When Xi Ying got to know about Lu Jianye's actions from his shadow guard, he was just ready to leave Xi Manor.

He just shook his head helplessly and then looked at his wife curiously

"What do you think Li Na feed that boy to make him so bewitched? I had thought that u Jianye was better than this."

Li Rui just smiled as she helped Xi Ying in wearing the robe.

A moment later, she spoke suddenly.

"I don't think that he loves her. It could be mere attraction he felt for Li Na when he saw her dancing in the banquet."

Xi Ying paused amidst his action of wearing the robe. Was it his illusion or he seemed to hear something meaningful in Li Rui's voice?

A moment later, Xi Ying suddenly turned around and held Li Rui's shoulder firmly but gently. He stared into Li Rui's eyes trying to find something he was doubting. However, he couldn't find anything so he could only asking

"Rui, do you think that I, too, was merely attracted to you and I think of that attraction as my 'love' for you?"

Li Rui's lips were pressed in a thin line and she didn't say anything after hearing Xi Ying's question. She had actually said those words intentionally but she had not expected that Xi Ying would ask her directly.

It was not that she was afraid to answer Xi Ying's question because that was what she actually thought. However, when she saw the hurt flashing through Xi Ying's eyes at her silence, she suddenly couldn't find anything to say. Flustered again, she turned her head away wondering how come the man had the power to make her go speechless every time.

Regardless of whether she loved Xi Ying or not, Li Rui knew that now she cared for Xi Ying's feelings and hence she didn't want to hurt him. It perhaps started from the evening where he had fought for her against her own family members.

Or perhaps when he didn't care for his life while saving her from those enemies' shadow guards.

Li Rui cared for those people very much who cared for her and now Xi Ying was also one of them. She demanded respect in exchange of respect.

In one or other way, her behavior towards the other party depended on how the other party was heaving with her.

Perhaps that's why Xi Ying confession had left her flustered that night. She wouldn't be able to respond to his feelings in the same way ever or that was what she thought.

She came out of her thoughts when Xi Ying suddenly held her face and made her look into his eyes as he said

"Rui..if it was possible to prove to you in any way that I really love you very much then I would not have hesitated to do that."

Resting his forehead on her forehead on hers, he whispered gently

"Love is a very small word for what I feel for you. The feeling here..it can not be expressed in any words, Rui."

Xi Ying moved Li Rui's hand on his chest as he spoke his last words.

A moment later, he leaned back and looked at Li Rui with a smile that hid all the pain he was feeling at this moment.

"It's okay if you don't believe me now."

He stroked Li Rui's cheek gently as he said this.

"I will spend my whole life loving you. There must be day few years later where you will be able to believe me."

With that, Xi Ying kissed Li Rui's forehead softly and then left for the Imperial Palace.

While Li Rui was just confused now as she looked at Xi Ying's back. She looked at her hand that Xi Ying had put on his chest. She remembered just how fast his heart was beating under her palm. She would have thought that he was sick if she had not looked at his face and eyes that looked perfectly normal.

'I will spend my whole life loving you. There must be day few years later where you will be able to believe me.'

Silently she wondered whether there really would come a day like that.

------

historical

"Empire Wu is ready to make peace with us."

A very big announcement was made by the Emperor in the Imperial Assembly that morning.

Empire Wu was none other than the neighboring Empire with which Xin had been fighting all along since the past few years.

The same Empire with which the battle had led Li and Yi Clan in a difficult circumstances.

Whispers soon started to run through the huge Imperial Assembly.

Was it really wise to make peace with the Empire who conspired with General Yun to win the battle? This had only showed that Empire Wu was fully determined to win Xin at that time.

As if sensing what other ministers were thinking, Zhao Wang Lei spoke again

"The Emperor of Wu had sent a letter that says that he never knew about this kind of deal. It was one of the general who made it with General Yun. He had already dealt with his General and his Clan. He wouldn't mind if we send our people and want to investigate if there was anyone else involved with General Yun and they will cooperate with us completely."

The whispers sure enough died down a little after these words. If it was really true then there was no harm in making peace with Wu. However, who knew if it was just a trap.

Zhao Wang Lei spoke again.

"Zhen wants someone wise and capable to look into this peace making process and verify if the peace would really be benefitting for the Empire and if the Emperor of the Wu is really genuine to make the peace. A few days later, a convoy from Wu will be sent to discuss the conditions of this peace-making process and Zhen wants only that minister to discuss everything with that convoy."

It was a silent and direct indication who this minister was going to. Everyone's eyes went to the cold, indifferent and young prime minister who was sitting most closely to the Emperor after the Imperial Princes.

And sure enough, the next moment, everyone heard the Emperor calling Xi Ying out

"Prime Minister Xi"