Chapter 271 - Was General Li Using Rui?
"Li Heng..he never told me any such thing?"
Li Qiang whispered in a daze.
Unconsciously his eyes looking at Xi Ying were filled with doubts.
'His younger brother..he would never hide such a thing from him.' That was what Li Qiang thought.
historical
Hence with this thought occupying his mind, Li Qiang could not help but doubt the certainty of Xi Ying's words. Even Li Jiang was looking at Xi Ying with suspicious eyes.
He would have believed all of this if even his Elder Brother knew about this because he could understand if his second brother wanted to hide it from him. However, if his Elder Brother also doesn't know about it then Li Jiang also had the same thought as his Elder Brother.
It must be Xi Ying who is lying.
The doubt-filled eyes didn't bother Xi Ying at all.
He didn't care whether the two brothers trusted him or not.
To him, the only person who could affect his feelings with her each and every action was his wife, Li Rui.
Except for her, Xi Ying's heart was naturally indifferent to anyone else.
What he really wanted to do was to remove Li Rui's fears completely. Because according to his understanding Li Rui will not able to trust him at all with those fears inside her mind and heart.
It was a start.
One by one he would remove those fears and made her the Rui that she was ..the one whom General Li had mentioned to him.
He wanted to see that Rui..she was hidden somewhere behind that calm and indifferent mask of hers.
"Minister Li, I just told you everything because I want you to know everything. I want you to know that a single household of your clan is doing so much to save the whole clan and I think that other household should also show their support because this Lord doesn't want his wife to worry about anything. If Minister Li doesn't believe me, then you can ask General Li also."
said Xi Ying as he stood up from his seat.
Just at this moment, the door of the study room opened the three people turned their heads towards the door of the room.
"What does Elder Brother needs to ask me?"
General Li stepped inside the study with a confused smile on his face.
Xi Ying didn't say anything but Li Qiang and Li Jiang continued to look at General Li's face silently.
Li Qiang couldn't help but remember how, that day, the first prince had indicated to him indirectly to go against his brother Li Heng and snatch everything from him. He even proposed to help him in this matter.
Remembering those words, he glanced at the cold-faced prime minister and somehow started to believe whatever Xi Ying had told them a few moments ago.
"Li Heng"
Li Qiang's face didn't have any emotion as he called out to his younger brother.
General Li was startled. His Elder rarely called him by his full name.. it was only when he was very angry with him.
He looked at his younger brother only to find the disappointment lurking in his eyes.
General Li frowned unable to understand what happened in this small amount of time. However, his frown and confusion were soon replaced with a panicked expression when he suddenly looked at Xi Ying.
However, he could not ask Xi Ying anything directly in front of his brothers as he was afraid that if Xi Ying didn't tell them anything then his own words would create some suspicions inside their hearts.
But General Li didn't need to ask Xi Ying anything because Li Qiang himself asked his younger brother coldly.
"Li Heng, what Prime Minister Xi is saying true?? Our Li Clan..does His Majesty wants to destroy our clan and take the military power from us?"
An ear-deafening silence prevailed in the study room.
General Li's eyes, for a very small moment, widened on itself with surprise, and then General looked at his dear son-in-law with his furious eyes.
However, his dear son-in-law seemed to enjoy General Li's 'love-filled' eyes and smirked openly as he said
"You should answer your brother's questions, General Li..instead of showing your 'love' to me."
Xi Ying savored the increasing irritation and anger in General Li's eyes with great satisfaction before General Li understood what he was doing.
Huffing General Li finally looked at his brothers who had never moved his eyes away and stated with an exhausted sigh leaving his lips
"Yes, Elder Brother."
Li Qiang's eyes widened and Li Jiang also had a concerned and serious face.
"Why didn't you tell us anything, Second Brother?"
Li Jiang asked General Li, who closed his eyes and didn't say anything.
Xi Ying looked at General Li with curiosity-filled eyes. He was curious if General Li will also tell his brothers only a half story like he told his daughter.
The other half of the story was important as well as very nicely hidden.
It was only because Xi Ying had witnessed something at the last moment when he had got his body back and hence he knew that other half of the story. Otherwise, he was sure that he would have never been able to find out anything no matter how much he had investigated.
And without that part, he would have never known just how selfish the people were whom he thought of as Xin's protectors.
Because that part revealed just why the Emperor was so much against Li Clan.
And General Li didn't let Xi Ying wait for more time. He answered soon .. an answer that Xi Ying didn't like at all.
"I was not sure in the beginning. I had thought that it was just me overthinking about His Majesty's actions but slowly I saw that His Majesty was really trying to do this since he got the throne."
"Before he didn't do anything big but after the incident of fourteen years ago when I threatened him in the Imperial Court to stop him from punishing Li Rui .. the Emperor became very angry.. He wants to destroy Li Clan so that the military power can come under the hands of Imperial Clan."