(A Few Hours Ago)

Inside the Imperial study room, Eunuch Wang quietly stood by the Emperor's side as he ground the ink for the Emperor's use.

Zhao Wang Lei raised his head suddenly and looked at his old Eunuch.

"Did you talk to her yesternight?"

Eunuch Wang also stopped when he heard the Emperor's question and answered respectfully.

"Yes, Your Majesty"

Zhao Wang Lei's eyes flickered and he nodded his head indifferently. He started writing again but didn't forget to ask

"What did she say?"

"Your Majesty, the nanny said that the princess is completely ready to send her people again to kill Lady Li again as soon as Lady Li steps out of Xi Manor, and this time she even had asked the help from the first Prince. Since First Prince was humiliated by Princess Consort Yun during the banquet he blames Lady Li for that and hence he generously provided all his help to the Princess."

"Coincidentally Prime Minister Xi went out of Xi Manor today with Lady Li. The plan is to send the men while their return to Xi Manor."

However, Zhao Wang Lei who had paused again was not paying attention to those last few words at all. His eyes narrowed as he whispered

"Zhuang Chen sent help?"

His eyes narrowed as he whispered

"Did he..?"

He just whispered these few words and Eunuch Wang answered instantly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The First Prince had sent his most capable man."

Zhao Wang Lei's eyes brightened with satisfaction.

The man Eunuch Wang was talking about was the most capable shadow guard working under Zhao Zhuang Chen. Although his intelligence was not comparable to Xi Ying, his martial arts could still be compared with Xi Ying.

Zhao Wang Lei then looked back at his Eunuch and ordered

"Send some archers as well as three shadow guards. The archers will shoot the arrow at Lady Li and the shadow guards will ensure that there will be no harm done to Prime Minister Xi."

Zhao Wang Lei turned his head back to look at the front and whispered

"We still need him."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Eunuch Wang said and bowed his head to leave the study room.

However, just when he was about to leave the study room, he was stopped by the Emperor's voice.

"Is Zhao Zhang Wei still kneeling in front of the Delan Palace?"

Eunuch Wang turned around and saw that the Emperor was looking out of the window.

It was evening now and Zhao Zhang Wei had started to kneel in the morning.

"Yes, Your Majesty"

Eunuch Wang answered.

Zhao Wang Lei hummed and then said

"Send him to the study room in a shichen."

"Yes, Your Majesty"

After bowing his head, Eunuch Wang finally left the study room to complete his work.

--------

(At Present)

Inside the carriage, Xi Ying's whole body covered Li Rui.

The carriage had been silent after it had stopped and a sound was heard inside. Somehow Li Rui and Xi Ying, both knew what this sound actually meant.

The coachmen had died ..or it should be said that he was killed.

Xi Ying closed his eyes suddenly and tried to feel the energy around him.

Li Rui looked at him calmly as if she knew what he was trying to do. A few moments later, when Xi Ying opened his eyes, his face was very serious.

"How many of them are outside?"

He heard the calm voice and looked at the calm and composed woman in front of him.

Xi Ying suddenly wondered just how many times she had faced the same kind of situation to look so calm.

"Around seven."

"Don't lie."

Li Rui said as soon as Xi Ying finished.

Xi Ying was startled for a moment when he heard Li Rui's words said in such a calm voice.

"Tell me how many of them are outside?" She asked again and this time Xi Ying could only sigh.

He lied. There were many men outside.

"Many ..I can feel the energy of around thirty men."

Li Rui nodded her head at Xi Ying's words as a thoughtful look crossed her eyes.

Xi Ying thought that she was worried that how they would get out of here. So he held Li Rui's face and whispered

"You don't need to worry at all. Just stay here. I will go out and come back in some time."

"I will also go with you."

Li Rui said calmly but Xi Ying denied instantly.

"No"

His refusal came very fast making Li Rui frown.

Xi Ying sighed again and said gently

"Rui, you are pregnant. Try to understand, okay? I have my shadow guards also. I promise you that I will not let anything happen to you."

Li Rui stared at Xi Ying silently.

Did she ever say that she was worried about her own life?

A kind of irritation spread inside her heart but she never said anything.

Silently she rested her back against the seat and whispered

"Alright"

Xi Ying sighed in relief.

The next moment, he smiled deeply and suddenly leaned down to kiss Li Rui's forehead making Li Rui startled. When he leaned back, he was still very close to her face ..so close that warm breaths mixed with each other.

historical

His slender fingers stroked Li Rui's black hair and he whispered with amusement lurking in those deep black eyes.

"Good Girl."

The amusement increased when he saw a frown on Li Rui's forehead again but he didn't say anything.

He turned around to leave the carriage.

His face was cold and indifferent when he stepped out of the carriage.

His cold eyes looked at every corner where he knew those men were hiding.

"An Ping .. An Si"

The shadow guards instantly appeared by their master's side.

"An Si..you will protect Rui and An Ping will stay with me."

"Yes, Master."

"Let's get to the work then."

And hence the battle started.

Xi Ying counted thirty men thinking that he was the only one with high martial energy at the highest level in the whole Empire.

He didn't know that a shadow guard who was the same level martial artist was still hidden from his eyes. Lurking behind those deserted forests.

His sole target was the woman inside the carriage and he had never failed in his job before.