The Emperor was confused by the words of Xing and he naturally looked at his brother for answers. He knows both are united in heart and soul and they are beings with two bodies and one soul! But he gulped seeing the sharp and pondering look Shengli had on Xing.Are they two fighting? But why am I involved? Ugh! I shouldn"t have come here now... What a terrible luck I have!
The Emperor cursed his luck and turned immediately and left without answering her. He felt like he was a stray cat that had been caught in his enemy"s alley.
I"m not getting involved between them!
Seeing the Emperor running away as if his b.u.t.t is on fire, Xing turned to look at Shengli,
" I"m going to do what the G.o.ds asked me to do. You can do whatever you want. I relieve you of any responsibilities you might have towards me. From now on consider me a stranger and live your own life well away from me", Xing held her fists tight and spout out the words with difficulty. She made sure she spoke everything in one breath with her voice smooth as if she was determined so that he won"t doubt her resolve. She saw Shengli"s face twitching with anger for a moment but then he snorted at her and his eyes regained the gentleness he always had for her and also a deep sadness.
Shengli knew from the moment he heard what the G.o.ds told her about their wishes that Xing would agree to their request. She says she is selfish and she won"t care about anything else if she gets to be with him but still, she is not a hard-hearted, selfish person.
But how dare she tells him to leave her? Is that even her decision to make?
Shengli got mad for a moment before noticing her expression, her eyes. Her eyes that used to have a lively expression on them now had the same blank expression she had when her mother pa.s.sed away... This could only mean...
She knows! But who told her?
Shengli felt his heart clench with sorrow and he wanted to confirm his speculations.
"Why? Why must I leave you?"
"Because I am useless", Xing mumbled and turned her back towards him as she could not hold her tears. She didn"t want him to change her mind. At least he should have a happy life.
"Xing", his voice carried despair and sharp disapproval towards her and his feet started walking towards her and he wanted to hold her in his arms.
"Don"t touch me! ", Xing moved aside making Shengli"s entire face twitch .
This stupid girl, isn"t she going too far? And can she really live without me?
"Fine, then", Shengli who was stunned for a brief moment composed himself and smirked at her.
Xing was perplexed by his sudden change in mood when he continued, " Let"s have a sword battle"
Xing felt her mind go blank. Of all the things he could say, he wants to have a match with me? What is going on? Is he of sound mind?
"A battle to death. Of course I won"t kill you but you must kill me if I lose", he folded his arms, raised his chin and looked deeply at her.
"What nonsense are you spouting?", Xing really didn"t understand anything. Her deep sorrow was forgotten for a moment by his odd behaviour.
"Why must I kill you?"
"Because you saved my life on that snow that day we met and only you can take it "
"I already told you, it was you who saved yourself. I did nothing"
"Really?", Shengli raised his eyebrows and his lips had a sly smile as he licked it making Xing go weak on her resolve already. What a perfectly kissable lips! They are tasty too! How can I let him be taken by some other woman?
"My fate doesn"t say so!", he added and that brought Xing back from her perverted thoughts.
"What? Explain", she knitted her brows. Her fate didn"t have even meeting him written on it. So what really changed?
Shengli saw the curious Xing in front of him and opened his arms with a sly grin.
This guy! Xing frowned, I really want to hug him! But I won"t, she hardened her heart and pretended to leave when he spoke,
"My life must have ended by that a.s.sa.s.sin on that day. But because you were there, I survived and my fate changed. So only you can take this life you saved even from fate and G.o.d of death"
Xing looked at him shocked, How is this possible? But he looks like he is not lying... Is this why the G.o.d of Fate is this angry at me? I saved him from the G.o.d of Death that day?
"I should have died thinking about you that day and today I"ll die in your hands thinking about you. It makes no difference to me", he said in a resolute tone.
What? I wouldn"t have met him but he knew me? How? Xing wondered. Shengli never told her that he had previously seen her playing with the tiger cubs that day. He had kept it a secret from her and he had decided to tell her that when he gets back the painting of her back from s.h.i.+hong. It was written in his fate that he"ll see her that day but his fate didn"t read that she"ll be there when his carriage got attacked. So her being there that day was the act breaking the flow of fate.
"You are silly and a liar! I command you to forget me", Xing pointed at Shengli who had a sleazy smile, stomped her feet and ran back to the mountains. She didn"t have even a quarter of the resolve she previously had to convince him to leave her. If she stays here for even a moment longer, she"d beg him to accept her.
" You cannot order me around, my adamant cat! Run away like you always do! Watch how I find you... You think you can hide from me?", Shengli who could read Xing like a book shouted at her receding back and unknown to him there was a slight smile in his face.
This girl! Telling him to forget her and making the same googly eyes on him like always! Does she think I am stupid to not see it?
Shengli"s smile disappeared by the thought that she knows everything. Who might have told her? If he gets a wind of who did it, he"d kill them mercilessly. But he must coax her somehow and a.s.sure her that he has no plans to leave her for this or any other reasons. If she had to stay in the palace like the G.o.ds say, he"ll wait for her to finish what she had to do and then take her out of the Palace and make her his wife legally. She must know that.! He has plans too...
The Emperor who was hiding till now being a tree came out after Xing left,
"Third brother, why don"t you keep my courtyard for yourself so you two can stay together?"
"Dead man can never be a son of heavens", Shengli replied dryly. Why is everyone bothering him? Didn"t he already told his brother that only he will be the Emperor?
"Then I only have few months, according to those fate scrolls", the Emperor said looking down popping his fingers.
Shengli stood motionless for a moment before patting his head, " Junjie, she Changed everything. I know your fate won"t be effective too"
Although Shengli was confident that is the case, he cannot shake this stuffy feeling from his chest. He didn"t want his brother to die this early. And Xing must have known about this too, right? I should be near her now and console her. She would be devastated knowing all this!