Having said that, Li Rong could no longer pretend.

She lay on the ground for a while, and when she saw that Pei Wenxuan had no intention of pulling her up, she stood up by herself, pretending nothing had happened, and sat back in her seat gracefully.

She felt a little guilty.

Even if you just had an argument, it's still a bit embarrassing when someone recommends you to someone else and gets caught in the act.

This was not the first time she had seen such a thing. She remembered that in her previous life, there was actually a handsome number one scholar. After hearing that she liked handsome men, she didn't know whether he was attracted to her face or her power. One day, while he was discussing political affairs with Li Rong, he secretly slipped a note into her.

She would not bring such a romantic affair to the court. She wanted to deal with it quietly, but Pei Wenxuan heard about it. Pei Wenxuan remained calm and could not tell whether he was happy or angry. As a result, the champion was impeached the next day and demoted from a doctor of the Imperial College to a local governor. In less than ten years, he was packed up and left Huajing. It was said that he was robbed by a group of bandits less than five miles away from the city. Not only did they rob him of all his money, but they also put him in a sack and beat him up.

She really didn't believe that Pei Wenxuan didn't do this. Only someone as petty and naive as Pei Wenxuan could do such a thing.

In their previous life, they were in a cold war and Pei Wenxuan could only resort to underhanded tactics behind her back. Now that he has established a relationship with her, it would probably be difficult for him to be satisfied with such tactics as secretly doing something behind her back.

So Li Rong was always ready to see how Pei Wenxuan was going to make his move.

However, Pei Wenxuan did not speak. He drank quietly. After a long time, he seemed to have adjusted his mood and said slowly: "I came to see His Highness to apologize."

"No need to apologize," Li Rong quickly poured him some tea, "It's just a small matter, calm down first, let it out, and then we can talk."

Pei Wenxuan was choked by Li Rong's words. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Your Highness, there is no need to do this."

"You don't have to lie to me," Li Rong raised her hand to interrupt him, filled the cup with tea, and placed it in front of him with both hands. "If you really didn't have to do this, you wouldn't have tied me up here."

"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "I prepared this boat for Your Highness to come and enjoy the lanterns together."

"Do we like to enjoy the lights?"

Li Rong asked decisively. Before Pei Wenxuan could answer, Li Rong gave him the answer: "This is kidnapping."

"You quarreled with me, you scolded me, you were willful and disregarded your future, I don't care about all these." Li Rong pushed her hands in the air and looked at him seriously: "I just ask one thing from you, row the boat back now, and if there is anything else, we can talk about it on land."

"Why do you ask for this, Your Highness?" Pei Wenxuan looked up at her. "This place has beautiful scenery and few people. It's perfect for a conversation."

"You're right," Li Rong replied immediately, "It's perfect for threatening me. I don't know how to row a boat, and the water is so cold, can I swim back?"

"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan looked at her, "I saw the letter you wrote in Beiyan Tower."

Li Rong froze, and the two fell silent for a moment. Pei Wenxuan poured the wine, took another sip, and said slowly: "Tell me, we are actually very good to each other, why do we always have to go to a dead end?"

"If two people don't want to be apart, that's fine, but Your Highness clearly has me in his heart, why do we have to go this far?"

Li Rong said nothing, she lowered her eyes.

"Your Highness," Pei Wenxuan held the wine glass, a little tired: "What does marriage mean to you?"

Pei Wenxuan drank and asked slowly: "If necessary, you can marry someone you have never met. If not, you can leave me. What am I to you?"

Li Rong did not respond. Pei Wenxuan turned to look at her with a pleading look in his eyes: "Your Highness, tell me the truth."

"Want to hear the truth?" Li Rong smiled. Pei Wenxuan looked at her without moving his eyes, which showed his attitude.

Li Rong picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and then nodded, "Okay, let's tell the truth tonight. I can easily divorce because divorce is the best way out of this matter. Father is suspicious. No matter how you explain it, since the rune incident has made him aware of the possibility of your infidelity, he will definitely test it. It is imperative that you show loyalty to him. You asked me why I asked you to divorce, so I should ask you why you don't divorce?"

Pei Wenxuan was about to answer when he heard Li Rong's remark: "Because you doubt me."

