His Rui

Xi Ying didn't go to Plum Courtyard that night.

He had his dinner in his study room only. He was relieved when Li Rui also didn't come to persuade him.

He didn't want to order his shadow guards to let her stay outside nor did he want to talk about what she wanted to talk about.

His wife had a way of talking …even if she doesn't…he was afraid that he would not be able to refuse her if she insisted.

A part of his heart was actually slightly angry and hurt as he wondered whether she thought about him and their children before asking him such a thing.

Perhaps he was also afraid that he would say or ask something bitter, he decided to avoid her.

However, he could avoid Li Rui because he didn't want to show his angry side to her.

But there was no such restriction for other people.

Hence, the next morning the ministers in the Imperial Court saw Xi Ying so furious for the first time.

It was when Imperial Physician Yun entered the Imperial Assembly to brief everyone about whatever he had concluded from the information he received from the affected region.

In the end, the old physician told the Emperor that he had been unable to find a cure.

"Your Majesty, this one however noticed that Lady Li's suggestion of having the affected person drink a lot of water is helping people in some way."

The ministers looked at each other when they heard this while Xi Ying's face was emotionless.

He didn't know what he should feel.

However, when Imperial Physician Yun said

"Your Majesty, this one has seen Lady Li's capability before once as well when Young Prince had been poisoned. Lady Li had successfully cured him. This one would suggest that Lady Li go there and then…"

"No one asked for your suggestion!"

Xi Ying's sharp voice cut Physician Yun amidst his words.

Physician Yun had always been respected in the Imperial Palace. Though he flinched when he heard Xi Ying's cold voice, his face was red with anger when he realized how Xi Ying interrupted him.

"Prime Minister Xi, this one has the right to put some suggestion in front of Your Majesty in such circumstances as an Imperial Physician."

A few ministers couldn't help but applaud Physician Yun for being so brave that he was standing up against the formidable prime minister.

However, Xi Ying looked colder.

Looking at the old physician coldly, he said in an icy voice.

"You do have the right. However, this Lord also has the right to decide whether this Lord's wife would go there or not."

Calmly, Xi Ying turned to look at Zhao Zhang Wei and said

"Your Majesty, this subject's wife had just given birth to a child. Not only her body is weak, this Lord's daughter also requires her presence. This Lord can't allow her to go to the affected region." 𝒇𝐫ℯ𝑒𝒘ℯ𝑏n𝑜ѵ𝐞l.c𝗼𝗺

Zhao Zhang Wei looked at Xi Ying deeply.

In fact, he had also thought about it. But could he not understand Xi Ying's fear?

If he had been in the same situation, then he would have never let Yi Huiqing go there.

Then how could he force Xi Ying?

So he dismissed the matter and asked Physician Yun to go there with his disciples.

That was how Xi Ying managed this matter in the Imperial Palace.

When he went back to Xi Manor, he decided to go to the study room directly. He didn't have the courage to go to Plum Courtyard until he finds some solution to this problem. Once he finds some solution, he would go to Rui and tell her that she no longer needed to go there.

However, he had not expected that when he would open the door of the study room, he would see his wife seated on the chair that was specifically placed for her just beside his chair.

Xi Ying's eyes widened and he immediately closed the door.

"An Shing, why didn't you inform this Lord?"

Xi Ying asked his shadow guard who was guarding the door. However, the latter only looked at his master innocently and said

"Master never asked."

Xi Ying's lips twitched while An Shing lowered his head in guilt. He didn't know what happened between his master and Lady Li but he knew that his master was upset with Lady Li.

So he intentionally let his master go inside.

However, he was disappointed when he saw his master turning around to leave.

Just at that moment, the door of the room opened and a soft voice sounded in Xi Ying's ears.

"Jia, your father doesn't want to see you. He is ignoring us. Let us do the same, alright?"

Li Rui said to Xi Jia who was blowing a bubble from her mouth.

An Shing's looked at the child with tender eyes and was sure that his master would not be able to stop himself now.

However, Xi Ying firmed his heart and took a step forward.

But Li Rui's voice sounded again.

"Continue to run away. By tomorrow, she won't even remember your face."

After finishing her words, Li Rui lowered her head and smiled at her daughter.

She ignored Xi Ying and decided to leave from there.

However, when she was a few steps away from the study room, she suddenly felt a hand around her waist and then a deep voice fell into his ears.

"Jia…here is father. Do you remember father?"

Xi Jia's eyes were filled with brightness when she saw Xi Ying. She laughed and even stretched her hand out slightly.

Xi Ying's heart melted at the sight and he took the child from his wife's arms.

As they walked to Plum Courtyard, he played with his daughter.

A few moments later, they were inside their room.

Sitting on the bed, Li Rui looked at her daughter and her husband calmly.

Her daughter was now asleep and Xi Ying was patting her chest gently.

Looking at his face, she whispered in a low voice.

"Are you afraid that I will get infected if I went there?"

Xi Ying stilled for a moment before he hummed.

A moment later, he raised his head and looked at her calm face.

"What if I promise you that I won't touch anyone until I find some cure? I will protect myself very well, Ying. I am a physician. I know how a disease can spread. I will cover myself very well. I won't get infected. Believe me, alright?"

"No!"

Xi Ying whispered in an exasperated voice.

He stood up and walked towards the door. However, when he was outside the room, his sleeve was caught by his wife again.

"Ying, do you think if I will stay here I will stay safe? As a physician, I know that if the disease is so contagious then it will find one or another way to spread. We need to eliminate it completely. If we didn't then it will spread to more areas and perhaps reach Imperial City as well."

"I won't let that happen."

Xi Ying said immediately.

"You can't do anything against a disease."

Li Rui said helplessly.

"Then do you want me to send you there? Rui, can you even put me in your place? Did you think about our children…about me? Leave me…you don't love me but you love our children, right? Or you don't even love them?"

It was only when he finished, did he realize that he seemed to have said too much in his anger.

Looking at Li Rui's shocked face, his heart seemed to be gripped by something. In the end, he could leave the courtyard.

It was late at night when Li Rui suddenly felt a hand stroking her hair.

She opened her eyes and saw the man sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Give me a week, okay? If I couldn't do anything, then …"

Xi Ying was very reluctant to say what he was going to say but in the end, he said

"Then we will go there together."