His Rui

He signed the maid to take Xi Ling away from Li Rui and enjoyed her whole attention on himself during this whole while.

When the maid went away, he couldn\'t bear to let her wait anymore and told her with a smile.

"General Li, Commander Li, and Soldier Yi Lei are safe now and back to the Li Manor."

Li Rui\'s face didn\'t change even a bit for a while as she registered his words in her mind.

"Father is alright…"

She whispered.

A few days back, she got a letter from Yi Junjie telling her that the shadow guards he had sent could find nothing. Her heart was shaken with fear since that day but she decided to wait for the man who had told her to trust him.

Still, sometimes she would fear if her father and brothers were really not found then what would she do? How will she save the Li and Yi Clan then?

"Do you want to go and meet them?"

She instantly nodded her head when she heard Xi Ying asking him.

Xi Ying chuckled and said

"Alright, then I\'ll ask Shui Cao to make arrangements."

Xi Ying didn\'t want to leave but he needs to do some important things. So he could only glance at Li Rui\'s face for one last time and reluctantly leave the Plum Courtyard.

---------------

"So you left my Wangfei alone there?"

Xi Ying said coldly.

The five shadow guards stood with their bowed heads in the study room.

An Shing was kneeling on the ground in front of Xi Ying. Hearing his master\'s words his face was full of guilt as he said

"Master, please forgive this servant. Wangfei told this servant to leave with Young Master and this servant also thought that that was the right thing to do at that time."

Xi Ying walked towards his kneeling shadow guard.

"Raise your head."

When An Shing raised his head, he found a sword was pointing at his neck.

Xi Ying stood in front of him holding the sword just a needle distance away from his throat and asked.

"Now tell this Lord, An Shing. Did you not do it because you thought that saving Xi Ling was the important thing rather than saving Wangfei?"

An Shing\'s eyes widened when he heard these words. A flash of guilt passed through his eyes and he confessed.

"An Shing thought that Master just would also have ordered this if present there."

Xi Ying couldn\'t help but sigh. He lowered down his sword.

He knew that his shadow guards think that he was just scheming against Li Clan by pretending to treat Li Rui well.

He looked at his shadow guards who had been loyal to him for so many years.

"Li Rui is this Lord Wangfei. "

He walked in front of them as he continued.

"This Lord is saying for the last time because if something like this happened the next time then what waits for you is a torturous death."

"Even if anyone of you has to choose between me and her in the future, you will save her."

The shadow guards were shocked and raised their heads to look at their Master who really seemed like he meant his words.

In the end, they bowed their head and swore that protecting Xi Manor\'s Wangfei was their duty from that day on.

"You took An San to find the attackers?"

Xi Ying asked An Shing after everyone have left from there.

"Yes, My Lord."

An Shing answered.

"Leave."

-------------------

Li Hua woke just once in between. When she opened her eyes she saw her young Miss in front of herself putting a cold and wet cloth on her forehead.

"Young Miss…"

She whispered with a relieved smile.

Her young miss was safe.

"Li Hua…"

Li Rui\'s hands putting the cloth on her forehead paused amidst.

"Young Miss lied to this servant."

Li Hua said weakly.

Li Rui blinked her eyes when she heard Li Hua. To hide her emotions, she continued whatever she was doing as she asked calmly.

"Then you will never talk to me again?"

Li Hua chuckled at the question but frowned soon when she felt the pain in her stomach.

"Careful."

Li Rui told her and looked at the wound to see if it was alright and was not bleeding again.

"How can this servant do that? Who else I have in this world other than Young Miss?"

Li Rui caressed her head gently and said

"You shouldn\'t have done that, Li Hua."

"Young Miss should also have not lied to this servant."

Li Rui sighed as she didn\'t have anything else to say in response.

"Young Miss blames herself for Li Mei\'s death."

It was not a question but a statement. Li Rui\'s hand stilled and Li Hua took the same hand in her hand. Li Hua knew that not only for Li Mei\'s death but Li Rui blamed herself for Li Zhan\'s death also.

"Young Miss shouldn\'t blame herself for anything."

"We\'ll talk later, okay?"

Li Rui stroked Li Hua\'s hair and said. But Li Hua held her hand tightly and said

"Now…"

Helpless,

"Zhan Jiejie had once told Li Hua that Young Miss brought her out of the darkness and showed her a bright world. She would never… want Young Miss to blame herself for whatever happened. No one knew that the Imperial Palace had so many vicious people….. Being a little naughty and na?ve is not a crime…. And my Young Miss never harmed anyone so she doesn\'t deserve to be blamed for what she never did."

Li Hua paused and took a breath.

"Zhan Jiejie told Li Mei and Li Hua that it was our duty to protect Young Miss. But we couldn\'t do that. We couldn\'t do anything…when Young Miss no longer laughed freely. It was Li Mei\'s own choice and if Li Hua had also died today then it was Li Hua\'s own choice. Li Hua would never have blamed Young Miss for anything."

Li Rui\'s chin trembled as she tried to control her tears and whispered.

"Really? Li Zhan doesn\'t hate me?"

"Never."

Li Hua smiled and said firmly.

She held her Li Rui\'s hands tightly as Li Rui shed the tears she had not shed at Li Zhan\'s funeral.