LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

My Prince!

He had left his insignia in her saddle probably after the match they had and she only noted it after a while. He must have left it with her to make her return it. She waved the fine jade piece holding it by the ta.s.sels and wondered what would he do if she threw it away or if she sent it back through someone else.

Should I or should I not throw it away?

That"s when Xiao Mei came running towards her panicked, "Milady! Your.... There...", she was panting hard and was unable to speak.

"Calm down!", Xing patted her back and she took a deep breath.

"Milady! There are posters everywhere with your picture on it saying you stole something important from someone and they are willing to forgive you if you return it personally!", Xiao Mei spoke non stop with her big eyes focused in Xing.

"Haha, is that so? ", Xing clutched the jade piece in her hand and smirked.

Since you want to meet me, then let"s meet!

Xing"s carriage pa.s.sed through the city gates as the pa.s.ses were verified, Xing remembered the first time she entered the city. Chenglei guided her in a horse as they entered the city four years back. And the last time she entered, it was her as the Empress winning the biggest war single-handedly with the entire city welcoming her, cheering for her.

This time.... She"s a n.o.body!

Xing went to the Leisurely Streams Inn that belonged to Haru and even though she had the best room available for her, it missed the homey feeling. Her family is in the same city and here she is... Staying in an Inn.

She has sent out her men to find out where Chenglei is and she was informed he was in the palace and she was told that he sometimes won"t return from the palace for days and decided to meet him there.

But will I be let in there.?

Then again, if she wasn"t let in, she decided to send the insignia to Chenglei using others. She still has the White Tiger Token with her but how useful is that if the Emperor forgot her, right?

Xing felt like she had nothing!

She used to be the cream of the crop... The elite of the elites... Now who is she? An adopted sister of a merchant who has no family or no name for herself.

How the wheels of fate have turned!

She used to be a n.o.body growing up too and she never minded that because she didn"t know who she was. But now... With her father and family just streets away from her, with them thinking she is dead, she felt her heart squeeze with sorrow.

Let"s change all this! No matter how hard it gets!

Xing changed into a pale yellow hanfu embroidered with gold threads with her hair done in a simple hairdo fastening it with a red jade hairpin adding a splash of colour to her outfit. She double checked herself in the mirror and left for the palace leaving the concerned Xiao Mei, who was insistent that, "A lady must go everywhere with her maid!"

Xing went to the palace gates when the soldiers there were pleasantly surprised to see a beauty that early in the morning and started murmuring and sn.i.g.g.e.ring among themselves and their expression changed when she showed the insignia.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

"Hehehe....", one of the guards smiled awkwardly scratching the back of his head, "Lord Li asked to lead you to his office immediately... Don"t mind those uncultured wastrels who doesn"t know good even if it slaps them in the face. They only talk big but they mean nothing. I can see the divine fortune s.h.i.+ning on your face that even made Lord Li look at you. Who could be comparable ....", he continued on with his ramble and Xing could tell from his tone that he didn"t want her to tell Chenglei about those guards who made comments about her.

What a contradicting man! Xing thought. He pasted posters of my picture labelling me as thief and at the same time asked the palace guards to be nice to me? And why do I feel like I don"t know him anymore?

As she stepped foot inside the palace she didn"t feel that emotional as she predicted as she would be since she has always wanted to avoid this place. She just wanted everyone she knew to be happy even if they forgot her. Also she wanted to meet Mo Chen and if possible the Emperor and the crown prince.

If everyone forgot me, would Mo Chen too? She wondered.

The guard pointed at a building and asked her to take a left and a right to get there and disappeared like a wind fearing if she"d tattle on him to the notorious Lord Li.

Xing who was telling in her mind, "Left, right... Left and right", went exactly in the wrong way and ended up in a garden of trees and wondered where the G.o.d of fortune smiling on her is!

What a drag!

Xing tried to find her way out of there and find the exit but as usual she felt like she was trapped in a labyrinth in a straight row of trees. Only something that happens to her!

Chenglei sitting in the office looked through his window and saw her... In women"s clothing today and the yellow really made her look more bright and her eyes looked more alluring.

But, what is she doing there wandering like a headless chicken? It is her, right? Or am I hallucinating like before?

He had been seeing her everywhere these days.

Just as he was wondering about his own eyesight, he noticed Mo Chen creeping up behind her and was ready to pounce on her.

Eh! What is that big cat doing here?

He never liked that cat much as he always looked at him like he"d stolen his woman or something. He never understood why his brother was too loving with a cat.

And now that cat is about to attack that bothersome woman? Geez! How does she attract troubles like this!

