Chapter 367: Rejected
Translator:EndlessFantasy Translation
Editor:EndlessFantasy Translation
Li Gui was the Deputy Chief of the Imperial Residence and had seen his fair share of beauties but Xue Ling was the first ever to get his heart beating.
Her cold gaze and beautiful looks were as sharp as a treasured sword. It struck him right in his heart. He had a sudden urge – the urge to make her his own!
His thoughts whirred in his mind. Li Gui knew that she was Princess Xiao's maid so her status was different from the rest. Although Li Gui was a Deputy Chief, he was not above Princess Xiao. If he ever angered Princess Xiao, the Head Chief would definitely not forgive him.
Hmph! Although the Head Chief was great and rumored to have many lives on his hand, he was merely someone who knew how to fight and was in the prime of his youth!
Li Gui was throwing his weight around during the feast. He was someone who was unwilling to be below another and as such, he took the bait of his own plans this time. As soon as the Royal Highness wakes up, dealing with the Head Chief would be the first thing he does!
At that moment, with the Head Chief's arrogance, he would cause conflict with the Royal Highness. The Royal Highness would possibly get mad and kick him from the Imperial Residence or even kill him!
Moreover, Chu Li's position as Head Chief was merely a title. He did not have any actual power nor rights to be in charge of him!
At the thought of that, Li Gui let out a conceited smile. There was no use in such a great martial arts skill. In the end, Chu Li was simply someone who knew how to fight. Intelligence was what made a person a cut above others. To be able to decide a person's fate with a single sentence, that was the actual power!
Chu Li was standing outside of the courtyard, listening.
"Consort Xue, the Deputy Chief Li outside is an interesting person." Chu Li took the embroidered bag as he smiled at Xue Ningyu.
Xue Yuning replied, "Li Gui has his own cunning schemes. I will have to reprimand him for a bit."
"If that's the case, I shall refrain from speaking. But I can tell that he seems to be interested in Miss Qiu Er." Chu Li grinned.
"Hmm--? Nope! Not possible… he should at least know his place!" Xue Ningyu was startled. She shook her head.
Chu Li smiled. "Princess, sometimes people can't control themselves. They know they can't but they would still do it anyway. Although my eyes are not exactly omniscient I still have some confidence in perceiving people."
"Not possible, nope," Xue Ningyu said as she shook her head.
"I hope I was wrong." Chu Li smiled, he changed the topic absentmindedly. "Let's not gossip anymore, back to serious business."
"Right, right, serious business," Xue Ningyu said quickly.
But she started to mumble to herself.
Although Li Gui had a stomach full of bad ideas, he was not a brave person. He probably would not have any improper thoughts of Qiu Er.
But the Head Chief was not a normal person, being able to achieve Rank 1 at such a young age. Chu Li was definitely not one to speak before thinking. From what he had said, there was probably some developments on the issues he had brought up.
People change especially in the environment of the Imperial Residence. Power and influences could change someone in an instant. Even though Li Gui seemed to be no different from before, it did not mean that he had not changed. He was only good at pretending, hiding his true side!
Xue Ningyu still firmly believed that Li Gui did not have any improper thoughts but still, it was better to prevent trouble before it occurs. Why not take a look into this?
With two different opinions entangled with each other in her mind, Xue Ningyu made a decision after a while.
She would just have to check on it in secret, making sure that Li Gui did not find out.
If there was really a problem, he could not stay any longer. If Li Gui was this bold to have sexual desires, it was possible for him to do anything. He would have to be kept away from Qiu Er as far as possible.
Chu Li was merely commenting on it but Li Gui, who was listening outside, couldn't help but tremble.
Chu Li had exposed his deepest thoughts in a few words.
Li Gui was afraid, his face as white as paper. Even the radiance from the sun could not warm the icy cold feeling he felt in his heart.
Chu Li took two strands of hair and sat on the couch which Xue Ling had dragged out. He started to circulate the All-Seeing Divine Power.
After a while, Chu Li opened his eyes and looked as if he was deep in thought.
"Have you found them?" Xue Ningyu asked hurriedly.
Chu Li furrowed his brows and muttered, "They are out of town! This time, they are well prepared. I don't think I can handle this alone. I need the Protectors of the Imperial Residence to help."
"Of course! But I would like to ask you, the Head Chief to personally lead them," Xue Ningyu said quickly.
Chu Li said, "I shall meet the Royal Highness then."
