LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

But there were chants saluting the Golden Tiger sent from the heavens who helped ending the war. They were also calling her some "Warrior G.o.ddess" sent to protect them.

Xing felt her head hurt hearing her praises that overwhelmed the praises for the Emperor and the soldiers who fought for more than a month. Someone who went to the battlefield on the last day and just fought for a couple of hours is not worthy to be praised this much.

Xing looked through the window and her eyes brightened up seeing Seiren riding beside her carriage and she hissed at him to call him.

Seiren took a deep breath to calm himself down.

Does she realise what she is doing can be considered, catcalling?

"What Milord? Can"t you wait till we get to the Palace?", he hissed back, praying in his heart that no one notices them.

" I want to visit the grave of the Great General", she said as a command making Seiren sigh.

"Now?", he asked with clenched teeth.

"Yes", she was serious.

"Must we go NOW?"

"Yep!"

"Fine!", he lingered back and got lost in the parade of soldiers following behind.

When he came back, he was wearing a cape and he had brought a cape for her and threw it inside the window and after she wore it, she jumped out of the carriage in a corner when the carriage took a turn and both of them walked to the grave of the Great General.

"Oldman! We won!", she said kneeling in front of his grave, "Your sons were amazing! Everyone was amazing! Our southern borders won"t be attacked by the tribals anymore"

"Father!", Seiren respectfully knelt, "You were right! It was her... She won the war for us"

"Shut up!", Xing stopped him. Liar!

"Why does everyone think I won the war?", she poked his arm.

"You really want me to say?", Seiren who was slightly irritated looked at her really clueless face and continued, "You turned into a tiger and stood in front of a wall of water and stopped it from engulfing our entire army"

"Me? A tiger?", Xing was confused. Since when could I turn into a tiger..?

Then she knew why Fei Lian was there... That G.o.d! He tried to prop me up because he wants to make it seem like the prophesies are being fulfilled... How annoying!

Xing reached her carriage that was moving in a snail pace and when she entered the palace, she was welcomed by her father and the other officials. One look at her father, she could say that her father is going to kill the Emperor for letting her in the battlefield.

Mo Chen who was being neglected by everyone in the past days out of fear ran and jumped at Xing and she almost fell on her b.u.t.t. Even though Xing was taller than Mo Chen, she weighed only half as him and she could not withstand the sudden attack. If she moved aside, someone else would have been needlessly hurt so Xing accepted that fiery welcome.

Thankfully, the Emperor held her shoulders from behind so that she won"t fall and make a fool out of herself in front of the entire court.

Next morning when Xing went to the Imperial Study, she could hear her father using careful words to reprimand the Emperor for letting a girl in the battlefield and how that would negatively impact the Emperor"s name. She knew her father does not give a d.a.m.n about how it would make other people view the Emperor and he is mad because she was put in harm"s way.

Xing stood outside to listen the Emperor"s answer. Surely most Emperors won"t be happy for others to take larger credit in battles. They would get jealous and get skeptical of said individual"s intentions and mostly they will try to suppress them and their families so that there won"t be a possible rebellion. That"s why she didn"t like people chanting her name during the parade. Maybe her father is worried about that too!

"She is the Divine Ruler! What is wrong in her saving the Empire? Isn"t her main duty to protect me and the Empire? Who could blame her for doing so? SHE IS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE! " he answered sincerely. Xing could sense no negative emotions from his reply and she entered in the room.

As usual, he proved he is a good man!

" Daddy! ", Xing hugged her father"s arms," I missed you! "

Only after hearing about all the other trash fathers of those other people did Xing know how lucky she is to have Huang AoTian as her father. And she really missed him these days.

AoTian was lost for words for some time by his daughter"s sincere words and patted her head.

Poor girl! She had suffered!

"Me too, Mingxia!"

Soon he composed himself and tried to lecture her for putting her life at risk for others but before he opened his mouth, she spoke first and explained him how there were some men who blamed her for something that didn"t happen the previous night and that"s why she had to prove them that she was strong.

By the expression of her father, she knew that there is going to be a purge on certain families whose men wagged their tongues against her . But she didn"t feel bad for them. They should have kept their mouth shut.

So while her father was angry at others, Xing explained her father how they went to the Earth Kingdom and they met both the Emperor"s of Earth and Water Kingdom. It took a lot of time for AoTian to register what she said.

Xing knew of the risks she took when she took the Emperor and went alone into a neighbouring country with whom they had no relations with. A lot could have gone wrong but thankfully it didn"t and only good came out of it.

"Father, where is brother?", she asked. She didn"t see him the previous day and today he even missed court.

Did my overzealous brother die?

"Your idiot brother worked himself to sickness. I have chained his leg to the bed so that he"d rest for a day or two" AoTian said and sat in a chair.

Xing didn"t know if her father meant it literally when he said that he had chained him to the bed but knowing her brother... Only that would stop him from coming to work.

Honestly, Xing didn"t know why her brother is being too enthusiastic about work. Won"t he be paid nonetheless?

Xing then explained her father how her brother is expected at the coronation of the Earth Emperor coming in a couple of weeks and how they had already arranged for everything with the Earth Emperor.

AoTian was worried to send his precious son in the journey which took the life of everyone before. But after Xing explained how Brother Lee has promised to welcome Rijun from the border himself and how much she trusted her Brother Lee, he agreed.

The Emperor brought up the topic of gifts. Surely its are an important thing as not only it would show the respect you have for the one you gift but also it will show your status.

"Father, Uncle Little bun is here, isn"t he?", she asked. AoTian was surprised how she might know it because he was only there that morning. So her uncle was summoned to the Palace.

But it was Xing"s luck at play.

"Uncle, I need statues of two qulins.. This size", she showed up to her waist level, "Possibly green jade... "

Xing knew Ayane really liked qulins as she found them cute somehow. So why not a bigger version of it as a gift, right?

"Your Highness...", Huang Zedong who was happy to hear her voice didn"t like what she asked. He had two qulins like she asks with him but if he is giving it to the Emperor, then he won"t get paid, right? And he wondered what is the possibility that what she asks is with him anyway? It was rare to get that big of a jade stone and he was skeptical about carving it to such a big statue because who could afford it, right? But seems like he had made it for his niece all along...! She is extremely lucky!

"Tax-free pa.s.s through the NanCheng Pa.s.s for three years, this gift for the Earth Emperor will be mentioned as being carved by the Huang Family business which enables free advertising in the Earth Kingdom and brother is the one who will be bearing those gifts", Xing made her point to her Uncle.

Her uncle was a businessman and he knew the benefits overweigh the risks and he agreed. Also if his son is going to be gifting them, he cannot be bearing any ordinary gift, right?

But, he also added a clause that she has to refer him as "Uncle".. Not "First Uncle" but "Uncle" !

But Xing had two uncles. If she calls her first uncle "Uncle" won"t uncle Feiye feel bad? Or is it his intention all along? Xing wondered.

What a childish little bun!

But Xing agreed anyway and the day of the departure of her brother arrived with a double tier protection for Rijun and the gift.

If only Xing knew what kind of trouble her brother would bring back, she wouldn"t have sent her brother there at all!