Upon hearing this, everyone looked over.

As a crown prince, Li Chuan has always acted prudently. Over the years, Li Ming has thought of deposing the crown prince countless times, but he has never found any actual fault. How could Cui Yulang, a minor official in the Ministry of Rites, just report the crown prince?

Li Ming was quite interested when he heard this, and immediately asked, "I remember that Lord Cui was originally an official of the Ministry of Rites, right? How come he is also involved in the matter of defending the Imperial Palace?"

"Although I am a minister of rites, my position is low and my words are not taken seriously, but since this involves matters of national importance, I dare not not speak out."

Cui Yulang spoke with such righteousness on his face that Li Rong could not help but turn around, wondering if Cui Yulang really had some evidence against Li Chuan.

She was a little panicked. She wanted Cui Yulang to report Li Chuan, not to let him do anything wrong.

Li Chuan raised his eyebrows. He knew what he had done, but he couldn't think of anything he had done that would endanger the country. So he was curious and said directly, "Master Cui, what you said is so serious, so why not tell me about it."

"Your Majesty," Cui Yulang heard Li Chuan's playful words and said stiffly, "In recent years, natural disasters and man-made disasters have caused the people to suffer. Not to mention last year, just look at this year's ice disaster, and the people are full of resentment. Such a strange phenomenon from heaven is because the prince is immoral..."

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Li Ming got angry before Cui Yulang could finish his words.

This kind of natural disaster has no real purpose. The one who is immoral is usually not the prince, but the king. Li Ming would not allow him to continue talking. He grabbed the memorial at hand and threw it at Cui Yulang, saying angrily: "Drag this idiot away and beat him! How can you say such weird and superstitious words in the court?"

"Your Majesty," Cui Yulang knelt hurriedly and said anxiously, "Last year, when the Ministry of Rites was organizing the Autumn Sacrifice, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sneezed during the sacrifice. This act must have angered the heavens and was a great disrespect!"

Hearing that Li Chuan was clearly at fault, Li Ming's expression eased a little. Minister of Rites Gu Zidao glanced coldly at Cui Yulang who was kneeling on the ground, and walked out: "Your Majesty, last year, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince caught a cold, but he still completed the sacrifice despite his illness. His sincerity was obvious to the Heaven. Heaven is merciful, and the Crown Prince is wise and will never be dissatisfied because of a sneeze. Although some areas have suffered some disasters in recent years, it is nothing special. Daxia is vast, and it is normal for some areas to have disasters every year. It is too much to force it to be a punishment from Heaven."

Gu Zidao turned his head and looked at Cui Yulang, and shouted: "Such a thief who spreads evil words to confuse the people should be punished!"

Gu Zidao spoke, and the ministers echoed him. Li Chuan remained calm, not wanting to pay attention to Cui Yulang. Li Rong was also too lazy to watch, and just wanted to beat this idiot to death in the court.

Why don't you talk about something else? You deserve to be punished for such irrelevant things.

Cui Yulang saw Li Rong's eyes and her gesture of turning away and not wanting to look anymore. He felt wronged and embarrassed. He also felt a little embarrassed that this was the first time he worked with Li Rong and it turned out like this. But what could he do?

He really couldn't find anything to participate in.

After a while of shouting at him for wanting to kill, Li Ming finally spoke up and said, "Although what Lord Cui said is a bit absurd, it is not without reason. How about this? Lord Cui will be fined for two months' salary, and the crown prince... the crown prince will go to the ancestral temple today and kneel for another night to give an explanation for last year's autumn sacrifice."

After Li Ming said this, Li Chuan's expression remained unchanged, but there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.

All the ministers present frowned, but did not say much.

After all, kneeling in the temple for a night to show filial piety was not a big deal. It was just that Cui Yulang was the one who was looking for trouble, but in the end, two people were punished. From this point of view, it was unfair no matter what.

Li Rong could see clearly that Li Ming's meaning was very clear, that is, if he wanted to cause trouble for Li Chuan, nothing would happen.

What he hoped was that the people below him could cause more trouble for Li Chuan.

Li Rong couldn't help but smile, but she felt a little cold in her heart. If she was like this, how much more so was Li Chuan?

After all, Li Chuan was still young. Although he tried hard to hold back, he still looked a little angry. After the court session, Li Chuan led his people out of the hall. When he passed by Cui Yulang, he couldn't help but stop and called out, "Master Cui."

