LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS 122 Friend in Need

Xing slept for the entire day and only woke up the next day. AoTian and Rijun were happy she woke up but she still couldn't keep anything in her stomach and was blankly staring making them depressed. She wasn't even responding to anyone.

Even the Imperial Physician was brought and his medicines didn't work either. Xing was reading the letters Shengli sent again and again, "There won't be a letter arriving tomorrow", she mumbled. No one knew how to get her out of her trance or help her. Their ways to find Shengli failed too.

In the palace,

Rijun was in the Imperial Study helping the Emperor and the Emperor noted that he was completely out of it.

"Is Mingxia that sick?", the Emperor asked Rijun who was staring at the paper intently without even knowing his sleeves were dipped in the inkstone making the ink spread in his light blue robes.

"Huh?" Rijun snapped out of his daze only when the Emperor banged on his table and Rijun clicked his tongue when he saw his robes had gotten ruined.

"She is staring at the wall and throw ups everything she ears", he answered, "Even father doesn't know what to do. I just hope that your brother is safe. Or else...", he let out a deep sigh.

Just then Consort Shu's arrival was announced and she entered with a tray,

"Your Majesty", she said in a flat tone, " I brought you Lotus seed soup, I made myself to nourish your body. You work too hard and forget to take care of your health", she placed the tray in front of the Emperor.

"Enough of it! We both know you didn't step foot in the kitchen. Just take it back", he waved his hands.

"You want me to cook for you?", she asked playfully and the Emperor smiled and shook his head, "Why are you here? "

"I wanted to meet Huang Rijun", she smiled mysticaly at Rijun and walked towards him swaying her hips and a cold shiver ran through Rijun's spine, 'What the... Why is the Emperor's woman looking at me like that in front of the Emperor? Does she want me dead? '

"Consort Shu", Rijun stood up, "I'll leave you to serve the Emperor", he stumbled trying to stand up.

"Rijun sit", the Emperor commanded, "Shu Rouran, state your purpose of visit"

Rijun who was utterly confused sat back and Consort Shu placed her hands on the table in front of the Emperor,

"Your Majesty, instate me as the Priestess of the temple inside the palace. I don't want to be a Consort", she said in a whiney tone.

Rijun was perplexed. Why is everyone he knows does not want to be what they are supposed to be? The Emperor does not want to be Emperor, the Consort does not want to be the Consort, the prince does not want to be the Prince and his sister... Huh! He sighed.

"You want to be Priestess?", The Emperor smirked, " Then tell me where my brother is. Can't you calculate everything with stars or something? "

"The Third Prince ...? ", Consort Shu's lips curled to a smile, "He does not have a star anymore. Didn't I tell you that the Divine Ruler has messed up with fate a little too much? But I see her star... Too distressed... But her tantrums won't change the heaven's will.. I suppose.. ", she poured the soup and gave it to the Emperor.

The Emperor put that aside, "This is why I don't need a Priestess. You have no answers and just empty conjectures. Tell me who you have in mind, I'll get you him", he looked at her intently.

Aren't the Shus who say every living person has a star? So why doesn't my brother have a star? The Emperor was pretty sure she is acting this way because she has a lover. Previously she made a bet with him to announce her as the Empress because she believed it won't happen.

No one will like crazy people and so she must behave this way to get him hate her. It's not uncommon in the inner palace. If so, He didn't have any intention to hold her here.

"Your Majesty!", she chuckled, "Then you'll need 'her' by your side.She is your answer. And also, I don't want to be owned by any man. I just want to serve the gods ", she gave a nod to Rijun and left with her sleeves fluttering.

Rijun who had been under the impression that his sister was the only weird one learned something new that most women are weird. In fact all the women he had contact with are all weird. It's better to stay away from them!

Rijun excused himself as he could not concentrate anymore and went back to his Manor. There he saw Ming Yushen and his wife alighting from a carriage and he welcomed them in even though he was surprised he reached here this early.

" What is wrong with Xing?", Haru came straight to the point walking towards Xing's courtyard as both of them weren't in the mood to exchange pleasantries. He was clearly worried with his eyebrows furrowed and Shurei was following them.

Rijun told him everything that happened from that evening till now as if he was explaining the symptoms of the disease to a doctor.

Haru took a deep breath, "This stupid girl! I was on my way to the Water Kingdom when I received an odd letter from Brother Lei and he asked me to visit her once. I was on my way here when I got your letter. She said brother Lei is hidden?... Mmm... "

"Do you think something might have happened to...", Rijun hesitated.

"No... She'd be dead... If something had happened to Brother Lei, she'd be dead by now, not staring at the walls. I'm sure! ", Haru said and entered her room.

