His Rui

It was evening. The sun was about to set. Li Rui exited the Imperial Palace with her Father. General Li was silent because he was not happy with the Emperor's announcement.

Now his daughter would have to enter the Imperial Palace every day. She has to step inside this vicious place every day where he never wanted her to be; not even once.

He looked down at his daughter to scold her.

If she had controlled her mouth then all of it would not have happened.

But when he saw the pout on his lips, his heart softened and he picked her up in his arms.

"Rui, what happened?"

Li Rui looked at her father sadly and spoke

"Father, Rui won't be able to play with Huiqing Jijejie and Xiao Chen from now on?"

General Li caressed her cheek and continued walking.

"Who said that?"

"Wenwen, she said…"

"Rui"

Li Rui was confused by the sudden strict tone in her Father's voice.

"She is a Princess. You can't call her by her name."

She frowned and said remembering Wenling's words.

"But Wenwen told Rui that Rui should call her by her name only."

"Still, you can't. At least, not in front of others. Do you understand?"

  She nodded her head when she how serious her father looked.

General Li smiled and then asked

"Now tell me, what did Princess tell you?"

"She told Rui that Rui will leave the Imperial palace only in the evening. Father, Rui can't spend so much time away from Mother and Father ….and Elder Brother also. When will Rui play with Jiejie and Chenchen? Father Rui does not want to go to Imperial Palace every day."

General Li eyes gleamed with brightness when he heard this.

"So should I talk to His Majesty about it?"

Li Rui was silent for a few moments and then answered

"But Princess looked so happy after playing with Rui. Princess does not have any other friend than Rui. Father, what should Rui do?"

General Li did not care whether the little Princess was happy or not playing with Rui. What he cared for at this moment was his daughter.

He just doesn't want Li Rui to be a part of such place.

Rui already saved Princess's life yesterday. If she said even once that she doesn't like to enter Imperial Palace then His Majesty will have no reason to force her.

With these thoughts, he climbed on the horse and made Li Rui sit in front of himself. As the horse started moving, he suddenly remembered something.

"Rui, why didn't you kneel down and bow your head in front of the Emperor?"

Li Rui's every action had a reason behind it. This much General Li knew about his daughter.

Li Rui's forehead wrinkled in confusion as she remembered something.

"Rui just didn't want to. Rui doesn't know."

'His Majesty's eyes ...His Majesty does not like Rui. Rui felt it.'

The last part she mumbled which could not be heard by General Li.

General Li had a somber face. He kissed Li Rui's head from the top. Looking straight at the road he said

"Rui, sometimes we have to bow our head even if we don't want to. Because that is accordance in the situation we are in."

Then he looked at Li Rui and asked

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father."

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The next day General Li entered the Imperial Palace alone.  After the ministers finished discussing courts matter, the Emperor suddenly called him.

"General Li, Your daughter didn't enter Imperial Palace today?"

General Li stood up and bowed his head to answer the Emperor's question

"Your Majesty, This subject's daughter is still a little girl. She can't stay away from her mother that long. This subject apologizes to Your Majesty as well as Princess."

  Zhao Wang Lei waved his hand and said

"There is nothing to apologize for."

Then he chuckled.

"It seems that Princess really likes your daughter. Last night, she specially came to visit us and told us that Li Rui does not wish to separate from her brothers and sisters. Seeing this, Zhen allows Li Rui to accompany anyone she wants when she enters the Imperial Palace. Li Rui will only enter the Imperial Palace for the first three days of the week to play with First Princess. The rest of the week she can spend in Li Manor."

The ministers were shocked. Giving so much freedom to a little girl, that too, a childhood companion of an Imperial Princess was something that had never happened before.

But General Li was not satisfied.

"Your Majesty…"

Zhao Wang Lei raised his hand to stop General Li.

"General Li, Zhen understood you and make so many changes for your daughter. You should also try to understand Zhen. After all, Wenwen is Zhen's daughter."

So General Li could only shut down his mouth.

-------------------------

The next day, Li Rui entered the Imperial Palace again but this time she brought her three maids, Li Zhan, Li Hua, and Li Mei with herself.

"Now you don't have any problem with being my friend, right?"

Princess Wenling asked Li Rui nervously.

"No Princess."

Princess Wenling smiled brightly and said

"Rui, you are my first friend. You are very special for me."

Li Rui also smiled and replied

"Princess is also very special for Rui."

Li Rui spent her whole day with Princess Wenling and went back to Li Manor in the evening.

In three months, Li Rui and Yi Huiqing made many friends while attending the gatherings and banquets in the Imperial Palace.

Sometimes, on the last four days of the week, Princess Wenling would visit the Li Manor whenever she missed Li Rui.

Li Rui was happy. Now she didn't have to stay inside Li Manor the whole day and she could also spend time with her mother and Father.

Everything was peaceful. But too much peaceful.

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The Imperial garden echoed with the young girls' laughter as they tried to catch each other. Hiding behind the bushes, Princess Wenling peeked outside when someone suddenly shouted in her ear.

Booooo

Scared she could not balance herself as she jumped back and fell on the grassy ground.

When she heard the giggles of Li Rui, she pouted but then started to laugh after a few moments. 

The other girls looked at Li Rui enviously. Their Father sent them to Imperial Palace so that they can please Princess and become her friends.

But nothing they could do that could please the Princess enough to become their friend. But everything Li Rui did, even if it was an impolite action that should not be done to an Imperial Princess was enough to make Princess laugh loudly, without any restraint.

They had given up now.

"My Princess, Her Majesty the Empress is waiting for you inside your Chambers." A maid said

Princess Wenling nodded getting up from the ground. She also helped Li Rui and said

"Let's go."

She held Li Rui's hand and walked towards her chambers.