The Princess And The Lord

Lory and Zhao Li Xin left Ninjing Manor at noon. The shadow guards including Mong Yi and Mong Ki secretly follow them. They rode in a carriage since it was a distance from the manor to downtown. Lory was the main reason they used a carriage as Zhao Li Xin worried she would be too tired if they covered the destination on foot.

It took them fifteen minutes to reach downtown with carriages. Zhao Li Xin wore a white mask that made his face look like a mannequin in Lory's eyes. The mask only showed his mouth and chin, yet people could easily guess the face behind the mask was handsome. People could still see his attractive thin lips and perfect chin, not mentioning his height and broad shoulder. The mask didn't hide his charm. It instead gave him a mysterious aura.

Women couldn't stop staring at him everywhere he went. However, the man himself was busy watching his excited savior run to different stalls to buy candies and snacks for herself.

It took her a while to shed her gloominess over her father's death when she first arrived in this world. Her cheerful and bubbly personality returned from being with Zhao Li Xin. He easily made her regain the personality she before she first left the Castle at seventeen.

Girsha leisurely nestled on her shoulder. Lory's big smile and beautiful eyes caught the attention of a few men. Lory was not like other women who would avoid a man's gaze. She would give them a polite smile when she accidentally caught some of them staring. Her actions made several men blush, yet Lory was oblivious of what was happening. She was only trying to be nice as it was not polite to turn away from people when they looked at you in Harland. She was also taught to always smile to everyone including strangers.

On the other hand, a certain lord walking behind her had already released his dreadful aura. It was so heavy making everyone unconsciously keep their distance from Lory and Zhao Li Xin. There was a three-meter distance between the couple and everyone. This made those who were looking at them lose their interest. 

As Zhao Li Xin's mood soured, he soon thought it was a bad decision to allow Lory out of the manor. He felt like he would kill someone for some reason. The shadow guards could also tell how bad his mood was. Zhao Li Xin was making the same face he once made before he eradicated a clan. It was better to hide their presence from their lord. They decided to only show up if Zhao Li Xin called them.

"Li Xin, try this... Is it too sweet for you?" Lory pushed a candy into his mouth and her fingers accidentally grazed his lips. She then unconsciously licked the sugar-coating off her fingers out of habit. She didn't realize the intimate gesture and didn't think it was wrong to do what she did as she didn't have a handkerchief.

Zhao Li Xin's mood brightened. He licked his lips and said with a gentle smile, "It is good."

"It's kumquats candy. I've never tried it before. Let me buy more," Lory smiled happily as she called the shopkeeper for another bag of candy. She didn't forget to be polite to the shopkeeper once she got her order, "Thank you."

The old shopkeeper was happy because Lory bought lots of candy and he liked that she was a beautiful kind young lady. She might not the most beautiful girl he ever saw but her clear beautiful eyes and kind smile made her stand out more.

"Young Miss, I've never seen you before. Are you new here?" The shopkeeper had crescent eyes from smiling.

"No, but I rarely go out," She replied with the same politeness.

"Oh, is this your first time attending the martial competition?"

"Yes!" Lory nodded.

"Oh… Is this your husband?" He looked at Zhao Li Xin who wore a mask. He could quickly guess from his aura that he wasn't from an ordinary background. Many nobles and experts liked to hide their identities. The shopkeeper learned to read other people's demeanor for years to not accidentally offend someone he shouldn't.

Lory was silent for a moment as she thought of how to answer. They were out incognito so she couldn't say he was her master, yet they didn't look like siblings. Friends? Women in this world didn't go out with the members of the opposite sex without a chaperon. She had no other choice. Lory plastered a big smile on her face and hoped she didn't look weird, "Yes. Yes, he is!"

[You look weird Lory…] Girsha couldn't help but comment.

Lory's mouth twitched but Zhao Li Xin's mood was elated to whole another level. Whatever bad feeling he felt before disappeared. Everything around him looked brighter and more beautiful.

The shadow guards leaped with joy as they sighed with relief. 'Nice work, Miss Lao. Keep going!' They all cheered inwardly at the same time.

None of them would be punished for minuscule mistakes thanks to Lory's answer. The lord could be quite petty if he was in a bad mood. No one, not even the King's Palace could escape the lord's bad temperament.

"Are you tired, my dear? Let's rest somewhere," Zhao Li Xin held Lory's shoulder with a dazzling smile plastered on his face.

"Huh… o... okay," Lory smiled awkwardly.

'Milord, can you at least give me a heads up. You change so fast.'