Rijun was shocked for a moment by his answer and he followed him in. Shurei who had short legs was following them in a hurried way.

Haru looked at Xing sitting in a chair hugging her knees, resting her chin on her knee and staring at the table filled with papers. She looked pale, she had gotten thinner,her usually glowing golden hair had lost it's lustre and her shiny, sharp eyes were empty and unfocused. Haru's throat closed in grief seeing her like that,

'That guy! Only that guy has the power to do this to her! She refused to acknowledge any god as superior to her, stood ramrod straight before the Emperor refusing to kneel and here she is... like a broken doll for a man who had left her... Again! Although... this time it is not his fault. Is she that weak? Just Stupid! '

Haru stood there for a moment but Xing didn't notice him and was still staring at the table. Haru suddenly took wide steps and got near her and....

SLAP!

A strong slap landed on Xing's cheek that almost made her fall from the chair. Shurei who just entered her room saw that and closed her mouth with both of her hands in surprise.

"What are you...?", Rijun got near Haru.

"Look how pathetic you are!", Haru sneered at Xing.

Rijun wanted to punch Haru but seeing Xing, he stopped himself.

It worked! It actually worked!

Xing had a glint in her eyes and was glaring at Haru, the first time she had shown some kind of emotion in the past three days.

" What are you looking at, stupid Xing?", he grabbed her collar, " How could you sit here like you are a worthless little girl? You know Gods, you know demonsg, Heavenly Flowers Palace owes you, your father is the frigging prime minister, you personally know the Emperor, you have enough money to get ten thousand people to search for him.... So why are you sitting here and staring blankly? Why?",

He let go of her and stood straight,

" Do you think he is the only one who loves you? Do you think others don't worry about you seeing you like this? You may only care about him but there are a lot of people who care about you! I came here, changing my plans for you.. Your father and brother are worried sick for you... Come on Xing! ", his voice trembled,

" Can't you see...? Can't you understand us? I know your Prince is important for you... I understand that.... But... Don't be like this! If standing on our graves will let you live happily with him, do it...I'll happily oblige... I won't object. Just don't hurt us by hurting yourself! Please... ", he kneeled beside her and held her hand.

Xing who had been in a daze till then got her senses back by the sharp pain in her cheek. She looked at her good friend who shouted at her, pleaded with her and she could feel his anguish.

He is right! I'm not only hurting myself, I'm hurting them too!

"I'll get back at you for slapping me, Haru! ", Xing spoke. There was a small smile in her lips. Her voice was coarse and she coughed a bit and Xu mama who was watching her gave her some warm water. Xing drank it and to their surprise she didn't throw up anymore.

Rijun who was watching all this almost cried seeing his sister almost back to normal.

"Yeah, right!", Haru snickered, "But first go and take a bath. You stink! Like vomit!", he held his nose and took three steps back.

Xing wanted to throw something at him but she felt really weak to do anything and her entire body hurt. Her heart hurt the most but she decided a warm bath would do some good and took a bath.

I must do something! Anything to find him!

Rijun left her room and went to inform AoTian that his sister is fine somehow.

After her bath Xu mama brought her some light porridge and Xing ate it. Only after some time did she feel like her headache and stomachache decreasing. Was I hungry all this time? She wondered.

Xing noticed that all this time, Shurei was out of it and it seemed like she and Haru aren't as close as they were before.

"What's with you two?", she asked Haru, "Did you hurt her?"

"Hmpf, Ask her ", Haru snorted and got out leaving Shurei and Xing with Xu mama in the room.

"Nothing, big sis!", Shurei sighed deeply.

"Yeah! Your sigh says you are fine", Xing held her hand. She really liked this girl. What is disturbing her this much?

Shurei started to cry and told her about how a doctor told her that she cannot get pregnant. Apparently Haru does not think much of it and doesn't even think of it as a problem but Shurei is feeling bad that she cannot bear children. So she had suggested her husband to take a Concubine or two for the sake of having children and Haru was against the idea and that was the reason for their fight.

Well! This is complicated, Xing thought. But both are really young and Haru is right not to consider this as a big issue. But Shurei's place is difficult as she was feeling insecure that she has an inability and she even felt like she does not deserve her husband's love.

Xing hugged her and comforted her. Xing could understand Shurei as someone who wants to have many children with Shengli. If suddenly she learns she cannot bear children, she'll feel inferior and worthless too.

Xing decided to pick some medicines for Shurei from the mountains. And that made her remember the Gods and Shengli's disappearance and her heart started to hurt again. She has no other way but to go to the Gods!

Chapter end

Report