Chapter 208 - New Terms

Lei Xing spent quite a long while trying to decipher the mystery. The bracelet still did not respond and eventually, she got sleepy. They had a late night and she woke up much earlier than she's used to. So she decided to go back to bed, but first, she went told the maids that no one was to enter her room until she called for them. Then she took the bracelet, put it in a box and then put it in one of her trunks and padlocked it. 

Then she went off to bed clutching the key in her hand. And she put that hand right under her head and closed her eyes to sleep.

{...Just for confirmation's sake...}

"Your highness...Your highness?" Lei Xing was jerked out of her slumber with Ah Jin's call. She immediately jumped and glanced around the room to find it empty. "Your highness." The call came again and she realized it was coming from outside the doors.

Lei Xing relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.

{...*Hmph!...}

Lei Xing groaned and looked down at her wrist to see the bracelet in its usual place.

{...You're still here...}

{...*You've already agreed so why can't we just live together in peace? You're being unfair! >_

{...Unfair your ass (◔_◔)...}

{...*I told you not to talk about my butt! It's precious! >_

Lei Xing rolled her eyes again and then Xiao Ruo shouted over, "Your highness, the Emperor asked for us to wake you, you need to get ready..."

Lei Xing finally remembered that she was expecting guests and so she ignored the bracelet and shouted, "Come in." As she tossed the blanket aside and got up.

Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo happily trotted in, Ah Jin with her rare reserved smile and Xiao Ruo with her usual wide grin. They stopped before Lei Xing and kowtowed and in unison said, "Congratulations, your highness."

{...*Congratulations ( ￣^￣ )...}

The bracelet's unexpected pouty "congratulations" made Lei Xing burst into laughter. 

{...*Nothing's funny. I'm congratulating you! Be grateful! >_

{...Hahahaha I'm sorry, is this your attempt to get on my good side? You don't sound very congratulatory, very poor attempt...Hahaha, this is actually kinda fun! Do better! (≧▽≦)...}

Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo looked at Lei Xing questioningly, they did not think anything they said or did was funny. But then they just smiled at her, thinking of it as her own show of happiness. The Emperor had finally chosen her as his Empress and announced it to the world that morning. This news definitely warranted a crazy laugh, so they understood her. 

Lei Xing noticed their weird expressions and then cleared her throat, trying to stifle the laughter, "Thank you, stand up." Lei Xing said as she dabbed at her eyes, face full of smiles.

{...*I'll still come back you know -_-)...You can't ask him to take it off all the time, you'll look crazy and you don't want that, do you? You wouldn't like that, right? ...} 

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow as she walked out of the room to meet another round of kowtowing and congratulations form her servants. She smiled and thanked them and then continued on her way to the bathroom.

{...Oh, I don't think he would mind at all...And if he does, I can always think up some incentives to motivate him...Anything to annoy you (¯▿¯)...}

{...*Tch, someone's confident -_-)'...}

Lei Xing blinked and then raised an eyebrow and then snorted.

{...I guess I am ^_^)...So are you going to leave or remain here to be annoyed every Single Moment we're together...}

{*I saved your life and even healed your wrist, and I've been a good- No, a great friend to you and you treat me this way?! Ungrateful and Shameless! >_

Lei Xing chuckled as she settled into the bath.

{...Well, I learned from the best. "I'm brilliant and you're very welcome~" (¬‿¬ )...}

{...*Hmph! Ungrateful brat! So many ungrateful brats! And I was so happy for you too wuwuwuwu *sniff* wuwuwuwu...}

Lei Xing rolled her eyes.

{...Seriously? You can't honestly be cry-...}

{...*Leave me alone! Ungrateful brat! >_

Lei Xing finally let out a sigh.

{...Okay, I'll be honest, I actually do enjoy having you around, sometimes -...}

{...*Really? *sniff*...}

{...Yes, really...You are good company, some of the time...But I just don't like being held hostage. That's where the problem between you and me lies...}

{...*Well...I can understand that but...But you're just so stubborn so -!...}

Lei Xing frowned and flicked the bracelet under the water.