Zhao Li Xin led her to a fancy restaurant called The Phoenix Hall. It was a three-storied restaurant with the third level reserved for private rooms. There were three private rooms in total. The male servant led Zhao Li Xin and Lory to the third floor while people watched with awe. Only a few people could reserve those rooms as even a prince would have a hard time reserving a room there. They all wondered who the couple was.

Lory was amazed by how big and lavish the room was. The room could comfortably hold a dozen people. It was made with neatly curved black wood and gold paint. A big red lampion brightened the room. The dining table was made from dark brown wood with a big colorful rug with twin phoenix embroidery placed under it. There was a big arhat couch at the corner of the room and a square table with two armchairs. The room was decorated with fresh orchid flowers placed in a beautiful porcelain vase and wall paintings.

"Wow! It is so beautiful!" Lory gasped.

"You like it?"

"Like it? I love it!" Lory left him alone with the servant and ran inside the room without shame.

The servant thought Zhao Li Xin would be mad at her actions and would yell at her but was shocked to see Zhao Li Xin smiling warmly as he watched her. The servant had worked at the Phoenix Hall for a few years and he knew Zhao Li Xin's temperament very well. This Lord was cold, indifferent, and very moody. He hated repeated question and loud sound to the point servants tiptoed when they served him. The Lord was the reason the third room barely have windows as it not only maintained privacy but also reduce outside noise.

Zhao Li Xin was also known to hate women. There was a female servant who was once infatuated by him and tried to attract his attention. Well, she does get his attention though.

Zhao Li Xin was so annoyed he almost burned down the whole restaurant while the female servant was left half-dead. It was at that moment that it was decided to only have a male servant serve Zhao Li Xin and Female servants were forbidden to stay on the same floor as the Lord when he was around, so one could imagine their surprise when Mong Ki informed him the Lord would come with a female companion. Mong Yi also warned him not to slight her in any way.

Zhao Li Xin sat on the arhat chair while Lory ran around the room like a little kid. The servant carefully served him wine with an anxious face. People were always anxious when he was around.

"Don't let anyone else reserve the third floor today," Zhao Li Xin instructed solemnly.

"But… The Crown Prince and Third Prince reserved the rooms yesterday, Milord."

Zhao Li Xin stared at him without saying anything. The servant felt his leg go numb as his back drenched with cold sweat. The servant knelt on the floor. His face was as pale as flour, "Ye… Yes, Milord. Apologies. Milord..."

Lory wondered what had happened when she saw the kneeling servant who looked like he was close to fainting.

"Leave..." Zhao Li Xin said with a cold voice. He didn't want to scare Lory.

"Thank you. Thank you, Milord" The servant felt he was granted amnesty from the death penalty. He kowtowed a few times before running out of the room like his life depended on it.

"He called you 'Milord'. Is he one of your people?" Lory asked as she sat beside Zhao Li Xin. They were exploring incognito so no one should recognize them, and those who would recognize him should address him as, 'Your Highness'.

Zhao Li Xin took off his mask and placed it on the table, "He is..." 

"Is everyone in this place your 'people'?" Lory was stunned.

"This place is owned by me so naturally they are all my people," Zhao Li Xin said casually as he smiled faintly.

Lory was dumbfounded. She knew how massive and lavish the place was. She even heard it was the most exclusive restaurant in the capital. Only the rich and famous could get in. She knew Zhao Li Xin was rich, but she didn't know he was super-rich.

"My God, you are so rich!"

Zhao Li Xin chuckled. The place was managed by one of his King's Palace, the Black Turtle Palace. It was their job to create businesses and to make money. The Black Turtle Palace wasn't like the other Palace as his way of making money was more legal compared to the other Palaces.

A few minutes later, more servants come with a lot of food and placed it on the table. Lory was confused by the amount. Were they expected to finish it all? Lory dug into the food and chose to ignore the white rice while concentrating on the other main dishes. She had never been a fan of white rice and barely ate it in Harland. She only ate a lot of it in this world because she didn't have a choice.

"You don't eat rice?" Zhao Li Xin was quick to notice.

"No. The truth is… I don't really like white rice."

"Oh…" Zhao Li Xin nodded and made a note to not serve her white rice again.

They were busy eating when they heard a loud voice coming from downstairs. Zhao Li Xin's face was unperturbed, but Lory was curious as usual.

"Who is that?" Lory frowned.

"Insignificant people," He answered swiftly. "Continue eating…"

"Uhm…" Lory lifted her chopsticks and ate her sour plum chicken. She felt like the voice was familiar, but she couldn't tell where she heard it before. She tried to place the voice as she munched on her food. The voice from downstairs kept getting louder and she soon remembered where she heard the voice before.

"Oh my God! It is the Crown Prince!"