"My lord, why not take a break."

Lightning appeared in the sky along with heavy rain, illuminating the two people climbing on the cliff.

Zhao Chongjiu and Pei Wenxuan were already wet by rain. Both of them were tied with hemp rope, and on their backs were packages containing common life-saving medicinal materials, bandages, and fire folds.

Pei Wenxuan arranged everything, and after instructing people to enter the mountain from the outside to the bottom of the cliff, they prepared hemp rope and insisted on going down the cliff.

It takes at least one night to go from the schoolyard around the periphery to the bottom of the cliff. If you directly climb down the cliff without stopping in the middle, you can reach the bottom of the cliff in less than two hours. But because there is no such long rope, there are many ropes in the middle to tie people down. In this way, if something goes wrong on the rope, or the cliff climber slips and falls beyond the strength of the rope, it is extremely dangerous.

But Pei Wenxuan didn't worry about other people coming off the cliff. He was afraid that they would not take care of them. He was afraid that they were not smart enough. He was afraid that some of them were traitors. At this critical moment of life and death, Pei Wenxuan could not trust Li Rong to anyone.

So he was accompanied by Zhao Chongjiu and went down the cliff together.

They climbed all the way down from the top of the cliff. Although it was a high cliff with no clear bottom, Pei Wenxuan dropped his hand on the rock and stepped on the cliff wall, feeling the night wind roaring by, and listening to the falling of the rock, I couldn’t hear the end. When he heard his voice, he had an inexplicable stability.

He was walking on the road Li Rong had walked, if Li Rong had come to the end of life.

Then, he also walked on this dead end.

So he began to descend from the beginning of the night, and he controlled the speed of his descent very evenly. He didn't say a word from beginning to end. The whole person seemed to extract all his emotions and calculated precisely. Next, he should step on the stone. Up, next time, when should you let go of your hand.

Halfway through the climb, his hands were crushed by stones and wounds, and his skin was broken early.

But his expression remained the same. Zhao Chongjiu looked at his appearance, although he couldn't see anything, he couldn't help but remind him: "My lord, you can take a break."

"I'm fine," Pei Wenxuan repeated, "I'm fine. Continue."

As he said, he lowered his foot and stepped on the next stone.

Just stepping on the stone, the stone could not withstand his strength, and it suddenly scattered. He slashed straight down the cliff. The sharp stone rubbed his clothes and cut a fiery wound on his skin. The rope slid down quickly, and the people above were shocked that several people grabbed the rope together. Zhao Chongjiu couldn't help but yelled, "My lord!"

Pei Wenxuan did not speak. When he fell quickly, he looked at the entire cliff wall as a wolf, and then suddenly shot, pulling on a bump he had observed earlier, and after stabilizing his figure, he gently raised his head. He was so calm that he was not like the first rock climber: "I'm fine, continue."

He will not die here.

Li Rong's life or death is uncertain, he will never die here.

When Pei Wenxuan walked down the cliff, the light of lightning shone on Su Rongqing's face in the cave.

Li Rong looked at him, she didn't say anything, her face didn't change a bit, as if this was something she had accepted, understood, and recognized a long time ago.

"The reason?"

Li Rong spoke with a hoarse voice: "Chuan'er... shouldn't kill me."

She assisted Li Chuan throughout his life.

She is his elder sister, the person with the same blood and the closest relationship after their parents left.

Even if he was worried about her being too powerful, he shouldn't directly hurt the killer like this.

"In the twenty-five years of Dexu, His Royal Highness was wandering abroad, and he came across an alchemy master. He was rumored to have special skills. His Royal Highness made many inquiries and asked him repeatedly when he went up the mountain. He invited the alchemy master down the mountain and introduced him to his Majesty."

Su Rongqing's voice was very soft, and Li Rong slowly widened her eyes.

"In the twenty-eighth year of Dexu, His Majesty began to feel unwell and began to thoroughly investigate the palace, but finally nothing. Soon after, the alchemist that His Highness dedicated to him died in the lake after drinking."

"That alchemist has a problem?"

"That alchemist," Su Rongqing pressed her lips tightly, "It was carefully selected by the family, arranged by Shangguanya, and deliberately guided, so that your Royal Highness will encounter him by chance."

"So Chuan'er thought I was going to kill him?"

Li Rong felt a little funny: "Why didn't he ask me? Just ask..."

"If that alchemy master is really placed by His Majesty on purpose, will His Highness admit it?"

Su Rongqing asked back, but Li Rong was speechless.

Su Rongqing was right.

Whether she really wanted to kill Li Chuan, Li Chuan couldn't ask her the truth. Can't ask, why speak?

"and after?"

