Zhao Zhang Wei had not expected Xi Ying to be so fast.
The day he accepted Xi Ying's proposal, the same night a shadow guard suddenly appeared in his study telling him that he had been sent by Prime Minister Xi.
There was a letter for him.
They were to meet …outside the Imperial Palace on the next day's evening.
And what was the purpose behind this meeting, Zhao Zhang Wei didn't need to be told? Xi Ying must have wanted to discuss the conditions for helping him.
It made him wonder that if this deal was a genuine one from Xi Ying's side then what kind of conditions he will put in front of him.
Will it be like the one Zhao Wang Lei proposed?
Destroy Yi and Li Clan and he will be the next Emperor. That made Zhao Zhang Wei smile ironically. Because he very well knew that Zhao Wang Lei was just trying to use him now as he had started to understand that he was not as stupid and easygoing as he had shown himself in the past few years.
So his dear father tried to tempt him with the throne to use him for his own selfish motives.
Would Xi Ying try to do the same?
However, for now, he could only wait for the next day to find the answer to all of his questions.
On the other hand, at this moment, inside the Plum Courtyard, Xi Ling was currently jumping on the bed. His short arms flailed in the air as he laughed cheerfully and shouted
"Yay! We will go out tomorrow…we will go out…"
Sitting in front of the dressing table, Li Rui was removing the accessories from her hair. She shook her head with a smile on her lips as she watched her son jumping on the bed in excitement.
At the same time, she could understand why he was so excited. After all, it was not every day Xi Ling could go out of Xi Manor.
This made her wonder how Xi Ying suddenly agreed to bring her as well as Xi Ling out of Xi Manor as a few days back he himself had told her that she should not step out of Xi Manor for the next few days after the last attack.
She herself had agreed with him.
From childhood until now, Li Rui had been used to now of living inside a place. And if it was for her child, she would never want to put his life in danger so she could stay inside the Xi Manor for her child's safety.
But this evening she had been surprised when Xi Ying suddenly said that they would be visiting the Imperial City tomorrow.
"Don't jump on the bed."
Xi Ying's strict voice was heard inside the room. He looked at his excited son with narrowed eyes. It had been now a whole minute since he had been waiting for the brat to stop. However, he seemed to be very much excited.
A part of his heart was happy to see his son so happy but the other part of his heart was sacred to think that he will harm himself because of this excitement.
Xi Ling stopped instantly on hearing his father's cold voice.
He didn't get angry because his father was strict because he was too happy with what his father had given to him for tomorrow.
He smiled brightly as he walked to the edge of the bed and opened his arms in front of Xi Ying.
"Father, hug."
Now this was something new to Xi Ying.
His eyes flashed with surprise and awkwardness for a moment. Xi Ling had never behaved like with him. Li Rui also turned around to look at this scene with her whole attention.
She smiled seeing her son's attempts to act cute.
At the same time, she could notice Xi Ying's awkwardness. This made her feel a little funny…especially when Xi Ying stepped forward stiffly and held Xi Ling in his arms and then after a few moments, made him sit on his shoulders.
Xi Ling's eyes brightened as he looked down from his father's shoulders.
It was wonderful. The little bun thought.
"Mother."
In excitement, he waved his arms to his mother who nodded her head while staring at him with a soft smile on her lips.
While Xi Ying had a flash of longing in his eyes.
He could feel Xi Ling's excitement and it made him wonder what so special was in this moment. However, how could he understand this!
He had never lived such moments in his childhood.
His father was nice to him but too strict. That strictness made him mature earlier and never demand things that other children demanded from their parents.
He knew that he would have to work hard to get them by himself.
Amidst all that, he actually didn't remember when he had shared such sweet and innocent moments with his father.
Perhaps it was this realization that made him make Xi Ling happier.
If he couldn't live such moments in his childhood, his child should not miss them.
Thinking this, he smiled genuinely, and then holding Xi Ling firmly he walked across the room making the little bun sitting on his shoulders shouts cheerfully.
It was pure bliss.
At least for Xi Ying, Li Rui, and Xi Ling…these times were pure bliss.
In the Imperial Palace, however, these few days have not been that blissful for Princess Wenling. The first princess has been ordered to stay inside her courtyard.
Not only this but the Emperor had even threatened her that if she dared to step out then he would have to take some action against her.
"Your Highness, Here …have something."
The old nanny forwarded some fruits to Princess Wenling. However, the frustrated princess pushed the plate away with much force making it and all the fruits fell to the ground.
The nanny's eyes flashed with resentment seeing her acts. However, outside she could only smile and ask the princess respectfully.
"Is Your Highness angry at His Majesty?"
Princess Wenling huffed and shook her head.
"Not at Father Emperor. Father Emperor is right. I should have been careful. Those stupid shadow guards dared to attack Prime Minister Xi. Father also told me that Prime Minister Xi got wounded in this attack. No wonder Prime Minister Xi looked so cold that day. He must have thought wrong about me."
A tear rolled down Princess Wenling's eyes.
"I just wish I could make those shadow guards alive and then kill them again.
Her eyes were filled with resentment when she said this. However, at the same time, she couldn't help but remember that it was her first brother's shadow guards too that were sent to kill Li Rui.
Could it be that it was his first brother who wanted to kill Xi Ying?
She was not unknown to her brother's dislike for Xi Ying.
The doubt was now there inside Princess Wenling's heart. The doubt made him have a grudge towards her own brother.
Because no one could harm the man she loved.
Not even her own brother
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