Cui Yulang felt a little cold when he heard this, but he couldn't retreat at this moment. He was still waiting for the people behind him, so he responded with his momentum: "Your Highness."

"You will need to carefully consider matters in the court in the future. Lord Cui has only been in office for a short time, so you may want to ask the seniors for more advice on matters in the officialdom."

"Thank you for your guidance, Prince."

Cui Yulang was sweating coldly. Li Chuan didn't reply to him. He led the people down the stairs and walked out.

Li Rong then stepped out of the hall and whispered to Cui Yulang as she passed by him, "It's okay."

No matter how angry Li Chuan was, he would not do anything to Cui Yulang.

If it was Li Chuan in the late previous life, she might be able to do something, but she knew the seventeen-year-old Li Chuan very well.

It was impossible for him to do anything to Cui Yulang because of his personal affairs.

But her mother might not agree when she heard about this, so she had to go to the palace and talk to her mother about it.

Moreover, she has not entered the palace since she and Pei Wenxuan divorced, and her mother must be worried about her.

Li Rong thought about it, so she asked someone to go to the palace to inform Shangguan Yue, and then went directly to the back palace.

When Li Rong went to the back palace, Cui Yulang just arrived at the palace gate and heard a palace maid calling him, "Master Cui."

Cui Yulang paused, and the maid came forward and whispered, "Today, His Highness Prince Su's painting teacher is ill and cannot come. Concubine Rou asked me to ask if Master Cui is available today."

Cui Yulang smiled when he heard this and said respectfully, "It is a great honor for me to be able to serve Your Highness."

When Li Rong arrived at Weiyang Palace, there was noise inside again.

This was a common occurrence. Every time something happened in the previous dynasty, Shangguan Yue would always scold Li Chuan.

"You are just soft-hearted. You can't even handle such a small matter. How can your sister and I rely on you in the future? Cui Yulang has started this. What will you do in the future? Will you watch those ministers gain power and cause trouble for you?"

Li Rong listened to Shangguan Yue's roar and turned to look at the nanny who led her in. This nanny was Shangguan Yue's dowry and was Shangguan Yue's confidant. When she saw Li Rong looking at her, the nanny whispered, "Everyone has been cleared out. Your Highness, don't worry. This old servant will only take you here."

Li Rong nodded, knowing that her mother had been in the palace for so many years that it was impossible for her to make a mistake in such a matter.

She walked in and said with a smile, "What's going on here? Why do I always see my mother scolding my brother when I come back?"

"How dare you say that?!"

As soon as Li Rong spoke, Shangguan Yue turned around and scolded, "You didn't even discuss such a big thing as divorce with me in advance. You didn't even come to the palace to discuss it with me when something happened. It's been so long, and you're only here now. Do you still have me as your mother in your heart?!"

"Mother, my sister is sad too." Li Chuan hurriedly said, "Don't scold her..."

"Shut up!" Shangguan Yue scolded her daughter and son, then turned back and stared at Li Chuan, "Reflect on yourself."

Li Rong was used to Shangguan Yue's temper. She was nice to her and rarely scolded her since she was a child, but she was extremely harsh to Li Chuan. Now that she was married and involved in Li Chuan's future as the crown prince, Shangguan Yue gradually treated her equally and wanted to control everything.

Li Rong smiled and helped Shangguan Yue sit down, saying gently, "Mother, don't be too angry. It's easy to get angry and hurt your liver. Just talk things out nicely."

As she spoke, Li Rong brought tea to Shangguan Yue and sat down next to her: "Why did you quarrel today?"

"I heard that Cui Yulang reported him," Shangguan Yue knocked the teacup on the table, raised her hand and pointed at Li Chuan, and said angrily, "I asked him to teach this ignorant kid a lesson, but he refused. Don't you understand what your father meant? Today, Cui Yulang has been set as the first. If Chuan'er doesn't scare them, I don't know how much trouble Chuan'er will have in the future!"

Li Chuan pursed his lips. Shangguan Yue was furious when she saw his expression. She turned to look at her daughter, and seeing Li Rong's smiling face, she felt a little scared. Thinking of Li Rong's methods last year, she felt it was not good to speak too harshly, so she softened her voice, as if she was a little aggrieved: "Although you and I are in high positions, we are women after all. Our honor and disgrace depend on Chuan'er. If he has any mishap, what should we do? I have planned for him, but he doesn't listen. With his personality, how can he be like a prince? If I had another son..."

