His Rui

Standing behind Li Qiang and Li Jiang, Xi Ying looked at General Li coldly.

His fists clenched tightly because of the anger he was feeling inside his heart currently.

'Before he didn't do anything big but after the incident of fourteen years ago when I threatened him in the Imperial Court to stop him from punishing Li Rui … the Emperor became very angry.'

Fourteen years ago, did General Li say the same words to Rui also?

Is that why she blame herself for whatever was happening to Li Clan?

Her father cleverly put all the blame on his daughter's head and now he was using his daughter as the shield in front of his brothers also.

Xi Ying glared at General Li furiously. His mouth almost opened to tell Li Qiang and Li Jiang even the other half of the story.

However, perhaps General Li seemed to have predicted his move and immediately said to his brothers.

"Elder Brother, can we talk about this letter? I have something to talk to Prime Minister Xi."

General Li said as he looked at Xi Ying the whole time with eyes that held the warning.

Li Qiang, obviously, noticed the way his brother was looking at Xi Ying. He opened his mouth to tell his brother not to scold Xi Ying just because he told them everything but then he stopped at the last moment.

Looking at how Xi Ying retorted everyone in the front hall so sharply and coldly, he didn't think that the young Prime Minister will stay silent if his brother really scolded him.

So Li Qiang sighed and stood up silently from the chair he was sitting on. Seeing this, Li Jiang also got up from his chair.

Li Qiang turned around and walked to stand in front of Xi Ying. He saw Xi Ying's cold eyes on his younger brother and confirmed again that whatever he was thinking was really true. 

The young Prime Minister really didn't need anyone.

So he just raised his hand and patted Xi Ying's shoulder in a very fatherly manner.

Xi Ying frowned as he finally moved away his eyes from General Li. He was not accustomed to Minister Li's actions so he looked at the man with knitted brows.

However, Li Qiang just smiled a little seeing his frown and said

"I am grateful to you for whatever you told us brothers because I know Li Heng, perhaps, would have never told me anything."

Li Qiang had genuineness in his eyes as he thanked Xi Ying who awkwardly nodded his head unknown of what he should say.

After this, Li Qiang gave a last and fleeting glance to General Li who looked at him apologetically. However, Li Qiang just signed him that they will talk later.

Then, Li Qiang left the study room followed by Li Jiang.

"You are such a coward, General Li."

Xi Ying let out the words under his gritted teeth as soon as Li Qiang and Li Jiang left the study room.

General Li's face was emotionless. He neither refused Xi Ying's words not accepted them. He continued to look at Xi Ying with narrowed eyes as he said

"Should I make you remember that Rui is still my daughter and she still listen to whatever I say, Prime Minister Xi? For the thing that you have done just now, you have to face the consequences of that also."

Xi Ying was left so angry with General Li's threat that his eyes went red with anger. He breathed deeply and stepped forward to stand closer to General Li. 

Looking straight in General Li's eyes, he said coldly

"Just do whatever you want, General Li. I really don't care now. What can you do? You will go and ask my wife to divorce me. Go and do it. I shall see how she will divorce me.  If I don't want this divorce or separation then it will never happen. I shall use every mean to make her stay by my side and you know very well that it is not difficult for me to do what I am saying."

General Li was surely left startled by Xi Ying's fearless attitude. However, he soon composed himself. He smiled coldly and confidently as he told Xi Ying.

"My daughter is not like those women who will be suppressed if you wish to do so. She will hate you if you will do any such thing."

Xi Ying looked dazed and exhausted for a moment. Then the next moment he suddenly seemed to be full of energy as he looked at General Li smile without any emotion.

"She might really hate me."

He whispered in a low voice and continued with a bitter smile on his lips when he saw General Li's confident smile becoming prideful because he thought that he had been successful in controlling Xi Ying.       

"But I would bear it happily."

The smile left General Li's lips instantly and he looked at Xi Ying with shocked eyes.

"At least I would be saving her from a father who lied to her, who doesn't really care whatever she is going through as long as she is alive." Said Xi Ying coldly

"I do care for my daughter." General Li retorted immediately.   

However, Xi Ying denied it immediately

"You do not General Li."

General Li shook his head denying Xi Ying's words. However, Xi Ying was ready to show him the mirror.

"You think that as long as you can make sure that your daughter is alive, you are completing the responsibility that a father has for his daughter. Didn't you do the same four years ago? Even after knowing that I …that I didn't like Li Rui because of that drug incident you sent her to Xi Manor."

"Because I knew that only you had the power to protect her." General Li shouted suddenly.

He panted heavily in anger. In his mind flashed those incidents where he had would have lost his daughter if he had been careless by even a one more second.

He chose Xi Ying because, after so many repeating incidents, he knew that he didn't have the power that was needed to protect Li Rui.

In the whole empire, only one man had such power and that man was Xi Ying.

"I know she had suffered …but even I go back in the past again, I would still do the same thing." whispered General Li claiming to do the right thing.

Xi Ying shook his head and just asked one question.

"Between your wife and Rui…if ever you need to choose one person, General Li, who will you choose?"

And General Li's face went cold again.