The Princess And The Lord

The three ladies chatting and joking without care with other people around them, Lory and Ming Yue Ying have no intention to mingle with the other noble daughter, meanwhile the noble daughter eager to get close with the empress of Liang Zu kingdom, they also curious about the ex- maid who tamed the Demon lord Long Ming and also Yang Xi Ying who married with the rising-star sword master Li Mo Zhen.

They thought if they could get close to Ming Yue Yin and the other so they would have a chance to meet with Li Mo Zhen or Long Ming although most women are more eager to meet Li Mo Zhen because Long Ming is famous for being cruel to women, so they rather choose the mild temper Li Mo Zhen, if only they know Li Mo Zhen temperament is not like it used to be.

They want to get close but Ling Zi and the other didn't give an opening to let anyone approach their mistress when their mistress having a good time. Not long after the eunuch announces the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and Princess Youya arrival with a loud high pitch which is startled Lory as always.

Lory glare at the innocent Eunuch thankfully the eunuch is attention is on the arrival of the Royal family so he didn't notice Lory upset expression.

The Royal family came in a grand style, the Empress Dowager wear gold color hanfu with dragon embroidery, the neck collar made from the gold filament, she wears three sets of pearl necklace and a big phoenix coronet on her head. The old lady outfit looks heavy but Lory thought the old lady is a cultivator even if cultivation might not high but…she'll be okay, isn't she?

The Yunmo Kingdom empress who is known as Empress Jing wears a red dress with gold phoenix embroidery, she also has three sets of pearl necklace, she didn't wear a phoenix coronet but a big golden hairpin that adorns by countless gemstone and long gold chain tassels reach to her ear. She wears thick makeup that make her face over white it make her red lips apparent, for Lory she look like a vampire Queen, well perhaps that is the trend here.

Princess Youya is the one who looks a bit normal, she wears a bright purple dress with gold chrysanthemum flower embroidery, although she wears a lot of hairpin on her intricate hairstyle that even Zhao Li Xin would take an hour to make something like this, Princess Youya looks modest compare to her elder, she looks beautiful and vibrant and received many envious eyes from the other ladies.

Everyone immediately stands then kneeled on the floor when the royal family came, however, Ming Yue Yin, lory, and Yang Xi Ying remain to stand, only Yang Xi Ying bend her waist slightly because her status is not as high as the empress and the madam of Hei Shen still her status as the friend of the two of them and the madam of one of the powerful sects at Liang Zu kingdom allowed her not to kneel on the cold floor.

The Empress Dowager stare at the three ladies with discerning eyes, he sizing up them bluntly, it is a nerve-racking experience for anyone to be stared at by Empress Dowager but not for someone like Lory and Ming Yue Yin who have steel nerves, only Yang Xi Ying who slightly feel uncomfortable.

"Empress Ming, welcome to the Yunmo Kingdom" the Empress Dowager solemnly said.

Ming Yue Yin make a formal smile "Thank you, it is a beautiful kingdom"

"I hope Empress Ming enjoyed your visit here, and the Imperial Palace will always welcome anytime her majesty decide to visit" The empress Jing smiles warmly, although Lory feel there something more in her words.

Then the Empress shift her glance at Yang Xi Ying "Oh, isn't this Miss Yang, I heard your father is Sun Jan city Governor and you just got married recently to master Li Mo Zhen" The empress smile widely, she sounds very delighted when she met Yang Xi Ying.

"Yes', I am, thank you for her majesty kind attention" Yang Xi Ying reply politely.

"Princess Youya you never told me to miss yang is a very beautiful lady" the empress playfully chide Princess Youya as she's showing off their close relationship.

"It's my mistake Mother empress, I think I got too excited yesterday so I forgot" she smiles shyly at the same time she remained everyone that Lory was involved in an argument with Jin Kai, in their eyes Lory behavior is quite rude and unacceptable as a woman.

Ming Yue Yin chuckles lightly how could she don't know Youya petty trick "Oh, you mean when master Jin kai suddenly interfere with someone else conversation and ridiculed my friend without any reason?" Ming Yue Yin bluntly chide Jin kai and help Lory, she is an empress who dares to refute her words, she then adds in "A rude man, I don't know why Master sanguan accept someone like him in his Manor?" she pretends to concern.

"Oh, I see...it is quite rude..."Yun Xue Liang's smile remained as sincere as before, she only wnt to test how deep Empress Ming and Long Ming wife relationship, she didn't expect empress Ming would speak for Long Ming behave in a split second, their close relationship make her feel baffled.

"Well, it's already late, let's start the event" Empress Jing smoothly shifted the conversation. 

"Yes, Mother empress" princess Youya bows her head respectfully then she gives a nod to the eunuch to start the event and hold the Empress Dowager hand to help her walk to her table. 

