His Rui

General Li reached Li Manor quite early as he ran his horse as fast as he could.

A big smile was there on his face during the whole ride.

So when he reached the Li Manor and the people waiting in the living room for his arrival saw this smile, they were assured that Li Rui and Xi Ying have been found.

Otherwise why would General Li smile so widely?

After seeing this, everyone present in the living room started to go back to their room one by one.

Everyone was tired as no one slept the whole night after getting the news that Li Rui had not reached Xi Manor with Prime Minister Xi.

Li Qiang frowned when he saw that Li Chen was still standing there.

He noticed that his son was looking at Li Heng with a pair of eyes that were filled with guilt. A moment later, his frown settled down and he walked towards his son with warm eyes full of fatherly love.

"Li Chen, what are you thinking?"

Li Chen came out of his trance and his eyes were instantly filled with fear when he saw his father had noticed him.

"N…Nothing Father."

He tried not to stumble with his words as he answered the question. 

Li Qiang shook his head with a disappointed expression on his face as he said

"Li Chen, so I don't expect you to hide anything from me like your sisters. Do you think that I don't know what are you thinking?"

Li Chen's heart pounded fast in fear and nervousness when he heard his father's words and saw the disappointment in his eyes. 

He couldn't help but think that his father knew everything and his eyes were filled with more guilt and fear.

"F..Father, I don't …think that I even have a way of apologizing for whatever I have done to Elder Sister. But I k…know that I was wrong."

Li Chen's eyes were filled with tears as he remembered how rudely he used to behave with his Jiejie. His two sisters, Li Na, and Li Caihong had completely manipulated him when he was being petty and envious of Li Diu for being stronger than him.

"What are you saying, Li Chen?"

Li Chen came out of his trance when he heard his father's question and a confused face.

A moment later, Li Qiang's face didn't have any emotion and he asked his son coldly.

"What did you do to Li Rui? Don't tell me that you were also involved with your sisters in drugging Rui and se..."

"No, Father."

Li Chen refused immediately.

He could never do any such thing. In fact, after knowing that his sisters plotted against his elder sister, he was disgusted with them. Even the sight of his sisters made him feel like he wanted to vomit.

Only now did he come to know that his sisters were manipulating him because they were envious of Li Rui since childhood.

  Since they envy her they didn't leave any opportunity to make her feel low. They use him to hurt his elder sister because she loved him so much.

And he blindly followed the path they paved for him without even ensuring if it was right or wrong.

Li Chen regretted it. He regretted it immensely.

He remembered how he said so many hurtful words in front of her friends after they had come to play with her even if she had been banned from the Imperial Palace.

All those words …they were taught to him by Li Na and Li Caihong.

He didn't remember what he had said back then but he remembered that after that incident, no friend of his sister except Yi Huiqing came to play with her.

Li Chen couldn't help but wonder how hurt his Jiejie must have felt his stupid words said in ignorance when she was already dealing with so much in her life.     

"Li Chen, what did you do exactly?"

Li Qiang asked his son coldly as he saw how his eyes were going red and they were now filled with tears. From his looks, he felt that he had done something very big … worse than what Li Na and Li Caihong had done.

He couldn't help but feel scared as he looked at his brother who was talking happily with his wife, Yi Jie.

How will he ever show his face to him if Li Chen had really done something to Li Rui?

Impatience and fear flickered in his eyes when he saw that Li Chen was not saying anything. When he was about to ask him again, Li Chen finally spoke.

He told how his sisters manipulated him into hurting Li Rui and how he did that blindly.

Li Qiang was definitely disappointed after hearing everything.

Now he thought about it he had actually noticed the distance between Li Rui and his son after Li Zhan's death.

He had also found it weird as he had seen just how much Li Rui used to cherish his son.

She used to adore Li Chen because with his birth she didn't remain the youngest child in the manor. She had someone younger than her to love and adore.

Li Qiang used to laugh hearing her logic but nonetheless which father will not like someone loving and caring for his child …and when that person was his lovely and lively niece then he was more than happy. 

And Li Rui's adoration for Li Chen was unreasonable but it was unconditional. 

At that time, when he had noticed the distance between his son and his niece he had thought that it was because Li Zhan's death hit very hard Li Rui.

After all, she had changed completely after that incident. 

However now after hearing from Li Chen, he knew that he had thought wrong.

Li Qiang looked at his son and he was definitely disappointed and angry after hearing everything. But he calmed down himself seeing the guilt and regret in Li Chen's eyes.

At least, he was feeling guilty for whatever he had done unlike his daughter Li Na.

So Li Qiang patted his son's shoulder lightly and said seriously

"Go to Xi Manor and meet Rui in the evening. You need to ask for her forgiveness and once you step out, don't show me your face until she forgives you."   

Saying these words, Li Qiang left from there not knowing that the big secret was still hidden by his son.

A secret that he was now feeling unable to hide.

The guilt was gnawing his inside slowly and slowly and Li Chen couldn't bear with this feeling anymore.. So he walked towards his Uncle Li Heng who was talking with his Aunt about something with a big smile on his face.