His Rui

It was nighttime now.

Xi Ying already had his dinner with his wife and son. Since Li Rui couldn't walk, Xi Ying decided to have dinner in their room only.

Now after finishing the dinner, Xi Ying who had just entered the room after making Xi Ling sleep in his own room closed the door.

The child was sensible. Xi Ying couldn't help but think.

Xi Ling knew that he moved in his sleep so he was afraid that he would kick his mother's foot and hurt her by mistake in his sleep so he said that today he will sleep in his own room.

The most satisfied person with his son's decision was Xi Ying.

So satisfied that he went to his son's room with him and then covered him with a blanket too after he lay down on his bed.

He even stayed there until Xi Ling was deeply asleep.

"You should sleep now."

Xi Ying walked towards the bed and took the book away from her wife's hands. Li Rui looked at the book in his hands with a frown on her forehead as Xi Ying put it away on the bedside table.

When Xi Ying looked back at his wife, he noticed her disappointment but ignored it.

Li Rui liked to read books a lot. But sometimes, Xi Ying had noticed that she was too lost in reading that she would not even remember to eat or sleep.

If Liu Lan and Li Hua would have not been around her then Xi Ying would have been afraid to leave her alone in Plum Courtyard.

He stretched out his hand and set the pillow right for her and after that, he carefully made her lie down on the bed.

After he covered her with a blanket, he also walked to the other side of the bed and lay down beside his wife.

With one hand around his waist and the other under her head, he put his chin on her shoulder.

"You can always read after getting up tomorrow."

Xi Ying whispered gently as he noticed that Li Rui still had not closed her eyes.

Li Rui didn't say anything but closed her eyes silently. Xi Ying sighed in relief. These days, he had to be very careful with his wife.

There was no guarantee now what could anger her or what could not. The most disappointing thing for Xi Ying until now was that Li Rui would never express her anger openly whenever she was angry.

She would just stay silent and don't speak more than necessary.

He wondered if it was because of some hesitation that was there inside her heart to be so open with him.

He sighed again heavily but assured himself that he would work hard. A day will come for sure when she would not hesitate any longer.

"We will go to Li Manor after your foot is healed."

Xi Ying said suddenly and Li Rui opened her eyes immediately. She stared at nothing in particular for a few moments and then suddenly turned around.

Xi Ying helped her immediately so that she would not move her foot too much.

"Did something happen?"

Li Rui looked at Xi Ying with a serious expression on her face. She was sure that something happened otherwise why did Xi Ying want to go to Li Manor all of a sudden.

"Hmm…"

Xi Ying hummed lightly and then continued

"But I won't tell you for now."

Xi Ying said firmly.

Li Rui frowned. She was about to say something when Xi Ying put his finger on her lips and said

"Sh…Just this last time, I am hiding something from you and you know about this. It is a secret, Rui. A secret that can put yours and our child's life in danger so I don't want to take any risk."

Li Rui's face was more serious than before and she nodded her head a moment later.

Xi Ying sighed in relief. He didn't want Li Rui to misunderstand like before so he caressed her cheek softly and said

"I will tell you but not for now."

"Alright."

Li Rui said calmly.

"You want to talk to Father about this?"

Xi Ying hummed.

"I need the answers to some questions. It was Empress Dowager who told me this secret and I don't know if I can really trust her or not."

Li Rui nodded her head.

She laid her head on the pillow again and said calmly.

"Alright, I will also go with you."

.

.

.

Late night, Zhao Zhang Wei stepped out of his study room.

His eyes looked towards the wide corridor that led the way to the backyard of Xinhe Palace. Like every night, he again wanted to see the woman whose thought resided in his heart for almost every second now.

Like every night, his step unconsciously reached forward to go to the backyard but just when he was at the entrance of Lantai Courtyard, he stopped.

The guards guarding the entrance looked at him in confusion but he couldn't see it.

'It will be better if Wangye won't show me your face ever.'

Yi Huiqing's words rang in his ears and Zhao Zhang Wei took a step back in a daze.

'Benwang won't step inside Lantai Courtyard even if wangfei will beg Benwang.'

And then his own words were remembered by him.

His eyes were filled with longing. His fists were clenched inside his sleeves because of the helplessness he was feeling inside his heart.

Why did he even say those words? He wished to take them back so that he would not have to stop himself from going inside Yi Huiqing's courtyard.

He stood there for a long time.

'Just ask me once to visit you.' He whispered standing at the same spot as he looked at the entrance.

He stood there … until he suddenly fell down on the floor and went unconscious.

"Your Highness"

The Imperial guards came running to Zhao Zhang Wei who was now lying on the floor.

And late-night, Xinhe Palace went chaotic because of this incident.