His Rui

The next morning, before Xi Ying left for the Imperial Court, he received a letter from Zhao Zhang Wei. The letter said that Qin Wenya didn't send any shadow guard to keep an eye on him yet.

Xi Ying frowned deeply when he thought this. He wondered what was going on inside Qin Wenya's mind.

Putting aside all these thoughts, he kissed his wife's forehead and then told his son strictly that he should not play too much and study too. Xi Ling pouted but nodded his head.

Xi Ying looked at Li Rui again and sighed lightly. Was it his illusion or she was just becoming more and more beautiful with each and every passing day?

"Bring the book that I have given to you."

He said to Xi Ling.

The small bun looked at his father with wide eyes. He thought that his father was going to assign him more work so he obediently left the room.

Xi Ling had never tried to avoid the study. Even if he wanted to play, he would always study first and complete the work his father had given to him. Only then he would play some games.

Xi Ying had ensured that his son would have this habit since young.

As he watched his son leaving the room with his short legs, Xi Ying sighed in relief and immediately surrounded Li Rui's waist with his arms.

His lips pecked her lips lightly but quite many times.

Li Rui was left started by the sudden intimacy. However, after the sudden shock, she composed herself very nicely and her body also relaxed in Xi Ying's hold.

Xi Ying's hand went to Li Rui's stomach. He could feel a small bump now. It might be funny but he still couldn't believe that Li Rui and he were going to have their second child.

"Rui…"

He whispered softly as he looked into his wife's clean eyes and then said in a voice that was thick with the love and desire that was raging inside his heart.

"You know…sometimes I just wish to forget everything and make love to you until you ask me to stop." 

Li Rui's cheeks went bright red at these words. She blinked her eyelashes quite silently and they touched her cheek but never said anything.

Xi Ying knew that she was always shy during their intimate moments. As much as he liked it, he wished he could see her more open with him one day.

However, he also understood the reason behind Li Rui's behavior. The intimate moments between them have been very less so it was natural for her to feel a little awkward and so shy even after four years of their marriage.

He sighed again helplessly as he stepped back.

Poking his wife's stomach, he whispered huskily.

"Let this brat come out…you will be all mine then."

Li Rui still didn't say anything. Her head was lowered and Xi Ying decided to stop here for today. He looked at the lower part of his body helplessly and left the Plum Courtyard in just a few moments.   

So when the small bun came back to the room with a thick book in his hands, he didn't find his father anywhere inside the room.

"Mother, where is Father?"

Xi Ling asked his mother innocently.

Li Rui's ears went red at the question. She had actually understood where Xi Ying had gone to when she had seen glancing at the lower part of his body with a pair of helpless eyes.

"He….He went to the Palace."

She didn't even look at her son as she lied with a calm face. 

Xi Ling however didn't notice his mother's unusual behavior and frowned deeply as he said

"Then why did he ask me to bring this book?"

And Li Rui closed her eyes at her son's innocent question again.

--------

Xi Ying reached the Imperial Palace half a shichen later.

Just like yesterday, Zhao Zhang Wei didn't attend today's Imperial Court meeting too.

Xi Ying was not surprised. He had expected it. After all, it was Qin Wenya herself who had taken two days' leave for Zhao Zhang Wei from the Imperial Court. 

He, however, saw Zhao Zhuang Chen in the Imperial Court and he also noticed his eager eyes on himself. Xi Ying pretended that he never saw it as he walked towards his own seat.

When he felt a continuous gaze on himself, he looked towards the seats where the Li Clan members sat usually.

And sure enough, he found General Li looking in his direction.

Xi Ying nodded his head and General Li did the same. The small action just confirmed that everything was the same as they had decided yesterday.

Li and Xi clan were now together against Zhao Wang Lei.

Xi Ying also saw the anger and coldness in General Li's eyes when Zhao Wang Lei stepped inside the Imperial Court.

This only made him sure that General Li was really on his side.

On the other hand, General Li's mind was filled with whatever Xi Ying had told him yesterday. It was Zhao Wang Lei who had tried to kill his daughter so many times.

General Li remembered how he had to keep Li Rui hidden inside Li Manor for so many years because he didn't want her to get hurt. He remembered how his daughter used to beg him that she also wanted to see the outside world.   

But he could never complete this small demand of hers.

All of this was because of Zhao Wang Lei.

Before even though Zhao Wang Lei was behind his wife, General Li still respected him as an Emperor. It was because only he knew what had happened years ago.

He had been trying to understand Zhao Wang Lei's feelings all this while. He was trying to understand why Zhao Wang Lei hated him so much.

However, now General Li couldn't do so any longer.

Because Zhao Wang Lie had crossed every line that he had thought he would never …after attacking his daughter who had never done anything wrong to him!