He looked towards Xiao Shi.
Xiao Shi waved her delicate hands. "Don't worry about me, I have seven Grandmasters protecting me. You just need to come back as soon as possible!"
Chu Li nodded. She had the sarira prayer beads. He could return to her whenever he wanted to. There was no need to worry so much.
He arrived at the study room along with Xue Ningyu.
There were only three people guarding the study room. Xu Ning, Zheng Lide, and Song Liuying.
"Now that they are out of town, the Head Chief will need people to save them. Commander Zheng, you shall prepare a group of people and go with the Head Chief!" Xue Ningyu looked towards Zheng Lide.
Zheng Lide's face hung a helpless expression. "Consort Xue, what about the Royal Highness?"
"If it really doesn't work out, we shall let Sister Xiao come over first. The Protectors there shall follow as well. That should be enough people if that's the case!" replied Xue Ningyu.
Zheng Lide shook his head. "Without the command of the Royal Highness, we can't shift any manpower in the Imperial Residence."
"Not even the Head Chief can?" asked Xue Ningyu.
Zheng Lide looked at Chu Li and he nodded helplessly.
Chu Li glanced at Xu Ning.
Xu Ning remained silent. His brows were lowered and furrowed like an old monk who was meditating.
At that moment, Li Gui reported from the outside, "Princess, there are another two maids who have gone missing."
"What happened? Come in!" Xue Ningyu raised her voice.
Li Gui bowed as he carefully entered the study room and lowered his voice, "There are another two maids who have yet to return."
"How many maids are still out there? Did you not ask all of them to return after the first two went missing?" asked Xue Ningyu petulantly.
"Please forgive me, my Princess." Li Gui lowered his head.
Xue Ningyu asked plainly, "How about now? Have the rest returned?"
"Yes, they have all returned," Li Gui quickly answered.
Xue Ningyu scoffed as she turned her head and looked at Zheng Lide. "Commander Zheng, are you just going to cross your arms and watch them die?"
"Consort Xue…" Zheng Lide had a helpless expression on his face as he looked at the unconscious King An.
Song Liuying said, "How about this, Commander Zheng. Both Sister Xue and I agreed on the Head Chief leading people to save them. If the Royal Highness wakes up, we will be the ones responsible! Commander Zheng, now that the Royal Highness is in a coma, does that mean our words do not hold any power?"
"That was not my intention!" Zheng Lide answered quickly.
Xue Ningyu said, "Then stop talking so much, hurry up and bring someone there!"
Zheng Lide turned his head and looked at Chu Li. "Head Chief, how many people do you need?"
Chu Li said, "They must have been prepared for them to exact revenge in such a way. We can't do anything without enough people. Gather up eight Grandmasters!"
"Eight?!" Zheng Lide furrowed his brows.
"Commander Zheng, if anything happens to them because you are wasting time, you will be the one to take the blame! Quickly, I shall bring Sister Xiao over!" Xue Ningyu waved her delicate hand impatiently.
"Understood. Please follow me, Head Chief." Zheng Lide shook his head helplessly.
Chu Li could tell that Zheng Lide was unwilling but he did not care.
Zheng Lide griped to himself for being unlucky.
King An and the Head Chief were not on the same side. They were enemies!
If the Head Chief actually led people to their deaths, he will then truly have nowhere to turn for help. Even if he escaped death, his subordinates would have perished. When the Royal Highness wakes up, he would not be able to run from his sins!
The two arrived at the Courtyard. Zheng Lide greeted them as the eight Grandmasters appeared.
"The Head Chief wants to bring us along to save the missing maids. In the end, they are still people from the Imperial Residence. We can't just leave them to die," Commander Zheng said in a deep voice as he glanced at all eight Grandmasters.
"Commander, is the Royal Highness awake?" one of the middle-aged men asked.
He was tall and tough, with stunning looks. The only thing that seemed out of place was his eyes that were a little too gloomy, like the stare of a viper.
"Ying Wuqiu, the Royal Highness is not awake yet. But Princess Xiao will come over. Ji Laowu and his people will come and look after the Royal Highness as well." Zheng Lide shook his head.
"Since the Royal Highness has yet to regain consciousness, we can't make a move without his orders. My apologies, Head Chief, our only job is to protect the Royal Highness, anyone else is not under our responsibility!" Ying Wuqiu said subtly to Chu Li while making a closed fist salute.