Four Years ago(1)

Four years ago contd.

Today there was a banquet in the palace in the evening. The palace was surrounded by more Imperial guards.

Every noble family was preparing for the evening event. While in the Li family, the atmosphere was somewhat different.

Inside the living room, Yi Jie was consoling her sister-in-law, Yi Yang, who was shedding tears continuously.

"General Li, you have to do something. My Qing Qing.....How will she manage herself in the royal palace? She doesn't know the games those concubines and consorts play in the inner palace." Yi Yang was sobbing as she pleaded for her daughter Yi Huiqing.

General Li, however, looked helpless in front of these pleas. 

"Sister in law, Huiqing is no less than Rui to me. You know that. But no one can refuse the Emperor's decree."

"General Li is right, Yang. Hold yourself together." Yi Feng, Yi Jie's brother supported General Li. He stepped closer to his wife so that his words could only be heard by her and General Li.

"This is not the time to become weak. This is something that Yi and Li clan had to face together." He further said.

Ye Yang cried hard after hearing these words. From her husband's words, she knew that her daughter's fate has been fixed now.

Madam Yi and his husband left after some time.

Yi Jie was thinking about the whole matter. Somehow she felt something missing. General looked at his wife's frown and blurted out the words inside his heart.

"Yi Jie, do you regret marrying me?"

Yi Jie was startled at his husband's sudden question. She knew this man like the back of her hand.

'What triggered him to ask such a question?' She couldn't help but wonder inside her heart.

Even his eyes were telling her that he couldn't bear her 'yes'. She smiled to assure him,

"Heng, I would never regret marrying you."

General Li Heng looked at his wife who didn't know anything and felt his heart clench. He thought if she had known that the things happening with the Yi clan were all because of Li's relations with them, would her answer be different then?

Tightening his arms around her waist, he buried his head in her hair.

In his heart, Li Heng said

'Even if you regret it in the future, I will not let you go.'

Loosening his arms a little, he gazed at her face with intense love.

"Yi Jie, you don't have any way to escape from this General."

Yi Jie laughed at his words and looking at her smile, General Li's restless heart calm down and a smile was formed on his face as well.

.

.

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The evening in the Imperial City was a very special evening for its residents. In front of the main gate of the Imperial palace, there were a large number of carriages.

The Imperial Palace was giving entry to the members of noble families according to their ranks. The lower rank holders were to make a line and then after the certainty of them being a member of a noble family, they were allowed inside. While the higher rank holders just had to show their badge they have gotten from the royal palace.

Two carriages stopped outside the palace. Looking at the carriages, everyone knew that they were from the Li family. Two maids got out from the carriage which was in front and they held their hand out to help the person inside the carriage.

A moment later, a white slender hand could be seen in each of the maid's hands.

"It must be General Li's daughter, Li Rui." Someone whispered.

"General Li's daughter. Haven't seen her since a very long time."

"Yes, a few years ago she suddenly stopped participating in royal events and gatherings. It is a wonder that she is here today. "

"Yes, it was after her argument with First Princess, Right?"

After this what followed was endless whispers, which only stopped when they saw the person who was being talked about by them.

Wearing a light green dress that reached her foot, Li Rui was standing outside the carriage. As her maids straightened her dress, everyone gaped at how much the girl has changed from the last time.

From the calmness in her bright black eyes, it seemed like nothing in this world can move her. A red dot was drawn in the mid of her eyebrows which only enhanced the beauty of her features. With a small smile on her lips, she looked very elegant.

Li Rui held out her hand to help her mother to get outside from the carriage. As her mother, Yi Jie, was about to place her hand in her hand, someone else came beside her and held it.

Li Rui snorted at her father's ungentlemanly action and stepped aside. General Li laughed at her daughter's unladylike actions and picked Yi Jie from her waist to get her outside. Yi Jie shook her head while laughing at father and daughter's interactions.

At this instant, a young man having a face that looked almost like General Li came by Li Rui's side.

"Father, have some shame in front of your children at least."

General Li ignored his son's words and Li Diu sighed at his father's actions. When he saw a group of people looking at them, he glanced at them with very cold eyes and raised his eyebrow in a questioning manner. Everyone came out of their stupor.

While Li's second household was having their family time, the daughters of the first household were burning with jealousy.

Standing a few steps away, Li Caihong and Li Na were seeing how Li Rui and her family attracting the attention of all the people.

"Second Sister, why did she come today Ah? "

Li Caihong said with a twisted expression on her face.

Li Na laughed at her sister's words.

"My dear sister Caihong, why are you making such a face? Have you forgotten that it was necessary for her to come here unless you want our plan to be failed?"

Li Caihong's eyes shone as she remembered their plan and its consequences. She excitedly held her sister's hands and brightly smiled.

At this moment two more carriages stopped in front of the palace. After two or three maids stepped down from the carriages, Yi Jie was certain that Father Yi and Mother Yi were also in one of them.

Leaving the embrace of her husband, she went towards them with a bright smile. The smug smile on General Li's face was wiped out in an instant. He looked at his wife helping Mother Yi with the maids to get out of the carriage with narrowed eyes.

"Look at your mother. She did not take even a second to forget this General on seeing her mother and father. How can she..."

Before General Li could drown himself more in self-pity, he saw that his children were already working towards the Yi family ignoring him.

General Li felt like he would cough red blood in rage on seeing how his wife and children were treating him. He would forgive Yi Jie just this once. But the two brats needed a good beating.

With these thoughts, he also walked towards the Yi family.