His Rui

In the end, on the second day, the banquet was suspended just like this.

After the Emperor and the Empress left Lianxin hall, everyone went to their rooms.

Qin Wenya as soon as stepped out of Lianxin hall was told by her maid that Princess Wenling had been found unconscious by a Eunuch so she hurried to her daughter's chambers.

Qin Wenya had been shocked when she saw her daughter not waking her after her tries.

Knowing about their plans for today, Qin Wenya didn't dare to tell Zhao Wang Lei that Zhao Wenling had disappeared for such a long time and now she had been found in such a condition.

She had to secretly call for an Imperial Physician. When the Imperial Physician announced that the first Princess would wake up after a couple of hours, Qin Wenya released a sigh of relief.

Qin Wenya could find out how her daughter went unconscious. She could only wait for her daughter to wake up and then tell her everything.

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.

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Inside the room, Xi Ying asked An Ju to place that fireplace in a corner near the window.

He then looked at Li Rui who was sitting in front of the dressing table quietly. He sighed and dismissed An Ju with a wave of his hand.

Then he walked to stand behind Li Rui and put his hands on her shoulders.

He frowned when he saw how startled and stiff she looked to him by his touch but it went away when she saw that the person was him.

Li Rui could see his reflection in the mirror.

He smiled gently while looking at her figure in the mirror in front of her.

"Come, let's dry your hair."

Xi Ying said as he stroked her hair again with his fingers with a frown. He had been very upset when he had found out that Li Rui went out and got wet because of the rain.

Her hair was still wet.

What if she got ill?

An Ju didn't take her responsibility seriously this time, Xi Ying noted down.

Although Li Rui had stopped him from saying anything to An Ju, he would still find some way to make An Ju reflect on her mistakes.

After he made Li Rui sit down on the couch near the window, he started to dry her hair. He was worried that she would get cold so he especially asked for a fireplace.

The servants knew who Lord Xi was and didn't dare to delay in completing his orders.

As he dried Li Rui's long, black and soft hair he remembered something and asked

"Rui, are you worried about your sisters?"

He asked casually. Actually, he had already noticed that Li Rui looked so panicked when she saw Li Caihong and Li Na being humiliated in front of everyone.

However what he didn't understand and still doesn't understand that why she looked so worried for those vicious sisters especially when they had plotted against her four years ago and she knew about it.

"Hmm"

Li Rui hummed but didn't say anything else.

Xi Ying was perhaps upset by her incomplete answer but he didn't force her to tell him anything.

The room was completely silent.

It had always been like this between him and Li Rui because both of them liked to speak less. Most of the time, it would be him who would find something to talk with her and she will just respond to him or show her agreement with some things.

However, today's silence seemed to be very different.

Before whenever he was beside Li Rui, he would find even the silence very peaceful but today it bothered me.

He tried hard to find something to talk about and break this depressing atmosphere between them but he suddenly seemed to be blank.

Frustrated, he suddenly kneeled down in front of Li Rui and held her cheeks.

"Rui"

Li Rui was also surprised by his sudden actions and looked into his eyes.

"Did I do something wrong? Tell me, if you have any problem with something."

Li Rui's fists were clenched inside her sleeves but she smiled softly in front of Xi Ying and said

"Why does Lord think like that?"

Xi Ying frowned noticing that she was calling him 'Lord' but answered her question

"I am just finding you a little different."

Li Rui's body visibly tensed a little and she hurriedly composed herself.

"Lord must have misunderstood then. Rui is just a little tired. Perhaps that's why…"

She could not complete her words as the next moment she was suddenly lifted up from the couch she was sitting on.

Startled she grabbed Xi Ying's robes tightly on instinct.

Raising her head, she saw the displeasure written all over the young Prime Minister's face.

"Why didn't you tell me if you were feeling tired? You should rest now. An Ju told me that you didn't rest much before when I had left you alone in the room."

As he laid Li Rui down on the bed and tucked her inside the blanket like a child, Li Rui observed each and every expression on Xi Ying's face.

She could find nothing just like before.

Perhaps his skill in putting up a pretense was really good that she, who had always found out other person's intention towards herself couldn't find anything suspicious in him.

As the pair of hands hugged her waist from behind, she felt a firm chest behind her back.

"Sleep"

She heard his whisper and closed her eyes slowly. Moments after, she heard the slow and even breathing of the man lying close to her, however, she still didn't feel any sleepiness.

How could she?

How could she sleep peacefully in the arms of the man who was planning to destroy her clan? Who had successfully made her fool once?

After she had seen her trust being broken by Xi Ying so indifferently, Li Rui wondered if she would ever be able to trust someone again in her life.