“Time has not only changed the Crown Prince, but you and I as well.”
The two stayed home for a few days. Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong were drinking tea and playing Go, going on walks to just about anywhere, and their honeymoon soon came to an end.
When Pei Wenxuan began to go to the morning court, Li Rong went to various teahouses to listen in on scholars’ seminars to see if she could meet a few people they could use. Otherwise, she would pay a visit to her other paternal aunts who lived outside the palace, getting back in touch in order to cultivate feelings.
In the blink of an eye, it was the seventh day of July. The Empress held a banquet in the palace and invited the young men and women of suitable age from the families of court officials to come join the celebration of the Double Seventh Festival in the palace. Li Rong had long waited for this day to come. She had already made preparations beforehand and headed off to the palace with Pei Wenxuan ahead of time. After arriving in the palace, Li Rong would have to start figuring out who in the palace were considered her people, so she looked up at Pei Wenxuan: “I gave you so much money, you must have something useful to show for it, right?”
Pei Wenxuan had no choice but to give her two names: “These two will both be serving in the banquet today. You can find them if anything comes up.”
Li Rong nodded, then she also asked: “Have you heard if there is anything special happening at the banquet today?”
“Everything else seems normal, but I did hear something.” Pei Wenxuan leaned against the table and looked at the memorial to the throne in his hand, then he slowly said, “There were many incense burners prepared for the palace banquet this time, all of which were exactly the same, and lots of incense ingredients were brought in as well.
“Huh?”
Li Rong thought for a moment, then she said: “They plan to make incense during the banquet?”
“If you want to ask for a marriage decree, you must naturally find some reasons.”
Pei Wenxuan bluntly said: “I heard that Consort Rou wants to recommend a young lady who is skilled in perfumery.”
Li Rong understood, then she let out a laugh: “It seems that it will be very interesting tonight.”
Pei Wenxuan responded with a hum of acknowledgement and didn’t say much. Li Rong leaned over to take a look at the memorial he was reading and discovered that it contained information on all the people involved.
In the previous life, Pei Wenxuan also rose from the Imperial Censorate, and this could be said to be his old line of work. Li Rong propped her chin up with her hand and said: “You must have been very busy.”
“There will be three fires when a new official takes office,”[1] Pei Wenxuan laughed, “His Majesty intends to use me as a knife, so naturally I must let him see some blood. How can I be promoted if I don’t work hard? Move over a bit,” Pei Wenxuan brought his hand up to lift the curtain up a little and gave Li Rong a look of disdain, “You’re blocking my light.”
[1] Describes how new officials often start by cleaning house and a few old problems to show their talents and determination when they take office, but everything stays the same after that.
Li Rong shrugged her shoulders. She moved over to the side a bit and took out a novel. After reading for a while, she felt bored again. As soon as she thought about the palace banquet again, she felt her heart growing restless, so she turned to Pei Wenxuan and said: “Speaking of which, don’t you have anything else in mind?”
“Have what in mind?” Pei Wenxuan looked at the official document without the slightest ripple in his expression. Li Rong prodded him with her fan: “You get to see your Zhen meimei today though.”
Pei Wenxuan’s movements stiffened. He raised his head and frowned: “Are you that bored?”
Li Rong saw him really getting angry and hurriedly straightened up, letting out a small cough as she said: “I was just making conversation. It’s the Double Seventh Festival today, so don’t read these official documents anymore.” Having said that, Li Rong pulled the memorial out of his hands and looked at him: “Let’s talk about some personal matters. Qin Zhenzhen is going to meet Chuan’er today, aren’t you worried?”
“Why would I be worried?”
“What if they fall in love at first sight?”
“Isn’t that what you’re worried about though?” Pei Wenxuan glanced over at her with a cold look in his eyes and went to retrieve his memorial. Seeing that he didn’t want to pay the slightest bit of attention to her, Li Rong held her chin and said: “I’m just thinking about it for your sake. Don’t you want to make the first move and cultivate feelings with Qin Zhenzhen? What if she wants to marry someone else after we separate?”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Pei Wenxuan bluntly stated, then without waiting for Li Rong to answer, he proceeded to say: “If you’re worried about that, you might as well worry about how Su Rongqing is coming tonight and how you can say a few more words to him.”
