Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong quarreled until midnight, and he climbed through the window again and left secretly.

Li Rong wanted to keep him, but he smiled and said, "I have something important to do tonight. Give me your token. I have to go see Hongde again."

"What are you going to do?" Li Rong frowned. Pei Wenxuan reached out his hand, "Just give it to me."

Li Rong hesitated for a moment, and finally handed the token to Pei Wenxuan.

Since the two of them are already together, they should have no grudges against each other and trust each other. She doesn't want to destroy the foundation of this relationship.

Pei Wenxuan took Li Rong's token, kissed her, and left in a hurry.

Li Rong lay on the bed, closed her eyes and responded. After waiting for a long time, she raised her hands to cover her eyes out of disgust.

Her trust in a person had finally reached its limit.

The fire in the Memorial Hall shocked the entire court. During the next morning court session, everyone was talking about what had happened.

During the morning court session, everyone was waiting for Li Ming to announce a result. After all, Li Ming personally went to the fire scene to inspect it last night. For such a big event, he should have some news.

However, Li Ming never mentioned this matter from beginning to end. He waited until the morning court was over before he casually said, "Last night, there was a fire in the memorial hall, and many memorials were lost. Those of you who submitted memorials should go to the officials of the memorial hall to register. If there are any that were burned, we will make a new one. If there are any that were not burned, just forget it."

As he spoke, Li Ming looked up at everyone, looking a little tired: "Do you have anything else to do?"

No one in the court answered, Li Ming waved his hand and said, "Then let's adjourn the court."

As Li Ming spoke, he stood up. Fulai stepped forward to support him. He seemed a little tired, and it was a bit difficult for him to walk down the stairs.

Soon after he left, a young eunuch came to Su Rongqing and said respectfully, "Sir Su, His Majesty invites you to come over."

Su Rongqing's expression was normal, even a little gentle: "My Lord, do you know why His Majesty wants me to come over?"

The young eunuch shook his head and said, "I don't know, please go on."

Su Rongqing nodded, thanked him, and followed the eunuch to Yu's study.

As soon as he walked out of the hall, Li Rong subconsciously looked at Pei Wenxuan who was talking to someone. Pei Wenxuan happened to look over as well. He nodded at Li Rong from a distance, telling her not to worry. Then Pei Wenxuan chatted and laughed with others, turned around and walked out.

The ministers left one after another, and Li Rong also walked out. She deliberately walked slowly. Before she reached the palace gate, she was waiting for the eunuch sent by Li Ming. The eunuch arrived in time. When he saw Li Rong, he hurriedly shouted, "Your Highness, please stay!"

Li Rong paused and looked at the person who came. The eunuch ran up to her, panting and pleading, "Your Highness, it's a good thing you didn't leave the palace."

"My Lord, what are you doing..." Li Rong looked puzzled and pretended to be confused. The eunuch slowed down his tone and bowed, "Your Highness, His Majesty asked you to go to the study. He has something important to discuss with you."

Li Rong nodded after hearing this, and then smiled at the eunuch: "Thank you for your hard work, sir."

"That's what I should do." The eunuch calmed down and raised his hand respectfully, "I will lead the way, Your Highness."

After hearing what was said, Li Rong followed the eunuch to Yu's study. When they arrived at the study, Su Rongqing was kneeling on the ground, and Li Ming was sitting up high. The atmosphere between the two was a bit tense. After Li Rong came in, she saluted Li Ming. Li Ming raised his hand to let her stand up and gave her a seat. Li Rong looked at Su Rongqing, then turned to look at Li Ming: "My father asked me to come here, this is..."

"Didn't you report Su Rongqing?" Li Ming looked up at her and said bluntly, "Now that your memorial is burned in the memorial hall, I might as well call you here and confront you face to face. Lord Su said that he didn't know Master Hongde. What do you say, Pingle?"

"What do I need to say?" Li Rong laughed. "Whether you know me or not, just let Master Hongde come and see me. Do I need to say this?"

As she spoke, Li Rong looked at Su Rongqing with a half-smile: "It depends on whether Lord Su dares to do it."

"I have a clear conscience," Su Rongqing said coldly, "Your Highness made such a statement, someone must have instigated Your Highness, I also want Hongde to come over and ask for clarification."

"Then pass it on."

Li Rong showed no fear at all. She gently waved her small fan and looked at Su Rongqing and said, "Whether he is playing tricks or is he really innocent, we will know when people come."

Su Rongqing didn't say anything. He didn't look at Li Rong. It was unclear whether he didn't dare or didn't want to. He just lowered his eyes and looked at the ground.

Li Ming waved his hand and asked someone to call Hongde, while Li Rong sat in her original position waving a fan, her heart beating a little fast.

The confession was false, and once Hongde arrived, there was a high possibility that he would be exposed. After all, his son's life or death was still unknown, and he could not help him at this time.

