His Rui

Chapter 244 – Li Qiang Entered The Imperial Palace

Li Qiang sighed heavily before he pushed the door of his room.

The door opened without making a sound and as expected he saw a wide awake Li Rong sitting on the lonely couch alone. 

Another sigh escaped from his lips as he tried to think of something with which he could make his wife have a good rest first.

He knew that she must not have slept after coming from the Imperial Palace and looking at her pale face he knew that he was right.

Even he had not rested after he had read the letter sent by Li Rong. It was good that his younger brother, Li Heng had sent Li Diu with the letter so after reading the letter, he just gave all the responsibilities of the borders to Li Diu and came back to the Imperial City as fast as he could with his son, Li Chen.

His wife and daughters needed him at this moment, Li Qiang knew this.

With a heavy heart, he stepped inside his room. His heart becoming only heavier when Li Rong still didn't notice him.

She was just staring at something. Li Qiang followed her gaze and found nothing that she could be staring at with so much concentration.

All in all, she looked very lost and sad.

How could she not be?

After so much had happened to their daughters, she must be very devastated. He had witnessed his wife's unconditional love for their three children.

Li Rong had never hit or scolded their children. Even when he tried to hit them sometimes when he found them wrong, she would not talk to him for a whole day making him feel helpless.

So he also stopped himself from hitting his children.       

She, who had protected her children from every evil eye since now … how could she bear to see the state her daughters were in right now?

"Rong'er"

He whispered softly as he neared towards her and sat down by her side.

Li Rong finally slowly turned her head to look towards her husband.

Her eyes were still blank when they rested on him but he saw the focus coming back in them as she stared at him.

"Qiang"

Li Rong whispered breathlessly her husband's name.

"You have come…"

Li Qiang nodded his head softly. He put his arms around his wife and embraced her small frame to his chest. One of his hands patted her head and soon he heard the muffled sobs.

The tears that Li Rong had not shed finally came out in front of her husband.

"Qiang…he hit Caihong …in front of me…I couldn't do anything. My daughter…she screamed in pain …but I was powerless. Our Li Na …she also …I don't know what I should do, Qiang. How did…everything turn out like this? "

Li Qiang frowned as he heard Li Rong's words while she cried.

The letter that Li Rong had written to him flashed in his mind. A small frown formed on his forehead.

In the whole letter, she had just written the description of how Lord Xi hit Li Caihong with a whip mercilessly.

He was also very angry after reading the letter. The anger that he had calmed down somehow fueled again when he was seeing now how Li Rong was mentally affected by that incident.

He should already have understood this after reading her letter.

He hugged his wife tightly and whispered many things to calm her down.

Some of them were true and some of themwere lies.

'Everything would be alright.' He whispered but inside his heart, he knew that nothing would be alright after this.

Li Na and Li Caihong…their future was ruined.

Perhaps Li Rong also knew this as she cried only harder at his words making him hold her more tightly.

It was after a very long time that Li Qiang didn't hear the sound of any sob or cry.

He slowly moved Li Rong's body and sighed in relief to find her deeply asleep.

After carefully tucking her inside the blanket, he finally left the bed.

"Elder Brother"

He heard the voice as soon as he stepped out of the room and he found Li Heng standing a few steps away from him. 

It was early morning and General Li was sleeping inside his room. However, as soon as he got the news that his elder brother has returned from the borders, he hurriedly ran to his Elder Brother's courtyard.

Li Qiang, however, raised his hand signing General Li Heng not to say anything.

"Heng, First I want to visit the Imperial Palace."

General Li Heng obediently closed his mouth and didn't say anything.

However, as he saw Li Qiang walking past him, he knew that his Elder Brother was disappointed in him. But he could do nothing except stare at his Elder Brother's back as he left Li Manor.

——-

Imperial Palace

The meeting of the ministers in the presence of the Emperor inside the Imperial Court had been canceled for two days. 

All the ministers were granted two days of leave to take some rest. 

Li Qiang silently waited outside the Imperial study room for two continuous hours. Finally, he saw the Emperor walking towards his study followed by the old Eunuch Wang.

He saw the Emperor noticing him and then silently walking past him.

He didn't say anything and continued to stand outside the Imperial study room.

After half an hour, Eunuch Wang finally came out and told him to go inside.

Li Qiang stepped inside the silent study room.

He saw the Emperor sitting on the chair behind the large table that has many scrolls, papers, and brushes.

"Qiang from Li Clan greets Your Majesty."

Li Qiang walked to stand in front of the Emperor and bowed down as he greeted the Emperor. 

He saw the brush in the Emperor's hands stopping for a moment as he raised his head and looked at him carefully as if he didn't seem to remember his face.

He had actually been used to this. So Li Qiang kept his face straight as the Emperor scrutinized him.

Inside his heart, he chuckled bitterly. If the Emperor didn't recognize him then how did he allow him inside the Imperial study?

"Hm…so you are General Li's Elder Brother?"

The Emperor's cold voice came and Li Qiang respectfully answered the question.

"It is this humble one's fortune to be recognized by Your Majesty." 

"What is the purpose of this sudden visit?"

Zhao Wang Lei asked as he started to write something again on the rice paper spread on the table. 

"Your Majesty, this one wants to meet the Eunuch who was found in my daughter's room."

And the brush in Zhao Wang Lei's hands broke down.