Chapter 197 - Proposal

The Emperor raised an eyebrow and repeated, "Incorrect?"

Lei Xing nodded and she lowered the edict so he could see as she stupidly went, "This...this is incorrect."

The Emperor leaned closer and scanned the contents of the edict and then looked up at her and said, "Everything is as it should be."

Lei Xing  blinked at him and then knit her brows, "But..." She let out an exasperated breath and looked back down at the edict and read the short lines again. Like she possibly could not have been mistaken. But it still read the same.

~

When one loses favor in one's eyes,

And the heart weighs heavy,

With rekindling hope weak...

Empress Lei may leave with the wind, 

With all that she wills,

Never to return.

~ 

Written in the Emperor's own hand and stamped with the Emperor's official seal. She could understand the words, but...

{...Is this some kind of joke? o_O)...}

{...*Hehe~ It's what we've been waiting for...*sniff* So proud! ಥ◡ಥ)...}

{...B-be quiet! Leave me alone!...}

{...*(.≖ˇ3ˇ≖｡)...Hey, you are not allowed to be unreasonable, we had a deal!...}

Lei Xing frowned, her mind was reeling. She did not expect this and could not process why she had this. Her mind was in a frenzy and she honestly did not know what to do with this...It did not feel right and she was honestly confused.

{...*There's nothing wrong with this. He loves you, you love him. The perfect couple! Nothing more perfect in the Universe!... I'll help! Just go head up and then down, nod! Brilliant and easy. You're very welcome! ^_^)...Now hurry up and do it! I'm waiting to celebrate hehe~...}

Lei Xing's frown deepened. 

{...Just shut Up and let me think! >_

{...*Ohh...Okay! I can wait a bit, just a bit hehe~ I trust that you will be very reasonable. So I'll be right here...waiting...watching you ≖_≖)...Remember, you can only be reasonable and reasonable has no reason to refuse...Go on, think! I'll wait ^__^)...}

While Lei Xing was battling with her whirling mind and the bracelet's meddlesome thoughts. The Emperor was also going through his own inner turmoil. Seeing Lei Xing's confusion and waning expression made him feel even more agitated.

This morning, when he began writing these words today, he stopped and hesitated several times worried that he was rushing things. But he told himself that this was giving her exactly what she wanted, what she seemed to need while acquiring what he wants...and needs. But still, even after convincing himself with those thoughts, he hesitated. Just when he was on verge of putting the idea away altogether, the Voice interrupted and encouraged him.

{....*Be more CONFIDENT! Go ahead!... She can only say yes. Trust me! ^_^)...}

{...I want to but -... She just accepted to finally be mine last night. I worry that she'll feel it's too soon....}

{..*Is it soon for you?...}

{...No, but for her it -...}

{...*Look, I know her ve - her type very well. She didn't suddenly start liking you last night, she has had feelings for you for quite a while already. She's just the stubborn and - complicated type...Early is very GREAT! If you stall, she'll stall and then this will take forever!...

...Also, you're already husband and wife in ALL ways now. This will show her how serious you are...placing her firmly at your side, making it official...It's the right thing to do!... She already agreed to be yours and you've been hers a long time, so let's just consolidated this happy event in a ceremony!... A happy, HAPPY Ceremony! (* ^ ω ^)...}

{...But still,  I think it's bett-...}

{...*Don't you trust me anymore?! Have I ever led you astray? Have I?! ლ(¯ロ¯"ლ)...}

{...*sigh* No, that's n-...}

{...*Hmph! It's good that you are aware! Now. DO NOT HESITATE! Trust me and make YOUR dreams YOUR reality! \ (≧▽≦) /...}

And with that, the Emperor felt reassured and finished the edict...and then waited for her to awaken and come to him. To curb distract himself and curb his nervousness, he dived into work, willing his mind to set thoughts of her aside with difficulty.

When she finally came and he was met with her unenthusiastic greeting, all his hesitation immediately resurfaced and he made the decision not to give it to her. But then after seeing how happy she was about the necklace and how she seemed to treasure.  She also kissed him, which reminded him of the happy farewell he received from her this morning. He realized things were different now, they were different. He was hers and she was his...The kiss gave him the confidence he lacked and handed it to her. 

Looking back on it, it felt like he had wanted this for so long, even before he even knew he wanted it. He now felt like he understood why he asked her to be his Empress back then, when he did not even know her name. They had never even exchanged words, but he must have subconsciously felt this connection with her and acted on it.

