His Rui

The asked question in a cold voice fell in An Ju's ears making her shocked.

She raised her head to look into Li Rui's eyes and shivered unconsciously when a pair of cold and sharp eyes met hers.

An Ju was stunned.

She has never feared anyone except her master.

She lowered her head swiftly and said

"What is My Lady saying? This servant won't dare to do such a thing."

However, Li Rui didn't hear her she turned around again and closed the door.

The sound of the doors being closed fell in An Ju's ears and she was panicked.

'Master was not inside the banquet hall. Should she let Lady Li go there alone?'

An Ju couldn't decide but she blocked Li Rui's way who this time didn't look at her but at the front but An Ju could feel her coldness towards herself.

One thing that Li Rui disliked was being lied to especially by those who worked for her. So she couldn't feel any closeness towards An Ju.

In her eyes, if An Ju was lying to her then she was not her person but Xi Ying's.

"My Lady, why doesn't this servant go and find Master while My Lady goes back inside the room? When Master comes then My Lady can discuss with Master what should be done, hm?"

An Ju really hoped that Li Rui would agree to her suggestion.

She was in a very tight situation.

Neither she can let Li Rui go inside the banquet hall alone nor can she leave her here alone as ordered by her Master.

So she was planning to send An Zhi here as soon as she finds him.

At this moment, An Zhi, An Su, and An Si were with Master helping in finding out the people who had schemed against Master.

She released a sigh of relief when she saw Li Rui nodding her head in agreement.

However, as soon as An Ju left, Li Rui didn't go inside the guest room. Instead, she left the hall that was surrounded by the guest rooms.

As she stepped out, she remembered how Xi Ying had left the bed the night before thinking that she was sleeping quietly and her eyes went cold with every passing second.

Outside the hall, the weather was starting to get a little bad.

The sky was filled with black clouds and a cool breeze was swaying the leaves of the trees. 

As she passed by the empty corridors, Li Rui thought that perhaps Prime Minister Xi really had some work but couldn't tell her about that. She also has many secrets so she can understand if Xi Ying also has his secrets and doesn't want to tell her about them.

It is just that…

She halted suddenly when she was about to step inside another empty hall that was on the way to the banquet hall.

Suddenly taking a step back, she hid herself behind the wall that was outside the door. 

She hurriedly regulated her breathing speed so that Xi Ying won't be able to feel her presence.

'Fortunately, Elder Brother Junjie had taught her how she can control her breathing speed to escape the senses of a martial artist.'

However, there was no relief in her mind and heart as the scene she had seen a moment ago flashed in front of her eyes.

She leaned sideways a little to look inside the hall again. A small hope emerged inside her that maybe what she had seen was just her illusion. 

The scene inside was the same she had seen a few moments ago.

There stood the first Princess, Zhao Wenling, in front of Xi Ying with so much love and longing in her eyes. She could only see Princess Wenling's face as Xi Ying's back was facing her.

"Prime Minister Xi…"

Zhao Wenling's soft whisper fell in her ears.

"I know whatever you are doing with Li Rui is just an act. I know that all of this…you are doing for Father Emperor's sake so that you can win Li Rui's trust and hence destroy Li Clan from its roots itself. I also know that it might take some time …and maybe you will have to pretend like this for very long. I just…I just wish to remain by your side while all this."

"Can you please accept this Princess? …even if it is as a concubine in Xi Manor, I don't mind. I just want to be by your side…the man this Princess has loved for so many years…"

Princess Wenling's face was red with shame as she spoke all this but she still looked very beautiful confessing her heart in front of the man she has loved with her whole heart... for whom she had remained unmarried even after passing a marriageable age for girls in Xin Empire.

However, Li Rui's attention was not on all this.

Her attention was on any movement of Princess Wenling that could make her feel that she was lying but she didn't find any such thing.

A loud sound of thunder fell in her ears but she seemed to be unfazed. 

She leaned her head against the wall she was hiding behind as she stared at the front particularly at nothing.

The words rang in her ears again and again.

'I know whatever you are doing with Li Rui is just an act.'

She stepped forward to leave the shed under which she had been standing.

'I know that all of this…you are doing for Father Emperor's sake so that you can win Li Rui's trust and hence destroy Li Clan from its roots itself.'

A droplet of rainwater fell on her forehead sliding down slowly through her eyes and then falling down from her face.

Drop by drop…her whole dress started to get wet, but she didn't pay any attention to it as she walked forward slowly. 

It was very rare to see rain during Autumn in Xin but today it rained, that too, very heavily.