When Lory and Zhao Li Xin reached outside, the venerable Crown Prince was still kneeling on the ground. The Crown Prince's face was covered in sweat and was as white as a sheet. A trickle of fresh blood could be seen at the corner of the Crown Prince's lips. Zhao Mu Fan wanted to stand up before Zhao Li Xin could see him but he was unable to coordinate his feet. The other experts accompanying Zhao Mu Fan had either fainted or were in the same state as him.
They couldn't hide their fear as their bodies trembled uncontrollably when Zhao Li Xin approached them. Zhao Li Xin was stronger than the rumors said. They assumed Zhao Li Xin couldn't be stronger than Heavenly King level's beginner stage at first.
?
The fact that he was a Sovereign Level cultivator was shocking. No one could remember the last time a Sovereign Level cultivator appeared on the continent. They didn't have the courage to look into Zhao Li Xin's eyes.
Zhao Li Xin left Lory with the Mong brothers to stand before the kneeling Zhao Mu Fan with an indifferent expression. Zhao Mu Fan couldn't help but feel his world had turned upside down. The man who supposed to be beneath him and ridiculed was now looking down at him. It even hurt him more because Zhao Li Xin's eyes were expressionless. He looked at him like one would look at a pebble on the street.
"You...you hide it well," Zhao Mu Fan glared with contempt. He couldn't stand Zhao Li Xin's look.
"It's easier this way," Zhao Li Xin said earnestly. He didn't try to hide his reasons.
"What do you want?" Zhao Mu Fan thought Zhao Li Xin had traveled to the Liangzu Kingdom with a hidden agenda.
"Nothing," Zhao Li Xin's was unperturbed as he replied. It was his personal business and Zhao Mu Fan had nothing to do with it.
"Don't lie to me. Aren't you here for the Liangzu princess too? Don't pretend you aren't interested in her. Don't you want to become a prince once again? You are nothing but a lowly commoner without your title," Zhao Mu Fan scoffed in disbelief as he tried to spit on him. He thought Zhao Li Xin hadn't reconciled with losing his title and wanted to get it back.
"I'm the Hei Shen Sect's master," Zhao Li Xin gave Zhao Mu Fan a baffled look as he reminded him. He wondered if he hit Zhao Mu Fan too hard and turned the Crown Prince into an idiot.
"If I wanted a title, a fiefdom or even the throne… You think I can't get them with my own power...? The Hei Shen Sect power?" Zhao Li Xin smirked. He didn't need to ruin the Jiang Wei Kingdom. If the old fool decided to make the stupid Crown Prince the next Emperor, Jiang Wei Kingdom would be ruined by Zhao Mu Fan himself. "I'm not like you. I don't need to depend on a woman to get where I am now."
"You!" Zhao Mu Fan knew he was talking about Lao Fei Yan. He used Lao Fei Yan to strengthen his position in court. He gained more support from other high officials and improved his ranking in the Kingdom with Prime Minister Lao's support.
Zhao Mu Fan never thought there was anything wrong with using others for his own benefit. However, he couldn't help but feel shame in front of Zhao Li Xin. He was also jealous of Zhao Li Xin's achievements.
Zhao Li Xin thought he had wasted enough time talking to the stupid Crown Prince instead of spending more time with his little savior. He turned away and left Zhao Mu Fan who was still kneeling on the ground.
One of the experts who had managed to regain a little of his strength got up and helped Zhao Mu Fan to stand up. Zhao Mu Fan was more embarrassed by this. Zhao Li Xin walked steadily alone yet he needed someone to help him stand. He had never felt this jealous of others, not even Zhao Yi Chen but he couldn't help but feel useless and small before Zhao Li Xin. Zhao Zhao Mu Fan clenched his fist until his hand bled. He promised himself he would make Zhao Li Xin kneel before him someday.
Zhao Li Xin faintly smiled at Lory as he headed towards her. His fleeting smile made her small heart race. She felt shy but couldn't take her eyes off him. She didn't understand why her eyes followed his every move.
Zhao Li Xin liked the way Lory looked at him. It was weird because he used to get disgusted when other women did the same. The truth was he loved it… Love… That word had never crossed his mind before.
"Are you done?" Lory managed to calm her racing heart and asked.