"Pei Wenxuan," Li Rong poured the wine herself, restrained her speech, and said slowly and elegantly, "Actually, you didn't say it yourself, but in your heart, you don't trust me after all."

"If you can trust me, why are you afraid of divorce? Even if we separate, you and I can still be together, isn't that possible?"

Pei Wenxuan listened to Li Rong's words and turned to look at the flowing water outside the window.

For a moment he didn't know whether he should continue.

Talking further was like opening up those wounds again, those pasts that had been hidden for many years, and even embarrassing to talk about, quietly separated the two of them. He thought that if he didn't mention it, it wouldn't come up. But now he understood that any wound would affect the subsequent choices in different ways.

He really thought he had let it go, but now he knew that he hadn't.

"Stop talking?" Li Rong laughed. "Did you hit a sore spot? You're accusing me of being unemotional, but who is the one who really doesn't value feelings?"

Pei Wenxuan held the cup and sipped the wine without saying a word.

Li Rong watched him in silence. Her guess was objectively confirmed. Her heart ached for no reason. She slammed her fan on the table and said, "Speak!"

"Do you want to hear the truth?"

Pei Wenxuan listened to Li Rong's angry shout. He looked at the lake and used the last bit of calmness to restrain himself.

Li Rong raised her hand and said decisively, "Please."

"You want me to believe you," Pei Wenxuan took a big sip of wine, as if to give himself courage, "but why should I believe you?"

Pei Wenxuan said, turning to look at her: "Because you can decide to marry me just to escape? Because you clearly said you like me but immediately pulled away when you encountered a little difficulty? Because you said you like me but then turned around and looked for someone else? Because you like to be disappointed in love but happy in love?"

"You want me to trust you. Do you have anything I can trust?"

Pei Wenxuan came to Li Rong with wine in his hand. He knelt on one knee, half lowered his body, and stared at her: "You are right, I don't trust you. You can divorce me today because of power, and tomorrow, you can really separate from me because of power. I am still your husband now, and no one can separate us unless I give in. But what if we separate?"

"Su Rongqing is still watching you and me," Pei Wenxuan laughed, "I can't trust you, and I can't trust him either."

Li Rong kept laughing as she listened to this: "I understand."

As she spoke, she raised her head, raised her eyes slightly, and said provocatively: "Then what are you waiting for, Master Pei? Why don't you divorce me right away and find a good girl to live a happy life?"

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. He looked at Li Rong, at the grievances and pain hidden in her seemingly proud eyes, and at her stubborn and arrogant look. He hated her so much that his teeth itched.

"What are you looking at?"

Li Rong laughed: "Can't bear to part with it? There's nothing I can do about it. I can bear to part with it..."

Before he finished speaking, Pei Wenxuan held her head and kissed her, and at the same time pressed his whole body on her, pressing her onto the cabin!

Li Rong was very angry, and when Pei Wenxuan pressed her like that, she kicked him hard. Pei Wenxuan immediately pressed her legs with his legs, and grabbed both of her wrists with one hand, pulled Li Rong above her head, lowered his head and pressed on her lips, then drove straight in.

Li Rong didn't let him succeed at all. She bit his lips and stammered, "You bastard, you bastard..."

Pei Wenxuan ignored her completely. The smell of blood lingered between her lips and tongue. The more she resisted, the more her senses became amplified, and all kinds of feelings rose.

"Swear."

Pei Wenxuan spoke in a low voice, his clear voice carrying a hint of unspeakable lust, and whispered: "Keep scolding, I'm listening."

Li Rong tried her best to keep herself sane, organizing all the insults she knew to curse at someone, and if she got the slightest chance, she would scratch, bite, hit and kick.

The two of them almost fought in the cabin, but Pei Wenxuan kept looking after her, afraid of hurting her.

All the anger and frenzy mixed with desire were vented during the tearing, until finally, Pei Wenxuan tied Li Rong's hands tightly with a belt and pressed his whole body on her, and that was the end of it.

Li Rong panted, looking at the man in front of her who had long lost his composure.

His jade crown was torn off by her, his hair was scattered on both sides, and his clothes were already in tatters.

His neck and chest were covered with bloody scratches from her, his shoulders were covered with pressure marks from her bites, and his lips were covered with teeth marks from her bites. The only thing missing was his face which was scratched.

