Chapter 201 - Liberation Soldier (1/2)

That night, the Emperor spent longer than usual in his study. He wanted to give Lei Xing as much space as she needed to digest his proposal and so he kept himself busy with any and everything. Finally, after he felt she had had enough time without his company, he made his way to her palace.

He was not planning on demanding her answer or even bothering her about it, it was just that he did not want to sleep alone. The last few nights without her were horrible. His insomnia was back and when he did sleep, he was plagued by irritating memories and nightmares, which left him tired and highly irritable during the day.

It was obvious that her presence in his life has spoiled him greatly. The effects of his poor sleep weighed more on him than they did in the past. In summary, the last few days were more draining and exhausting than ever. Of course, he believed that if after a few days or weeks sleeping alone, his body would eventually bounce back and he would be able to live with it, just as he did all his life before her. But why should he put himself through that? Moreover, she meant more to him than a soft peaceful pillow...a lot more.

She made him happy, very happy.

Therefore, he would not leave her no matter her decision tonight. Still, he was nervous as he arrived at Lei Xing's palace. But then he met Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo standing amongst the other servants outside her bedroom door, staring at it with worried expressions.

”What is wrong?” The Emperor asked as he arrived to join them. They jumped and bowed to him in greeting, which he ignored and simply inquired again, ”Did something happen?”

Xiao Ruo looked at Ah Jin, and Ah Jin promptly stepped forward, bowed her head and explained, ”Her highness has not moved from her position since returning and refused her dinner and she also seems to have hurt hers-”

Before her words could finish, the Emperor immediately headed for the doors. He entered the room to find Lei Xing still quietly sitting on that stool. Seeing her looking intact and honestly serene ebbed his initial spark of panic at hearing she was hurt.

But she definitely appeared odd. It did not seem like she even noticed his approach nor the doors opening as she did not move at all. As he came around the table, he saw that what she was staring fixedly were her hands, where one hand covered her other wrist in her lap.

”Xing er?” He called as he scrutinized her, Lei Xing flinched and immediately looked up and then gave a half-smile when she saw him as she exclaimed, ”Oh, you're here.” Then she looked back down at her hands again, and went back to her original state.

The Emperor's mind relaxed a bit. She smiled at him so it did not seem like he was the problem. At least, she did not seem to be pushing him away again. But she was definitely not her normal self and it worried him. So he crouched down in front of her and lightly held her arms and asked, ”What is it?”

Lei Xing shook her head, ”Nothing.” Then she sighed and said, ”...just thinking.”

”About?” The Emperor inquired.

Lei Xing knit her eyebrows, ”Everything, life...” Then she glanced at him and added, ”You.”

The Emperor blinked and nodded, ”I-I see...”

{...Perhaps I am the problem after all...I knew it was too soon...I shouldn't have listened...}

The Emperor inwardly sighed. It seemed like he had made a mistake, but it cannot be undone. All he could do now was not pressure her and reassure her that he would be here regardless of her choice.

Even if she said 'no' today, it would not be a 'no' forever and he would understand. It was too soon for her. He looked at her expression and could not think of anything to say. He then remembered that she was supposedly hurt, and so he quickly looked her over as he said, ”I heard you are injured.”

”Injured?...Perhaps.” Lei Xing said with a shrug and frowned down at her wrist. The Emperor looked down at her hands and saw a bit of redness near where her hand covered. He knit his brows and picked up the hand on top, to see the wrist below red and swollen where the bracelet rest. He lightly touched her injured hand and looked it over and inquired, ”What happened?”

”I hit it.” Lei Xing absentmindedly and honestly responded. The Emperor immediately frowned up at her in surprise and she quickly corrected, ”An accident.”

The Emperor glimpsed his inkstone on the table next to her and asked, ”With the inkstone?”

”A miscalculation.” Lei Xing responded with a frown and looked off to the side, feeling foolish and irritated at having to explain this stupid scenario of hers.

The Emperor did not even bother to try to decode what she was trying to accomplish with the inkstone that resulted in such a ”miscalculation”. He glanced at Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo who had followed behind him and instructed them to send for an Imperial doctor.