LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS
Chapter 78: You Scared Her, I’ll Scar You for Life!

Chapter 78: You Scared Her, I’ll Scar You for Life!

"What do you suggest then?", Zedong asked Shengli as he looked like had reached a decision.

"What are you asking him? Isn’t she perfectly safe here?", AoTian sat in the edge of his chair. These people is saying weird things that he does not understand well and why are they acting this way when she clearly has the upper hand?

"Xiao Tian, he knows better than anyone about Shihong and Xiao Táng. Let’s hear him", Zedong was curious as he had always wanted to know how the brain of the astute businessman who had reached upto his rank in this short time works.

"I’ll make the sharing agreement with the Huang family for the maps of the Great Green Jungle trade route. Consider this an early betrothal gift, I, Li ChengNuo give for the hand of your family’s first young miss, Huang Mingxia", he stood and gave a deep bow to Huang Zedong and AoTian.

Zedong stood and patted his shoulders and signalled him to sit and Shengli sat back.

"You are proposing marriage, now?", AoTian was confused. Seems like the way their brain works is different from his. So if they think she is in danger why is he proposing marriage now?

"No, AoTian. He is proposing to separate the identities of him and her", Zedong answered to AoTian. "But how long will you continue this?", he asked Shengli.

"Until Shihong dies", Shengli said with his eyes dark and his fists clenched. Both of them cannot be free until he dies.

AoTian still didn’t understand what they are talking about. Separating their identities? What does that mean? Then he realised Shengli never called her as Mingxia and this is the first time he is introducing himself with his other identity. So the Prime Minister’s daughter will be married off to the Mysterious rich businessman while Lord Táng and Huang Shengli remain as enemies to Shihong? Is that what they mean? How will this turn out?

"So what are you proposing with the trade route? You are not helping me with my business, are you?", Zedong asked Shengli. He knew he is not giving it for him but for his niece. He had been eying that route for years even when the previous empress’ family owned it but somehow it went to Shengli’s hands. He had tried to open conversations with Shengli but was refused blatantly. Only after Shengli knew she is a Huang daughter, did he accept to meet up.

The Great Green Jungle trade route can be considered the main junction that connects all the trade routes of the kingdom through the thick jungles and it is said a tribe who don’t mix with the outsiders live there and they are violent. Only those who have a certain token pass would be allowed by them to pass the jungle or else they’ll be eliminated. If NanCheng pass connects this kingdom with the other kingdoms, this trade route has its connection within the nation. In a way it can be called the heart of the nation. If one owns the route no one can guess where they’ll turn up after entering in the forest and it gives them absolute security.

Shengli looked at Zedong with his eyes sharp and determined, " Don’t you have to take Mingxia to give respect to your ancestors in your ancestral home? The same time, Lord Táng will be in the Eastern Province taking care of his business", he told his plan and Zedong could understand too. But he saw the sullen face of Shengli and wondered if he is just using this plan to postpone the meeting of Shihong with his niece? Does he think their meeting is inevitable and trying to change fate?

AoTian who was ignored realised that Shengli is trying to lure Shihong to the East while she is actually at the South and Shihong’ll leave the capital city alone too in his wild goose chase for Lord Táng in the east. So he is trying to end Shihong himself while she is safe at the South?

"Xing must not know about this letter", Shengli said standing up. If she knows, she’ll definitely find a way to meet Shihong herself. Whatever her fate is supposed to be, he’ll try his best to protect his girl.

"Where is she?", Shengli asked AoTian who for the first time had agreed to work with him as he definitely cares for his daughter.

AoTian told him how Rijun took her out and Shengli clicked his tongue and looked disgruntled with his lips pursed to a straight line.

" Seiren’s Restaurant", he mumbled and turned to leave with his fists clenched. He got reports of having heavy security in his restaurant this morning and he didn’t mind as he had heard a businessman was staying in the city and thought it might be for him. But this brother of his thought he could abduct his woman right under his nose...! He gritted his teeth.

