The Princess And The Lord

"Hush, No – no – no!" she pounds Zhao Li Xin's chest "You weird!" she scowled in anger.

Zhao Li Xin saw her flustered face and he chuckles "And you are not….?" He teased her back.

"...." Lory twitching her nose, she has to admit they are an odd couple.

Yun Fang Zi heard their quarrel for a while, he was stunned that they could fight and flirt with each other without any restraint. Yun Fang Zi grew up within the imperial palace all his life, because of his high status as the crown prince, everyone treated him with deep respect, but they were also cautious for fear of accidentally offending him.

That's why Yun Fang Zi doesn't have close friends even with his wife and concubine. Their relationship is cordial but not too deep because he knows every woman who marries into the royal family has their own agenda and not solely out of love. Yun Fang Zi thought it was normal maybe because it was all he knew. But, after she saw Zhao Li Xin and Lory's interaction, she wondered if he could expect it more? Yun Fang Zi doesn't know if he has ever joked with his wives, will he ever see their carefree smiles? Maybe never ... 

Yun Fang Zi smiled bitterly as he pushed the thought behind his back. "We will arrive at the Queen Dowager Palace very soon." Yun Fang Zi told them. 

"Yes," Lory replies with a smile but secretly she pinched Zhao Li Xin's hand who was still trying to lift her before she sends a warning glare to Zhao Li Xin to behaved, Lory intimidation remind Zhao Li Xin with angry kittens that he saw once when he was a kid, she looks too adorable it make him want to pinch her cheeks, but he decide not to do it or Lory would really kick him right now.

Not only Yun Fang Zi, but the other eunuchs who followed them could also see how closed Lory and Zhao Li Xin's relationship really was, the rumors saying it was just a fling or just a mere infatuation for Zhao Li Xin, but that seemed wrong. 

This was not a one-sided relationship where Zhao Li Xin was more dominant and got more authority over his wife, unexpectedly it's an equal relationship where Zhao Li Xin and his wife could interact normally without any boundaries. They realize their relationship didn't as shallow as people might think.

Just before they entered the dowager queen's palace, they heard hundreds of footsteps running towards them, and then followed by a harrowing scream from afar. Yun Fang Zi was stunned for a moment then his whole body became tense, he quickly ordered the imperial army to follow him to the Dowager Queen's palace, Lory also sped up her steps, and Zhao Li Xin catching up her pace.

Not long after they stumbled on a bunch of panicked maids, among the maids there also Princess Youya, who had been held by one of the maids, the delicated princes look completely distraught. 

Still lagging! Yun Fang Zi made long strides towards Princess Youya in a hurry, he was so anxious that he accidentally called her by her childhood name ignoring the etiquette of the royal family.

Princess Youya was shocked, it had been a long time since no one had called her like that, she lifted her chin and she saw Yun Fang Zi running towards her, suddenly her heart was filled with warmth and her body suddenly relaxed, it was a strange feeling because she had never felt like this for a very long time, a feeling called 'safe'. 

"What happened?" Yung Fang Zi held his hand then checked for any wounds on her face or body, he only relaxed when he realized she was not injured "Are you okay, sister?" he didn't even realize how worried he was now.

Her eyes were slightly wet, she had never felt so happy meeting her brother before, "Yes, Brother, I'm fine but… but, Grandma, she…." She swallowed her words then looked down in forlorn as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. 

"What's wrong with Grandmother dis she got another manic episode?" Yun Fang Zi face harden.

"Worst… Grandma cut her own body and when a servant tried to stop her, Grandma… Grandma killed the servant, she…. She also mutilated the servant's body. "Her voice trembled with fear, she never thought a woman as dignified as the Queen Dowager would become like that.

Yun Fang Zi was shocked beyond belief, he clenched Princess Youya's shoulder "W…What did you say!" 

Tears stream down on her face, "Brother, what should we do, that was not Grandmother anymore?" she helplessly buried her head in her brother's arms.

