Inside General Li's study room, Xi Ying and General Li were sitting in front of each other at this moment.

"What does Prime Minister Xi want to talk about?"

General Li asked Xi Ying.

Xi Ying looked around the study room for a few moments and didn't answer General Li's question. He was actually trying to sense whether they were really alone here and no one else could hear them.

General Li who noticed Xi Ying's action could not help but frown. His face looked serious as he could feel that what Xi Ying was talking about might be something very important.

Otherwise, why would Xi Ying suddenly come here especially to meet him!

On the other hand, Xi Ying also looked at General Li. He was now sure that they were alone.

"General Li, this Lord wanted to ask you a very important question."

General Li nodded his head indicating that Xi Ying could continue. Xi Ying paused for a moment again before he continued. His eyes observed General Li's each and every expression as he asked

"Before Zhao Wang Lei became the Emperor, was there any other candidate for the throne except him?"

Xi Ying saw General Li's eyes flickering and his fists clenched. It means that General Li knew the answer to this question.

He sighed in relief. It was a good thing because he couldn't ask any other person such a question and he didn't really know who could answer this question of his except General Li.

"Why do you want to know this?"

General Li frowned and asked Xi Ying and Xi Ying sighed heavily. Knowing how stubborn the middle-aged General was, he wondered if he will easily tell the answer.

"General Li, this Lord will tell you the reason too but for that, I first need to find the answer to my question. Only then I can believe what I got to know."

General Li looked at Xi Ying with narrowed eyes for the next few seconds as if he was trying to find out whether Xi Ying was lying to him or not.

"You better not lie to me otherwise I will tell Rui about all this."

Xi Ying's lips twitched.

"The old General could do this one thing only. Threatening him with his wife. He pretended to ignore General Li's words and waited for him to say anything.

Finally, General Li said

"The previous Emperor had a younger brother. Zhao Yuang Rong..he was seven years older than His Majesty(Zhao Wang Lei) but His Majesty used to adore him a lot. Except for His Majesty, only he was the man in the Imperial Clan who could become the next Emperor. In fact, everyone had thought that it would be Zhao Yuang Rong who would become the next Emperor. However, everyone's thoughts changed when the previous Emperor died and his old Eunuch found a decree in his chambers that said that it was his son only who could become the next Emperor."

"Where is Zhao Yuang Rong now?"

historical

Xi Ying asked General Li curiously. Was it weird that he never knew anything about this Zhao Yuang Rong and he had never heard anyone mentioning him ever?

General Li's face also went serious at his mention. Xi Ying noticed it.

"It is forbidden to mention him."

Xi Ying raised his eyebrows in surprise. Just when he was about to ask General Li 'why', General Li said on his own.

"The morning the previous Emperor have been found dead, Zhao Yuang Rong was found inside his chambers with a sword in his hands. He was suspected to .."

"..kill the previous Emperor."

Xi Ying finished General Li's incomplete words.

A moment later, a cold smile made its way on his lips. He seemed to guess what had happened next.

Zhao Yuang Rong was suspected to kill the previous Emperor and hence he was executed. The order was given by none other than Zhao Wang Lei.

"Did someone investigate the matter?"

He asked General Li without any emotion on his face. General Li shook his head.

"His Majesty had actually ordered an investigation but then Zhao Yuang Rong accepted on his own that it was he who did it. The next morning, he was executed in the Imperial prison and His Majesty passed an Imperial decree that mentioning his name was forbidden. Talking about Zhao Yuang Rong became a crime and with time people forgot everything."

Xi Ying inhaled sharply.

There were still many questions inside his mind and he still had to find their answer. However, everything still seemed to be as clear water to him now.

He shook his head.

He couldn't believe that Zhao Wang Lei played such a filthy game to get the throne. However, when he remembered that horrible dream from that night, Xi Ying suddenly didn't think that it was that difficult to believe it.

Zhao Wang Lei could really do it.

In his past life, when he could backstab him, kill his son and wife when he helped him so much regardless of anything, then he could also kill his own father and put all the blame on someone else.

Xi Ying came out of his trance when he heard General Li's words.

"Prime Minister Xi, now it is your turn."

He smiled lightly but the smile didn't have any humor as he stared at General Li silently for a few seconds before he said

"General Li, a few days back when this Lord had come to you and asked you to help this Lord in dethroning the Emperor, you had said that you can't do this. Because you and your ancestors had sworn to protect the prestige of the Imperial throne, the person who ruled it..wasn't that what you had said?"

General Li still looked confused but nonetheless nodded his head while Xi Ying continued

"General Li, you don't want to against Zhao Wang Lei because of your oath. However, what will you do if you will come to know that the same Zhao Wang Lei didn't care about the prestige of the Imperial throne?"

"What will you say if this Lord tells you that Zhao Wang Lei was never the chosen Emperor by the previous Emperor? Will you still try to protect him?"