The Princess And The Lord

Because the ox-carts did not allow entering the main road, they had to leave their ox-carts somewhere before being allowed to enter the city, but because there was no inn or tavern willing to accept their ox-carts, they ended up selling their ox-carts cheaply to people who happened want to leave the capital.

After the Ox-cart matter was over they entered the main street on foot, actually, it was quite a distance from the city gate but with their stamina, there was no problem with that, thankfully the Sword Saint Sect group had left first otherwise they would be suspicious of how Zhao Li Xin who supposed to be sick could walk so far so easily.

Arriving at the inner city, Lory found that Yu Jin City was not much different from Jing An City as the rumor said, maybe because the economy in the Liang Zu Kingdom was growing rapidly under the leadership of Ming Yue Yin so that the capital of Jing An didn't look inferior compare with Yu Jin City.

If there's any difference between the city is perhaps the way people dress in Yu Jin City is more flashy and extravagant compared to the citizen in Jing An City they even more flashy than people at Sun Jan City.

Everyone in Yu Jin City is wearing silk fabric with flashy bright colors and their clothes are decorated with colorful and intricate embroidery, they also have their hair styled meticulously especially women, and used a lot of lace and hairpins to adorn their hair. On the street Lory also saw many young men also carrying folded silk fans with beautiful paintings and calligraphy while the young women carried round silk fans with lacquered handles, the funny thing is the weather in Yu Jin city is quite cold so the fan actually lost it purposed however nobody care?

Meanwhile, the commoners dress more simple but still look stylish and conspicuous when compared to ordinary people in the Liang Zu kingdom, they also carry folding fans but they are made of bamboo and paper that are painted in colorful colors so they still look beautiful.

Lory had seen Jin Hao carry a fan sometimes but Jin Hao's fan looked very simple compared to them because Jin Hao's paper fan sometimes didn't have any painting or calligraphy on it even if there was any decoration it was only a small ink painting which wasn't very conspicuous but still very exquisite.

Zhao Li Xin noticed that Lory was paying close attention to the fan people were wearing and asked, "Do you like it?"

At first, Lory wanted to say 'Yes' but then she remembered how Zhao Li Xin spend his money like water, Lory could already imagine dozens of unused fans that will fill her wardrobe immediately Lory refuted, "No, it looks nice but I don't like to use a fan, it's troublesome!" she emphasized her words vehemently.

"Oh.." Zhao Li Xin nonchalantly replied, Lory thought he should be understood, right? wrong! Zhao Li Xin thought if Lory like to see it then he will buy a lot of fans and arrange various types of fans neatly on the wall just like wall decorations so Lory could enjoy it to her heart's content. Zhao Li Xin smiled faintly as he imagined how Lory would react.

In the middle of the road suddenly Lory bumped into a young woman and the young woman accidentally dropped her handkerchief, Lory reflexively picked up the fallen handkerchief from the ground, her movement halted when she saw the bluebell flower embroidered on the end of the handkerchief, Lory glanced at the woman suspiciously.

"Nice handkerchief," said Lory as she handed the handkerchief to the young woman.

The woman accepted with a smile "Thank you, if you are interested in buying it, this handkerchief is sold at the Little Treasure shop at the end of this street, if you are curious, please have a look." The woman bowed and left with her maid.

Lory and Zhao Li Xin exchanged glances then Zhao Li Xin took Lory's hand "Let's check the shop..."

Lory obeyed Zhao Li Xin without any questions and so everyone follow Zhao Li Xin and they arrived at a small shop that matched its name, the place was fairly quiet without too many customers compared to other shops, soon after they were greeted by a young shop attendant "Did you come to buy a unique handkerchief, our best is available on the second floor, would you like to see it?" the young shop attendant smiled broadly.

"Take us to the second floor," Zhao Li Xin said straightforwardly.

"Please follow me," said the shop attendant with a big smile.

Lory and the others followed the shop attendant to the second floor, once they reach the second floor they were led in front of the room that took up almost the entire second floor.

As soon as the shop attendant opened the door, a gray-robed man quickly got up from his seat and saluted them, "Greetings My Lord and Young Madam, also greetings to Master Li and Madam Li" he cupped his fists respectfully.

"Hey brother Wu skip the formalities, how are you?" Lory chuckled as he dismissed Wu San Bo's courtesy.

"Answer young madam, I am very well but cannot say the same about today's situation though," said Wu San Bo somewhat nonchalantly, "Please have a seat first" Wu San Bo led them to the sitting room behind the half-moon partition not long after the maids came and served beverages and pastry on the table end left knowingly after they finish their job.

"You tricked sending a woman to lead us here isn't bad" Lory smiled mischievously.

"We can't be too careful these days." Wu San Bo replies modestly.