Li Rong choked up at his words. Pei Wenxuan saw her dumbfounded silence and raised an eyebrow as he smiled: “But it wouldn’t be good for you to talk to him too much right now. Rest assured, I will help you drop some hints for him tonight.”
“Drop…drop what hints?” Li Rong was a little scared. Pei Wenxuan saw that she was scared now and pursed his lips and smiled. He looked down at the memorial and stopped talking.
Li Rong quietly sat next to him for a while, and in the end, she couldn’t help but poke Pei Wenxuan with her fan: “What did you want to hint at?”
“Hint to him that we’re not really husband and wife, and that later on, we will divorce. That way, in the future, when you and him begin your relationship, he won’t have to worry about me.”
Pei Wenxuan was looking down at the memorial and didn’t know why he felt his chest tighten up a bit when he said this.
But he suppressed his emotions. He thought that it was because he didn’t like Su Rongqing for so long that it had become a habit. If he wanted to help Li Rong, he had to adjust his mentality.
Li Rong heard how Pei Wenxuan already had a plan that was ready to be put into action and let out a small cough: “Actually, I don’t think Su Rongqing and I are…”
Pei Wenxuan looked up, and in that split second, Li Rong recalled Pei Wenxuan’s words from that night.
She was afraid that Pei Wenxuan would recite those lines again the same way someone would recite sutras. Aside from that, she also vaguely felt that maybe it would be like Pei Wenxuan said, and giving it another try wouldn’t necessarily…not be a good thing, right?
I may not know what Mount Lu truly looks like, but that is only because I am the person on the mountain. Perhaps as an outsider, Pei Wenxuan could see things more clearly in ways that she could not.
Just like when she looked at Pei Wenxuan, she could understand him better than Pei Wenxuan knew himself.
Although she felt a little strange in her heart, she reluctantly accepted it and said: “Then I’ll also have a talk with Qin Zhenzhen and make it clear.”
“No need.” Pei Wenxuan immediately said, “Now is not the time.”
“Indeed,” Li Rong nodded, “I think it’s still a bit too early, so you don’t need to say much to Su Rongqing either.”
“It was just something that came up in the conversation.”
The two said at the same time, reaching a sort of tacit understanding.
The two of them kept chatting on the way to the palace. By the time they arrived, there were already a lot of people waiting. When Pei Wenxuan saw his colleagues, he went over to exchange greetings, smiling as he talked. Li Rong went with him to greet everyone, then she walked over to the seating area for the female guests.
The tables for the male guests of the banquet were in the main palace hall while the seating area for the female guests had been set up in the Imperial Garden. By the time Li Rong walked over, many of the young ladies from prestigious families were already present.
Shangguan Ya came from a noble background. She was chatting with the Eldest Miss of the Su family and a few princesses of second rank.[2] Her voice was not too loud, and she spoke smoothly, but because of her clear and sonorous voice, Li Rong recognized the sound of Shangguan Ya’s voice as soon as she entered the garden. She looked over at Shangguan Ya, who had heard the announcement that she had arrived, but after a quick glance, she shifted her gaze away as if it was someone she hadn’t met before.
[2] Note: Junzhu (郡主) are princesses of second rank. Their fathers are imperial princes of first rank (qinwang) and brothers of the Emperor. The literal translation is “Princess of a Commandery” or “Commandery Princess.”
After that, she stood up with everyone and joined them in saluting Li Rong.
She had a graceful posture and appeared dignified and courteous, just like the person in Li Rong’s memory, but she was also completely different from the young lady at the gambling den that day.
Li Rong wanted to laugh a little when she thought about it, but she held back her smile. She walked over to Shangguan Ya and took her hand: “A-ya meimei is also here today.”
