Chapter 157 - Exposé (2/2)
Doctor Lou was not pacified, he looked down still pouting and did not respond. The Emperor slightly bowed his head in respect and appreciation and then turned and left pulling Lei Xing with him. The guards who were standing around, also quickly followed behind them.
Doctor Lou glanced at their departing backs and then at the table of untouched food and sighed, ”What a waste of good ingredients...”
Outside Doctor Lou's pharmacy, a carriage was already there waiting and Lei Xing and the Emperor quickly got in and made their return to the palace.
As they went along, Lei Xing sat on the edge twiddling her thumbs. The Emperor did not say anything and neither did she for a long while. Eventually, she finally remembered her ring and covertly glanced at him to see a deep frown on his face. She quickly looked back down and knit her brows as she inwardly groaned.
{...He's back to frowning again T_T)...How am I supposed to ask for it like this?... And more importantly, why the hell am I being such a coward?! Get your freaking self together! This is not appealing, AT ALL...We did nothing wrong and therefore should not have to cower in fear of ANYONE!...So be-...}
”My mother knows about the incident with my brother.” The Emperor calmly informed, interrupting her thoughts. Lei Xing immediately looked up at him wide-eyed with her mouth open, but she had no words and so closed it. Then she blinked repeatedly, pursed her lips and then massaged her head. This news succeeded in exacerbating her headache.
{...Th-that woman...Of all f**king people! You know, she might have even set all this up. I knew all that religious stuff was bullshit! -_-)...}
”Relax...Although she has complicated the situation by kicking up a fuss, she was at least smart enough not to publicize the details...” The Emperor calmly informed with knit eyebrows.
{...At least she has some basic respect for me...Or fear, but either will suffice...}
After finishing up with his bath and getting dressed, the Emperor was about to leave when he realized something odd about Lei Xing's ring. He could have sworn the gem was red last night, but today it was blue. He had also seen it blue in the past, but last night he had been paying attention and thought nothing of it then. But now seeing it like this, it was quite perplexing and so stood there scrutinizing the ring for a short while before one of his men arrived with the very important report.
Apparently word had reached his mother and she had opted to go on a rampage in the city instead of leaving for her journey to the temple. In his absence, she had mobilized the palace guards to go search Prince Yi's manor.
Although she did not tell them what exactly they were searching for, the guards still stormed in without a target on the Empress dowager's orders and were currently turning his manor upside down looking for anything that seemed out of place.
Lei Xing quietly listened as the Emperor explained what was happening. The Empress dowager was obviously aware that Lei Xing did not return to the palace. And since she was last seen in Prince Yi's arms, the reasonable assumption was that she was with him.
{...The worst - or best case scenario really, it just depends on who's talking would, of course, be me getting caught on his bed -_-)...This, of course, would be beyond dumb of both him and me, but I was out of it and he doesn't seem to be very smart either -_-)'...}
Lei Xing let out a shaky breath. She knew something like this was coming, but she was not sure how she was going to get out of this. It's not like she could prove that she was drugged, even if she stripped and showed the dots, that would only show that she was recently pricked. Not to mention, she could easily be accused of doing it herself to create a cover story. It was not like she could have a blood test done or something. She frowned and put her hands over her eyes and then squeezed them shut.
{...This is a real mess! I knew I should have stayed away from that guy! I tried! T_T)...Yet somehow I still ended up wrapped in an ”affair” with him! This is an epic fail! >_
The Emperor sighed and then removed her hands from her face and held them in his and reassuringly said, ”I'm here.”
Lei Xing blinked at him then looked down at their hands. She knit her brows and then asked, ”You're not angry?” Although he had not treated her badly, rejected or even pushed her away in any way, she still got the feeling that he was upset with her.
”Is there a reason I should be angry with you?” The Emperor responded with a question of his own. Lei Xing glanced at the calm expression on his face and then lowered her eyes and then she shook her head, and then she frowned.
”Then it's fine.” The Emperor said, then he gave her hands a gentle squeeze to reassure her and then he released them. Then he sat back, folded his arms and closed his eyes.
Lei Xing blinked at him and then pouted, he definitely seemed upset. This was just like the other time he was upset with her. Although he said he was not angry then too.
{...Is this a guilty conscience acting up?... Wait, why the hell should I feel guilty? It isn't my fault and he knows, and I know that he knows so...what's my problem? -_-)'...}