TGP Chapter 27.1: Peony

“Only the peony is the true beauty of the nation, and Li Rong is the only peony in his heart.”

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“Long time no see.”

Pei Wenxuan had prepared himself beforehand from the moment she came in. There was not the slightest surprise after he had confirmed who that person was. He laughed and said: “Come to think of it, it has almost been four years, hasn’t it?”

As the two of them talked, Li Rong gave Li Chuan a meaningful glance and led Li Chuan to the other side of the cell, maximizing their distance away from Pei Wenxuan and whispered: “Why is she here?”

“Jie, do you know her?”

Li Chuan glanced at the two talking amongst themselves and whispered to Li Rong: “I met her at the gates of Qin Lin’s residence on Jiulu Mountain. I was waiting there and didn’t know what she was up to either. I saw that she was about to fall and quickly rescued her. In the end, this woman did not turn out to be very knowledgeable about good, well-intentioned people. With the strength to kill, she turned around, gave me a palm strike and put me flat on the ground.”

Li Chuan spoke as if trembling with lingering fears after the traumatic encounter and put a hand on his chest: “Fortunately, I’m still destined for greater things and survived.”

Li Rong: “…”

“And then…?”

Li Rong didn’t want to hear about how Li Chuan was beaten up and jumped straight to the point. She was able to easily get Li Chuan’s attention. He turned around with an “oh,” but then he carried on and said: “I told her I was the Crown Prince, and I was looking for Qin Lin. The moment she heard who I was, she was immediately horrified, kneeling and apologizing. In the end, she said she would help me recruit Qin Lin, but the condition was,” Li Chuan lifted his chin, “To let her come and see Pei Wenxuan.”

As he said that, Li Chuan frowned and eyed the two people who were reminiscing the past: “Jie, is there something going on between them?”

Li Rong: “…”

It was rare to see Li Chuan so smart for once.

Li Chuan was reasonably stable when it came to government affairs, but when it came to emotions, Li Rong felt that he was no different from a six year old.

As Qin Zhenzhen was talking to Pei Wenxuan, she mostly asked about Pei Wenxuan’s situation, and Pei Wenxuan answered them one by one. Once Qin Zhenzhen confirmed that Pei Wenxuan had nothing to worry about, she let out a sigh of relief and said: “I heard that Elder Brother was sent to prison, and my heart was uneasy. Elder Brother asked for my help, but I received no response afterwards, so I took the liberty to come here. I can be at ease now that I know that Elder Brother is unharmed. If Elder Brother needs assistance with other things, there is no need to refrain against taboos. Although Zhenzhen is a simple woman, I also wish to make a humble effort.”

Pei Wenxuan nodded after hearing Qin Zhenzhen’s words and only said: “You can rest assured. I will handle it on this end.”

Qin Zhenzhen responded with a hum of acknowledgment and did not say anything else. Some time passed, she hesitated for a while before she said: “There is also…the matter of breaking off the engagement.” She seemed to be at a loss for what to say. There was a long period of hesitation as she seemed to be considering how to word it, then she said, “I hope Elder Brother will forgive me for not coming to the residence to explain in person.”

“It’s nothing.” Pei Wenxuan waved his hand, “I know that it wasn’t originally your intention, and I don’t blame you. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“He had his engagement broken off by this girl?” Li Chuan asked in a low voice when he heard this. Li Rong smiled as if she were not smiling at all and only said, “Just keep listening.”

“Eldest Brother Pei has misunderstood,” Qin Zhenzhen laughed, somewhat guilty as she said, “This was my intention. Uncle and my eldest brother were only helping me pass the word along. I actually wanted to go there and personally explain to Eldest Brother Pei, but the elders felt that it was not appropriate for me to appear at that kind of occasion, so I didn’t go, and I didn’t know if Second Uncle Pei was able to clearly convey my intentions either.”

Pei Wenxuan was stunned as he wordlessly listened to Qin Zhenzhen’s words.

