His Rui

Chapter 734: The Map Of Imperial Palace

That night Li Rui, Xi Ying, and Xi Ling had dinner with General Li and Yi Jie.          

    

General Li was worried because of the way Xi Ying had talked to his wife last time. However, this time it was Yi Jie herself who wanted to have dinner together.      

And she had sent the maid to Li Rui’s courtyard even before he got to know about it.      

Hence he had to accompany her to make sure that nothing bad would happen this time.      

Fortunately, when Xi Ying entered with Li Rui, he greeted General Li and Yi Jie politely just like Li Rui did. After his parents had finished greeting his grandparents, Xi Ling also greeted them.      

Yi Jie found him very cute and signed him eagerly to come and sit beside her.      

General Li was relieved to see that she was happy.      

Everyone sat down to have dinner.      

Before serving the dinner, Xi Ying looked at Liu Lan. When the maid nodded his head at him as if ensuring him, he was satisfied it and only then started to serve the dinner in his wife’s plate.      

Yi Jie’s hand that was amidst serving the dishes in her grandson’s plate halted when she saw this scene.      

Last time, when she was in Xi Manor, she had seen this familiar scene at that time as well.      

However, at that time she was told by her husband that Li Rui had collapsed because of exhaustion. So she had not found it weird and only thought that Xi Ying was taking care of his daughter.      

But now when she looked at her fit and fine daughter and the way Xi Ying served her dishes, she looked slightly blank but she never said anything.      

This was not the only thing that left Yi Jie blank.      

“No, Rui. That is very less. You need to finish this.”     

Everyone heard Xi Ying’s voice and raised their heads to look at him.      

They saw Li Rui looking at her plate with a frown on her forehead and she shook her head as she whispered      

“I don’t feel like eating anymore.”     

Yi Jie found the need to speak at this moment because she saw a helpless expression forming on Xi Ying’s face. However, before she could say anything, she saw Xi Ying picking the plate from the table and then forwarding the chopsticks to Li Rui’s lips as he said gently     

“Rui, just a few bites. I won’t force you after that. I promise. Here this is for our child.”     

Li Rui finally opened her mouth and ate it.      

Yi Jie saw this scene silently while General Li seemed to have a relieved expression on his face.      

He came out of his trance when he heard his wife whispering.      

“Prime Minister Xi cares for Rui very much.”     

General Li looked at his wife and smiled. It seemed that she finally had realized this. While Xi Ling who also heard his grandmother’s whisper couldn’t help but speak.     

“Of Course, Father cares for Mother very much. He is just feeding the mother because she is refusing to eat. What is new in that?”         

    

On hearing the child’s words, General Li and Yi Jie were sure that this was a daily occurrence.     

Xi Ying could hear everything but stayed silent.      

His whole attention was on feeding his wife.      

Li Rui finally finished the meal and Xi Yiing also finished his soon after.      

Seeing that he was finished, General Li called out to him     

“Prime Minister Xi, Can we talk in the Study room for a few minutes.”     

Xi Ying knew what he wanted to talk about and nodded his head. He looked at his well-fed son and asked Liu Lan     

“Bring him to the courtyard and make him sleep.”     

Liu Lan did as Xi Ying said.      

Yi Jie was slightly reluctant to let Xi Ling go. She almost wanted to request if he could stay with her for tonight but the words didn’t leave her mouth.     

In the end, the child was taken away. Afraid that her husband would find out that she was sad after Xi Ling’s departure, Yi Jie left hurriedly.      

General Li had gone to Xi Manor to bring Li Rui and Xi Ling to Li Manor only because these days Yi Jie looked very lost and sad.      

Li Diu was also not in Xi Manor and Li Rong and she didn’t talk to each other any longer. Li Jiang’s wife was also away for a few days.      

He could understand that she felt lonely.      

So he came up with this plan and Yi Jie was really joyful after she had seen Li Rui and Xi Ling.      

