His Rui

The plan made by her mother was very good.  Even Zhao Wenling had been sure that this time she would surely be able to get Xi Ying.

However, she had not expected a failure just at the first part of their plan.

Li Rui refused the offer of friendship but she got compensation for that by Xi Ying's support. No one was now allowed to talk about the incident of fourteen years ago. 

This was not good news for her. After all, that incident was a good way of getting sympathy from people for Princess Wenling…and sympathy was all she needed to get Xi Ying or that was what she thought.

Still, she proceeded with her second part of the plan only to face failure again and this time the failure was more painful than before.

Hearing the man she loved comparing her to some sort of prostitute…what could be more painful than that?

She did not reveal her feelings to Xi Ying. That's why he thought for her in this manner. Princess Wenling comforted herself.

That's why today she proceeded with the third part of her plan.

However, now she could not help but feel afraid of what Xi Ying's reaction would be.

But what was done was done and now nothing could be done to undo it.

Standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, Li Rui who had just entered with An Ju heard Princess Wenling's words.

A very cold smile appeared on her lips.

The first person towards whom she moved her eyes was her father, General Li.

Where was her father now? She would like to see whether her eyes had the same trust now they had before for Xi Ying.

Oh…how could she not know now what Princess' plan had been since the first day of the banquet. An offer of friendship was just a pretense…this she already knew, however, she had not known that something like that would be used for something like this in the future. 

Making her the cruel and bad person in everyone's eyes, this was something that both of them planned since the start right?

But was it something she minded?

She didn't.

She really didn't care how others thought about her.

Li Rui turned around to leave the banquet hall. The small part of her heart that had tried to believe her father's words was now dead.

Trust him…if he had not given any hope to the princess then would the princess have dared to raise such a demand in front of everyone.

She could already imagine what must have happened between Princess and Lord Xi after she had left that day. 

"My Lady, this servant thinks that we should not leave like this."

An Ju said hurriedly as she looked towards her master hoping that he would glance in their direction and get to know that Lady Li was in the banquet hall and she had heard the princess' words.

"Isn't it the time to leave the Imperial Palace? I wish to get ready to leave now."

With these last words, Li Rui left the banquet hall and An Ju could only follow her with a helpless sigh.

Inside the banquet hall, the Emperor's face had a smile as he looked at his shy daughter and then towards Xi Ying who had the same lazy and bored look in his eyes.

"Princess' choice is really best. What does Minister Xi think?"

Zhao Wang Lei said and he looked at Xi Ying with a meaningful smile.

Xi Ying's sneered coldly at the Emperor's words without holding any respect. He stood up from his seat and cupped his fist with his other palm as he made a respectful bow with the still arrogant smile present on his lips and said

"Indeed it is, Your Majesty."

His arrogant words made the Emperor laugh out loud while Princess Wenling's heart jumped in joy as she thought of hope in Xi Ying's words.

Even General Li who had been sitting calmly until now frowned at Xi Ying's words.

His eyes went cold and sharp as he looked at Xi Ying's back. However, his anger suddenly calmed down when he heard Xi Ying's next words.

"However, it seems that Princess has forgotten something. Xi Ying is already married and has a wife in his manor."

The smile on Princess Wenling and the Emperor's face stiffened. The Empress clenched her fists and still maintained a tight smile as she said

"What is the big matter? Xi Manor only has Lady Li. As the most favorable minister of the Imperial court, it is very ordinary to have more than one woman to serve by his side for Minister Xi. A big clan like Xi can have two mistresses and Princess will also help Lady Li in sharing the burden of Xi Manor and serve Lord Xi. Lord Xi, this Empress doesn't find anything wrong in this, or Minister Xi is perhaps afraid that Lady Li will be angry with your decision of taking Princess inside Xi Manor. Lady Li should not be that petty and unvirt…"

"Your Majesty"

Xi Ying's cold and sharp voice cut the Empress' words.

He looked at the Empress with a cold smile and continued

"This Lord manor will only have one mistress and that will be only Li Rui. She doesn't need anyone's help in managing Xi Clan's affairs. This Lord is more than available to help her anytime. And about her being angry…"

Xi Ying smiled and this time it was a very genuine smile. His eye shone with a doting love and indulging smiles.

Princess Wenling saw this and her heart skipped a beat. However, the same heart went cold when she heard Xi Ying's next words.

"This Lord will be more than happy if Rui gets angry at Princess' shameless demand."

Gasps were heard in the banquet hall at Xi Ying's words. Men looked at Xi Ying with strange expressions on their faces.

Who would want a woman with a jealous heart as his main wife?

Only those who had loved someone understood what Xi Ying's words really meant.

"I am ready to become a concubine if you can't give me the position of the main wife."

A soft voice full of pleading fell in everyone's ears attracting their attention and everyone looked towards the first Princess who was looking at Xi Ying with tearful eyes.

However, Xi Ying's eyes remained cold and aloof. He looked at the Princess as if he was looking at a boring painting.

"Concubine…Xi Ying doesn't need any. This Lord has already done a mistake by taking a few of them inside his manor."

Regret flashed through Xi Ying's eyes as he remembered taking the concubines inside Xi Manor.

Even though he had never touched them, they were his women in everyone's eyes no matter whether they were alive or dead.

He regretted. Because he doesn't want any woman other than Li Rui to be called his.

He wished to belong to Li Rui only.

In this one or any other lifetime, he wished her to be the only woman in his life.

Moving his eyes away from the princess, he said firmly

"This Lord doesn't need any concubine in his manor. Rui is enough."

'Rui was always enough.'