Chapter 240 - Hidden Conflictions

Lei Xing was obviously not convinced by the Emperor's reassurances. She cleared her throat and then asked, "Has it -... Has it ever spoken to you when we were -" She paused and bit her lip as she fished for the appropriate listener-friendly terminology.

"Together?" The Emperor suggested and Lei Xing eagerly nodded. The Emperor sighed and then responded, "No."

Although there was that one incident it interrupted them kissing, but he thought it was best to keep that to himself.  

Lei Xing knit her brows and hesitantly asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." The Emperor confidently responded, "Now, forget that...please." He said as he pulled her body close and then kissed her before she could say anymore.

Lei Xing was obviously still hesitant, but she eventually set aside her reservations and the two rolled around for a while before the Emperor finally got up.

As he put on his robe, he saw Lei Xing also get up to don hers as well. This was incredibly unusual as Lei Xing always chose to sleep in. Even if she was awake to see him off. She never got out of the bed. So he could not help asking, "You're not going back to sleep?"

Lei Xing shook her head, "I'm going to see Doctor Lou..."

"Isn't it too early?" The Emperor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure he won't mind." Lei Xing said with a smile. After all, he owes her an explanation.

Lei Xing glanced around for the bracelet and saw it on the floor next to her dresser. She picked it up, looked at it for a bit, and then dropped it on her dresser.

Lei Xing then turned to the Emperor, who was standing there absentmindedly with knit eyebrows. She could understand that this probably meant a lot more to him than it did to her. After all, whatever it was had saved his life on numerous occasions. It was an important but elusive player in his life, one he owed a great debt to. His feelings must be complicated.

Lei Xing walked over to him and held his hand with a smile, "I'll wait for you to get back...Let's go together." She had been thinking about this since last night. Regardless of her own situation, the Emperor seeing Doctor Lou and asking him his own questions should not be much of a problem.

This way Doctor Lou could choose to divulge as much as he would like on his own and she would not have to pick and choose what to tell the Emperor. This was truly the best option that satisfied both loyalties she felt obliged to uphold.

The Emperor looked at her and weakly smiled, "You don't have to -"

"I want to. It'll be better for you to explain your own situation to him yourself...for clarity's sake." Lei Xing said with a reassuring smile. The Emperor frowned, he was clearly hesitating.

Before he could decide one way or the other, Lei Xing grabbed his arm and walked him towards the doors, "You go bathe, then we'll eat, then you'll go to court and then we'll go together..." She said with a sweet smile.

The Emperor looked at her face and then nodded and gently said, "We'll do that then."

After Lei Xing sent the Emperor off and asked for their breakfast to be prepared, she went back to the room, picked up the bracelet and stared at it. She could see that the Emperor was feeling nervous and uncertain about the meeting.

She could understand he shared a special relationship with this entity. Lei Xing sighed and slipped the bracelet on.

{...Some things are truly left best unknown...but even when knowing that, we still can't help wanting to know...This will be quite the encounter...}

****

The Emperor tried to be as normal as possible as he ate breakfast with Lei Xing, after all, it was rare for her to ever be up to see him off to court. She was also being very sweet this morning and attentive, she kept giving him food and smiling at him. So he naturally smiled back and ate what she gave. It was that she could sense that he was nervous and reluctant with the idea of this visit and was trying to be supportive.

After their meal, he gave Lei Xing a kiss on the cheek and left for court.

Once he was out of her palace, he let out a heavy sigh. He had thought he had chosen to let her go on her own last night out of consideration for her. But now he knew it was because he was uncertain about whether he truly wanted to ask these questions of the old man.

From their first encounter, he could tell there was something off about the old man. Then there was that drinking session they had in Doctor Lou's courtyard. It was odd and the Emperor could not put his finger on it, but he felt an odd sense of familiarity and respect towards the old man. 

And now to find out the old man could also hold the answers to the mystery that had always eluded him, it excited and terrified him at the same time. But now that it had come to this, he had no choice but to go seek him out for answers.

The Emperor sat through court with half his mind present. Most of it was just reports on the progress of various initiatives and other such usual matters. Whatever that needed him to actually think on, he asked to be presented with a full written report. That way he could decide on it later when his mind was clearer. 

Finally, when it seemed like there was nothing more to report. The Emperor was about to dismiss court when Prime minister Zhao suddenly spoke up with a bow, "Your majesty, there is still one more issue that is of utmost importance that needs to be addressed..."

The Emperor raised an eyebrow and asked in almost bored voice, "And what would that be?"

"This..." Prime minister Zhao hesitantly said, glancing back at the Minister of Rites who was keeping his head down with a frown on his face, obviously avoiding meeting his gaze.

The Minister of Rites had thought about it and decided it was best to speak with the Emperor privately about the issue. That way it could be quietly addressed. But now it was clear that his fear had led to make a mistake in seeking out Prime minister Zhao. 

Prime minister Zhao inwardly sighed in irritation at the disappointment the Minister of Rites had become. He had been eagerly waiting the entire court session for him to step up with the good news but the man was clearly a coward.

No matter, he would simply do it himself. After all, he was simply relaying information. 

Prime minister Zhao quickly faced forward and went ahead to deliver the news himself, "Your majesty, the Minister of Rites visited me last night with a most troubling report..."

The Emperor immediately frowned and his eyes zoned in on the Minister of Rites, who could feel the Emperor's piercing gaze.

The Emperor naturally thought that the Minister of Rites had dared to go spill the issue about his conflict with the Empress dowager. But despite his mounting irritation, the Emperor coolly asked, "And what is this troubling matter?"

Prime minister Zhao knit his brows to show his" conflicted" feelings, "Your majesty, this is an unprecedented matter in the royal family...but things are what they are and we must go along with the will of the heavens s-"

"Get to the point." The Emperor irritatedly ordered.

Prime minister Zhao glanced at Defense minister Lei, who narrowed his eyes at him, obliviously suspicious of him as usual. Prime minister Zhao hid his triumphant feelings and put on the face of trepidation as he spat it out, "The match is incompatible." Prime minister Zhao lowered his head further down to show his lamentation. The hall also came alive with whispers as everyone suddenly had their own opinions.

"Incompatible?" The Emperor repeated with a frown, "What do you mean by incompatible?" He had an idea of what Prime minister Zhao was referring to, but he did not believe that was the case. It was impossible.

Prime minister Zhao glanced up at the Emperor and then bowed again and hesitantly said, "I am not too sure myself as I am not a seer...But according to the Minister of Rites, all attempts to divine a royal wedding date has failed...All points to this being an ill-fated match." Prime minister Zhao loudly said, emphasizing the last sentence with trepidation. He covertly glanced at Defense minister Lei's face to see him glaring at him.

Prime minister Zhao snorted on the inside. 

{...Look all you want, I didn't do anything here...It's not my fault that your daughter's unlucky...}

The Emperor frowned, this made no sense.

All the candidates who made it to the concubine selection all had their fortunes read and charts matched with the Emperor's. Them being compatible with him was a prerequisite for even making it to the competition.

He could only see there being two possible scenarios here. It was either that Lei Xing's results were initially falsified or that someone was messing with the current results. 

And the Emperor felt inclined towards the latter option. Even if the seers behaved as if they were above bribes and material possessions, you can never really tell when it comes to people.