Li Rong controlled his emotions: "Since it was found out at that time, why didn't you directly investigate me? The person I sent over had a problem. If he wants to pursue it, he can do it."

"How does he do it?"

Su Rongqing asked directly: "You were the eldest princess who represented the family and the eldest princess of the country with great power. How sure is he if he wants to agitate you?"

"So?"

"That's why he chose to poison. You go to the palace once every seven days and play against him. On top of the chess pieces, there is Fragrant Beauty. Over time, you have been soaked in your bones and spleen. Therefore, after 28 years, Dexu has been unwell. ."

"From then on, you know." Li Rong looked at Su Rongqing, "Know that I was poisoned."

"Yes," Su Rongqing lowered her eyes, "I put the antidote in the sachet and let everyone wear it to delay the toxicity."

"Why don't you save me?"

This question came out, as if unable to answer, there was a long silence.

"speak."

Li Rong squeezed his fists: "It's this time, what else can't you say?"

"It's Shangguan Ya, decide with me."

When Su Rongqing said this, her voice trembled: "In fact, we all know that the most important thing in your heart is never the family. Once we have a conflict with Li Chuan, you will immediately rebel. So we decided to wait and see, there are Xiangmei people. The antidote is in your hand. Detoxifying you is always a matter of time. Killing you is also a matter of effort."

"What happened later? Who decided to kill me in the end?"

"Later, Li Chuan became more and more ill. On the morning of your death, Li Chuan vomited blood in the palace. He called Pei Wenxuan to the palace to give a will. After Pei Wenxuan got the will, Li Chuan asked him a question."

"He asked Pei Wenxuan what would happen to Pei Wenxuan if you rebelled after he died."

"Pei Wenxuan told him that you are his sister and you would never do this."

When these words came out, Li Rong fixedly looked at him, tears finally rolled from his eyes.

Su Rongqing paused, and Li Rong only said, "Go on."

"So Li Chuan knew that Pei Wenxuan would never kill you. Because of you in his heart, he would never betray."

"After Pei Wenxuan left, Li Chuan fell into a coma. Before he went into a coma, he issued a death order to kill you. When Shangguanya learned that he was in a coma, he immediately locked the palace to prevent everyone from entering and leaving. Tell me, this is the best opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Li Rong couldn't help but smile.

Su Rongqing also smiled: "Get the chance to control the princess mansion."

"So, Pei Wenxuan came to me because he got the will and wanted to talk to me for the last time. At that time, you didn’t know about the palace lock. As before, you were worried that Pei Wenxuan would be used by Li Chuan. Xiangmei’s poison gave him an antidote sachet. Later, you learned about Shangguanya’s letter that when Li Chuan poisoned me, you obviously can detoxify, but you chose to stand by."

"Yes."

Su Rongqing did not deny it. Li Rong nodded and expressed understanding: "But I still don't understand why, Li Chuan wants to kill me at the last moment. He can kill me earlier, why is it delayed until the last moment?"

"Because in your Majesty's heart, the entire court and court are just a game of chess. His greatest responsibility in life is to maintain the balance of the game."

"Back then, the aristocratic family was prosperous, and your majesty’s iron-blooded wrists killed more than half of the official clans, and even his uncle was ordered to be beheaded. He also destroyed the Su clan and intimidated hundreds of families. In fact, at that time, the aristocratic families had secretly formed an alliance with the intention of rebelling. Only when His Majesty suddenly announced his retreat to the palace, Xiu Xian asked that his Royal Highness became the princess of the prison, and the family was able to appease and decide to endure. In fact, this is your majesty's means of balancing.

"Later, your Majesty carried Pei Wenxuan secretly, and Pei Wenxuan Qin Lin supported the Han Clan with one article and one martial arts, and formed a confrontation with His Royal Highness. Then His Royal Highness thought, if your Majesty dies, is this balance still there?"

"Why not?" Li Rong didn't understand, "Pei Wenxuan is the head of the Han clan..."

"But what if you want to kill him?"

Su Rongqing interrupted Li Rong, Li Rong was a bit at a loss, Su Rongqing smiled bitterly: "His Royal Highness, for thirty years, what kind of feelings Pei Wenxuan has for you, when he and Your Majesty said, "You are your majesty sister, you will never rebel." Isn’t it clear? He has been with your political opponents for so many years, but in the end, he never thought you would betray."

"Pei Wenxuan will not kill you, and behind you, there is me and Shangguanya. If you want to kill him, it's too easy."

Li Rong stared at Su Rongqing stunnedly: "One chess piece versus one chess piece, Li Chuan's heart, it is not Pei Wenxuan that checks and balances you, but himself. If he dies and you are still alive, the game will be out of balance."

