"Ah," Shangguan Ya saw Su Ronghua and came back to her senses from her brief surprise, "Why is Master Su here?"

As she spoke, Shangguan Ya adjusted her skirt gracefully, and then she placed her left leg on top of her right leg, crossed her legs, held her chin, and said with a smile, "Did Young Master Su escape?"

"You plotted against me."

Su Ronghua spoke directly, and Shangguan Ya chuckled: "Why do you say that, Master Su? This is like Zhou Yu fighting Huang Gai, one is willing to fight, the other is willing to be beaten."

Su Ronghua was so angry when he heard this that he laughed out loud: "You are not afraid of offending me."

"You said it as if I didn't do this, I wouldn't offend you. Everyone knows what you came to the Inspection Department for," Shangguan Ya smiled, but there was a hint of coldness in her eyes. "You and I have different positions, so why bother pretending to be good people? I asked you out and you came. I plotted against you, but aren't you plotting against me?"

"What did I plot against you?" Su Ronghua clenched his fists. Shangguan Ya poured herself some tea and said leisurely, "You have to ask yourself, why are you so attentive to me?"

This question stunned Su Ronghua, and he couldn't help but ask back: "I am diligent?"

"Following me in the casino, pestering me in the Inspection Department, writing letters to tease me," Shangguan Ya recounted the things Su Ronghua did one by one, and then looked at him with a smile, "If I were an ordinary girl, I would really have to wonder if you like me. Unfortunately, I am very clear-headed. You are the teacher of the prince, who was placed in the Inspection Department by His Majesty as the deputy director. Whether it is the assassination of the princess or the obstacles in the daily investigation of the case, your shadow is behind it. If you like me," Shangguan Ya sighed, "it would be really funny."

Su Ronghua didn't say anything, he just stared at Shangguan Ya.

It was the first time that he realized how much energy he had spent on this person without realizing it.

He looked at Shangguan Ya's emotionless eyes, and he felt an indescribable bitterness spreading in his heart. He couldn't help but ask, "Don't you believe in feelings?"

Shangguan Ya was stunned for a moment, then said in surprise: "Having said this, do you still think I'm easy to fool?"

Su Ronghua stared at Shangguan Ya. He looked at her for a long time. Then he suddenly spoke and said slowly, "How pitiful."

"What?"

Shangguan Ya didn't understand, so Su Ronghua repeated it word for word: "I said you, like everyone else in Huajing, are a pitiful insect."

"You have brains but no heart."

"Aren't you?" Shangguan Ya felt as if he had scolded her, and sneered, "We're all the same, why are you pretending?"

"Who is as heavy as you?!"

Su Ronghua said, "I'm the same as you. I sued you when I met you in the casino! How can you still maintain your reputation as a girl hanging around in such a place?"

"Then tell me," Shangguan Ya laughed, "If you tell me, you won't be able to get in touch with the eldest daughter of the Shangguan family. I just lost my reputation. Wouldn't it be better for me to stay at home without a reputation? Do you think I want to get married? But you are different. You will miss a good opportunity to get in touch with me and use me."

Su Ronghua nodded and laughed vigorously: "Amazing, very amazing, I misjudged you, I thought you were different from the people in Huajing."

"We all grew up eating food, so what's the difference?"

Shangguan Ya said sarcastically, "Don't flatter yourself or me. If we were good-hearted young men and women, Pei Wenxuan would not be the Minister of Personnel, and you would not be in the Inspection Department. But it's tit for tat. Someone around you hit someone around me, and I slapped you back. Why are you crying injustice?"

"You are right."

Su Ronghua nodded and said, "It's not unfair. I want to see what you two can really do to me with your tricks."

After saying that, Su Ronghua jumped off the carriage. Shangguan Ya did not look up, but said loudly, "Goodbye."

Hearing the words "goodbye", Su Ronghua paused in front of the carriage and suddenly said, "I just don't want to clip your wings."

Shangguan Ya stopped pouring tea. Su Ronghua said softly outside the carriage, "I think you were alive when you were gambling, cursing, and splashing tea."

After Su Ronghua finished speaking, he climbed onto his horse and rode away.

Shangguan Ya's teapot hung in the air for a while, and after a long time, it finally fell down.