In fact, in the past, he used to think that he would find it somewhat unbearable and difficult to accept, heart-broken even, or if not, then he would be unwilling and indignant, rather humiliated and angry when he heard these words.

However, from the moment Qin Zhenzhen started talking, there was an unexpected thought that could not be put to words. There was simply nothing to it.

It was like someone who had left his life long ago talking with him about the past.

“Elder Brother and I have known one another since we were children. Elder Brother took care of me a lot, and our parents agreed to an engagement, but as I got older, I became somewhat concerned with this marriage agreement. Elder Brother’s mother and father were a loving couple and stepped in and did it out of love, but Zhenzhen is simple-minded and does not have any feelings between men and women for Elder Brother. And Elder Brother treats Zhenzhen ever so righteously, so if Elder Brother and Zhenzhen were to be married, Zhenzhen is afraid that there will be nothing else to look forward to in life. So after Zhenzhen’s parents passed away, Zhenzhen thought about finding Uncle Pei to break off the engagement. Unfortunately, Uncle Pei died of illness, and Eldest Brother Pei returned to Luzhou to observe a mourning period of filial piety, so there was no time for it.”

“It would have been fine to just send a letter at that time.” Pei Wenxuan laughed, “As well as the honesty from you all.”

“Uncle Pei had passed on. How could I do something no different than throwing stones at someone who had fallen down the well? Fortunately, Elder Brother has returned to Huajing and has also begun to enter officialdom. With Elder Brother’s abilities, there will be much to look forward to in the days to come.” Qin Zhenzhen laughed, “Zhenzhen didn’t have anything to worry about and let my elder brother take the jade pendants to break off the engagement. Although I broke off the engagement, I had no malicious intentions and hope that Elder Brother will forgive me.”

Pei Wenxuan nodded. He was about to say something when he heard Li Rong’s low chuckles from next door.

He didn’t know why, but for a while, he felt ashamed to have been seen making a fool of himself. His face suddenly flushed.

Qin Zhenzhen saw that Pei Wenxuan wasn’t saying anything and couldn’t help but feel a bit puzzled. She vaguely heard the uncontrollable muffled laughter and turned her head to see Li Rong leaning against the wall and laughing behind her sleeves.

Qin Zhenzhen frowned, finding it somewhat difficult to understand. What was this Princess Ping Le so happy about this entire time?

She couldn’t help but hesitantly ask, “May I ask…what Your Highness is laughing about?”

“Nothing,” Li Rong heard Qin Zhenzhen asking and also felt that she was acting excessively, so she calmed her emotions, wiped the corners of her eyes and quickly said: “I just thought of something funny.”

Pei Wenxuan’s face was cold. He wanted to glare at Li Rong, but then again, he knew that Li Rong wouldn’t be able to see him since they were separated by a wall. His heart was burning with anger. Li Rong didn’t need to say anything. When he thought about it, he knew that Li Rong was laughing at him when she recalled their quarrel.

He had solemnly sworn that Qin Zhenzhen could not have voluntarily broken off the engagement, and now that very person in question had come to deliver a dozen slaps to his face like this. He couldn’t control the expressions on his face for a moment. He didn’t want Li Rong to keep seeing him make a fool of himself, so he lightly coughed and quickly said, “This is actually not a big deal. I know you and Eldest Brother Qin’s personalities. You don’t have to worry about things on my end. It’s my fault for holding you back for three years. It’s not appropriate for you to stay here for too long either. Please head back with His Highness the Crown Prince. You should go back and say a few words to persuade your brother, His Highness the Crown Prince…”

“My brother is well aware of the situation.” Qin Zhenzhen heard Pei Wenxuan bring this up and said, “Rest assured, Elder Brother. My eldest brother will go, but it will have to be the day after.”

“Oh, so your brother is willing to go, but you still told me that you would help me persuade him in order to get me to help you?” Li Chuan was listening off to the side and raised his brows, “So you lied to me?”