" What he cannot take his sister out?", AoTian got a bit scared at his dark expression.

"Since when did your son leave that Monarch’s side especially when today is the Court Exams?", Shengli spouted angrily and left the Manor and went straight to the restaurant.

Just as he left there was one of AoTian’s assistant informing him that the court exams has commenced and that the Emperor was sick and was unable to give audience to the examinees and only sent his question in written note to the civil affairs bureau.

Zedong chuckled looking at AoTian who hurriedly left the Manor cursing his son and a certain snotty brat who deserved to get punished.

...

Xing who was enraged by getting trapped in the room was about to pry open the door when the Emperor’s soft and mellow voice was heard, "Do you have to react this harshly towards me?", he sounded like a wounded puppy.

Harshly? I want to choke you to death and that is the most lenient thing I could think of for now! Xing cursed in her mind and Xing got more angry but too bad killing an Emperor would bring too much trouble. But Xing seriously contemplated if she should test her father’s words that he would save her even if she kills the Emperor.

I cannot, this one is my prince’s only brother!

Xing ignored the Emperor and her fiery look landed at her traitor brother,

"Didn’t know this kingdom’s gentlemen has no qualms in abducting women. Shame on you! ", she shouted the last sentence and kicked hard on the door making Rijun shudder and the Emperor stood from his seat too. But that door didn’t even budge as it was made with top quality redwood and there were two persons holding the door too.

"Don’t hurt yourself!", Rijun said in a pleading tone as he was really worried that his sister who had only recently recovered from illness will get hurt again. He tried to hold her arm but she pushed him away and lifted her leg to kick the door again even though she felt a shooting pain in her foot after the first kick. She was not going to let anyone make her do things forcefully. In fact Xing might have agreed to meet the Emperor if asked properly or even if her brother informed her at least before entering the restaurant. But what she hates the most are surprises... That too the ones that would force her to do something. Did they think if they brought her here and shut the door, she’ll happily chat away with the Emperor? And the fact that her brother betrayed her to bring her to meet the person she does not want to meet again made her more furious.

"Enough!", the Emperor roared. He walked near the door with his imposing aura that looked more predominant in his black robes and his dark hair as a starless and moonless night only his aura Xing felt was overwhelmingly bright like the sun. Xing turned her back to him making Rijun flustered. Rijun only told her later about the one another stupid rule of the palace that no one can show their back to the Emperor which Xing simply doesn’t care.

The Emperor didn’t mind her showing her back to him but commanded the guards at the door to unlock the door. Only when the door was unlocked Xing felt relieved and let out a deep breath and her anger was half reduced.

But she saw her brother and the Emperor wearing the same design of jade belt and her anger shoot up again. This brother of hers had betrayed her for his other brother? I thought I was his only sibling! Unacceptable! I should have let that fox feast on him that day if I’d have known he will be like this!

Xing stomped outside and saw General Zhong Huojin looking at her with disdainful eyes.

Well! Who cares what you think?

Xing kept on walking and her amazing sense of direction didn’t help her and after walking for a few minutes she didn’t find any stairs but she ended up on the same hallway where Huojin was staring at her.

How shameful! Can’t a girl be left with her dignity?

"Send me back!", she shouted at her brother who was biting his lips hard not to laugh.

Just then, she heard a commotion from Nearby and she followed the sound to see..... Stairs!!!

She thanked all the gods in heaven and wanted to pass the commotion. It was made by a young lady and her maid. The girl looked perfect on Xing’s eyes with her small pouty lips and big bright eyes. But her entire demeanour emitted a dominant and proud aura making her a little less cute. The maid was shouting as she felt wronged by not allowing them inside the second floor.

The one trying to pacify the situation was none other than Seiren himself. But the maid didn’t care as the Young miss was unmoved too. But seeing Seiren cautious and the attitude of the Young Miss, she must be someone of high status that even the Zhong family cannot offend. So she must be from the Ran family, Xing concluded.

