The Soothsayer

Hypocrite

Early the next morning, Lan'er walked into Chen Xi's chambers but there was no one in sight.

"Princess?" Lan'er asked as she scanned the entire room.

"I'm right here." Chen Xi replied as she walked into the room.

"Where did you go this early morning?"

"Spring is here, I went to look at the flowers." Chen Xi said.

"Spring? Summer is almost over, what are you talking about?"

"Summer? Isn't it spring?"

"Spring, that means something is going to happen next year during the spring." Lan'er thought to herself.

"What are you staring into space for? Bring me a jar of honey candy, I am going to visit the Emperor." Chen Xi said.

"Visit the Emperor? You can't?" Lan'er said.

"What? Is he going to hurt me? I am the Empress, I have martial arts too, don't forget." Chen Xi said.

Lan'er looked at Chen Xi and said: "Wait here, I'll go get them."

After receiving a jar of honey candy, Chen Xi walked to the Dragon Palace, to meet the Emperor.

General Wang, who was guarding the door, looked at Chen Xi and said: "Wait here, let me go inform the Emperor."

Chen Xi nodded her head and General Wang rushed into the palace.

"The Empress is here." General Wang said to the Emperor.

"What brought her here this early morning?"

"She seems to be bringing you some stuff, should I...?" General Wang said before pausing.

"No, let her in. Tell the maids to set the table." the Emperor said as he held his hand up.

"Yes." General Wang said as he exited the room.

"Your Majesty." Chen Xi said as she began to kneel.

"Don't bother, what did I tell you to call me?" the Emperor replied as he stopped Chen Xi from bowing.

"Long Li." Chen Xi said slowly.

"That's right." the Emperor said as he smiled.

"Come sit." the Emperor continued as he led Chen Xi to the table.

"Food from Xi?" Chen Xi asked as he handed the jar of candy to the Emperor.

The Emperor smiled and said: "I asked the chefs to make it. Thank you for the gift."

"Don't eat too much of these. Eat one when you have trouble or want to have your mind somewhere else."

"I will, thank you for your advice."

"I just remembered, you know a lot about me but I don't know a lot about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything about you."

"Well I became Emperor at the age of 19, and -"

"No, not about politics but the real you." Chen Xi said as she cut the Emperor off.

"Okay then." the Emperor replied and smiled.

"In my whole life, I have never gone outside the palace borders. If I did, it was either for marriage or for war. One day, I decided to sneak out to celebrate the Lantern Festival and there I met this lady. She was different from the other people, she wore the clothes of her country in a festival that is celebrated by her boarding country. She made me wonder: who was she, what was she like? So I asked her and she replied: Xi'er." the Emperor said.

"Xi'er." "Xi'er."

The name rang in Chen Xi's ears over and over again.

"AHHHH!" Chen Xi shouted as she held her hand over her head.

"What's wrong?" the Emperor asked.

"Doctor! Call the Doctor!" the Emperor then shouted.

Soon the doctor arrived but Chen Xi's face had changed. Her head was no longer hurting, but there was a glimpse of loneliness within her eyes.

"Empress, can I look at your pulse?" the doctor asked.

"Empress, congratulations." a voice said to Chen Xi.

The voice was similar to the doctor's voice. Chen Xi stared at the doctor then the Emperor.

"Have I met you before?" Chen Xi asked the doctor.

"We have Empress, I prescribed some medicine for you last time, did you forget?" the doctor replied,

The Emperor looked alarmed and cut in: " The Empress is feeling better, General Wang escort the doctor out."

"Yes." General Wang said as he escorted the doctor out.

"Did I forget something?" Chen Xi asked."

"You did, my love for you." the Emperor said as he brushed Chen Xi's hair.