41 CHAPTER 41 : Imperial Edic

"Mother had noticed your relationship with the second prince these few weeks. So, tell mother the truth. Is Xi-er in love with the second prince?", Madam Li asked her daughter with a glint in her eyes.

"Mother, to tell truth we are not in that stage yet. Second prince is not in love with me", Li Xi Rui try to dodge telling the truth. What should she say? That she is only acting her part? She is not supposed to know about the orb in the first place. If she tells them she has been reincarnated? Would they believe her? Maybe they would but she shouldn't make them worried. They should live happily this time. They deserved it.

"What mother wanted to know is whether Xi-er loves him?", with determination, Madam Li asked again. From the glint in those eyes, there seems to be a knowing look.

Li Xi Rui's face turned scarlet. She just realized that her mother had witnessed their intimate action the past few weeks. How he touched her, caressed her and more. "Mother, do you perhaps saw all that?", Li Xi Rui asked hesitantly.

*cough* "Mother would have been blind to not see all that. In fact, the whole mansion will have to be blind as well", Madam Li spoke without a change in her demeanor. Not a trace of shame could be detected.

"Mother, to tell the truth...", Li Xi Rui started to speak before she had been interrupted.

"Madam, Eldest miss, the imperial eunuch Xu has brought an imperial edict. Master asked both madam and miss to be present", Yu Momo respectfully announced.

"That was fast...", madam Li uttered. 'That boy couldn't even wait for 2 days', madam Li thought. He had just stated his intention a few days ago and suddenly an imperial edict come. Shouldn't he wait for them to ask their daughter first?

Li Xi Rui has a bad premonition. 'Why does an imperial edict come at this time? Don't tell me the previous event could not be avoided?', she is baffled.

Walking to the residence's entrance, Li Xi Rui lost in her thoughts. In her past lifetime the imperial edict is for her father to be convicted as a criminal and the whole Li family to be demoted as commoner. This is the first step toward their destructions. With her trembled body, she somehow arrived to the front entrance.

"Princess Anping, Li Xi Rui, receive the imperial edict!", Eunuch Xu announced.

The whole mansion kotowed to the imperial edict. 'It's for me?', feeling dread, Li Xi Rui could only kowtowed.

"Princess Anping, Li Xi Rui, daughter of the left Prime Minister Li, is kind, talented and honorable. By the order of the emperor, Li Xi Rui has been bestowed a marriage alliance with the Second Prince, Long Jie as the Princess Consort. Li Xi Rui, accept the decree!", the loud voice of Eunuch Xu, woke Li Xi Rui from her thought. 'Marriage with Long Jie', she just couldn't believe, 'before the first wave subsides, a new wave arises'.

With a nudge from her mother, she finally answered, "Li Xi Rui accepts the imperial edict". How could she have the courage to reject it? Her only wish this lifetime is for her family to be safe. Lost in her thought again, she didn't realize the eunuch already left her home.

"That boy is too impulsive..", Left prime minister could only stare at the imperial edict in his hand.

"Husband said that but you are happy right? Isn't this wife correct?", Madam Li teased her husband.

"Wife is always correct. That boy may have been a royalty but he is dependable", Left prime minister nodded his head. Why should he hides he really did favor that second prince? It's better if the initial engagement of his daughter was with the second prince. He had heard the rumor of them not getting along before, but their recent closeness terminates all his doubt. The way he handled himself in court also made him grateful. But the key point of his approval must be from the lack of rumors of his relationship with women. If that doesn't make him the most suitable husband for his daughter, he doesn't know who else is suitable.

"Xi-er, Xi-er!", madam Li shakes her daughter. She seems to be stunned. Stunned from happiness?

"Yes mother?", Li Xi Rui half consciously answered.

"Are you okay?", madam Li is concerned.

"Yes of course. Mother, excuse this daughter", without hearing her mother replied, Li Xi Rui escaped to her courtyard. She is now furious! She is not that stupid to just think that it was an impulsive decision of the emperor. The emperor didn't like her! That is a fact! So why would suddenly he bestowed another engagement to his son?! That just didn't make any sense. Unless, there is another reason behind all these?

She releases a deep breath she didn't know she's holding. Isn't all this ironic? From the crown prince's, now the second prince's fiancée. So, even in this lifetime she could never be free from the royal family?

***

In the imperial palace~

*THUD!* sound of ceramic breaking echoed in the crown prince's chamber.

He couldn't believe it! His father bestowed a marriage between his brother and his former fiancée. The day before, the crown prince had raised a request to the empress about allowing Li Xi Rui becoming his concubine. But only after a day, the emperor already makes his stand clear. Li Xi Rui is not allowed to enter the palace as his concubine.

"HAHAHA!!, Good move! Good!", the emperor really leave him no other way. Instead of telling him his decision, he just showed it to him how it is impossible to undone what has been done. But what could he do? It really was his decision to annul the engagement in the first place. And for an Emperor to retract back his edict, won't the common people ridicule the pillar of the country?

Slumping in his chair, he could only drink his wine till unconscious. What should he do now?