The Princess And The Lord

Fredhard used to say to her a believable story was a simple one and Lory used this knowledge. She created a simple story of two visitors from Jiang An city in the Liangzu Kingdom. They were rich merchants looking to expand their business and choose to invest in the famous Fu Yun restaurant.

They used a large sum of money to buy half of Fu Yun restaurant as they aimed to improve it. The owner of Fu Yun accepted their offer as he was a businessman on the lookout for a good opportunity, and the rich merchants offered to buy half the restaurant at a doubled price.

One of the merchants left the city once the deal was done. He left his younger brother and his wife to run the restaurant while he chose to return to Jiang city in the Liangzu Kingdom since he found it to be more comfortable than Tang Shen City. His reason was understandable as people in Tang Shen city would have also preferred to live in Jiang An city as it was more affluent and stable. Their reasons for staying were either because they lacked the capital to make the move, or they still hoped to join the Sacred Mountain Peak as disciples.

Lory made Mong Yi buy a modest house with only two courtyards as part of their cover story. Although they portrayed themselves as a rich merchant family, the housing price in Tang Shen city was unbelievable high. The houses were about twice or thrice the price of houses found in Jing An city. This was because of the convoluted law that forced everyone to pay for many government permits. Sellers would then push this cost on the buyer as they were in the business of making money. It was no wonder the city alleys were filled with beggars and thugs.

Tang Shen city was also different from other cities as a person could not leave the city without a government permit. This forced many broke people to stay in the city as the permit was costly. Some people ended up being beggars and thieves as they had nowhere else to go. Many were desperate and were willing to do anything to make money. It was a circle of unending corruption as everyone tried to use others for their own gain. 

Lory sighed heavily when she read the report on the city from their small bedroom. Tang Shen city was a death trap for the poor and the weak. She couldn't help but feel sorry for them. She stored the report in a drawer and looked up to find Zhao Li Xin looking uncomfortably in a chair with a frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" Lory was confused and amused by Zhao Li Xin's expression.

"It's small…" Zhao Li Xin said curtly.

"What do you mean?" She giggled despite not understanding what he meant.

Zhao Li Xin scowled with anger, "The room is small, the house is small, the courtyard is small. Everything is so small that I don't know where to put my feet."

Lory burst out with laughter as it was rare to see Zhao Li Xin complain about anything. The house they bought was not too small as it still had a small garden with a pond in the corner and a pavilion. But Lory had to admit everything in the house was in miniature sizes. Zhao Li Xin's current manor was humongous and luxurious. It could be compared to a small palace. Although he was upset that he was staying in a small house, it was not because he couldn't live without luxury. He was instead upset that his wife had to stay with him in such a small place.

Zhao Li Xin won't have complained if he was in the small house alone. He only felt guilty because his princess was very special to him and he thought she deserved the best of everything. He also felt bad because he had promised himself to give Lory the best but he was now failing. Zhao Li Xin's heart stung when he saw Lory seated by the small desk while reading the report using a small candle. He thought his princess would hurt her eyes from the candle.

Lory rose from her seat, moved around the table and sat on Zhao Li Xin's lap. She coaxed him with a sweet smile, "What are you dissatisfied with? This place is not bad…just smaller than the placed we have stayed."

The softness of her body lifted his bad mood. She had changed her face to the original appearance once they entered their room. Zhao Li Xin took off his skin mask and Lory held her breathe as his exquisite face was pushed closer to hers. Zhao Li Xin was mesmerized by her beautiful face. Her purple eyes sparkled under the dim light and her pale skin made her lips look like a plump red cherry. Zhao Li Xin took a deep breath to control his insatiable desire for her.

"Don't you feel uncomfortable living in this kind environment?" Zhao Li Xin wrapped his hands around her small waist and tried to avoid the evil thought inside his head. He didn't want to sleep with his precious wife in a small house as he worried someone would hear his wife's moans while they did the deed. Zhao Li Xin was sure he would kill anyone who was misfortunate enough to hear his princess' indulgent voice.

Zhao Li Xin was a possessive guy through and through, but he was smart enough to hide most of his traits from Lory. It was not a difficult task for him since Lory never gave him a reason to be jealous. He was only irked when another man paid the slightest attention to Lory.

Lory comfortably sat on her lover's lap as she chuckled innocently unaware of his thoughts, "You can worry about many things about me but you should never worry about my living space. Have I never told you about the last decade of my life? I spent it in the wilderness." 

"No, you haven't… Why did you live in the wilderness? Why didn't you live at your home?" 

Lory's purple eyes blinked a few times as she smiled softly at him. She had a bittersweet feeling when she thought of what was left of her old home. 

"We should go to bed!" The sparkle in her eyes dimmed. She pecked Zhao Li Xin's lips and ran to the bed. She took off her outer robes and her shoes before she climbed on the bed. She patted the space beside her, "Sleep with me…"

Zhao Li Xin dropped the subject since Lory didn't answer his questions. It was the way he showed his love for her. He would listen if she wanted to talk and would not question her if she wanted to hide her thoughts. He didn't know if it was the right way to love a woman as he had limited interactions with other human beings in general. However, he at least knew what Lory wanted for a husband. She wanted someone who would never leave her no matter the circumstance, someone who would accept her unconditionally and these were things he could do.

Zhao Li Xin walked towards the bed, took off his outer robes but left his inner white silk robes that showed his flawless figure. Lory smiled in contentment at the sight Zhao Li Xin presented when he climbed on the bed. He covered them both with a blanket and pulled Lory closer to his embrace. He looked at her and whispered in her ear, "Don't look at me like that as we may end up not sleeping…"

"I don't mind…" Lory admitted yet her cheeks blushed.

"But I do!" Zhao Li Xin replied quickly. He was annoyed that his desire for her only increased when her warm body was pressed to his, "This is not a good place to bed my wife."

"You think too highly of me," Lory giggled softly. She was touched by his consideration. Fargo once said a male is a beast who would devour a woman anywhere and everywhere. He used the reason for her to be wary about the opposite sex as he said all men were the same no matter how righteous they looked.

Fargo's words were imprinted in Lory's minds and for a long time. She always believed these words, especially after she got stranded in the new world. It was easy for her to hold onto the belief as she saw a man could have multiple wives in this world. All this changed when she met Zhao Li Xin. He changed her generic view of men and their behavior. Zhao Li Xin's devotion at times reminded her of her father's devotion to her mother. It was a thought that warmed her heart. Lory found a comfortable place in Zhao Li Xin's embraces and her conscious drifted off slowly.

Lory's breath stabilized after a few minutes. Zhao Li Xin looked down and watched her sleep peacefully. It had been a while since Lory had insomnia. The nightmares were still there but their frequency had reduced. He thought it was a good thing since it meant her pain and burden might have lessened. 

Zhao Li Xin stroked her dark bluish hair spread on her back. He couldn't stop admiring her beauty. Everything about her was enchanting, unique and one of a kind. He could stare at her all day long without getting bored. He never imagined he would one day meet a woman who would be able to captivate him. The corner of his mouth curved upwards as he lightly pecked her lips.

"Sweet dreams…" Zhao Li Xin said softly.