Yi Junjie was upset when he carefully thought about the yesterday’s attack. He could deduce only one thing that Princess Wenling sent her shadow guards only to scare Li Rui. But someone he doesn’t know sent his shadow guard to take Li Rui’s life.

Who could be this person?

He tried hard to think but could not come with an answer.

He got up from the chair as he knew he will not be able to find anything just by sitting here. He needed to do a thorough investigation.

Yi Ju has left the room long ago.

He raised his head to look at another person inside the room. Li Rui was standing in front of the window. The wind blew her hair.

He was angry when she told him that she intentionally didn’t try to save herself. But he understood that he can’t blame her. He knew her. She will never hesitate to give her life to save her loved ones. As much as he loved her selflessness, he also disliked it. He felt afraid whenever she encountered any danger. He feared if he didn’t pay attention and even a single mistake was made, he would never be able to see her. 

  Sometimes he wished to take her away from here to a place where nothing can bother her. Maybe he would again see that little Rui who ran behind him calling him ‘Elder Brother’, who laughed freely. But he knew he can’t do it. She will never agree to leave when her family was in danger. So he can do nothing except trying his best to protect whatever little was left in her.

Anger surged through Xi Ying’s veins when he saw the way Yi Junjie was looking towards Li Rui. He just wanted to hide her away from Yi Junjie so he will never be able to see Li Rui this way again.

———————-

Li Rui turned around and Yi Junjie his emotions instantly as if they were never there. He told her in a gentle voice.

“Elder Brother will find whoever was behind the attack. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

Li Rui obediently nodded her head as she said to him.

“Rui has a request for Elder Brother.”

When Yi Junjie looked towards her questioningly she continued.

“Can Elder Brother send Li Hua away from here to some safe place?”

Yi Junjie eyes softened as he looked at her small figure. He knew that she was blaming herself for Li Mei’s death and that’s why she wants to send Li Hua away in fear that Li Hua will also lose her life if she stayed with her.

But how could he refuse her anything? So he answered

“Elder Brother will do it.”

After this, Yi Junjie left the Xi Manor not before telling Yi Ju that from now on she would accompany Li Rui everywhere.

While Xi Ying anxiously thought about how he could get his body back. There was this sinking feeling in his heart, especially after yesterday’s attack, that if he did things any late then he will lose Rui forever before even showing her how much he loved her.

Imperial Palace, Xinhe Palace

Far from the Emperor’s dwellings, on the other side of the palace, was a brightly lit abode. Inside the study room sat a man wearing clothes made of fine and soft silk. His sharp bright eyes seriously looked at the letter in his hands. After reading it he raised his head. The eyes flashed with a cunning light and his lips curved upwards. His features were so beautiful that anyone who saw could not help but take a sharp breath. He looked like a noble and handsome man.

He raised his hand and put the letter on the nearby candle. The letter burnt and he leaned on the chair smirking at the left ashes.

Knock…Knock

The study room door was knocked by someone and the cold and cunning eyes were replaced by gentle eyes. He ordered the person outside to enter.

A young eunuch entered the study room. He bowed his head and said 

“Greetings to Your Highness, The second Prince. Your Highness, Today is the first day of this month.”

The second Prince, Zhao Zhang Wei understood the underlying meaning behind eunuch words and replied gently

“This Prince will spend tonight in Lantai courtyard.”

When the eunuch was about to withdraw after hearing his command but Zhao Zhang Wei suddenly seems to remember something and stopped him.

“Take out some precious jewels, teacups, and paintings and send them to Lantai Courtyard saying that it was specially chosen by me for wangfei.”

Zhao Zhang Wei casually handed over this task to his eunuch. The young eunuch complied and withdrew in haste to do the asked work.

While Zhao Zhang Wei resumed his work, he thought this would placate his wangfei’s emotions after losing the child because it did before and it works for all those concubines. The child was just a tool for gaining his favor and maintaining the high position in the inner courtyard. They will try again if they lost once. All of them just loved power and they could do anything for it even if it was betraying him.

That evening, beautiful teacups, precious jewels, and alluring paintings were sent to Lantai Courtyard. The maids praised and discussed how much the Second Prince cared about his wangfei. Yi Huiqing who was now bathed and neatly dressed in bright red dress didn’t feel anything looking at those precious gifts. Her heart was as calm as water. She glanced at them once and asked her maid to store them somewhere safe.

She knew this was the compensation for the child she lost. The child’s screams still rang in her ears and didn’t let her sleep peacefully sometimes. The child she could never give birth to. In his eyes, her child just amounted to these things.

Rui was right. She was running after something that can never be hers. The last little bit of affection Yi Huiqing had held in her heart for Zhao Zhang Wei disappeared with these thoughts.