Shangguan Ya went a little stiff. She smiled with some difficulty and only said: “Your Highness came rather early.”
“A-ya meimei came just in time too. Is this your first time in the palace today?”
“I once came when I was young.” Shangguan Ya gradually calmed down, becoming more comfortable as she answered Li Rong in a proper formal fashion.
After the two talked for a while, it seemed almost everyone had arrived. Li Rong saw Qin Zhenzhen from not too far away, talking and laughing with a few other girls as they walked in before an attendant led her to sit behind Shangguan Ya.
There were too many female guests, so the seats had to be arranged in several rows. Given Qin Zhenzhen’s status, she could not sit in the first row on the left and right, so she finally settled down in the first seat in the second row, right behind Shangguan Ya.
Li Rong assessed Qin Zhenzhen at a glance and saw that Qin Zhenzhen looked as if she had never seen her before, looking straight ahead as she respectfully saluted and said: “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Afterwards, she looked over at Shangguan Ya and politely saluted: “Greetings, Miss Shangguan.”
Li Rong and Shangguan Ya returned the greeting in kind. Qin Zhenzhen sat down in her seat with her eyes downcast as if her mind was where her heart was and said nothing more as a proper lady would.
There was an announcement from outside that the Empress had arrived. Li Rong didn’t linger around anymore, she stood up, smiled and said to Shangguan Ya: “Bengong will head back first. Please make yourself comfortable, A-ya meimei.”
Shangguan Ya saw Li Rong off with a salute, and Li Rong sat down in the seat opposite of Shangguan Ya. Shortly after, she saw the Empress leading the other four Consorts to their seats. Everyone stood up to salute, and once the Empress sat down, she permitted everyone to rise and sit back down.
“Today is the Double Seventh Festival. You should be at home celebrating the festival, but Bengong thought that it would be better to gather everyone here for sum and to spread the joy, and so, I wanted to invite you all here,” The Empress began to laugh mid-sentence and said, “I hope everyone will not hold it against me.”
“Surely Mother Empress is joking,” From the audience, Li Rong directly responded to the Empress and said, “All ladies love the fun and excitement. We couldn’t be happier to be here after receiving an invitation from you.”
Once Li Rong said that, the continuous sounds of agreement echoed all around. The banquet quickly became lively as a few words exchanged from one person to another became topics of discussion for others.
The Empress also relaxed a bit and announced that the banquet had begun. In the great palace hall up ahead, Li Ming presided over the banquet, taking the lead before Li Chuan and the young court officials.
Once the young ladies finished their meals, they began to have a little fun of their own. After taking up needlework for half a day, they started to pray and make wishes.
Li Rong was already married, and in any case, she had long lost interest in these things, so she just sat at her table and watched the excitement of the young ladies.
Consort Rou had some wine earlier and appeared a little drunk as she looked up at the Empress and said: “Your Majesty, would you say it looks like it’s about time? Why don’t you let people bring the incense burners up and let everyone take part in a little competition?”
As soon as Li Rong heard this, her eyes went straight to Consort Rou. The others seemed a little perplexed as well, but the Empress seemed to be the only one who had known about it a long time ago. She nodded and said: “Then let them be presented.”
With those words, Consort Rou called for everyone to return to their seats at once before saying: “In the past, a banquet held on the Double Seventh Festival has always been where people find all the fun and games. Now, there are quite a few people at this palace banquet, and I’m afraid just the usual beating of drums and poetry competition won’t do at all. That is why Her Majesty the Empress changed the poetry competition today into an incense making competition. All unmarried ladies present will prepare the incense blend here, then it will be taken to the great palace hall where the top three will be chosen by His Highness the Crown Prince. Of course, there will be great rewards, so how about it?”
Everyone was momentarily taken aback upon hearing this, but shortly after, they each had a different expression of their own.
Anyone could grasp the meaning of Consort Rou’s words as long as they were not fools. The Empress summoned all unmarried ladies of different families into the palace and asked them to compete in an incense making competition so that the Crown Prince could choose among the best fragrances. Seeing as the Crown Prince was not married yet, and Li Rong just got married, the purpose of this banquet couldn’t be more obvious.