She herself was not much better, but compared to Pei Wenxuan, she was still much more decent.

It's just that Pei Wenxuan is a good-looking man, and even at this moment, he doesn't look ugly. Even with his clothes half open, he shows a bit of romantic charm that is rarely seen by outsiders.

Both of them were tired. Pei Wenxuan was afraid that she would go crazy, so he held her still. He panted softly and shook his head, saying, "Li Rong, a shrew like you, how can you be a princess at all?"

"How good are you?" Li Rong sneered, "Calling you vulgar is an insult to the word."

Pei Wenxuan couldn't help laughing when he heard this.

He looked at the way Li Rong glared at him. That look was smart and lively, completely different from the way she had said hurtful words before.

He stared at her for a moment, then lowered his head and kissed her forehead: "Don't do this again in the future. It makes me sad when you say hurtful things."

"What does your sadness have to do with me?"

Li Rong felt aggrieved for no reason after hearing what he said, and her eyes became sore: "Get lost."

Pei Wenxuan chuckled. He reached out and held her in his arms, saying softly, "Rongrong, you are a good girl. Don't be so full of thorns."

Li Rong didn't answer him. She turned her head away and didn't want to talk to him.

Pei Wenxuan turned to the side, not wanting to put all his weight on Li Rong. They lay face to face. Pei Wenxuan reached out and gently stroked her back, saying softly, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have said anything to provoke you. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I'm too worried, so I'm scared."

"I'm not sure how important I am to you, nor am I sure how important Su Rongqing is to you. When I think of your past and the years I lost, I can't help but say the wrong thing. Please don't be angry, okay?"

Li Rong lay quietly while listening to Pei Wenxuan's apology.

After the physical exertion, she calmed down instead. She rested her head on Pei Wenxuan's hand and leaned in his arms, as if a boat had returned to the harbor, and only then did she feel safe and secure after finding shelter.

In fact, she knew that he was willful. Pei Wenxuan admitted his mistake not because he was wrong, but because he always tolerated her and gave in to her.

This kind of concession gave Li Rong an unprecedented sense of security. She couldn't help but look up and stare at Pei Wenxuan.

Pei Wenxuan saw her looking at him and smiled softly: "Why are you looking at me?"

"Pei Wenxuan," Li Rong called him softly, "Actually, you are right. There is no way you can trust me. I shouldn't blame you."

Pei Wenxuan listened to her apology, he didn't say anything, Li Rong gently touched her forehead to his chest, a little tired: "I was negligent, I didn't think you would be scared. I thought too little about you. But Pei Wenxuan, you are not important, I just want to give you the best."

"Since I was born, everyone has told me that power is the ultimate thing, it is the foundation of our existence, our roots. In fact, I am afraid of leaving you, and I am also worried that you like someone else. But I am more afraid that you will ruin my future because of me."

"I'm afraid you'll sacrifice yourself for me. One day, when you're old or have nowhere else to go, and you don't like me as much anymore, you'll remember everything you've done for me, and then you'll hate me."

Pei Wenxuan listened to Li Rong's rare confession and stroked her hair gently.

"Why don't you say anything?" Li Rong saw Pei Wenxuan had been silent for a long time, raised her head and looked at him. Pei Wenxuan listened to her question and smiled softly: "I'm angry."

"anger?"

Li Rong was surprised: "I spoke to you so kindly, and you are still angry?"

"Yeah, I was thinking, you look down on me too much. Just because of such a small thing, my future is ruined. When I'm old, I will blame you in the future."

Pei Wenxuan smiled and turned over. Li Rong rested her head on his hand. Pei Wenxuan turned her head and looked at the stars outside: "You think too badly of me."

"Who knows?" Li Rong chuckled. "Different environments nurture different people. If you can't become the prime minister, who knows what kind of Pei Wenxuan you will become?"

"It's useless for me to tell you this." Pei Wenxuan shifted his gaze from the starry sky to her, "Just wait and see in the future. A lifetime has passed, don't you know who I am?"

"It's very clear," Li Rong raised her hands and turned her tightly bound wrists in front of him, "Your craftsmanship is very good."

Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong and waved. He stood up, and Li Rong also sat up and handed him her hand.

