Chapter 783: Li Rong Realizes Her Mistake
He just sat in the study room and rested there. Staring at the ceiling, his mind was full of thoughts.
Actually he regretted what he said earlier but he didn't know if he was really wrong.
Li Rong was changing day by day and he felt helpless. He knew that what happened with their children had deeply hurt her but that doesn't give her the right to blame everything on his brother.
Towards Li Rui, he still felt very apologetic.
He had been patient with his wife until now and this was because of his father's teachings.
She left her home in order to stay with him.
How could he treat her unfairly! When he came to know about Li Rong's plight in his maternal Manor, Li Qiang was more determined to cherish her and make her forget all the bad memories.
He even gave her the responsibility of teaching everything to their children. However, now everything went wrong.
He was still not blaming her but Li Rong's attitude was disappointing him to the core these days.
He actually didn't want anything now.
He just wished that he could have a peaceful life with his wife. He would be happy if Li Chen would never go down that path again and betray his own clan for the greed of power.
It was almost night when Li Qiang went back to the courtyard. Regardless of how much angry he was at Li Rong, he was also worried about her. He knew that his words must have hurt her deeply.
His steps were light as he opened the door and stepped inside.
Inside the room, he found his wife seated on the bed with a somewhat pale face.
Li Qiang frowned worriedly that she was not well.
On the other hand, Li Rong who realized his presence raised her head to look at him.
"Qiang.."
As soon as she saw him, Li Rong stood up from the bed and ran towards him.
"Qiang.."
Tears streamed down her eyes as she hugged her husband tightly. As if she was disappearing that he would disappear the next moment.
"Where were you? I looked for you everywhere."
Hearing her choked voice, Li Qiang's frown got deeper and he gently patted her back.
"I was in the study room. Where would I go? You were worrying unnecessarily."
Li Rong didn't say anything and hugged him tightly.
Remembering what Li Heng had told her in the morning, her body trembled fiercely.
"How could you think of doing that, Qiang?"
Li Rong spoke as fresh tears rolled down her eyes.
Li Qiang didn't understand his wife's question and was about to ask her when he heard her say
"You wanted to surrender yourself after killing the Emperor..how could you even think of doing such a thing?"
Li Qiang froze when he heard his wife's words.
It took him a long time to compose himself and he asked her hurriedly
"Who told you this?"
Li Rong moved away from him and looked at her husband with despair-filled eyes.
"Li Heng told me."
Li Qiang frowned but didn't say anything. He didn't know how much Li Heng had told his wife so he stayed silent. However, when Li Rong held his arm and made him look at her, he was slightly guilty.., especially because of what she said
"Did you think about me before deciding to do that?"
Seeing him so silent, Li Rong felt as if someone had clutched her heart and squeezed it tightly.
She covered her face with her palms as she cried nonstop while speaking
"I would have died if something happened to you."
Seeing her state, Li Qiang swallowed. His own eyes were starting to fill with tears but he had to control himself and comfort his wife.
He smiled forcefully and whispered
"And here I thought that you only love your children."
When Li Rong removed her hands from her face, her face was blank. A moment later, she suddenly held Li Qiang's hand and said sincerely
"You are my husband, Qiang. I won't be alive if you left me."
Li Qiang nodded his head but didn't say anything.
Li Rong gulped. The whole day she had been pondering over what Li Chen said. Li Qiang's words also shook her world. Afterward, what Li Heng told her, she was very afraid.
When she couldn't find her husband anywhere, her fear increased. She thought that she had become so unbearable to Li Qiang that he didn't even wish to see her face anymore.
Perhaps all these thoughts cleared the fog that had covered Li Rong's mind. Or perhaps the son she loved so much had finally helped her to realize the things she should have realized not long ago.
"I would never bring Li Na and Li Caihong again."
She spoke suddenly but her words were firm.
Li Qiang was immensely surprised when he heard this. Looking at his wife's firm face, he didn't know what was going on inside her heart.
