LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

Did he just describe the entire Huang family as having feminine traits?

He didn"t stop there, "That should be it... Only Huang Bojing"s sons were tall and their sons are taller than them... It must be because of the princess" Lu blood", he nodded.

"It should be true, Oldman! Uncle Feiye said my grandfather was shorter than my grandmother too", Xing added her two cents making Rijun want to hit her in the head. How could she talk low of her own family in front of others?

Lord Zhong harrumphed, " Bojing was not that short... It"s the Princess with her weird hairstyles that made her look taller", he could not put down his friends, "They looked good together"

" If it is all about blood, then how come you, a Huang, is that good with sword, Milord?", Seiren questioned. He refused to acknowledge her as "Your Highness " unless he absolutely has to.

"I know! That"s because I have Zhong blood in me", Xing grinned.

"Our family? I don"t remember any of our family marrying Huang family", Lord Zhong was pleasantly surprised.

"Oh, not from my father"s side...but from my mother"s side. Didn"t father tell you, Oldman? I thought you knew", Xing asked Lord Zhong surprised. She thought this Oldman had always had a soft spot for her for this reason too.

Lord Zhong and Xing looked at AoTian who had a guilty expression and trying to hide his face in his teacup. Seeing them still looking at him deeply, he sighed, "What? I forgot!", he turned his face to the side looking like a child caught stealing candy.

How petty! Father actually didn"t tell the Oldman out of jealousy? He thought the Oldman would show more love to me if he knew and so he hid it purposely? Xing could not help but chuckle. In fact her father slipped up this fact to her one day in his drunken stupor too. He originally didn"t meant to tell her either. How adorable!

So the topic veered of to other issues soon and Xing wanted to spend some time with the Oldman alone and just sent everyone away. Lady Zhong left too knowing that Lord Zhong had something to say to her and Seiren knew from her reactions that the time has come for his father to rest and left with a heavy heart too.

Everyone left for the main banquet Hall where the wedding banquet is still going to make fun of the groom as per custom dictates.

Xing stood up from her chair and tried to sit by Lord Zhong"s feet. Lord Zhong realised what she was about to do and was uncomfortable having her by his feet. She is still the Empress he needs to kneel before and her sitting by his feet? Unacceptable!

"Hey, Brat! Don"t sit on the floor", he tried to get her up.

"Come on, Oldman! Let me be", she looked at Lord Zhong. He looked tired and in pain and he seemed like he had aged a lot in the past two months too. She was looking at him this closely only now after a long time and her heart clenched in sorrow . He was her biggest hero next to Scarlet Tiger and never in her life back in the village would she have imagined that she"d be sitting by his feet, calling him "oldman". But now she had that chance and it only lasted for a short time.

Lord Zhong couldn"t refuse that bright eyes looking at him in a pleading way. She always gets him with that dark charming eyes anyway! And he could not miss that deep sadness in those eyes too. This little girl! Even though she ran her mouth at him and would seem like she was disrespecting his age and status, he always knew she respected him a lot, deep in her heart.

Seeing him not refusing, Xing sat by his feet and hugged his leg placing her head in his thigh and Lord Zhong patted her head.

"Hey, Oldman! Why do women everywhere want to be empress?", she asked.

Lord Zhong could not see her eyes because she had closed it and her cheeks looked squishy and she really looked like a little child who wants comfort from him. This one always amazed him... One moment she is this strong, fearless warrior with a sword and the next moment would turn into a whiney brat. Who would not love her?

"Why else? They want a better life!", he answered. He knew she is not the Empress Willingly and there are more to it that others know.

"Really Oldman?",she sat up and looked at him, "How is that.? Look at this clothes Oldman... They say this is the best silk... Look how thick it is... It hurts my skin... When I said I"ll wear my own clothes, the Imperial Designer said... Guess what.. I"m not "allowed" to wear outside clothing..! How preposterous!... I wore the softest and lightest of silks and now... Better life...? ", she continued on rambling while Lord Zhong was listening to her patiently.

Lord Zhong knew event though she took issues about the silk, it was only the superficial thing and her sorrows rums deep. And this selfish brat is only telling him and not others because... Dead men won"t tell tales!

She doesn"t want to make others worry for her. Really, how selfis.h.!.+ He smiled dryly. But it is okay.

Whine all you want brat, I"ll listen!

Xing went back to hugging his legs, " See Oldman, my life only got worse after I became empress!"

"You are right, You are pitiful!", Lord Zhong patted her head.

