After Li Rong finished giving instructions, she looked over to the place not far away. Su Rongqing seemed to have finished counting and giving instructions. She said hello to Su Ronghua who came from another porridge shop, and Su Ronghua went back first. Li Rong looked at the sky and saw that it was still early. She had to wait for the Yue Lao Temple to get busy in the evening, which would take some time.

So she simply moved the carriage forward a few steps, changed into a cloth dress in the carriage, and got out.

No one knew where Su Rongqing had gone. Perhaps she had gone home after finishing her work. She was walking around the porridge stall and taking a look.

Compared to their wealth, the Su family's porridge shop looked much more shabby. Other wealthy families used refined rice to make porridge for disaster relief, with full grains and good reviews. However, the Su family's porridge used the lowest quality brown rice, with some gravel in the middle, which made people lose their appetite.

She remembered that it was not like this in her previous life. In her previous life, the rice of the Su family was very good. But because of this, even many people who were not disaster victims came to cheat and eat.

This change made her feel even more emotional. Although she had generally confirmed Su Rongqing's background in her heart, every time she really realized it, she always felt a little sad.

What are you coming back for?

Li Rong cried and laughed. She and Pei Wenxuan came back and could continue their past relationship. He came back...

What's the purpose?

While Li Rong was watching the porridge stall, Cui Yulang went to the palace to give lessons to Prince Su as requested by Concubine Rou.

He was led by the palace servants to the place where Prince Su taught. As soon as he entered, he saw Prince Su Li Cheng sitting at the top of the class in a proper manner. There was a screen behind him, and the outline of a woman could be vaguely seen behind the screen. Cui Yulang had a rough idea in his mind and knew that this was Concubine Rou.

He pretended to know nothing and knelt down respectfully: "I have seen your Highness."

"Stand up." Li Cheng sat cross-legged with his hands on his knees, looking very imposing.

Cui Yulang stood up, and the maid came forward, set up a cushion for him, and knelt down opposite Li Cheng. Then the maid quickly left, leaving only him and Li Cheng in the room.

"My mother said she wants to see you." Li Cheng opened his mouth and directly stated the purpose of his visit. As he spoke, Li Cheng supported himself and stood up from the ground and sat aside. Concubine Rou also walked out from behind the screen and sat gracefully in Li Cheng's original seat.

"I have met Concubine Rou."

Cui Yulang quickly saluted Concubine Rou, who smiled and said, "Master Cui, there is no need to be polite."

As she spoke, Concubine Rou gave Li Cheng a look. Li Cheng pouted, stood up reluctantly, and poured tea for Cui Yulang and Concubine Rou.

Cui Yulang glanced at Li Cheng's expression. He knew that Li Cheng was not willing to pour tea for him, so he hurriedly said, "Your Highness, there is no need for me to come. I will do it myself."

"Cheng'er." Li Cheng was about to let go of her happily, but Concubine Rou glared at him. Li Cheng's face immediately fell again, and he just said, "Master Cui, don't be so cautious. I'll pour you some tea."

Cui Yulang smiled dryly and said nothing, he could only nod and thank him.

After Li Cheng poured tea for Cui Yulang, Concubine Rou looked Cui Yulang up and down and said, "I heard that Mr. Cui reported to the Crown Prince today and was fined his monthly salary."

Cui Yulang was angry when he heard this. Concubine Rou observed him and said slowly, "Master Cui did nothing wrong. The Crown Prince made a mistake in the sacrifice last year. Even if it was an unintentional mistake, it was the cause of this year's disaster. Your Majesty is really helpless in punishing you."

"Your Majesty is still very clear-sighted," Cui Yulang sighed, "Now the court is full of collusion among the noble families. For a humble minister like me, anything I say is wrong."

"Then, sir, have you ever thought about it," Concubine Rou hinted, "finding an ally and a way out for the poor family?"

