His Rui

The atmosphere of the front hall was less depressing after Li Qiang said these words and it only became better when Xi Ying nodded at Li Qiang.

It was a silent agreement that he didn't mind whatever Li Qiang said.

Yi Jie jabbed her husband and indicated him to invite Xi Ying inside. General Li rolled his eyes and stepped forward with a sickly sweet smile on his face. 

Xi Ying looked at the old general's smile with a weird expression on his face.

"Prime Minister Xi, this General welcomes you in my humble manor. Please come inside."

General Li said too sweetly making his own wife glare at him.

However seeing his wife's glare, General Li smiled innocently and asked

"Why do you look so angry, my dear? Did not you ask me to welcome my son-in-law? I am just doing what my wife asked me to do …but still had to face her glaring eyes. Rui, don't you think that your father is too pitiful?"

A light smile spread on Li Qiang's lips seeing his brother's liveliness while Li Jiang and everyone else chuckled at General Li's words and expressions.

Li Rui just sighed and looked at her father with a bored face. 

Yi Jie knew that she can't compare to her husband in becoming shameless so she didn't say anything else except threaten him

"Heng, I would suggest you should think of the consequences before you try to mock me in the future."

General Li's face instantly froze and others only laughed more seeing that as they knew clearly what Yi Jie was implying.

Even Xi Ying somehow understood what Second Madam Li was saying because he had seen with his own eyes what kind of power this woman hold on General Li.

General Li thought that he should coax his angered wife hurriedly but Yi Jie didn't give him any chance. She held her daughter's hand and then left the front hall leaving General looking at her back with a regretful face.

Looking back at the cold prime minister, General Li's heart was filled with bitterness as he remembered how last time he was forced to sleep inside his son's room because of this same man.       

"Prime Minister Xi, I think Elder Brother was right. You should not visit Li Manor too much."

General Li grumbled and left the front hall to look for his wife.

In the end, Li Qiang and Li Jiang were left to accompany Xi Ying.   

Li Rui was taken away by her mother so Xi Ying could only go with Li Qiang and Li Jiang inside. As they walked inside, Li Jiang initiated a conversation, and Xi Ying very kindly involved himself in it.

Walking between Li Qiang and Li Jiang, they finally reached inside the living room. 

In the living hall, Xi Ying saw Li Rui sitting beside her mother. After confirming that everything looked fine, he looked at Li Qiang and said

"Minister Li, I want to have an important conversation."

Li Qiang and Li Jiang stopped when they heard Xi Ying's words. Both of them looked at each other and then at Xi Ying with serious faces. It was after a few moments later, Li Qiang finally said 

"We can go to the study room. Does Prime Minister Xi mind if my brother accompanies us?"

"No"

Xi Ying said after he took a glance at Li Jiang. 

Li Qiang nodded his head and then the three went to the common study room of Li Manor.

Li Rui just glanced at Xi Ying's disappearing back from the window of the living room and then she moved her eyes away.

.

.

.

"What does Prime Minister Xi wish to talk about?"

Inside the study room, Li Qiang asked Xi Ying.

They were currently seated on the chairs around the round table in the study room where the three brothers usually discussed some issues with each other.

Xi Ying looked at the two brothers but didn't say anything.

It was after a few moments he finally opened his mouth and said

"Minister Li, Rui knew about all this even four years ago but didn't say anything. Have ever wondered why?" 

Although Xi Ying didn't say anything in detail, Li Qiang knew that he was talking about Li Na and Li Caihong's deeds.

The mention of his daughters made Li Qiang release a heavy sigh and then put his attention on Xi Ying's question.

Indeed, if Li Rui knew then why didn't she tell it four years ago?

"Why?"

Li Qiang looked at Xi Ying as if he knew that Xi Ying already knew the answer to this question.

Even Li Jiang was now looking at the young prime minister awaiting his answer.

"Because she is afraid that if she revealed it, your will break your relations with Li Clan to save your daughters."

Xi Ying saw disappointment in Li Qiang's eyes as he finished his words.

"Rui thinks that?"

Li Qiang whispered softly and sighed heavily again. Li Jiang knew what his brother was feeling and placed his hand on his elder brother's hand silently comforting him.

"She fears that breaking the Li Clan would leave General Li alone to manage everything."

Xi Ying said again and the disappointment in Li Qiang's eyes became heavier.   

It took Li Qiang some time to smile bitterly as he said

"Doesn't she know even if alone, her father is very capable and strong? Even without me and Jiang…he can manage this Li Clan very well."

Li Jiang also nodded his head at his Elder Brother's words.

"No"

Xi Ying said and Li Qiang and Li Jiang looked at him. 

"Rui is right at her own place, Minister Li. General Li really needs you and your brother to face for whatever Li Clan is going through."

Li Qiang and Li Jiang looked confused at his words. 

Xi Ying knew that they didn't know anything about their clan being in danger as General Li didn't tell them anything. However, Xi Ying was not going to hide anything.

Because General Li didn't know that he would only harm Li Clan if he continued to hide these things from his own people.

So Xi Ying told everything to Li Qiang and Li Jiang, of course, this everything only included the things that General Li had told Li Rui. 

As he saw the changing expressions on Li Qiang and Li Jiang's faces, Xi Ying suddenly thought. 

'It was a thing to be wondered upon that General Li told everything to his daughter who was just a child but he didn't tell anything to his brothers who could support him in facing this big problem.'