His Rui

Chapter 756: Entering The Imperial Palace

Li Rui stood in a daze at the exit of the Plum Courtyard.         

Her eyes were slightly blank as she looked at the sky where Xi Ying had just disappeared with his shadow guards.      

Regardless of how much she had tried to stop herself from saying, she still had said in the end     

"Ying, don\'t go."     

When the words had come out of her mouth, she herself was startled but she didn\'t regret it.      

She could see the surprise in Xi Ying\'s eyes as well, however, he seemed to compose himself very soon. Perhaps because he understood that she had been largely affected by her nightmare though he didn\'t know what exactly she saw.      

However, he was right.      

She had actually been affected a lot by it.      

"I need to go, Rui."     

He had said to her gently.      

It was slightly ridiculous how Xi Ying had said to her a few days ago that he wanted to run away from here with her and their son. They could lead a very good life without having to face anyone.      

At that time, it was she who had mercilessly refused him and had said that she couldn\'t run away from here leaving her clan alone.      

Today, the same her was reluctant to let him go.      

She was scared that what she saw in her dream would really come true.      

She could still feel the warmth on her hand when he had held her hand and said      

"I need you to be strong, Rui."     

He had whispered gently and then said firmly.      

"You are the only master of Xi Manor in my absence. You need to protect yourself, our children, and this manor for me. Hold yourself together. This is not the time to fall, Rui."     

He was right.      

She thought as she stroked her forehead where he had kissed her before leaving.      

"Wait for me."     

He had said before disappearing.      

She would wait for him.      

He would surely come back. Nothing could go wrong.      

A determination finally flashed across Li Rui\'s eyes after so many days.      

She will not disappoint him just like how he had not disappointed her.          

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Xi Ying landed in the forest. Behind him, landed his fifty shadow guards.      

As soon as they did, almost twenty shadow guards flew out of the trees they were hiding inside.      

Xi Ying\'s eyes flickered and he waved his finger indicating his shadow guards to fight.      

The fight started.      

Xi Ying was not worried and calmly walked to the place where the tunnel was supposed to be.      

Even ten shadow guards of his were enough to fight with twenty shadow guards of Zhao Wang Lei. Yun Weilan had already implied to him that there could be people protecting the tunnel so he had been prepared beforehand.      

He stood under a tree and looked at the ground carefully.      

Picking a stick from nearby, Xi Ying tapped the ground lightly. When he heard the strange sound at one spot, he stopped and walked a few steps back.      

Since Xi Ying was a very capable martial artist, he could easily distinguish between different sounds. He could predict that the surface beneath was slightly hollow where he had just tapped the stick a moment ago.      

Soon, his shadow guards were standing behind him.      

"Dig this area."     

Xi Ying said.      

Within a few moments, the shadow guards had started digging.      

It was not late when General Li and Yi Junjie came to the forest with a few soldiers and Yi Junjie with a few shadow guards.      

General Li was relieved when he saw that Xi Ying had already started the digging.      

His eyes were slightly blank today.      

Before coming here, the middle-aged General had to tell himself again that he was going against the oath of his ancestors only because Zhao Wang Lei was dangerous to the whole Empire.      

Such an Emperor…Xin couldn\'t afford it unless wanted to see ruin and destruction.      

Their eyes flickered when they were able to see a hole.      

Just a few moments later, the whole tunnel could be seen. It was not difficult to dig it as the blockage was made temporary so that could be dug easily in times of emergency.      

One by one, everyone started to go inside the tunnel.      

Xi Ying was the last to go out.         

Before getting inside, he looked around the forest again. After making sure that Zhao Wang Lei\'s shadow guards were all dead, he looked at his ten shadow guards and said     

"Stay here for more than a shichen."     

And then he finally went inside.      

Xi Ying was not worried about blocking the tunnel again fearing that it would arouse Zhao Zhuang Chen\'s suspicion because Zhao Zhuang Chen was not going to enter Zhao Wang Lei\'s chambers from the forest unlike them.      

Zhao Zhuang Chen would enter through the same tunnel but he would enter from the other entrance which opened from the inside of the Imperial Palace only.      

