Xie Lanqing first sued Li Rong, but was counter-sued by Li Rong. This incident happened under the eyes of court officials, and everyone was waiting for the result.

Pei Wenxuan had already informed Pei Liming, so Pei Liming had no intention of covering up for him and focused on the case. With the cooperation of Lu Feibai, within three days, the case of Xie Lanqing instructing Chen Guang to assassinate Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan was finalized.

Seeing that the New Year was approaching, Li Rong handled the Qin case, the military pay case and Xie Lanqing's case together, and invited the three departments of Yu Shitai, the Ministry of Justice, and the Inspection Department to review the case together, and the Ministry of Personnel was present to listen, and the case was finally decided in court.

Xie Lanqing was, after all, an old minister who had served two dynasties. His merits and demerits offset each other, so he was finally sentenced to exile. In the other two cases, three of the seventy people were executed, and the others were exiled or demoted to different degrees.

When the verdict was announced, Xie Lanqing seemed unusually calm.

He seemed to have come out of his previous emotions, showing a detached attitude of not caring about life and death. After the verdict was announced, he saluted respectfully, and then was helped up by someone and turned away.

After all the cases were judged, it was already night. When Li Rong walked out of the door, she felt ice chips falling on her face. Li Rong raised her head and looked into the night. The snow particles passed by the dim light around the lantern, and she could only see its shape. Li Rong looked up for a moment, and then she felt someone walk behind her, raised his hand, and covered her back with a wide sleeve, holding her in his arms: "Go home."

Pei Wenxuan spoke, Li Rong turned around and smiled: "Are you not going to fight with Shangguan Yushi and Shitai?"

Pei Wenxuan came with Shangguan Minzhi to attend the trial, and he should go back with Shangguan Minzhi. Pei Wenxuan took Li Rong's arm and walked out of the government office, heading for the carriage, smiling and saying, "Tomorrow is a holiday, and it's the New Year soon. He can't wait to go home, and he still cares about us? He should have let us, his subordinates, go home by ourselves a long time ago."

"I heard that although Minzhi's uncle looks cold, he is very caring about his family."

Li Rong nodded and walked out with Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan sighed: "The court is so cold, how can I not be greedy for the gentleness of the lady?"

"That's a pity," Li Rong knew what he was hinting at, and said with a half-smile, "Master Pei doesn't have a wife who can give him a gentle and gentle life."

"The gentle countryside can't give me that," Pei Wenxuan laughed, "but my wife's arms are as strong as a mountain bear and she's as fierce as a tiger. She can give me support and a sense of security. I think that's pretty good too."

Li Rong knew that Pei Wenxuan was secretly cursing her for being fierce and powerful, so she sneered and said, "Before, you only said that I was an adult peony, but now you dare to directly call me a beast. Pei Wenxuan, do you drink bear bile every day? Your mouth is bitter and poisonous, and your gall is fat and big."

"Your Highness, why do you have to ask?" Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong walked to the door together. They crossed the threshold together. Pei Wenxuan whispered in Li Rong's ear, "You will know if you try it."

After hearing what he said, Li Rong turned her head, raised her eyebrows, and raised her hand to pinch his chin.

Pei Wenxuan knew that she was brave, but he didn't expect her to be so brave. He stepped back in fear. Li Rong couldn't help but burst out laughing when she saw that his expression was restrained but a little panicked, and he tried to avoid her hand in a hurry.

Pei Wenxuan froze in his tracks. Li Rong gently fanned his chin and said, "It's just a small thing. Why are you being so rude to me?"

Having said that, Li Rong turned around and walked down the stairs.

Pei Wenxuan's ears turned red, feeling that he had lost face, but he still had to pretend that nothing had happened and chased after him, whispering, "This is outside, don't be so presumptuous."

Li Rong won the game, so he stopped there without saying anything more. He smiled and walked to the carriage. As soon as he got to the carriage, he heard a calm voice calling from the side: "Your Highness."

Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan looked up together and saw Su Rongqing standing on the side. He saluted towards Li Rong, who was a little surprised: "Minister Su?"

"Your Highness," Su Rongqing smiled and said gently, "Do you have time?"

"Master Su, is there anything?" Pei Wenxuan stepped forward, standing in front of Li Rong, and said with a smile, "Now that the case has been reviewed, tomorrow is the day for the court to celebrate the New Year. Master Su, if you have anything to say, why don't you wait until after the Spring Festival?"

"It's not my business," Su Rongqing said calmly. He looked at Li Rong and said slowly, "It's Sir Xie who wants to see the princess."

"Xie Lanqing?"

Pei Wenxuan was a little surprised. Su Rongqing nodded and said, "Master Xie has many questions that I would like to ask the princess."

Li Rong thought about it and nodded, "Has Minister Su made all the arrangements?"

"Master Xie is in the Ministry of Justice now. I will take Your Highness there."

"Then go over now."

Li Rong decided to invite Su Rongqing: "Minister Su, are you coming with us?"

