After refusing marriage, she was pampered by the prince who acted as a shield.

Chapter 295: The New Prefect Takes Office

But in the blink of an eye, several days had passed.

Li Xiao Kui's condition has not improved.

If this kid drinks any more, he'll drink himself to death.

Lin Rusi couldn't sit still any longer, so she went to the tavern herself and dragged out Li Xiaokui, who was completely drunk.

Under the shocked gaze of passersby, she carried the drunkard back to her residence and threw him directly into the pond.

A string of bubbles rose to the surface of the water, but there wasn't even a sound of struggling.

Helpless, Lin Rusi quickly pulled the person out of the water and leaned them against the shore: "How are you? Are you more awake now?"

The icy water slid down his head. Li Xiao Kui stared blankly at Lin Ru Si for a long time before he reacted: "Your Highness?"

"Is that all you've got? I thought these few days would be enough for you to get over it, but it seems you're even less capable than I imagined."

Lin Rusi stared coldly at him, then suddenly reached out and pressed him back into the pond before pulling him out again: "Are you awake?"

Li Xiaokui shuddered: "I..."

Before she could even finish uttering a single word, Lin Rusi pressed the person down again without pausing.

Li Xiao Kui took a hard breath and, without waiting for her to ask, hurriedly replied, "I'm awake, I'm awake, I'm really awake this time, Your Highness, please spare me."

"It's good that you're awake now." Seeing him beg for mercy, Lin Rusi snorted coldly and then let go.

She walked to the pavilion by the pond, crossed her arms, leaned against a pillar, and coldly watched him clean the mud off his body.

The accompanying guards were completely shocked by what they had just witnessed.

The princess is indeed a princess; her methods are truly extraordinary.

If you didn't know better, you'd think they were torturing a serious criminal.

After waiting for a while, Li Xiao Kui finally crawled out of the muddy pond, looking disheveled.

A gust of cool wind blew by, and he instantly shivered like a leaf.

"Come over when you're sober, I have something to tell you."

Seeing his appearance, Lin Rusi turned around and sat on the stone bench in the pavilion.

Li Xiao Kui shuffled over hesitantly, looking somewhat aggrieved: "Your Highness, perhaps... I should change my clothes first?"

"what ever."

Lin Rusi gave him a cool look, and before Li Xiaokui could react, she continued, "What I'm about to say is related to Yao Shi."

Li Xiao Kui paused, then turned around abruptly. He walked a few steps to Lin Ru Si and sat down. His eyes, which had just regained some vitality, calmed down. "Please speak, Your Highness."

Lin Rusi sighed, her voice low: "Yao Shi left me a letter before she left."

As she spoke, she took out the well-preserved letter from her bosom and pushed it in front of Li Xiao Kui: "Take a look."

Li Xiao Kui shuddered and hurriedly reached for the letter, but then quickly withdrew.

He carefully rubbed his dirty hands on his relatively clean collar before finally unfolding the letter.

There aren't many words on it; you can read them in two glances.

Li Xiao Kui's hands trembled more and more violently, and the fragile paper was gripped so tightly that it tore open.

He was startled and quickly let go, tenderly smoothing out the creases on the paper.

"You have no worries and can abuse your body as you please, but Yao Shi left with wishes and regrets."

"She still can't let go of you, and she can't let go of her parents at home." Lin Rusi showed no intention of taking back the letter.

The last letter Yao Shi left in this world was perhaps the only memento she could leave for Li Xiao Kui.

“Li Xiao Kui, think about Yao Shi’s parents. If you don’t even care about them, they will lose their son in their old age and have no choice but to live a miserable life. After they pass away, how will you face Yao Shi?”

Lin Rusi frowned and spoke earnestly.

When necessary, some responsibility should be forcibly imposed on him.

People only have the motivation to live when they have responsibilities on their shoulders.

"Think it over carefully. In a few days, the new prefect of Suzhou will take office, and the prince and I will leave Suzhou and return to the capital."

Lin Rusi got up to leave, and as she passed Li Xiaokui, she couldn't help but remind him: "If you want to come back to the capital with us, you must make arrangements for the Yao family elders in advance. If you don't plan to go to the capital, I agree."

"You just need to follow your own ideas. I will handle things with the prince."

Lin Rusi sighed: "This is the last thing I can do for my friends."

Lin Rusi left the backyard after saying her last words, leaving Li Xiaokui sitting in the pavilion looking at the letter, letting the mud on his body dry in the wind, and remaining motionless for a long time.

Lin Rusi wasn't quite sure what kind of internal struggle Li Xiao Kui had gone through, but at least he didn't go out drinking anymore.

After reflecting on this, he disappeared for another three days.

Fortunately, he was being watched by guards, and for the past three days he had stayed in his room, with meals being delivered to him on time, which he ate as usual.

Judging from his appearance, he is at least still conscious.

Calculating the time, there were still a few days before the new Suzhou prefect took office, so Lin Rusi didn't plan to urge him. She just secretly sent someone to bring Yao Shi's parents over and take good care of them.

Regardless of whether Li Xiao Kui intends to return to the capital with them, arrangements must be made for the two elders of the Yao family.

On the morning of the fourth day, as soon as Lin Rusi went out, she saw Li Xiaokui standing upright in the middle of the yard, his hair neatly styled, looking completely different from the person who had been drinking heavily all day a few days ago.

"What, have you figured it out?"

Lin Rusi smiled and called out to the guards over there not to bring Li Xiao Kui his meal today, but to bring it directly to the main hall.

I've figured it out.

Li Xiao Kui's voice betrayed no emotion: "In this life, I have only ever recognized Yao Shi as my wife. Now that she is gone, her parents are my parents."

Lin Rusi was satisfied: "It's good that you've figured it out. I've already brought the Yao family elders here and settled them in Suzhou. After we finish eating, I'll take you to see them."

Inside the main hall, Li Jingyang was in a good mood arranging the pastries on the table. He even thoughtfully served Lin Rusi porridge and placed it in the closest spot to him, waiting comfortably for his wife to come and have breakfast with him.

Looking up, she saw two people enter.

Li Jingyang clenched his back teeth.

He'd only had three days of peace and quiet, and now this kid's back again?

The other guards eat alone, so why does he always linger at this table?

Li Jingyang is increasingly displeased with Li Xiaokui. Knowing his current situation, he is holding his breath and secretly planning where he should put Li Xiaokui if he returns to Beijing with him.

By the way, where is the furthest of his men from the capital?

Both of them ate the meal absentmindedly, except for Lin Rusi, who was in a good mood.

Li Xiao Kui clearly had a poor appetite and was eager to leave before finishing his meal. Seeing that Lin Ru Si was about to follow, he quickly declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but I will go see the Yao family elders myself."

He thought of Yao Shi's parents, whom he hadn't seen for many years, and his eyes darkened: "If the princess goes with us, even if the two elders have resentment in their hearts, they won't dare to vent it."

Lin Rusi sighed, knowing that he was going there to apologize, so she did not ask to go with him.