Xi Ying came to know of the rumors about his wife when he stepped out of Xi Manor.
"My Lord, There are some people speaking rubbish about Madam in the city."
It was An Shing who informed Xi Ying as he handed the reins of the horse to his master.
Xi Ying's face didn't have any emotion but his eyes were deathly cold.
He had actually expected to hear all these rumors.
After all, Li Rui didn't give the ointment to Li Rong. After knowing how Li Caihong and her sister didn't let Li Rui live peacefully when she was not doing anything wrong to them, he could expect that they would do something like this now that she didn't want to help the sisters.
At that moment, Xi Ying just nodded his head and said
"Take care of the Manor in my absence. Try to keep Madam away from these rumors. She should not hear anything about them."
Though Xi Ying had assured Li Rui that he didn't care about all these rumors he was still worried that Rui would worry about Xi Clan's prestige when she would come to know about this.
In fact, Xi Ying wanted to tell his wife that Xi Clan's prestige was not so weak that it can be shaken by these baseless rumors only.
As Xi Ying left Xi Manor on his horse, his mind was filled with many thoughts.
He now knew what he could expect to see in today's banquet.
At the same time, he wondered if he should wait or shut their mouth today only.
.
.
.
Almost half a shichen later, when Xi Ying reached the Imperial Palace, he saw many carriages in front of the Imperial Palace. All of them belonged to noble families.
Xi Ying got down from his horse. Instead of proceeding towards the banquet hall, he first went to the spot inside the Imperial Palace where the food for the banquet was to be made.
"Every dish should be checked after it is made and before it is served."
He ordered the head of the kitchen of the Imperial Palace coldly.
Cook Xiu, the head of the kitchen, nodded his head vigorously and said seriously
"Yes, Prime Minister Xi. This servant will surely look into it personally."
Satisfied, Xi Ying waved his hand and let the cook go away to do his own jobs.
A cold smile couldn't help but spread on Xi Ying's lips as he looked around the huge kitchen.
If he wanted, he could kill Zhao Wang Lei very easily today and no one will be able to find out that it was him. However, he won't do that.
Because that would make Zhao Wang Lei die very easily ….something that he didn't want.
This would get him no satisfaction.
Zhao Wang Lei would die…but after knowing whatever wrongs he had done and for what he was dying for.
He wanted him to look in his killer's eyes when he would die.
That's what Xi Ying wanted.
At the same time, Xi Ying suddenly wondered if, in his past life, he killed himself after Li Rui left this world then what happened to Zhao Wang Lei.
He couldn't help but stay surprised at the fact that he didn't kill Zhao Wang Lei before dying …the man who not only killed his wife but his child also.
Just at this moment, a sharp pain passed through his head and he frowned deeply.
It was not the first time actually.
Every time he would try to think about his past life that he had only seen in his dream, he would feel this pain.
And there seemed to be something blocking his memories.
Though he remembered whatever he saw in his dream, he sometimes felt that there was more.
But what was it?
He sighed as he put a full stop to his thoughts.
Because he knew that he didn't have any way to find out and perhaps …he was just overthinking …or that was what he thought.
With another sigh, Xi Ying then went to the place where the performers for today's banquet were staying and after that to the place where the staying arrangements for Convoy's people were made.
After a shichen of checking this and that, he finally walked to the banquet hall.
The guard announced Xi Ying's arrival loudly and the hall quietened down suddenly.
Each pair of eyes looked towards the entrance and as Xi Ying stepped inside then they looked beside him or behind him.
Xi Ying knew what and exactly who they were looking for.
It was Li Rui.
He scoffed when he saw curiosity lurking in some people's eyes. These people were actually the people who will then speak rubbish about his wife
With a cold and indifferent face, Xi Ying walked towards his seat as he heard each and every whisper.
"Ha, Prime Minister Xi didn't bring Lady Li to the banquet this time."
"Why would he? After hearing the great deeds done by his wife and seeing how people are shaming her why would he bring her to the banquet with himself!"
"I am sure now Prime Minister Xi must be regretting making Li Rui his main wife."
With every word against Li Rui, Xi Ying's eyes would get colder and colder, however, he stayed silent.
He never spoke anything and didn't show any expression on his face as he sat in his seat. But after he was seated, he looked coldly around the banquet hall once and the people who were speaking against Li Rui immediately went silent.
Satisfied Xi Ying looked away.
He could use the fear only to silence these foolish people because these fools didn't know that he didn't bring his wife on;y because she was pregnant and resting inside her courtyard.
Otherwise, if it went his way then Xi Ying would keep Li Rui always beside him and bring her everywhere with him so that they won't ever have to separate.
It was not only Xi Ying who heard all these whispers.
Yi Jie, who was sitting beside her husband, also heard the people speaking badly about her daughter.
A deep frown marred her forehead and she turned to look at her husband and asked
"Heng, what are they talking about?"
However, General Li had a similar frown on his forehead. He was looking towards Xi Ying. A moment later, he suddenly stood up and said to his wife gently.
"I will go and find out what is going on."
Yi Jie nodded her head immediately as she saw her husband walking away.
Inside her heart she was worried. Why is it that troubles never seem to leave her daughter alone?