His Rui

In the end, Yi Jie could only ask the maid to let Li Rong enter the room.

She could not really refuse to meet Li Rong when she was already standing outside her room. Regardless of what happened, the first and second households had to maintain good relations with each other.

'It was for the sake of the unity of the clan.'

Yi Jie assured herself.

Since she was younger, she stood up from her seat as soon as Li Rong appeared at the door of her room. After that, she walked towards her with a smile on her face and asked politely.

"How is Elder Sister feeling now?" 

Li Rong also maintained a smile on her face …the smile in which Yi Jie could not find any fault as Li Rong stepped inside and held Yi Jie's hand.

"I am very well now. The ginseng that you sent me was very good and helped me recover very fast."

Yi Jie just smiled at these words and pulled Li Rong to sit with her on the couch.

Just when she was feeling that talking to Li Rui might not be that difficult, Li Rong put forward a question.

"You didn't come to see me so I thought that you are still dissatisfied with whatever happened. That's why I decided to come and see you." 

Nanny Jiang held the tray with tea and some light snacks. Her lips were pressed in a thin line when she heard Li Rong's words.

Her mistress was very naïve and simple-minded, Nanny Jiang knew her very well.

But Li Rong was not that naive.

The old nanny just wished that at this moment, if Li Rong came up with some absurd demand her mistress would deal with it cautiously and won't be softhearted just because they belonged to the same clan.   

Yi Jie didn't really know what she should say in response to Li Rong's words so, with a light response that didn't hold any anger, she decided to change the topic.

"Elder Sister, apologies but I was a little busy with some other matters. How is Elder Brother doing? Heng told me that Elder Brother doesn't look much fine these days. Did something happen?"

It was now Li Rong's turn to go silent.

Her husband's emotionless face from the past few days flashed inside her mind. That was the only reason she had come to Yi Jie's courtyard today putting aside all of her ego and self-respect or that was what she thought.

Since the day Li Qiang has returned from the Imperial Palace, he has not smiled even once.

Li Rong loved her children but she loved her husband also.

Him being like this, she could not endure it.

So for one last time, she wanted to try if Yi Jie would listen to her and support her in paving some way for her children's future.

If it happened, then she would not force her husband to involve himself with whatever schemes the Empress was planning.

Li Rong remembered very well that Li Qiang had not agreed with her when she had told him about her plan in the beginning. However, after she had told him that she would kill herself if he didn't go to meet the Empress, he had to accept whatever he said.

Li Rong knew that she might be wrong in forcing her husband to do something he didn't want to do. However, for her children's future and happiness, she could do anything.

Li Na had chances of having a better future with Lu Jianye.

However her Li Chen and Li Caihong …their future still seemed to be very bleak.

"Yi Jie"

She whispered very softly and held Yi Jie's hands again.

"Yi Jie, can you talk to Second Younger Brother and ask him to send Li Chen back from the borders? Or if he doesn't want to do that then at least give him some better position…not of an ordinary soldier? Can you do that for me? I will always be grateful to you for that."

Yi Jie frowned deeply after Li Rong finished her words.

"Elder Sister."

She started speaking as she took out her hand from Li Ring's hold.

"You know that I never interfere with all these matters. And what is wrong with Li Chen being an ordinary soldier on the border. Elder Sister should be happy that he is starting from somewhere. Does Elder Sister not remember that even Diu had gone to the border as an ordinary soldier in the beginning?"

"Although I don't know much about military things and borders, isn't it a good way to learn everything? From the lowest position …where you can experience every kind of thing and make yourself strong." 

Li Rong's lips were pressed in a thin line after she saw Yi Jie's actions and heard her words.

Yes, Li Diu had also gone to the border as an ordinary soldier. However, during his time, it was already decided that it would only be for six months. However, for her son, there was no time limit.

In Li Rong's mind, she had already concluded by herself that her son was now a permanent soldier in Li Clan's army …something she couldn't accept.

A soldier not only had to face more dangerous situations than a high-ranking general or commander on the border but he would also have to live in difficult situations.

Yi Jie's son, Li Diu would have her own camp that would have so many facilities, warm blankets, a soft bed, and many other things. On the other hand, her son, Li Chen would live with other soldiers inside a camp that would not have any beds.

He would need to sleep on the ground and eat the food that other soldiers ate. No one would really care whether he was eating hot food or cold food.

Her son…he had never faced all these things.

So Li Ring couldn't accept this.

However, if it didn't work out for Li Chen, she tried to talk to Yi Jie about Li Caihong.

"Caihong…"

However, she had just taken Li Caihong's name when she saw Yi Jie's frown getting deeper and sure enough, Yi Jie interrupted him the next moment.

"Elder Sister…"

"Please Don't talk to me about Li Caihong or Li Na. I don't want to hear anything about them."

  Yi Jie said very clearly and in a straightforward manner.

Nanny Jiang who was passing the cup of tea to Yi Jie and Li Rong was clearly surprised by seeing her behavior. At the same time, she was very happy. 

That was how she had always wanted her mistress to be.

General Li loved her so much. Hence she didn't need to fear anyone else. If she thinks that anyone was doing something wrong towards her or her children, she should not be soft-spoken towards them. 

As if she sensed the hidden shock on Li Rong's face, Yi Jie continued

"Elder Sister, Rui is my daughter. My daughter has suffered so much for four years because of your two daughters. Just because Prime Minister Xi thought that it was she instead of your daughters who drugged him and made such a dirty plan on that night of banquet. As if that was enough for Li Na and Li Caihong, they planned on this recent banquet also. What can I conclude from all this?  That …they never have any affection for my daughter inside their hearts?"

"Elder Sister might feel offended but I can't feel any affection for them now. So It would be better if Elder Sister doesn't talk about them in front of me."

Li Rong sat silently there after hearing Yi Jie's words.     

Her hope of setting everything right through Yi Jie's help vanished immediately.

And hence now she would just do what she could do with the Empress' help.