The Grand Princess

TGP Chapter 23: Old Dreams

“All these years, he had not only lost Li Rong but also lost sight of himself.”
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Having said that, Li Rong, she brought her hand up to pour water into Pei Wenxuan’s mouth, almost making Pei Wenxuan choke to death. He struggled to push the cup away, nervously asking: “What are you doing?”

“Sobered up now?”

Li Rong smiled, stood up and said to the servant: “Help him up, we’re leaving.”

With that said, Li Rong boarded the carriage first while someone else helped Pei Wenxuan onto the carriage then withdrew.

The carriage set off with the clattering of the horses’ hooves. Li Rong was sitting as usual, albeit in the attire of a dancing girl with Pei Wenxuan’s robes draped over her shoulders, composed and graceful. There was a heart stirring charm between each and every one of her movements that could not be put to words.

When Pei Wenxuan got onto the carriage and saw Li Rong’s appearance, his expressions stiffened. He needed a moment to stabilize his emotions before looking away, pretending not to have seen anything as he went over to a spot opposite of Li Rong, closed his eyes and laid down.

“Not going to ask me where I’m taking you?”

Li Rong asked with a smile when she saw Pei Wenxuan playing dead. Pei Wenxuan did not open his eyes and only indifferently said: “It’s not like I’m being dragged to death anyways.”

“You have that much faith in me?”

Li Rong softly laughed: “You actually trust me this much now.”

“You could very well kill me now, then try and see if you can get married tomorrow. Who knows, maybe you will be wearing this Persian dancing girl’s costume for a long, long time.”

Li Rong could hear Pei Wenxuan’s vehement disapproval of the costume and couldn’t help but look down and take a good look at herself before saying: “I think these clothes look quite good, why do you have so many opinions about it?”

Pei Wenxuan was about to start talking when Li Rong immediately reminded him: “You have no right to speak of indecency with me. I remember in those days when I was young, I wore this outfit, and at that time, you told me that it suited me well and had a uniquely exquisite style.”

These words made Pei Wenxuan choke up, leaving him at a loss for words. All the words that were about to be spoken could not come out, nor could they be swallowed back down his throat. After holding back for what felt like half a day, he only said: “I don’t think that is the case anymore.”

Li Rong gave a mocking smile: “Pei Wenxuan, you were also considered romantic gongzi when you were young, but now you are almost no different from those rotten old men.”1

[1] Contextual Trivia
When they were young, Pei Wenxuan was not a distinguished, romantic gentleman that no one did not know like Su Rongqing. Others said that he was somewhat withdrawn, dull and even old-fashioned.

But in reality, he would accompany her to leisurely stroll among the colored lanterns of the Lantern Festival and watch as she had fun, dressing up as those Persian dancers and slipping into the crowd to join the dance wearing a face veil. At that moment, he was still brightly smiling and praising her, saying that no one was as beautiful as she was. By the time the dance ended and the cold wind blew past, he would quietly put his arms around her shoulders, using his wide sleeves to protect her from the cold.

Then she blinked and even asked him, “Are you not mad?”

Pei Wenxuan had a smile that was not quite a smile as he cast a sidelong glance at the person in his arms: “Seeing the peony bloom throughout Huajing, I couldn’t be any happier, so why would I be mad?”