"Mother," Li Rong interrupted Shangguan Yue and said calmly, "Have some tea first."

Shangguan Yue also knew that she had spoken out of turn, so she remained silent. Li Rong stood up and helped Li Chuan up, letting him sit up. Li Chuan lowered his head and said nothing, but when Li Rong wanted him to sit next to Shangguan Yue, he sat next to Li Rong.

Li Rong felt a little awkward being sandwiched between the mother and son. She drank a sip of tea to calm herself down, coughed lightly and said, "I came here today to talk about Cui Yulang."

"Sister," Li Chuan lowered his eyes and whispered, "Although Cui Yulang reported me, he did not do anything wrong. There is no need to ..."

"Cui Yulang is mine."

Li Rong spoke boldly to Li Chuan, who suddenly raised his head. Shangguan Yue also looked over in shock. Li Rong drank a sip of tea and said slowly, "I blame you. I asked him to do it. Don't touch him."

Although she was talking about "you guys", Li Rong was mainly looking at Shangguan Yue.

Shangguan Yue stared at Li Rong in confusion, "Rong'er, what are you doing..."

"Mother," Li Rong smiled. She looked at Shangguan Yue and said gently, "Chuan'er is not young anymore. We can't just wait for Concubine Rou to become the queen, right?"

"You want to touch Concubine Rou?" Shangguan Yue frowned, "But what does Cui Yulang have to do with this matter? And your father has always protected her, you want to touch her..."

"Don't worry, mother," Li Rong comforted her, "I know what I am doing."

Shangguan Yue hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. After finishing the business, the atmosphere became a little awkward. Shangguan Yue drank a sip of tea, hesitated for a moment, and then asked about Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan: "I also know a little about your divorce with Pei Wenxuan."

She said slowly, "There's nothing we can do about it. If you still like him, you can get together again when the time is right."

It’s just that a man who chooses to divorce for power may not be the same choice his daughter would make.

As a mother, she knew Li Rong's character very well.

But what she knew was the 19-year-old Li Rong.

Li Rong smiled and didn't say much. She chatted casually with Shangguan Yue for a while. Shangguan Yue advised her a few words. The three of them had lunch. Shangguan Yue felt tired, so she went to take a nap first, leaving Li Rong and Li Chuan to sit.

Li Chuan remained silent. Li Rong glanced at him and said, "Why, you quarreled with your mother and ignored me?"

"How come?"

Li Chuan smiled bitterly: "I just feel a little tired and want to take a rest."

Li Rong knew he was lying. No matter who it was, she felt bad after being treated like this by her father in the morning and then being told by her mother that it would be nice to have another son. Li Rong paused for a moment and said slowly, "Don't take mother's words to heart. She was just angry."

Li Chuan listened and whispered, "It's okay."

He raised his hand and poured tea for Li Rong: "What the Queen Mother said is also right."

The sound of tea trickling into the cup, Li Chuan seemed really tired. Although still a teenager, he showed a bit of world-weary fatigue.

"If the Queen Mother had another son, perhaps everyone would have a much better life. I don't have to be the crown prince, and the Queen Mother doesn't have to rely on me."

Li Rong looked up at him. Li Chuan put down the teapot and leaned back in his chair: "If my sister was a prince, I wouldn't have to suffer."

"Chuan'er..."

"I'm just saying it," Li Chuan laughed, "I know Sister won't blame me, I'm just saying it. I know," Li Chuan didn't know if he was saying it to Li Rong or to himself, "Sister and Mother have both done a lot for me. Now that I've enjoyed this honor, there's no reason for me to back down. Don't worry, Sister, I'll be slow."

Li Rong was speechless. The siblings sat for a while. Li Chuan lay on a chair and closed his eyes to rest for a while. Li Rong stayed by his side. The siblings sat in the courtyard. Li Rong looked at the spring flowers in full bloom in the courtyard. While standing by Li Chuan, she suddenly felt an indescribable sadness surge up.

In this life, she has Pei Wenxuan. When Li Chuan becomes emperor and the disputes among the aristocratic families are resolved, she will have power, love, and freedom.

