Uроn hеаring Рei Wenхuаn's sоft "mm," Li Rоng knеw he was plеаsed. She linkеd arms with him as thеу wаlkеd fоrwаrd, and onlу after they boardеd thе cаrriagе did Реi Wеnxuаn rеmеmbеr tо ask, "Еarlier, yоu sеemеd somewhat dоwncast. Did уou saу sоmеthing tо thе Сrоwn Princе?"
"Сhuan'еr hаs dеcidеd to sеlеct a соnsort." Li Rоng sighed. "Actuаlly, this should be а gооd thing. It's best if hе can cоmе tо terms with it, but fоr sоmе rеаsоn, I still feеl а bit upsеt inside."
"Whу is Your Highnеss upsеt?"
Аs Рei Wеnхuаn рoured teа for Li Rong, she remainеd silent for a mоment befоre smiling fаintlу. "It's nothing, rеally. With things as they are now, everyone can rest easy—it couldn't be better. After all, he is the Crown Prince," she said, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze with a smile. "Isn't he?"
Pei Wenxuan didn't respond, seemingly unwilling to touch on the topic. He pushed the poured tea toward Li Rong and simply said, "Your Highness, have some tea to ease the effects of the wine."
Li Rong looked up at Pei Wenxuan's somewhat distant expression under the candlelight. She hesitated for a moment but ultimately said nothing.
The New Year holiday passed quickly. After spending a few days at home, the entire court resumed its operations. On her first day back at the Supervisory Department, Li Rong heard that the exiled convicts were about to leave the city. After a moment's thought, she suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Shangguan Ya, "Was Lin Feibai sentenced to military exile?"
"Yes."
Shangguan Ya nodded, looking somewhat puzzled. "Why do you suddenly think of this?"
"Let's go," Li Rong said, standing up with a smile. "Let's go see him."
Shangguan Ya was surprised by Li Rong's idea. Following her out, she hurriedly asked, "Why does Your Highness want to see him?"
"He's a talent," Li Rong explained. "It would be a shame not to see him off."
The two left and boarded a carriage, arriving at the city gate shortly after.
By then, a line of prisoners had already gathered at the city gate. Dressed in white prison uniforms, wearing heavy shackles and wooden cuffs around their necks, they were bidding farewell to their families.
The area before the gate was filled with weeping, but Lin Feibai stood calmly among the crowd, appearing detached from his surroundings.
Li Rong and Shangguan Ya walked up to Lin Feibai. Li Rong greeted him with a smile, "Young Master Lin."
Lin Feibai acknowledged her with a nod but said nothing more. Li Rong glanced at the restraints on him, then turned to Shangguan Ya and instructed, "Go and make arrangements with the guards escorting them. They should be treated with due respect—don't burden Young Master Lin with so many restraints."
Shangguan Ya bowed and stepped back. Li Rong turned to look at Lin Feibai, whose expression remained unchanged. After sizing him up, Li Rong asked, "Judging by your demeanor, Young Master Lin, has the Seven Stars Hall already made preparations for the journey?"
"What?" Hearing Li Rong mention the Seven Stars Hall, Lin Feibai finally showed a flicker of emotion on his face. "Does Your Highness believe that to eradicate weeds, one must remove the roots, and have you come specifically to remove Lin as the root?"
"Young Master Lin is mistaken. I came to offer you a path," Li Rong said gently, tapping her folding fan. "Have you ever considered becoming an official?"
Lin Feibai frowned. Li Rong continued to analyze for him, "If the Seven Stars Hall rescues you by breaking you out of custody this time, it will inevitably alarm the court. Given my father's temperament, an organization like yours—first involved in assassination and now in a prison break—he is unlikely to let you off.""So what are you trying to say?" Lin Feibai stared at Li Rong. Li Rong smiled, "I just want to know, since both involve killing and risking one's life, would you be willing to fight on the battlefield, Young Master Lin?"
"This time, Young Master Lin is being sent to serve in the military."
Li Rong turned to look into the distance. "Military service is different from exile. Both are in remote areas, but those exiled have no future, while those serving in the military can redeem themselves through military achievements and even hold important positions. If you're willing, I can cooperate with you. As long as you accomplish even a small feat, I will petition His Majesty to have your name entered into the Xie family register, transforming you from a criminal into a commoner. That way, you can establish a career on the battlefield."
"Will you wander the world, constantly on the run, or will you enter a noble family's register, trade your life for a future, and strive for a high official position?" Li Rong leaned forward slightly. "Think it over, Young Master Lin."
