Chapter 122 - Visitors

Lei Xing stood in front of the mirror after getting out of the bath and inspected her body. It had been two weeks now and the last of the spots were now completely gone. What's more, her skin really did improve as the bracelet said. Not that it was bad before, but now it had a sort of healthy vibrant glow and was baby smooth. Lei Xing happily felt her face, nodding in appreciation as she admired herself in the mirror.

{...I can capitalize on this...But it's not like I could open a spa...I guess it could be made into a cream...need to find out how to make a cream first...Or I just find someone who can do that. If that quacky - Ah, I mean generous doctor...}

Lei Xing waited for a response but nothing came, the bracelet had been ignoring her for the past few weeks. 

{...Still ignoring me? That's fine, I'm in a great mood so you're excused...}

Lei Xing continued to laugh to herself as she rubbed her smooth cheeks. While Xiao Ruo was standing on the side giving Lei Xing a weird look. Xiao Ruo sighed and thought that Lei Xing was behaving weirder than usual today, but it was good to see her happy, especially happily living with the Emperor.

After Lei Xing had enough of looking, she got dressed and then went to meet Li Ru in the Imperial garden. She was happy to finally leave her palace, she had not left at all the last few weeks. She was kept busy though, people kept coming over to visit.

The concubines and Chen You, she refused to see. She did not feel the need to give them a reason to mock her, not to mention they only ever came by when the Emperor was around. At those times, the Emperor would not even bother to raise his head from what he was doing, and he never said anything when Lei Xing rejected them and so she kept on doing it.

They came by almost every day in different groups or alone with herbs and gifts, which she never took. Some even brought over food, which she took but passed on to the servants after checking for poison. Chen You sent over soups, which Lei Xing always took the time to toss. Even though it was not poisoned, Chen You's spit was definitely not venomous, neither was dirt or faeces, you just never know.

All this "concern" they were showering on her amused Lei Xing, they were really persistent. One time, when a maid came to inform of her visitors, Lei Xing looked at the Emperor who was reading his memorials and jokingly said, "Your wives are here for you again." Only for the Emperor to send a ferocious glare her way. Lei Xing flinched and quickly told the maid to say she was asleep, and then looked down at her book wondering what his problem was. 

She did not think she said anything wrong, they were his wives and they were here for him. She knew he was smart so he definitely understood their thinking. So why be annoyed when all she did was point out the obvious. 

{...Can't take a joke person -_-)...}

Since the Emperor refused to accept her hints to leave, Lei Xing eventually got used to him hanging around. He spent time with her every day and also shared her bed. Since that time in the study when Lei Xing blew up at him, he had become quite well behaved. 

Although occasionally he would still get touchy and mess with her, if she started to get angry he would immediately stop then offer to play the qin for her. At the start of this new ploy, Lei Xing would covertly roll her eyes while thinking he was an idiot for thinking she was a cobra or something that he could simply annoy and then go play the qin to pacify. But since she enjoyed the music, she let it continue regardless of her misgivings. 

Zhao Lan did not show up and Lei Xing did not care, but she did take note of it, thinking that at least she did not pretend to care like Chen You. Lei Xing did see Li Ru though, unlike the others she came over while the Emperor was at court or was busy with meetings.

Princess Nalan also came over to visit a few times too. The first time she came she lamented about her meeting with the Empress dowager. Talking about how the woman was scary and annoying. Apparently, the Empress dowager was not pleased with Nalan's speech at the welcome banquet and expressed as much. Lei Xing laughed and thought that she must have been looking for someone to oppress recently and Princess Nalan presented herself.

{...I guess no more monks to maim hahaha...}

Lei Xing finally arrived at their spot to find Li Ru already set up with snacks and tea waiting for her. They sat down and talked for a while and then went on to qin practice. Li Ru taught her another simple short piece, string by string at first. Then they played it together slowly and repeated, increasing the pacing each time. Lei Xing smiled to herself as she was getting into the groove.

{...I'm getting good at this...}

Lei Xing glanced at Li Ru to get her nod of approval, then she went wide-eyed and flinched when her eyes met the Emperor's instead. She immediately stopped playing and quickly looked away feeling a bit embarrassed, with her ears turning slightly red. 

Li Ru and the others quickly noticed him as he walked forward, and they all got up and bowed. The Emperor quickly arrived at Lei Xing's front, he had gone to her palace to see her and Xiao Ruo informed him that she had gone for her qin lessons and so he made his way here out of curiosity. He lightly smirked and said, "It seems you have improved after all."

Lei Xing lowered her head and did not respond, the Emperor did not mind and continued, "Why don't you go ahead and play something? I am quite the listener as well."

Lei Xing knit her brows, there were other people here so she could not bluntly tell him no. She then looked up and said, "I can't...I hurt my finger so I can't."

The Emperor raised an eyebrow at her, then she stretched out her index finger and said, "See." 

The Emperor held the finger and squinted and saw a tiny, barely visible scratch. It seems she must have plucked the string a bit too hard just now when she saw him, but this could not even be considered a bruise and it definitely would not hinder her playing.

Lei Xing immediately tried to pull her finger back, but the Emperor tightly held on. She frowned at him to let him know she was unhappy, but the Emperor simply narrowed his eyes at her. He noted her red ears and wondered why she was getting embarrassed about playing. Not to mention, she always brushed it off whenever he asked her to play. He was very curious now.

Li Ru looked at the two in a standoff and was worried for Lei Xing, she took a deep breath and then offered, "Your majesty...if it's okay...I can play instead." 

The Emperor glanced at Li Ru with a raised eyebrow and she quickly looked down. Lei Xing immediately jumped at the opportunity, "Li Ru's very good...Amazing actually, let her play."

The Emperor turned back to Lei Xing and squinted at her, lightly smirked then said, "Alright." He then moved his fingers to wrap his hand around her hand and she finally yanked free and glared at him and looked away. He smiled at her, she gets shy way too easily and looked very cute when pouting. So he enjoyed pushing her buttons, maybe a bit too much. He knew it annoyed her, but sometimes he could not help it. 

The Emperor went to sit on the cushion beside Lei Xing, and simply smiled when she shifted away. Li Ru began playing and Lei Xing fixed her eyes on her, trying to ignore the man beside her, who was observing her. 

The Emperor went to hold her hand but Lei Xing brushed him off and shifted further away. It was obvious she was angry with him. but he was not worried about it. She had a fairly easygoing personality and was not the sort to hold grudges. Therefore, as long as he put in some effort, she was very easy to pacify.