But Li Chuan's life has no end. He has to be trapped in the palace for his mother, for her, for the Shangguan family, for the people, for Daxia, but not for himself.

"How is Qin Lin doing in the northwest?"

Li Chuan seemed to have slowed down. He started to ask about business. Li Rong turned around and nodded, "Not bad. He and his uncle were alone in the frontline city. There was a war on the front line. Xiao Su didn't want to send his own people, so he put them on the front line. When Qin Lin needed soldiers, he sent those he couldn't control. When these people arrived at the front line, they all became Qin Lin's men."

Li Rong said slowly: "Everything is fine now except the lack of money."

Li Chuan nodded, and after thinking for a while, he said, "As for the money, I'll send it privately..."

"I'll find a way," Li Rong interrupted him. "Let's go your way. If we find out, you won't be able to explain yourself."

Li Chuan hesitated for a moment and responded.

After the two of them discussed the details for a while, it was almost time and Li Chuan was about to leave. Before he left, he suddenly remembered: "By the way," he hesitated for a moment and finally asked, "How is Xun Chuan?"

Li Rong didn't expect Li Chuan to ask about Xun Chuan. She raised her head and couldn't help laughing: "Why did you think of asking about her?"

"She was forced to leave because of me," Li Chuan said with a wry smile, sounding somewhat difficult. "So I always feel guilty and concerned about her. I hope she can live a good life, but I also feel like I am avoiding my own guilt. If she lives a good life, I won't feel so guilty."

"Nothing else?"

Li Rong asked with a smile. Li Chuan thought for a moment, turned his head and looked at the beautiful spring flowers in the courtyard, and smiled: "Sometimes I dream about the first time I saw you. I don't know why. Besides, we are not familiar with each other, so what else can there be?"

Li Rong listened and believed it. After all, they had barely spoken to each other in their entire lives.

"She's doing very well." Li Rong said slowly, "She wrote to me a few days ago, saying that Qin Lin had taken her to fight in a few battles and had given her some people. He had originally asked her to gather information in the northwest and to find trouble with Xiao Su, but she ended up going to the battlefields a few times and liked it, and even asked me if she could do it. How could I stop her?" Li Rong took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "Her recent letters to me have been much more cheerful."

"That's good."

Hearing this, Li Chuan thought about it and laughed.

"As long as you live well, that's good."

Having said that, Li Chuan bowed to Li Rong and then separated from her.

Li Rong stayed alone in the palace for a while before she stood up and left the palace alone.

After sitting in the carriage for a while, she felt that there was some noise. She could not help but lift the curtain of the carriage and saw a large crowd of people on the street, who seemed to be distributing porridge.

Li Rong stopped the carriage, looked in that direction for a while, and asked someone to find out what was going on.

The guards hurried over, and while Li Rong was waiting, she saw a young man in white gesturing at something in the crowd, appearing and disappearing as the figures swayed.

Li Rong recognized the man and roughly guessed what was going on here. In years of famine, the Su family would provide disaster relief on the streets for three days every month.

When Li Rong learned about the situation, she lost interest and was about to lower the car curtain and leave when she saw a young man in plain clothes walk up to Su Rongqing and hand him a piece of paper. Su Rongqing said a few words to him, and he nodded repeatedly, then asked someone to lead the young man away.

Li Rong couldn't help but frown when she saw this scene.

She kept staring at Su Rongqing, and the other party seemed to have noticed Li Rong's gaze. He raised his head and looked at her through the crowd.

The two looked at each other for a moment, Su Rongqing nodded, then turned away and went about his own business.

The guard also turned back and whispered, "Your Highness, today is Su's porridge."

Li Rong nodded and then said, "I just saw someone take a piece of paper and ask Mr. Su, and then he was led away. What is he doing?"

"I just asked," the guard replied, "Su's family has given special care to candidates this year. As long as you are a scholar and bring your poems, you can directly find anyone in Su's family and they will be placed until the results of the imperial examination are announced."

Li Rong frowned.

Su Rongqing's move was more popular than being the chief examiner of an imperial examination.

Li Rong was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Go find Master Pei and tell him tonight..."

Li Rong hesitated for a moment, thought about the most suitable place, and finally said, "In front of Yue Lao Temple. I will wear a mask with peach blossoms painted on it and wait for him on the street."