"Leaving Pei Wenxuan and Qin Lin assisting Li Ping to fight against the family headed by the prince. After the bloodbath, the chess game will be balanced. The next monarch will not face the same situation as him when he becomes the throne.

"If you are alive, as long as you kill Pei Wenxuan, the poor family will no longer have the power to resist. As the eldest princess, the power is so high that the new king can't tolerate you, and you can't tolerate one. Lord."

"So your Royal Highness, in fact, whether there is that alchemist, you and Li Chuan, both must die. It's just sooner or later."

Li Rong could not speak.

Everything Su Rongqing said was actually correct.

Luckily, she tolerated Li Chuan back then because Li Chuan was her younger brother. If either Li Ping or Li Xin ascends the throne, she would go against her like Li Chuan, she doesn't know how long she can endure.

Get used to being in a high position and have nothing, so you can only hold on to power.

Now when I think about it, other people are totally different. Isn't she?

The alchemist was Li Chuan who did not believe her, but if Li Chuan were seventeen-year-old Li Chuan, he would have hit her door and asked her what happened.

Only forty-eight-year-old Li Chuan is already a king who doesn't believe in anyone and anyone can give up.

Li Rong took a deep breath, and lowered her head: "So, are you doing everything for revenge?"

"His Royal Highness," Su Rongqing smiled bitterly, "what happened to the last life, what revenge is going to be talked about for a lifetime? Rong Qing just thinks that even in the first life, Li Chuan will repeat the same mistakes."

"Li Chuan is too ambitious and too difficult to control. He cannot tolerate the family, nor the future Highness. Your Highness, you are not willing to be a woman raised in the backyard of the deep palace. Li Chuan ascends the throne. Sooner or later, you will come to the sword. ."

"Did we treat Li Chuan badly in the last life? He was abolished by Li Ming and became the prince in trouble. He was the throne of the family who assembled the forces of a hundred families. But what happened later?"

"He is so greedy for meritorious work. He is about to advance to the Northern Expedition. He wants to restructure. The harem will dominate the concubine Qin. The former suppressed the family officials, killed the uncle and the mother, imprisoned the queen mother in the palace, and made unjust cases to frame the Su clan. Until the end, For the sake of power, even you have not let go."

"Such a monarch," Su Rongqing stared at Li Rong, "How can I just watch him ascend the throne?"

"So," Li Rong tried to put all the scolding Su Rongqing behind. She didn't want to listen, she didn't want to think. She restrained her emotions and just continued to ask, "As soon as you come back, you have made up your mind to abolish him. ."

"Yes." Su Rongqing did not cover up. "From the very beginning, I planned to abolish him. I originally thought, I don't need to do anything, just like the previous life, when your Majesty abolished Li Chuan, I would not let him. The family accepted Pei Wenxuan's persuasion and persuaded his father to accept Li Cheng ascended the throne. Li Cheng is now only eleven, Xiao Su is weak and incompetent, and the concubine is greedy and short-sighted. After Li Cheng ascends the throne, we can take Li Cheng as a puppet and wait for him to give birth to an heir. , I killed him and supported the young emperor. Then I will be in power and welcome His Royal Highness back to Beijing."

"Then why are you approaching me and pretending to take refuge in the prince?"

"First, I want to get in touch with Your Highness. Your Highness has changed too much in this life and needs to be observed. Second, if necessary, I am willing to act as an internal response to overthrow Li Chuan."

"Since Li Chuan ordered me to be killed in the previous life, and you want to be an enemy of him, why didn't you tell me earlier? You also need to recognize it when I ask you if you are the murderer?"

Su Rongqing did not speak, Li Rong smiled reluctantly: "Could it be that I am afraid of being sad?"

"His Royal Highness is the only relative in his life, Li Chuan. Whether I say it or not, His Royal Highness will not swing his sword at him because of this. If so, why say more?"

"If I succeed, Your Highness hates me. If I fail, it won't hurt the friendship between His Highness's sister and brother."

After listening to Li Rong, she was not surprised. She was silent, and there was a faint voice from outside. Su Rongqing looked out of the cave with a calm voice: "His Royal Highness still asks?"

Li Rong was silent, she hugged herself and looked at the beating flames in front of her. After a long time, she whispered: "Chuan'er doesn't believe me. I think I killed him and his children for power, but you and Aya, why don't you believe me? You have to watch me die, and then take power. In hand?"

"His Royal Highness asks this question, do you really want to know?"

Su Rongqing leaned against the wall, watching the fire make a popping sound, and sparks rose up.

