180: Provocation

Provocation

The banquet hall was silent as soon as the woman completed her words.2

Everyone couldn't help but look at the woman again.

'How bold and daring she must be to demand something like this.'

Just yesterday, Lord Xi taught everyone a lesson that no one should dare to go against his wife, and today she was going against Li Rui again.

She must be too stupid to do all this.

Xi Ying glanced at the stage and frowned when he didn't recognize the woman who was so keen on competing against Li Rui.

His cold eyes glanced at An Ju who just shook her head indicating that she also doesn't know the woman.

Xi Ying remained silent as he forwarded something sweet to drink in front of Li Rui but Li Rui didn't pick it.

She was instead looking at the woman calmly.

"This is something that you should ask Lady Li, Madam Wen, His Majesty, and Bengong can't interfere in such matters."

The Empress said clearly and Madam Wen instantly stood up from the stage mumbling a ' this one understands, Your Majesty' and moved her eyes towards the front seats.

She easily found Li Rui as she was the most eye-catching woman amongst the ladies in front seats. Something flickered in her eyes when they met Li Rui's calm eyes.

"Lady Li, Will you compete with me in playing guqin?"

Her face was proud, her speech bold and informal as she stood straight on the stage that was comparatively higher than everyone's seats.

It could be seen how she was trying to provoke Li Rui without doing anything.

Sitting on their seats, Li Na and Li Caihong looked at each other with bright smiles as they saw this scene.

Since the three girls have learned many things together since their childhood, no one knew better than them that Li Rui doesn't have any talent in playing guqin.

At the same time, a cold chuckle vibrated in the banquet hall before Li Rui could say anything.

"Perhaps this Lord has been too benevolent that everyone has started to have the courage to go against this Lord."

The lazy words with a cold smile on lips were spoken by none other than Xi Ying. 

Madam Wen visibly gulped in fear when she heard these words. Sweat could be seen on her forehead but she stood firm there and didn't move her eyes away from Li Rui.

Coldness flashed through Xi Ying's eyes. His eyes went to Minister Wen whose was looking at his wife with no emotion on his face.

Feeling his cold gaze, the poor minister gulped but moved his eyes away just like his wife.

'Very nice, then don't blame him for being ruthless.'

However, when he was about to say something, his hand was suddenly grabbed and Li Rui stood up from her seat. Walking around the table, she walked towards the stage before he could even stop her.

She stood below the stage and looked at Madam Wen. With her hands in front of her chest, she bowed a little and said

"Unfortunately, Rui can't complete Madam Wen's wish. Rui doesn't know how to play guqin."

Madam Wen's just smiled lightly and said in return

"That's alright. We can compete in anything else…singing, dancing, painting."

"Madam Wen…unfortunately, Rui doesn't know all these things."

She was very polite and she doesn't seem to be embarrassed in admitting this thing.

Madam Wen's smile stiffened when she heard her words while all the maidens looked at Li Rui with a strange gaze.

Belonging from a noble family and not knowing all this, …this was just too lacking and weird. All these things were learned by girls to attract the attention of good young men.

'In the end, she just has a beautiful face but it will help her in having Lord Xi by her side only for a few days.' They thought.

Madam Wen's face, at this moment, was very cold as she looked at Li Rui.

"If Lady Li doesn't wish to compete with me then you could refuse me directly, there is no need to lie so blatantly."

She didn't believe that Li Rui didn't know anything.

At this moment, Xi Ying was about to stand up and show Madam Wen the consequences of her daring actions but a voice sounded in the banquet hall stopping his action.

"Madam Wen, this General's daughter, Li Rui is not lying and really doesn't know all these things."

General Li stood up from his seat and said confidently while looking at Madam Wen.

Madam Wen looked shocked. A moment later, she looked at Li Rui and her eyes were filled with disgust as she said

"Then leave it. This one thinks that having a beautiful face is a skill in itself."

Gasps were heard hearing such a taunting remark.

  "Madam Wen…"

A cold voice echoed as soon as Madam Wen finished her words and Madam Wen trembled visibly in fear.

People lowered their heads and sweated because of the suffocating silence.

However, a soft voice interrupted the suffocating silence in the banquet hall.

"Rui thanks Madam Wen for the compliment."

Li Rui said calmly surprising Madam Wen.

As she walked back to her seat, Madam Wen looked at Li Rui's back with an indecipherable expression on her face. A moment later, she flicked her sleeve arrogantly and came down from the stage without playing guqin.

"Xiao Jing."

A shrill shout echoed in the banquet hall attracting everyone's attention.

Li Rui who was about to sit on her seat to calm down her angered husband halted and turned around.

"Bo Jing, my child…"

On the higher seats reserved only for Imperial family members, the Princess Consort of the First Prince was patting the face of her five-year-old son rapidly but he didn't seem to respond.

The first Prince was frowning as he stood up from his chair and indicated Crown Princess to lay down the child on the large chair.   

His Princess Consort did the same.

"Zhao Bo Jing."

Zhao Zhuang Chen called out as he patted his son's cheek but stepped away in shock when the next moment he saw a gush of white foam coming out from his son's mouth.

pqdm.com