"Go back."

She spoke calmly.

When Shangguan Ya rushed to Shangguan Mansion, Li Rong's people had already made arrangements layer by layer.

She couldn't interfere too much in this matter, it would be best if all of it was handled by Li Ming's people. Their purpose was not to do anything to Su Ronghua. It was not a serious crime for an official to openly solicit a prostitute in Daxia. He could be detained for two days and fined a little salary. With Su Ronghua's family background, even if Li Ming got angry, he couldn't do anything to them.

All they wanted was for Li Ming to know that Su Ronghua and Xia Wensi were in contact.

This matter was not handled very delicately. Su Ronghua and Xia Wensi could have easily accused themselves of being framed, but they had no evidence. The dancer was Su Ronghua's confidante who liked to go to the restaurant, and the teahouse was also set up in Su Ronghua's name. The invitation note from Su Ronghua was still there, and Li Ming was suspicious first, so there was no need to say more. Li Ming would make his own decision.

Li Rong calculated Li Ming's thoughts and inquired about Su Ronghua's news along the way.

Not long after, the news that Su Ronghua was arrested after returning to the Su Mansion came. Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan were playing chess. She asked slowly, "What did Su Ronghua say?"

Su Ronghua will definitely argue, but how he argues is the key.

Jinglan hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Young Master Su didn't say anything."

"What do you mean?" Li Rong frowned and raised her head. "What do you mean you didn't say anything?"

"After returning home, Master Su knelt down and apologized, saying that he had hired several dancers. Prime Minister Su gave him ten lashes on the spot and sent him to jail."

After hearing this, Li Rong hesitated for a long time, and finally said, "Go down."

Jinglan bowed respectfully and left. After Jinglan left, Pei Wenxuan looked up at Li Rong and asked, "What are you thinking about, Your Highness?"

"I was wondering," Li Rong said slowly, "why did Su Ronghua accept it directly?"

"Because he knows that it is useless to deny it now." Pei Wenxuan put down the chess piece, "He can't explain the note. If he admits that this note is written to Shangguan Ya, what Your Majesty will think about is not his collusion with the Ministry of Personnel to frame Your Highness, but the relationship between him and the Shangguan family."

"It's better to know clearly," Pei Wenxuan said calmly, "The relationship between Concubine Rou and the Su family was established by Your Majesty. Concubine Rou allowed him to contact the Ministry of Personnel to find trouble with us, and it did not fundamentally destroy the balance that Your Majesty wanted. Your Majesty is at most a little annoyed, but it won't really matter."

"After all, in your majesty's heart, the Su family is supported by Concubine Rou, and they are fighting against the Shangguan family behind the prince. Concubine Rou's brother's military power in the northwest is fighting against the military power of the aristocratic family in the hands of the prince. After three years, Prince Su..."

Pei Wenxuan paused while speaking. Li Rong saw that he stopped talking and looked up at him, feeling a little strange: "What's wrong?"

"I just think you know all this," Pei Wenxuan laughed. After hesitating for a moment, he slowly said, "I'm afraid you'll be hurt if I repeat it again."

Li Rong twisted the chess pieces. She thought for a moment and said softly: "I'm not sad. It's been so many years."

"Back then, I might have complained and hated Concubine Rou, Prince Su, and Hua Le. I thought they were hateful," Li Rong said, placing the chess pieces on the chessboard and speaking slowly, "but later I felt that they were also pitiful."

"Father paved the way for them, but it was never because he loved them. Father suppressed me and Chuan'er, but it was never because he hated us. He loved no one, and he hated no one. It was just that as an emperor, he didn't want a single family to dominate."

Pei Wenxuan listened, and Li Rong changed the subject: "So what you said is that Su Ronghua is actually retreating to advance. The faster he makes a move, the less suspicious the emperor will be of him, right?"

"yes."

"But, there is one more thing," Li Rong thought for a moment, "Why is Su Ronghua so reckless? As far as I remember, he is also a smart man."

Pei Wenxuan stroked the chess piece, seemingly hesitating.

Seeing that he was silent, Li Rong couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking about?"

"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan said hesitantly, "Young Master Su dressed up specially when he came today."