"The situation..." Zhao Li Xin said curtly, is amazing how Wu San Bo could understand Zhao Li Xin Minimal words thus Wu San Bo begin to explain calmly.

"The situation in Yu Jin city actually quite intense, I can't even start with how many Heaven's gate members swarm in the city recently, every day they check for any stranger who enters the city, I'm assured My Lord arrival already reach the Heaven's Gate members ears by now, I won't be surprised they will come to check on us before today over"

"Aren't they too anxious, aren't they afraid of people mocking them for overreacting?" Yang Xi Ying frowned.

"We have actually heard the Sword Saint sect mock Wei Zu Tian." Li Mo Zhen's lips curved slightly.

"Oh, you met the Sword Saint sect?" Wu San Bo's curiosity suddenly rose.

"Later, continue…" Zhao Li Xin rejected Wu San Bo's question.

Wu San Bo was used to Zhao Li Xin's style, he held back his curiosity and continued, "This time the orders came directly from Duan Shu Shu, the madam of the Heave Gate sect and the evil mother Wei Zu Tian. Unlike Wei Zu Tian, she doesn't really care to save their image, they know we are not someone they can underestimate."

"She's smart" Li Mo Zhen concludes.

"And also very cruel" Wu San Bo added while pouring wine for Zhao Li Xin and Li Mo Zhen said: "Compare with Wei Zu Tian she is more calculative, manipulative and he doesn't mind taking a huge risk to achieve her goals, her husband's death would be a good example of how far she would go"

"Did she really kill her husband?" Lory couldn't imagine how cold someone must be to purposely kill the father of their own child.

"There is no concrete evidence but she is the only one who benefits from her husband's death" Wu San Bo then poured himself a glass of wine then he took the wine cup and leaned his back on the chair comfortably.

"At that time Wei Zu Tian's father, Wei Yi Shen has many wives even as many as the emperors who lead this country and just like emperor he has many children both sons and daughters so Wei Zu Tian is not his only choice, so to reduce the competition Duan Shu Shu had ti o make a plane to ensure her Son future, the rumor said Duan Shu Shu was involved in the deaths of many women and children in the Heaven's Gate sect to the point it becomes out of control and it's not a secret anymore it force the elder of the Heaven's Gate sect to express their dissatisfaction towards Duan Shu Shu to Wei Yi Shen, later on, he eventually confronted his wife personally, and it leads to Duan Shu Shu long confinement in the isolated courtyard, it was peaceful for a while but not long after that..."

"He died..." Lory squints her eyes.

Wu San Bo sneered then raised his wine cup, "from mysterious ilness!"

Yang Xi Ying sighed while stroking her slightly bulging stomach, "Only a fool would think Duan Shu Shu had nothing to do with her husband's death"

"True, but the problem is that Duan Shu Shu has removed all his enemies from the strong position and replaced them with her allies, therefore no one dares to investigate Wei Yi Shen's death," said Wu San Bo.

"He can do that while she was in confinement?" Li Mo Zhen was shocked.

Zhao Li Xin suddenly chimed in, "No, my guess is that he did that before she was punished, she knew what would happen so she was prepared, she accepted the punishment, and waited patiently if my guess was right, Wei Yi Shen die from poisoning and he was poisoned long before that"

"He can do that while she was in solitary confinement, how??" Li Mo Zhen was shocked.

Zhao Li Xin suddenly chimed in, "No, my guess is Duan ShuShu did that long before she got punished, she knew soon or later people will know what she had done so she was prepared, she accepted the punishment wholeheartedly, and waited patiently if my guess was right, Wei Yi Shen should be dead from poisoning and I think he was poisoned years before Duan Shu Shu involved in the whole murderer things"

"My lord is right, and guess what….his confinement makes for a solid alibi, and if anyone wants to accuse Duan Shu Shu they need solid evidence, that's also if they dare" Wu San Bo's lips curled into an evil smile.

The room fell silent, shiver run down to their spine one could only imagine how patient Duan Shu Shu would be to plot the assassination of her own husband and take over the position of sect leader step by step nevertheless at such a young age.

What's ridiculous is that people say Zhao Li Xin is a monster, tyrant, psychopath, and many more, however, compared to Sangguan Jin Sheng, Wei Zu Tian, and Duan Shu Shu somehow Zhao Li Xin is much milder, more reasonable, even kinder.

At least Zhao Li Xin had never wronged anyone with whom she had a close relationship even during her fight with Tian Meng Ji, she only severed their teacher-disciple relationship, not once did Zhao Li Xin tries to harm Tian Meng Ji in any way, in fact, all these time Zhao Li Xin only fought when he was under provocation.

Lory took a deep breath and muttered under her breath, "Duan Shu Shu, Lao Min Na, Wei Zu Tian, and Lazarus…this won't be easy" Lory clicked her tongue in annoyance.