His Rui

Xi Ying didn't back away from his order of finding Li Rui.

He sent a group of people to search for Li Rui in Xin and the neighboring Empire.

After doing all this, he finally went to Xi Ling's room.

"Xi Ling should rest."

Xi Ying said to his son in a reprimanding tone when he saw that his son was sitting on the bed.

His heart clenched when he saw that Xi Ling's face looked paler than before. Still, Xi Ying tried to maintain the gentle smile on his lips as he made Xi Ling lie on the bed and sat near him on the edge of the bed. 

"Father didn't bring Mother."

The forced smile on Xi Ying's lips falter for a moment but he regained it soon. Caressing his son's small head, he told him gently 

"Father will bring her to meet you very soon."

The smile on Xi Ling's lips went away after he heard his father's words. He continued to look at his father for a few moments silently and then he said

"Father, do those maids say the truth? Does Mother really not like Xi Ling?"

Xi Ling's eyes were suddenly filled with tears while the smile on Xi Ying's lips slipped away completely. His face didn't show any emotion as he continued to stroke his son's head and asked calmly.

"Who said this kind of words to you?"

Xi Ling obediently told his father the name of those maids and nanny. He even told him how they talked badly about his mother and sometimes tried to make him say bad things about her.

Xi Ying's eyes were again going colder as he heard some new revelations from his son's mouth.

After Xi Ling finished, his fists were clenched tightly but for Xi Ling's sake he had to hide his anger. Remembering Xi Ling's question, Xi Ying looked in his son's eyes and told him.

"Your mother loves you, Xi Ling."

Somehow Xi Ying didn't feel like he was lying at this moment to his son and the next words he said were really not a lie.

"When she birthed you, she was in very much pain…so much pain that she was screaming loudly."

Xi Ying told his son as he remembered Li Rui's pale face when he had seen her after returning from the borders.

"But she still birthed you and gave me a little treasure like you."

Xi Ling seemed to be very happy as well as sad after hearing his father.

He was happy to know that his mother loved him but sad to know that his mother had to go through so much pain to give him birth.

The three-year-old child although never met his mother properly still wished to give her the best and become the best son to her.

On the other hand, Xi Ying was relieved when he saw the smile on his son's lips.

He thought that he had been successful in removing the thought from Xi Ling's mind and heart that Li Rui disliked him.

Although that woman never came to see her child, Xi Ying never wants his son to hate his own mother. Whatever could be said, in the end, Li Rui was Xi Ling's mother who had birthed him after going through so much pain.     

"Actually Xi Ling has gone to see mother once."

Xi Ying heard his son's saying suddenly and his eyes went emotionless after he registered his son's words in his mind. 

He looked at Xi Ling silently waiting for him to continue.

On the other hand, Xi Ling was remembering the image of the woman picking some flowers and leaves from the garden as he was hiding behind a tree. 

"Mother was very beautiful."

Xi Ling whispered with a soft smile on his lips.

"When Xi Ling had seen her, she didn't look like she could hate anyone at all."

Such deep words from a child after seeing his mother…a mother who never came to ask about his well-being…Xi Ying suddenly felt his throat wobbling and looked away from his son's innocent face who continued

"Since then, Xi Ling was sure that Mother didn't dislike Xi Ling. The maids ….were lying."

Xi Ying's eyes flashed with panic because Xi Ling was now starting to pant between his words.

"Xi Ling, what happened son?"

He shouted suddenly as he saw Xi Ling opening his mouth wide and trying to breathe as much air as he could.

"An San…"

Xi Ying shouted but Xi Ling held his father's hand. A moment later, he looked fine but Xi Ying could see that his face looked pale white now.

Fear filled his heart as he suddenly picked his son's small, fragile and so light body from the bed.

"Xi Ling, be strong …okay? Father will find someone to treat you. Then Father will also punish whoever is responsible for your this state."

Xi Ying's eyes gleamed with ruthlessness when he said his last words.

Since that day, the all the shadow guards Xi Ying had, went out to do two works.

'Search for a capable physician who could find the cure of Xi Ling's poison and search for Li Rui.'

Li Rui was never found by anyone but they found some capable physician.

The physicians claimed to have a cure but when the shadow guards brought them to Xi Manor and they took Xi Ling's pulse, all of them would shake their heard accepting that this kind of poison they have never seen before.

The poison was eating the child inside slowly and slowly. The child has very few days left.

A physician told Xi Ying who immediately ordered his shadow guards to throw the physicians out of Xi Manor.

Even the Emperor when came to know sent the Imperial Physicians but they also couldn't find any cure.

Xi Ling was dying slowly and slowly and Xi Ying could see this.

He could only see this helplessly.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he saw his son's face going pale day by day.

Then after four days of Xi Ying's return to the Imperial City, Xi Ling died in front of Xi Ying's eyes.

The Xi Manor became deathly silent since that day.