Cui Yulang did not reply. He slowly raised his head and looked at Concubine Rou. Concubine Rou smiled and responded to their gaze. After a long while, Cui Yulang said slowly, "The road your majesty wants to take is too dangerous. If your majesty wants to use me, I have a request."

"Oh?" Concubine Rou brought the tea and said slowly, "What does Lord Cui want?"

"Your Majesty, I want you to trust me absolutely."

Hearing this, Concubine Rou paused, she raised her head and stared at Cui Yulang. After a moment, she chuckled, "Sir Cui, you and I are not familiar with each other yet. It will take time for us to have absolute trust. But I can guarantee," Concubine Rou raised her hand and placed it on her chest, "Since I have employed Sir Cui, I will not be suspicious. As long as Sir Cui lives up to my expectations, I will absolutely trust him."

"But," Concubine Rou tilted her head, "How does Lord Cui plan to gain my trust?"

Cui Yulang stood up straight, with a look of confidence on his face.

"May I ask the Inspector General, Madam Roufei," Cui Yulang lowered his voice, "Does Madam Roufei want it?"

Concubine Rou's eyes suddenly turned cold. Cui Yulang waved his fan and looked at Concubine Rou with a smile: "Concubine Rou has countless advisers under her. I know it is very difficult to gain Concubine Rou's trust, so I did not come empty-handed this time."

"Reporting to the Crown Prince is my humble servant's way of getting in the way."

Concubine Rou raised her eyes with seriousness in them.

If the purpose of impeaching the prince was to attract her to recruit him, then this person's mentality was indeed not just that of a poor man who could be recruited, but a talent who must be recruited.

"And the Inspection Office," Cui Yulang leaned forward slightly, "is my gift to the queen."

"I wonder if Your Majesty would like this great gift or not?"

When Cui Yulang left the palace, Li Rong visited several porridge stalls and finally met another scholar.

The scholar seemed to have walked for a long time and looked exhausted. He took a letter and found a servant of the Su family. After a conversation, the servant led the scholar away.

Li Rong hurried to catch up with the servant and the scholar. After they entered the alley, they soon arrived at a house. Li Rong hid at the corner and listened to the servant knocking on the door. After the door opened, the servant who led the way said, "This young man is also here to take part in the imperial examination in Huajing. You can take him over and take good care of him."

"Please, sir."

The man inside asked someone to lead the scholar in. After waiting for a while, he heard the man inside say, "Are you all here to take the exam today?"

"Yes." The guide seemed a little depressed.

"What a pity." The person inside sighed, "No one came to complain today..."

"Your Highness."

Li Rong was just about to listen closer when she heard a steady voice coming from behind her. She was so scared that she almost jumped up, but she instinctively restrained all body movements. After being frozen for a moment, she came to her senses, turned around with a smile, and saw Su Rongqing standing not far behind her.

He clasped his hands in his sleeves, his expression neither sad nor happy, as calm as a god or Buddha without any emotions.

"Master Su," Li Rong said with a smile, pretending nothing had happened, "What are you doing here?"

"This is a property under the name of the Su Mansion, used to accommodate the children who have no money to live in recently." Su Rongqing did not ask what Li Rong was doing here, but only said, "Your Highness is lost, do you need me to lead the way?"

"Yes," Su Rongqing offered the stairs, and Li Rong naturally followed him down, saying, "Then thank you, Master Su."

Su Rongqing nodded and stepped aside to let Li Rong pass first.

Li Rong walked forward in the direction he pointed, and Su Rongqing followed behind.

The distance between them was neither far nor close, just like in the previous life when he was still her slave.

Li Rong took a few steps and felt a little uncomfortable. She stopped, turned her head and looked at Su Rongqing, pointed ahead with her small fan, and said, "Sir Su, aren't you going to lead the way? Come forward."

When Su Rongqing heard this, he looked at Li Rong intently.

He clenched his hands into fists in his sleeves, but his face remained calm.

Li Rong smiled and tilted her head, and asked, "Master Su?"

"Your humble servant," Su Rongqing's voice was a little hoarse, "I dare not overstep the line."