Pei Wenxuan lowered his head and untied the belt that bound her hands, and said slowly: "Actually, I was also mad at you today. Think more about what you say in the future, and don't be so hurtful. You are obviously good to me, but you have to say such unbearable things."

"But I won't laugh at you either." Pei Wenxuan looked up at her and smiled. "In fact, I don't want to divorce today, and it's not that I don't trust you much. The most important thing is that I'm worried that you will be sad."

"Why should I be sad?"

Li Rong took her hands out of the belt, Pei Wenxuan held the belt, supported himself with one hand, and placed the other hand on the knee of his bent leg.

He turned his head and looked out the window. Outside the window, on the water, there were some river lanterns floating from somewhere. They were floating on the river, reflecting with the stars in the sky and surrounding the small boat.

Pei Wenxuan looked at the lake and said in a vague voice: "People around you are used to giving up feelings for power. Although you say so, if I really do so, you will never know that some people's feelings are pure."

"I am an official and I fight for power in order to be by your side. So if I have to leave you in exchange for power," Pei Wenxuan turned to look at her and chuckled, "even if it's just a temporary departure, or a verbal departure, I don't want to do it."

"The person I like cannot get used to exchanging power for affection."

"But this is just a small exchange." Li Rong frowned, and Pei Wenxuan looked at her, "If I agreed to this small exchange without hesitation, would you really not feel anything at all?"

"Rongrong," Pei Wenxuan said, raising his hand and placing it in her hair, "For me, not letting you suffer any injustice is the most important thing."

Li Rong didn't say anything, she just stared at the man in front of her.

His hair was loose, his clothes were half open, his hair danced lightly in the night breeze, the weight of time added to the handsome appearance of the young man, and against the backdrop of the lake and the moon, it seemed like a dreamland of an immortal, so beautiful that it was breathtaking.

There was silence for a moment, and then the sound of bells was heard in the distance. After a while, thousands of sky lanterns slowly rose up on the distant mountains. Pei Wenxuan looked up, his eyes filled with lights and a smile.

"Rongrong," he turned around and smiled, "Look."

The moment he turned his head, the girl kissed him.

Pei Wenxuan was stunned for only a moment before he heard Li Rong whisper, "Pei Wenxuan, I actually like you more than you think."

As Li Rong spoke, she put her arms around him, turned over and sat on Pei Wenxuan, hugging his neck.

Pei Wenxuan leaned against the wall of the boat. After a brief moment of daze, he realized what Li Rong was doing.

He felt as if his heart was dipped in honey and wrapped in sugar. Just a small action made him feel that everything was worth it.

He couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth, raised his hand to brush the hair on Li Rong's face, and then put his hand in the hair on the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

Pei Wenxuan's familiarity with Li Rong is far greater than that of Li Rong herself.

He loved Li Rong and everything about her, and was willing to study and devote himself to it, and finally became an expert in it.

At first it was just a kiss, but then there were all kinds of tricks. In the end, Li Rong hugged Pei Wenxuan softly and leaned on him. Pei Wenxuan put one hand on the window, supporting his forehead, and held the person who was sitting on him and resting with the other hand, and his hand stroked along the spine of her back.

Li Rong had already slumped over him, but he still looked like a gentleman, and asked her in her ear, "Do you want to go back?"

Li Rong didn't say anything. She hugged him and felt that this man asked questions but didn't stop.

After a long time, she finally spoke in a hoarse voice: "Brother Pei..."

Pei Wenxuan couldn't help laughing when he heard her call. He leaned forward, raised his arms to hug her, and confirmed in her ear one last time: "Is it right here?"

Li Rong responded with a nasal sound, and Pei Wenxuan kissed her earlobe.

"Good girl."

After saying this, he gently placed him on the cushion, raised his hand to unfasten the belt beside him, and covered Li Rong's eyes.

Li Rong could only hear the sound of water and cicadas around her.

The sky was filled with stars, thousands of lights were reflected on the water, and a small boat was swaying on the water, covered by a thin mist in the night.

When the love reached its peak, Pei Wenxuan intertwined his ten fingers with hers. He called her name softly, with a completely different wildness than usual, until the end, he faintly groaned.

Li Rong finally understood that, in fact, lust and desire require love in order to be happy in the world.