"I"m not though!", she hugged his legs tighter, "I chose this path! I cannot keep on complaining. I have to move on...."

"...", Lord Zhong didn"t say anything and was gently patting her head. Isn"t this too much of a burden for a little child?

"I"ve lost a lot, Oldman! A lot... I got poisoned and cannot have children", he said burying her head in his legs and Lord Zhong"s hands paused as his heart throbbed with sorrow.

"Brat..", he said feebly and he didn"t know what to say... Is she even telling the truth? Why is her tone this flat while telling this depressing news?

"It"s okay, Oldman. He knows and he doesn"t care. What a useless waste I am! He is wasted on me...", she sighed, "But I won"t leave him for that. I trust him on this. We can find a way. There is still a chance once I finish what I have to do"

"Xiao Tian..?", he asked. AoTian couldn"t have handed this news... But is she telling the truth?

"Father doesn"t know.. And don"t tell him. Brother knows... I think... But it is okay... There will be a way for that... I should finish what the G.o.ds want me to do. After that I can do what I want!", she still didn"t show her face to him. She really wanted to talk to someone, someone who"d listen to her. But she cannot talk to anyone involved as they would be hurting too. Even though the Oldman would be hurting too, he won"t for long right? And he is old and knows not to babble to her father too. She knew she was being selfish... But still...

"I couldn"t help Oldman... I almost lost myself when those women talked about me and the Emperor together. I felt the same way I felt when my cousin talked about me and my brother having some illicit relations.h.i.+p but this time, I couldn"t retort. I had to smile and reply to them appropriately since for them I am his wife... I had to pretend they were right... That I had something with the Emperor... I didn"t like that at all... I felt like I was standing on burning fire...I wanted to scream the truth,Oldman... But then again I chose this... I have to find a way to get through it... Right? It"s the only way... And he... He... He really is wasted on me... You know what the G.o.ds said Oldman..? That I don"t have a reincarnation...That this is my only life. I"m not letting him go this life. My one life is for him and him alone. But I wish the best for him in his next life he has someone who is perfect for him and does everything for him and make him happy. He deserves it. I"ve only brought troubles and heartbreaks for him... I"m not worthy of him"

"Don"t say that, Brat! He chose you... He promised you. Its only fair for him to keep his promise. High or low, in wealth or in poverty, in sickness or in health... Isn"t that the promise? He won"t be a man if he does not keep it", Lord Zhong spoke in a soothing tone patting her head. He remembered the drunk Shengli"s banter before and he knew that guy knew these things would happen. It came as a surprise only for her.

"Oh, look at me!", Xing wiped the tears running through her face, "I came to ask you how you are and here I am ranting my sorrows with you... How selfis.h.!.+"

"You are allowed to be selfish, especially with me! ", he replied without hesitation. Children are allowed to be selfish with elders. That"s why they are there.

Xing felt like the deep pain in her heart reduced after speaking with the Oldman and felt a bit refreshed.

"Brat, think of this as a battle. Do what every soldier does in a battle.... Be a warrior... Survive... You cannot feel guilty of killing in a battle... So take guilt out of you. It"s your battle... Win it... Get home safe... And after that, never look back at what happened at the battle. It is more important to always forgive yourself and forget what you did at a battle. ",he patted her head. He was a warrior, he knows. War brings the worst in people and he cannot bring that person in the Warfield back home.

" I know... Right now... I am Huang Mingxia... The Empress of the Wind Kingdom ", she smiled at Lord Zhong who was looking down at her with his expressions solemn. He would never forget what she did for their Zhong family. Her and him too.

"Don"t worry, Brat! You"ll definitely have a lot of boys with him",he smiled and patted her head. Don"t they say old people"s blessings will come to pa.s.s? If so he"ll bless her heartily!

"Eh! Why boys?", she cringed making Lord Zhong chuckle in amus.e.m.e.nt. This brat! She is sad she cannot have children and she still doesn"t want boys? What an odd rascal she is!

"Won"t raising girls means you"ll have to send them away after their wedding?", he asked.

"Exactly!", she slapped Lord Zhong in the thigh, " That"s the point, Oldman! Girls are cute, right? And they become less cute when they grow up. And you can send them away once they stop being cute, right?", she grinned, "But boys are cute only for a short time and after that they become pungent rats, right? And they won"t even leave home and stay there forever bringing headaches.... So... Girls are best!", her eyes were so bright and she had that proud grin that she had gained the ancient knowledge by herself.