Chapter 22: Rongrong

“Rongrong, shall we go back?”

Li Rong was in a trance for a moment when she heard this voice, but she reacted shortly after and realized it was actually Su Rongqing!

What was he doing here?

This question quickly appeared in Li Rong’s mind, but at the same time, she began to loosen up. Since it turned out to be Su Rongqing, there shouldn’t be any danger for the time being.

The two kept quiet. Outside, the pursuing guards rushed past them. Su Rongqing let go of Li Rong and took a step to retreat off to the side at once. He respectfully faced her in ceremony and said: “It was a critical situation, and this one committed an offense against Your Highness. May Your Highness forgive this one.”

Li Rong nodded and glanced around the room. This appeared to be a room reserved for guests, and Su Rongqing was different from how he usually was. With his tousled hair and the open neckline of his clothes, he resembled the people attending the banquet in the hall and seemed to have come here to rest after drinking.

Li Rong waved her fan and lamented to herself. She had given Su Rongqing the task to go to the Ministry of War to retrieve the account books on purpose. Before bringing up why Su Rongqing didn’t go to the Ministry of War and came here instead, it must be said that just based on Tuoba Yan’s way of doing things, Su Rongqing should not have had any dealings with him.

She didn’t know what to ask for a while, and as she pondered over her words, she heard Su Rongqing say: “Your Highness, this humble official was in the guest room earlier when he suddenly heard a commotion outside. Some servants said that a couple maids had been knocked unconscious. They feared that someone had infiltrated the villa, so they have been searching everywhere. That was when this humble official saw that they were chasing after Your Highness and guessed that Your Highness must have been the one who knocked the maids out. There are many high-profile individuals in Tuoba Yan’s villa tonight, so his subordinates will not dare to conduct a thorough search. How about Your Highness change into these clothes, and this humble official will escort Your Highness out of here. As for other matters, Your Highness can discuss them with this humble official along the way.”

Su Rongqing had made careful arrangements, so Li Rong didn’t hesitate and immediately said, “Alright.”

Su Rongqing turned around. He brought a Persian dancer’s outfit out at once and offered it to her, looking down as he respectfully said: “Once again, Your Highness will have to be wronged by having to change into this costume, so that this humble official will be able to lead Your Highness out of here.”

A half-face veil was part of a Persian dancer’s costume, so when Li Rong puts on these clothes, she will be able to freely leave with Su Rongqing. She wasn’t someone who was mindful of proper clothing, so she picked up the clothes and went behind the screen. Su Rongqing turned around, so his back was to her when he heard Li Rong quietly ask from behind the screen: “Why are you here?”

“This humble official guessed that the Ministry of War’s account books are now obsolete and wanted to find another way. Tuoba Yan has close ties with the nobles of Huajing, and it is rumored that most of the silver that cannot be brought out into the light in Huajing has passed through this person’s hands. In the past, when the Ministry of Justice was investigating another case, this humble official was ordered to approach Tuoba Yan, so there is a bit of acquaintance. Now, in order to check the Yang family’s account books, this humble official immediately thought of going to Tuoba Yan to try his luck and didn’t expect to run into Your Highness here.”

By the time Su Rongqing finished speaking, Li Rong had also finished changing her clothes. She put on the half-face veil and stepped out while calmly saying: “You are also quite dedicated.”

When Su Rongqing heard this, he turned around, prepared to say something when he looked up and froze in place.

Persian dancers’ costumes were very revealing. For a beautiful and coquettish woman like Li Rong, it brought out more of her beauty than the formal palace attire. The long skirt was paired with a cropped top and a beaded fringe that fell over her waist that swayed with Li Rong’s every movement, providing a glimpse of her waist from time to time, which made it difficult for one to tear their eyes away from.

“Su daren?” Li Rong saw that Su Rongqing was distracted and couldn’t help but say, “Aren’t we leaving?”

Su Rongqing heard her words and returned to his senses. He forced himself to look away and turned sideways before saying: “Your Highness, please.”

With that said, Su Rongqing opened the door and led Li Rong out.

