LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

While there were three persons talking above, the generals and lieutenants and other soldiers saw was only a golden tiger standing in front of the big wall of water that was about to swallow them.

Fear of the unknown, helplessness in adversities and sudden show of wonders brings out the worst in some people. And especially in their case, some of those who were already provoked by Lord Chu, who in the past one month stay with the troops had made them believe by some stories he heard from "reliable sources" that the Empress is some kind of demon who is seducing the Emperor to get her rule set in the nation.

He even presented valid reasons like the appearance of her out of nowhere as the first daughter of the Huang family, her otherworldly beauty that is only said to be common among the Fox Race of the demon realm, the illusion of a dragon that "appeared" during the coronation and how the Emperor who was said to be bent, accepting only her in his bed.

Some discredited his beliefs and some agreed to him but didn"t think further but General Fang who is the brother - in - law of Lord Chu who had a thousand men under his command, entirely believed him. On account of their relations.h.i.+p, he forgot how Lord Chu snitched on him and others from the East some time back.

He was the one who helped with the entry of the thirty two men inside their borders in order to help the Emperor open his eyes towards the Empress but his plan failed seemingly.

For him, Lord Chu"s points were only further proved by her killing more than two hundred trained men right in front of their eyes within hours in a single day. Most men in thir army haven"t killed that many men in the entire war. So how does a woman have such strength? She must be a demon!

People disbelieving her, happens a lot in Xing"s life. True, she is naturally talented in many things and G.o.d"s loved her always for some reason too that gave her some advantages. But that doesn"t mean she didn"t work for it too. Just because she rarely talks about the problems she went through in her life people who are not so close with her will a.s.sume she got it all easy.

No one knows of the soul crus.h.i.+ng training she went through in that cave that honed her sword skills and with the old master who taught her the basics before. No one knows of the sleepless nights she spent reading books of different languages and practised her writing. The same goes for her learning GO, learning to gamble and also to shoot an arrow. There are certain skills like embroidery and cooking she couldn"t learn no matter how hard she tried too. But no one cares about the numerous times she went to h.e.l.l and back for bettering her and they only see the now skilled her who fears no one as haughty and insolent and some even call her names.

Lord Fang now saw Xing high above everyone and the Emperor with a proud look in his face and felt the need to whip some sense into him.

" She must have put some spells on the Emperor" Lord Chu whispered to Lord Fang, " Or else who"d think a human floating above ground as normal? G.o.ds...? Pfff...! Where were they all these time and why do they appear for her....? It"s all suspicious and she is playing everyone like a fiddle using the name of G.o.ds when she herself is a demon with malicious intents. Who knows if the Emperor is even the Emperor or some shape s.h.i.+fter who took the form of our Emperor? "

General Fang"s jaw dropped by the allegations of Lord Chu. Not knowing Lord Chu is actually using a s.h.i.+ny bait to lure him to do something he won"t even dream of doing otherwise, general Fang actually fancied the idea of the Emperor being replaced by some fake one by the Empress.

She is a fox after all! What else can she not do?

"The Yin-Yang Sword is said to contain silver which can help distinguish between humans and demons, I"ve heard", Lord Chu continued. He was prostrating like a rat and acting like a rat by using his spider like tongue spinning a web of lies that would look pretty durable yet won"t even handle a single finger"s stress on it and Lord Fang fell for it like a fly on his web of lies not knowing the spider is going to suck all his blood dry and throw him out like trash.

While the Emperor still haven"t removed the sword he fixed on the ground and was curiously trying to decipher what"s happening up there, Lord Fang suddenly got up and started running towards the sword. Some people can be manipulated easily after all!

"Once we leave here and get back to the palace, no one will be able to reach the Emperor and then this foxtress will do whatever she wants. The proof must be gotten now when there is a good chance. Who knows where the true Emperor is and how much cruelties he is suffering! Time is of the essence now! It is fine if I"m a martyr in this cause to demask the Empress! "

With these thoughts which would be considered n.o.ble if any of those allegations spun by that greedy Huang AoTian wannabe was remotely true, General Fang stretched his hand to grip the hilt of the thousand year old sword that was resting with the tip of its blade stuck in the earth, enjoying the sun and then...