They faintly heard the call, which was very far away, as if coming across thousands of rivers and mountains in another world.

Li Rong heard Su Rongqing's reply and couldn't help but hugged herself a little bit tightly: "Just tell me."

"Because, Li Xin," Su Rongqing said hard, "not Li Chuan's child."

Hearing this, Li Rong froze. She slowly raised her head in disbelief, and Su Rongqing lowered her head, as if she also felt embarrassed.

"Shangguanya and my eldest brother fell in love back then, but because of the family, he was forced into the palace and became the princess. My eldest brother decided not to marry for her forever. I didn’t want to marry him, but after Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen were together, he did She has touched anyone in the harem again. Shangguanya soon realized that Li Chuan would not touch anyone in the harem again. She entered the palace for Shangguan’s house and became a queen just to keep the crown prince. She could stay widow for a lifetime, but she could not Allow yourself to be widowed for a lifetime without children."

"So what?" Li Rong felt her stomach churning.

"So Shangguanya found my eldest brother and got Li Xin in time."

Hearing this, Li Rong felt as if she was being pushed into the water by someone, and all the nausea, disgust, and panic rushed up.

Everything has a reason.

Why would Su Ronghua kill Qin Zhenzhen, because Su Ronghua wanted to keep his child and Shangguanya.

Why did Li Chuan use palace torture to humiliate Su Clan so much, because he knew that Su Ronghua had an affair with Shangguan Ya.

Why did Su Rongqing finally form an alliance with Shangguanya? He decided to watch her die when Li Chuan was dying, she was on the side of the family, and he even loved her—because he wanted to keep his elder brother's last bloodline.

She was dead, Pei Wenxuan was dead, and by the means of Su Rongqing and Shangguanya, the throne was almost at hand for Li Xin.

to disgasing.

Too ugly.

These ugly hearts and interests are intertwined, turning the last life into a fishy cobweb that entangles everyone to death.

Father and son are not father and son, siblings are not siblings, husband and wife are not husband and wife, and friends are not friends.

Everything in the previous life was a rotten swamp, full of disgusting pus. At first, I thought it was just rotten branches and leaves. After removing the rot on the top of the swamp, I found out that there were even uglier human bones underneath. , Those flesh and blood boiled into a thick pulp, gurgling stench.

Li Rong felt countless past events passing by, and those past events drowned her. She couldn't breathe, almost unable to move.

But she can't indulge.

She had to go, she had to leave, she couldn't die with them anymore in this mud.

She vaguely heard the call of someone not far away, whose voice was hoarse, mixed in the rain.

But she still heard it.

It's Pei Wenxuan.

It is the two lives and two lives who have never really betrayed her, and always guarded her. When the people betrayed their relatives and left, the only Pei Wenxuan believed in her.

She wants to go, she wants to escape, she wants to go to him.

When this thought came out, Li Rong couldn't restrain herself anymore, desperately, she staggered up and stumbled towards the door.

Seeing her appearance, Su Rongqing quickly got up and chased after her: "Your Royal Highness..."

"Let go!"

Li Rong slammed a dagger in her hand, staring at him with steamy eyes: "I was touched!"

After speaking, she rushed out like crazy.

Her foot was hurt, and every step was painful, but she still ran in the direction of that person's voice.

"Pei Wenxuan!"

She shouted Pei Wenxuan's name: "Pei Wenxuan!"

Pei Wenxuan looked back in the dense forest and rushed towards the direction of the voice.

The two called each other in the heavy rain, looking for each other's voice, until finally, Pei Wenxuan tore a piece of thorns with his hands, and then saw a girl who seemed to be greatly frightened, and rushed into his arms.

At the moment when he hugged him, Li Rong seemed to have found the other side of his life, and finally unbridled and wept bitterly.

"Take me away," she was shaking all over, gritted her teeth, crying and begging him, "Pei Wenxuan, take me away. Don't let me stay there, take me away."

Take her away.

Take her away from everything that is unbearable, desperate, and disgusting.

Pei Wenxuan had never seen Li Rong like this before, and he had almost completely collapsed. The whole person was shrouded in despair and fear, Li Rong who was about to break with a single touch.

He felt her crying like a sharp blade, cutting his heart back and forth. He had never felt so painful before, and every fingertip seemed to twitch gently.

He stretched out his hand to protect Li Rong in his arms.

The thorns fell and stuck on him. He didn't realize it, restrained his emotions, suppressed the moisture in his eyes, raised his hand to embrace this soft girl who seemed to be unable to withstand the slightest wind and rain, bowed his head and kissed her hair tenderly. .

"Don't cry," he said hoarsely, softly coaxing her, "Rongrong, I found you, I will take you home."