The royal family turns around without speak to Lory, they treat lory as if she wasn't there. Ming Yue Ying's expression darkens and yang Xi Ying also scrunched her face is obvious they are furious. It was blatant humiliation for Lory to ignore right on the face if it's another girl there would be so embarrassed they might cry in the spot but Lory…..'Meh' 

Ling Zi and the Su sister expression also got tensed, they all feel offended by the royal family behavior, no matter what Lory is the empress closed friend, belittle her is the same belittle her empress, meanwhile, Ling Zi gritted her teeth angrily she noted the royal family behavior and can't wait to tell their Lord. Just because their madam came from a low background but that doesn't mean they can demeaning her madam presence, how dare they!

Other noblewomen snickered at Lory, her background is not a secret and Lory never hide it, why? Is a FAKE background anyway! 

Ming Yue Yin glance at Lory but when she saw Lory grinned she realized the royal family is mean nothing to her, well to be honest for someone like Lory she would never seek anyone's approval to know her self-worth.

Ming Yue Yin and Yang Xi Ying exchanged glance and smile, the royal family never knew their opinion means nothing in Lory's eyes.

Princess Youya also surprised that Lory's expression is unperturbed after the cold -shoulder the Empress Dowager giving to her she thought Lory has good self-control to remain calm, her curiosity to Lory is increasingly piqued. Yun Xue Liang refused to believe that lory is coming from a humble background, No way!

Lory is too calmed, too smart, and witty to be a simple village girl. Just look how she behaved, she is surrounded by the most influential family in the Yunmo kingdom not to mention she is in a presence of the royal family even some of the noble daughters can't hide her anxiety as they keep fidgeting.

However Lory look very relaxed almost too comfortable, although she behaved not according to common etiquette, but she didn't look awkward, she make eye contact when talking to Empress Ming, she can laugh freely with Yang Xi Ying who also from a noble family, princess Youya refused to believe that because Lory has a close relationship with Ming Yue Yin and Yang Xi Ying, she will not believe it!

No matter how close their relationship is, there supposed to be an inevitable gap between commoner and royalty, and that gap cannot be shortened in a short time, and she can't believe Lory calmness around influential family is because she was taught by Long Ming.

A sparrow would always be sparrow even if you dyed it with gold, it could never be a phoenix.

Lory could feel Yun Xue Liang intense gaze, she calmly stares at Yun Xue Liang direction she raised the glass with both her hands and saluted her with a gentle smile. Yun Xue Liang startled for a second she was swept by Lory dignified aura, but that feeling disappeared as fast as it appears, Lory sips her wine then she put down the teacup on the table quietly and continue her conversation with Yang Xi Ying and Ming Yue Yin.

Yun Xue Lian's expression deepens, that woman cannot be a village girl!

And not only Yun Xue Liang think that way, the empress and Empress Dowager also suspicious of Lory background. The Empress Dowager hostile towards lory is because he feel in debt to Lao Min Na who cures her of her old illness, what is the Empress Dowager sickness?

She got diabetes type two, and it slowly affected her sight then slowly her memory, it was scary when slowly you fee; like you are faded away, and that's Empress Dowager felt until Lao Min Na came and cured her.

When Empress Dowager heard that Lao Min Na is bullied by an ex-maid who climbs her master bed of course she can only imagine the worst about Lory, the Empress Dowager expected a cunning vixen who knows nothing but seduced man but the reality couldn't be further from the truth, Lory came as nothing as she expected.

However, the old Empress Dowager still choose to believe Lao Min Na, after all, it cannot be denied that she was only a maid who gains her reputation by marrying her master, no one would believe it was Zhao Li Xin who seduced Lory first then again Lory never have a need to clarify about herself, she doesn't care what people think about her, is not their business after all.

Still, there's a lot of people who mocked and ridiculed lory especially after what the royal family did to her, a lot of madams and young girls laughing at Lory, they thought Lory got what she deserved. For them lory is not at the same level as them, the only reason Lory was here is because she's Long Ming wife however they all convince that soon or later she eventually abandoned by Zhao Li Xin.

The reason for their doubt is because Zhao Li Xin never proposed to Lory in a formal way, there's no betrothal or dowry for the bride, there's no wedding banquet to honor the bride, everything happened too suddenly and a bit rushed is like a spur of the moment decision so many conservative people question Zhao Li Xin sincerity.

Of course, no one believes that Lory is the one who refuses the wedding, one of the reason is because it remains her with the family she had lost and the other reason is because the wedding custom in this world is way too long, it also complicated and taxing, at the Lao family she had witnessed how the wedding ceremony is carried out and Lory was stunned because it's more complex than the royal wedding at her world since than she never wants a wedding.

Lory could hear the other ladies gossip about her wedding, and she doesn't care she only hope Zhao Li Xin would not know about it, she is worried about what would that adorable and silly man would do.

_______________________

Back on the tree branch, Zhao Li Xin's face is black as charcoal his eyes darken like a pit of the abyss as he is fuming with anger.

"I told you, you should hold a grand wedding for your wife" Li Mo Zhen bluntly teased Zhao Li Xin.

"No wonder, many people question your sincerity" Yuan Shao also join the fun.

Zhao Li Xin boiling with rage "It just a wedding, I'll show them what is wedding supposed to look like!"

Mong Yi sighs inwardly, it seems he and his brothers will work overtime again.