Chapter 23: Yi Huiqing

"Rui My Child, Aunt hopes that you are doing well. I am writing this letter to you to make a request. Aunt wants you to visit Qingqing once. Aunt could do it herself but I fell today and twisted my feet. Aunt knows that you are close to Qingqing and hopes that you can go once to see her... "

This was what Xi Ying read in the letter sent to Li Rui in the morning. Currently, they were sitting inside the carriage heading to the imperial palace.

The strange thing was Li Rui didn't bring any maid with her. It was not the only strange thing. More strange was the reaction of Li Rui's maids.

Both of her maids had pale faces after hearing that Li Rui was going to enter the imperial palace. They seemed so scared as if their world was coming to the end. They stiffly prepared a proper dress for her.

After getting dressed, Li Rui decisively said that she would be going to enter alone and allowed no refusal when her maids were about to cut her off.

Sitting inside the carriage, Xi Ying looked at his wife. She seemed more and more mysterious to him as the days were passing by.

He found that she was far away from the selfish and scheming woman as he had pictured her in his mind. At the same time, she seems to have so many secrets.

Like her knowledge in medicines.

The way to the imperial palace was very long. Xi Ying's mother used to like silence so his father had made the Xi Manor a little far away from the imperial palace to keep it free from the Imperial City hustle-bustle. The route was long so it took a long time to reach the imperial palace.

Fortunately, the steward prepared everything accordingly knowing that Li Rui was going to the Imperial Palace.

In the middle, the roads were deserted that's why he sent enough servants with her.

After about half a shichen, they were outside the gates of Imperial Palace.

***(Shichen - Period of Two hours)

Although there were not good rumors about Li Rui in the entire city, she was still the main wife of Prime Minister Xi and the Di daughter of Li Manor. That's why she entered the palace without much difficulty. Even her carriage was allowed to go inside.

Just after entering the Imperial Palace, she found a maid standing a few steps away continuously looking at the Palace gates.

Seeing the carriage, she walked towards it. Li Rui found her familiar and remembered that she was Yi Huiqing's maid. She got out of the carriage. It seems that her Aunt, Yi Yang, knew that Li Rui would never refuse this request of her and informed the maid beforehand.

The maid bowed her head to express her greetings and looked around. Seeing no maids with Li Rui, she just lowered her head and remained silent. Then she turned around and led the way for her.

Fortunately, on her way towards Yi Huiqing's courtyard, Li Rui never met anyone. She silently followed the maid. It was only after the maid stopped, opened the gates of a room for her, and indicated her to go inside did she opened her mouth, and asked

"What happened to your mistress?"

The maid seemed startled by her question. She had expected Li Rui to know everything.

Even Li Rui had not wanted to ask anything but the atmosphere of the courtyard seemed very depressing.

The maid remained silent for a few seconds then with a choked voice she replied

"My Lady, the Princess miscarried two days ago."

A heavy sigh escaped from Li Rui's lips.

A moment later, she licked her lips and finally stepped inside the room. The room was very large and very beautiful. The large bed was hidden by translucent curtains.

When Li Rui opened the curtains, she saw a very pale face. She almost couldn't recognize Yi Huiqing. The once lively and tender girl was gone and what replaced her was a broken shell. Her lips were dry and her hair was in mess. She was wearing a plain dress.

Li Rui sat on the edge of the bed and gently took Yi Huiqing's wrist in her hand. A few moments later, a cold and sharp look flashed through her eyes that disappeared quickly. When she lifted her head she found that Yi Huiqing was looking at her. Maybe her movements awakened her.

"Why are you here?.... It must be Mother who asked you to come right? I am fine. Mother just worries too much."

Yi Huiqing's voice was very dry and hoarse. She had to pause after every sentence.

Li Rui stared at her for a few seconds and then gently messaged her hands. She didn't say anything and sat by her side silently.

Feeling comfortable, Yi Huiqing closed her eyes.

A few minutes passed by and no one said anything.

"Rui, Do I not deserve to be a mother?"

Yi Huiqing asked suddenly a few moments later.

That's why God snatched her child from her both the time. It took her a great courage to move on the last time. It was very painful that once. If it was not her Mother who compelled her to birth a child she would not have tried again.

Li Rui still said nothing. She lifted her head and saw that Yi Huiqing was crying. Her tears didn't stop for a long time. It seemed that she had not cried for a long time. Li Rui didn't stop her.

When she seemed to cease her crying, Li Rui opened her mouth.

"Jiejie, It is good to show your emotions sometimes. If you can't handle it, then you don't have to pretend that you are fine with everything."

Her Mother's words rang in Yi Huiqing's ears.

'Qingqing, you can never show your emotion in the Imperial Palace. Even in front of your maids, you have to pretend that you are very strong. Only then they will follow your orders and you can hold your position.'

Li Rui asked her again.

"Where is he?"

Yi Huiqing answered after a few seconds.

"Wangye is busy."

Li Rui put her hand back on the bed gently. She took the water from the bedside and dabbed Yi Huiqing's dried lips with it. After doing this, she looked at her sister in the eyes.

"Jiejie, You are poisoned. The child died because of the poison. It is not your fault."

Yi Huiqing seemed to be very shocked.

She wanted to say that the Physician said nothing like this to her. But seeing Li Rui's firm eyes, her words stuck in her throat and she couldn't let them out. Her sister will never lie to her. Yi Huiqing knew her.

Li Rui continued after a minute.

"Jiejie, This pain is what Jiejie has chosen for herself. You are running after something that can never be yours; because he never wants to be yours.

...Why? Just for holding this position. Rui wonders what priceless things this position is giving Jiejie. Jiejie is only losing herself by continuing like this."

The words struck Yi Huiqing's heart. It was the truth she never wanted to hear. For four years, she had been sincere to her husband who never visited her except the first and fifteenth day of the month. Because her mother told her it was only her husband whom she could rely on otherwise she would be eaten alive in the Imperial Palace.

What did she get?

No one saved her child.

Now she wondered if her first child also died because of being poisoned. How can Wangye (Prince) not know all this? It was only she who didn't know anything. No one fought for her child.

Why would he care for her heart when he had so many to choose from? An imperial prince would never be like the men of Yi and Li Clan who loved only one woman in their whole life.

Rui's words were true.

Why run after something that is giving you pain only? For the first time in four years, she felt like she saw some light. She let out a tired sigh.

After closing her eyes and she said

"Rui, your Jiejie is very tired."

Li Rui studied her face as if she can read her like a book. Then with a very warm voice, while stroking her hair she said

"Then Jiejie should rest. Rui will stay here with Jiejie for a while."