"Your Majesty!!!", Lord Chu who had ran behind Lord Fang screamed from the top of his lungs, "Attacker!!!"

General Fang"s eyes widened and his brain started to understand why the one who insinuated that the Emperor is switched and instigated him to this place right with the Sword in his hand is now trying to save the Emperor....

I am played... By my Sister"s husband and the father of my elder niece!

As he realised that, his hands had already gripped the hilt of the sword and he felt a scorching heat that travelled from his palm that spread towards his entire body. Naturally, he tried to let go of the hilt but the sword as if it had life, gripped his hand hard making it impossible to let go.

Seeing his body sizzling as if he was a piece of meat on a barbecue wire, Lord Chu stopped in his tracks perplexed.

He did not expect this! He expected him to swing the sword at the Emperor and he, the loyal citizen as he is will get in the way, not minding his own life even, to save the Emperor and get in the good graces of the one above all... Bet that coward AoTian never did that!

General Fang stared at the green marble like orbs of the Emperor staring back at him with authority and his posture was straight and his chin up with a little curve in his lips that seemed to be mocking him. His aura is no different from the Dragon he is! How did I not see it! d.a.m.n that Chu Yixin... May you rot in a special place in h.e.l.l!

" Beware of Yixin", he tried to say but he didn"t have the energy to say it and he fell on the floor with his eyes still open when the sword let him go. His entire body stung like he was poured boiling oil over him and yet his heart was still beating when he wanted that pain to stop.

*Swish * Swish*

Two arrows punctured his lungs and he didn"t have the energy to stay awake anymore and closed his eyes. The dragon embroidered shoes and the rim of the black robes fluttering were the last scenery he saw in this lifetime.

How stupid of me to trust a fox! I deserve this!

The Emperor looked at the one dead on the floor and Lord Chu who was equally perplexed as everyone else in there and snorted, "How come whenever something happens around here, a Chu is near?"

"Your Majesty! I noticed him running for this sword and so I ran behind him to try and stop him! Have mercy on this lowly one who is worried for you!", he immediately prostrated in front of the Emperor. His heart was beating in his throat and he was sweating buckets.

" He ran for this sword when he had a sword in his hand? ", he asked in a mocking tone and walked closer to him," Did he hear something from his "reliable sources"?"

"I... I don"t know... Have mercy, your Majesty!", he swallowed everything he wanted to say about how General Fang was the one who thought that the Emperor was replaced.

Is the Emperor suspecting me?

The Emperor had heard everything Lord Chu whispered to General Fang"s wars and he wanted to plunge the sword into Lord Chu"s heart but he rendered his brother"s advise not to kill in a rage. That"s how their father sank deeper in the crazy quicksand.

Also today is the day they had gained a great victory and people from their side shouldn"t be killed today. That one above who is rightfully called "Spoony Xia" by her brother, trying to reason with the G.o.ds won"t like it either.

"Chu Yixin, why is there rumours among the soldiers that your daughter was talking a walk with us last night? As We recall, last night when We and the Empress took a stroll, We found your daughter naked in that house with many other naked men! Who are... ", the Emperor spoke in a low tone for only him to hear but his voice emitted the coldness and that overbearing att.i.tude that is the second nature of any powerful Emperor.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Please.... I thank your Majesty for saving the innocence of my daughter! Please be merciful towards her.., ", Lord Chu pleaded as he didn"t expect things to have such turns.

Why does nothing work as I plan?

"Hmpf!", the Emperor snorted and even threw some sand on him with his shoes before turning to look at the other perplexed people who didn"t have any idea what was going on anymore.

"Minister Zai, you are the eldest among us all... Why don"t you explain what you know about this sword to everyone?", he commanded and Minister Zai bowed at the Emperor and explained the legends around this sword which is a relic of Heavens awarded to the first Emperor of the Lu Dynasty.