If Hongde entered the palace, everything would be over.

She was terribly scared and her palms were full of sweat. The only person she could trust now was that Pei Wenxuan would not harm her.

She restrained the movement of fanning herself and pretended to be nonchalant. The three of them waited for a while. Li Ming turned around and looked at Li Rong and said, "The people haven't arrived yet. Tell me what happened first. You said that Su Qing's family instigated Hongde to frame you. What's going on?"

Li Ming asked, and Li Rong stood up and vividly recounted the confession fabricated by Pei Wenxuan and what she knew. It was roughly that Su Rongqing found Hongde in Huguo Temple and threatened him to frame her for helping Li Chuan postpone his marriage at the cost of his illegitimate child, and then secretly contacted Concubine Rou and sent Hongde into the palace.

Li Ming and Su Rongqing listened quietly. Li Ming looked up at Su Rongqing and said, "Su Qingjia, what do you think?"

"Your Highness, there are loopholes everywhere in what you said." Su Rongqing looked calm as usual. Li Rong smiled and said, "Oh? Lord Su, why don't you tell me where the loopholes are?"

"According to what Your Highness said, since I wanted to frame Your Highness, why did I let Hongde say that Your Highness helped the Crown Prince postpone his marriage? Wouldn't it be better to just say that Your Highness privately inquired about treason?"

"I have to ask you this," Li Rong waved her fan slowly, "Why don't you say so? How would I know? But you are right. If you didn't frame me, how could I find such a ridiculous reason if I wanted to frame you? And from another perspective, why would I do this? The prince is not young anymore, and the selection of concubines is imminent. If I really care about him, I should help him marry a girl from a prominent family. Why do I have to postpone the wedding? You can't say," Li Rong laughed, "as his sister, do you want to harm him?"

If she really wanted to harm Li Chuan, then Li Ming wouldn't have to worry so much.

"You should ask Your Highness about this." Su Rongqing pushed the conversation back. Li Rong looked into his eyes with a smile but did not answer. It was pointless for them to pass the buck to each other like this.

While the three were waiting, Hongde got out of the Inspection Office and was escorted to the palace under the watchful eyes of guards.

At this time, Pei Wenxuan was kneeling in the room, holding a chess piece and playing chess with the person opposite him.

The young man sitting opposite Pei Wenxuan was wearing a black robe, and he had obviously come secretly. Looking at Pei Wenxuan's leisurely posture, he frowned: "According to what you said, now that Su Rongqing has burned the memorial hall, the confession is equivalent to nothing. They are bound to let Hongde enter the palace. Once Hongde enters the palace, won't he be exposed?"

"What if he can't enter the palace?" Pei Wenxuan chuckled, and the young man looked at him in surprise.

Pei Wenxuan turned his head and looked out the window as he spoke, and couldn't help but sigh: "The clouds are rising, I'm afraid it's going to rain."

As the two men were talking, they carried Hongde's sedan chair forward. No one noticed that when the wind started to blow, blood was dripping from the bottom of the sedan chair.

The sedan chair was carried to the palace gate, and the guard rolled up the curtain and said unhappily, "Get out..."

Before he could finish his words, the guard froze in place. Everyone was attracted by his shock and then looked into the sedan chair. They saw that the monk's robes were stained with blood and a dagger had nailed him to the sedan chair.

“Dead…dead!”

After a long time, the guard finally reacted and turned to the people behind him and shouted: "Hurry up and report to His Majesty that Master Hongde is dead!"

The messenger turned around quickly and ran all the way into the palace. The servants passed the message one by one and it arrived at Yu's study as quickly as possible.

At that time, Li Ming was drinking tea when he saw the eunuch rush in, kneel on the ground, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, Master Hongde was assassinated on the road!"

Hearing this, Su Rongqing, who had been resting his eyes, suddenly opened his eyes. Li Rong stood up suddenly, surprised and a little angry: "What did you say?!"

After a moment, Li Rong immediately walked out and said anxiously, "Quick, take me to see it."

As Li Rong walked out, Su Rongqing immediately said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to go and take a look as well."

Su Rongqing was originally an official of the Ministry of Justice, and this case was indeed his responsibility. However, Li Ming stopped them and said, "No one should leave. Let the coroner perform an autopsy."

The two were forced back to their seats. Li Ming raised his hand and asked Su Rongqing to sit down. Su Rongqing bowed respectfully and sat down.

No one said anything. Li Rong looked worried, but she felt relieved in her heart.

Su Rongqing still did it. Now that Hongde was dead, there was no evidence. However, in Li Ming's heart, Su Rongqing could not clear himself.

"Hongde is dead, so there are no more confessions or witnesses."

On the other side, in the princess's mansion, Pei Wenxuan's voice was very calm. The young man shook his head and said, "No, without evidence, the emperor will not convict Su Rongqing. He is suspicious. When he suspects Su Rongqing, he will also suspect you and my sister."

