Chapter 728: Finding Out About Zhang Wang Lei's Plans
Chapter 728: Finding Out About Zhang Wang Lei’s Plans
On his way to the Imperial Palace, Xi Ying’s mood was not good at all.He was suddenly regretting that he agreed with Li Rui and his son when they made innocent faces to make him agree and came to Li Manor with them.
It was no longer about safety.
He had already talked with General Li. If the General wanted Li Rui to be in Li Manor, then his shadow guards would also stay there.
Almost fifty of his shadow guards were guarding Li Manor.
Not only this, but he also told General that the old physician would also come with them. He didn’t want any delay if Rui needed a physician to be there.
However, now he was afraid that Yi Jie would make Li Rui like before.
The her before used to be very conserved before him. He didn’t want that Rui.
He liked her to be open in front of him, where she expressed her wishes openly. Where she would feel free to do whatever she wanted to do.
However, Yi Jie and her thoughts didn’t seem to match.
In the end, Yi Jie was Li Rui’s mother.
Xi Ying felt sour to think this but he was not much sure that between him and his mother, Li Rui would choose him.
In fact, a large part of his heart was already saying that she would definitely choose her mother.
The shadow guard who was hiding in shadow to guard his master felt worried when he saw that Xi Ying didn’t stop in the way to have breakfast. He knew that his master didn’t have anything in Li Manor as well.
However, he was afraid to say anything when he saw his master’s face.
When Xi Ying reached the Imperial Palace, his face still didn’t look good.
The Imperial Guards guarding the prison cell were confused when they saw Xi Ying there. However, they didn’t stop him.
The dungeons smelt very bad. However, Xi Ying’s expression didn’t change even a bit. He indifferently walked ahead and soon reached where he wanted to reach.
“Open the door.”
The Imperial Guard did as he said.
The people inside the cell were confused for a moment but when they somehow recognized Xi Ying in the light of the lamp the Imperial Guard held, they were so scared that they tried to reach the corner of the cell as if that could have hidden them from Xi Ying.
Xi Ying stepped inside the cell and took the lamp from the Imperial Guard.
“Leave”
The Imperial Guard left obediently.
“Which of you was the closest to the Emperor?”
The people inside the cell were ministers who had come from the neighboring and enemy empire to kill Zhao Zhang Wei.
Since the moment, Xi Ying had come to know that Zhao Wang Lei was planning something with the emperor of the neighboring Empire against Li and Yi Clan, he had been trying to find out what kind of plan it was.
However, he had not even got to know with exactly which Empire, Zhao Wang Lei was planning.
Xin was surrounded by many small or big Empires and that was what made it very vulnerable to sudden wars and attacks.
It was only because of constant readiness, vigilance, and a strong military that the Empire had been able to defend and sustain until today.
Unaware of Xi Ying’s thoughts, the ministers or the prisoners inside the cell suddenly remembered that one of them was sent back to their Empire just to send some message to their Emperor.
They couldn’t help but think if they would get the same fate if they were able to prove that they were closer to the Emperor.
So one by one, everyone started to say that they were closer to the Emperor.
Xi Ying frowned hearing the chattering.
“Shut up”
He said coldly.
They looked nothing like the ministers of any Empire. Even if they were not in noble clothes, a person’s aura and calmness were what made him look noble.
However, none of them seemed to possess such traits.
After they were silent, Xi Ying asked them to tell one by one, who worked in which department.
His eyes flickered and stopped at the minister who claimed to be head of the investigation department.
Xi Ying nodded his head and then called the Imperial Guard again
“Drag him out”
He ordered and the Imperial Guard followed.
Now they were in a different cell.
The minister looked at Xi Ying silently who was seated on a chair brought by the Imperial Guard.
“You were close to your Emperor?”
Xi Ying asked him coldly and he eagerly nodded his head.
“Yes, Prime Minister Xi. Believe me.”
“I do”
Xi Ying said with a cold smile on his lips.
“Was it not you who had suggested this master plan of killing our second prince to your Emperor?”Xi
The minister was shocked when he heard Xi Ying’s words. However, it was true. In the end, he nodded his head.
He somehow knew that if he still lied then he would only get stuck here forever.
Xi Ying was satisfied to see that he was not lying.
“Hmm now I will ask you something…”
Xi Ying paused for a moment as he took out his dagger and uncovered it. The minister gulped when he looked at the sharp and pointy dagger.
However, Xi Ying still looked indifferent.
“If you hid something or tried to lie to me …then your family in your Empire will be in great trouble.”
The minister’s eyes went wide with shock when he heard Xi Ying’s words.
His family…he actually didn’t care about anyone except his father and mother. He didn’t want them to suffer and hardship.
Wife or concubines, he could get many and hence children as well…his parents were however only one.
So he immediately nodded his head and agreed to tell Xi Ying whatever he wanted to know. However, when Xi Ying asked him
“Your Emperor …was he planning something against Li and Yi Clan?”
His face went as white as a sheet.
.
.
.
When the minister stepped inside the dungeon again, everyone looked at him with a confused expression.
They had not expected him to return.
They had thought that either he was dead or he was sent back to the Empire.
The minister walked further inside and sat in a corner. Suddenly there were sound of sobs inside the cell making other ministers look at each other.
One of them felt his heart going soft and couldn;t help but comfort the minister who was crying
“Ah, why are you crying, Minister Wu? We still have some hope.”
After that, he once looked outside the cell and whispered in a low voice
“Don’t you remember that our Emperor had proposed a plan in front of Xin’s Emperor and Xin’s Emperor had told him that he would think upon it. I am sure that His Majesty will do something and soon we will be free.”
However, his words somehow only made Minister Wu cry harder.
Everyone was confused but no one asked anything.
And Minister Wu never said anything.
What could he say?
That the only hope they had of getting free from there had vanished now.
Xi Ying already knew about their Emperor’s plans.
They had planned against the enemy who was a hundred steps far ahead of them. There were no chances of winning.
.
.
.
Zhao Wang Lei was informed that Xi Ying had gone to the dungeons.
He was curious to know why Xi Ying did so but he decided to ask Xi Ying about this later. He knew that the young prime minister would not like to be questioned since he had questioned him just yesterday about his recent visits to Xinhe Palace.
Though he knew that he had the right to ask this time, Zhao Wang Lei decided to let this matter go for some time and asked Eunuch Wang not to pay more attention to it.
Somewhere he only thought that maybe Xi Ying went there to see Li Na.
Just yesterday he had gotten to know that he had gone to Li Manor with Li Rui and his son so perhaps his anger also returned with this visit.
Zhao Wang Lei decided to leave Li Rui alone for a few days.
He wanted everything to be peaceful for a few days because he was planning for something big.
If his plan worked then he would be able to get everything he wanted.
However, the peace Zhao Wang Lei had expected for him to have some time to make his plan strong was not granted to him.
As Xi Ying had made sure that the news of Qin Wenya’s execution would reach Qin soon. Hence when Zhao Wang Lei had just sat on the throne after entering the Imperial Assembly, he was informed by Eunuch Wang that Qin Wenya’s brother, the Emperor of Qin himself was in the Imperial Palace to meet him.