While Li Rong was preoccupied with an urgent situation, Pei Wenxuan accompanied Tuoba Yan to admire the flowers in the courtyard.

Pei Wenxuan kept track of the time that Li Rong had been away and led Tuoba Yan to walk in the opposite direction of the rock garden. After walking for a while, Pei Wenxuan saw someone running over from a distance with a torch in hand. He knew that it couldn’t be good, but he happened to see a waterside pavilion up ahead. He spoke up with a tone of admiration: “The wind and moon are beautiful tonight, it’s just a pity that there’s no wine.”

“How could there not be wine in my courtyard?”

Tuoba Yan laughed. He pointed to the pavilion ahead and pulled Pei Wenxuan along, saying: “Let’s go, Young Brother. I’ll take you to the waterside pavilion for a drink.”

Tuoba Yan drank quite a bit of wine, so he was slightly staggering as he walked. Although Pei Wenxuan’s alcohol tolerance was fairly good, he was starting to feel unwell after drinking all night, but he pushed himself forward and followed Tuoba Yan into the pavilion.

There was indeed wine in the pavilion. Pei Wenxuan smiled and said, “How could all this wine be enough? Go,” He turned his head and told the servant nearby, “Go get some more wine. Elder Brother and I must drink to our heart’s content.”

The personal guard responded and went to get more wine. Pei Wenxuan knew that Li Rong didn’t have much time left, so he poured wine for Tuoba Yan and leisurely said: “Elder Brother’s alcohol tolerance must not be very high.”

“What did you say!” Tuoba Yan was rather dissatisfied when he heard this, “I have traveled all over the world, but few can outdrink me.”

“Then I will make a bet with my Elder Brother. I will have two drinks while Elder Brother will have one, so how about seeing who will be the first to fall?”

“You shouldn’t underestimate others,” Tuoba Yan picked up the pot of wine and almost filled his cup to the brim, then he finished it in one gulp. He poured a cup for Pei Wenxuan and knocked his fist on the table and loudly said, “Drink!”

Pei Wenxuan’s face didn’t change as he drank it all in one gulp as well.

The two drank a lot in a short amount of time. Pei Wenxuan felt as if the sky and earth had turned upside down within each and every one of his internal organs. His expression looked rather bad, but Tuoba Yan couldn’t hold up anymore after having three cups and had to lean against the railing of the waterside pavilion. Pei Wenxuan gave the guard beside him a meaningful glance and stood up, pretending to go over and help Tuoba Yan up. The guard understood Pei Wenxuan’s intentions, so the moment Pei Wenxuan got up, the guard rushed forward as if to support him and happened to subtly cut off Tuoba Yan’s guards’ line of sight and path.

Pei Wenxuan came up behind Tuoba Yan and seized the opportunity to push him. Tuoba Yan plunged straight into the lake, and Pei Wenxuan cried out in alarm: “Sixth Master!”

Chaos ensued all around them in an instant. Tuoba Yan’s guards quickly jumped into the water while Pei Wenxuan anxiously shouted: “Save him! Hurry up and save him!”

As he spoke, Pei Wenxuan found himself feeling somewhat unwell. He turned his head and clung onto a pillar in the pavilion with both hands and vomited.

His actions alarmed the steward who was standing not too far away. The steward hurried over and anxiously said, “How can the masters drink to this extent!”

After seeing Pei Wenxuan’s vomiting get even worse, he hastily said: “Quickly bring some fresh water over and help Master Wang to the guest room!”

Upon receiving these orders, the servants hurried over to give Pei Wenxuan water to rinse his mouth and fished Tuoba Yan out of the lake.

The steward saw that Pei Wenxuan had rinsed his mouth and unsteadily leaned against the attendant. He seemed quite tired, so the steward respectfully saluted him and said: “Our lord drank too much tonight and frightened Master Wang. May Master Wang be forgiving. If Master Wang does not mind, how about spending the night in the villa to rest and head back tomorrow?”

