rong stared in shock at the bloodstained person. The guards behind her hesitated, too afraid to approach. Pei Wenxuan held Li Rong steady, but she pushed him aside and rushed forward, demanding, "What are you doing?"
"I’ve caused trouble for Your Highness, and I’ll resolve it for you," Xun Chuan said, gripping her sword as she knelt on one knee before Li Rong, her voice low. "I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness."
"Resolve it?" Li Rong laughed in anger. "How will you resolve it? By lying in a coffin and pretending you’re dead?!"
"Zhenzhen killed a court official. If she doesn’t die today, the investigation will inevitably lead to Your Highness. Once Zhenzhen enters the coffin, I hope Your Highness will help seal it."
Li Rong remained silent, her gaze fixed on the young woman before her.
"You’re going to die right in front of me," Li Rong clenched her fists. "What kind of position does that put me in?"
"You are the Left Commissioner of my Supervisory Department. Your life and death are not yours to decide!"
Li Rong’s voice thundered. Xun Chuan was taken aback, looking up at Li Rong. Li Rong took a deep breath and turned away. "Where is the female corpse from earlier?"
"Your Highness," Xun Chuan frowned. "The coroner will find out."
"Bury it back first."
Ignoring her, Li Rong glanced at the female corpse still lying nearby, then turned to Pei Wenxuan. "How many coroners are there in the Ministry of Justice now?"
"Fifteen," Pei Wenxuan replied, walking to the coffin and lowering his voice. "There’s no need to worry about this. I’ll handle the arrangements."
Li Rong acknowledged with a sound. She turned back, looking at Qin Zhenzhen, covered in blood. After a long silence, she simply said, "Let’s go back.""Your Highness," Xun Chuan gritted his teeth, "it's not worth it."
"I don't care about worth," Li Rong said coldly. "If you shouldn't die, then you won't die."
After speaking, Li Rong turned away and said sharply, "Finish up quickly, let's go."
"Your Highness!" Xun Chuan stood up, raising his voice. "I should have died long ago! You are a princess, a chess player. You walk on thin ice with every step, you can't afford to have any more weaknesses because of me."
Li Rong remained silent, standing quietly. Xun Chuan watched her back and said softly, "You should weigh the pros and cons. The Qin family was just a move in your plan to establish the Supervisory Department and win over the Shangguan family. Why are you so stubborn about this?!"
"Then why are you so stubborn about dying?!"
Li Rong turned her head, staring at Xun Chuan. "I treat you like a chess piece, so why do you still care about me?!"
"Because Your Highness saved me. I cannot be ungrateful."
Xun Chuan looked calmly at Li Rong. "No matter what Your Highness's intentions were, you saved me and the Qin family. That is a fact."
Li Rong said nothing. Nearby, the guards finished burying the bodies. Pei Wenxuan said quietly, "Let's go first. Don't argue here. I'll talk to her."
Hearing Pei Wenxuan's words, Li Rong took a deep breath, turned away, and began walking down the mountain.
Pei Wenxuan stood before Xun Chuan, his hands tucked into his sleeves, speaking slowly. "Her Highness is not a chess player, and you are not a chess piece. Xun Chuan, if you die, Her Highness will be heartbroken."
Xun Chuan was slightly taken aback. Pei Wenxuan smiled faintly. "Her heart is very soft."
After saying this, Pei Wenxuan signaled for someone to come and help Xun Chuan.
Li Rong walked ahead with a cold expression. The snow was deep, and she stumbled along the path they had come from.
Pei Wenxuan strode after her and caught her just as she was about to fall. Li Rong shook off his hand and said coldly, "I don't need your help."
Pei Wenxuan smiled, walked ahead of her, and half-crouched. "Then let me carry you on my back, Your Highness."
"Are my legs broken? Do I need you to carry me?"
"I want to carry you, Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan said, still crouching. "I beg Your Highness to grant me this favor. Will you?"
Hearing this, Li Rong's expression softened slightly. Pei Wenxuan urged, "Hurry, or your shoes will get soaked."
At these words, Li Rong finally climbed reluctantly onto Pei Wenxuan's back. He carried her as they descended the mountain with the others. Leaning against his back, Li Rong suddenly felt a wave of sadness.
"Don't take what Xun Chuan said to heart."
He spoke gently. "You don't treat anyone as a chess piece. I know that."
"I'm not bothered by that," Li Rong said softly. "I'm just angry."