Seiren with his smooth talking cannot pacify the Young miss. Xing had only seen such situations less often as no one fails to fall for that rich, gentle and attentive act of Seiren. This Young Miss is one tough nut to crack, Xing thought!

Xing wanted to leave but as the exit was blocked by the arrogant Young Miss and her maid, Xing was frustrated and cursed that Emperor who had unnecessarily came out here and made the Young Miss act like this.

But cursing that one will not clear the way. Xing sighed and looked around to see a freshly bloomed Camillia on a vase nearby and picked it up. She walked towards the Young Miss but was blocked by the maid. So she just stood three steps away from the young miss. That young miss looked at the frivolous looking young master with an oddly enticing hair, that was braided and coiled around his shoulders with a smile that would shake the heavens and eyes that make one’s heart flutter and her expression changed a bit gentler.

Xing spoke in a deep husky voice, "How brilliant! I asked this flower why he bloomed off season.. You know what he said..?", Xing raised her eyebrows and curved her lips to a gentle smile and took a step closer. The maid got alert and tried to stop her but the young miss used her eyes to signal her to stop.

Xing realised she had fell for her words and casually took a step forward and placed the flower on the Young Miss’ hair while letting her sleeves slightly grazing her cheeks purposely and her lips curved upwards seeing the Young miss’ cheeks turning red, " For this.. He said.. To end up in your hair", Xing spoke near her ear making it red and gently touched her hair while taking a step back. "Hmm!", Xing nodded her head in satisfaction, " Now you’ve made the flower look pretty", Xing bit her lips and her eyes darted at the Young Miss’ face and ended up at her lips that made the Young Miss go all red and she gave an elegant curtsy and left in big paces almost stumbling as if her legs were weak.

" Third Young Miss! That is the one they call Lord Táng..... ! How frivolous....! Your father will kill you if he knows of this", the maid was speaking loudly down the stairs but the young miss just shushed her and they ran down the stairs and left the restaurant.

Xing’s smile immediately disappeared as soon as the Young miss turned to leave. As they say ’Engage people with what they expect to get what you want’, she wanted a way so she gave what that young miss wanted and got what she wanted in return.

Xing saw Seiren rolling his eyes, " Are you going to owe a debt of love with the Ran Family’s third Young Miss? It’s amazing you could break the impenetrable defences of that young miss just with a stolen flower. It is said that no one had succeeded in stealing her heart on the sixteen years of her life! ", Seiren told her shaking his head. He didn’t know if he should be grateful she is not a man, or worry for her for breaking the hearts of women.

"Who is stealing her heart? I just wanted a way to get out", Xing started to walk down the stairs.

"I’ll toast you the best wine in this place for helping me out now!", Seiren’s generous proposal made Xing halt her steps. Xing was not given wine in all the days at the Zhong Manor and she remembered the wine in this restaurant was good. Her mind wanted to leave but her legs weren’t listening to her mind and was following behind Seiren.

Silly legs!

Well! I do deserve it! Xing convinced herself and tried to get in another private room but was stopped by her brother who was pleading her to join them in their room.

Xing suddenly remembered the book she hid in her sleeves. It was a book which was written in the Water Kingdom’s language and was translated by Xing to their language and this book became really famous in the Heavenly Flowers Palace and she knew many noble ladies had secretly bought this book. After copying, her handwritten book was returned to her by Lady Shaoyao.

It was an amazing book with a good plot that follows a Prince and his cousin. The Prince and his cousin were close from childhood but the prince’s uncle was killed and the cousin accused the Emperor making both estranged and after that the cousin kills the Emperor for revenge and the Prince without knowing how to punish his cousin made the cousin serve him as his lover after he becomes the Emperor and gradually falls for the cousin. This is a good book filled with emotions but it was not for everyone as the cousin was a male too. Yep! It was a book with detailed description of lewd acts. In other words an erotica book with two men as leads.

