His Rui

In the banquet hall, except for Li Na's cries for justice, nothing else could be heard.

People glanced towards the Emperor who was looking at Li Na without any expression on his face. No one could guess what was going on inside the Emperor's mind.

A moment later, they saw the Emperor picking up the brush from his side table and writing something on paper. Eunuch Wang came forward and took the folded paper from the Emperor's hands after the Emperor had finished writing.

It was an Imperial decree.

Everyone unconsciously straightened their backs when they saw that Eunuch Wang was about to start to read the decree.

"In the auspicious celebration of the Mid Autumn festival, Third Miss of Li Clan disrespected the Imperial Clan by indulging herself into something that a virtuous girl of the noble clan should be ashamed for. Not only that, but she also lied claiming that she was framed and hence wasted everyone's time to investigate something that never existed.

As the punishment for all these sins, the Emperor of Xin, bans Third Young Miss, Li Na, the daughter of Li Qiang from the Imperial Palace forever."

As soon as Eunuch Wang finished, everyone hurriedly kneeled down on the floor and shouted

"Your Majesty is benevolent."

Li Na's punishment was indeed small and everyone knew the reason behind that. Because Lord Xi disfigured Li Clan's other daughter's face, the Emperor showed his kindness to the other daughter simply indicating Li Clan to stay silent about Lord Xi hitting Li Caihong's face with a whip.

Lord Xi was indeed favored but they could do nothing and only praise the Emperor like this. 

The shouts echoed in the banquet hall as the pale-faced Li Na raised her head with blank eyes.

A same kind of decree was read fourteen years ago but at that time, some other daughter of the Li Clan was standing in place of Li Na.

Although not directly, she had played her own role in her innocent sister's misery.

She had made Li Caihong speak in front of everyone that Li Rui had liked Princess Wenling's hairpin and hence she asked her maid to steal it. By doing this, she had given the whole matter a different turn altogether. 

It was not a lie that retribution exists…it was just that people refuse to believe it.

Just like Li Na who at this moment did not understand that her present condition was the result of her own scheming and an evil mind.

Instead, she shouted in front of the Emperor that she refuse to accept such a decision. 

Eunuch Wang immediately signed the Imperial guards to take her away from the banquet hall and Li Na was dragged away just like that.

Sitting on her seat beside Xi Ying, Li Rui watched everything silently.

As Li Na was dragged away she looked towards her own family members who looked ashamed and humiliated by everything that happened just now.

But she could do nothing.

She knew that Li Na was framed but she could do nothing.

She had to pretend to be unknown and see her family like this …so that the enemy would become carefree and commit some mistake …enough for her to control everything in her hands.

But for that, she knew that she can't go ahead alone.

.

.

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At this moment, everyone was busy in their activities in the banquet hall. It was lunch time and the Emperor had already left the banquet hall.

The rest of the performances were to be continued after lunch for a few hours and then the three days celebration banquet would finally come to the end.   

"Lord, Rui will come in a moment."

  Said Li Rui as she stood up from her seta but before she could take a step ahead, her wrist was grasped by Xi Ying who asked her in confusion

"Where are you going, Rui? Do you need something?"

  Li Rui didn't turn to look back at Xi Ying as she pretended to be shy and whispered in a small voice

"I need to powder my nose."

"Oh…" 

said Xi Ying making Li Rui suddenly remember her three-year-old son who would also let out such a sound when he didn't know what he should say.

The thought of Xi Ling made Li Rui's heart clench.

Fortunately, Xi Ying's voice dragged her out of her trance.

"Then, An Ju will accompany you."

"Sure"

Li Rui agreed and stepped forward to leave when Xi Ying left her hand reluctantly.

While passing through the seats where Li Clan was sitting she stopped suddenly and walked to stand in front of her father.

The confused An Ju could only follow her. 

Even Xi Ying who had been looking at Li Rui's back noticed her actions.

He stood up from his seat but didn't go to her when he saw that she was just talking to General Li.

"How is Father doing?"

General Li stood up from his seat and answered his daughter's question.

"Father is doing well. How is Rui?" 

In the depth of his eyes, the confusion flickered as he tried to decipher what was going on.

Li Rui suddenly held General Li's arms as she said

"Father should not worry about Second Younger sister. How is third younger sister?"

A soft and concerned smile lingered on Li Rui's lips making everyone around her believe that she was really showing her concern for her sisters and she was worried that her father would worry so she came to comfort General Li.

However, it was only General Li who noticed his daughter's hidden actions as she took out a paper from her sleeve and put it inside his hand.

He didn't let his expression change as he hid the paper inside his sleeve and then patted his daughter's head with a fatherly smile. 

Li Rui talked to General Li for some more time and then she left the banquet hall with An Ju.

After having lunch, General Li also went out of the banquet hall.

As soon as General Li was alone, he took out the paper from inside his sleeve.. He unfolded the small paper and as soon as he read it his face instantly became somber.