"I had promised my father that I would live with that identity as long as I was in that village. Mi Luan …a boy from so village head's family. Only shifu knew about my real identity."
Gu Li's eyes narrowed.
He rembered what Master Wong had told him the night before Mi Luan left. Mi Luan's father was protecting him for several years. So he must have done this to ensure his safety.
Still, Gu Li couldn't help but say
"However, that was sothing you were doing to protect yourself. I and my people never ant any danger to you, Xiao L…Lady Li."
Gu Li changed his words.
It was a little weird to call the person 'Lady Li' he had called and rembered all this while as Xiao Luan. However, she was a General's daughter and a pri minister's wife.
It was a norm to call her Lady.
"You are right."
Li Rui spoke calmly. When she said her next few words, she smiled lightly as she looked at Gu Li and asked him
"But if I had told you that I was a girl, would have taught how to fight with a sword? Would have taken to train with your shadow guards? Would you have let Master teach the swordsmanship?"
This ti, Gu Li couldn't really answer Li Rui's question.
His mouth opened and closed many tis but he didn't know what he should say.
It was the truth. He would not have taught her all those things if he knew that she was a girl. Putting aside that, he would have taken her back to her village instantly if he knew that she was a girl.
Because Youxio didn't have any place for girls.
"I have to say that Xiao Luan is right."
Gu Li glanced at the shadow guard who said this
The shadow guard smiled apologetically and corrected his words.
"I an Lady Li is right."
Li Rui smiled and said politely
"I would like if all of you will still call Xiao Luan or Rui…anything you like."
The shadow guards also smiled at the sa ti, they felt bad for whatever they said to her when they had been inside the garden to kill her.
They said that she was a scheming and arrogant woman as the rumors described her to be. But they could see very clearly that she was far from that type of person.
Li Rui looked at Gu Li and told him politely
"Senior Brother, I would have never hidden all these things from you but I was too greedy to learn to protect myself. If it hurts you then Rui apologizes and Rui will complete any kind of punishnt Senior Brother will give."
Xi Ying looked displeased with his wife's words. He looked at Gu Li coldly as if daring him to punish his wife in any way.
Ha…if he was even thinking of any such thing then he would forget everything and put him and his shadow guards back inside that room where they have co from.
Gu Li sighed as he looked away from Li Rui.
It was a sigh one of helplessness.
How could he punish her! He couldn't punish his Xiao Luan when in his eyes he was a boy.
And now that he knew that Xiao Luan was actually a girl…Gu Li only felt a different tenderness and protectiveness towards her.
Such a young girl…he only felt that she was surrounded by too many enemies.
He felt his heart aching at the thought that she couldn't live a normal life.
Gu Li's fists clenched and he looked at Xi Ying for the first ti in all this while.
"Pri Minister Xi doesn't know why the Emperor wants to kill Rui?"
Li Rui smiled when she heard Gu Li calling her Rui. She understood that he had forgiven her.
"No…not yet."
Xi Ying answered rather coldly.
Because he understood that Gu Li heard when he was talking with Li Rui. He had put his guard down when he was spending ti with his wife…when he wanted to hear attentively because she was expressing her thoughts and feelings in front of him for the first ti and that's why he didn't get to know that Gu Li and his shadow guards were standing there until Gu Li cleared his throat.
Gu Li nodded his head and looked at Li Rui.
"I will find out about this soon."
Li Rui didn't refuse and said
"Had you been looking for , Senior Brother?"
She rembered when Gu Li had heard Mi Luan's na then he looked very desperate to find him. She frowned when she saw his face going grim at her question.
In fact, his shadow guards also didn't have good faces.
"Is everything alright, Senior Brother?"
Gu Li shook his head with a sigh as he spoke
"Two years ago, we were attacked by an opponent organization that is trying to take our place the Empire."
"Jiaxiu organization?"
Xi Ying asked and Gu Li nodded his head as his eyes went colder rely at the ntion of Jiaxiu organization.
"We won. Their side lost very heavily but during the battle, Master got injured."
Li Rui's eyes flickered and her eyes also went colder.
She had always respected the old master. It was because of him she was standing alive today. If he had not taught her all those perfect and sharp moves in swordsmanship then she would have never been able to fight with her enemies.
"He…did he…"
She couldn't complete her question but fortunately, Gu Li understood and answered
"He is alive but…"
Gu Li licked his dry lips as he looked away from Li Rui. It had always been a deep wound in his heart that he couldn't protect his master.
"An arrow stabbed him. We removed the arrow. The wound also healed with ti. However, he didn't wake up. He remained unconscious for the past two years. He is alive only on so liquid diets. However, the physician said that he would not…"
The pause described how difficult it was for Gu Li to continue his words.
"…would not survive this way for a long ti."
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