LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS 408 The Edic

Xing stepped out of the Inn to see a couple of decorated horses. She recognised one as Chenglei's white horse and the other one was the date-coloured horse her first uncle got her.

Okay... What's going on?

Xing looked at Chenglei and he has a pleased smile looking at her surprised expression. His silver robes fluttered in the cold winter wind along with his silver hair and Xing felt like she would just die looking at that handsome man in front of her. And he was wearing the hairpin she made for him for the first time and it really suited him.

Eh! Of course it would! He could wear a broken branch from a tree and would still look dapper. He is my Prince after all! And... Is he for real? I want to hug him and proclaim in the streets that he is mine.

Xing as usual went into her own dreamworld of erotic thoughts.

"Your horse or mine?", he held out his hand towards her and there was a perky smile in his lips which was so unlike him as he noticed her staring at him with a unwavering gaze filled with adoration. Seeing her still in a daze, he walked towards her.

He kind of got used to her looks by now but still... She is getting more and more beautiful each day. And her twenty second birthday is just around the corner yet she gets more and more beguiling. Why most men in their kingdom preferred to marry sixteen year olds skipped his mind.

Why marry a child when you can marry a woman?

And his woman... Is his!

"Which horse do you prefer to ride? Your's or mine?", he corrected her bangs and asked wrapping one of his arms around her waist.

"Hmm?", only with his touch did Xing came back to reality and Chenglei's bright face came to her view.

"I want to ride you", she whispered shamelessly in his ears making him chuckle. The past month in the s.h.i.+p, he got used to her uncouth words and also her weird framing of sentences.

"Me too", he slightly bit her ear, "But we have to go. And maybe after this we cannot meet for sometime ..", he added.

"What?", Xing's eyes got big as she raised her eyebrows and looked at him.

Is it because he is going to marry? Why? What is he saying?

What Xing got in return was not answers but a breathtaking kiss and as usual once his lips contacted hers she forgot everything else and followed his lead.

"My horse", she said panting as he let her go, holding his collar. "But why not a carriage? I thought we cannot ride in horses inside the city"

"You sure you can ride alone wearing this dress?", he wiped her rouge that has spread to her cheeks. "You can ride with me if you want", he added as he planted one more kiss.

"Why are you being mysterious, Chenglei?", she held his arms, "Don't scare me". She felt an indescribable fear in her heart but there was a little part of her telling her that its all good.

"Come on!", he smiled and carried her to her horse. After seeing that she is secure, he got on his horse.

Xing was extremely confused as to what was going on and still she followed Chenglei and the two horses galloped towards the city.

As they reached the gates of the city, Chenglei waited for her to join him and the gates opened for them.

What followed made Xing flabbergasted.

A shower of flowers and confetti fell from the sky followed by loud firecrackers that almost spooked the horses. When that was finished, there were various performers performing various arts as they walked through the grand road of the city.

There were people standing in the balconies of the various shops and throwing flowers at them.

A hero's welcome!

But why?

Xing looked at Chenglei perplexed. And the way he looked back at her was extremely similar to the way he looked at her back when he brought her inside the city in a horse while he guided the horse.

The look filled with love, pride and possessiveness. But is there darkness mixed in there?

Ah, who cares?

Xing smiled sweetly at him and he returned her smile.

Táng JiaXing! This would be the last day everyone will see you as Miss Táng. A week from today you'll become my wife. I'll give you a new name and t.i.tle and I'll see how that 'Prince' of yours would dare to take you away from me! And you won't have a way to leave me after I do all this for you. Unless you don't mind being cursed by the entire city.

He looked at her and her smile was filled with happiness as her eyes have become crescents and her face was blushed. She looked really happy and her happiness transfered to him and that gave him a sharp burst of pain in his heart.

He knew what it was. Guilt! There you are... Trying to genuinely love me and here I am trying to trap you with me! I'm sc.u.m but I'd rather be a sc.u.m with you than a Saint without you.

I love you JiaXing! A lot! Forgive me for this is the only way I know to keep you close to me forever.

Xing was still perplexed and there were some murmurs that Lord Li has plans for various events for the Millennium Anniversary of their Empire for a month and he even spent for everything from his own pockets.

That's when she remembered that this New Year would mark the completion of thousand years of their Empire.

So all these celebrations are for the Millennium Celebrations? Wow! Chenglei really knows how to celebrate!

Xing who forgot for a moment that it was also her birthday really appreciated him in her heart.

Chenglei on the other hand, had only Xing in his heart. Masking it as the Millennium Celebrations he got the entire city to celebrate her birthday for a month.

If she gives him a personally carved hairpin for his birthday, he could do a lot more. She'll know it on her birthday. Until then, let her think it as Millennium Celebrations.

