Chapter 736: Thinking Of Some Other Plan"I will think of some other plan. Don't worry."
Xi Ying assured Li Rui who nodded her head.
She had taken just a step when she turned around to look at him again and said
"Ying, can you try to think of a plan that would not put anyone at risk?"
Xi Ying smiled and held her hand while assuring her.
"Don't worry, your Ying won't put anyone's life in danger. I know how precious all three people are to you, Rui. I would never want to see you sad."
Xi Ying's assurance should have relaxed Li Rui's worries. However, she only thought that he didn't seem to understand what she had wanted to say.
She cleared her throat as if preparing herself to say something big and then said calmly
"The plan should not put you in risk as well, Ying."
Xi Ying's face went blank for a moment before joy started to surface in his eyes.
However, when Li Rui saw his blank eyes, she thought that he was not agreeing. She immediately stepped forward and said
"Ying, your life is as important as my clan's safety to me. Think before making any plan. Think what will Rui do if something really happened to you amidst all this. Do you think that Riui will be kept alive if you were found out? Xiao Ling, I and our unborn child…we need you to be safe and healthy, Ying. That's why I didn't approve of that plan. Not only because it could have caused unnecessary bloodshed, it would have also put your life at risk."
When Li Rui finished, she looked at Xi Ying again and he looked just like before.
Worried she shook his sleeve lightly and called out.
"Ying…"
"I will be careful."
Xi Ying said in a slightly low voice. He was too overwhelmed to say anything.
The fact that she thought so much for him was somewhat joyous as well as uncomfortable for him.
He felt joyous because the woman he loved cared for him and he felt uncomfortable because he had given all the discomforts to her once.
Keeping a child away from a mother…what other merciless discomfort he could have given her!
He didn't know if he deserved her care or not.
They were silent after that.
Xi Ying also composed himself a few moments later.
Perhaps because everything between them was solved now, Li Rui finally was feeling sleepy. Xi Ying saw when she yawned and immediately suggested that they should go back to the room.
Outside the wind was still cold at night though the winter had started to go away slowly and slowly.
Li Rui was deeply asleep within a few minutes of lying down on the bed.
Only when Xi Ying was sure that she was asleep did he close his eyes and went to sleep.
The next morning, he woke up early and went to the small open ground to practice swordsmanship. Just nearby, General Li was already awake to train the soldiers.
General Li noticed Xi Ying but didn't come to talk to him. Xi Ying was also busy with his own swordsmanship.
His face was emotionless and his eyes were ice cold as his sword slashed the win like a knife. The sound could clearly be heard and hence the intensity of his attack could also be felt.
The soldiers were in awe as they watched his swordsmanship.
General Li also let them see as much as they wanted to do for today. Watching was also an exercise.
Almost a quarter of shichen later, Xi Ying stopped.
Sweat was rolling down his body like water. He looked at the sky which had started to brighten slowly and slowly and decided to go back and get fresh.
He knew that his wife would be awake very soon.
Xi Ying got ready after going back to the courtyard. It was another thing that Li Rui didn't wake up as he had expected.
Perhaps because she slept late at night. He also didn't want to disturb her sleep.
However, he didn't let the small pig lying on the bed inside the room.
He woke up Xi Ling and when the brat was awake he signed him to stay silent.
Xi Ling also saw that his mother was asleep so he didn't dare to make any noise. After they were out of the room, Liu Lan took Xi Ling to wash up.
Together the father and son finished their breakfast.
Before leaving, Xi Ying took a book from the small library inside his wife's courtyard and gave it to his son.
He also strictly told him not to disturb his mother's sleep. Afterwards, Xi Ying left for the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Assembly lasted for a long time today.
The winter was about to end and soon a new year would start. A very huge banquet was to be organized in the Imperial Palace on the evening of new year. .
Not only this, the ministers in the Imperial Court also raised a new issue today.
The seat of the Empress was vacant after Qin Wenya's execution. There was not any consort in the Imperial harem who could be promoted to become the current Empress and hence the ministers raised this issue in front of Zhao Wang Lei.
Xi Ying and every other minister saw the frustration lurking in Zhao Wang Lei's eyes when Minister Xin stood up and talked about this matter.
Minister Xin went silent for a moment when he saw this.
On the other hand, Xi Ying smiled coldly. He knew that the reason behind Zhao Wang Lei's frustration was quite different.
The great emperor now wanted the only one woman whom he couldn't get. How could he bear to make any other woman his Empress! He might have done so years ago keeping the stone on his heart.
However, how could he do so again when he felt there were huge chances of completing his lifelong dream.
Xi Ying almost scoffed when Zhao Wang Lei spoke
"Zhen already has two sons. Anyone out of them can ascend the throne after Zhen. So why does Zhen need a woman by his side?"
If only Zhao Wang Lei had exercised this restraint truly mentally then Xi Ying would have not felt the need to make so many plans.
Minister Xin stood there with his head bowed silently and spoke only after a few moments
"Your Majesty, this subject doesn't wish to state the importance of the seat of the Empress. Your Majesty knows better than this subject. However, such an important seat can't be left vacant for even a month regardless of what the circumstances are. There is a huge Imperial harem. Not only that is managed by an Empress but many other matters related to the comfort of Your Majesty are managed by the same."
Minister Xin had just finished when another minister stood up and started speaking.
"Minister Xin is right, Your Majesty. Before Your Majesty had ordered these subjects that Your Majesty's personal life is not ought to be discussed in the Imperial Court and hence when Your Majesty didn't wish to marry any other concubine, all the subjects understood Your Majesty's wish. However, now there is no woman in the Imperial harem for Your Majesty. That is simply ridiculous. If any Empire got to know this, Xin would be ridiculed in the Noble families. Asking Your Majesty to reconsider this matter."
The minister finished and soon many others knelt down and repeated his last few words.
'Asking Your Majesty to reconsider.'
The Imperial Court sounded with these words said in a chorus.
Xi Ying smiled coldly. How could he not see the hope and greed flickering in the eyes of the ministers!
They were hopeful that it would be their daughter or sister who could become the Empress. They would not want to lose such a good opportunity after all.
Zhao Zhang Wei looked calm while Zhao Zhuang Chen's face was not good at all. Any other woman was going to take his mother's place.
However that was not what he was concerned about.
What he was concerned about was the presence of another person fighting for the throne. Because the woman who will become Empress, it was impossible for her clan and her not to have any greed for throne and power.
In the end, under this pressure of the ministers, Zhao Wang Lei had to say that he would reconsider this matter.
The Imperial Assembly ended like this.
After it finished, Xi Ying accompanied Zhao Zhang Wei to Xinhe Palace.
When they were inside Zhao Zhang Wei's study room, Xi Ying first looked around. Only when he was sure that they were alone, did he speak
"Your Highness, this Lord is here to ask you to think of some plan to complete our purpose."
Zhao Zhang Wei was startled when he heard Xi Ying's words.
"Did Prime Minister Xi not say that Prime Minister Xi has a plan?"
Zhao Zhang Wei asked in confusion.
Xi Ying nodded his head calmly and said
"This Lord did have a plan. However, the plan was not approved by this Lord's wife."
"Why?"
Zhao Zhang Wei asked immediately
"She said that the plan was too dangerous. She doesn't want this Lord to put his life in danger."
Zhao Zhang Wei could clearly sense that pride hidden behind his words. His lips twitched in annoyance.
Could anyone say that Xi Ying was a grown man!
However, a part of him also knew that he was just jealous. He was jealous because the woman he loved didn't care for him like Xi Ying's wife cared for him.