Pei Wenxuan remained silent. Li Rong rested her head on his back, her eyes downcast. "I feel incompetent. Deep down, I know that even if the case were handed to me, I couldn't give the Qin family justice. Why is justice so hard to achieve?"
Listening to Li Rong's words, Pei Wenxuan said nothing. Li Rong wrapped her arms around him and said hoarsely, "I feel disgusted—disgusted with myself, with everyone. No one is entirely evil, yet everyone has done terrible things. They can't be killed, but they can't be left alone either."
"It's not that people are inherently bad," Pei Wenxuan said calmly. "It's that koi cannot survive in muddy waters. If a system cannot restrain power, even the best people can easily commit evil."
"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan smiled, "you are already very, very good."Li Rong did not speak. She held onto Pei Wenxuan as he carried her on his back through the snow.
"In my past life, I handled many corruption cases involving commoners," Li Rong said hoarsely. "But I never felt this distressed."
"I don’t feel incompetent, nor do I feel trapped. So why does it feel so difficult this time?"
Pei Wenxuan remained silent, understanding her meaning.
In her past life, Li Ming and Li Chuan, along with him, had shouldered the burdens Li Rong now carried. All she saw was a prosperous age.
"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan spoke softly, "the hardest thing for a person is never facing an enemy."
"It is facing oneself. What Your Highness is doing now is tracing the root of the matter. The process may be painful, but at least it won’t be like the past life, where you lived in confusion."
"Moreover, Your Highness need not worry."
Pei Wenxuan smiled. "This time, Your Highness is not walking alone. I am here with you."
Li Rong did not respond, leaning against him.
For a moment, she found herself unexpectedly drawn to the gentleness Pei Wenxuan offered.
Resting on his back, she felt as though she had found a silent source of support.
Pei Wenxuan carried her down the mountain. He and Li Rong shared a carriage, leaving the horse for Qin Zhenzhen, and the group escorted her back.
They did not bring Qin Zhenzhen into the residence. Instead, Li Rong summoned Shangguan Ya and directly handed Qin Zhenzhen over to her. Shangguan Ya had Qin Zhenzhen disguise herself before taking her back to the Shangguan residence.
After dealing with Qin Zhenzhen, Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan returned to their residence. As soon as they arrived, Jing Lan approached and said, "Your Highness, the Eastern Palace has sent a message inquiring about Miss Qin’s situation. They ask if we need to bribe the coroner."
"Tell the Eastern Palace that the person in the coffin is not Qin Zhenzhen. Have them find a way with the coroner."
Li Rong waved her hand, dismissing Jing Lan to deliver the message. After Jing Lan left, Li Rong returned to her room with a headache, sitting on the small couch and pressing her hand to her forehead.
Pei Wenxuan entered with a smile, removed his outer robe, washed his hands, and said softly, "After all this commotion, does Your Highness truly have no solution?"
"That corpse is not Qin Zhenzhen. I previously found a similar one and placed it inside, carefully disguising it. Qin Zhenzhen is missing a tooth, so I knocked one out. Every bone was matched to Qin Zhenzhen’s, just in case someone opened the coffin later."
"Then what is Your Highness worried about now?" Pei Wenxuan sat beside Li Rong. She shook her head. "This method might work for an ordinary coroner, but if the palace demands a strict investigation, they’ll likely perform a Blood-Dropping Corpse Examination. Once Qin Lin arrives and conducts it in person, there’s no escaping it."
Pei Wenxuan listened, smiling as he sipped his tea without speaking. After a moment, Li Rong looked up at him, frowning. "What are you smiling at? Are you laughing at me?"
"Your Highness misunderstands. How would I dare?"
As he spoke, Pei Wenxuan raised his hand, turning his palm upward and presenting it to Li Rong.
Li Rong frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Can Your Highness see the wound here?"
"I don’t feel sorry for you," Li Rong waved her hand. "Don’t joke around now."
"No," Pei Wenxuan said, amused and exasperated. "I wanted to tell you that I just tried the Blood-Dropping Corpse Examination you mentioned."
Li Rong turned back, surprised. "You tried it?"
"Yes, I dripped my blood onto the bones," Pei Wenxuan said seriously. "It merged."Li Rong widened her eyes: "That person is your long-lost sister?"
Pei Wenxuan: "..."
"No," Pei Wenxuan, seeing that he couldn't get through to her, said directly, "Have you never doubted that the Blood-Dropping Kinship Test... might be unreasonable?"
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