His Rui

Li Qiang just looked at Li Rong silently after she finished her words.

His silent stare made Li Rong confused in the beginning but perhaps with time, she seems to realize under that silent stare just how stupid she sounded giving such reasons.

Whatever happened to Li Na and Li Caihong during the banquet was something they deserved because of their vicious planning against Li Rui.

They never got punished for what they did dour years ago

…and for manipulating Li Chen also. Li Qiang thought inside his heart.

He remembered very clearly just how much son was used to be close to Li Rui …even closer than Li Na and Li Caihong.

However, Li Na and Li Caihong manipulated him also and now the thing he had done against his won clan, it made him ashamed to accept that he was his own son.

"Rong'er, do you think that Prime Minister Xi will leave them alone if I let them go?"

Li Rong's face went pale at her husband's words. She remembered the cold face of Xi Ying as he had threatened her husband that if he didn't punish his daughters then Xi Ying himself had to step forward and do something that they might not like.

She suddenly felt a little helpless.

"Then what will you do?"

She whispered softly wondering if her husband had decided already what to do in this matter.

Li Qiang sighed lightly seeing his wife's face. At this moment, all anger inside his heart seemed to have vanished away. He no longer could stay angry with his wife even though she was partially responsible for whatever was happening in their children's lives now.

Now he just felt distressed for his wife on seeing her pale face.

How could he even sleep peacefully if his wife was so restless and sad?

Li Qiang properly sat on the bed and then held Li Rong's hand.

"For Li Na, there had come a proposal from Lu family."

Li Rong frowned in confusion as he tried to remember which man in Lu family was at a marriageable age.

"It is their first son, Lu Jianye."

Li Qiang told his wife seeing when he saw that she looked confused.

"Oh…"

The image of a young man flashed inside Li Rong's mind and she seemed to remember this Lu Jianye. Her eyes brightened a little.

This young man…Lu Jianye was a handsome boy from a noble family.

Although Lu family was nowhere equal to Li family, the circumstances her eldest daughter was in currently made even such a proposal a treasure.

So at this moment, Li Rong didn't care about all this.

Instead, she was very happy as she held her husband's hand and signed him to talk about this more.

Li Qiang sighed again as he wondered whether she would stay happy if he continued.

"It was Lu Jianye himself who came to me and proposed this when I had gone to the Imperial Palace. He said that he had seen Li Na during the banquet and had instantly liked her."

Li Rong was happier when she heard this.

There seemed some chances of Li Na still having a good life. However, a moment later she frowned. Her husband had gone to the Imperial Palace yesterday morning but he didn't tell her about any such thing..

"Qiang, why didn't you tell me before about this?"

Li Qiang's face went emotionless at Li Rong's question.

Why didn't he tell her before?

Because he had not agreed to this proposal before. He had thought that even after what happened to his daughter in Imperial Palace, he would never let her become a concubine of some man.

However, now things were different. At that time, he had not known about the true face of Li Na.

Looking into Li Rong's eyes he told her the truth that he was sure would make all her happiness vanish away.

"Lu Jianye wants to take Li Na inside his manor as a concubine."

Sure enough, the brightness in Li Rong's eyes dimmed instantly and her hand started to slip out of Li Qiang's hold.

"A concubine…"

She whispered as he looked at her husband with eyes full of disbelief.

"You would send Li Na in Lu Manor as a concubine?"

Li Qiang didn't say anything and Li Rong's eyes went teary again.

"You can't do it, Qiang. She is our daughter."

His wife's tears were Li Qiang's weakness. He could not bear to see her cry. He hurriedly held her in his arms and tried to comfort her

"Rong'er, You don't know but Lu Jianye likes our Li Na very much. I have seen through that boy. He says that even after whatever happened, he liked our Li Na and believes that she can't do any such thing. He wants her to make his wife however….his family doesn't agree with him and that's why he would take Li Na as a concubine."

Li Rong was still distressed. She pulled away from Li Qiang and then requested

"So it is Lu family that is a problem. Qiang, why don't we give them something that can make them accept Li Na?"

Li Qiang frowned completely understanding what his wife was suggesting. Li Rong was suggesting that he should bribe the Lu family with some promises that included having their back in the Imperial Court.

Li Clan backing a family in the Imperial Court …it will surely create chaos for other ministers. And it could also be said that the enemies of the Lu family will be Li Clan's enemies from then on.

Which noble family would not like to have high status in the Imperial City?

So they will have to accept Li Na as Lu Jianye's wife if they wanted any such thing.

However…

Li Qiang looked at his wife and told her emotionlessly.

"I can't make any such decision. It is Li Heng's right to decide something about the whole clan."

Li Rong's face fell for a moment before she was about to open her mouth again but Li Qiang stopped her and said

"With what face do you want me to go to Li Heng and ask for such a favor…especially for a girl who plotted so viciously against his daughter?"