His Rui

Chapter 48 – Peace Before The Storm

The sun rose enveloping the imperial City in its brightness. Inside the Lantai Courtyard, the maid stood outside the wangfei's room waiting for the doors to be opened or a shout for a servant by either Wangye or Wangfei.

It was only in the morning the whole courtyard came to know that the Second Prince visited Wangfei in the late night. So they were hesitating whether they should knock on the door but didn't as they were afraid that it will disturb the Prince and Wangfei's rest. And

Inside the room, Zhao Zhang Wei felt something comfy and soft under his cheek. He couldn't help nuzzled his nose against it. But when that faint scent invaded his nose, he frowned. He recognized this scent.

Opening his eyes, he felt everyone blurry in front of him for a second. But when the sight in front of him registered in his eyes, his heartbeat fastened in fear and his mind went blank.

Under his torso was Yi Huiqing's soft body. However, the thing that made him panicked was her condition.

Her belt was thrown on the edge of the bed and her dress was pulled down to her breasts. There were bright red marks on the skin of her neck. His gaze went to her wrists that had glaring bright red rings forming around them.

Did he do it?

He couldn't remember anything. Last night, he had asked Eunuch Zhang to fetch the drink. Then he drank the wine for a long time. After that, he doesn't remember anything.

His heart was sinking in fear as he continued looking at the sleeping face of Yi Huiqing. Her lips were red and swollen.

He could still see the traces of tears on her cheek. With trembling hand, he touched her cheek.

Was she unwilling and he forced himself on her?

Yi Huiqing felt someone's touch and opened her eyes. The face of Zhao Zhang Wei who was looking at her with pain and regret in his eyes made her remember the memories from the last night.

She instantly jerked away from his hand and crawled away from him covering her body with her dress.

Seeing her reluctance to his touch, Zhao Zhang Wei's heart went cold.

He tried to form words and said

"Huiqing, I ….I apologize ….last night did I …hurt you?"

Saying this, he forwarded his hand to hold her wrist that was red but he felt her flinching under his touch.

He retracted his hand back when he saw how her eyes were full of fear and vigilance towards him. Her lips that were now red and swollen opened and she said

"Wangye, this Wangfei know that you might be angry that I lied to you. But I really didn't have any other way. I don't want another child only to lose it again. Still, I apologize to Wangye for whatever I did."

Yi Huiqing said everything emotionlessly with her hands tightly holding her clothes.

With her every word, his heart felt more and more heavy. For a moment, he felt suffocated. He got up from the bed and left the room.

———————

Xi Manor

From the day Li Hua left Imperial City, Li Rui started to spend most of her time in the backyard of the Plum Courtyard taking care of her plants.

Yi Ju would accompany her from day till night. Sometimes she would accompany Yi Ju in doing some chores like cleaning and washing but Yi Ju will not let her do much.

To make sure that she will not do all these things, Yi Ju will finish everything by herself very swiftly and quickly.

When Li Rui will step out of her room early morning, the courtyard would already be cleaned by Yi Ju. The breakfast was already prepared. She pointed it out after noticing that Yi Ju was doing this intentionally but Yi Ju just smiled sheepishly.

Two days later, a maid from Xi Manor came to the courtyard. Li Rui recognized the maid. It was the same maid who was crying in the garden two days ago.

Seeing her, the maid kneeled down and said happily

"My lady, this servant's mother is now taking medicine and the physician told that she will be fine in one month."

Li Rui nodded at her words and said calmly.

"It is good."

The maid however didn't get up even after that and continued.

"My Lady, this servant's name is Liu Lan. From today on, this servant wants to serve My Lady."

Li Rui refused decisively.

Xi Ying knew why she refused. She was after all a maid of Xi Manor. Like him, Li Rui also doubted that some of the servants from Xi Manor were working for Princess Wenling.

Although Liu Lan was a little disheartened by Li Rui's refusal she didn't stop to visit Plum courtyard.

After finishing the chores assigned by the steward, she would go to the Plum Courtyard and helped Yi Ju in doing anything she was doing.

Li Rui didn't stop her.

Liu Lan was a lively and bright girl and talked nonstop. She made her remember Li Mei.

One day when Li Rui was reading the book in the front hall, Liu Lan was looking at Li Rui continuously.  Turning the page, Li Rui asked her without raising her head.

"What happened?"

Liu Lan smiled shyly knowing that she was caught staring.

"My Lady is so beautiful."

There was a moment of silence after that till Liu Lan opened her mouth again.

"Miss is so beautiful and has a kind heart."

Li Rui raised her head at her words.

Was she kind?

According to her, she was not. She just helped Li Lan because she had money else she doesn't care about others except for her family and her son.

She was very selfish.

"very different from how the servants talk about My Lady."

Li Lan was still immersed in her own thoughts. Today, some maids were talking bad about Lady Li. She couldn't hear it so she fought with them. She fought till they called her 'Crazy' and walked away from there.

It was not the first time. She had heard it before also. But previously she had not known Lady Li. She just knew that the Wangfei of Prime Minister Xi was a ruthless and scheming woman who could kill anyone she didn't like.

She killed all the concubines residing in the manor.

That was why she was afraid when she had seen Lady Li in the garden. She was scared that she would also be killed by Lady Li.

However, contrary to her expectations, the same woman helped her when she was in her most difficult time. Liu Lan wondered

Why was such a woman being seen as cruel and scheming?

————————–

In the Imperial Palace, the Lantai Courtyard was very silent these days. The Second Prince didn't visit the inner courtyard for almost a week and Wangfei didn't pay attention to the concubine pleas of talking to walking.

In the Xi Manor, Li Rui was spending her days with Yi Ju and Liu Lan.

Everything was peaceful. However, it was the peace before the storm.

The peace of the whole Xin was disrupted with single news from the borders.

——————–

The Borders Of Xin Empire

  "My brave soldiers, all of you know that Xin is already on the verge of winning the war. Each and every one of you has contributed and if it continued then we will soon be able to see the defeated faces of our enemies."

The roar of soldiers echoed in the large ground.

General Li smiled proudly seeing his soldiers and then went inside his camp.

There were almost four people waiting inside the camp for General Li standing around the round table. General Li stood with them and looked at the map that was widespread on the table.

Tracing his fingers across the borders of Xin on the map, he said

"Today we will change the positions.  Commander Wen will protect the east side and Commander Xu will be on the west."

Glancing at his son, Li Diu he said

"Commander Li will be in front with his soldiers today."

"Yes General."

Li Diu saluted calmly. However, the rest of the men frowned at this. Commander Wen said

"General Li, I think Commander Li should not fight at the front. He is still young and inexperienced."

General Li smiled at Commander Wen as he said

"Do I need to make you remember how old I was when I first fought at the front?"

Commander Wen could only sigh knowing that the General was stubborn and would not listen to him.

"We'll form a circle first. Inside the circle, there will be at least fifty soldiers……."

With that, General Li told his strategy to the four men.

After everything when they were about to leave the camp, General Li Heng placed a hand on Commander Wen shoulder and told him

"Don't worry about him. I am still there."