123. A White Lie Is Still A Lie

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"Break down the door for Zhen!", Said the emperor.

"Yes, your highness!", replied the guards.

Li Xi Rui just look on without saying anything. She didn't even lift a finger to try and stop the guards from destroying the Li residence's front door. The once intact black lacquered door, is slowly moving due to the strong impact of the guards effort.

'Why hasn't this woman try to stop the guard? Wasn't she's very fond of her family? She is behaving strangely!', thought Mu Jiu Jiu. Mu Jiu Jiu knew Li Xi Rui types. These kind of woman is the typical types that every man hates; impulsive and unbridled.

In fact, for Li Xi Rui, a door is still just a door. It doesn't matter to her since it can be replaced. Maybe it has been standing for more than 60 years but it doesn't hold any significant to her. Mu Jiu Jiu wouldn't understand Li Xi Rui's line of thinking since she holds material things in high regards. 'I would not forget the humiliation today!', Mu Jiu Jiu is still thinking only for herself.

As for the crown prince, he could only look at Li Xi Rui in bewilderment, 'Why hasn't she took action when someone wanted to raid Li residence? Did she planned something?'. Long Qing is suspicious. Li xi Rui has been making many weird actions lately. But he had forgotten that he has never truly understand Li Xi Rui's mind. How could he if he never try to give her a chance?

Out of the three characters, only Long Jie is indifferent. He has long known that Li Xi Rui has change. She is still her, but a bit more mature. If someone asks him which one he prefers; the old Li Xi Rui or the new Li Xi Rui? Then his answer would be, both. It doesn't matter to him which since both are still her. The new Li Xi Rui might be more mature, but sometimes he could still see the impulsiveness when it was just them.

After a few more effort, the door collapse on the ground. The emperor lead the ministers and imperial guard inside the front yard.

Nothing.

There's no one to welcome them. Not even the Li steward can be seen. The residence is empty.

"Emperor, there is no one here. The rumor might be true, the Duke is missing! The assassins must have killed the entire family!", the right prime minister is still making accusations.

Li Xi Rui is keeping her mouth shut. 'The right prime minister must be planning something. It's impossible for him to initiate this large raid if he only wanted to investigate the rumor. He must be connected to the asassins one way or another!', Li Xi Rui is sure that the right prime minister is not a good man.

"Search every room! The Duke's safety is the most important!", said the emperor. He said that the Duke's safety is their priority but in fact, they just want to disguise their action as a rescue rather than raiding the residence.

As the guards carrying out the order, Li Xi Rui slowly walk to the imperial eunuch and say something. The eunuch look at Li Xi Rui and go the emperor's side. The imperial eunuch whispered to the emperor.

"Is that true?", asked the emperor to Li Xi Rui.

"Answering the emperor, all of it are true. We can head to the main quarter but this princess is afraid that...", Li Xi Rui glanced at the ministers that are still standing at the yard.

Getting her signal, the emperor ordered the ministers to stay at the yard while he, the imperial eunuch, the crown prince, Mu Jiu Ji, Long Jie and Li Xi Rui heads to the main quarter. The right prime Minister is fidgetting in his place, if something deviate from the plan, his head will fly. Blind in his hatred towards the former left prime minister, he fall prey to the Phantom sect persuasion.

After a sichen, the emperor and his entourage come back to the front  yard.

"Reporting to the emperor, this residence is empty. There is no sign of  people could be detected!", reported the head guard.

"Have you checked all the living quarters?!", asked the right prime minister.

"Except the main quarter, we have checked every inch of the residence", answered the head guard.

"Then, what are you doing?! Let's go to the main quarter! How could you left out the most important part of the residence?!", the right prime minister scolded the guards. He is eager to go to main quarter to check the room. He must find out any secret inside the main quarter!

"Hold your step!", ordered the emperor. "Zhen is still here. Who gave you the authority to command the imperial guards?!", the emperor is displeased. "It was Zhen that told them to not bother the main quarter! So tell me, right prime minister, is Zhen wrong?".

"No, I didn't mean that. This servant ask for your highness's forgiveness!", the right prime minister dropped on his knees. "Please don't punish this servant your highness!", the right prime minister trembled.

"Alas, there is nothing here. From now on, Duke Li has move to the Qing province to spend his old age. No one will be exempt from punishment if Zhen hear another rumor! And you right prime Minister, your punishment for today's mistake will cost 3 months of your salary and 2 weeks of house arrest!", said the emperor.

The right prime Minister could only thanked the emperor for bestowing him a light punishment. But he is still curious, what had happened for the emperor to change his object of displeasure from the Duke to him? If he cannot search the main quarter, then wouldn't he already fail his mission? On top of the emperor's wrath, he must face another demon's wrath. 'Damn woman!', the right prime minister cursed Li Xi Rui. He knew that she must said something to the emperor and made him fail his mission.

The emperor left the Li residence with the guards. On the way to the imperial palace, the emperor kept quiet. He is in deep contemplation. He is the emperor, the son of god, was it possible for him to be wrong? Growing up in the imperial palace with scheming concubines and servants, he is considered lucky to be alive. After his ascension to the throne, he had never felt that his decisions were wrong. Every little decision he made, is for the greater good. So, was it possible that he had wronged the Duke? But he thought that the Duke gladly gave up on his position for the Duke title?

He remembers what had happened when they arrived at the main living quarters~

"Emperor, forgive this princess as what this princess about to say will be considered rude and an offence to your highness", Li Xi Rui bowed. Long Jie is following along imitating her action.

"Go on!", the emperor gave her his permission to be rude.

Li Xi Rui didn't waste any time to be rude; if she didn't take this chance, then when will she get another chance like this? "Emperor, my father is inside of the room. But, his appearance has changed. He had shaven his hair and has been fasting for a week for your highness's sake. He has been loyal to the imperial family and has helped your highness during your ascension of the throne. Even when he was stripped from his position, he's always think about you. And because he is no longer by your side, he has been doing this to pray for your majesty's safety", said Li Xi Rui. She could see that the emperor's expression is slowly change.

Not one to let go of an opportunity, she go on ranting her displeasure on the emperor, "Since he has been demoted, my father has been very sad. So, he went to the temple and accidentally helped an old man. The old man is a fortune teller. He said, someone who is close to my father will be hit by a disaster".

"So what it has to do with the emperor?", asked the imperial eunuch.

"According to my father, the one who is the most close to him is your highness, the emperor. He didn't want to believe the old man. But even if there is a slightest chance for the emperor to be hurt, my father would not let it be. So emperor, as a daughter, I want to ask for your permission to let my maiden family to move from the capital", said Li Xi Rui.

"Why?", asked the emperor.

"My father has free every servants of my family. There is no one left except my mother and brother. Being in the capital might be hard for my parents, so please grant them permission to leave", explained Li Xi Rui.

The emperor look at the close door for a while before walking out from the main quarter and said, "Permission granted".

As everyone left the main quarters, Li Xi Rui throw one last glance to the empty room. Yes, the room is actually empty. Li Xi Rui was just bluffing. In the end, no matter what the reason is, a white lie is still a lie.

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