Chapter 20.2: Untitled

“Li Rong, if you are willing to be wholeheartedly devoted to me, I can even give you my life.”

Everyone bowed and kowtowed in salute, respectfully sending Li Ming off. Once Li Ming left, Li Rong stood up. She glanced at Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing beside her and said with a smile: “Currently, Bengong intends to go and search the Yang residence. What do the two of you have in mind?”

“This humble official will follow all of Your Highness’s arrangements.” Pei Wenxuan said respectfully. Su Rongqing softly smiled, “As will this humble official.”

Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan and then at Su Rongqing. For the first time in so many years, the two of them could be seen smiling and standing together in such a harmonious way. Li Rong didn’t know why a strange guilty conscience suddenly formed at the bottom of her heart. She coughed discreetly and walked on ahead: “Things should not be delayed, let’s go.”

Li Rong quickly increased the distance between them. Su Rongqing and Pei Wenxuan followed after Li Rong. Li Rong couldn’t figure out why her heart was beating so fast.

The three of them walked out of the palace together. After boarding the carriage, Li Rong pulled Jing Lan and Jing Mei up into the carriage with her and told Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing: “Bengong will leave first, and the two of you will follow.”

With that said, Li Rong got into the carriage. After giving the order to send the soldiers in the Princess’s mansion to the Yang family’s doors, she quickly dropped the carriage curtain. Using her small fan, she rapidly fanned herself with a sense of urgency, looking as if she had been suffering in silence for some time.

“What’s wrong, Princess?”

Jing Mei saw Li Rong in such a state and couldn’t help but smile as she made tea for Li Rong: “Why does the Princess look like this?”

Li Rong shook her head and picked up the cup of tea from the side. After some time, she blurted it all out in one breath: “I suddenly have some admiration for those men with three wives and four concubines.”

“Why does the Princess say that?” Jing Mei was confused. Li Rong had the tone of someone who had lived through calamity and gained a new lease on life as she sighed: “My heart was beating too fast, I just couldn’t bear it.”

In her previous life, there was a point in time in which she considered raising plenty of male companions. It wasn’t as if she had never thought about it. It would be best if they looked like Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing, and after all, being able to hold on the left and another to embrace on the right every day could be considered a joy in life.

Until today when she suddenly realized that sometimes having too many people by one’s side might not equate to happiness.

At least at this moment, she only felt scared, flustered and guilty. There wasn’t even the slightest bit of joy.

While Li Rong’s emotions rose and fell like turbulent waves, Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing were exceptionally calm. The two shared a carriage, and with nothing to do, they started playing Go.

“The marriage between gongzi and the Princess must have presumably been decided.”

Su Rongqing twirled the playing piece, and his tone of voice was flat: “There was reportedly quite a commotion in the palace last night.”

“Su daren happens to be awfully concerned about the Princess’s marriage.”

“Who in Huajing is not intrigued?” Su Rongqing smiled, “Pei daren is currently the most hotly debated character in the Capital.”

“What is hotly debated? Is it whether or not I will be able to marry the esteemed princess?” Pei Wenxuan said. The playing piece was lowered and placed on the Go board with a “patter,” and he brought his eyes up to look at Su Rongqing, “Then I will be blunt and tell Su gongzi something.”

“I will certainly marry Her Highness the Princess.”

Su Rongqing laughed and lightly tapped his fan against the palm of his hand: “So that is how it is, but this humble Su is a little curious,” Su Rongqing simultaneously set down a playing piece as he asked, “How does Pei daren feel about the Princess?”

“Very good.” Pei Wenxuan said calmly, “Has a talent for speaking.”

As Pei Wenxuan spoke, another set of words appeared in his mind——sharp teeth, clever mouth.1

“A very understanding person when it comes to others’ feelings.”

Always able to step on the most vulnerable parts of his heart.

“She’s a wonderful young lady.”

[1] Sharp teeth, clever mouth — slightly derogatory way to describe someone who speaks eloquently to leverage themselves for personal gain.

Pei Wenxuan suddenly felt like he never wanted to say another word after complimenting Li Rong. He felt that he had exhausted all of his strength to just utter these words.

