Chapter 286 - Hu Jingguo's Abduction
Ying Lili was checking the arrangements in the wedding hall when Xue Yu-Yan came to her. "Sister Lili, I will help you," Xue Yu-Yan offered her help.
"You should have taken a rest, Sister Xue. How is your back? Has the pain gone, now?" Ying Lili queried.
"I have rested for many days, Sister Lili. Yes, the pain is no more," Xue Yu-Yan stated and took one bamboo basket filled with Rose flowers. "The Crown Princess shall not do such tasks. Servants are provided for a reason," Xue Yu-Yan opined.
"These flowers are specially for the bedchamber. The Empress and the Consorts told me not to make any kind of mistake. Give me the basket," Ying Lili stated, but Xue Yu-Yan put her hand behind.
"Then, I will carry this for you," Xue Yu-Yan offered a helping hand, passing a tiny smile to Ying Lili, who nodded her head. They stepped forward but halted as the Crown Prince came in front of them. Ying Lili passed him a smile while Xue Yu-Yan lowered her head. "Come with me," Sheng Li told Ying Lili.
"I have work to complete. Wait for me in Zhenzhu Inn," Ying Lili said.
"Leave the work then. Servants can do that. I need you," Sheng Li sternly said.
Ying Lili gazed into Sheng Li's eyes for a while. "Okay," she said, and then turned to Xue Yu-Yan. "Sister Xue, please look into this work for me," Ying Lili requested.
"Yes, your highness." Xue Yu-Yan took another bamboo basket from the hands of the Crown Princess and assured her that she would work carefully. Ying Lili thanked her and left the marriage hall with Sheng Li.
"Why have you pulled up your face again?" Ying Lili asked Sheng Li as they descended the stairs. "Is the party over? I told you to spend your time with your brothers as well. Then, why did you leave the party so early?" Ying Lili questioned.
"I do not like to spend time with my brothers," Sheng Li retorted with a stern expression. Ying Lili realized that something was indeed wrong with Sheng Li. Did one of his elder brothers say something to him? Her foot slipped on the stairs, but Sheng Li caught her at the right time. "Be careful," he said, making her stand straight.
"Is your foot alright? Shall I check it?" Sheng Li questioned her.
"It is fine. Let's go." She walked ahead, followed by Sheng Li. He grasped her hand and took her to the Eastern Pavilion. Getting seated on the circular wooden stools carved on the floor, Sheng Li ordered the servants to be far from them. Once the servants were gone, Sheng Li initiated the conversation with Ying Lili.
"Lili, I don't think that I will be able to clarify misunderstandings between me and the First Brother. Misunderstandings are not the right word, but I am using it to not show any kind of enmity between us two brothers. You told me that there might be some problems in Brother Jian's life that he cannot share. I tried thinking that but my heart did not agree to forgive him and consider him my Elder First Brother." Ying Lili kept gazing into the eyes of Sheng Li. It seemed something was triggered inside him.
"It's fine. Forgiving someone is the toughest decision when that person has done some of the worst things with you. You do not need to clarify anything with the First Brother, if your heart does not want to," Ying Lili suggested to him, thus calming him down.
"You do not want to know why am I acting like this?" Sheng Li queried her.
"You never tell me so, I did not ask," Ying Lili answered.
"Because I do not want to see you troubled because of me," Sheng Li replied.
"Seeing you in trouble, worries me more," stated Ying Lili, keeping her gaze intact on Sheng Li.
"Have you eaten your breakfast?" Sheng Li asked.
Ying Lili shook her head.
"Why?"
"I got busy with work."
Sheng Li looked at Xing-Fu who was standing near the stairs of the pavilion. "Xing-Fu, bring the breakfast for us here," Sheng Li commanded. Looking back at Ying Lili, he said, "Servants are there to do the work. Why are you tiring yourself in all this? I will tell the Empress not to trouble my wife."
Ying Lili smiled. "I need to be careful of certain things. I do not want any kind of problem in the marriages," Ying Lili declared.
"Do not give me excuses. You want to help everyone," Sheng Li stated. The maidservants came there with trays in their hands. They set a breakfast table for them. Xing-Fu gestured to the maidservants to go away. Sheng Li and Ying Lili were seated around the table.
"Here," Sheng Li handed the chopsticks to Ying Lili, who thanked him. The two started eating while conversing with each other.
"When will we meet Hu Jingguo?" Ying Lili suddenly questioned.
Sheng Li lifted his eyes. "Why are you so desperate to meet him? Didn't you see him a few days ago?" He scoffed and placed a steamed bun on the plate. Forwarding it towards Ying Lili, he said, "Don't give me that look. I do not like it when you talk about your idiot friend in front of me. That brat!"
Ying Lili ended up giggling. "You look cute when you are jealous," she complimented him and pinched his cheek. "Now, eat."
"I am not jealous!"
"Eunuch Xing-Fu, does the Crown Prince not look jealous? Please be truthful," Ying Lili looked at Xing-Fu, who was standing a meter away from them.
Sheng Li turned his head to listen to his answer.
"Yes, your highness. His highness was indeed jealous of your best friend," Xing-Fu replied.
"Why are you lying? I never get jealous of anyone," Sheng Li vehemently said. Ying Lili was smiling at his childish behavior.
"You should not be jealous because you know that your Lili only loves you," Ying Lili pronounced. A smile carved on his lips as he turned to look at her. The two finished their meals soon and stayed in the pavilion for some time.
~~~~~
In the Wang Residence, Hu Jingguo woke up from a deep sleep. He yawned as he sat upon the bed. Stretching his arms out, he looked here and there. He rubbed his eyes and got down from the bed.
"I shall go to the Palace after getting ready. I will not disturb General Wang for this petty thing," he thought and got down from the bed. After freshening up, he was helped by a few servants in getting ready.
He had his breakfast first before leaving for the Imperial Palace when the assistant of Wang Hao stopped him from going alone, but he did not listen to him. Instead, he said, "Assistant Guo, the Palace is a short distance from here. Do not trouble yourself and I am a trained warrior. Do not worry about me. I will return by the evening with General Wang."
Hu Jingguo soon came out of the residence and went to the market first as he wanted to purchase gifts for the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.
"Will the Crown Prince get angry for the words I used for him in the letter?" Hu Jingguo wondered and shook his head. "The Crown Princess will save me," he smiled and hastened towards the market. He had come far from the Wang Residence when a person came from his front and ended up getting hit with him.
"Forgive me," Hu Jingguo apologized. The man also apologized to him. As he crossed Hu Jingguo's shoulder, he hit him on his neck with a needle thus, making him unconscious in seconds. In that short time, two more men came there, and the three took Hu Jingguo from there before coming to anyone's notice.