In truth, there was no choice to make, nor was one needed.
Lin Feibai looked at Li Rong, frowning, his gaze tinged with confusion. "You dare trust me?"
After all, he had broken his word more than once. Last time, he promised to work with her from the inside to deal with Xie Lanqing, only to turn around and join Xie Lanqing against her.
Li Rong laughed. "Whether I can trust you or not, I understand clearly. Before, you were bound by your mother's dying wish. Now, I believe you will make the choice that best suits you."
"My choice?" Lin Feibai sneered. "You sentenced me to military service and call it a choice? What kind of good person are you pretending to be now?"
"Young Master Lin is overthinking this," Li Rong said, stroking the fan in her hand. "You tried to kill me and framed me. Sending you to serve in the military is already an act of magnanimity on my part. Now, I'm even offering you a path forward. Shouldn't you be grateful?"
"Young Master Lin has taken many lives. Matters of gratitude and grudges, I imagine, are something you can see through. We are not enemies—you didn't try to kill me out of hatred, and I didn't sentence you out of disgust. Since that's the case, and I can now offer you benefits, why not become friends?"
After Li Rong finished speaking, Lin Feibai said nothing more. He was no fool. After a moment of thought, he agreed, saying only, "I will follow Your Highness's orders."
As the two spoke, Shangguan Ya approached and said to Li Rong, "Everything is arranged. They're still at the gate, so it's not a good time to act. Once they've traveled farther and left the Huajing area, they will remove his shackles."
Shangguan Ya then turned to Lin Feibai. "Traitor Lin, aren't you going to thank Her Highness?"
"If I thank her, it's not thanking you," Lin Feibai replied directly, glancing lightly at Shangguan Ya. "What does it have to do with you?"
"You're like a dog biting Lü Dongbin—ungrateful," Shangguan Ya said angrily, raising her hand. "Give me back my leaf cards."
"The southwest is poor and boring," Lin Feibai said leisurely. "I'm keeping them."
As he finished speaking, the escorting officer approached Li Rong and said with an apologetic smile, "Your Highness, it's time for this young master to set off. Perhaps you can continue your conversation another day."
His words were polite. Li Rong nodded, had Shangguan Ya reward him with silver, and handed Lin Feibai a jade pendant engraved with the character "Ping," saying, "Write to me often in the future."
After saying this, Li Rong led Shangguan Ya back toward the city.
Just after entering the city, a servant approached Li Rong and said, "Your Highness, the Imperial Son-in-Law says he cannot return today and asks you to dine alone.""What's the matter with him?"
Li Rong found it strange. Pei Wenxuan rarely missed meals at home, so why wasn’t he returning for dinner today?
"The Imperial Son-in-Law said he is hosting a banquet for some officials."
Hearing this, Li Rong frowned. However, she couldn’t make a scene in front of others, so she suppressed her displeasure, planning to question Pei Wenxuan about it later.
Shangguan Ya, who had been observing Li Rong’s expression, nudged her with her shoulder as soon as the attendant left. "The Imperial Son-in-Law isn’t keeping you company for dinner—feeling unhappy?"
"Of course not," Li Rong replied, shifting her gaze from the departing attendant. "I was just wondering why he’s hosting a banquet for others."
"In February, the Ministry of Personnel will finalize the performance evaluations, and in March, the personnel transfer list will be announced—though the list is actually decided in February," Shangguan Ya explained fluently, well-versed in such matters. "Officials seeking transfers are currently making the rounds everywhere. The Imperial Son-in-Law hosting a banquet now likely means he’s aiming for a transfer."
As she spoke, Shangguan Ya suddenly remembered, "He’s been in the position of Supervisory Censor for a while now, hasn’t he? As your Imperial Son-in-Law, he should have been promoted in rank and position after marrying you. Plus, he’s handled several cases with you. By all accounts, he should have been promoted already—why hasn’t he moved?"
"The role of censor holds real authority," Li Rong clarified for Shangguan Ya. "Though the rank isn’t high, it’s far more important than those with empty titles. If he’s seeking a transfer, it must be to another position with real authority. Such positions aren’t easy to secure. My father is likely holding him back deliberately," Li Rong made a pressing gesture with her hands, "so that when he finally springs back, he’ll bounce even higher."
"In that case," Shangguan Ya pondered, "the Imperial Son-in-Law’s promotion is almost certain. So what’s he still busy with now?"
Li Rong crossed her arms, contemplating Shangguan Ya’s words. "Perhaps someone is giving him a hard time."