Qin Zhenzhen heard Li Chuan’s words and suddenly lost the calm and composed disposition she had before and said in a cold and detached manner, “This commoner woman did indeed persuade him to go, so how could that be considered lying?”

“You……”

“Chuan’er,” Li Rong saw that Li Chuan was about to bicker with her again and quickly reminded Li Chuan, “You must not be rude.”

Li Chuan turned to look at Li Rong after hearing this, quite shocked: “Jie, I haven’t said anything yet, how can you say that I’m being rude?”

“I already know what you want to say.”

Li Rong raised her eyebrows and continued: “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. You should head back now and inquire about court affairs, then make preparations tomorrow morning. Father Emperor could even put me in here, which shows that the Yang family must be putting pressure on him. If it’s within our expectations, Father Emperor will send you to the Northwestern frontier to oversee the battles tomorrow morning. You cannot directly agree to the task, and you must keep refusing.”

“I understand.” Li Chuan pursed his lips, “I’ve already prepared for these things a while ago. You can rest assured.”

“Second Miss Qin,” Li Rong brought her eyes up and looked at Qin Zhenzhen off to the side, “If the Crown Prince has no choice and is sent to the front lines tomorrow, will your elder brother definitely go with him?”

She stared at Qin Zhenzhen. Qin Zhenzhen heard these words and respectfully said: “May Your Highness the Princess rest assured. My elder brother was only making things difficult for His Highness to test His Highness’s character and had no intention of declining.”

Li Rong nodded. After thinking about it, she looked at Li Chuan and said, “If Qin Lin follows you to the front lines, you must not let anyone find out. Quietly put him in the barracks, and don’t let anyone know that he is one of your people.”

Li Chuan was stunned. After a few moments, he reacted and said, “Understood.”

Having gone through so much trouble to bring down the Yang family, they did not plan on paving a smooth road for Li Ming.

The main objective was to allow Li Chuan to bring his forces into the Northwest. Li Ming will certainly replace the commanding general in the latter half of the war and claim credit for all of his accomplishments. If Qin Lin openly followed Li Chuan, he may be careless and expose some flaws, and Li Ming would easily pick him off later.

The safest plan of action was for Qin Lin to bring his friend Cui Qinghe to the front lines and start out with an identity unrelated to Li Chuan, and then the two of them could use their ingenuity to assist Li Chuan. After resolving the hidden dangers with the Yang family at the Northwestern border, they would attack the Rong State.

Once the Northwestern frontier has stabilized, Li Ming will replace the commanding general, but it will be impossible to replace all the military officers below. Qin Lin will stay in the Northwest, and they will work with Qin Lin on arrangements for funds and provisions for the troops and transferring forces from Huajing. In time, the military authority in the Northwest will fall into Qin Lin’s hands sooner or later.

These plans are clear to everyone except Qin Zhenzhen. Li Chuan respectfully said: “Don’t worry, A-jie. I will make arrangements.”

Li Rong made a hum of acknowledgment and looked up at the sky: “It’s not too early anymore. Go back first.”

Li Chuan respectfully acknowledged it, then he turned to look at Qin Zhenzhen: “Can you go now?”

Qin Zhenzhen glanced at Pei Wenxuan. After moments of hesitation, she said, “Eldest Brother Pei, there may not be many chances to meet again in the future, especially now that you and I are older. I hope that Eldest Brother Pei will look after himself well. If Elder Brother has any difficulties in the future and needs assistance, Elder Brother can just send someone to Jiulu Mountain to find my elder brother. Qin Zhenzhen will spare no effort without any hesitation.”

Having heard Qin Zhenzhen’s words, Pei Wenxuan smiled, resembling an old man who was looking at a vigorous and eager youth as he nodded and said: “Alright, I will keep that in mind. You should head back.”