"I am…" Zhao Li Xin replied softly. He was struck by an idea, "Do you want to ride a small boat?"
'WOW! Milord has learned to be spontaneous!' Mong Yi cheered his lord secretly, even Mong Ki who rarely changed his expression was content with his lord's initiative.
"Let's go!" Lory's bright mood returned as she nodded. She had seen the small boats with thin curtains while on the second floor and had thought to ask Zhao Li Xin for a ride. However, she was happy that Zhao Li Xin had offered first.
Zhao Li Xin's was relieved to see her mood was lifted. He had worried the Crown Prince's disturbance would ruin her mood. Lory pulled his hand and led him to where the small boats were docked with excitement.
Lory chose a small boat with a wooden roof at the center. The inside of the entrance and window was covered with a yellow gauzed curtain. There was a small wooden table with a seat cover with cushions. Although the boat was small, it was also cozy.
Zhao Li Xin helped her to get on the boat. He worried she would fall into the river canal if they weren't careful. Lory who had never been in such a boat couldn't stop smiling with excitement.
The boat soon left the dock. The man paddling their boat was a middle-aged man of about fifty. He had a thick beard and tan skin. He nodded courteously when Lory looked at him and Lory nodded back politely with a kind smile. The middle-aged man's mood was elated. He quickly liked her as he felt she was much better than most customers who treated him like he wasn't there.
"You always smile at strangers…" Zhao Li Xin couldn't help but ask.
"Is that bad?" Lory covered her mouth unconsciously. She was still not used to the strict customs of this world.
"No. It's just odd…" He replied calmly. There was a hint of ridicule as he added, "Most women won't look at strangers, especially men. They are expected to show they are reserved and docile."
"In my experience… I haven't seen such women around me," Lory chuckled. She remembered Lao Min Na, Lao Fei Yan, and Xiang Feng Ran who couldn't be considered reserved or docile.
"That's what society expects but it doesn't mean it is the reality," Zhao Li Xin agreed with her. He took out a teapot and cup from his spatial ring and used his inner Qi to boil the teapot. He then poured the tea inside the teacup for Lory. His moves were swift, elegant, and harmonious. Lory was amazed as she watched him. She still couldn't reach Zhao Li Xin's elegant level even after training with Fredhard for years.
Lory sipped the tea slowly as its warmth spread her insides. The breeze gently caressed her cheeks as the scent of the water mingled with that of flowers. It was a moment of peace. She never knew she could have this kind of life once more after all she's been through.
"My mother…" Lory said quietly. She paused as a bittersweet smile formed on her face. "She told me to always smile because if you are sad others would be sad when they looked at you, and when you are angry you will make others angry too. So, she emphasized on smiling so that others could smile back."
It was possible her mother taught her to be polite as no one wanted to see their princess pouting all the time.
"Your mother…"
"She passed away when I was five years old," Lory smiled but her eyes looked sad.
"I'm sorry…" Zhao Li Xin blurted out the words Lory once used to comfort him. His heart ached for her. When Lory first used those words, he didn't know why she said them but he now understood.
"Thank you. It was a long time ago. I'm okay now," Lory felt better once she heard his caring words.
"You don't have a stepmother?" In Zhao Li Xin's world, men rarely stayed single once they lost their wives. Some even had multiple wives at the same time. They would either remarry for themselves or have someone else care for his children.
"No…" Lory giggled. She knew this world's custom. She covered her mouth to stop her giggles, "My father said he already gave all his heart to my mother and when she died, she took his heart with her. There was no point in having another woman when he had nothing to give. It won't have been fair for him and the other woman."
Lory's father once told her a Lucient could only fall in love once in their lifetime. No one knew if this was a blessing or a curse. Lucient only married once while others didn't marry at all. Those who stayed unmarried would give their throne to their brother or nephew. It was hard to tell why Lucient was born this way.
Lory glanced at Zhao Li Xin and blushed. She quickly looked away and sipped more tea.
Zhao Li Xin contemplated if he knew of any man like that. Lory's father sounded better than most men he knew. Then again Lory's father was a commoner. Noblemen were pressed by society to have more women and offspring while commoners could have such freedom, but no matter how he looked at her, Lory didn't look like a commoner at all.
Lory was like a puzzle to Zhao Li Xin. His mind couldn't help but have more questions the more he got to know her.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om