When it comes to promotions, if you’re forcibly placed somewhere, others have plenty of ways to make things difficult for you. If Pei Wenxuan intends to hold a position with real authority, he needs his own faction.
"Perhaps someone is giving him a hard time."
Li Rong murmured the words aloud. Shangguan Ya glanced at her and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Li Rong looked up, puzzled. "What are you laughing at?"
"Your Highness," Shangguan Ya winked at her, "are you and the Imperial Son-in-Law getting along quite well these days?"
Hearing Shangguan Ya’s question, Li Rong looked around at the bustling street as they walked. "Thanks to you, I suppose there’s been a change."
"When are you planning to have children?"
As they strolled down the street, Li Rong gazed at the spinning rattle drums by the roadside. Shangguan Ya’s question caught her off guard, leaving her momentarily dazed.
She had never had children in her lifetime—she didn’t want them when she was young, later she didn’t dare, and in the end, she couldn’t.
To her, children were like an expensive luxury, something distant and talked about by others. Except for the first year of her marriage, she had never even considered having them.
Now, as Shangguan Ya brought it up again, she suddenly realized that everything she had found difficult to attain in her previous life, including children, now seemed within reach—if she just stretched a little further.
Li Rong began to seriously consider the question. Seeing her silent, Shangguan Ya continued, "What, haven’t thought about it?"
"Let me tell you the truth," Li Rong glanced around, leaned closer to Shangguan Ya, and lowered her voice. "We haven’t consummated the marriage yet."Shangguan Ya widened her eyes, momentarily shocked, but after thinking for a moment, she steadied herself and said calmly, "Your Highness, if there are any issues, you can talk to me more about them."
"Actually, there aren't really any issues," Li Rong frowned, analyzing seriously, "I don't really mind, it's just that Pei Wenxuan, he..."
"He can't?" Shangguan Ya exclaimed in shock, and Li Rong quickly explained, "No, he's physically fine."
"Then?" Shangguan Ya showed a puzzled expression.
They had been married for over half a year, he was physically fine, she was willing, their relationship was harmonious, and yet he could remain unmoved—what kind of reincarnation of Liu Xiahui was this?
"That's what he told me," Li Rong said truthfully, "He thinks feelings should take time, and he wants to take things step by step with me."
"I understand," Shangguan Ya nodded, showing a knowing expression. "Your Highness, I know this matter very well."
"You know?" Li Rong was somewhat surprised. She looked back at Shangguan Ya. How could Shangguan Ya understand something that she, an old woman who had lived most of her life, didn't?
"I know," Shangguan Ya said with unusual seriousness. "The steps in your relationship as husband and wife haven't been properly aligned yet."
"Tell me more," Li Rong began to take an interest in Shangguan Ya's thoughts. As they walked side by side, Shangguan Ya spoke like a fortune teller, "Your Highness, in your relationship, doesn't the Imperial Son-in-Law usually try to please you?"
"Yes," Li Rong admitted frankly. "He usually accommodates me."
"And what have you given him, or deliberately done to make him happy?"
"Nothing..."
As she said it, Li Rong felt inexplicably guilty. Shangguan Ya began to analyze for Li Rong: "So you see, the Imperial Son-in-Law has hinted quite clearly. He thinks feelings should take time step by step. Why haven't you slept together yet? Because you haven't reached that step. Your Highness, you're willing, which means the Imperial Son-in-Law's steps have progressed on your end. But if you stay still and don't move forward, he won't feel it's appropriate."
Li Rong tapped her fan against her palm as she listened to Shangguan Ya continue: "So, if you want to sleep with him, don't be too reserved. Take the initiative, attack, break into his heart, and then you can manipulate him as you please."
As she spoke, Shangguan Ya made a gesture of clenching her fingers one by one into a fist.
Li Rong frowned. Although she didn't entirely agree with Shangguan Ya's theory—for example, she felt that Pei Wenxuan's "unwillingness" more likely stemmed from his belief that their feelings weren't truly matched deep down—there was one thing she did care about.
She cared about what Pei Wenxuan had said that day: she had never coaxed him.
So if she just coaxed him a little, he would forgive everything.
She didn't actually want that. Somehow, she just wished Pei Wenxuan could be more unrestrained in front of her.
She had asked him to wait for her, but she couldn't just coax him into staying put and then do nothing.
Thinking this, Li Rong made up her mind: "You're right, I should treat him better."
With that, Li Rong resolved: "I have to take care of this transfer matter for him!"
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