"So," Pei Wenxuan laughed, "It's the third step. Your Majesty is going to start checking the truth of the princess's words. Now, what we can check is where Hongde's son is, right?"

Pei Wenxuan's chess piece landed on the chessboard: "This is going to be interesting."

Suddenly, a storm arose. In the inner palace, the Emperor, Li Rong, Su Rongqing and the others were waiting for the news from the coroner. Each of them had their own thoughts. Li Ming thought for a moment and seemed to remember something. He turned to Li Rong and said, "You said before that Hongde had a son?"

"yes."

"In the hands of Lord Su?"

"right."

"Fu Lai," Li Ming turned around and called Fu Lai, waving his hand and saying, "Go check it out."

Fu Lai responded respectfully and left. The three of them sat in Yu's study, waiting for the result.

"Your Majesty may not be able to find out where the child is, but you can still find out how the child was taken away. When you do too many things, there will always be omissions. For example," Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes and looked at Li Chuan across from him, "it is common for a neighbor to accidentally see a child being kidnapped and recognize the Su Mansion's sign, isn't it?"

Thunder roared, as if heavy rain was pouring down. Pei Wenxuan picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and looked up into the distance.

He thought about it and couldn't help but ask, "Do you think I should go to the palace to pick up your sister?"

"Aren't you guys going to pretend that your relationship is not good?"

"They may look like each other but their hearts are far apart, but they still look like each other." Pei Wenxuan said, stood up, and went to find an umbrella.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan was about to leave, Li Chuan asked anxiously, "What happens next? Even if Father knows that the child was taken away by someone from the Su Mansion, what then?"

"Your Majesty, since you already know that Hongde was sent out of the palace by someone, and you also know that the child was taken away by someone from the Su Mansion, then who do you think Your Majesty would believe even if there is no evidence?"

Pei Wenxuan put on his coat and walked out. "When the time comes, His Majesty will conduct a thorough investigation. As long as the egg is cracked, the rest will be easy. Your Highness, I'm going to pick up the princess now," Pei Wenxuan turned around and smiled at Li Chuan. "Your Highness, please do as you please."

Pei Wenxuan finished speaking and walked out.

By this time, the coroner's report was almost out, and the attendant hurried to the inner palace with the coroner's results.

The soldiers who were searching for Hongde's youngest son outside the palace also found an old man. After the old man gave a brief description, the soldier immediately asked someone to ride a horse back to the palace and deliver the news.

At the same time, a young man rushed into the palace in the rain.

The coroner's report was the first to arrive. After reading it, Li Ming looked up at the two people who had been waiting for the result and said coldly, "It was suicide."

Li Rong repeated incredulously: "Suicide?"

Li Ming responded, and then someone came in and whispered in Li Ming's ear.

Li Ming suddenly raised his head and looked at Su Rongqing coldly.

Su Rongqing still pretended to know nothing, pretending not to understand Li Ming's gaze. Li Ming stared at him for a moment, then suddenly shouted angrily: "Su Rongqing, why don't you hand over Hongde's child!"

Su Rongqing was calm after hearing this, and said stubbornly, "I don't know what your majesty is talking about."

"If you don't want others to know, then don't do it. You let someone kidnap someone else's child, and you really think no one knows?!"

"I am innocent!" Su Rongqing immediately knelt down, "Your Majesty, where did you hear the news? You can ask the person to come out, and I can confront him."

"Confrontation? Confrontation about what? Hongde pointed out you, and when he gave his confession in the memorial hall, the memorial hall was burned down. He died on the way to the palace to testify, and he also committed suicide. If someone hadn't threatened him with the child, how could he commit suicide? Now they are investigating the child and it is related to you. One of them can be called a coincidence, but are there such coincidences in this world?!"

"Your Majesty is right," Su Rongqing said coldly, "I also think it is not a coincidence. This action must be a frame-up by others."

"You farted!"

Li Ming was so angry that he grabbed the cup and threw it at Su Rongqing. Su Rongqing did not dodge, and the cup still hit him on the head. The tea splashed all over him, and blood oozed from his forehead. However, he did not move at all, knelt on the ground, and said, "Your Majesty, please investigate carefully."

"Good, very good." Li Ming pointed at him and nodded, "Investigate, let's investigate now. Come, take Su Rongqing away and put him in jail, and thoroughly investigate him and Hongde..."

Before he finished speaking, the eunuch's voice came from outside: "Your Majesty, Deputy Director Su wants to see you."

Hearing this, Li Rong looked out the door anxiously. Li Ming frowned and after hesitating for a moment, he said impatiently, "Announce."

After Li Ming finished speaking, he saw Su Ronghua walking in quickly. He knelt down respectfully and said in a rare serious tone, "I, Su Ronghua, pay my respects to Your Majesty."

