His Rui

Chapter 166 – Resign

The gentle whispers somewhat made Li Rui's heart relax. She didn't feel any shyness in accepting her husband's hug this time.

Perhaps she really needed this warmth or perhaps she needed a place where she could hide so that the others would not be able to see her vulnerable self. 

In the large banquet hall, everyone saw Lord Xi who always looked so cold and indifferent embracing his wangfei gently without any hesitation.

He seemed to touch her so carefully as if she was made of glass.

His robe and body hid the small petite body in his arms completely.

Princess Wenling who had been standing quietly all the while when Li Rui and her mother confronted each other looked at this scene with red eyes.

Why was everything happening to her like this? She has loved only one man in her life. She wants nothing but his love in return..

But getting love was very far away, she has to see him embracing some other woman.

The same woman who broke her trust. The woman whom she had despised since then.

Why was fate so cruel?

She looked away when she couldn't see anymore. 

The silence was interrupted by Empress Qin Wenya sneer.

The people who were looking at Xi Ying all the while moved their eyes away swiftly when the young Prime Minister raised his head. His face was the one they recognized.

Cold and indifferent.

Still hiding his wangfei in his arms, he stared at nothing as Empress Qin Wenya spoke

"Lady Li, this Empress is trying hard to understand you. Why did you choose only today to say all this? It has already been fourteen years since your maid's death but you come out today and question the Emperor's decision. What is your purpose behind all this?

What can this Empress call whatever happened here just now? Do you wis….."

The Empress paused because she could not speak any longer.

She was startled when she saw a pair of very cold eyes looking at herself.

Xi Ying looked at the Empress coldly, however, there was a mocking smile on his lips. He sneered imitating the Empress in the same way.

Empress Qin Wenya who had composed herself until that moment was furious when she saw this. Her face went red because of anger because she thought that Xi Ying was humiliating her.

Everyone could see the Empress' anger.

Zhao Wang Lei who had been silent until now also seemed very cold. His eyes flickered as he looked at Xi Ying and the petite body that could not be seen if not seen carefully.

His hands placed at the armrests of the throne clenched tightly in fists and his lips were pressed in a thin line. 

On the other hand, Xi Ying still looking at the Empress with a mocking smile.

His hand inside his robe patted Li Rui's back gently he felt her pushing him away. She was trying to come out but he didn't let her instead held her more tightly.

"Your Majesty should not try to understand because this minister thinks that Your Majesty's efforts will go in vain."

"According to this minister, Your Majesty's age had started to affect Your Majesty's memory. Previously Your Majesty didn't seem to remember that this one's wangfei didn't do anything wrong and her maid had also accepted this. And now Your Majesty doesn't remember that it was only Princess Wenling who had started a sincere act of putting a proposal of friendship forward in front of this one's wangfei that was more like slandering this one's wangfei in front of everyone."

Crude, straightforward, and indifferent that's how Xi Ying had always been. He had never cared if the person in front of him was of high status. He had spoken his thoughts fearlessly. 

In fact, every generation of Xi Clan had been like this and had been appreciated because of the same quality.

However, they have never disrespected the Emperor or the Empress but Xi Ying also wrote it down in the upcoming history.

"Prime Minister Xi, This kind of behavior with Zhen's Empress, Zhen will not bear it."

The Emperor's cold voice echoed in the large banquet hall but Xi Ying stood fearlessly still looking at the Empress coldly.

"Your Majesty, this minister has worked for Your Majesty for so many years and has never disrespected anyone without any certain reasons."

"Today the first Princess came forward and said many things. This one sat there quietly as she slandered my wangfei with this and that. She put forward the proposal of friendship after doing all that in front of this one's wangfei, even then this one sat quietly. But Your Majesty accepting the proposal or not, that's my wangfei's wish, isn't it?"

"Or perhaps just because the person in front was a princess, is she obliged to accept any kind of accusation-filled proposal she is put forwarded to?"   

"When my wangfei refused then Princess didn't accept it and she gave her own reasons but then the Empress came forward and attached my wangfei as if she had prepared for everything even before this banquet.

Might this minister be false but for a moment this one felt as if this banquet was specially organized to humiliate this one's wangfei."

It was after these words when Xi Ying moved his eyes to the Emperor and said

"Your Majesty must have not liked whatever this minister said. Requesting Your Majesty to not take it to heart on account of this one's selfless service for the past few years. However, this minister can't tolerate anyone humiliating his wangfei like this."

Moving his eyes to the Princess and then to the Empress in a few seconds he said coldly

"Even if that person is a princess or an Empress, Xi Ying doesn't care."

"If Your Majesty minds this one's truthful words then this Minister will not step in the Imperial Court again.

"Xi Ying resigns from the position of Prime Minister."

Gasps were heard when Xi Ying finished. With their mouths opened, everyone saw Xi Ying picking Li Rui in his arms and then turning around without paying respects to the Emperor.

With Li Rui in his arms who was looking at him with her clean black eyes in a daze, Xi Ying exited the Imperial Court silently.

However, this silence seems too loud at that moment.