His Rui

Chapter 120 - The Imperial Court

The ministers entered the Imperial Court one after another. The meeting was about to start very soon. Fifteen minutes later, the lower chairs that were reserved for the ministers according to their ranks were filled.

Among the seated ministers, Xi Ying's seat was closest to the Emperor. Seated on his eat comfortable, the cold and aloof Prime Minister casually glanced around the whole Imperial court and the row of ministers.

It stopped for a moment at General Li who also looked towards him.

With a tacit understanding, both the men moved away from their eyes away from each other.

Zhao Zhang entered the Imperial Court and saw this exchange. With his usual gentle smile, he walked towards his seat.

Just after him, the crown prince entered the court.

His eyes roamed around the Imperial Court and stopped at General Li's seat.

They narrowed for an infinitesimal second and then he smiled and nodded politely in greeting at the middle-aged General who also reciprocated it.

Very casually, then he moved his gaze towards General Yun whose anger could be seen through his expression already but seeing Zhao Zhuang Chen's stare he composed his expression.

Then the Crown Prince moved towards his seat.

At this moment, the Imperial guards announced the arrival of the Emperor.

Everyone stood up and kneeled down to pay respect to the Emperor as he entered and walked towards the throne.

"Paying respect to the Emperor."

It was only Xi Ying who was standing straight and bowed her head once. It was because the Emperor had awarded Prime Minister Xi that he doesn't need to kneel down to pay respect in front of him.

After sitting on his throne, Zhao Wang Lei raised his hand, and said

"Beloved subjects may rise."

Everyone sat down on their seats.

The Emperor looked at the row of ministers and called out

"General Li."

Standing up from his seat, General Li bowed his head.

"Zhen is delighted to see that you, commander Li and soldier Yi Lei are safe and sound."

General Li bowed his head again and replied humbly

"It is all because of Your Majesty's blessing."

Seated on his seat, Xi Ying scoffed at General Li's words.

'Indeed because of Your Majesty's blessings.'

The Emperor continued.

"General Li, until now you should have already come to know that Li and Yi Clan are accused of selling Xin to the enemy country."

At the Emperor's words, everyone looked at General Li's face to see his reaction. However, they were disappointed to see the wooden face of General Li.

"Yes, Your Majesty this General knows."

The Emperor nodded his head and said

"Seeing the soldiers' efforts to save Li and Yi Clan, we have postponed any decision regarding both the clans. So since you are back now, today Zhen will hear the investigation results and will punish those who have committed wrong."

"This General believes that Your Majesty will take a wise decision."

Saying this, General Li sat down and the Emperor indicated to start the meeting.

It was Xi Ying who first stood up and came to stand in the center of the large hall just in front of the Emperor.

"Since Your Majesty has given me the responsibility to find out what had happened on the borders in the last enemy attack, this subject will describe his findings now with Your Majesty's expression."

"Prime Minister Xi may start."

With that, Xi Ying turned around and waved his hand.

Soon two Imperial guards entered the Imperial Court but with a chubby man tied with shackles.

As soon as General Yun recognized the tied man, his eyes widened and he shouted out.

"Commander Ji."

Hearing him calling this name, the Crown Prince frowned and looked at the dirty-clothed and chubby man.

"General Yun." The Emperor glanced at General Yun coldly admonishing him for speaking in between like this.

General Yun glanced towards the Crown Prince nervously but seeing him not looking at him, his nervousness increased. However, in the end, he could only sit down on his chair silently.

"Indeed, General Yun recognized his subordinate very easily."

Xi Ying was satisfied to see General Yun's tensed face as not only him but every minister could see that he was behaving weirdly.

He confidently turned to the Emperor and said

"Your Majesty, when this subject reached the borders, I first went to meet Commander Xie."

Commander Xie stood up and bowed his head in front of the Emperor to which the Emperor nodded his head acknowledging him.

"Commander Xie told me how that day when the enemy country suddenly attacked and they had to prepare everything in hurry. General Li with Commander Li was defending the front while Commander Xie was defending the west side of the borders."

"Commander Xie also told me that while fighting on the west side of the border he was informed by one of his soldiers that Commander Ji was asking him to come in his camp urgently. However, till then the situation on the border was not much good. The enemy soldiers were forming some kind of labyrinth."

"The same kind that was only mentioned in the war strategy book of the Li Clan's ancestors."

The Emperor nodded his head hearing everything very seriously.

"So, Commander Xie couldn't leave the battlefield and his soldiers at that time. But the soldier sent by Commander Ji told him that it was something related to the attack so soldier Yi Lei came forward to take Commander Xie's place and Commander Xie went to meet Commander Ji."

Turning to look at Commander Xie, Xi Ying asked

"Commander Xie, Is there anything that you would like to add?"

Commander Xie solemnly replied

"No Minister Xi whatever you said was exactly what had happened."

Xi Ying again turned to the Emperor and said

"What happened after that, Your Majesty, will be told by Commander Xie."

Commander Xie stepped forward and detailed the events that transpired on the day of the enemy's attack.

He told that when he went back to the camps, Commander Ji told him that General Li was a traitor and he had given his ancestral war strategies to the enemy's country.

Not only this, he even told him that he had already sent his soldiers to the borders and they would surely win against the enemy but they have to catch General Li and his son.

"This Commander went back to the borders with Commander Ji. However, when we reached there the battle was already won, but we could never find General Li, Commander Li, and soldier Yi Lei there."