Li Ming was getting very irritated, but he controlled his emotions and raised his hand, saying, "Get up."

"I dare not."

Su Ronghua knelt on the ground and spoke calmly. Li Ming looked up at him. There was no word for a long time. Li Rong instantly guessed Su Ronghua's purpose.

He is here to atone for his sins!

Li Rong's mind was working rapidly, thinking about what consequences such a change would lead to.

If Su Ronghua admitted all the charges, then the confession that named Su Rongqing would become extremely suspicious. However, Su Ronghua's arrival was too coincidental, and Li Ming would not believe it, but at the same time, it would also shake the credibility of all the previous evidence.

In this way, even if Su Rongqing did not completely turn the tables, at least their situations could be made equal.

The only one who sacrificed himself was Su Ronghua.

Li Rong took a moment to react and wanted to say something, but before she opened her mouth, she heard Su Ronghua respectfully say, "Your Majesty, please dismiss the attendants."

Li Ming stared at Su Ronghua for a long time, then waved his hand and said, "Everyone, leave."

No one moved. Su Rongqing stared at Su Ronghua, but Su Ronghua ignored him. Li Ming saw that no one moved and couldn't help but get angry: "What? I can't even get you to move?!"

Hearing Li Ming getting angry, Li Rong took a deep breath, stood up, bowed and walked out.

Li Rong and Su Rongqing went out one after another. After they walked out of the door, they stood on each side, watching the heavy rain pouring down on the sky and earth, forming a rain curtain between the sky and the earth, as if they were beating gongs and drums, and a big show was about to be staged.

Far away from the rain curtain, the palace gate slowly opened, and a young man in a blue shirt with embroidery and holding an umbrella came out from the palace gate in the rain.

Li Rong and Su Rongqing both looked at the person coming from afar, and a scolding voice came from the study.

Li Rong couldn't help laughing when she heard the scolding.

"I heard that Lord Su and my elder brother have a very good relationship. Today, I saw that it is indeed true."

As she said this, she turned her head and asked curiously, "Don't you feel guilty?"

Su Rongqing didn't say anything, he just looked into the distance.

A young man in the distance walked across the Palace Square, becoming the only bright spot in the rain.

"Your Highness," Su Rongqing's usually clear voice was a little hoarse, "Sometimes, people cannot bear to feel guilty. People who are at a dead end can only move forward."

"I used to think that people were forced to move forward," Li Rong laughed, looking at the people getting closer and closer, "but now I know that the roads are made by people. If you don't move forward, you will never know whether there is a road ahead."

“Maybe there’s a cliff ahead.”

Su Rongqing's voice was cold. Li Rong turned to look at him with a bit of brilliance in her brows: "That depends on whether you are far from being crushed to pieces and moving forward."

After hearing this, Su Rongqing finally turned his gaze away from the rain and looked at Li Rong: "Your Highness, are you willing to die for this so-called road?"

"Maybe." Li Rong thought for a moment, "I'm just taking one step at a time and seeing what happens next."

"Your Highness is not that kind of person."

"Rongqing," Li Rong suddenly called out the name from her previous life. Su Rongqing was stunned for a moment, and then she heard Li Rong speak, "People change."

As they were talking, Pei Wenxuan had already arrived in front of them.

Raindrops fell along the umbrella like beads. Under the umbrella, the young man raised his handsome face. He had a smile on his face and his bright eyes carried a bit of tenderness that belonged only to someone.

When he raised his head, his eyes were only on Li Rong, and his clear voice was respectful with a hint of teasing: "Your Highness, I heard that it was raining heavily, so I came to pick you up."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze towards Su Rongqing.

Su Rongqing looked at him calmly, and he looked at Su Rongqing with a smile.

The two people's eyes met through the rain curtain, and in an instant they told all the disputes, entanglements, love, hate and vengeance of decades.

"When I was still a student, I heard of Lord Su's talent. You and I have been the top three for three years, but we have never had a direct confrontation. Now I have the opportunity to meet Lord Su," Pei Wenxuan nodded slightly, "Nice to meet you."

Su Rongqing looked at him coldly. He understood what the phrase "Nice to meet you" meant. He was not speaking to the young Su Rongqing, but to the Su Rongqing who had fought against him secretly for decades and had returned again.

This "Nice to meet you" was his greeting and also his declaration of war.

He told Su Rongqing clearly that he knew he was back.

It was because they knew he was back that they were able to find the target so quickly and implement the plan so decisively. This was Pei Wenxuan's usual style of taking every step carefully and setting traps everywhere.

Su Rongqing couldn't help but laugh. He looked at Pei Wenxuan seriously and said calmly and seriously, "Nice to meet you."

Pei Wenxuan smiled even more.

This competition, which was delayed for thirty years and a lifetime, finally began.