Su Rongqing heard Pei Wenxuan’s words and nodded before mildly saying: “But this humble one heard that Pei daren previously had a betrothed as well, engaged since childhood, Pei daren and that young lady…”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan coldly raised his eyes and looked straight at Su Rongqing. Su Rongqing saw the look in his eyes and knew that it was Pei Wenxuan’s warning to him. He nodded and said: “Understood. Some people are just like the bright moon, simply beyond reach.”

“Su daren should mention Her Highness less,” Pei Wenxuan said lightly, “Otherwise, I may or may not be able to figure out who Su daren’s bright moon is.”

“I’m just joking.” Su Rongqing waved his fan, “Let’s keep playing Go.”

The two of them kept playing Go, but the playing pieces ended up in a great mess. Pei Wenxuan lost interest and bluntly said: “Su gongzi, this humble one is very sleepy and will lie down and sleep for a while, so I cannot keep you company.”

Su Rongqing smiled and mildly said, “Please go ahead.”

Pei Wenxuan gave a monosyllabic response and leaned to the side. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Note on Monosyllabic Response

Before falling asleep, he didn’t know why but the image of Li Rong this morning came to mind. She stood beside him and let him lean on her, but she could still stand firmly. Obviously with her slender body, it seemed as if she could be blown away by a single gust of wind, yet somehow, she managed to stand steady.

Pei Wenxuan’s thoughts were all over the place. He wasn’t even aware that his lips had curved into a soft smile.

When Pei Wenxuan woke up, he had arrived at the Yang residence. Li Rong had already sent people to surround the Yang residence in advance. When he stepped out of the carriage, he saw the soldiers of the Yang residence and imperial guards confronting one another.

The doors of the Yang residence were closed shut, and none of the guards on either side dared to make a move. Li Rong walked over to the imperial guards’ side. The head of the imperial guards, Jiang Ping, came forward and respectfully said: “Princess.”

“Where are the members of the Yang clan?”

“They are all inside and refuse to come out. This subordinate did not dare to make a move before the Princess had arrived.”

Li Rong nodded. She looked at the doors to the Yang clan’s residence and folded the fan across her chest, lightly tapping her arm with the fan, but she didn’t speak. Su Rongqing and Pei Wenxuan walked over, and Su Rongqing was rather suspicious as he asked: “Your Highness, why has the Yang clan locked their doors?”

“Oh,” Li rong thought for a moment, “Perhaps they don’t dare to do otherwise.”

Having said that, Li Rong turned her head towards Pei Wenxuan and waved him over. Pei Wenxuan came forward and respectfully said: “Your Highness.”

“You tell me, I want to reason with the Yang clan, will I be able to win?”

“Cannot win.” Pei Wenxuan said decisively, “There is a social hierarchy in the imperial court, so Your Highness can win. However, at the present, the Yang clan is still a formerly large and influential clan. The onlookers are all common people, not to mention that the Yang clan has a great reputation among the common people. If there is no sufficient evidence and we forcibly search the residence, it might go down in infamy.”

“En.” Pei Wenxuan said that she couldn’t win, so Li Rong would no longer try and fight them.

She thought for a bit and then said to Jiang Ping beside her: “Jiang Ping, keep an eye on the Yang clan. If they don’t want to come out, then don’t let them come out.”

Jiang Ping responded and heeded the order. Li Rong took a look around, examining the current situation, and then she said to Su Rongqing: “Su daren, with the current situation, it would not be appropriate to search the residence. I want to borrow some account books from the Ministry of War. Will Su daren be able to lend a hand?”

“This one will follow Your Highness’s instructions.” Su Rongqing said respectfully. Li Rong nodded and proceeded to say, “Then I must trouble Su daren to go to the Ministry of War and arrange for it first. If the Ministry of War is willing to let the account books be checked, then Bengong will head over.”

Su Rongqing answered with a “yes,” and Li Rong turned back to look at Pei Wenxuan: “Pei daren.”

“This official is here.”

“Pei daren did not bring a carriage, so Bengong will send you off for a part of your journey.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Pei Wenxuan saluted her to express his gratitude and then followed Li Rong’s arrangements and got onto Li Rong’s carriage. After Li Rong told Jiang Ping to treat the Yang clan members kindly, she lifted the carriage curtain and climbed on board.