He was about to jump through the window to stop the cat and before he could react, the big cat pounced on her and she turned at the cat at the exact moment leading her to be pinned on the ground with the cat"s paws on her shoulders.

Wait... When did that nasty cat start acting chummy towards strangers?

To his surprise, Mo Chen started licking her face and that woman wasn"t scared of him and was pus.h.i.+ng him away with her fingers inside his mouth and she was laughing too .

What"s so funny about this? He frowned. Does she realise even a little bite from his teeth will snap all the bones in her pet.i.te little fingers?

But, Impressive!

He has seen women in the Harem staying ten feet away from Mo Chen and even the officials would too. Only his brother and his son weren"t scared of him. And this woman is not scared of a full grown panther and playing with it?

Xing who was pushed to the ground by Mo Chen was overwhelmed with joy that at least Mo Chen remembered her.

"Stop licking me", she pushed him away but he was too overjoyed to see her back.

"Ah! Mo Chen! At least you remember me", she hugged him around his neck and he just grabbed her sleeves with his mouth refusing to let go of her.

"I came here to meet Chenglei... Let me", she told him but Mo Chen was insistent on dragging her to meet his master and Xing felt awkward.

It"s not like anyone could meet the Emperor and with the Emperor forgotten her, how will she explain Mo Chen"s familiarity towards her?

"Did you rub catnip all over you?", the familiar yet mocking voice was heard from behind her and Xing turned with difficulty to see Chenglei with a mocking smile in his face. He looked pretty amused seeing her being held captive by Mo Chen.

"Lord Li", Xing smiled back trying to pull her sleeves away but she feared that her clothes may tear so she let Mo Chen lead the way.

Chenglei tried to get Mo Chen let go of her sleeves but Mo Chen was not pleased by him and only turned his back towards him. Chenglei wondered how close her brother must be to this woman for his cat to be this attached to her. He wondered if his brother lied when he said she is not his woman and decided to follow them.

He saw her entire back and hair having dried leaves sticking and decided to let it be. He found her attractive nonetheless.! But that won"t be the case for anyone else.

Xing gave the insignia to Chenglei and he got it as if it was nothing at all and when she asked about the posters portraying her as a thief, he looked at her like she was speaking in some unknown language and blinked his pretty eyes as if he was wondering what she was talking about making Xing"s eyes roll.

What a shameless man!

The Emperor just entered his study after the morning court and Xing was happy to see the respect her man gets in the palace now as it always should have been. Just for her sake he had renounced everything and lived as an ordinary man. But now that she is out of his life, he had found his purpose of his life as he"d have wanted it. A life fulfilling his own wishes!

She didn"t know whether she should be glad or sad about it.

The guards by the door were surprised to see a woman getting dragged by Mo Chen and seeing Chenglei behind them, let them in.

"What... Mo Chen..! Bad boy! What are you doing to that lady? ", the Emperor spoke in a rebuking tone to Mo Chen and his surprised reaction told Xing that he doesn"t remember her.

In fact the Emperor identified her even though her hair color changed and he was surprised by her sudden visit and wondered how to react. As much as he wanted to tell her he remembered her he decided against it. He knew his brother made a deal with that G.o.d to bring her back in exchange for her memories. He feared that if he exposed that he still remembered her, that G.o.d might get back on her deal and send her back. He cannot let that happen. So for the time being, he decided to keep the fact that he remembered her as a secret.

But why does she look like she was in a brawl?

Xing was sad for a moment but since she had already hardened her heart for such reaction she didn"t dwell on it. Xing was standing in the office where important decisions concerning the welfare of the nation were made and she is now standing face to face with the highest authority of the land, But upon seeing the Emperor"s face, she wanted to burst into laughter.

I thought he joked when he said he"s going to grow a beard!

She would have laughed in his face if he remembered her but since she valued her life a bit more, she squatted in front of the table hiding herself from the Emperor"s view and went on about her laughing fit.

Chenglie who could only see her shaking shoulders wondered why she is crying this hard looking at the Emperor.

Could the man in her heart really be...

He went to her side and placed his hand in her shoulders and the eyes that looked back at him were reddened and she was biting her lips hard to stop herself from... Laughing...? She is laughing at the Emperor?

He sighed! This woman does not know how to live.

"Rise",the Emperor told her but she still didn"t compose herself.

"Your Majesty! This lowly one dare not! I must respect your royal moustache... Hmm.... Royal Majesty...", she spoke gritting her teeth and Chenglei could see her still shaking in laughter.

Truly! This woman doesn"t know how to be alive!