Chapter 272 - Flighty Reassurance

The Emperor arrived at the Empress's palace to find Lei Xing still pacing. As soon as she saw him walk in, she rushed over to him and instinctively went to grab him, but managed to hold herself back in time, she was still waiting for Doctor Lou to contact her and did not want to mess things up.

"What happened? What's happening? How did it go?" Lei Xing agitatedly asked.

The Emperor knit his brows as he looked at her expectant face and then let out a sigh. He did not know what to tell her, right now he simply wanted to hold her and so went to do that.

But Lei Xing swiftly took a step back, out of reach. The Emperor immediately frowned and went, "W-why?" Worried and panicked by her rejection. He had always been afraid this would happen, that she would come to hate him one day and leave. 

{...Did someone tell her?...No, that's not possible - but then why?...}

Lei Xing saw the Emperor's expression and quickly explained before he got the wrong idea, "I'm trying to contact that qua- doctor. I told you it doesn't work when we're touching s - Just tell me, what's happening? Do you - What is this?" She exasperatedly finished, pointing at the sky.

The Emperor let out a sigh of relief and he dropped his hands. She was not rejecting him...yet. But with the way things stood, tomorrow she might blame him and come to hate him. He let another sigh and said, "I don't know..."

"You don't - then, then -" Lei Xing frowned, she thought he knew something. It seemed as if he knew what was going on at the main hall, he seemed so in control of everything then that she thought -

{...What am I thinking? Of course he doesn't know...Mark of a great leader, cool but...}

"Okay, what did - how did the meeting go? The ministers -" Lei Xing paused and let out an irritated breath. Everything was a mess now and she honestly could guess how the meeting went. 

The Emperor frowned and glanced off to the side, not sure what to tell her.

"That bad?" Lei Xing asked with a deepening frown and the Emperor promptly turned back to her and said, "It will be fine -"

"You don't know that!" Lei Xing interjected and then resumed her pacing as she ran a hand through her hair.

The Emperor knit his brows and walked up to her and went to grab her arm, "Xing er -"

"I told you not to touch me!" Lei Xing exclaimed swiftly moving her arm out of reach his. This, of course, got the attention of Xiao Ruo, the twins and the other servants in the area.

Lei Xing let out a breath and quickly went, "I'm sorry, it's just...all this, it's not - it shouldn't be possible and that quack isn't responding and I need him to explain this." Lei Xing explained. She was irritated and on the verge of a frenzy.

{...You think I'm joking about the fire? Are you daring me? You better tell me what's happening right now or I'll really have them build a bloody fire! >_

The Emperor sighed, "Xing er', I mean i-"

"Wait - I just heard a chuckle!" Lei Xing suddenly said, putting her hand up.

{...*Hehehe~...}

She really did hear it, Lei Xing immediately lit up and she almost jumped, "He's here~" She said to the Emperor with a smile. The Emperor slightly knit his brows and decided to keep the news of the Voice's message for now, to wait to see if Lei Xing could get a better explanation from Doctor Lou.

{...You're here! Finally!...}

{...*Hehehe this is quite fun~ I am almost tempted to leave it alone~ (⌒ω⌒)...}

Lei Xing frowned and her irritation quickly returned. 

{...(≖_≖ ) What do you mean by - Forget that, do you see what's happening in the sky? Tell me what's happening?!...}

{...*Hehehe, you panicking is quite adorable to-...}

{...Can you please be serious for once?! Do you not see these - these Planets? In the sky? Why did they have to come today? During my ceremony?! Now they're going to blame me for this! -...}

{...*HA! Hahahaha I wo-...}

{...Stop laughing, it's not funny! ۹( ÒہÓ )۶...}

"What did he say?" The Emperor quietly asked as Lei Xing's frown deepened. He feared the Doctor Lou had given her some bad news, taking back his prior reassuring words and now saying that this was a bad omen and that their union was a mistake. 

"Nothing...yet." Lei Xing irritatedly responded.

