“Remember to go back and kowtow three times to her portrait to thank her for generously saving your life.”
Li Ming’s expression did not change after hearing this. He looked at Pei Wenxuan, who was kneeling on the ground, as if he had seen it coming for a while, but he still asked, “What does dear official Pei mean? You are an official of the imperial court. Why would someone want to kill you?”
“Your Majesty,” Pei Wenxuan was still kneeling on the ground and looked aggrieved and indignant, “Since Your Majesty knows that this official rescued Princess Ping Le yesterday, Your Majesty might more or less know of this humble official’s predicament.”
“Predicament?” Li Ming found a stone nearby, dusted it off and slowly took a seat, “You don’t have to be afraid. Might as well just say it.”
“Yesterday, on the way back to the city, this humble official saw some soldiers on horseback galloping by. Those people vaguely talked amongst themselves about threatening and abducting the Princess. This humble official felt uneasy and asked a servant to return to the city to seek help from the Crown Prince’s mansion. This humble official secretly chased after them, just in case there was an accident.”
“En.” Li Ming responded with a single syllable. All of these things were true. He had people look into it last night. He indifferently asked, “Then what?”
“This humble official followed them. Looking at these people, they were obviously servants of some family, but they had changed into commoner clothing, pretending to be mountain bandits. This humble official knew that this could not be good and set up some traps on the road, hoping to help the Princess at a critical moment.”
“You are quite clever.” Li Ming laughed, “So those stones and wooden boards, was it your doing?”
Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan knew that Li Ming had thoroughly investigated the events of that night. Perhaps the traces that were left behind had also been carefully examined.
Back in the day, Pei Wenxuan had served under Li Ming for a year and was all too familiar with Li Ming’s personality. He was overly suspicious, temperamental and had to verify everything. Hence Pei Wenxuan mulled over what he would say next before continuing: “Precisely. At that time, this humble official was waiting on the road. It was not long before this one saw mountain bandits chasing after the Princess. The Princess was under the protection of her shadow guards. It was at that critical moment when this official used those traps to rescue the Princess. The Princess was unexpectedly injured in the midst of chaos and fell unconscious, so this one had no choice but to take the Princess and quickly flee. This one let the horses run off to lure those people away while hiding among the reeds and saw someone come over in pursuit, scolding his subordinates for being useless. They could not even capture the Princess time and time again. He wasn’t even able to see the Princess this time, how could he win the Princess’s heart?”
Li Ming heard what Pei Wenxuan said and let out a low laugh: “Young people have very perplexing thoughts of their own.” Then, Li Ming brought his eyes up and looked at Pei Wenxuan, “Was it Yang Quan?”
Pei Wenxuan pursed his lips and replied in a low voice: “Yes.”
“This humble official was greatly alarmed and panicked, taking the Princess away on his back and ran without a sense of direction. Once the Princess regained consciousness, this one discussed it with the Princess and said nothing more after learning that the Princess did not know anything about it. The Princess and this official were both rescued earlier this morning, and the Empress summoned this humble official into the Palace. Then, the Empress said to this humble official…”
“Said what?” Li Ming asked in a mild tone. Pei Wenxuan paused for a moment as if hesitating. After some time, he said, “The Empress wanted this humble official to hide the fact that this one had spent the night with the Princess! This official was not to tell the truth, even if Your Majesty asked, and must say that this official encountered Yang gongzi last night and went to rescue the Princess together but got separated halfway while being pursued, so it was Yang gongzi who saved the Princess.”
Li Ming heard Pei Wenxuan’s words and could not help but laugh: “Is this the reason why you are asking Zhen for help?”
“Your Majesty,” Pei Wenxuan took in a deep breath and straightened up as if he had made a decision pertaining to life and death. He looked at Li Ming as if forgoing life and death and directly said, “Considering everything that has been said and done, this humble official will speak frankly. Based on what this humble official witnessed last night and what the Empress said today, it is very clear that the Empress has long intended to become in-laws with the Yang family. Yesterday’s events were just to let the Princess see a hero saving the beauty, so that the Princess will look at Yang Quan differently and admire him. But such an arrangement was ruined by this humble official. With Yang Quan’s pettiness and the Yang family’s fearless way of doing things, how can this humble official keep his life once he leaves the palace?”