“No need.” Pei Wenxuan shook his head and waved his hand and said, “It’s getting late. This humble Wang has official business in the Capital city tomorrow morning and must trouble the steward to pass the word along to my Madam. I will go back to the carriage first and wait for my Madam to join me, then head home.”

By the time the two finished speaking, Tuoba Yan had been lifted ashore, and Pei Wenxuan hastily said: “Sir, please go and see how the Sixth Master is doing. I will not keep you busy here.”

The steward had never stopped worrying about Tuoba Yan in his heart, so he nodded and didn’t say anything else. Pei Wenxuan gave his guards a meaningful glance and took advantage of the chaos to walk out.

Not long after he left, when Pei Wenxuan crossed the promenade, a single figure suddenly darted out of the crowd and followed after Pei Wenxuan and the guards. She lowered her head and said in a low voice, “Daren, Her Highness and I split up and ran earlier. She went into the guest room over there.”

Pei Wenxuan had just vomited, so he was feeling a bit more sober, but he still had a throbbing headache. As for his internal organs, it felt as if the sky had been overturned and the seas had dried up. He resisted the discomfort and was just about to give orders when he saw Su Rongqing dressed in wide robes with a relaxed fit, holding a fan in hand as he held a female dancer in his arms. After exchanging some words with the guards on duty at the rear courtyard entrance, he smiled and walked out.

“Go.” Pei Wenxuan saw Su Rongqing and immediately followed him. An Xiang whispered, “Her Highness…”

“She’s fine.”

Pei Wenxuan hurried ahead, leading the guards to chase after Su Rongqing once he had left the rear courtyard.

The moment he arrived at the front courtyard, the atmosphere became lively and bustling with people all around. Pei Wenxuan vaguely saw Su Rongqing and Li Rong’s retreating figures disappear after making a turn around the corridor.

He had a splitting headache, but his footsteps did not slow down. On one hand, he maintained his posture, so that no one would discover that there was something wrong with him right now. On the other, he wanted to chase after the people in front of him.

Surroundings became flickering lights and passing shadows, overflowing with sounds of traditional instruments and songs. The dancers’ muslin skirts rose and fluttered in the wind, and the wind carried a fragrance that brushed past the occasional passerby’s cheeks. In the blink of an eye, Pei Wenxuan felt as if he was walking in a never ending dream. He was unable to distinguish between the real and fake in that period of time, but he was distinctly aware that the person beside Su Rongqing was Li Rong, and he needed to catch up and call Li Rong back.

It was unknown how that persistent thought came to be. It seemed to be deeply rooted within and subconsciously emerged. His steps became more urgent. The sight of the two people in front of him occasionally slipped into view, laughing as they walked, rather a display of intimacy.

He didn’t know how long much time had passed and how many paths he had taken before he finally came to a place with hardly anyone around. All of the sudden, he raised his voice and called out to stop the person up ahead: “Rongrong!”1

Li Rong heard Pei Wenxuan’s voice coming from behind her and came to a stop in an instant. When she turned around, she saw a gongzi with blue cross-collared robes beneath a white open robe, and a pearl-embedded jade coronet looking at her from under the lights.2

He seemed to have been looking for her for quite some time, but in the split second when she glanced back at him, that anticipation and restlessness of wanting to find someone had been entirely buried away.

[1] Stringing someone’s name together twice makes for a very affectionate pet name.

[2] Blue Cross-Collared Robes, White Open Robe

Persian dancers specialized in performing the Sogdian Whirl,3 the lively and cheerful melodies accompanied by the sound of applause and laughter from afar. At this moment on the promenade under the shining candlelights, Pei Wenxuan’s entire body seemed to be enveloped by the stilled moonlight.

He took large strides towards her and then stopped in front of her. The outer robe carrying the warmth of his body made an arc overhead in midair before softly landing on her, covering up the skin that had been exposed to the chill of the night. He appeared to be drunk and somewhat unsteady on his feet as he put both hands onto Li Rong’s shoulders. There were still traces of wine in his breath as he frowned and said, “Shall we go back?”

[3] Originating from Sogdia, an ancient Persian kingdom-state, this folk dance consisting of fast, continuous whirling motions to the beat of the drums was introduced in the Tang Dynasty and became a cultural phenomenon.