"You are just leading the way, how can you be considered overstepping the boundaries?" Li Rong smiled gently, "You are now the legitimate son of the Su family and the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, not a servant. You don't have to be too restrained."

As Su Rongqing listened to Li Rong's words, his face turned paler and paler. Every word Li Rong said seemed to be scraping at his heart.

Li Rong watched his expression change. She waited for him quietly. After a long time, Su Rongqing seemed to understand something. He chuckled and stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, please."

As he spoke, Su Rongqing walked not far ahead, and Li Rong took half a step behind him, leading the way forward.

She originally wanted to ask something, to find out some news, but when she saw Su Rongqing, she suddenly lost interest.

She had an inexplicable feeling that if she asked, Su Rongqing would answer.

But if he really answered, she wouldn't know what to do.

She couldn't do what Shangguan Ya did, who knew that the other party was going to the banquet, but still set up a trap. She could use conspiracy and overt tactics to win over this person, but she couldn't win like this.

The two of them were silent for a while, and it was Su Rongqing who asked first: "Your Highness, don't you want to ask something?"

"What do you want to ask?"

Li Rong walked out of the alley with him and said, "If I want to know, I will check it out. It's not hard to guess what you are going to do."

"Your Highness is always frank."

Su Rongqing answered calmly, and Li Rong smiled: "If I ask you something, it will only take about one hour."

Su Rongqing looked back at her. Li Rong put her hands behind her back and said, "Either I die or you lose."

As they talked, they walked out of the alley. After leaving the narrow alley, Li Rong waved her hand and said, "Don't bother seeing me off, sir. I'll leave on my own."

As she said this, Li Rong turned around and was about to leave. Su Rongqing suddenly called her, "Your Highness."

Li Rong stopped and turned around, only to see Su Rongqing standing in the crowd, looking at her quietly.

This place was not far from Yue Lao Temple. The lanterns were lit and people were coming and going. The lights cast a warm light on Su Rongqing. Su Rongqing stretched out her hand and performed the same ceremony she had performed when she was her guest in her previous life. She only said, "Goodbye."

Li Rong watched his actions without saying anything. At this moment, a young man shaking a wave drum suddenly bumped into her.

As soon as Li Rong raised her head, she met the other person's eyes.

The man was wearing a fox-faced mask and a water-blue gown with silver patterns. There was a hint of warning in his eyes. As they passed by, he whispered, "Still looking."

Li Rong wanted to laugh for a moment, but she knew Su Rongqing was still watching her, so she held back her laughter, nodded at Su Rongqing, turned around, and followed Pei Wenxuan into the crowd.

Pei Wenxuan seemed to be a stranger to her. He walked in front of her with one hand behind his back and the other holding a wave drum. The small beads on both sides of the wave drum gently hit the drum surface, making a thudding sound, making him look like a bored young man.

He was very tall, standing out half a head from the crowd. Li Rong could spot him at a glance without having to look for him. She followed him for a while and saw the secret guard standing at the door of a restaurant. Li Rong turned and went into the restaurant, quickly changing her clothes and hairstyle. When she came out, she had a peach blossom mask on her face.

On the street near Yue Lao Temple, many men and women were wearing masks. Li Rong was not conspicuous wearing a mask. She looked around the crowd and saw Pei Wenxuan bargaining with someone at a stall.

Li Rong walked behind him and coughed lightly. Pei Wenxuan remained motionless and just said to the stall owner, "A little less."

Li Rong didn't look at him. She walked on the street with her hands behind her back. After walking for a while, she felt there was someone beside her.

Without turning around, she knew who was coming and said with a suppressed smile, "How much money did you save?"

"Do you care about this one or two cents?" Pei Wenxuan swung his hand, and Li Rong heard the sound of the fan. She turned her head and took a look, only to find that Pei Wenxuan brought a fan today, pretending to be elegant, and looked a bit like Cui Yulang.

Li Rong couldn't help laughing: "Did you go to Cui Yulang to learn from him?"