{...Stop messing around and answer the question!...}

{...*Okay, okay, sorry Xing Xing, it's just that seeing you so worked up is quite refreshing~ It's a great sight to see!...}

{...Glad you're entertained...talk ≖_≖)...}

{...*Hmm, well this is nothing to worry about. This old father is here for you so just relax, hold Xiao Kai and watch the brilliance unfold hehehe~...}

{...That's not an explanation!... What are you talking about?! Explain!...}

{...*...}

Lei Xing continued to ask Doctor Lou to explain but he did not respond. She pulled back her sleeve and confirmed that the rainbow hue on the bracelet was gone, he had left after giving her nothing. 

Lei Xing worriedly looked up at the four celestial bodies and the colorful backdrop behind them.

{..."Brilliance unfold"?...Can he really fix this?... This was really not how today was supposed to go! T_T)...}

"XIng er'..." The Emperor called again moving in front of her to get her attention. Lei Xing looked at him and then let out a sigh, "He said there's nothing to worry about..." She quietly said.

The Emperor knit his brows and asked, "Anything else?"

Lei Xing shook her head and then went, "He said to watch the "brilliance unfold"...and then laughed and was gone." She added, pouting in irritation. Although she was still irritated, she honestly did feel a bit better now. She did not wholly trust Doctor Lou's words but at least he knew about such "wondrous" affairs than she did. So he was in the place to help...he was the only one she knew could help. 

The Emperor also let out an irritated breath. He had also gotten excited when Lei Xing mentioned that Doctor Lou was talking, he hoping Doctor Lou would offer an explanation the Voice did not give. But Doctor Lou also seemed to be a dead-end on the issue but he did give the same assurance. 

So perhaps there was really nothing for them to worry about here. The Emperor knit his brows and looked up at the crowded colorful sky.

{...Perhaps this is a good sign...}

He truly wanted to believe that. The Voice had always looked out for him and led him the right way. He trusted it but it was just that this time the stakes felt too high.

The Emperor sighed and looked at Lei Xing, who was now glaring at the sky and went, "Can I hold you now?"

Lei Xing blinked down at the Emperor and then put her arms around his waist and hugged him with a sigh, resting her head on his chest with a pout.

{...This better be okay or I shall make it my life mission to find you and grill you for pushing me into this! >_

The Emperor wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her head. He closed his eyes and stroked her hair like usual, trying to soothe her while his own mind was in a panic. Her comfort was always much more important than his.

He truly hoped this situation would resolve itself, he could stand her being in pain, much less causing it himself...Most importantly, he really could not stand to lose her, not now when everything was finally going so well. 

" Aren't they just so adorable?~" Doctor Lou said sniffing as he dabbed his eyes with his sleeve as he looked at the miserable royal couple comforting each other. 

"Tch...I guess." Tung Mei responded pouting and looking off to the side.

"Stop being bitter." Doctor Lou scolded squinting at her, "They're a brilliantly beautiful pair~" Doctor Lou said with a grin as he went back to ogling Lei Xing and the Emperor.

The royal couple, their servants, and guards remained completely oblivious to the additional spectators on the scene, who were not at all trying to be quiet. It was as if their forms and words were completely obscured from the eyes and ears of the others in the Empress's courtyard. 

Tung Mei rolled her eyes, "I still think he's not good enough for m-"

"Shhhhhh~ What do you know?" Doctor Lou interjected squinting at Tung Mei again, "Can't you see h-"

"Can we just start?" Ah Jin grumpily interjected with a weary sigh. 

Doctor Lou turned his squinting to Ah Jin, "Tch, another person who can't appreciate good things. Hmph! I can't understand how you two ended up being this way. With me being this vibrant and energetic too! Once this is over, I am going to have to reevaluate how you both have been living your lives. Ying Ying is not too bad but you, Jin Jin you need a lot of work - How about you have your own session? Ah! I can choose someone nice for you and sen-"

"Not interested. Please start." Ah Jin quickly shut him down before Doctor Lou's excitement could fully bloom.

"Hmph!" Doctor Lou went with a pout and sat on the ground as he grumbled, "You're supposed to be my student yet you're more like that annoying Qi Yin than the Qi Yin herself. No fun!" He finished squinting at Ah Jin.

Tung Mei and Ah Jin both rolled their eyes as Doctor Lou cupped his hands in his laps and then closed his eyes to concentrate.