Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 519

Chapter 519: Chapter 516: Hamstrung_1

"On this matter, Father, rest assured! Remember... you must ascertain whether this letter is from our Li family!" Li Mao squeezed his son’s hand forcefully, hinting secretly. "This letter concerns the lives of everyone in our Li family, whether they remain on our shoulders or fall to the ground with blood!"

"Father, rest assured, your son knows the gravity of the situation!" Li Mingrui said solemnly.

Under the pretext of visiting King Liang, Li Mingrui brought wine and pastries to his residence and personally watched as King Liang took a letter from a brocade box filled with documents and handed it to him.

After reading it, Li Mingrui recognized his father’s handwriting and was horrified. In the brief moment when King Liang lowered his head to drink tea, he pretended to have difficulty seeing and examined the paper under the sunlight streaming in from the decorative window lattice. Dust floated in the light, highlighting an extremely faint... barely discernible "Li" character that could only be seen under strong light. Li Mingrui’s heart sank.

The letter was indeed from the Li family.

He glanced at the brocade box beside King Liang. To show respect, he got up and placed the letter on King Liang’s table. "I wonder how your Highness obtained these letters? These letters have long been a source of worry for my father, not for anything else... just fearing someone might use them to stir up trouble, leaving you with no one to rely on in the royal court."

"How I obtained them, I cannot yet tell you, Mingrui. I ask for your understanding," King Liang said politely, putting the letter back into the brocade box.

"Your Highness, you shouldn’t speak this way!" Li Mingrui’s attitude became even more respectful. "I am merely a humble servant; how could I question my master’s affairs?"

"Mingrui, such words are unnecessary! I have always regarded you as a brother and have never treated you as an outsider!" King Liang paused here, then suddenly took the letter out of the brocade box again, opened it for Li Mingrui to see, and set it on fire.

"Your Highness!" Li Mingrui was quite surprised. His gaze was fixed on the letter being gradually consumed by flames, his throat tightening.

"The Left Prime Minister’s handwriting has been destroyed. In the royal court, the Left Prime Minister can deny this incident!" King Liang placed the nearly burnt letter in a pen wash, patted the brocade box, and said, "Mingrui, to be honest with you... I obtained these letters only last night! Rest assured, as long as they are with me, they will never see the light of day! The Left Prime Minister was once a pillar by the Emperor’s side. I cannot stand by and watch him be threatened by others. I hope he can assist me just as he assisted the Second Prince and work together with me to achieve great things!" _{freeωebnovēl.c૦m}

King Liang’s words were clear, yet not entirely straightforward.

Li Mingrui’s eyes fell on the brocade box, his brow twitching. He was uncertain whether King Liang intended to use the letters to coerce his father into obedience or if he had not acquired all of them.

If King Liang had truly read those letters, he would surely see that it was his father who instigated the Second Prince’s rebellion. His father promised to support the Second Prince from outside but abandoned him after realizing he could not succeed, immediately rushing to the Emperor’s aid.

Li Mingrui guessed that the latter possibility was more likely.

After all, back in Yanwo, Li Mingrui had already shown goodwill to King Liang on his father’s orders, pledging loyalty.

But it was merely a guess; he dared not be certain.