Chapter 167 - Backwash

As soon as Lei Xing reached her palace, she drank an entire pot of water and then anxiously paced about for but as Xiao Ruo fussed about her asking about her whereabouts and babbling about what happened in her absence. Lei Xing curtly informed that she was with the Emperor which promptly sent made her break out in a smiling fit. Eventually, Lei Xing shooed both Xiao Ruo and Ah Jin out the doors, then she sat down, leaned back in the chair and just stared at the ceiling. 

Prince Yi's face flashed in her mind and she immediately shooed him away as well. It had taken all of her self control to have not sprinted off in the opposite direction when they ran into him. The fact that she wanted to run was also very upsetting. She was not a coward, but then again she had never been in this sort of situation before. Regardless, such cowardice was irritating and unbecoming.

Lei Xing expected that she would have been able to brazenly and indifferently explain to him that she was drugged and that it had meant nothing. And then would have left it up to him to believe it or not rather, with a calm and composed head like always. Instead, she behaved like a scared and guilty three-year-old who was caught stealing cookies. It was irritating and belittling. She was not a child and was definitely not a fan of anyone who made her feel like one. Embarrassment was one thing, cowardice was another.

{...I will never be able to look at that guy the same T_T) Not that I looked before, frankly it would be best if we never meet again...But that's impossible, isn't it? -_-)...I feel like punching something, preferably Chen You's face, it would be very nice to punch her. Could visit the prison? Nah, that's a waste of time and energy, screw her...I wonder how she's feeling now, not that I care -_-)...*sigh* That aside, I survived!... But I don't feel like celebrating. Chen You's fault...}

While Lei Xing felt angry with Chen You, she was also feeling increasingly angrier with herself. 

{...SERIOUSLY?...Couldn't I have chosen some other person? Someone I would never have to see again? Why did it have to be that guy?... Not to mention it's his BLOODY brother! I can imagine it's doubly upsetting just for that fact...}

Lei Xing stretched out her legs and closed her eyes with a sigh. Her body was still hurting and her head was throbbing but she didn't feel like going to the bed and so she got as comfortable as possible on the chair.

{...He must be really angry, even though he didn't show it...He seemed distant...Maybe he'll move on now...No, he said he already knew about it in the hot springs, if he wanted to move on, he wouldn't have gotten in with me or - *sigh*...I wonder what they're doing? He wouldn't kill him, right?... I mean I understand it's probably considered a high crime, Prince or not and as the Emperor, he could kill him and give whatever reason or maybe not even give any reason and that would be the end...But for this...It's definitely too much...}

Lei Xing let out another tired sigh.

{...I'm tired, today has been a really long day...}

Lei Xing stayed stretched out on the low chair for a long while with her eyes closed. She willed her mind to stop and found solace in the emptiness of it, not quite awake but not asleep either.  Eventually, she did end up dozing off and then woke up with a start and then groaned when her back and neck screamed from the sudden movement. This chair was really not a place to sleep. She massaged out the knots in her neck and yawned and decided to go to the bed.

As she stood up and headed for the bed, an important thought suddenly flashed through her sleepy mind, jump starting her mind awake.

Contraception!

Lei Xing immediately changed directions and went into the storage room at the back of her bedroom, where she stored her trunks of money among other things. 

{...That quack can keep his magic birth control and whatnot. I planned for this...Just wait until I go back for him. I need to thank him of course, but most importantly, we need to talk about this stupid bracelet... I bet he can get you off...}

{...}

The bracelet did not respond but Lei Xing was not bothered, there was now hope to rid herself of this tyrant...Well, maybe not a tyrant anymore. They have been getting along fine these days and she liked being able to speak her mind to someone. It also did not bother her as much either. But she was not a fan of being held hostage like this. It also gets annoying and uncomfortable. She honestly just wanted her own mind space back. 

{... Ugh, but the problem with that old man is getting him to focus. He can be infuriating and incredibly stubborn...but overall pleasant, when he's jumping all over the place or messing around ◔_◔)...}

Lei Xing let out an exasperated breath as she rummaged through the last of the drawers but still did not find the medication. She stood up straight with knit eyebrows and scanned the room.