"It's just a small matter, do I need to ask him for advice? You really look down on me."

Pei Wenxuan spoke with disdain. Li Rong looked him up and down and said, "The mask you are wearing today suits you very well. You are so cunning and sly."

"Your mask is not bad," Pei Wenxuan said in a somewhat cold tone, "People are not like peach blossoms, but there are a lot of peach blossoms in their lives."

"Are you saying I'm ugly?"

Li Rong took the initiative, Pei Wenxuan did not dare to face the enemy head-on, so he changed the battlefield: "I mean you have too many bad peach blossoms."

"Then you should be happy." Li Rong joked with a smile, "You are the best one among so many bad peach blossoms, you should be proud of it."

Pei Wenxuan sneered and said nothing. Neither of them mentioned business, they just walked aimlessly on the street, like an ordinary couple.

They were standing very close to each other, shoulder to shoulder, their clothes rubbing against each other, and they moved forward silently in the crowd.

After a while, Li Rong gently reached out her hand, and hooked Pei Wenxuan's little finger with her little finger under her sleeve where no one else could see. Pei Wenxuan turned his head and saw Li Rong blinking, with a hint of smile in her cunning eyes, as if she was sure that he would not be angry.

Pei Wenxuan restrained his smile, pulled his hand away and turned his head, slapping her in the face in one go. Li Rong's face changed immediately, and just as she was about to scold him, she felt Pei Wenxuan holding her again, and this time he not only held her, but also stuffed something into her hand.

The thing was very smooth, crescent-shaped, and slightly larger than a fingernail. He held it in her palm and she heard him whisper, "For you."

His voice was very soft, as if he was a little embarrassed. Li Rong didn't know why, but she was also affected by him. She lowered her eyes, walked hand in hand with him on the street, and whispered, "What is it?"

"A pair of crescent moons."

Pei Wenxuan explained: "I brought one, and the other one is for you."

"Did you buy it from the stall just now?"

Li Rong laughed, and Pei Wenxuan felt a little embarrassed for a moment. Li Rong said, "I was fooled again."

Pei Wenxuan: “…”

He pulled the crescent moon and tried to take it back, saying in a low voice: "If you don't want it, forget it."

But before he could pull out the crescent-shaped pendant, Li Rong grabbed the pendant, held it in her hand, and raised her hand flat.

The red string of the crescent pendant was still on Li Rong's finger. She opened her palm and the pendant was suspended in the air. Li Rong walked backwards, letting Pei Wenxuan look at the crescent, and said with a smile: "You gave me something, and you still want to take it back?"

As she spoke, Li Rong raised her hands and put them around her neck, looking up with some pride: "No..."

Before she finished saying the word "door", Pei Wenxuan took a step forward, pulled her into his arms, and held her waist in his arms.

Afterwards, Li Rong heard someone hurriedly apologize: "Sorry, sorry, I didn't pay attention just now."

"No problem."

Li Rong knew that she had caused trouble by walking backwards, so she turned her head from Pei Wenxuan's arms and comforted the middle-aged man with the child: "It was also my fault for not being careful."

The man let the child apologize to her. Li Rong saw that the child was cute, so she gave her the rattle that Pei Wenxuan had been playing with. After the child left, Li Rong turned around and saw Pei Wenxuan standing behind her, with an especially gentle look under the fox mask.

She felt a little embarrassed by being stared at, and couldn't help but ask, "Why are you looking at me?"

"You haven't been this patient before." Pei Wenxuan said bluntly, "I just saw you coaxing a child, and I thought you looked very nice."

Li Rong smiled softly and didn't say much. She also knew what Pei Wenxuan meant.

In her previous life, she was full of anger. She became impatient when she saw children and easily irritated when encountering problems. How could she have such patience?

She didn't say much about these changes, and finally got down to business: "Today I saw Su Rongqing taking in scholars who came to Huajing to take the imperial examination. I followed him, and from what his servants said, he was not only looking for people to take the imperial examination, but also looking for people to file complaints."