Hence, there were people who were overjoyed and couldn’t sit still. There were also people who had a blank look on their faces, at a complete and utter loss.
As for Shangguan Ya and Su Rongwen, these young ladies of prestigious families had a dull expression for the most part. They should have learned of the news early on. That or they were like Qin Zhenzhen, who carried on like an outsider with a calm and leisurely expression as clearly as if the words had been written across her face: “This has nothing to do with me.”
Li Rong gauged everyone’s expressions, then she softly chuckled to herself and abruptly spoke up: “Mother Empress, I don’t think this is right.”
The moment the words came out of her mouth, everyone turned to look at her. Li Rong was smiling brightly as she said: “Everyone is here for the banquet, so why do they get to compete for a prize in an incense making competition but erchen cannot? Erchen also wishes to join.”
“Rong’er, what are you making a fuss about?” The Empress frowned, implying that she must not make a scene.
Looking at the Empress’s expression, Li Rong knew that the Empress and Consort Rou had nearly all but decided on this matter.
Consort Rou’s goal was quite simple. If she wanted to secure a marriage decree for her own niece, then she would need a reason of some sort, and letting Li Chuan choose her niece’s incense blend would be the best excuse.
And the Empress would agree to this because of course, in the Empress’s eyes, she would be in control of the situation and let Li Chuan choose Shangguan Ya’s incense blend. The Shangguan family might as well beat Consort Rou at her own game and ask for a marriage decree between Shangguan Ya and the Crown Prince.
They all had their own plans and considered the Crown Princess position to be the prize, and so they made the decision together.
Li Rong didn’t know if Li Chuan knew, but if there was one thing she was sure about, it was that anyone here could be chosen, but it absolutely cannot be Shangguan Ya, Consort Rou’s niece or Qin Zhenzhen.
So Li Rong did not take a step back, instead she faced the Empress with a smile: “It won’t be too much of a crowd to include me as well. Mother Empress, promise you’ll let me join, won’t you?”
The author has something to say:
【Mini Theater】(Let’s have a sweet one today)
Li Rong: “Pei Wenxuan, tell me—what should I look for in a person I want to marry?”
Pei Wenxuan: “Well, they have to be a bit better than me.”
“In what way?”
Pei Wenxuan: “Must be someone who is more handsome than me, more capable than me, and understands you better than me. Someone who can make you happy when you’re sad and help you cover it up when you don’t want people to see you sad. And when you don’t want to hide it anymore, they will help you get those feelings out. You want power, they will give you power. If you and your family aren’t getting along, they will help you resolve those disputes. You love to look beautiful, so it has to be someone who can help you with your makeup, hair and outfits too. You like when people compliment you, so they need to have baskets’ worth of praise for you, and you always look beautiful, so it should be someone who can also paint and record your beauty in this golden age for generations to come.”
Li Rong: “…do you even want me to get married at this point?”
Pei Wenxuan: “No, that’s not it. I just hope you’ll be able to live a good life.
Li Rong: “Then who can I even marry with standards like yours?”
Pei Wenxuan: “Well, if it weren’t for such standards, why don’t you just marry me?”
Autumn Pond Reflection 
Thank you for the chapter! Really love the mini theater, we can see that our Pei WenXuan is petty to the bones XD.
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Yes, push each other in opposite directions til you get bushed with your matchmaking jazz that you two ended up together in a full circle 🤡 I did get aggrieved when they did it previously, tho I understand where they are coming from, but now idc anymore, do it for as long as you want. It’s a bit funny how they think they are helping but in reality they pay no heed to each other’s attempt at matchmaking coz it’s really futile. They just want each other to be happy… They’re trying alright?😭
And I feel sad for Li Chuan, a lot could happen that’s entirely critical to his future. At least he has his sister who has his best interest in her heart. Big sis wouldn’t let others take advantage. Thanks for the update💛
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