His Rui

General Li froze when he heard his daughter's voice.

He looked at Xi Ying angrily completely knowing that the young Prime Minister knew about his daughter's presence but still didn't bother to tell him.

Xi Ying didn't look bothered by General Li's angry face.

He instead smiled gently as he looked at his wife's face.

He forwarded his hand in Li Rui's direction. Li Rui stared at the hand for a moment and then silently walked in his direction.

She placed her hand in Xi Ying's hand as he asked her

"Did you eat something?"

"Yes"

Xi Ying nodded his head in satisfaction and relief. 

General Li, on the other hand, composed his face when he saw that his daughter looked calm. He understood that she didn't hear much otherwise she would not have been this calm.

He sighed in relief and said

"Rui, it is good that you are here. Try to make your husband understand since you already know about his plan."

General Li was talking about Xi Ying's plan of dethroning the Emperor.   

Li Rui finally looked at her father. Her face was very calm as she said

"Rui will not do any such thing, Father."

It took General Li a few moments to understand that his daughter had actually refused him.

Xi Ying smirked seeing the stupefied face of his father-in-law.

Perhaps it was after a very long time, he had seen his daughter disobeying him. His hold around Li Rui's waist became firm as he silently promised inside his heart that he would let her wife be like that only …where she heard her mind and heart instead of others.

General Li also understood something when he saw Xi Ying's smile. He really wished that Rui had also seen it but unfortunately, the young prime minister was too careful.

He immediately made an innocent face when he saw his daughter looking at him.

General Li sighed exasperatedly and looked at his daughter seriously

"Rui, you need to understand. What Prime Minister Xi is trying to do will only complicate things more. Wh…"

"No, Rui doesn't understand it, Father."

Li Rui interrupted General Li and said calmly.

She felt a little strange when she saw her father's shocked face but she still continued. 

"Rui doesn't even want to understand, Father." 

"According to Rui, It is ridiculous to protect the person who wants to destroy us. And why are we doing it? Just because of an oath that was taken by our ancestors. The oath …it was taken at that time when the people of Zhao Clan completely trusted Li Clan. They were ready to trust Li Clan's decisions blindly. But in the current circumstances, Rui doesn't see any such thing."

When Li Rui finished, her face was not as calm as she had started with one.

Xi Ying shook his head as he looked at the silent General. He silently caressed his wife's knuckles of the hand that he was holding with his other hand as the first hand held her waist.   

Strangely, the round circles made on her knuckles with a thumb really diverted Li Rui's attention and she calmed down eventually.

"Rui will also support Prime Minister Xi's Plan, Father."

After saying this, Li Rui silently left from there.

------

Looking at his wife's disappearing back, the young prime minister sighed heavily and looked at General Li with narrowed eyes

"This Lord doesn't like that you made his wife angry, General Li."

General Li merely rolled his eyes at Xi Ying's words and mumbled

"She is also my daughter."

However, Xi Ying ignored him again and continued

"What Rui said is completely right. You need to set your priorities straight. On one hand, you say that you want to protect your wife, your daughter, and your clan and on the other hand, you can't break an oath made by your ancestors."

Xi Ying finished and was about to leave and go inside the cave to spend some more time with his wife when General Li stopped him again

"How will I be protecting my daughter if I dethrone His Majesty?"

General Li asked Xi Ying curiously.

Xi Ying however looked at General Li with raised eyebrows and a cold smile on his lips.

How did he forget to tell General Li such an important thing?

"You will be protecting Rui, General Li by dethroning the current Emperor. After all, it is him only who wants to kill Li Rui."

"What?"

General Li's face had an incredulous expression as he looked at Xi Ying. It could be said clearly that he didn't believe Xi Ying's words at all.

Xi Ying didn't feel surprised seeing General Li's reaction. He had already expected this. Perhaps that's why he didn't feel that it was important to tell General Li about this revelation.

"You must have misunderstood something, Prime Minister Xi. Why would His Majesty want to take my daughter's life?"

Xi Ying just smiled coldly and said

"It is not like you will believe me if I told you, General Li. So let's just rest this matter here. I will not ask your help in my plan and I will not let you obstruct my plan also."

"But I will not abandon my plan. I will never risk the life of my pregnant wife."

Xi Ying had turned to leave when General Li grabbed his sleeves suddenly.

Xi Ying frowned seeing this and General Li immediately took his hand back suddenly remembering that the cold prime minister didn't like to be touched by other people.

However, he scoffed suddenly as he saw that Xi Ying's face still looked as if he had just touched something disgusted and hence General Li asked him sincerely

"Do tell me Prime Minister Xi, do you also make such a face when my daughter touches you?"

Xi Ying's face went black at General Li's questions and he said coldly.

"Your wife is indeed right, General Li. You are very shameless."

General Li just scoffed again and then asked Xi Ying

"About Rui…what were you saying just now? She is …is she with child?"