His Rui

It was half an hour later, Li Qiang finally exited the common study room.

His face was still pale and he looked very lost.

Although he had promised Li Heng to hide this matter from anyone else, he couldn't help but want to tell Li Rong how her three children whom she had spoiled so much that they were even ready to sell their own clan.

Didn't she use to fight with him whenever he would try to scold their children for their wrongdoings?

Li Qiang was feeling immense anger, disappointment, and loneliness inside his heart.

He had three children but none of them came out to be a good person who could make him feel proud.

His steps unconsciously went in the direction of his own courtyard. However to go to his courtyard, he had to pass through Li Ciahong's courtyard, and just when he was about to pass through Li Caihong's courtyard, he unconsciously glanced inside the courtyard.

Li Qiang stopped amidst his steps. 

He could the maids running around in the courtyard.

All in all, the courtyard looked like a mess.

He frowned thinking that Li Caihong was acting rashly again but this time, he was in no mood of going inside and coax his daughter. However, it seemed that today was his worst day.

So even though he didn't go inside, he could clearly hear Li Caihong shouting indecent words from inside of the courtyard.

"B***h, she gave me some ointment to apply on my face. Does she really think that I will use it? Hmph…that s**t should be thankful that I didn't kill that b***h with my hands. Now applying an ointment by made her …I must be crazy if I really did that. Only god knows what horrible thing that w***r had mixed in it."

Li Qiang's face was red. No one could tell whether it was because of anger or humiliation.

Never in his life had he seen someone let alone a woman using so many profanities. It was the first time he saw someone curse someone so viciously and that person was none other than his own daughter.

How indecent she sounded as she cursed like a shrew! Who will say that she was a maiden from a noble family?

Li Qiang gulped audibly as he wondered what wrong he did to see this horrible day.

He continued to stand there outside Li Caihong's courtyard and never went outside.

A few minutes later, he saw a maid walking outside the courtyard. Seeing him standing there, she bowed her head and greeted him.

Li Qiang didn't acknowledge the maid's bow. His whole attention was on the broken jade bottle in the maid's hands.

It was the bottle that contained the ointment given by Li Rui to him for Li Caihong.

He closed his eyes as exhaustion marred his face.

After that, he walked away from there without saying anything to the maid.   

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Inside the courtyard, just as he had expected Li Rong was waiting for him. Perhaps the maid informed her beforehand that he was about to step inside the courtyard so she already stood outside their room with a soft smile on her face.

Although her eyes were red and swollen, Li Qiang could see just how hard she was trying to look decent, trying to present the image of a wife who had been waiting for her husband.

He only glanced at her once and only for a moment before he moved his eyes away and stepped inside the courtyard.

He could feel the soreness in his legs and the pain in his knees.

He had not rested except for that few hours after returning from the Imperial Palace or perhaps he had started to get old now.   

Li Qiang sighed again that came out of his mouth because he sat on the soft bed after a very long time.

Li Rong also followed him inside.

When he was about to bend down to remove his military boots, which he had not changed since the time he had returned from the borders, Li Rong tried to help him.

"No…you don't need to do that."

Li Qiang avoided his wife's hands that were reaching for his boots with a frown on his forehead.

It was actually something that a wife did for her husband. However, he had never let Li Rong kneel in front of him.

It was always him who helped in wearing shoes whenever they were outside but he would never let Li Rong do the same no matter where they were. 

Li Rong was the woman he loved and his position inside his heart was irreplaceable. Perhaps that's why when she spoiled their children he let it go without thinking of the consequences.

The thoughts again started to occupy Li Qiang's mind and he decided to rest for some time.

However, when he was about to lie down on the bed, he heard Li Rong asking him hesitantly

"Qiang, are you really going to punish Caihong and Li Na as you promised to Prime Minister Xi."

Li Qiang paused amidst his actions and he turned his body completely in his wife's direction. He didn't answer her question and just stared at her with his blank eyes.

"Rong'er, do you feel that our children did wrong."

Li Rong's face went slightly pale at these words. A moment later, she nodded her head lightly. Her chin quivered slightly and the smile from her lips disappeared. Her eyes started to fill with tears and soon Li Qiang heard her choked voice

"No matter how much envious Li Na and Li Caihong were of Li Rui, they shouldn't have planned something like this."

Li Qiang sighed in relief.

At least she accepted that their daughters were at fault. Otherwise, he didn't know what he would have done.

However, his wife's next words made Li Qiang's hope shatter all over again.

Li Rong sat down at the edge of the bed and held her husband's hand.

Her eyes were full of pleading as she said to Li Qiang.

"Qiang, I will teach them …believe me they will not do anything like this again. Haven't Prime Minister already done enough? Li Na's reputation has already been damaged and Caihong's face …no matter how much we try to believe otherwise, we know that it can't heal again."

"Qiang, can you please let them go this time?"