Not long after the Emperor, Wu Han Chen, and the others also came. They look at the chaotic situation with a complicated look. In this world, everyone puts filial piety above everything else, even the Emperor can't escape from this, that's also why the Emperor doesn't know how to handle his mother's situation. The only thing he could do was lock up the Queen Dowager but that was only a temporary situation. 

The emperor could not kill the queen dowager not only because he could not bear to kill his own mother but he was also afraid that it would tarnish his reputation, however, if he failed to cure the queen dowager he could not suppress the rumors outside that said the queen dowager had gone mad. 

The Emperor knew this would become the biggest scandal in the history of the Yunmo kingdom, and it will not only affect him personally but also affect the next royal bloodline because everyone knows that insanity is a hereditary disease. 

We have to call a doctor! said the Prime Minister frantically. 

"We Can't, what would happen if the Queen Dowager hurt the physician instead?" Wu Han Chen refuted. 

"Then we hold onto Queen Dowager so she won't hurt anyone!" Said the Young General. 

"She is the Emperor's birth mother, how dare you treat her like that! besides, we might accidentally hurt the Empress Dowager and make things worse!" The old General disagreed.

The Emperor was silent he also didn't know what to do, he look in the direction of the Queen dowager with sadden expression, he should make a decision but he didn't know what, no matter what decision he takes it would disadvantaged him. 

"Don't worry I handle it, its this way right?" Lory ambles toward the Queen Dowager chamber.

"Young madam, it's too dangerous!" Wu Zhi Xiao tries to stop Lory.

"Don't worry I'm not alone" Lory giggles without show any fear at all.

"Don't worry, I'm coming…" Zhao Li Xin strides behind Lory.

'That's what I'm afraid about'

"Milord?" Wu Zhi Xiao wasn't worried about whether the Queen Dowager would hurt Lory and Zhao Li Xin, she was worried that Zhao Li Xin would kill the Queen Dowager, she was trying to hurt the young madam, and the Imperial family used this opportunity to get rid of the Queen Dowager and made Zhao Li Xin a scapegoat. With this, they could kill two birds with one stone.

Zhao Li Xin knew the risks, but he didn't care. he turned around and opened his arms wide as he continued walking backward, he grinned "If anything happens, tell everyone that Long Ming was the one who killed the old Queen dowager, who cares, this is not the first time people have poured dirty water on me," he laughed sarcastically then turned around and pursued Lory with long strides.

Everyone's face turned crimson, Zhao Li Xin's blunt words make them embarrassed. The emperor clenched his fist "Close the Queen Dowager palace, don't let anyone in or out, make sure no one speaks about this situation, whoever dares to speak about tonight, killed without question!" the emperor said his oral decree, and everyone immediately kneels on the floor and answer n tunes "Yes, Your majesty!"

The emperor took a deep breath, this is all he can do to help Long Ming and his wife, the emperor hopes that Long Ming can help Queen Dowager, if he does, then the entire Yunmo Imperial family will forever be indebted to Long Ming and Hei Shen sect.

Zhao Li Xin holds her hand tightly, Lory knows Zhao Li Xin worries for her. Lory gives him reassuring smile, then Girsha emerges from her chest and perch on her shoulder. 

[How much blood did he take from Lazarus?] Girsha could feel a revolting aura leaking from behind the wooden door which was being locked with locks and chains.

Lory wagged her finger around the padlock, then suddenly the lock froze, and then with a slight blow instantly it broke on the floor. [Enough…] he muttered as Zhao Li Xin removed the chains from the door. 

"I'll go in first!" said Zhao Li Xin.

"Okay!" Lory nod obediently. 

Zhao Li Xin carefully opened the door, the sound of the door creaking gave her goosebumps, there was only one candle in the corner of the room so Lory could barely see anything but her nose pick up the familiar pungent smell which she knew too well as blood. Zhao Li Xin walked in front of Lory like an impenetrable shield while his hand continued to hold onto Lory's hand.