Qin Zhenzhen nodded and put the hood of her cloak back over her head and returned to Li Chuan’s side. Li Chuan looked at Li Rong, “Jie, I’m leaving now.”

Li Rong impatiently waved her hand, and Li Chuan led Qin Zhenzhen out. Li Chuan gave Qin Zhenzhen a dirty look while Qin Zhenzhen maintained a cold expression, paying him no attention. Li Rong watched as the two walked away and suddenly called out to Li Chuan, stopping him: “Chuan’er.”

Li Chuan turned around, somewhat suspicious as he looked down the end of the hallway where Li Rong stood in the prison cell, quietly eying him. He saw that the expression on her face kept wavering, and Li Chuan couldn’t quite understand it either. After some time, he heard Li Rong speak up: “Have the others send Second Miss Qin home in a bit. There are still many things waiting for you in the Palace, so head back soon.”

Li Chuan laughed when he heard this: “I know. Do you have to instruct me on this kind of thing too? Am I a child?”

With that said, Li Chuan waved his hand in farewell and left with Qin Zhenzhen.

Li Rong stood there, still at a bit of a loss as she looked at Li Chuan’s retreating back. Although Pei Wenxuan could not see Li Rong’s expressions, he could still guess what she was thinking: “You don’t want the Crown Prince and Second Miss Qin to be together again?”

This time he paid attention to his words and didn’t call her “Zhenzhen.”

Li Rong heard him and calmly said: “What do you think?”

“They met earlier this time.” Pei Wenxuan was a little worried, “There is no telling what will happen.”

Li Rong was silent. Pei Wenxuan was worried that she thought it would be like how she hosted a spring banquet and completely derailed this life’s trajectory from the previous life. Now that Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen met earlier on, who knows what this will change.

In the last life, Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen only met a year later.

Qin Zhenzhen became Li Chuan’s Side Consort after the concubine selection in the Palace. At that time, Li Chuan had accepted a total of five women. Shangguan Ya was his Crown Princess, and the remaining four were Side Consorts from different families.

Li Chuan was initially unwilling and made a commotion, and after rounds of berating one another, Li Rong finally convinced him to agree to the marriage.

Li Rong remembered that it was around that time when Li Chuan became less and less like a young man. He became less talkative and indifferent, and he became more calm and steady in handling matters.

Qin Zhenzhen was chosen because the Qin family had military authority, and the Empress sought to tie their family’s military power to the Eastern Palace. In the beginning, Qin Zhenzhen was at odds with Li Chuan in the Eastern Palace, and Li Chuan hardly sought her out. She was born in a humble, common family and was upright and unyielding, so she was often targeted in the Eastern Palace.

It was said that the servants deducted her winter charcoal and silver allowances and coveted her monthly silver, and she never said anything. It wasn’t until later when two concubines in the Eastern Palace joined hands, and one of them jumped into the lake in the middle of the cold winter. At that time, everyone knew that it was staged and did not jump in to save her. Only Qin Zhenzhen who was passing by plunged into the water to rescue her.

She was rescued, but Qin Zhenzhen fell ill. The cotton padding of the walls was shabby, and there was no charcoal fire in the room. The servants refused to invite a doctor. As she was clinging to her life, her servant secretly stopped Pei Wenxuan on the road for help when he entered the Crown Prince’s Mansion. Qin Lin was still on the battlefield at that time, so after Pei Wenxuan learned about it, he secretly helped and brought her back from the gates of hell.

And it was this matter of rescuing someone from the lake that Pei Wenxuan relayed that Qin Zhenzhen finally entered Li Chuan’s eyes.

No one knew what had happened with Li Chuan. He had never understood love before, and this experience bore fruit. Li Chuan only favored Qin Zhenzhen throughout his entire journey from Crown Prince to Emperor, and Qin Zhenzhen did not fail to live up to the expectations of this love. Even if Li Chuan had been imprisoned, she could also single-handedly fight her way out with a sword, outmaneuver pursuing soldiers, climb up snowy mountains, and head north in order to return with reinforcements.