The Voice was right, she was his dream. A dream he did not even know he had. He was so close to it now and he could not lose it here. So he took the edict from her hands and dropped it on the table and held her hands as he softly started, "Xing er', I-...Xing er'..."  He called again when Lei Xing just kept staring at the edict with a confused frown, seemingly oblivious to him and his attempts to speak with her.

The Emperor then held her cheek and turned her head to face him. She blinked at him as if she just realized that he was there. He caressed her cheek as he searched her face. He saw her confusion, shock, and perhaps even fear but not rejection. He lightly sighed in relief and warmly smiled at her and informed, " Xing er', this is my condition..."

Lei Xing's eyes widened a bit but she did not move away. Then she took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and said, "But this can't be okay..."

"It is."

"It can't be..."

"It is."

"It can't be that simple."

"It can and is."

Lei Xing narrowed her eyes at him for a bit, suddenly irritated with his smiling face and his oversimplification of what was obviously a complicated matter. And this irritation helped in steadying her chaotic mind and she bluntly said, "While I may not know much about this time period, I do know that dethroning an Empress isn't a simple matter. There is no need for this..."

{...*HEY! You're being unreasonable now! (＞ｍ＜)...}

{...You're the one being unreasonable! Just shut up and mind your own business! >_

The Emperor slightly knit his brows and thought for a bit and then said, "I promised myself to you last night, and you also promised yourself to me..." Lei Xing bit her inner lip and lowered her head. 

{...Did I though?...}

{...*YES, YOU DID! I heard it! Too late to deny it! Not allowed! \(•̤̀ω•̤́ )...}

{...Oh-O-ho O_O)...You-...Y- You were listening?!...(☉☉)...}

{...* (O‿O ';)  Nooo... I wasn't...⚆ _ ⚆) I'M NO PERVERT! >_

Lei Xing inhaled and her eyes went wide and she immediately flushed beet red and she lowered her head even further. As her mind went through what exactly the bracelet would have been listening during their very busy night, her brain scrambled again. She was feeling so incredibly embarrassed that she wanted to go bury her head in the ocean. 

{...ΣΣ(ﾟДﾟ;) How dare you stupid - Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! ʿʿ⁽⁽((⁰ⅈ⁰))⁾⁾ʾʾ...}

{...*...}

The bracelet apparently beat her to the ocean, because it did not respond anymore.

The Emperor seeing Lei Xing like this started to feel panicked. He squeezed her hands and continued his campaign, earnestly pouring his heart, "Xing er', I love you and I want you to stand next to me...You agreed to accept me so long as I never hurt you and I would never, not even if my life depended on it...If I fail, I have given you the promise to let you go and you believed me to keep my word..."

"...Now I have put the power of that promise in your hands...If the time ever comes and you feel that I have truly have betrayed your feelings, I will not hold you back. Regardless of whatever position you hold in my life and heart...I will send you off in glory, even as my heart grows cold...So can you do this one thing for me?" He asked and earnestly looked at the top of her head, anxiously waiting for her to respond.

Unfortunately for the Emperor's heartfelt proposal, Lei Xing was too busy internally screaming as the thought of the bracelet being privy to their moments of the night drove her crazy and she squeezed her eyes shut.

{...I am so going to kill this thing! >_

After Lei Xing did not respond for a long time, the Emperor finally got impatient and moved his hands to her shoulder to straighten, "Xing er', I-" But he before he could begin, the beet-red Lei Xing put a hand over his mouth and in her disoriented, frantic state she said, "Later -I'll think - just later."

The Emperor blinked in confusion, but before he could process what was going on with her. She got up, ready to bolt and the Emperor instinctively grabbed her arm, confused and concerned with her hurried, panic state, he asked, "Xing er', what is wr-?" But then Lei Xing in her frantic state leaned down and planted a kiss on his lip and in the same hurried tone said, "Later." Then she slipped from his grasp and rushed out of the room, just short of running. 

{...>(///)(///)

{...*Hehe I think you're overreacting. You should be focusing on the important matte -...}

{...F**k You! You FREAKING PERVERT! You better get off me and DISAPPEAR this instant  or YOU ARE DEAD! >(///)

The Emperor blankly stared at the closed doors long after Lei Xing had scurried through them, baffled by her bizarre behavior. 

{...It must have been very shocking to her, although her reaction is a bit excessive...Who else did she expect to be my Empress other than her? I would have thought she would have seen this coming... But it is understandable that she would need time to take it in...}

He let out a relieved sigh as he touched his lips, he could still feel the warmth of her lips and a smile spread across his face. 

{...But it definitely seems promising...Very promising...}