Sheng Li's eyes had anger, but at the same time guilt could be seen there. "Does his majesty know about this?" Ying Lili politely asked.

"Father knows about the Prime Minister but I do not think he knows about the Empress. That's the way the Empress plays. Even if in the future, the Prime Minister gets caught, the Empress will turn aside. You have seen yourself how she planned to kill me. Your uncle trusted the wrong person just to get the throne," Sheng Li pronounced.

Ying Lili with an inquisitiveness looked at Sheng Li. "I analyzed everything and this was the most probable answer I got. The Empress knew that after winning Juyan, my campaign would be over and I would be back to the Palace, which was not acceptable to her at all. From my spies, I found out that along with your father, your uncle had also come to Juyan, but your father did not know about that.

Your uncle then met with the Empress who promised him the throne. As soon as I brought you from Juyan, your father died and blame came on me. In everyone's eyes, I am a ruthless person, so you all believed that I killed your father. Now, because your father died, it is obvious his daughter would avenge me for his death, but then in the middle; you changed your mind. Now, you can see how you were being used as a puppet. The strings were in the hands of the Empress who was playing with you."

Ying Lili was shocked to hear all that. "Why did she do this? I didn't even know her at that time. My father did not do anything to her. Then why she planned all this? Ying Lili questioned as her eyes turned teary.

"Don't you know?" Sheng Li chuckled.

Ying Li shook her head to refuse.

"Because you are my wife," Sheng Li replied. Ying Li drew her brows together because that answer bewildered her.

"I am meant to be alone. This is the way my life is! Weng Wei is the one who is holding everyone in her palm and playing with them. She wants this Crown for her son, Jian Guozhi, who has got no brains. She wanted you to be against me and kill me because you are the closest one to me, not by heart, but by status. This poisoning incident was not only to kill me but also for checking on you- whether or not you are heartless for me; whether you will be later useful for her. Jian Guozhi likes you so, she wanted to check if you were suitable for him if something happened to me," Sheng Li affirmed.

It shocked Ying Lili to hear about the Empress. She not only killed Sheng Li's mother but also grew the enmity between them by killing her father. It was not her uncle, but the person who killed her father was the Empress! She was bewildered and exasperated by knowing all this.

"Why did you not tell me earlier?" Ying Lili asked Sheng Li.

"Would you have believed me? Would you listen to me? Like all the people you also harmed me when you treat everyone with your kindness. But it was the opposite for me, which is understandable. Who would want a man who killed people throughout his life and is still doing it to save himself? That's why I told you to not get close to me because in the end you will be harmed," Sheng Li deduced.

Sheng Li took a deep breath and said, "I do not know why I told you so many things today? Maybe because you brought my mother's diary from there. Shall we have our meals then?" Sheng Li asked Ying Lili, who was staring at him. He stood up and turned to go towards the table when Ying Lili grabbed Sheng Li's hand.

Sheng Li turned and looked at her. "I will not leave your side. You can trust me. I will prove myself as the most trustworthy person to you. I will help you in punishing the Empress. So, do not think that you are meant to be alone. Many important people in your life want to see you happy and want to support you fully," Ying Lili pronounced and stepped down the bed. She put pressure on her right foot entirely when Sheng Li held her wrists.

"Don't be indecisive. You might want to run away from me later. Just because I shared things with you does not mean," he was stopped by Ying Lili, who put her index fingers on his lips.

"You told me that I can be the woman of your desires if I want to. Let me do my duty as a wife then. I am firm in my decision," Ying Lili assured Sheng Li who did not reply to her.

"Just sit here. We can eat our meals on the bed, too. Court Lady Xu will arrange for the bed table. Let's go tomorrow evening to the lantern festival. I have thought of something which will not put pressure on your foot." Sheng Li had changed the topic as he did not want to freshen up his childhood memories, nor he wanted to tell everything about the Empress to Ying Lili.

Sheng Li stretched out Ying Lili's one foot and put a pillow beneath it. "Lili, you did not tell me about your wish which I have to fulfill," Sheng Li asserted.

"Oh! I have not thought about it. I need more time to think about it," Ying Lili stated. Sheng Li nodded and sat beside her. He called for Court Lady Xu and told her to send the lunch meals for them.

"I need to wash my hands first," Sheng Li mumbled and left the chamber.

"Mother, your heart must be sunk seeing Sheng Li like this. Isn't there any way to make him feel happy?" Ying Lili muttered when she recalled the words of the Emperor from their previous conversation. "Only a warm heart can melt the ice-cold heart of the Crown Prince. Will I be able to give warmth to him?" Ying Lili thought. 

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