However, she didn’t want her husband to do the same thing now. She had already made Xi Ying angry once and she didn’t want to do it again.      

It was enough that he was still staying in Li Manor and her daughter and grandson were near her.      

Before leaving, Yi Jie looked at Li Rui who was still seated. She was confused but when her eyes fell on her daughter’s hand that was held by Xi Ying, she looked away and left without saying anything.      

Li Rui was also about to leave when Liu Lan had taken Xi Ling away. However, Xi Ying stopped her.      

She was confused.      

It was only after her mother left and her father looked at her and said gently      

“Rui, you should also go to your courtyard and have some rest.”     

Li Rui blinked and looked at Xi Ying.      

General Li was slightly confused by her reaction and then his gaze fell on her daughter’s hand on the table that was covered by Xi Ying’s hand.      

He frowned for a moment when he looked at Xi Ying’s clam and cold face and then suddenly shook his head.         

    

“No, Prime Minister Xi. Don’t tell me that you really wish that she should hear such a dangerous plan. For god sake, she is pregnant with a child. At least have some mercy at your child.”     

General Li said strictly as well as slightly helplessly.      

These were the traditional views. A pregnant mother should hear and see only good and pure things.      

And General Li thought the same.      

However, Xi Ying only raised his eyebrows in response and said     

“Well, if looking at this matter from that point of view…”     

General Li sighed in relief when he heard Xi Ying’s initial words. He thought that for the first time, he had been able to convince Xi Ying.      

However, he was ought to get disappointed when Xi Ying continued     

“This Lord will be happy if the child really hears all these plannings. This Lord’s child anyway won’t be born stupid. He will only become more intelligent after hearing such things. He will get stronger…”     

“Prime Minister Xi…”     

General Li interrupted Xi Ying amidst his justification. He almost saw pride flickering in Xi Ying’s eyes as the young prime minister said all this.      

As if he was already imagining the child doing all the things that he was doing. Just what kind of pride he could feel in such a thing!     

General Li thought incredulously. For one last time, he tried to say      

“What if it is a girl?”     

At least don’t stain a girl’s mind and heart with such horrible schemes!     

However, Xi Ying smiled this time…a genuine smile.      

“That is more better. This Lord’s daughter should be like her mother.”     

Xi Ying turned to look at his surprised wife and continued      

“Intelligent but sensible as well. Caring for her clan, brave, fearless …and beautiful.”     

A playful smile played on Xi Ying’s lips when he said his last words while Li Rui blinked and tried to look calm. However, her ears went red betraying her.      

General Li’s face went black when he saw this exchange.      

He cleared his throat with a cold face and fortunately, Xi Ying looked away from his daughter.      

It was so weird to see a man flirting with his daughter so openly…and he can’t even stop that man because she was his official wife.      

In the end, he had to throw down his weapons and say     

“Let’s go then.”          

    

Xi Ying nodded calmly and then went to the study room holding his wife’s hand. General Li who seemed to be forgotten entirely, silently followed them.      

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Inside the study room, Xi Ying took out a paper from his sleeve and laid it down on the table.      

General Li was surprised when he saw the paper.      

“This is the map of the Imperial Palace.”     

He whispered as he traced the corner. The map looked slightly old.      

“Did Prime Minister Xi draw it?”     

General Li asked curiously and Li Rui also looked at her husband seeking the answer. General Li was surprised because the map had places he himself didn’t know of. It seemed to have some secret passages and tunnels from where one could enter the Imperial Palace.      

However, Xi Ying shook his head.      

Without looking away from the map, he answered      

“The first one was drawn by this Lord’s grandfather. Father made a new one and altered that one…perhaps because some new changes were done at his time. During his last few days, he had given me this map.”     

The study room went unusually silent after Xi Ying mentioned his father.      

Li Rui looked at her father’s face and then at Xi Ying’s face.      

Why could she feel a sudden and very cold detachment between them?