She was also a beauty, but it was a pity that she dwelled in the Emperor’s courtyard, and in the Emperor’s courtyard, there was not only prestige and imperial favor but also sharp, concealed blades.

Therefore, in the second year after Li Chuan ascended the throne, Qin Zhenzhen gave birth to Li Ping and died in the inner palace.

On the day she died, Li Chuan kept holding onto her body and refused to let go. It was Li Rong who came over to drag the body out of Li Chuan’s arms.

After Qin Zhenzhen’s death, Li Chuan insisted on burying her with the rites of an Empress and put her to rest in his imperial tomb in advance.

At that time, everyone just felt that Li Chuan was too saddened by her passing and thought that Li Chuan would be back to normal in a few years.

Except, contrary to expectations, he did not. His temper got worse and worse, and he became more and more violent. The Crown Prince who had always been known for his benevolence in his youth finally embarked on a familiar path like that of Li Ming.

He relentlessly suppressed the aristocratic families, suppressed the imperial court with an iron fist and blood, and quelled the north with his sword. The court officials scolded yet respected him, and only Li Rong could barely keep him under check.

However, the two siblings were eventually divided in the Su family’s case. She pointed at him and cursed him to be deposed, so he had her dragged out and beaten with planks.

After the Su family’s case, she was bedridden due to her injuries, and Li Chuan came to see her.

At that time, he was already very thin. They were separated by a curtain, and Li Rong saw his figure and thought that he seemed like an indistinct silhouette.

He talked a lot that day, talking about everything under the sun, talking about interesting things, and talking until it came to an end, then he suddenly said something.

He said: “A-jie, I have a beast in my heart, and I can’t keep it locked up. I’m afraid of it, and I’m also afraid of myself. I’m sorry for hurting A-jie.”

“Fortunately,” Li Chuan chuckled, “I have done what I should have done. In the future, I will consult my elder sister on everything.”

Having said that, he stood up as if withdrawing from worldly affairs like a cultivator and left her room.

Soon after the Su family was buried, Li Chuan declared that he would become a monk. Pei Wenxuan and the ministers stayed in Daxing Hall and knelt for a day before finally reaching a compromise. Li Chuan did not become a monk, but he would no longer oversee state affairs.

Twenty five years later, Li Chuan never attended the morning court again, and the imperial court was handed over to Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong. Pei Wenxuan expanded the imperial examinations, supporting the humble and poor families, reforming tax laws, and opened up trade and commerce. After being struck down by Li Chuan, the aristocratic families could only seek asylum under Li Rong. Under Li Rong’s leadership, the Guangxiu Academy cultivated countless distinguished and accomplished individuals, each with their own strengths.

Those twenty five years were the glorious days of Da Xia.

However, in that prosperous age, there was a reigning monarch that was immersed in the fantasies described by alchemists, trying to find a way to bring the dead back to life.

In the second half of her life, she had thought back on it countless times. If she had not let Li Chuan experience the fall from grace as the almost deposed Crown Prince, and did not let him and Qin Zhenzhen meet, then perhaps her little brother would be just like how he was when he was young in this entire lifetime, forever cherishing those hopes like a fire on a cold day, a light shining in the cold, dark world.

But at that time, there was no turning back. She didn’t think too much about the things that couldn’t be changed either, so she kept walking forward in a daze.

But things were different now. She really had a choice.

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Autumn: As you may know, there are multiple versions of this text floating out there. Unless you’re reading on JJWXC, the RAWs or MTL on mass-consolidated web novel sites are almost always older versions of the text, which may contain content that has been edited out since then. Unfortunately, the frequent revisions to the novel are one of its biggest shortcomings, though I do believe it has helped in smoothing out the plot and any out-of-characterness (OOC).

