Xue Yu-Yan was with the Empress who was consoling her. "Father is hanged to death! This was so brutal. He did everything for this Empire and he got this in the return. Your majesty, why did you not do anything?" Xue Yu-Yan was weeping and complaining.
"Xue, it is not the time to cry but to avenge the death of Zhang Yong. Did you not see earlier how Ying Lili asked about the political power from his majesty? She is making her moves against us and most importantly she joined hands with Sheng Li," Weng Wei pronounced as she clenched her fists.
Xue Yu-Yan wiped the tears off her cheeks. "As soon as An-Ying Lili entered the Palace, she gave the biggest blow to the Wei Family. For years, no one could do anything against us and now my family is stripped of every title. Even my brother is removed from the position from the Department of Finance," Xue Yu-Yan narrated to Weng Wei.
"I thought that their marriage would benefit us. But I was proven wrong," Weng Wei asserted. "Ying Lili has not seen my potential. If she is thinking that she can fight against me, then she is wrong. I am the Queen of that chess game around which everyone revolves. Let them go to the Southern Province because as soon as they enter the Palace, they will be welcomed with something big. We have enough time to execute the plan against them," Weng Wei pronounced with an assured look.
"Your majesty, since these two have joined hands, don't you think that we shall remove An-Ying Lili from our path first? We have to make sure that she does not return to the Palace then our path will be clear," Xue Yu-Yan suggested to Weng Wei and smirked.
Jian Guozhi who was standing near the door heard their conversation. He put the beaded curtains away and stepped in. "Jian," Weng Wei smiled, seeing her son.
"Mother, what's this? I told you to do anything to Sheng Li but not to Yingér," Jian Guozhi shouted at his mother. Xue Yu-Yan stood up from her seat and turned to Jian Guozhi.
"And you," Jian Guozhi pointed his finger at Xue Yu-Yan. "Don't get on my nerves. If I find out that you are scheming against Yingér or harming her in any way, I swear I will kill you without any second thought," Jian Guozhi threatened Xue Yu-Yan.
"Prince, what is this attitude? Do you still love An-Ying Lili?" Weng Wei asked as she knitted her brows.
Jian Guozhi did not answer his mother when Xue Yu-Yan answered on his behalf. "Forgive me, your majesty, but your son, despite having two wives cares for a third woman, eyes on that woman who destroyed the entire Wei Family. Your son is going crazy for her," Xue Yu-Yan burst out in anger while glaring at Jian Guozhi.
Weng Wei stood up from her seat and went to Jian Guozhi. She stood in front of Jian Guozhi and took both hands in hers. "I know my son fell for Ying Lili when he saw her for the first time. But she is not suitable for you. You could see she is a threat to us who created the blunder in Wei's family and because of her my brother, Zhang Yong was hanged to death. That's why we need to throw her out of our way." Weng Wei searched for the response in her son's eyes.
"You should not have let her marry Sheng Li. I told you, but you said that she would be useful to us. See, what happened?! Now, you will not do anything to her," Jian Guozhi asserted and walked out from there in anger.
Xue Yu-Yan snickered as Jian Guozhi left the conversation in the middle. "He has gone mad for Ying Lili, your majesty. I am afraid of what he will do in the future," Xue Yu-Yan stated.
"Don't worry. He is only bluffing. He will never go against his mother," Weng Wei proclaimed and came back to her seat.
~~~~~~~
Ying Lili was reading a book when Sheng Li asked her why she called Weng Yu in Zhenzhu Inn.
"To play and to give something to him," Ying Lili replied and closed the book. Sheng Li removed his overcoat and went to bed.
"You are not a kid anymore. Don't call him here as people can take it the other way," Sheng Li advised Ying Lili who made a pout. Sheng Li sat beside her. "The journey is going to be tough. We will go from a rough route. You will be able to ride the horse for a day, right?" Sheng Li asked Ying Lili.
"Are you doubting my capabilities?" Ying Lili asked.
"No, I am not. You have never gone on journeys like this that's why I am asking. The scorching summer heat can tire you," Sheng Li asserted.
"I can bear the heat. So, how are we going? I do not want to go in that palanquin."
"Horses. You will be given a separate horse. You know horse riding, right?" Sheng Li asked for confirmation.
"Yes."
"The routes will be narrow, so ride the horse carefully. For the night, we will stay in a resting house, and then in the early morning we will leave," stated Sheng Li.
"Okay. I am excited to go. It will be fun. After such a long time, I am going out. Sheng Li, when will we return?" Ying Lili asked.
"It depends on the situation there. It can take a week up to a month. I have to stop the rebellions there in a month. Wang Hao told me that the situation is tense there as the people are distressed," Sheng Li briefed Ying Lili.
Ying Lili took Sheng Li's hand in hers and said, "Do not take too much stress. I will be there to help you. Everything will turn right."
Sheng Li was amused at how Ying Lili was treating him. "Lili, tell me the truth. You have feelings for me, right?" Sheng Li asked as he gazed into her eyes.
"Something is indeed there. I cannot tell what it is exactly. If these are feelings, then I do not know how to depict them," Ying Lili answered.
"Huh? Why are you giving such a complex explanation? Shall I help you in realizing if you have feelings for me or not?" Sheng Li queried.
"You want to win the bet, right? I will find out for myself," Ying Lili replied when Sheng Li pulled her by gripping her hand. Their faces came closer to each other. Sheng Li did not want Ying Lili to pull back, so he placed his other hand on her nape, thus keeping her intact in her place.
He looked into her eyes and then at her lips. "Now, tell me do you feel something strange in your heart?" Sheng Li asked Ying Lili.
Ying Lili felt her heart flutter the moment Sheng Li got closer to her. But she did not want to lose her bet, either. How could she fall for him first when she was supposed to make him fall for her? "You are taking too much time," she heard Sheng Li.
He pulled her further closer such that an infinitesimal distance was left between their lips. Ying Lili did not let her guard down and kept staring into Sheng Li's eyes.
"Why isn't she telling? Ahh, it's so hard to make her confess. I thought if she would confess then it would be more fun, but it seems I have to work hard to win this bet," Sheng Li thought in his mind.