Li Ming remained silent. A while later, he slowly said: “Rest assured, the Empress will not have you killed for such trivial matters.”
“Your Majesty truly feels that,” Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Ming, deliberately drawing out his words, “It is a trivial matter for the Yang family to have a marriage alliance with the Crown Prince?”
Li Ming finally became serious again after Pei Wenxuan asked that. He raised his eyes and looked at Pei Wenxuan. A while later, he said in an unhurried manner: “It seems that you know quite a bit, don’t you?”
“Your Majesty,” Pei Wenxuan calmly reminded him, “Three years ago, when this humble official’s father was still alive, this humble official was the eldest legitimate son of the Pei family and the top-scoring champion of the imperial examinations at the time, a scholar under the Son of Heaven. The centipede may be dead but not yet a stiff carcass.1 This one’s father has passed away, but there are some things,” Pei Wenxuan brought his eyes up to meet Li Ming’s gaze and meaningfully said, “That have always been there.”
[1] In this context, it alludes to a powerful aristocratic family that may have declined, but some of its noble origins and glory lives on. In other words, a fallen aristocrat with no real power is still an aristocrat.
Origin: You can kill a centipede, but its legs will keep moving, even after it is dead. The muscles will still move even after the nerves controlling it have been severed—that is just the nature of the centipede.
Note on Word Choice
Carcass — dead body of an animal.
There is another widespread translation for this idiom: “A centipede dies but never falls down,” but this did not quite give off the same feeling, nor did its meaning seem very clear.
Li Ming had a somewhat pensive expression upon hearing Pei Wenxuan’s words: “Then tell me, why is it not a trivial matter for the Yang family to form a marriage alliance with the Crown Prince?”
“The Yang clan has been tyrannically lording over the border station for many years, gathering soldiers for the army and facing the battles at the border. Every time a war broke out, the Yang clan demanded money, military rations, men and horses. Later on, every time they fought against the Rong State’s invasion, every battle was beautifully won, but they never sent troops to pursue and eradicate the Rong State. Your Majesty has repeatedly ordered troops to be sent to destroy the Rong army, but the Yang family has always dismissed it on the grounds of not having found the right time yet. There is a folk song in the Northwest, ‘Xia has a pair of rulers, Yang in the North, Li in the South,’ indicating the power of the Yang clan in the Northwest.”
“Speak.” Li Ming had a flat expression, “Go on.”
“The imperial court officials fear yet simultaneously respect the Yang clan. Their fear lies with the Yang clan’s military power, but there is also respect for the fact that they have defended the border for many years. Moreover, no matter how angry Your Majesty was with the Yang clan, Your Majesty has never taken any extreme action. However, at the end of this winter, a new sovereign of the Rong State has succeeded to the throne and has repeatedly invaded. The Yang clan had lost before the battle had begun, losing two cities in succession. After that, Your Majesty ordered the third city to be defended to the death, yet they were defeated despite having 50,000 cavalry against 20,000 enemy troops. They have now retreated to Changping Pass and confronted the Rong State only after receiving temporary reinforcements. Why did the Yang clan, who had guarded the border for so many years, suddenly suffer a crushing defeat at this time? Has Your Majesty ever thought about it?”
“What do you think?”
“This humble official believes that Your Majesty already knows,” Pei Wenxuan said calmly, “For many years, the Yang clan has been bribing the Rong State with military funds. The supposed war with the Rong State every year is nothing more than colluding with the Rong State to put up a show. The Rong State’s iron smelting and forging practices are inferior and lack the foundation to withstand a single attack from Xia, but with the Yang clan nurturing them for so many years, the Rong State has a chance to ease up and restore their strength and prosper. Now that a new ruler has succeeded to the throne, his heart is set on Great Xia and refuses to accept bribes, not to mention our troops have been utterly defeated in just the first battle.”2
[2] Great Xia (Daxia, Xia Dynasty) and Rong State are names of real ancient empires, but this is a historical overhead novel. There may be various references, but note that it is largely fictional.