Su Rongqing bowed in thanks, which was considered as his acceptance.

The three of them got on the carriage together. After getting on the carriage, Li Rong realized that the atmosphere seemed familiar. Fortunately, this time she didn't need to consider the order of the two people. As soon as Su Rongqing sat on the side of the carriage, Pei Wenxuan sat next to Li Rong, with a tea table between them. He and Su Rongqing sat on one side, separating Su Rongqing and Li Rong.

Su Rongqing glanced at Pei Wenxuan calmly. Li Rong pretended to be completely unaware of what had happened. Just as she was about to lower her head to pour tea, Pei Wenxuan took the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Li Rong: "Your Highness, have some tea."

"Uh, thank you."

Li Rong took the tea, and then, fearing that Pei Wenxuan would take the opportunity to retaliate against Su Rongqing and embarrass the situation, she hurriedly said, "Pour a cup for Minister Su as well."

"That's natural."

Pei Wenxuan said as he poured tea for Su Rongqing as well, and handed the tea to Su Rongqing like a host: "Minister Su, have some tea."

Su Rongqing nodded: "Thank you."

Then Pei Wenxuan put down the teapot. Li Rong was a little surprised: "Why don't you pour it for yourself?"

"I'll just drink from your highness's cup." Pei Wenxuan said gently, "There are not enough cups."

After hearing this, Li Rong turned around and glanced at the cup still on the table. Pei Wenxuan noticed her gaze and explained with a smile: "This cup has a chip."

How could she have a chipped cup on her desk?

But she didn't dare to ask, for she was afraid that Pei Wenxuan would give her a gap as soon as she asked.

Su Rongqing held the cup and looked down at the water patterns. Seeing that neither of them spoke, Pei Wenxuan began to introduce the tea to Su Rongqing.

He started talking and the atmosphere finally became less awkward. Su Rongqing was also a considerate person, so the two of them started chatting over tea. Li Rong lowered his head and pretended to read a book, saying nothing.

After much difficulty, they finally arrived at the Ministry of Justice. Pei Wenxuan helped Li Rong down, and Su Rongqing led them into prison together.

Xie Lanqing was sitting in the prison. Someone beside him arranged a stool for Li Rong. Li Rong sat down and looked at Xie Lanqing who was sitting on the bed. "I heard that Master Xie wanted to see me for something?"

Xie Lanqing looked at Li Rong. He did not salute. Li Rong twirled her fan and did not care about his rudeness. The two looked at each other quietly for a long time, and finally asked, "Have you seen her?"

Li Rong said nothing. Xie Lan continued to ask in a hoarse voice, "Luo Xia, you have met her, right?"

"I didn't." Li Rong said calmly, "I have been in Huajing. She died two years ago. She sent someone to Huajing to look for you, you know, but you didn't go back. It's impossible for me to have seen her."

Xie Lanqing listened to her words and widened her eyes: "She died two years ago?"

"Don't you know?" Li Rong laughed, then nodded, as if she understood. "Yes, you haven't visited her in twenty years. But Sir Xie," Li Rong held her chin, "Although I haven't visited her, I may know what Sir Xie wants to know."

After all, Su Rongqing checked almost everyone around Lu Xia and pieced together this woman's wandering half-life.

Born into a high-class family in Jianghu, he accidentally entered Huajing when he was young, and became a hero to save a beauty. He unexpectedly met a noble son in Huajing at that time.

The elegance bestowed upon a man by a centuries-old family and the innocence of a young boy, even the strong heart honed by practicing martial arts since childhood, could not help but soften into flowing water.

"Fei Bai," Xie Lanqing stared at Li Rong, "Is this really my child?"

"You still think I'm lying to you?" Li Rong was a little helpless. "Master Xie, I won't frame you with this kind of thing. When you were in love with Luxia, you broke up with her due to pressure from your family. When you were together with Luxia, she gave you three wishes, and your second wish was for her to leave."

"At that time, she was already pregnant with Lu Feibai."

"But she didn't tell me!" Xie Lanqing screamed. Li Rong was puzzled. "Why should she tell you? You can't marry her, and she doesn't plan to marry anyone else. This child is her only hope, and she won't harm him. And if he is born and enters the Xie family, he will be an illegitimate child of a lowly mother. Why should she tell you?"

Xie Lanqing stared at Li Rong in a daze. Li Rong said calmly, "She left with her child, and was not accepted by the family sect, so she and her junior sister hid from place to place. She had no choice but to write a letter to you and ask for money."

"When she asked for money, you must have felt relieved. You finally didn't feel guilty about this woman. So you spent a lot of money and gave Qin Qushan to her."

"Later, she established the Seven Stars Hall, and had two protectors on her left and right. It was rumored that she and her right protector, her senior brother, were having an affair, so you thought that Lu Feibai was Lu Fei's child. After all, you knew about Lu Feibai a full year late."

"Lu Feibai's real age is not 20 years old. He is only 19 years old this year."