Further Context

“Alright.”

Li Rong laughed. She turned her head and glanced at Su Rongqing who was standing off to the side. She nodded and said, “Su daren, we will meet again another day.”

Su Rongqing slightly smiled and with his hands clasped in front of him, he saluted her and said: “Until we meet again then.”

With that said, Li Rong pulled Pei Wenxuan’s hand and walked on ahead: “Let’s go.”

Pei Wenxuan stubbornly tried to keep himself upright as he followed after her. The guards were waiting for the two of them on the promenade in the distance. Seeing the two walking towards them, they hastened their steps to follow after them.

Pei Wenxuan refused to show the slightest hint of weakness in front of Su Rongqing. He could not say how this temperament came to be, but he was used to being compared and contrasted to Su Rongqing, so he did not allow anyone to come and support him.

Li Rong walked in front of him. After taking two steps, she noticed that Pei Wenxuan was walking behind her with some difficulty. She tilted her head and glanced at Pei Wenxuan, recalling that this person had always fought to the death to measure himself up against Su Rongqing in terms of virtues and conduct. She was amused by this irony for a moment and somewhat helpless to it.

She lightly coughed and reminded him in a low voice: “With you walking behind me like this, don’t you think that this will make a dancer like me too arrogant and conspicuous?”

Pei Wenxuan brought his eyes up to her. Li Rong intended to say a few more things to him. After a few moments, when she was ready to say everything that needed to be said, Pei Wenxuan unexpectedly went up to her, put his arm over her shoulders and her into his embrace.

His warmth shielded her from the chill of the evening wind. Li Rong had his clothes draped over her and a smile on her face as she leisurely strolled on the promenade with him. She said in amusement: “You must have drank quite a bit tonight, right?”

Pei Wenxuan did not speak up, so Li Rong continued to say: “But you can rest assured, all the wine you drank was not for nothing. The account books have been obtained, so tomorrow, we will set out to find Qin Lin. Once the Yang family begins to put pressure on the imperial court, I will have Chuan’er bring Qin Lin with him to resolve the situation on the frontlines.”

Pei Wenxuan still did not say anything. Li Rong looked at him and saw that his facial expressions were very ugly. She raised her eyebrows and said: “What? Has your hatred for Su Rongqing reached the point where you’re upset after seeing me exchange a few words with him?”

Pei Wenxuan only gave her a glance. The two crossed the threshold together and walked out of Tuoba Yan’s courtyard. Li Rong slowly said, “You’re not young anymore at your age. Don’t be so childish. What happened in the previous lifetime is not important. What is important now is that he can be useful…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Pei Wenxuan suddenly let go of her and rushed over to the side of a large tree, holding onto the tree for support as he violently vomited.

This gave Li Rong quite the scare. She reacted soon after and walked over. She realized that Pei Wenxuan didn’t say anything earlier because he was struggling not to vomit.

Pei Wenxuan was doubled over, kneeling on the ground as if he was about to vomit up all his internal organs. Li Rong panicked. She hastily crouched down, patting him on the back as she said to the people beside her: “Go, get some water from the carriage!”

The servant went to retrieve water from the carriage. Once Pei Wenxuan had finished vomiting, his entire body had no strength left and fell forward. Li Rong quickly pulled him back, causing Pei Wenxuan’s body to fall over directly onto her, allowing him to fully rest his head on her shoulder.

The smell of wine made Li Rong frown. At this time, the servant brought water over, and Li Rong quickly helped Pei Wenxuan drink the water. Pei Wenxuan leaned against Li Rong’s shoulder, slowly sobering up when he heard Li Rong ask in a low voice, “Feeling better now?”

Pei Wenxuan closed his eyes to rest. Then he spoke up and said in a hoarse voice, “How could the likes of that bastard Su Rongqing make you wear such indecent things?”

Li Rong: “…”

She expressionlessly continued to give Pei Wenxuan more water and leisurely said: “Rinse your mouth again. I don’t want to hear you talk.”