“You dare to say so much,” Li Ming raised his voice. Pei Wenxuan immediately kowtowed and lowered his voice: “These news have been widely known at the border for a while now. Your Majesty must have known as well. Your Majesty is a wise ruler at heart. Otherwise, how could Your Majesty have intentions of tearing down the pillars of the country?”
Li Ming heard Pei Wenxuan’s flattery and felt his heart lighten a bit. He straightened up and coldy said: “Go on, what does this have to do with the Princess’s marriage?”
“Your Majesty knew that the Yang clan had been defeated yet suppressed the news and even allowed the Princess to come in contact with Yang Quan. This humble official speculates that Your Majesty hoped that the Princess’s marriage will not become a bargaining chip for the Crown Prince.”
“In recent years, as the Crown Prince grew older and more mature, the power of the Empress’s maiden Shangguan clan has rapidly expanded in the imperial court. The Crown Prince does not respect Your Majesty and has opposed Your Majesty on many occasions, instigated by the Shangguan clan behind him. Your Majesty is worried that the Shangguan clan will take advantage of the Princess’s marriage, so the marriage candidates that have been selected for the Princess are all individuals who have noble identities yet are not involved in politics. Although Yang Quan has military power, he has to face the collapse of his clan. Certainly Your Majesty has been collecting evidence up until now and waiting to catch the entire Yang family with a single net, right?”
Li Ming did not say anything, but his silence was his acknowledgement. Pei Wenxuan solemnly said: “But if Your Majesty had such plans, then Your Majesty is gravely mistaken.”
“Oh?”
Li Ming was rather indifferent: “What are dear official Pei’s opinions?”
“Does Your Majesty know how strong the Rong State is?”
“Extremely strong.”
“That is where Your Majesty is mistaken,” Pei Wenxuan explained, “The Rong State is a land of barbarians. The blades of our imperial troops can pierce their armor with ease. As long as our imperial troops are well-equipped, one against ten enemies will not be a problem. The reason why the Rong State could crush the Yang family now is because the Yang clan has supplied their troops over the years. This time, the Rong State is attacking our country with our own weapons, not the weapons that they have made. In that case, there will always be a day when they run out of weapons, right?”
In the last life, more than half a month later, the counterattack that the Yang clan prepared resulted in a great victory because of this reason.
Pei Wenxuan contemplated this, slowly sorting out what he had known in his previous life.
Although he did not say it outright, Li Ming understood at once: “You mean, once the Rong State army has used up these weapons and armor, they will easily be defeated once we counterattack?”
“Yes.” Pei Wenxuan calmly said, “Although the Yang clan has lost 50,000 troops, they are a tree with deep roots in the Northwest. No one knows how many soldiers and horses they have in private. At the present, Your Majesty is supporting the Yang clan with personal forces in the battle at Changping, and Yang Quan returned to the Capital to marry the Princess. If the Yang clan succeeds in marrying the Princess, what does Your Majesty think will happen next?”
“What will happen?”
“Next, the Crown Prince will join forces with the Yang clan. The Shangguan clan will use the Princess’s marriage as an excuse to send a large amount of money to the Yang clan. After Your Majesty’s personal forces face the strongest wave of enemy forces, the Yang clan will use the Shangguan clan’s money to recruit troops, launch another counterattack and be immediately victorious. At that time, the Yang clan will use the Princess as a means of establishing a foothold in Huajing. Once people see that Yang Quan has married the Princess, they will think that they have misunderstood Your Majesty’s holy intentions and no longer dare to oppose the Yang clan. Being able to reverse a defeat will elevate the Yang clan’s reputation again, and it will not be easy for Your Majesty to investigate past affairs.”
“Most of all, with the Yang clan’s military power, the Crown Prince will have another powerful general in his hands.”
Li Ming remained silent after Pei Wenxuan had said everything. After a while, he finally said: “So according to dear official Pei…”
“Don’t give the Yang clan any room to breathe.”