All the way, Xing noticed people murmuring among themselves something looking at Chenglei and her and Xing - the one who gets dumb at certain times blinked her pretty eyes in confusion as to figure out what's going on. Chenglei looked at those fan-like eyelashes fluttering that made her look more alluring and all the men and women on their way were looking at her whispering about her transcendent beauty.

Chenglei frowned looking at all the men looking at her and wanted to hide her but as someone from the crowd pointed out that they make a good pair, his frown was replaced by pride.

Yep! She is my woman! No one else's!

Both of them reached the Audience Hall riding their horse which isn't allowed for anyone.

Chenglei told her to pause as she tried to get down from her horse and got down first.

As Xing was wondering what was going on, he got to her horse and held her waist and helped her get down from the horse.

Xing naturally remembered that day he did the same thing when she got down from the horse when they reached her Uncle Feiye's Manor.

Oh, My Prince! I promised myself not to think about the past yet you remind me yourself. What should I do? I'm really happy!

But what is happening?

But whenever I'm this happy something always happens to destroy my happiness and it scares me!

"What?", his lips grazed her ears as he placed her on the ground and seeing her all red with her eyes glistening as she was about to cry, he asked her.

"Nothing... I'm just...", Xing didn't know what to say. She was ecstatic, confused and scared, all at the same time.

"Let's go", he said slightly kissing her forehead while all the guards around were shocked by the blatant display of affection from the person they least expected from.

"But..."

"This is the last time we'd be walking like this", Chenglei said fixing a bunch of hair that fell on her eyes and walked in her front. Xing could not read his emotions.

'JiaXing! We'd be walking hand in hand from now on since we'd be officially married', he was thinking but all Xing saw was his leaving back.

Xing stood there frozen for sometime.

What is he saying? Why do I feel like a lamb who's being led to the butcher's shop? Should I turn and run away?

Then she took a deep breath and followed Chenglei who was walking five paces in front of her.

She was surprised to see the entire court in formal attire than their usual uniform. To her surprise, Haru was there along with the officials.

Okay... In the past six weeks I had gone to the Fire Kingdom, Haru became an official? Why does it seem like everything has changed?

Then she saw the Emperor looking at them with a smile in his face that escaped his effort of presenting himself with a nonchalant, regal, imposing, son of Heavens.

He was obviously ecstatic!

Xing got more and more confused but she was glad to see the Emperor. Really he is the best Emperor and the best person she knows.

She thought Chenglei brought her here to report about their visit to the Fire Kingdom and she got to the front and after greeting the Emperor stood there for the Eunuch's announcement. Chenglei was standing to the left of her.

She could sense her brother staring at her without even blinking and when she looked at him he smiled happily at her and she smiled back. Her father who used to maintain decorum in court was looking at her with a big smile in his pretty face.

Seeing her still stupidly standing in the center, her father signalled her to stand to the side and everything happening made Xing more and more confused and scared and her entire face went red.

That's when the Eunuch read the Imperial Edict and everyone knelt except Xing of course. She stood there with her head bowed and she was surprised by the edict.

Li ChengNuo was t.i.tled as 'Prince Jin' a honorary t.i.tle of a prince in their kingdom. But the other favours he gets, gave him the power of an actual Prince.

So in the end, the Emperor made sure his brother becomes a Prince!

Xing looked at the Emperor and he smiled mischievously.

The Eunuch continued with the edict.

'His Majesty TongTian Emperor hereby announces the engagement between Prince Jin and the holder of the White Tiger Token and the G.o.dchild of Prime Minister Huang AoTian and the sister of Lord Ming, Táng Jiaxing'

Xing felt like everything around her engulfed in bright white light and stood there motionless.

Did I hear right? Why did Kouki announce our marriage when Chenglie might refuse?

She felt like all her joints were rusted and she became unable to move.

She was scared to look at Chenglei for sometime.

What if he refuses?

But then she remembered the crucial detail... Chenglei mentioned he is going to get married after we reached our Kingdom.

So he knew about it? No... He planned for it... All the secret letters he sent... It was all for me...?

Xing covered her mouth with her hands as she still couldn't believe that she is actually going to get married and that too to Chenglei with him Willingly accepting her.
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She looked at Chenglei who was looking at her with his eyebrows raised. He looked at her with expectations clearly visible in his expressions.

He knew if she is forced with an edict, she would agree to marry him at least to save the face of the Emperor.

But he still was scared she might refuse. She haven't even answered him after he asked her to marry him previously.

Will today be any different?

Will she accept?

Well JiaXing, you must.

Chenglei walked towards Xing and Xing saw what he had in his hands and almost screamed out of joy.

Oh, dear!