The two sat on opposite sides, and once again, the carriage set off. Jing Lan and Jing Mei didn’t come into the carriage. Li Rong proceeded to pour tea for herself, and Pei Wenxuan directly asked: “Where are we going?”

“You don’t think I’m taking you home?”

Li Rong raised her eyebrows. Pei Wenxuan shook his head: “There was nothing gained from today. You can’t just go back like this.”

“Sure enough, someone who has known me for so many years truly understands me.” Li Rong picked up a cup of tea and blew on the green tea leaves to scatter them before slowly saying, “Do you remember Tuoba Yan?”

Pei Wenxun thought about it carefully and finally remembered: “Is that the owner of the money laundering business that you previously caught?”

“Yes.” Li Rong nodded. “This man travels between the Northwest and Huajing all year round, and his business is distributed across several countries. He does business on surface when in reality he makes a living from money laundering. The nobility in Huajing have had many dealings with him.”

“Including the Yang clan.”

Pei Wenxuan said affirmatively. Li Rong replied: “Although the Yang clan died at the hands of my Father Emperor back then, there was no conclusive evidence. Later on, I investigated Tuoba Yan on Chuan’er’s behalf and discovered all of the Yang clan’s activities. This Tuoba Yan can go around various countries unharmed, but it’s not just because he has a talent for business. Most importantly, he has a life-saving talisman——”

As she spoke, Li Rong leaned in towards Pei Wenxuan and whispered, “The account books.”

“So that’s why you’re not in a hurry to check the Ministry of War’s account books.” Pei Wenxuan knew it. Li Rong let out a derisive laugh, “What use is there in checking the Ministry of War and Yang family’s account books? There is someone to check it year after year, so how can they be genuine? Moreover, if we don’t have sufficient evidence, with those old foxes in the Ministry of War, who would dare give you the account books? We are no longer who we used to be, receiving a hundred responses with a single order. At the present, no one in the court dares to welcome us. The two of us only have each other, and only we can help one another.”

Hearing Li Rong’s words, Pei Wenxuan analyzed the situation: “We get the money laundering account books from Tuoba Yan’s hands and compare them with the Northwestern Garrison account books as well as the Yang clan’s account books. After comparing, we can more or less figure out how the money flowed in and out of the accounts, and the Yang family’s crime of stuffing public funds into their own pockets will almost be set in stone.”

Li Rong gave a hum of agreement and then said: “Now that we have surrounded the Yang residence, they will definitely ask for help from the border station. Perhaps when General Yang receives urgent news from home, he will do something to quickly put pressure on His Majesty at once. If they all resign from their posts and abandon the cities, perhaps the civil and military officials in the imperial court will all force us to appease the Yang family and beg the Yang family to fight well.”

“Let the Crown Prince take over this matter when the time comes.” Pei Wenxuan said calmly, as if everything seemed to be within his expectations and plans, “Let’s invite Qin Lin and Cui Qinghe down the mountain to follow the Crown Prince to the front lines. They only need to stay on the front lines for half a month. By then, the weapons that the Rong State possess will have been significantly reduced, and then it will be time for the Crown Prince to make his contributions.”

Qin Lin and Cui Qinghe were the most powerful generals under Li Chuan in the previous life, one in civil affairs, the other in military affairs. Under Li Chuan’s reign, they almost quelled the entire northern frontier.

Qin Lin was Qin Zhenzhen’s elder brother, and Cui Qinghe was Qin Lin’s good friend.

Cui Qinghe did not have a father, but it was rumored that he was the lost bloodline of the eldest gongzi of Huajing’s large and influential Cui clan. Because his mother was only a songstress, even though he later became a famous name in Great Xia with a high post and generous salary, he was still abandoned by the Cui clan and never recorded into the family genealogy.

If they could be invited down the mountain ahead of time, with these two individuals’ skill, combined with the Shangguan clan and Li Chuan, as well as the information that Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan knew about the future, capturing the remnants of the Yang clan’s party in the Northwest should not be a problem.

Li Rong nodded and replied: “When Chuan’er has the Yang clan under control, he can give us the accounts from the Northwest. As long as the accounts match up with one another, the Yang clan will completely cease to exist. Now, the first step for us is still to obtain these money laundering records. With these records, we will have a reason to further detain them once the Yang clan is under control.”