Pei Wenxuan calmly said: “Now is the best time to act against the Yang clan.”
“How should the situation at the border be handled?” Li Ming frowned. “Members of the Yang family are scattered all across the border station. The moment that action is taken against the Yang family, the Yang family will revolt at the border…”
“Please leave this to the Crown Prince.”
These words stunned Li Ming. Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Ming and solemnly said: “The border station is a mess now. At the present, aside from the Shangguan, Su, Pei and other prominent clans, none have the ability to resolve it. If Your Majesty hands this matter over to the Crown Prince and something goes wrong under the Crown Prince’s command, Your Majesty can use this as an excuse to establish another successor. Likewise, the Shangguan clan will come forward and suppress the Yang clan with all their might for the Crown Prince’s sake.”
“What if the Crown Prince does well?”
“If the Crown Prince does well,” Pei Wenxuan chuckled, “If the Crown Prince can actually put down the Yang family, it will take quite a bit of effort. Your Majesty only needs to replace the Crown Prince before the final battle and arrange a trusted aide to be the commanding general to face the Rong State and win the first merit, isn’t that right?”
Li Ming was silent after hearing this. He thought about it for a while as Pei Wenxuan knelt on the ground, waiting for Li Ming.
After a long time, Li Ming turned his head and looked at Pei Wenxuan: “You are a rather smart person.”
“Thanking Your Majesty for the praise.”
“So,” Li Ming lightly said, “Why not swear loyalty to the Crown Prince?”
“Because,” Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Ming and confidently said, “Your Majesty is Your Majesty, but the Crown Prince may not always be the Crown Prince.”
Li Ming looked into Pei Wenxuan’s eyes.
No matter how he looked at it, he only saw a twenty year old young man with such calmness and vigor. Even when facing the Emperor, his eyes were still somewhat sharp.
This kind of sharpness may seem fierce, but in the imperial, it would be too rigid and easy to break.
This is a knife, but it is only and can only be a knife.
If Pei Wenxuan was older, cunning and elusive but still this clever and resourceful, Li Ming might still be wary of him. However, looking at Pei Wenxuan’s ambitious eyes, Li Ming felt that it was somewhat laughable.
Nonetheless, Pei Wenxuan was just a young man.
“Zhen understands.” Li Ming nodded, “Your words are reasonable, but right now in the imperial court,” Li Ming sighed as if regretfully lamenting, “There are not many people who would dare to act against the Yang family at this time.”
“This humble official would like to recommend someone to Your Majesty.” Pei Wenxuan said respectfully. Li Ming raised his eyebrows, “Speak.”
“This humble official, Pei Wenxuan,” Pei Wenxuan kowtowed, “Wishes to share Your Majesty’s worries.”
“Heh…” Li Ming softly chuckled, “You are very bold. But Zhen wonders how dear official Pei plans to share these worries with Zhen?”
“This humble official begs Your Majesty to let a group of shadow guards secretly follow this one back to the residence in a bit. If the Yang clan wants to take action today, this humble official will use this as an opportunity to request Your Majesty to investigate this humble official’s assassination attempt, the abduction of the princess, and their collusion with the enemy at the border.”
“What if they don’t take action?”
“If they don’t do anything, this humble official will raise charges against them for abducting the princess in court tomorrow. By then, if no one dares to investigate this case, this humble official will take responsibility for this case.”
“Very well.” Li Ming nodded. He raised his head and looked up at the sky before lightly saying, “It is getting late. You should head back. Don’t make Yang gongzi wait too long.”
Pei Wenxuan respectfully heeded the order. He stood up and slowly helped Li Ming out of the garden.
Neither of them discussed Li Rong’s marriage, but Pei Wenxuan knew that as long as Li Ming considered him to be one of his own men, Li Rong’s marriage would not be going anywhere.
The two of them talked as they walked back from the garden. Pei Wenxuan asked for permission to retire and left.
An eunuch led him out of the Imperial Study. When he arrived at the square in front of the Imperial Palace gates, he could see Li Rong’s palanquin from afar.
Li Rong seemed to have just left the Eastern Palace. She was holding a sword in her arms and caressing the precious gems embedded on it.