However, when he heard her next words, Li Qiang felt very relaxed.
"I only need you, Qiang. You must never do something like that again."
While saying this, a tear still slid down her eyes. Li Qiang gently wiped it away and looked at her red eyes.
"I won't do that ever again."
He promised and gently kissed her forehead.
As he hugged his wife in his arms, Li Qiang wondered if everything would finally start to go in the right direction.
The peace he felt at that moment was incomparable to anything he felt in the past few months.
It would be a good thing for both of them if Li Rong would learn to forget the past.
--------
The war ended and everything was finally peaceful.
Inside the Empress's chambers, Zhao Zhang Wei was reviewing documents just like the past few days.
However, his body was slightly taut today.
It was because he could feel his wife's gaze on himself every now and then.
Although Zhao Zhang Wei didn't know what the matter was, he felt delighted that Yi Huiqing had her attention on him.
These past few days had suddenly encouraged him and he was not confident that he could make up for the past and that they could be like before.
"Your Majesty.."
Zhao Zhang Wei immediately raised his head and looked at his wife when he heard her calling him.
"Qingqing.."
historical
He said her name gently.
Yi Huiqing looked calm in front of his gentleness. In front of such a good behaviour, she never dared to think unnecessary and only thought that it was Zhao Zhang Wei's politeness to treat her good.
Perhaps he knew that the divorce could damage the reputation of both of them so he was doing his best to have a harmonious relationship with her.
And she was also doing her best to put aside the past.
Yi Huiqing thought that that was the only thing she could give to this relationship which didn't have much left in it.
"Your Majesty, this one was wondering if the palette system of choosing a concubine should be started or if this one should wait for a few days."
Zhao Zhang Wei's gentle expression suddenly wavered and it was replaced by blankness.
The palate system..was she talking about the process by which the Emperor chose with which concubine he wishes to spend the night.
Zhao Zhang Wei's heart suddenly cooled down as he looked at his wife.
A moment later, a thin smile was there on his lips and he asked her calmly
"Does Qingqing not like me coming here every day?"
Otherwise, why would she suggest something like this?
He was actually deeply angry and hurt by what she said. However, he also knew that he didn't enjoy the position inside her heart he used to in the past.
Maybe she felt bothered by his presence. If that were the case, he will try to reduce his presence although it will be difficult for him.
However, Yi Huiqing immediately denied this.
"This one never meant this, Your Majesty."
Zhao Zhang Wei's heart relaxed slightly and he asked her calmly
"Then what is it? Why do you suggest something like this?"
Yi Huiqing was smiling but inside her heart, she was slightly confused as to how she should answer this. In the end, what she said was
"It is something that every Emperor does. It is this one's duty to arrange this so this one just wanted to know Your Majesty's opinion."
However, Zhao Zhang Wei didn't think so.
His phoenix eyes suddenly went to the table she was sitting in front of.
He stood up from his own chair and walked towards her.
Yi Huiqing noticed his gaze and her eyes widened when she realized what he was looking at. However, then she thought there was nothing to hide about it.
She looked calm as Zhao Zhang Wei picked up the letter that was placed on the table and read it.
It was a letter from one of the ministers in the Imperial Court. The ministers could write letters to the Empress as there were some areas that only the Empress looked into and she also granted the funds that could be used for the decoration of the Imperial Palace.
With this, if someone wanted to give some advice, according to his position he could do so.
The letter was sent to Yi Huiqing the minister of revenue only.
It suggested to the Empress that she should show her virtuous quality by starting the palette system soon.
When Zhao Zhang Wei's put down the letter, his face was emotionless. He looked at his wife's face which was calm.
He felt slightly panicked when he saw her so calm but decided to suppress this feeling and said
"Qingqing, I will manage this on my own. Don't worry about this."
Yi Huiqing didn't know what he was going to do but she only nodded her head and didn't interfere in this matter anymore.