“Alright,” Pei Wenxuan nodded, then he looked at the people coming and going outside the window and asked a little suspiciously, “So we are now…?”

“On the tenth of every month, Tuoba Yan will hold a private gathering at his villa and invite wealthy merchants from various countries.”

With that being said, Li Rong reminded Pei Wenxuan: “Today is the tenth.”

“You want to go?”

Pei Wenxuan asked in surprise. Li Rong nodded: “I know where he keeps his account books, so I have to go there and get them.”

“With these kinds of things,” Pei Wenxuan frowned: “You can just leave them up to the shadow guards. You are a golden branch with jade leaves, I’m afraid this would not be appropriate.”

“How would I not know my worth?”

Li Rong gave Pei Wenxuan a glance and then said: “His room is equipped with a security mechanism. To open the door, you must turn the handle with the right push buttons, but the push buttons are in Persian. Between you and my shadow guards, where would I find someone who knows Persian?”

Pei Wenxuan choked back on his words, then he could only helplessly say: “Alright…”

“What?” Li Rong laughed and spread the fan open to cover half of her face, “Are you worried about me since I’m going?”

“I’m worried about myself.” Pei Wenxuan glanced at her and quickly said, “If something happens to you, can I still keep my life?”

“It’s good that you have the right idea,” Li Rong nodded. She poked him in the chest with her fan and teasingly said, “From now on, Pei daren should remember it well. In the future, I, Princess Ping Le, will be your life.”

Pei Wenxuan’s heart couldn’t help but beat faster when he heard this.

He subtly moved back and impatiently said: “You stay away from me. Don’t give me this kind of nonsense.”

Li Rong knew that he didn’t like it when she teased him like this, so her smile brightened. Pei Wenxuan saw her making trouble and ignored her. He only said: “How do we get into his private party?”

“You don’t need to worry about this. I have sent someone to get an invitation. We will change our clothes later, put on a small act and go in.”

“En.” Pei Wenxuan nodded. He thought of Li Rong’s ways of handling affairs and felt that there was nothing to worry about, so he relaxed a little and told Li Rong: “Then I’ll sleep for a while. You can wake me up when we get there.”

“Very well.” Li Rong pulled a novel out from the side and leaned against the side of the carriage. She slowly said, “I will read my novel,2 and you can sleep on your part.”

Pei Wenxuan responded with a single sound and found a place to lie down.

[2] Huà běn (话本) — specifically novels written in vernacular, folk stories and stories written like how people would normally speak rather than classical literature; emerged in the Song dynasty.

Li Rong’s carriage was already quite comfortable, but the road was still a bit bumpy. Pei Wenxuan closed his eyes and smelled the veiled fragrance on Li Rong not too far away. For some reason, his sleepiness suddenly disappeared altogether, so he reopened his eyes.

Looking past the small table, he could see Li Rong’s red and white embroidered peony garments. Her garments had wide sleeves that emphasized Li Rong’s slender waist, though the fabric did not tightly hug her waist. It was even more distinct with the slightly undulating mountains above, exuding an enchanting kind of charm.

Pei Wenxuan was aware that this wasn’t proper and didn’t dare to look anymore. His gaze moved up again, and he saw Li Rong’s hands. Both hands seemed as if they had been flawlessly carved out of white jade, and her fingernails were tinted red. Just looking at it could stir people’s hearts.

Pei Wenxuan frowned. He thought to himself and realized that he hadn’t taken a good look at Li Rong for many years. Then, he remembered that Li Rong was a young lady who seemed to have been born with the looks of a bewitching evil spirit.

Unlike the other young ladies in Huajing who had a slender and elegant kind of beauty, Li Rong’s beauty had always been breathtaking and extravagantly flaunted, and her captivating charms could stir hearts. If this beauty belonged to other women, you might take a look and feel like it is no different from a painting and want to frame her and hang her up on the wall to look at every day.

But Li Rong was the complete opposite. Ordinary men would not even have the courage to catch a glimpse of her, let alone look directly at her. As for Pei Wenxuan, someone who dared to look up, whenever he brought his eyes up to look at this person, an inexplicable dullness would quickly appear in his heart.