Xing gave an evil smirk and gave that book to Rijun. "You and your ’friend’ there, read this book aloud for me to hear", she said and Rijun immediately agreed.

Seiren who already had an idea about the book gaped in surprise but he wanted to know their reaction too. It’s not like everyday you get to see the Emperor and his close aide reading this kind of books aloud.

So in the luxurious room filled with the smell of flowers and tea, Seiren and Xing sat beside each other sipping wine while the other two sat closer to have a good look at the book and started reading the book.

Seiren and Xing were sipping the wine and waiting for the Emperor and Rijun to get embarrassed reading the book but was disappointed to see them actually not getting flustered and interestingly reading it as a poem book.

What in the...! Xing was greatly disappointed by their reaction.

"They haven’t even realised what kind of book they are reading right?", Seiren asked Xing and she nodded pitifully.

Xing placed her palm on her face and wondered what kind of ’pure’ men are they to not even realise they are reading a lewd book aloud? In the end it was Xing’s loss as the plan she made to make them embarrassed had failed because of their extreme innocence and Xing was disheartened deeply.

Shengli entered Seiren’s restaurant and seeing his disgruntled expression those guards let him pass through as they knew he was someone who works close with Lord Zhong. Shengli was worried his girl might feel trapped alone and he walked in a faster pace towards the private room not even diverting his attention. As he reached the room,he saw Zhong Huojin guarding the door with a frown on his face and his heart skipped a beat thinking what might have happened and he imagined the worst.

But to his disbelief, the scene he saw made his entire face twitch. His brother and her brother were interestingly reading a book aloud and his girl he was worried for was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Zhong Seiren and was happily laughing. Not only that he saw two jars of wine in front of them.

Does this girl has clay for brains? Only days and she had already started drinking like a fish! Shengli was infuriated. And these two who dared to took her here... Shengli glared at those two who shuddered involuntarily and stopped their reading.

Actually Xing whose plan to make those two who had trapped her to get embarrassed had failed, was sulking and accepted her defeat. She knew most men don’t like to read that kind of books as she had seen the odd look on Shengli’s face that had turned green as if he’d throw up any moment after she read him the book previously. But these two are too pure to even understand what this book is about and the terms used there.

So Seiren who saw her sulking, took it upon himself to alleviate her sadness, spoke about the latest gossip in the city. Apparently her father’s tantrum breaking Lord Zhong’s priced teacups was spread but the reason behind her father’s supposed ’behaviour’ was said to be because Lord Zhong refused AoTian’s marriage alliance of his ugly, ill daughter with Zhong Huojin who is said to be the one who’ll be the next Lord of the Zhong family.

Xing shrugged it off as rumours about her are very prevailent in the city and each time with some noble son or official. But what made Xing laugh was the reason those people with vivid imagination came up with... It being, Huang AoTian is supposedly Lord Zhong’s son and Lord Zhong didn’t want his granddaughter to marry his other son!

Xing could not help but laugh at the foolishness of those people who’d come up with such scenarios and wondered how twisted their minds must be!

But Shengli didn’t knew what they were talking about and the Emperor and Rijun looked at the lofty figure in angry paces throwing out the wine jars through the window which made clinking noises as they scattered on the ground that made the atmosphere frightening.

"You gave her this much wine?", Shengli shouted at Seiren and Xing was about to say something but got silenced by his angry look.

Shengli then went around and picked the chair Xing was sitting along with her by grabbing the armrest. Xing was startled by suddenly losing the ground beneath her feet. She felt Shengli’s loose hair on her ears and it gave her an unusual sensation. She could also feel herself tightly enclosed in his arms and his even breath fell on the crown of her head made a tingling sensation which spread to her entire body and she could feel her heartbeat getting faster. Huh! This guy! Xing patted her heart to calm down.

Shengli placed the chair at a distance gently and Xing could hear the small grunt from him and a gust of his warm breath on her ear and she got butterflies in her stomach and her cheeks blushed .

