Chapter 314 - Uplift (2/2)

Lei Xing raised up her head and frowned at him, ”I don't feel lonely...”

”Ah...bored then.” The Emperor corrected, patting her head.

Lei Xing sighed and straightened up, ”Nalan's not here...”

”Oh...okay. Is that what brought you here?” The Emperor curiously asked.

”Am I interrupting?” Lei Xing asked with a pout as she scanned the contents on his desk.

”Of course not.” The Emperor swiftly said, ”...I was just sorting out the travel arrangements for the princesses who chose to return home - those whose family resides outside the capital.” He added for clarification.

”Are these the ones leaving?” Lei Xing asked, picking up a shortlist with only three names.

”Yes, and another three who live in the capital opted to return to their family homes...” The Emperor explained, ”Four will remain in our care...and Chen You can make her choice after her punishment.”

”En...” Lei Xing offhandedly responded as she continued to ”read” the list. After a bit, the Emperor knit his brows and took the paper from her hand and asked, ”Are you feeling alright today?”

Lei Xing blinked at him but then she narrowed her eyes at him and said, ”It's still too early...” Thinking he was still hung up on the pregnancy issue and asking if she was ”feeling” pregnant yet.

”I am not asking about that...” The Emperor said playfully narrowing his eyes back at her, ”You seem to be in a bit of a bad mood...Did something happen?”

”...Just bored I guess.” Lei Xing said with a shrug, her eyes went back to the list again and the Emperor followed her line of sight and then realizing that seemed to be her problem.

But before he could probe, Lei Xing spoke up on her own, ”You should add Li Ru...She's going home too...” She offhandedly informed.

And the Emperor was enlightened to the reason for her poor mood, but he was a bit surprised by the news. He had sent out eunuchs to inquire from the princesses what living arrangement they had decided on for themselves and they had the last few days two days to think about it. So they could begin preparations for the journey of those who would be journeying outside the capital. This way they could be on their way as early as next week.

The eunuchs had gone to collect their responses this morning and Li Ru had said she would be remaining in the capital. Not that they could not change their minds, after all, he had promised that they could go wherever they chose with his support. But still, the Emperor thought it unlikely that Li Ru had suddenly changed her mind within the short space of a few hours so he asked, ”Did something happen between you two?”

”Something like...a fight?” Lei Xing asked with a raised eyebrow, looking unamused.

The Emperor blinked at her, it was clear she was in a touchy mood. So he explained, ”Well...It's just that she informed my eunuch this morning that she would be remaining the capital -”

”...Guess she changed her mind...I don't know.” Lei Xing cut in with a ”disinterested” shrug.

The Emperor knit his brows in thought as he stared at Lei Xing, who picked up a random edict and offhandedly said, ”For the banquet tomorrow, I chose some headdresses for them to wear from the treasury since there was no time to make new official sets for them...They'll be sent back the day after.”

”That's fine...” The Emperor responded and Lei Xing nodded, focusing on her reading, which the Emperor scrutinized her. The mood was now feeling a bit weird, awkward. The palace affairs were hers to deal with so she did not have to report this to him. It was obvious she was trying to change the topic.

The Emperor knit his brows, not happy with this. She was shutting down and retreating into her shell, which seemed to be her go-to when she had issues with people. The Emperor sighed and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, ”...I'm sorry.”