Li Rong frowned, feeling somewhat uneasy: "I can't figure out what he means. If he is taking in the scholars who are taking part in the imperial examination, I can still guess that he is trying to win people's hearts, but he is still looking for someone to complain..."

"How's Cui Yulang?" Pei Wenxuan suddenly asked this question. Li Rong was stunned. She could tell that Pei Wenxuan was forcing a change of subject. She looked at him fixedly.

Pei Wenxuan acted as if nothing had happened and asked with a smile, "How did you discuss this with him? Why did you even report it to the Crown Prince today?"

"He has reported this to the Crown Prince, and Concubine Rou will come looking for him."

Li Rong followed Pei Wenxuan's words and said with a smile: "I will play a few more scenes with him and gain Concubine Rou's trust. He comes from a poor family and is an opposition to Su Rongqing. With him around, the alliance between Concubine Rou and Su Rongqing will not be possible."

"Your Highness has done a very smart thing." Pei Wenxuan praised, "Without Su Rongqing, Concubine Rou would not be a problem. Concubine Rou and Prince Su are ruined. With Su Rongqing alone, unless he intends to rebel, he will not be able to defeat Your Highness the Crown Prince no matter what."

"That's what I intend to do."

As they talked, they walked to the end of the stone bridge of Yue Lao Temple. Li Rong saw that they had reached the end of the road and said with a smile, "I have finished talking about the matter. I will go back first."

Pei Wenxuan responded, and Li Rong waved her hand and said, "Let's go."

Having said that, Li Rong stepped onto the stone bridge.

There were few people around, and the water under the stone bridge reflected the bright moon and the water was gurgling. As soon as Li Rong stepped onto the stone bridge, she heard Pei Wenxuan calling her: "Rongrong."

Li Rong turned around and looked at Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan looked at her quietly. After a long time, he raised his hand, pointed at himself, drew a circle on his chest, and then raised his hand and pointed at Li Rong.

Li Rong understood clearly that he was using sign language to express, I like you.

Li Rong was silent for a while, then smiled softly: "I know."

Pei Wenxuan smiled slowly, and watched Li Rong cross the stone bridge as lightly as a bird, and then trotted away from his sight.

As soon as Li Rong left Pei Wenxuan, the secret guard jumped down from the surrounding wall and followed Li Rong.

Li Rong lost her smile and said, "Have someone keep an eye on Pei Wenxuan and Su Rongqing. Tell me immediately if there is any unusual movement."

The secret guard responded, and Li Rong returned to the tavern, changed into her own clothes, went downstairs and got on the carriage as if she had just had a meal in the tavern, and went back to the princess's mansion. Li Rong leaned on the carriage alone, and after a long time, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Rong's people responded quickly, and Zhao Chongjiu passed the message over: "Lord Pei is also investigating Su Rongqing."

"What happened to Su Rongqing's people?"

Li Rong frowned and opened the message brought back by Zhao Chongjiu. Zhao Chongjiu knelt on the ground and told him everything: "Don't ask me to investigate. Su Rongqing has been providing food, clothing, housing and transportation for the scholars who came to Beijing to take the exam since the beginning of this year. Ordinary scholars live in the courtyards that Your Highness has seen. But if there is a grievance, they will live alone in another courtyard."

Li Rong listened quietly, frowning: "What does he want to do with these people?"

“I don’t know yet, but it’s very interesting.”

"Um?"

"Master Pei's people have infiltrated this group of people."

Li Rong was speechless, she just laughed at Zhao Chongjiu's words.

Su Rongqing was collecting complaints, but Pei Wenxuan not only ignored them, but also told her not to pay any attention to them, and even sent people to smooth things over.

So if this group of people are gathered together, it is likely not a small matter.

Li Rong thought quietly for a while and came up with an idea in her mind.

Zhao Chongjiu waited for her, and after a long time, she finally figured it out.

"Quick," Li Rong said hurriedly, "Call Cui Yulang back to me!"