His Rui

It was winter.

The white mist covered the whole Imperial City. However with this white mist, Li Manor was also covered by the despair Li Zhan's death had left.

The Li Manor had never been so silent before but after Li Zhan's death, it seemed to have a silence that only lingered on the deserted place.

General Li was very worried about his daughter, Li Rui as he saw how much she has changed after her maid's death. Day after day, he would do something to bring the smile on her lips back.

For a week, he never heard any complaint of Li Rui from anyone.

No maid of Li Rui came running to his study room in panic only to tell him that his daughter had sneaked out of Li Manor.

Neither Li Rui comes running to him now with a big smile on her lips whenever he returns from the Imperial City and nor does she came to him and made some ridiculous demand.

She actually came to him with a demand. General Li remembered suddenly

But it was a very unexpected demand.

She came to him and asked him to change his teacher. Because she said that the teacher's knowledge was very limited. She wanted one who could answer her questions.

General Li had actually been happy because he had thought that his mischievous daughter was back. He thought that she was doing this just because she was now bored to study and hence wanted to holidays for few days by making his busy in the job of finding a new teacher.

However after General Li asked his daughter her questions, she seriously told him all the questions she had asked the teacher and what kind of answers he gave to her.

Her every sentence was correct to the point …something that even that bookish knowledge didn't say. She could talk on a topic more than those books the teacher taught her from.

It was no wonder that teacher could not answer her questions.

With a helpless sigh, General Li happily appointed new and very capable teachers at his daughter's demand.

His daughter who had always found the study boring was now studying so diligently. He, as a father, should have been feel proud.

However, very eagerly he also waited everyday for a single complaint related to his daughter to come to him.

Complaint came however it was from Li Na and Li Caihong who said that the new teacher was too strict and very boring.

Li Rong no longer sent her daughters to study and General Li also didn't force them to attend the classes anymore.

He would instead go and stand at the door of the room inside which Li Rui will study. He would stare at her face as she would listen to the teacher earnestly and then ask questions.

'Why is the Emperor so great? He can also be wrong sometimes. There should be a rule to restrict his power also. What if he punishes an innocent? Will he not be punished by anyone?'

One day, General Li heard Li Rui asking the teacher when he was standing at the door of the room.

The teacher was left shocked by the question. With a mortified face, he asked Li Rui to shut his mouth and asked her never to raise such questions in public unless she wants to face a huge punishment.

Li Rui did sit down. However, the coldness in her eyes was only seen by General Li.

That day, General Li finally came to know that he could no longer bring his cheerful daughter back. However, his efforts still didn't stop.

If this didn't work then he would do that.

Two weeks later after seeing his daughter so silent, he finally decided to invite few of her friends to the Li Manor.

That day, he even asked Li Rui's teacher not to come to Li Manor.

Early morning, General Li himself sent all the carriages to the respective manors to pick Li Rui's friends from their manor including Yi Huiqing.

After making all the arrangements, he finally left for the Imperial Court to attend the Imperial Court meeting.

However, never had General Li thought that this one attempt of his to bring his cheerful daughter back would only put her more in the abyss she was in currently.

.

.

.

Since the whole manor was preparing for this gathering of Li Rui with her friends, every member of Li Clan knew about this gathering.

And these members included Li Na and Li Caihong also.

For two weeks, both the sisters have been so annoyed seeing everyone's efforts of making Li Rui happy.

"Second Sister, what is she? Is she a princess that everyone is looking out for her so much?"

Standing at the entrance of Li Na's courtyard, the young Li Caihong said with a frown on her forehead as she looked at the maids running here and there in the manor.

Li Na glared at her sister and whispered in a low voice

"I have told you so many times to call me 'Elder Sister' and can't you speak in a low voice? What if someone heard you? I will also get scolded because of you."

Li Caihong bit her tongue and apologized in a low voice to her elder sister.

Li Na felt satisfied when she called her Elder Sister this time and didn't say anything else.

Their eyes then fell on the four-year-old Li Chen who was running somewhere with a pout on his face.

"Tsk…Now, where is that brat going to?"

Li Caihong murmured with narrowed eyes that followed Li Chen's small figure.

Li Na scoffed.

"Where else? Other than that 'princess of this manor' courtyard where else he even goes?"

Li Caihong's face fell and she couldn't stop herself from murmuring

"I don't understand, Elder Sister. He is obviously our brother but he likes that Li Rui more."

Li Na scoffed again but suddenly the ironic smile from her lips vanished as she suddenly remembered something and whispered in excitement

"Caihong, go and stop him."

"What?"

Li Caihong looked confused making Li Na look at her with annoyance.

"You just do what I am telling you.. Go and stop him."