The Princess And The Lord

Lory woke early the next morning since Zhao Li Xin needed to assemble in the main courtyard. However, the man himself did not seem interested in keeping time as he lazed around. Lory had to pull him out of bed, helped him change into the Sacred Mountain Peak uniform, and made sure the shapeshifter spell was still working. Satisfied with how he looked, she patted his shoulder and said, "Okay, off you go!" 

"I don't want to…" Zhao Li Xin said lazily.

"Come on… The assembly and practice won't last long," Lory coaxed him with a sweet smile.

"I'm tired…" Zhao Li Xin whined.

"You do realize you just woke up?" Lory rolled her eyes at him.

"And I'm tired already," Zhao Li Xin let out a long sigh. 

Zhao Li Xin hated gatherings as it contained strangers. He didn't like exchanging pleasantries with them and he especially hated it when someone told him what to do, Lory was the only exception to this. The morning assembly represented everything he hated. Zhao Li Xin was now certain the plan they chose was a blunder.

Lory could see reluctance written all over his face. She unconsciously giggled as she found it funny. Zhao Li Xin's eyebrows furrowed when he saw Lory was laughing at his pain. He wrapped his arms around her waist, "What will you do after I leave?" 

"I will wait for you patiently," Lory assured him.

Zhao Li Xin frowned deepened as he squinted. It was hard to believe her words, "Really?"

"Uhm…" Lory avoided Zhao Li Xin's gaze.

The conversation was disrupted by a gonging sound signaling the disciples to gather in the main courtyard. Lory felt like she was granted amnesty from his question. She pushed Zhao Li Xin towards the door, "Go...go...go… You must hurry!"

"Lory, please don't make trouble when I'm gone..." Zhao Li Xin's words came out as both a warning and a plea.

"I know. I won't!" Lory reassured him again.

Zhao Li Xin didn't believe her. There was no one more determined than his Princess when it came to courting danger. He also knew he couldn't stop her should she choose to jump into something. He could only throw Girsha a meaningful glance and the bird nodded with understanding. The bird and the lord had a tacit understanding when it came to Lory's safety. Zhao Li Xin took a deep breath before he left the small courtyard while Lory waved him off.

Girsha perched on her shoulder once Zhao Li Xin's figure disappeared behind the wall [Are we looking for trouble now?]

[No more than we are used to…] Lory tapped her chin with a mischievously smile.

Lory was great at infiltration, information gathering, and scouting for informants. Fredhard and Clift taught her well. She knew how to blend in, where to find information, and how to get people to open up to her. Lory could have made a great spy if she was not a Princess.

From experience, Lory knew servants and maids were the people to ask about the happenings and rumors in Cloud city. This population was considered invisible and their existence was unnoticed by the master and the mistress they served.

Lory was walking around the Sacred Mountain Peak grounds when she saw two young maids carrying a basket filled with dirty laundry as they shared gossip.

"So Miss Nan Yu Qi will marry the Fourth Master, Xie Hua Ling?"

"I'm not so sure… Miss Chen Yi Suan was Master Xie's childhood sweetheart…"

Lory's eyes followed the two maids as they left the building. She found their conversation interesting. Lory looked around for camouflage and was lucky enough to see a laundry basket. She grabbed a few clothes around her, placed them in the basket, and dashed after the maids. Lory followed them to the river. She placed the basket close to them and pretended to wash the laundry as she listened in to their conversation. The two maids were too deep in gossip to notice her.

The younger freckled maid kept talking with excitement, "I heard Young Master Chen Hu Yin was enraged because the Fourth Master played with his sister's heart. This made him take the Third Master Xie Xian Zi's side."

"I don't know what happened… First Young Miss Chen was so beautiful and a talented cultivator. I don't understand why Fourth Master Xie wasn't satisfied with her?" The older maid sighed as she beat the cloth she was washing to get rid of the dirt.

"It is because Miss Nan Yu Qu's reputation has soared since Miss Nan Yu Wei…" The younger maid gestured a slit throat. No one dared to disrespect Nan Yu Wei, even in death. They were scared someone else would hear them and report them to the Nan family.

Their cautiousness made the two maids realize there was a strange woman washing laundry close to them. The young maid scolded, "You! What are you doing? Have you been eavesdropping?"

Lory looked around in confusion before she pointed at herself with a blank look like she was unsure what the maid was talking about. 

The young maid's face turned red with anger. She pointed a finger at Lory, "Yes, you!"

Lory did not show fear but instead smiled shyly and approached the two maids. Lory raised her fingers and swore with an anxious face, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you two sisters. I coincidently heard a little of what you said but I won't tell anyone. I promise!"

The two maids frowned but they let their guards down. Lory looked harmless and a little stupid.

"Who are you?" The older maid questioned with a stern face.

"My name is Luo Yi Yi. I arrived yesterday with my husband who got accepted as a disciple. He was called to the assembly in the main courtyard so I came out to wash his clothes before he gets back home," Lory gave them a worried look as she talked about her husband. She wanted to stir their empathy.

The two maids heard about the new disciple invited by Nan Yu Qi. It was already said the new disciple brought a wasted and ugly wife with him. The two maids exchanged a glance and stared at Lory with pity. They were certain Lory would be discarded by her husband sooner or later. The status of a wasted woman was lower than a dog in the Sacred Mountain Peak Society. The pretty ones were turned into playthings and the ugly ones… death was their only mercy.

Lory cheered in her mind when the two maids showed her pity. She gave them a timid smile as she continued her act "My husband is a great cultivator. It won't take long for him to be appointed as an inner disciple. He says he will give me a maid once this happens and I won't need to wash our clothes by myself. Hehe…but I don't mind. It is not bad for me to clean our own room and clothes."

Lory's smile widened as the two maids seemed to realize her so-called husband did not bring her to Sacred Mountain Peak because he loved her. He brought her along because he needed a free servant. They thought Lory was a stupid girl who believed her husband even when he was insincere. 

The older maid sighed, "Fine. Continue washing your clothes... But why do you have so many clothes? Are they all yours?"

Lory shook her head and gave them another stupid smile, "No. They all belong to my husband. The laundry today is even less than what I'm used to…"

The two maids exchanged glances and helplessly shook their heads and lamented to themselves, 'The poor woman has a cruel husband'.

Lory grinned widened like she didn't know what people thought about her.

'Ha-Chooo!' Zhao Li Xin sniffed and wiped his nose with his sleeve. It was weird as he had not had flu in a very long time but he suddenly sneezed. It seemed someone was talking bad about him. Zhao Li Xin straightened his back and looked around. Everyone was passionately practicing their kicks and punches while the teacher watched them from the side. They were all too busy to gossip. The teacher only frowned when he saw Zhao Li Xin had stopped practicing. Zhao Li Xin ignored the teacher's look and shifted his gaze to the mountain top where the forbidden library lay.