Pei Wenxuan saw Li Rong’s palanquin coming over. He and the eunuch quickly gave way and respectfully stood off to the side.
When Li Rong saw Pei Wenxuan, she had people stop the palanquin. She was seated high above as she smiled and said, “Pei daren, why are you still in the palace?”
“This one was summoned by His Majesty just now,” Pei Wenxuan respectfully said, “This official spoke with His Majesty for a while before leaving.”
“Is that so?” Li Rong glanced at the person beside him and smiled, “Considering that you saved me last night, did Father Emperor give you any rewards?”
“It was the right thing to do. This official does not need a reward.”
“So there were none,” Li Rong sighed, “Father Emperor is too stingy.”
She looked at the sword in her arms as she spoke. She turned the sword over horizontally and presented it to him somewhat reluctantly and said: “Well, forget it. This is for you, a gift of gratitude from me.”
Pei Wenxuan was stunned. Li Rong arched her eyebrows and said, “What? Bengong is bestowing a reward, you dare to refuse it?”
“Since the Princess has bestowed a reward, how could this humble official dare to refuse it?” Pei Wenxuan reacted and hastily accepted the sword with both hands. Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan’s folded waist and lowered head and couldn’t help but purse her lips. She leaned in towards Pei Wenxuan and murmured: “Pei daren, you look so handsome like this.”
Pei Wenxuan heard these words and knew that Li Rong was quite pleased to see him humbly saluting her. He took the sword and gently smiled: “The Princess also looks very innocent and cute like this.”
Hearing that, Li Rong knew that Pei Wenxuan was scolding her for putting on an act.
What she fears most is when others say that she is innocent and naive.
She didn’t smile. She looked at Pei Wenxuan and said, “Bengong is still busy and on the way to see Father Emperor. Have a safe journey, Pei gongzi. Remember to slow down on the road when heading back. Don’t be careless and get into an accident.”
——In case I never see you in this life again.
The rest of the words were conveyed in her eyes. Pei Wenxuan expressed his contempt with his eyes, but he still said: “Thanking Your Highness for the concern. Please go ahead, Your Highness.”
“Farewell.” Li Rong softly laughed. Then, she leaned in close to Pei Wenxuan, cupped a hand to his ear and whispered, “I have already arranged for a few people to follow you. No need to thank me.”
After having said that, Li Rong straightened up. She elegantly rested her chin in the palm of her hand and ordered the palanquin to set off once more in the direction of the Imperial Study.
Only after sending her off on ceremony did Pei Wenxuan and the eunuch leave the palace gates. As soon as he left the palace gates, he saw Tong Ye sitting on a carriage, waiting for him. He looked around and knew that someone was following him. He ignored it, pretending not to know anything as he sat in the carriage with a sword in his arms. The carriage swayed as the wheels turned and set off.
He didn’t know if Yang Quan would come, but that didn’t matter because he was prepared.
The carriage had just turned into a narrow alley when the sound of a deadly confrontation suddenly broke out from the crowd outside. A man suddenly leapt into Pei Wenxuan’s carriage and proceeded to say: “This one is here to protect gongzi on the Princess’s orders.”
Once he announced his intentions, he curled up like a bat, making himself smaller, and pressed himself against the top of the carriage.
Pei Wenxuan wasn’t surprised. When Li Rong said she had arranged people, he knew that Li Rong did not send them to just watch over him. He nodded to the man and proceeded to close his eyes. Even if the shouting and killing outside seemed to reach the skies, he appeared to be in a calm, meditative trance like an old monk, motionless.
After a while, the carriage was hit hard by an external force. The carriage curtain was suddenly pulled back, and Yang Quan leapt inside the carriage with a blood-stained sword.
Pei Wenxuan had the sword in his arms, and his eyes flew open. It was at that moment when the tip of Yang Quan’s sword nearly grazed Pei Wenxuan that another gleaming sword abruptly impaled Yang Quan’s chest from behind.
Blood spewed out. Pei Wenxuan calmly eyed Yang Quan who collapsed in shock.
