Four Years Ago(10)
Xi Manor
Xi Ying was sitting inside his study room with a frosty cold iced expression. The air inside the room could suffocate anyone. The images of that evening flashed in his mind.
Those clear, black, and bright eyes.
When he came to know that she was General Li's daughter, he didn't know why but a part of his heart was somewhat screaming to him that she was innocent. She can never do something like this. That's why he sent his shadow guard to a brothel house to investigate where those drugs are sold.
What was the result?
She was not innocent. She was just like his father. Trying to use him. Trying to use him as a shield to protect her family.
It is just that she didn't know how cruel and ruthless he can be.
He listened to the rumors. How she claimed that she was framed. For the first time in his life, he was fooled.
Xi Ying sneered.
He was fooled by those bewitching eyes.
His heart was furious. He didn't want to remember anything of her. But those eyes were like the only thing imprinted on his mind. How could he let his heart sway like this? His one moment of folly became a heavy regret for him.
Knock knock....
Someone knocked on the door of the study room.
"Come in "
A man in black clothes entered the study and kneeled in front of Xi Ying. This man was Xi Ying's shadow guard, An Su, whom he arranged to keep watch on Li Manor.
Seeing An Su, Xi Ying furrowed his eyebrows.
'Was General Li that restless that he couldn't sit still for even one evening?'
"Speak"
In his emotionless voice, Xi Ying ordered An Su.
"My Lord, General Li is planning to marry Lady Li to the elder son of Yi Clan, Yi Junjie. The proposal was initiated was Lord Yi. Lord Yi went to General Li with this proposal this evening and it seems like General Li has agreed to this."
The air inside the study room could not have more murderous and bloodthirsty intent than at this moment. Hearing his shadow guard's words, only one sentence was echoing in Xi Ying's mind.
Li Rui was going to marry someone else.
On impulse, a picture flashed in his brain. He imagined Li Rui with someone else. His heart felt so stuffy that he thought he couldn't breathe. Taking a deep breath of air to calm himself down, he waved his hand to An Su to get out of the study.
Closing his eyes, he pinched his eyebrows. In the end, the cunning General was getting what he wanted.
~*~*~**~*~*~
Li Manor
General Li was pacing outside his daughter's courtyard. Whenever he tried to step inside, he hesitated to go ahead and took his steps back.
Yi Junjie wanted to marry Li Rui. The moment he confessed this, General Li himself thought that there could nothing best for his daughter than this. He cursed himself for why he didn't come up with this idea before? Then he would not have to go to Lord Xi asking the other to marry Li Rui.
Because Yi Junjie was a good choice for Li Rui. The Yi Clan and Li Clan were already in a mess and one more marriage between both clans would not do anything bad instead it will make them stronger. No one would be able to question the marriage as Yi Junjie was an adopted son of the Yi Clan and his daughter would be safe with him.
At one glance, he could tell that Yi Junjie had deep and sincere feelings for his daughter, Li Rui. He would never mind that she had lost her virginity to another man.
But what about Li Rui.
He never saw something in Li Rui's eyes for Yi Junjie. From what he knew, Li Rui was more close to Yi Junjie than Li Diu, her own biological brother, but her feelings were nothing more than that should be present in a relationship they were going to share in the future if he wanted her to marry Yi Junjie.
If he had asked Li Rui to marry Lord Xi, she would have married without any refusal, but knowing his daughter's character, she would never agree to marry Yi Junjie whom she thought of as an elder brother.
After a long time of thinking this and that, he finally steeled his heart saying that whatever he is doing for her, he will never regret and stepped inside Li Rui's courtyard to force his daughter into a marriage she would never agree with.
Li Rui was reading a book when the maid entered the room. She didn't raise her head to look at the maid. Only when the maid announced that her father has come to meet her did she lift her head to look at the maid and nod slightly.
Closing the book, she got up from the chair she was sitting on. Li Hua who was standing by her side helped her to smoothen her dress. After that, she stepped out of her room.
She greeted her father who was sitting with a very solemn expression. General Li nodded and pointed her to sit down.
Looking at his daughter who was sitting in front of him with a very calm expression, General Li suddenly felt very guilty. In his heart, he knew that she was framed and maybe it was all done to stain the reputation of Li Clan ultimately leading him to resign from his General's position.
His daughter was nowhere at fault.
And how can Li Rui don't know this? But she never complained to him. She never shed even a tear in front of him. He felt a huge weight on his chest. As he was preparing himself to let out the words from his mouth, a maid came running to the room.
General Li looked at the maid with a displeased expression.
"This servant apologizes for entering the room without permission. My Lord, Second Madam Li ordered this servant to inform you that an imperial eunuch with an imperial decree came from the palace. Second Madam asked Lord and Miss to hurry to the living hall."
General Li's expression changed hearing the maid's words.
An Imperial decree.
Was it a good news or a bad news?