Chapter 53 - The Wise Son
"What? You won't do it?"
Princess Wenling asked Li Rui when she looked at her with a confused expression.
"It is not that I don't want to do it. Your demand is not just when he is not even here."
However, Princess Wenling just smiled coldly at her words and said
"Do you really think that This Princess cares? I don't care what you do to complete my wish."
Li Rui looked at the girl in front of her with an undecipherable expression in her eyes.
'Rui, you are This Princess' best friend and friends help each other, don't they?'
That was what once the seven-year-old princess had said to her with a bright smile that had even dazzled her.
Never had she thought that one day the same girl would look at her with hate-filled eyes.
What had brought their friendship to end? Why had they come to this point?
Rui could not understand it till today.
"Your wish will be fulfilled. But I have a request...
.
.
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Princess Wenling watched Li Rui leaving her chambers. She sat down on her chair. Her heart was filled with so many emotions that it made her dizzy for a moment. Remembering those cold and indifferent eyes, she was thrilled with excitement even with the thought of being Lord Xi's Wangfei. If her plan became successful then she would really become his Wangfei soon.
But why does she felt a little sad looking at Li Rui's back after she made that request to her?
It must be her confusion. Why would she feel sad for the woman who had taken the man she loved?
She shook her head and suppressed those weird feelings somewhere far away inside the corner of her heart.
This was necessary.
She can't marry Lord Xi by even if Li Clan vanished, she knew that. For her to get the man she loves, Li Rui needs to do this.
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Xi Ying indifferent eyes looked around as he stepped inside his manor. His finger curled a little as if he was trying to control himself.
An Ping followed him inside.
The servants who saw him looked shocked and hurriedly greeted him. He didn't respond to anyone's greetings and walked to his courtyard.
'He didn't know how many of them truly are Xi Manor's servants. Even if they were, how many of them had disrespected his Wangfei.'
His Courtyard looked no different. The servants were doing their own work. When he stepped inside, the maids and servants left their work. After a moment of shock, they kneeled down.
Amidst these kneeling figures, a new kneeling figure appeared soon.
"An San greets My Lord."
As he looked at the bowed head of An San, Xi Ying eyes could not help but go cold. He didn't acknowledge An San's greeting and passed the kneeling maids and servants.
From the corner of his eye, An San saw him approaching the room and his eyes flickered with panic and worry.
An Ping noticed this and he frowned when he saw panic in An San's eyes.
Still, now, his master's question about his brother An San was bothering him and now An San's reaction was making it worse.
When Xi Ying was almost at the doorway of the room, he remembered the scene inside he had seen when he didn't has his body.
He immediately opened the door. As soon as he entered, a small whimper of pain fell in her ears and his steps halted.
When another whimper came, he ran to the only bed inside the room.
On the bed, a small figure was curled while holding his stomach.
"Xi Ling."
Xi Ying called out in concern and instantly picked his son's little body from the bed. Setting him in his lap in a comfortable position, Xi Ying pried the small hands away from his stomach and asked
"Where does it hurt? Tell Father."
The Young Minister's cold voice was laced with worry and concern.
He didn't notice that the young child in his lap has stilled completely. He swiftly raised his head to look at him (Xi Ying) in disbelief.
"Father."
Whisper fell in his ear and Xi Ying raised his head to look at his son's face. The chubby and red face of his son was now pale and small.
"Father is really here."
Xi Ling shouted in his cute voice. There was a bright smile on his dry lips. He didn't look as if he was in pain.
He hugged his father's waist tightly.
Xi Ying also wrapped his arms around his small body and asked him.
"Xi Ling, Father will call physician for you. The pain will soon go away."
He was about to shout for An Ping when Xi Ling stopped him and shouted.
"No, not a physician. Father, it doesn't hurt."
Xi Ying heard his scared voice. He had never really seen his son afraid like this.
He caressed his head gently and asked
"Why? "
Xi Ling looked at him with his round little black eyes that were a little misty. Xi Ying's heart softened instantly.
Xi Ling had the same eyes as Li Rui.
When he had first seen this, he had felt so much joy that he was almost ready to run to Plum Courtyard to thank Li Rui for giving him such a treasure.
"Father, the physician is bad. He doesn't give good medicine. Xi Ling's stomach hurt a lot after eating that medicinal paste."
He stumbled a little with his words but Xi Ying understood whatever he was trying to say. He hid his ruthlessness that emerged at Xi Ling's words and said gently.
"Father will call another Physician for you, a good one."
It was not that he didn't believe Li Rui. He knew that Li Rui must have given the best cure for the poison. But a few days ago, Concubine Xie's death pointed that Princess Wenling knew about Xi Ling not being fed poison.
What if Princess Wenling had tried to poison his son again?
Xi Ying thought this because he didn't know Princess Wenling as much as Li Rui did.
However, Xi Ling shook his head at his father's words and said
"No Father, I was just pretending."
"What?"
"Father, the physician does not give good medicine to Xi Ling. In the beginning, Xi Ling's stomach used to hurt a lot after eating that medicinal paste."
There was a frown on his small forehead as Xi Ling continued
"A few days ago, the medicinal paste suddenly became good. Xi Ling no longer felt any pain after eating the paste. However, the physician was still the same and Xi Ling didn't really like him. Xi Ling felt like he does not want to cure me so I pretended in front of him as if I was really ill. "
Then Xi Ling told his father with a wide smile.
"Xi Ling told Brother An San about this and after that, the physician never came. Today when father came I thought that it was the physician as he used to come at the same time so I... "
Xi Ying was surprised at whatever Xi Ling said. He knew that his son was intelligent but still all of this shocked him a little.
He thought it must be true that the children are able to sense that which person does not have good intention towards them.
Looking at his son's eyes that were filled with anticipation, he praised him.
"Xi Ling is very wise. Father is proud of you."
Xi Ling laughed and said cutely
"Well, it's all because of Father. If Father had not taught Xi Ling so much then Xi Ling would not be able to make Father proud."
Hearing his words, Xi Ying glanced at the bowl of medicinal paste that was still placed on the table.
'No Xi Ling, it was your mother who saved you, not your father.'
He soon glanced away and thought about whatever Xi Ling told him. Now he knew how Princess Wenling came to know that Xi Ling was not being fed poison.
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Fifteen minutes later, Xi Ying was sitting inside his study room. Seven shadow guards stood in front of him in black clothes with their heads bowed in respect.
His cold eyes glanced at each one of them and stopped at An San
"An San."
An San stepped forward and kneeled down.
"Yes, My Lord."
"My son was ill. Why was I not sent any news about it?"
An San's head was lowered so no one saw the fear passing through his eyes. His voice was steady as he replied
"This servant was worried that My Lord would come back instead of recuperating and taking care of his wound. That's why this servant didn't send any news about the young master."
An San thought that his answer didn't lack anything but he didn't notice how An Ping looked at him with shock as soon as he completed his words.
Xi Ling smiled coldly.
He had not expected that the snake would step on his own tail and, that too, so soon.