Four Years Ago(8)

Yi Manor

Bangg...

The study room that was systematically arranged a few moments ago looked disheveled now. All the chairs and tables were lying on the floor with their pieces broken here and there.

A young man was standing in the center of the room with a cold expression on his face. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were red with rage as he looked in front of himself.

Three Men and two women in black clothes were kneeling in front of Yi Junjie.

"What were you doing instead of protecting her? "

The voice was so cold that all of them shivered.

"My Lord..we could not go inside the palace. The imperial palace was surrounded by shadow guards and they were more powerful than us. "

Shame could be seen on the face of the shadow guard who was speaking these words. Others lower their head more on hearing him say these words.

But their shame didn't make Yi Junjie's expression any better.

"Then all of you can leave because this lord doesn't need such useless people who can't even protect their master."

All of them were terrified on hearing this.

"This servant will accept any punishment, My Lord. "

The Five of them silently showed their determination to not leave their master's side.

"Don't show your face to me until you feel that you are capable enough."

In a few seconds, the five of them disappeared without any trace.

Yi Junjie's eyes that were cold a few moments ago were now filled with despair and sadness.

"Brother could not protect you Rui..."

-----------

Imperial Palace

"Your Highness, This servant doesn't know anything. This servant just saw First Lady Li going inside the room with a man and then ran to inform Second Madam Li. Your Highness, please be merciful and spare this servant's sister's life."

Inside a very beautiful decorated room of the imperial palace, Empress Qin Wenya sat comfortably on a chair with her head resting on headrest. A maid was begging on the floor just a few steps away from her knees. By her side, two palace maids were holding a girl who was beaten severely and didn't have any strength to stand on her feet.

Hearing the pleadings of the maid, Empress Qin Wenya who was resting with her eyes closed just waved her hand once in the air. The old palace maid standing by her side immediately understood her action and glanced at the two maids.

The two maids raised their wooden sticks to continue the beating. On seeing this, the one who was being beaten and the one who was begging on the floor had a horrific look on their faces.

Empress Qin Wenya at this time raised her head to look at the maid's expression. She sized the maid from up to bottom. Her lips curved upward in a very soft and gentle smile but the words that came out from her mouth were very cruel.

"Your looks are passable. It would make your life easy in the brothel. "

The maid hurriedly knocked her head on the floor shivering in fear and asked for mercy.

Still, with a very gentle smile, Empress continued.

"You dare to deceive me with a mouthful of lies. This is something this Empress is rewarding you for your courage. Do you want to refuse it?"

"This servant shall say the truth now. Please The Empress, Your Highness, Don't send this servant to the brothel."

"This servant.....This servant was ordered by Second Miss Li to do everything. She told this servant that as soon as this servant sees First Lady Li entering a room with a man, this servant must go to the banquet hall and tell everyone about this."

"A man? Who? Prime Minister Xi?"

"No ..No, Your Highness. This servant saw an imperial guard taking First Lady Li inside the room. Not Prime Minister Xi"

The gentle smile was no longer there on Empress's face and was replaced by a very confused expression. Qin Wenya remembered the shocked and envious expressions of Li Na and Li Caihong and somehow understood the situation.

It was just that she was not sure.

She glanced at the kneeling maid with a skeptical expression and suddenly laughed.

"Bengong didn't know that there was such enmity between Second and First Household of Li's. Interesting. "

She glanced at the old maidservant by her side. The old maidservant brought out a golden pouch and threw it towards the kneeling maid.

"This Empress shall spare your life but at the expense of your tongue."

The maid didn't have time to save herself as two maids held her down and cut her tongue.

"Take this money and leave the imperial palace. If this matter ever comes out, Bengong will make sure that you would see the execution of your whole family. Do you understand?"

Two maids held that maidservant and her sister who was no longer conscious and dragged them out of the room.

-----

Li Manor

Li Rui was sitting in front of the window of her room looking outside. Her eyes were blank.

Behind her, Li Hua and Li Mei were looking at her back with red and swollen eyes.

When she turned to look at them, she didn't know how to react to the sympathy and worry, her maids had in their eyes.

Because she didn't remember anything.

How could she? She was unconscious.

At the most, she could remember the face of the young man she had seen just before she was preparing to jump out of the window of that room. Then all she felt was pain tearing through her body. She couldn't open her eyes. Her body didn't even have enough energy to scream.

And when she gained her consciousness, she was told that she was no longer an innocent girl. In the most simple words, she had lost her virginity. There was some pain in the lower part of her body like a constant reminder that she couldn't refute the said words.

She was no longer a virgin.

She didn't know what to feel. There was no anger, no sadness, nothing in her heart. Her mind was blank.

A maid entered and she finally got an excuse to get out of this predicament.

"My Lady, Minister Xin has come. General Li is asking for you."