"So?" Li Rong was puzzled. Pei Wenxuan smiled and reminded her, "Master Su, you probably never thought that Miss Shangguan would plot against him."

"Isn't this a joke?" Li Rong was amused by Pei Wenxuan's words. "Everyone in the Su family is a smart person. Even if he has some feelings for Aya, is he really stupid enough to think that Aya won't plot against him?"

Pei Wenxuan placed the chess piece on the chessboard, his expression gentle: "Your Highness, do you think I am a smart person?"

"Of course."

Li Rong definitely spoke, twisting the chess piece and landing it next to Pei Wenxuan's chess piece. Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes with a smile: "But back then, until the last moment, I believed that His Highness would not take action against me."

Li Rong fell silent. Pei Wenxuan and she made a move in a staggered manner. His voice was calm. "You and Miss Aya both think too badly of people's hearts. But many times, people are not as rational as Your Highness and Miss Shangguan think. Deep down in a person's heart, there is always a certain inexplicable dependence and trust in others. Although Master Su has a different stance from us, he is a person of true temperament. He takes feelings very seriously and will go through fire and water for the person he likes. Isn't it normal for him to admire Miss Shangguan and not be on guard against her?"

"You seem to know him well."

Li Rong raised an eyebrow. In his memory, Pei Wenxuan and Su Ronghua did not have a good relationship. Pei Wenxuan put his sleeves aside and put the chess piece at the farthest end of the chessboard: "Although I have never had a close relationship with him, I was involved in the Su family's case back then."

Li Rong froze when she heard this. Pei Wenxuan noticed her strangeness and pretended not to know. He brought her some tea and said, "Your Highness, do you know why the Crown Prince wanted to kill Su Ronghua?"

Li Rong didn't expect Pei Wenxuan to suddenly talk about these past events. She hesitated for a moment. She was a little afraid to ask, but she knew that this might be a hurdle that she would have to overcome one day.

She lowered her eyes: "Why?"

"It is also because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince suspected that Qin Zhenzhen died at the hands of Su Ronghua."

When Li Rong heard this, she suddenly raised her head and looked at Pei Wenxuan in shock: "How is this possible? Why did Su Ronghua kill her?!"

Back then, countless people wanted to kill Qin Zhenzhen for many reasons, but none of them had anything to do with the Su family.

There were no women in the Su family entering the harem. What was the reason for Su Ronghua to poison Qin Zhenzhen?

"I couldn't figure it out before, so I thought it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who made a mistake."

Pei Wenxuan took a sip of tea and looked up at Li Rong: "It was not until today that I finally confirmed that Su Ronghua might really have a reason."

Li Rong didn't dare to speak, so Pei Wenxuan gave the answer directly: "In this life, Su Ronghua and Shangguan Ya were in the same casino. This happened before Your Highness intervened in their relationship. Didn't they meet in the previous life?"

"Qin Zhenzhen died of poisoning. Both mother and child should have died, but the child luckily survived. Your Highness, who do you think is the biggest beneficiary of this incident?"

There was no need for Pei Wenxuan to explain, Li Rong already understood.

"Aya...is not that kind of person." Li Rong spoke with difficulty.

"Shangguan Ya is not, what about Su Ronghua?" Pei Wenxuan said calmly, "Based on the degree of Qin Zhenzhen's favor at that time, and your majesty's attitude towards aristocratic families, the probability of Miss Shangguan's child being made the crown prince is too small."

"Su Ronghua never married in his previous life. When I checked him, all the dancers who had contact with him said that he only appreciated singing and dancing, not love. If he didn't have someone in his heart, why did he stay alone until his death?"

Li Rong didn't speak for a long time. She held the chess piece and looked at the chessboard with crisscross longitude and latitude, as if she was in a daze.

Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes to look at her: "Why doesn't Your Highness speak?"

"Pei Wenxuan," Li Rong smiled bitterly, "I suddenly feel that I lived like a joke in my last life."

"I helped the aristocratic family, and you told me in this life that the aristocratic family had committed many evil things; I thought Chuan'er was violent and immoral in his previous life, and you said he was forced into a desperate situation; I thought the Su family was innocent, and now you tell me that Qin Zhenzhen died at the hands of Su Ronghua. To live my life again," Li Rong felt a little mocking, "am I looking back to admit my mistakes?"