{...I'm pretty sure I put it here...It wouldn't be in one of trunks, would it? I wouldn't have put it there...}

Lei Xing had just decided to check the trunks when she heard the door open. She turned around and just decided to go find either Ah Jin or Xiao Ruo to ask if they knew its whereabouts. Only for her to stop dead in her tracks, wide-eyed.

The Emperor was standing in the middle of the room, his face bruised with cuts, and most shockingly was the fact that he was holding a sword and was looking at her with an unreadable expression.

Lei Xing gulped and glanced at Ah Jin who was standing behind the Emperor, intently staring at him as if ready to pounce if he moved. Apparently the only one brave enough to have followed him inside.

Before Lei Xing could process the scene in front of her, Xiao Ruo burst into the room and immediately fell to her knees next to the Emperor, "Your majesty, please do not be angry with Her highness!" Ah Jin quickly knelt beside her and echoed her words, followed by more echoes from the rest of the more timid of the staff that had stayed outside, safely in the corridor.

Lei Xing finally blinked and then frowned in confusion.

{...So he's here for me...with that?... But he said to tr- Seriously? O_O)...}

Lei Xing was confused, but she started feeling very upset and was now pretty much glaring daggers at the Emperor.

{...I am not going to beg... Run me through if you want!. Then I'll haunt you for the rest of your life and make sure you live a hellish miserable life! Hmph!..}

The Emperor frowned and glanced at Xiao Ruo and Ah Jin, confused over what the fuss was. Then he noticed Lei Xing glaring at him, then he quickly realized it was his hand she was glaring at. He looked down and was shocked by the sight. He immediately released the sword and it noisily fell to the ground, shocking the others.

He immediatley looked up at lei Xing and said, "I-I would never hurt you."  Lei Xing stared at him with knit eyebrows and obvious skepticism. The Emperor was still rattled and understood her disbelief.

He had brought a sword here. He was truly not aware he still carried the sword and no one said anything to him on the way here. He just thought...He honestly was not really sure what he was thinking. And the blatant disbelief he saw in her expression felt like another stab to his chest. He looked down with a frown and then turned to Xiao Ruo and Ah Jin who were still on their knees and ordered in a chilling voice, "Leave." 

Xiao Ruo started to speak again but Ah Jin grabbed her hand and whispered something to her. Xiao Ruo glanced at Lei Xing, who was looking at the Emperor unflinchingly. Then she glanced at the sword on the ground, and then reluctantly got up and left with Ah Jin.

After the doors had closed behind them, the Emperor looked back at Lei Xing who was still looking at him with a wary expression. He let out a breath and repeated, "I would never hurt you...you know that, don't you?"

{...So the sword was for? -_-)...}

Lei Xing stifled the urge to roll her eyes, instead, she glanced down at the sword and then looked up at him and assessed him with a cool gaze.

{...Well, he does look sorry...Actually he looks like a sorry apparition right now, pitiful almost...What the hell happened to you?...}

Lei Xing could clearly see that something was wrong with the Emperor. When she came out, he was just standing there with a blank expression, face pale and looking worn out. In a daze almost. Then that expression changed to a frown and then panic when he dropped the sword and now it was apologetic, at least that was what she interpreted it as. His expression was odd.

Seeing how odd his behavior was, she could not hold on to her anger but still feeling unnerved by his odd "moods", she simply nodded in understanding. The Emperor studied Lei Xing for a bit and then lowered his eyes and stared at the ground between them.

Lei Xing knit her brows and awkwardly stood there, not knowing what to say or do with his presence. She guessed that his face was a result of a brawl and given the situation this morning, she guessed the perpetrator was Prince Yi. Although, she never expected the Emperor to have taken such a beating...especially not to the face. 

{...What the hell is wrong with that guy? Why aim for the face?!... Okay, he probably aimed everywhere else too, but still, the face is a no go area! I hope he used a stretcher to go home! -_-)...}