The Emperor was looking at this and could not help but chuckle, knowing she had shown different expressions only to her man and his brother is totally pampering her!

But Shengli was oblivious to her changes, walked around when Seiren spoke in a low voice so that only Shengli would hear,

"Why don’t you pee around her to mark your territory too, huh wolf?"

Only he met the deathly stare of Shengli and he immediately excused himself and ran out of the room .

Xing didn’t hear what they spoke, but realised Shengli was clearly angry. Xing knew Shengli’s going to give her a lecture but she didn’t want to, so she decided to act cute like those women in the books she read.

"Shengli", she spoke in a sweet tone with her eyes big and she blinked it thrice for effects too, "Those guys..", she pointed at her brother and the Emperor, "They bullied me! When I tried to bully them back, I failed", she whispered and puffed her cheeks and her lips formed a cute pout.

Shengli who had been believing this long that this kind of behaviour in a woman irks him, felt his anger dissipating and this cute Xing in front of him made him want to protect her.

"Don’t worry! No one bullies my woman!", Shengli said in a gentle tone, smiled and patted her head and only then Xing was relieved and let out a smile and even her eyes curled making Shengli happy.

Whatever it is, they deserve it.

Rijun and the Emperor who were watching this scene unfolding in front of their eyes wondered what was going on. They did bring her here without her consent but she came back on her own volition after letting her out, right? She was fine when she left and even flirted with a woman too! Where was she bullied?

But judging by the expression Shengli had when he turned to look at them made them wonder if the one who spoke such gentle words a moment ago was him but they had hallucinated.

Shengli looked at them both and wondered what he can do to them. One was his brother and the another one was her brother. So killing them is out of option as his little kitten does not like him killing family. So how can he punish them so they’ll remember not to bully her ever again?

Shengli’s eyes darted to the book they had in their hands and he immediately recognised it and his face twitched a bit in displeasure remembering the cringy feeling he had when she read him that story previously. That was hell on earth!

It looking at those two who had been reading that book like poetry, they didn’t understand it right?.... Right? Shengli’s lips curved into an evil grin. As a responsible big brother, he took it upon himself to teach his naive little brothers the way of the world.

Shengli went and stood in front of them and patiently explained them what they had read in a gentle voice. Both of them could not take all those explanations and tried to stop him but Shengli explained it very well to them.

Xing, didn’t get to hear what Shengli was saying but she could see the Emperor and her brother, squirming restlessly like worms with tears in their eyes and that consoled her hurt heart and she happily ate the beautiful and hot dishes sent by Seiren for them, by herself.

After Shengli ’explained’ everything to them, he saw both of them pale as if their soul left their body and he took a deep breath. Now is the time to give them the final blow!

He took the page with a detailed ’drawing’ of two men in act in an office like setting and made them look at it and he said in a calm, composed manner with his voice rolling smooth like a flute note,

"You see this picture? This is what people are imagining you two are doing everytime you both lock yourself up together in the Imperial Study", he said with his eyes unwaveringly staring at them two.

"Whaaaa....", Rijun retched hard as he felt his stomach turning upside down and he immediately pulled his chair away from the Emperor’s chair.

The Emperor swallowed his saliva through the wrong hole as Shengli said it and ended up in a coughing fit unable to stop himself and turned his chair to face in another direction to avoid looking at Rijun.

"You are mean, brother", the Emperor complained and resumed his coughing fit.

"Mean? No...", Shengli smiled in content, " This big brother just wished to teach you a little! ", he said with his eyes flashing ruthlessness.

If you dare to scare my woman, I’ll make sure you get scarred for life!

Shengli didn’t realise by now, how easily he had learned Xing’s way of retaliation. If it was his usual self he’d have gotten a part of their body like nail or skin to let them suffer for kidnapping her!

The two scarred people were too scarred, that they didn’t even look eye to eye for days and there were always servants beside them even though they were working together too.

Shengli stood beside Xing and asked his brother,

"So why did you bring her here for...."