“How dare you…” Yang Quan’s voice trembled, “You dare…kill me?”
Pei Wenxuan’s expression didn’t change. He calmly enunciated every word: “Colluding with the enemy, raising a private army, bribery and corruption, abducting the Princess, assassinating an imperial court official, and having no regard for law and order.”
“Your Yang clan dares to do all these things, when it comes to killing you,” Pei Wenxuan said in a provocative tone, “How could I not dare?”
After those words were spoken, Yang Quan stopped breathing.
The person who had intervened respectfully saluted Pei Wenxuan and urgently said: “The Princess has instructed that you must remember to go back and kowtow three times to her portrait to thank her for generously saving your life.”3
[3] Basically worship Li Rong like an ancestor in the clan hall or a deity.
After having said that, the man leapt out of the carriage and disappeared.
There was no time for Pei Wenxuan to send back a scolding of his own. That person was gone. He was silent for a moment, then he heard Tong Ye hastily returning to the carriage. When he saw Yang Quan on the ground, he was startled and urgently said, “Young Master, are you alright?”
Pei Wenxuan didn’t answer. He looked at Yang Quan on the ground. He thought about it for a moment, then calmly said: “Return to the Palace.”
“Return to the Palace?” Tong Ye was shocked, “Why return to the Palace?”
Shouldn’t you quickly flee after killing the son of the Yang family?
“Yes, return to the Palace.” Pei Wenxuan’s tone was flat and solemn, “He intimidated and threatened me. I must go and make a complaint.”
Tong Ye: “……”
Young Master, you know that you don’t look intimidated at all, right?
The author has something to say:
Entering V on Friday, and a big fat chapter will be added on the day of V～
And!! Opening up a big bargain on the day of entering V, purchase the V chapter to receive a red envelope!!!
You can fatten me with fertilizers, but it’s three days before entering V, go for it, you must come and support!!
Autumn: V refers to VIP chapters. Fertilizers are a form of support points for a novel. Consider supporting the author directly on jjwxc or through Ko-Fi. Shoutout to the contributions so far! These are not donations for my work but to support the author if you cannot or do not want to go through jjwxc.
Apologies for the incomplete release earlier today (forgot to unschedule the post while editing)! See the Release Schedule for details.
Thoughts and Ramblings
Hmm… Pei Wenxuan’s arguments against the Yang family appear to be a familiar plot device accusation against the poor, misunderstood yet loyal General’s families of other C-novels, reaching the ears of an overly suspicious Emperor thanks to a treacherous, scheming old fox of a minister. A perspective reversal for its genre!
Soft Spoiler: While you have to do what you have to in ancient political intrigues, none of the parties involved are ever truly innocent…
Detailed translation notes, stealthy plot developments and extras will be in these spoiler-esque blocks from now on!
Autumn Pond Reflection 
Thanks for the chapter.
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You’re right, it would seem like PWX is the evil and scheming party here. But since this novel is a lot more realistic… like you hinted, is the Yang family completely innocent tho? I mean…think of all the people that were killed in those battles that weren’t won b/c the Yang family’s actions. So idk, both parties are just looking for their own interests.
At least PWX and LR’s interactions made me laugh hahah. Thanks for the chapter!! 💖
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Haha, as always, nothing defuses the dark, heavy political atmosphere like PWX and LR’s quarreling married couple interactions :))
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It’s nice that they both reincarnated together. I’m super confused about PWX and LR’s feelings towards each other. Do they like each other?
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Thank you for updating!!!!
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They both like Tom and Jerry, always fight with each other but also miss each other if they didn’t fight.
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why is PWX so opposed to the crown prince? because he wants the the emperor’s support?
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He’s not actually opposing the Crown Prince. PWX suggested the Empress and Crown Prince pretend to be in conflict with him and vice versa, so the Emperor will entrust him with duties/promote him and allow him to secretly help Li Rong and Li Chuan.
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Ugh yeah no sorry emperor Li Ming angers me sorry you’re a disappointing character
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Ah. I love this. Smart ML but it’s all logical and not too Gary Sue.
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