General Xiao and Lei Wanxi walked out of the room leaving the crown prince, the crown princess, and Hu Jingguo inside. Ying Lili came towards Hu Jingguo and looked at him. She sat on the bamboo stool and looked all over the face of Jingguo She asked him why he came into the capital. “Because I was concerned about y-you,” Jingguo answered her. Hearing his words Sheng Li tightened his fists tightly which he had behind his back.

“Do not worry about me. I am happy here,” Ying Lili told Jingguo. “Are you saying the truth? Are you happy?” Hu Jingguo questioned Ying Lili.

“Yes. How can I lie to you? We were wrong about the Han Kingdom. The emperor is wise and kind. The palace people are also good to me,” Ying Lili proclaimed.

“I am asking about your husband. You always feared what kind of husband you will get when you will be married off,” Hu Jingguo stated and then looked at Sheng Li who was getting angrier at his questions.

Ying Lili turned her head and looked at Sheng Li. For the first time, Ying Lili looked at Sheng Li lovingly. “People are wrong about him. He is not that cruel as we all used to think. He keeps my choices in his mind as well and accordingly, takes the decision,” Ying Lili pronounced and gave a tiny smile to Sheng Li who was amused by Ying Lili’s answer to Jingguo. Without speaking anything, Sheng Li walked out of the room.

Hu Jingguo smiled and spoke, “I am happy that the crown prince is considerate to you. But, in the prison, it seemed otherwise to me. However, I think that is because his highness was infuriated seeing his wife taking the side of another man,” Hu Jingguo proclaimed. Ying Lili looked at him and gave a nod.

“What if you would be killed? You should not have risked your life,” stated Ying Lili.

“I do not know. I thought that they will not let me meet you and I was worried if you were safe or not. You know what is the image of the crown prince so, I took that image in my mind. I thought he would have hurt you. There were numerous thoughts in my mind but now, I have heard from your mouth so, I am relieved,” Hu Jinguo stated and gave Ying Lili a tiny smile.

“You shall rest,” Ying Lili told him.

“I am indeed taking the rest,” Jingguo asserted. “The sixth prince told me that this is the first time the crown prince has spared someone’s life. You might have asked for it,” stated Jingguo.

“No. He told me that you are dead. He loves playing with me,” Ying Lili affirmed.

Jingguo smiled. “How is my mother?” Ying Lili asked Jingguo.

“She is fine. There is a strange rumor about your father’s death,” Jingguo asserted which confused Ying Lili. “What do you mean?” Ying Lili queried him.

“Your uncle killed him for the throne,” Jingguo answered.

Ying Lili’s eyes widened. “This cannot be true. Sheng Li killed him,” Ying Lili stated with a dejected look.

“I do not think so. Your uncle has changed many policies for the subjects which are impacting the people. The taxes are raised and the working hours have increased as well. The situation is not good in Juyan. If I had not known the crown prince then, I would have also considered that his highness killed your father but he did not. It is your uncle. The good thing is that your mother is doing good,” Hu Jingguo briefed Ying Lili which was shocking for her.

“Uncle told me that the crown prince made him lie that he killed his brother for the throne,” Ying Lili was still not ready to believe this.

“Ying’er, but it seems the otherwise. The crown prince is not the one who killed your father,” Hu JIngguo stressed his words. Ying Lili furrowed her brows, she was going to ask more when Sheng Li came inside and said, “your time is up. We have to go back to the palace.” Ying Lili looked at Hu Jingguo and told him to take care of himself and walked out from there. Sheng Li was also going to leave when Jingguo gathering his courage called him out. “Your highness, can we have a brief talk?” Jingguo asked Sheng Li.

“No, I do not want to,” Sheng Li simply refused.

“It is about Ying’er,” asserted Jingguo. Sheng Li’s brows knitted and he closed the door behind him. Sitting on the bamboo stool, Sheng Li told Jingguo to speak fast as he did not have much time.

“She saved me when I was being abused by my master because I was a slave. Since then she is my everything- I mean my sister and my family. Whenever she lies to me, I catch it easily. Why? Because she cannot lie. I came here for that reason only- to see her if she is happy with his highness or not. Your highness, do not ever doubt her. She is the most trustworthy person. She is just 20 but, she is the most brainy woman I have ever seen. Be the husband that Ying’er always desired for! You also spared the life of me so, I believe that his highness indeed is not that cruel as he is being portrayed,” Hu Jingguo rested his words.

“What kind of husband she wants?” Sheng Li with a bit of hesitance asked.

Jingguo smiled and spoke, “His highness shall find out about this.”

Sheng Li got annoyed and stood up from the seat. “Shut your mouth. I do not want to listen to anything.” Sheng Li was aggrieved and walked out from there. As he came out Ying Lili, Lei Wanxi and General Xiao peered at the crown prince.

“What did you two talk about?” Ying Lili asked curiously.

“That I will kill him soon,” Sheng Li stated with annoyance and walked ahead. Ying Lili followed him up and caught him. “I am hungry. Since we are outside the palace then, we shall eat something outside,” Ying Lili suggested, looking at the crown prince.