"Luxia lived her whole life alone on Qinqu Mountain. She was still thinking about you until she died. She asked people to look for you, but you were unwilling to go."

"After her death, she was afraid that people in the underworld would seek revenge and bully her because she was young, so she asked not to announce her death to the public and pretended that she was still alive."

"So I went to the Qixing Hall to meet him..."

"Not her."

Li Rong definitely spoke up. Xie Lanqing sat there, looking a little dazed. Li Rong stared at him for a long time. She tapped her fan gently and said slowly, "Master Xie, do you have anything else to ask? If you don't want to ask, I'll leave now."

"Does she hate me?" Xie Lanqing suddenly asked. Li Rong thought for a moment and said, "I don't know. But I'm also very curious." Li Rong leaned forward slightly and asked, "Do you love her?"

Xie Lanqing was silent for a long time, then he smiled and said, "I dare not say love."

"I think so." Li Rong stood up and said calmly, "Love is inherently indifferent to you. It's a pity for Lu Xia, who has been wandering and lonely all her life and ended up with someone like you."

Xie Lanqing said nothing. When Li Rong walked out, he spoke in a low voice: "I hope she will live a good life."

Li Rong paused, he turned around and saw Xie Lanqing looking up at the sky outside the window: "I was young and didn't know how high the heaven was or how deep the earth was. I thought I could protect the two of us by risking my life. I begged her to stay, married her privately, and moved to Huajing with her. I thought that if I didn't care about my life, or the glory and wealth, I could fall in love with her."

"But later I found out that without a family, how can I have the qualifications to talk about love? The nobility of a noble family name is the nobility of blood and in-laws. As a disciple of the Xie family, if I marry a woman from Jianghu, it will bring shame to my family. My noble family will become a laughing stock, and my men and women in the royal family and in-laws will be affected. The Xie family can't tolerate me and her, I can die, but what about her?"

"I was born in heaven, why did I fall to earth?"

Xie Lanqing closed her eyes and said, "I let her go because I wanted her to live well. I didn't go to see her because I knew there would be no result, so why would I be sad?"

"It's not that I don't love him, it's just that I don't have the qualifications and I don't dare to say it."

"Sometimes I would ask myself over and over again why, what did I do wrong? I like someone, she likes me, why do so many people have to be punished, why do so many people live unhappy. Is this my fault, or theirs?"

"But my parents are right, my people are right, and what about me? It is a sin to like someone who does not have the same surname as my in-laws, but why is it a sin?"

Xie Lanqing seemed to find it ridiculous. He closed his eyes and said, "I have thought about it all my life, and then I understood. Because I was born in a wealthy family and enjoyed such wealth, I must maintain this wealth. Pain is nothing, love is nothing, and maintaining the family is the righteousness. This will last for a hundred years or a thousand years. I want to protect the Xie family, this noble surname, this noble bloodline. Your Li family is originally a noble family," Xie Lanqing turned his head and looked at Li Rong, "but you married a poor family. It would be fine if the poor family was poor, but you actually listened to the instructions of this poor family and severed the prince from the family."

"Your Highness, I cannot talk about the past, but now I want to ask you, what did you do today? Is it to allow the offspring of that lowly Prince Su to ascend to a high position?!"

Li Rong said nothing. She just looked at this completely contradictory and divided person.

She felt that Xie Lanqing was pathetic, but she didn't know what was so pathetic about him.

It's sad that she is bound by rules, just like she was in her previous life.

It is still sad that one develops an unruly heart within the rules, like Li Chuan in the previous life.

She was speechless. She just looked at Xie Lanqing quietly, falling into an indescribable confusion and excruciating pain.

It was in that moment of silence that she felt someone reach out and hold her hand quietly.

"Everything your highness did today was to make people like Lord Xie stop asking why in the future."

Xie Lanqing was stunned. Li Rong turned her head and slowly raised it.

Pei Wenxuan stood beside her, like a tall tree or mountain, shielding her from the wind and rain. He looked at Xie Lanqing and said calmly, "To like someone and marry the person you love represents not only love, but also the most basic right of being a human being. Lord Xie said that love is nothing, and it is true, but Lord Xie has not discovered that under such rules, for the sake of the family, not only love is nothing, but also people, morality, and justice are nothing."

"Your Highness wants a world where family is not the most important thing, but where everyone lives happily and has hope. Maybe it cannot happen today, or even takes hundreds or thousands of years, but Your Highness still hopes that one day there will no longer be another Lord Xie asking himself what he did wrong."

"There won't be another Lord Xie who will accuse Your Highness of marrying into a poor family despite being born into a wealthy family."

"Li Rong is marrying Pei Wenxuan, and Your Highness is marrying someone who loves her and is loved by her," Pei Wenxuan said calmly, his tone as steady as a mountain. "He can make her happy for a lifetime, love her for a lifetime, protect her for a lifetime, and will not let her down, betray her, or abandon her."

"Even if you are from a poor family, it is not wrong."