Usually, the differences range from a couple additional sentences to a few paragraphs every now and then, but this chapter has undergone significant changes. The chapter that I had saved for translation was outdated, so I had to go back and fix those pages. I will definitely have to be careful with that in the future.

Stay tuned for an extra about the old version of this chapter!

Link for the original novel on JJWXC: http://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3860813

Guide on how to use JJWXC: https://shokotranslates.wordpress.com/jjwxc/

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Personally…

I was initially dreading this chapter because of Pei Wenxuan’s cringeworthy self-contradictions about his broken engagement with Qin Zhenzhen and Li Rong gloating and poking fun at him, which seemed a bit excessive (though it’s good that she was quick to acknowledge it in this version). Thankfully, Qin Zhenzhen is also portrayed in a more mature, down-to-earth manner, and she and Pei Wenxuan were able to have a productive conversation about their shared past that was mature but also reasonably awkward because of the circumstances.

How Qin Zhenzhen speaks to Pei Wenxuan…

How Qin Zhenzhen speaks to Pei Wenxuan is just like family. She calls him Elder Brother (兄长 xiōngzhǎng), a respectful form of address, and refers to herself in third person instead of using you and I. Eldest Brother Pei (裴大哥 Péi dàgē) is less formal, but note how Qin Zhenzhen does not use the informal, often endearing address (哥哥 gēgē) at all, which is along the lines of Big Brother～

How things happened in the old version of this chapter…

• Pei Wenxuan was not mentally prepared for Qin Zhenzhen’s appearance. In the current version, he’s more business-like and puts more distance between them and avoids some secondhand embarrassment.

• Li Chuan’s retelling of how he met Qin Zhenzhen is slightly different. When he met her, she jumped him and beat him up on sight. It ends with our gracious Crown Prince cursing her, telling her she could go and die, bad woman, bad, etc. (Okay, he’s 16 years old and probably angst-y as hell. We should give him a break.)

• Qin Zhenzhen asks about how Pei Wenxuan is doing in general, then asks him if he received the jade engagement pendants.

• Li Rong tells Li Chuan there will be a good show to watch.

• Pei Wenxuan says he doesn’t blame Qin Zhenzhen because breaking off the engagement was not her intention. Qin Zhenzhen tells him that she wanted to return the jade pendants back then, but Pei Wenxuan had to go back to his hometown to observe a period of filial piety. Her older brother told her that it wouldn’t be good for her to meet Pei Wenxuan alone now that they’re older, so when Pei Wenxuan returned to Huajing, Qin Lin would go and return the jade pendants to him.

• Li Rong laughs out aloud and describes that part in the narration as a face-slapping fest. At least in the chapter above, Li Rong doesn’t gloat over Pei Wenxuan’s embarrassment with Li Chuan and acknowledges that she was a bit too much when she openly laughed at Pei Wenxuan.

• Qin Zhenzhen explains that Qin Lin told her that the Pei family is now a prominent family, and Pei Wenxuan had a future full of limitless possibilities, so she shouldn’t hold him back with this marriage agreement. From the sound of it, it seems to be implied that Qin Lin significantly influenced and convinced her to break off the engagement for Pei Wenxuan’s own good and future career when in reality Pei Wenxuan has become a fallen aristocratic son with an empty title and no prospects.

• Qin Zhenzhen seemed more like a teenage girl who is still in her own world and oblivious to her brother’s intentions. In the current version, Qin Zhenzhen draws the line and says that it was her intention because she didn’t have any feelings for Pei Wenxuan and didn’t want to be in that kind of marriage. She points out that Pei Wenxuan has always taken care of her as if it was his duty—as an older brother and may not have feelings for her.

• Qin Zhenzhen’s reason for coming to Pei Wenxuan is more business-like. She came because Pei Wenxuan sent a request for assistance, but she didn’t receive a response from him after replying whereas in the older version, she said she was worried about him after hearing that he was put in prison, which does seem a bit ambiguous.

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