{...*Hehehe But you did already agree...}

{...And I even expedited the ceremony, just for you...Applaud me -_-)'...}

{...*Hehehe Of course!...}

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow as she actually heard clapping in her head and then she lightly chuckled.

{...*But why though? You once told me to prepare to spend the rest of my life with you because you won't allow me to terrorize you into becoming Empress. And I was already making said preparations so it definitely wasn't to get rid of me...so why? I want to know~ ^_^)...}

{...Well...I guess...I couldn't say no...As you advised, I was being reasonable...I had no reason to refuse, he gave me what I wanted, my way out...*snort* Quite crafty of him to phrase the proposal that way...Actually ingenious, I call it ingenious ^_^)...}

The bracelet went silent for a long while and Lei Xing thought it had gone off to resume pouting again but then it seemed it had only been off thinking.

{...*So...If he had not offered you your freedom and simply asked for you to be his Empress, would you have still agreed?...}

Lei Xing blinked a few times and then pursed her lips, then she sighed and finally responded.

{...Who knows...}

{...*So that's a no...}

{...I don't know...}

The bracelet went silent again for another long while. Lei Xing finished her bath and was getting dried off when it spoke up again.

{...*That's fine for now... I have a deal for you, one I know you will like~ ^_^)...}

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow.

{...Deal?...}

{...*Yep, since you're so self-conscious about the act. I will give you the option to remove the bracelet during your ah, um, *Ahem*...intimate moments so no nee-...} 

{...No...}

{...*No? O_O)...}

{...Yes, no...}

{...*What? It's a great deal! Limited time offer...Why NO?! >_

Lei Xing smirked.

{...You no longer hold the power here, I do...Or at least we "share" it, I can get you off whenever I want, and you coming back is an insignificant annoyance for me...But apparently him touching seems to be a significant annoyance for you so think again...}

The bracelet went quiet, probably thinking about its next move and Lei Xing patiently waited, she was not in a hurry. She put on her inner garments and a robe and then returned to her room, where her breakfast was waiting, along with her bowl of contraception. Lei Xing sat down and downed the bitter liquid first and then quickly threw some food into her mouth to get rid of the awful taste.

{...Arggh, I hate this thing! >⌒

{...*What do you want then?...}

The bracelet finally asked and Lei Xing smiled.

{...Now we're talking...So here are your options, you can either leave or...stay here to be annoyed to death or...better for both of us, you can answer some questions and then we can both live together in harmony, sounds like a much better deal~ but your choice ^_^)...}

Lei Xing happily continued to eat as she waited for the bracelet to come to its decision. After finally getting rid of the taste of the medication from her mouth, she stopped eating. She actually was not hungry, she was honestly feeling jittery at the moment. All the congratulations she had received since waking made her new situation really sink in.

Xiao Ruo also informed her that a few of the concubines had actually come over this morning to express their congratulations as well. Lei Xing had always ignored the existence of the other women in the Emperor's harem and distanced herself from them, save for Li Ru. As in her mind, they were never her problem.

But now that she was going to be Empress, they were going to be her problem, at least hers to manage. She could no longer ignore them. 

{...Well, it's too late to change my mind. I actually don't think I have the heart to...He was so happy and it's the only he's really asked for so...We'll live with it...We can live with it...}

Lei Xing sighed and stood up to get dressed. Because today was such a special day, she had to dress in full regal attire, which most annoyingly for her, included all the c.u.mbersome hair accessories she disliked.

But she understood she was receiving official visitors in an official capacity and so it was necessary for her present herself accordingly. And so she quietly stayed put and let the maids do as they liked.

While she was sat getting her hair arranged, the bracelet finally disclosed its decision.

{...*Fine, I guess I can answer a few questions ( ￣^￣ )...}

{...Wise choice, I always knew you were brilliant hehe~ (¯▿¯)...}

{...*Hmph! Hurry up and ask before I change my mind -_-)'...}