No one would think of her as a painting that they would be content to observe from afar. They would only want to come closer, possess, hold this person in their arms, and make themselves the only one in her eyes.

Such a contradictory charm made this person dazzling yet lonely. Few men would dare to approach her or look directly at her, let alone accompany her.

Pei Wenxuan looked at her, and his thoughts momentarily drifted off to another place. Li Rong realized that Pei Wenxuan was still awake and turned a page before leisurely asking: “You can’t sleep?”

“En.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t feel embarrassed after being discovered and even justified himself: “I don’t know why I can’t sleep even though I’m tired.”

“How about I chat with you?”

Li Rong put down the novel and looked over at Pei Wenxuan.

Pei Wenxuan turned over to look at her and vigilantly said: “Do you have something you want to ask of me?”

“Indeed,” Li Rong dusted off her sleeves and adjusted her clothes before leaning against the small table. Her eyes curved up in a smile at Pei Wenxuan, “I just want to know. Why was Pei daren intent on killing Yang Quan?”

“Hm?”

“I was just thinking about it,” Li Rong solemnly said, “Actually, Pei daren didn’t necessarily have to kill Yang Quan in order to marry me. If it was just to marry me, Pei daren surely has other means as well. Now that Yang Quan is dead, either you die or the Yang family perishes. What is Pei daren trying to accomplish by doing this?”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t say anything, and Li Rong quietly waited until Pei Wenxuan slowly began to say: “Don’t you want military power?”

Li Rong raised her eyebrows, and Pei Wenxuan brought his eyes up to look at her: “If you want it, then I’ll give it to you, so what about it?”

Li Rong froze for a moment when she heard this. Then, she hesitated and said: “I don’t think the relationship between Pei daren and me has reached the point where I can accept such a grand gift.”

“This has nothing to do with the relationship between you and me,” Pei Wenxuan laughed in spite of himself. “I just don’t want to go through the hardships of the previous life again.”

As he spoke, Pei Wenxuan looked out the window and slowly said: “I don’t want the Yang family to linger and keep causing trouble, leading to a confrontation between the Emperor and the Yang family, and ultimately allowing the Rong State to profit and seize five cities. It wasn’t until I became the Left Prime Minister that this mess was cleaned up.”

“I don’t want the Crown Prince to be nearly deposed by His Majesty because he had no military power in his hands. Then I had to go see you in prison and listen as you say goodbye to me and tell me that if I must, I could personally behead you and bring back your head.”

“Since we can start over in this life, I think,” Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong with a solemn expression, “I will be able to live a better life.”

Li Rong didn’t speak and only opened the small fan in her hand. After some time, she let out a soft laugh and lowered her head as she softly said: “After all that has been said and done, Minister Pei is still paving the road for himself but said it was for my sake just now.3 After hearing that, it almost made Bengong…” Li Rong brought her eyes up to look at him, her eyes tender and charming in almost every single way, “I was almost moved.”

“Oh?” Pei Wenxuan looked up and seemed to be quite honored, “So this is enough to move Her Highness’s heart? Then please be moved, Your Highness.”

With that, Pei Wenxuan didn’t seem to mind other things and continued to tease her: “If Your Highness is moved by this humble official, then this humble official can at least guarantee that he will never kill Your Highness.”

Li Rong let out a derisive laugh when she heard this: “I’m afraid that if I want to take your life, you would still want me to be buried with you.”

Just like in the previous life, when he learned that she wanted to kill him, he immediately sent someone to give her poison. It was a pity that she had gone a step ahead of him, so she couldn’t drink the poison he personally gave her.

“Li Rong, let me tell you, I can make a bet with you,” Pei Wenxuan reclined against the small bed, propping his head up with one hand while the other hand rested on his legs as he looked at Li Rong in all seriousness, “If you are willing to be wholeheartedly devoted to me, I can even give you my life.”

“But… Your Imperial Highness the Grand Princess,” Pei Wenxuan leaned forward, closing in on Li Rong. The two were within close proximity to each other. Li Rong could even feel their breaths mingling, but there was not the slightest bit of charm or temptation in between. Pei Wenxuan’s eyes were clear as he looked at her and gently asked, “Have you ever been wholeheartedly devoted to anyone after all these years?”