His Rui

Li Qiang's mind was full of thoughts when he reached Li Manor.

"Elder Brother."

He came out of his thoughts and raised his head when he heard the familiar voice. After just entering the Li Manor, he found his younger brother Li Heng standing in front of him.

And from his looks, it looked like he had been waiting for him for quite a long time.

"Elder Brother."

Li Qiang's face didn't have any emotion as he remembered what the Emperor and the first Prince had told him. He immediately moved towards Li Heng to have a conversation with his younger brother.

However, as soon as he took one step he was stopped by another familiar voice.

"Qiang."

Li Qiang glanced sideways and saw his wife, Li Rong walking towards himself.

He frowned as he looked at her pale face.

"Who woke you up?"

He asked coldly as soon as she was near him. It had only been two shichen since he had left the Li Manor and from Li Rong's looks, he knew that she had not slept since Li Na and Li Caihong's incident. He had wanted her to have a very good rest but seeing that she was already awake before he even came back…he felt distressed for his wife's health.

On the other hand, Li Rong saw her husband's position. His one foot was in General Li's direction who was still looking at Li Qiang. He seemed to be waiting for him.

Li Rong's eyes flickered as she remembered Li Na's words and she held her head with one hand.

"Rong'er, are you alright?"

She immediately heard a voice.

Li Qiang was standing by her side for a moment.

"Yes, I just have a headache."

"You should rest inside your room instead of roaming here and there. Come with me."

Said Li Qiang as he held his wife's waist and led her towards their courtyard. Behind him, General Li stood there looking at his Elder Brother's back.

A frown marred his forehead as he remembered his elder brother's emotionless face. He had never seen his elder brother looking at him like that. His eyes always had an affection that should be there for a younger brother in the past.

So what happened today?

General Li couldn't help but worry as he realized that Li Qiang had just gone to the Imperial Palace and…something could always happen in the Imperial Palace.

"Heng"

General Li heard a familiar voice and the frown on his forehead smoothened down instantly.

He turned around and sure enough, he found his wife, Yi Jie standing there with a soft smile on her lips. Her smile relaxed his anxious heart and a small smile came on his own lips as he walked towards her.

"What are you doing here?"

General Li asked as he removed his robe and looked at the clothes of his wife with a frown.

"Wear more clothes. The winter had started to arrive now."

He said before Yi Jie could answer his previous question as he draped his robe over her body.

"Did you come here to wait for Elder Brother?"

Yi Jie asked her husband who sighed heavily at her question making her frown.

She stepped forward and held his waits while leaning her head against his chest. A pair of arms immediately held her waist firmly.

"Heng, why are you worrying so much? Do you think that Elder Brother will blame you for whatever happened?"

General Li stared at the wall in front of him with blank eyes as he answered his wife's question.

"Elder Brother does not need to. I already blame myself. Every child, every person in this Manor is my responsibility. This was what Father had said to me. I had promised him that I will never let anything happen to anyone until my last breath and I couldn't stand by my promise."

As soon as General Li finished his words, Yi Jie pushed him away from herself a little and looked at her husband's face with a frown.

"But I don't see your fault anywhere? I don't think that you did anything wrong. In fact, somewhere inside my heart, I feel very satisfied with whatever happened with Li Caihong."

Yi Jie finished and General Li looked surprised by her words.

Yi Jie noticed her husband's reaction felt bad and asked

"Heng, does that make me a bad person?"

She didn't wait for her husband's answer? as she continued

"Even if it does, I really don't care. …Heng, I don't know if you noticed but I really felt that Li Caihong was intentionally trying to put everything on our Rui. Rui was not even there at the time of Li Na's incident but she still pounced on Rui as soon as Rui came there. Even in Rui's absence, she said so many things…It might be cruel to disfigure a girl's face but I feel slightly happy and satisfied that Lord Xi did so. Doesn't it only mean that he cares for Rui?"

Yi Jie smiled softly and looked at her husband as she said

"Heng, I feel so happy after this banquet. No one will be able to bully our Rui in the future…not even Princess Wenling."

General Li looked at his wife speechlessly. He really didn't know what he should say.

Yi Jie was a very simple-minded person and so she was easily moved by whatever Xi Ying did for Li Rui in the banquet. She also forgot those four years …the long time her daughter had suffered in Xi Manor just because of that.

On the other hand was his daughter, who no longer had such a smile mind. She was not na?ve like Yi Jie but her heart and mind had become so used to doubting everyone that even in Xi Ying's genuine attempt of protecting her, she sees his selfishness and his scheming.

In the end, he laughed lightly as he saw the smile and joy in Yi Jie's eyes.

He held her face gently in his hands and kissed her forehead. Looking into her eyes, he told her

"Nothing makes you bad. You can feel anything you want but you also need to understand that in the end, Li Caihong is the daughter of Li Clan…just like our Rui. And since Elder Brother is Li Na and Li Caihong's father, it is normal for him to feel distressed for his daughters. So if Elder Brother says something to me in anger…don't take it to your heart."

Yi Jie nodded her head immediately and said

"I know and I will never put my nose between your two brother's matters. It is just that you worry so much. If Elder Brother loves his daughter then he also loves you very much. He had seen you growing up in front of his eyes. How can he bear to hurt you? So don't worry so much."

Yi Jie said as he cupped her husband's cheek just like he was cupping hers.

General Li smiled gently.

Only his wife had the power to calm down his anxious heart.

He hugged his wife tightly in his arms and kissed her hair as he buried his nose there to soothe his mind with her sweet scent.