"What about me?" Pei Wenxuan looked up at her, with a bit of helplessness in his eyes, as if he felt that life was absurd. "I thought you were arrogant and narrow-minded, but even if it was Qin Zhenzhen, you were willing to give her a piece of heaven; I thought you only cared about power, but you also pleaded for the people and thoroughly investigated the military pay case; I thought the aristocratic family was hopeless and rotten to the core, but you brought Shangguan Ya to tell me that there are good people in the aristocratic family; I thought you would never bow your head in your life, but you were willing to tell me, let me wait. Speaking of admitting mistakes," Pei Wenxuan laughed, "I am the one who really came back to admit my mistakes."

"Look, it's only been a short time since I came back," Pei Wenxuan sighed, "How many times have I told you I'm sorry?"

"Your Highness, if a person has a bad life for a while, it can be said that it is the fault of others or God. If a person has a bad life for his whole life, it is more or less related to himself."

"So," Li Rong picked up the teacup and said as if she had accepted her fate, "We are all here to admit our mistakes."

"Your Highness, this is not an admission of guilt." Pei Wenxuan reached out and held Li Rong's hand. "This is giving us a chance to start over."

Li Rong paused, holding the teacup in her hand. Pei Wenxuan's words were whispering in her ears. She hesitated for a long time before raising her head: "Then, should we take care of Aya's affairs?"

"What?"

Pei Wenxuan was a little surprised. Li Rong was having a hard time speaking. She was speaking incoherently and unsmoothly. "So, if Su Ronghua and her...if they missed each other in the last life and were not together in this life," Li Rong raised her eyes and looked at Pei Wenxuan. "Isn't it a pity?"

Pei Wenxuan was stunned. He seemed not to have expected Li Rong to think this way. Li Rong asked for his opinion: "If Su Ronghua likes Aya and Aya uses him, won't he be sad?"

"Your Highness, do you think Miss Shangguan shouldn't hurt Master Su's feelings?"

Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong seriously. Li Rong frowned and said as a matter of course, "If he is not sincere, then we are using each other. But if he is sincere, then we should have the respect he deserves."

Pei Wenxuan didn't say anything. Li Rong saw that Pei Wenxuan was looking at her with burning eyes. She felt a little embarrassed: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No," Pei Wenxuan laughed, and lowered his head in a somewhat wolfish manner, "I just realized how many years I have missed you."

"Now you know how good I am?" Li Rong was somewhat happy to hear him praising himself. She stood up and said, "Okay, I'll let Shangguan Ya take the letter. While Su Ronghua is still in prison, it's not too late to mend the situation."

As Li Rong spoke, she sent someone to give Shangguan Ya a message, asking her to go see Su Ronghua.

Shangguan Ya was about to go to bed when she received a message from Li Rong. She sat on the bed for a long time, and finally stood up, changed her clothes, and went to see the boss of the Ministry of Justice.

Su Ronghua had already fallen asleep in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. Halfway through his sleep, he heard footsteps outside. He pretended not to hear them and turned his back to Shangguan Ya without looking back.

Shangguan Ya stood at the door of the cell for a while. After a long time, she finally said, "Su Ronghua, I came to see you on the orders of His Highness."

"Why are you looking at me?" Su Ronghua closed his eyes and turned his back to Shangguan Ya. "Was I born with three eyes or five hands? Do I need you to come and look at me in the middle of the night?"

Shangguan Ya pursed her lips and said nothing.

After hesitating for a long time, she said, "Actually, I thought about what you said carefully when I went home tonight."

"I think you might be telling the truth."

"You are dressed so gorgeously today, you really care about this meal. It is indeed my fault for taking advantage of you. How about this, let it go this time, and don't do it again next time."

Su Ronghua didn't say anything. Shangguan Ya felt uncomfortable for the first time seeing his cold attitude. She said in a low voice: "Don't ignore me. How about this, let's take a gamble?"

Shangguan Ya took out a deck of cards from her pocket and said, "If I win, don't be angry."

"What if you lose?"

Su Ronghua finally spoke, and Shangguan Ya touched her nose: "Then...then you can continue to be angry for a while?"