His Rui

Chapter 719: What Did Just Happen!

She might have screamed if she had seen Zhao Zhang Wei’s face.      

It was him!     

She relaxed a little and then frowned suddenly.      

What was he doing there?      

At the same time, she noticed that her hand was held by him. Unconsciously, she tried to free her hand immediately. The resolve of not be around him more than necessary was so instilled in her mind that she didn’t think that it would disturb Zhao Zhang Wei.      

However, when she had almost pulled her hand out of his, he suddenly held it more tightly. Yi Huiqing’s frown deepened.      

She didn’t care anymore if he would wake up and was ready to apply more force. However, she couldn’t do so because she heard Zhao Zhang Wei’s whisper     

“Mother”     

It was filled with fear. The grip on her hand was also very tight. Slowly she turned to look at his face. He had a very deep frown on his forehead.      

What was he seeing with his closed eyes? She wondered.      

When did he come to her chambers …and why did he come?     

When Yi Huiqing remembered what had transpired in the Imperial Palace, her eyes at Zhao Zhang Wei softened suddenly.      

Was he disturbed by the recent events?      

She didn’t know how but for that few moments she forgot everything. She forgot how Zhao Zhang Wei had treated her for all these years and how he had hidden such a big truth from her.      

She just wanted to comfort him somehow. Her fingers went to smoothen his wrinkled forehead and her touch seemed to relax him visibly.      

While sleeping, he looked so innocent, so peaceful. Completely far away from how he looked while he was awake.      

As she looked at that innocent face, she couldn’t help but remember that night of banquet from four years ago when she had fallen in love with him at first sight.      

Beauty was indeed a devil.      

Yi Huiqing thought to herself. Fortunately, now she knew the real him and couldn’t be swayed easily. Yi Huiqing took her hands back and was about to go back to her side of the bed. She thought of waiting for some time and seeing if he would wake up. If he didn’t then she would just wake him up.      

His presence must be required in the Imperial Assembly today.      

However, just when she turned a little, her hand that was near his face was caught in a firm grip.      

Startled, she turned to look at Zhao Zhang Wei again and her eyes went wide when she saw that he was wide awake.      

She didn’t know what she should do. However, her heart was pounding inside her chest when she felt his hand cupping her cheek.      

“Qingqing…”     

His whisper was deep and hoarse. It made her gulp unconsciously. Her mind screamed at her to lean away but her body didn’t seem to listen to her mind.          

“I couldn’t sleep last night, so I came here. I apologize if it bothered you…but I was going crazy. I needed you very much.”     

His every word seemed to make her mind blank.      

Zhao Zhang Wei also didn’t seem to realize that it was the first time he was being so straightforward in front of Yi Huiqing.      

Before this, he had never tried to let her know of his feelings.      

However, today when he was feeling vulnerable and disturbed because of his mother’s death years ago, he had let down his guards completely.      

He didn’t feel any embarrassment in showing his fear, panic, and dependency on her to Yi Huiqing.      

It came out very naturally.      

He even raised his head a little to kiss her forehead …so softly that Yi Huiqing couldn’t believe that the man in front of her was Zhao Zhang Wei.      

He had never done this before.     

She had seen him polite, aggressive but so gentle…it almost made her feel that it was the real him.      

Today she was seeing a whole new side of him.      

When she opened her eyes, she saw him smiling gently as he looked at her. Yi Huiqing still didn’t move away…at least not until he said      

“I need to leave now. You rest.”     

And she finally moved away.      

She didn’t look at him when he climbed down from the bed. However, she was fully aware of his gaze as he wore his outer robe the whole time.      

When he finally left, Yi Huiqing sighed in relief.      

What did just happen!     

She wondered silently as she sat on the bed with a confused expression on her bed until her maidservant Lin Daiyu came and asked her if everything was alright.      

Though Yi Huiqing nodded her head she herself was not sure whether everything was alright or not.     

.     

.     

.     

Zhao Zhang Wei had to hurry up but he reached on time.      

Yesterday’s events didn’t bother him that much now. He felt calm whenever he remembered his wangfei’s face. It felt so right to see her face the first thing in the morning.      

He felt his day was already complete.          

When he went inside the Imperial Court he saw that Xi Ying had arrived already. Zhao Zhang Wei nodded his head politely seeing that the young prime minister was also looking in his direction.      

Xi Ying did the same. Zhao Zhang Wei’s gaze then went to the old physician standing behind him. His phoenix eyes flickered.      

It seemed that the old physician was going to help in recognizing the second skeleton. Zhao Zhang Wei was already aware that the second skeleton belonged to Imperial Physician, the old physician’s master.      

He walked to his seat.      

Soon Zhao Wang Lei also entered the Imperial Court. Though he frowned when he saw the old physician again, he assumed that he might be needed for whatever Xi Ying wanted to do.      

The Imperial Assembly started soon.      

The atmosphere was still tense after what had happened yesterday. Sitting on his seat, Zhao Zhuang Chen’s face didn’t look much better.      

Though he would still try to help his mother out, he knew somewhere that his efforts were useless. The skeleton was found in the garden of the Empress’ chambers.      

She was already the one who had done such a heinous crime in people’s eyes.      

“Your Majesty”     

Zhao Zhuang Chen raised his head and looked at Xi Ying who was now standing in the center of the hall.      

“The same witness can tell the Imperial Court who was the second person buried in the Empress’ chambers.”      

The ministers were silent when they heard this. They had not expected that it will come out so soon.      

The old physician was ordered to be presented so he walked to the center and then told everyone that the second skeleton belonged to none other than his master.      

The ministers were shocked when they came to know of this.      

Minister Xin was frowning deeply. A few moments later, he stood up and couldn’t help but question        

“An Imperial Physician was killed in the Imperial Palace and no one till today came to know about this?”     

Xi Ying nodded his head expecting already such a question.      

He requested for the Imperial Guard to come and bring a few documents he had handed to him.      

Xi Ying showed how it was presented in the documents that the Imperial Physician suddenly left the Imperial Palace one night.      

And no one questioned anything because they didn’t have anyone whom they could ask what happened for him to leave so suddenly.      

The old physician couldn’t stop himself from feeling emotional when he heard everyone talking about his master. He had always felt guilty for not helping his master that night. However, he was very scared that night.     

Perhaps this guilt was what made him feel brave enough to come to the Imperial Palace when Xi Ying told him that this way could reduce an immense danger around Li Rui.        

Xi Ying also told the Imperial Court that it was the Empress only who had asked her people to kill the Imperial Physician according to his investigation …because the Imperial Physician could reveal that the Noble Consort Shu was being poisoned by someone and suspicion could have gone to the Empress.     

One night, the Empress might have felt impatient suddenly and asked her people to kill Noble Consort Shu as well as the Imperial Physician.          

After Xi Ying finished, Zhao Wang Lei had an ashamed expression on his face.      

“That means that by not going ahead with this matter years ago for the sake of Xin, Zhen deprived two people of justice. Not only Zhen’s beloved consort but the Imperial Physician who had served the Imperial Palace for so long. Zhen feels ashamed today. How will we face Imperial Father in the heavens!”     

Zhao Zhang Wei lowered his head as he smiled coldly while Xi Ying’s face was cold and indifferent. He pretended as if he never heard what Zhao Wang Lei said.      

On the other hand, Zhao Zhuang Chen was no less furious seeing how everyone was going against his mother!     

Suddenly he stood up from his seat and said in rage.          

“Just because two skeletons have been found in Imperial Mother’s chambers, it doesn’t prove anything. Anyone could have done so to frame Imperial Mother. Benwang wants a proper investigation of this matter.”