Empress Dowager and Zhao Zhang Wei were going to use the same entrance which opened by removing a painting.     

And Xi Ying was sure that Zhao Zhang Wei was wise enough not to leave any trace for Zhao Zhuang Chen.      

The people who were going to enter from here were his own ten shadow guards who were Minister Yun\'s shadow guards for Zhao Zhuang Chen.     

Since Yun Weilan had said to Zhao Zhuang Chen that her father would provide some help, Xi Ying had to arrange some shadow guards to deceive Zhao Zhuang Chen.     

Feeling that everything was alright, Xi Yimng moved across the tunnel with his shadow guards. However, he didn\'t know that Zhao Zhuang Chen didn\'t only have Minister Yun on his side this time.      

Li Qiang was also with him this time.      

And very cleverly, he had been able to stay away from Xi Ying\'s vigilant shadow guards because him being a capable martial artist.      

Only time could tell this time if Xi Ying would be able to keep his promise to Li Rui or not.      

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They met Empress Dowager and Zhao Zhang Wei inside the tunnel.      

General Li was slightly startled when he saw the Empress Dowager after so many years nonetheless he kept his calm and was about to greet her when Empress Dowager smiled thinly and said      

"No need to be formal at such times, Li Heng."     

A familiarity flashed across General Li\'s eyes on hearing the Empress Dowager calling him by his name.      

In his childhood, he, Zhao Wang Lei, and Xi Ying\'s father used to be great friends. They had spent many days under the Empress Dowager\'s care so it was not unusual for her to call him by his name.      

Still, since it was after so many years, he was slightly startled.      

Yi Junjie also recognized Empress Dowager and wanted to greet her but hearing her words decided not to do so.     

However, Empress Dowager glanced at him for a moment and acknowledged when Yi Junjie nodded his head politely.      

Zhao Zhang Wei and Xi Ying looked at each other.          

They were standing in a slightly open space where two paths crossed each other hence, standing there, both of them could see the number of men they have brought with them.      

Xi Ying was quite surprised when he saw that Zhao Zhang Wei had brought at least thirty men with him.      

He was surprised because keeping this amount of men while staying in the Imperial Palace was quite difficult and impossible. \'     

Zhao Zhuang Chen also had his shadow guards but Zhao Wang Lei already knew about them since the latter had been using them for his own purpose he never stopped him from keeping them.      

It was unfortunate for Zhao Wang Lei because his dear son was going to use the same shadow guards to kill him tonight.      

After a brief moment of making sure that everything was alright and everyone was there, they started to move again.      

It didn\'t take much time to reach Zhao at the other end of the tunnel.      

Empress Dowager was walking in the front, then Zhao Zhang Wei, after him Xi Ying, Yi Junjie, and General Li with his soldiers.      

When they reached the end, Xi Ying and Zhao Zhang Wei came to the front. They looked at each other and then broke the entrance.      

The painting that was covering the end of the tunnel fell from the wall on the other side inside the Imperial Chambers.      

Zhao Wang Lei was seated on his bed with a cold face.      

After a whole day of seeing those young girls and being forced to select a few amongst them, his mood was definitely not good.      

Tomorrow, he had to select one out of those ten girls who will present some sort of art in the Imperial Court.      

There mere thought itself filled Zhao Wang Lei\'s heart with disgust. He didn\'t want to do any such thing so he was thinking about how he could avoid this.      

Should he pretend to be sick?      

Zhao Wang Lei wondered. He could buy some time and try to find out why that stupid emperor of the neighboring Empire has not carried out his plan yet.     

Zhao Wang Lei was just thinking about this when he heard the loud sound of something falling on the ground.      

His eyes went to the huge painting that had just fallen on the ground.      

A deep frown marred his face.      

His eyes flickered coldly when he saw the crack on the wall.      

And then the next moment, the wall had a hole…and then another moment later, it fell down making a big hole than before.      

From the hole stepped out a person, who confused Zhao Wang Lei more than before.      

However, as one by one more and more people stepped inside his chambers, Zhao Wang Lei\'s eyes first flashed with shock, confusion, and then a realization.      

He seemed to realize what was going on.