The Princess And The Lord

"But the old Emperor told me the crystal was somewhere in the palace…" Zhang Yu Hong added.

"Yet no one knows where exactly it is," Ming Yue Yin pinched her glabella with exasperation.

"Information about the palace can only be found in the imperial library but we can't really tell if the content about the crystal is still there. The current Emperor might have disposed of anything related to it if he knows anything about it," Fu Ying said.

"This is still a wild goose chase," Wu Tian Zi tried to be logical about the matter.

"Who knows… The tree existed so it is possible the ancestor's crystal does too?" Ming Yue Yin casually said.

"WHAT?" Four men exclaimed as one.

"What? Didn't I tell you this before?" Ming Yue Yin stared at them before she sighed loudly. "The sacred tree is real, and I'm already blessed by the tree's Gift. You can do this by checking my cultivation."

Ming Yue Yin took off the amulet she wore to hide her cultivation and her body released her Qi. This stunned her people.

"Master Level?" General Fu was shocked. He heard Ming Yue Yin's cultivation was at the Transition Stage of Knight Level but he also knew it had been boosted by pills and elixirs. He had worried at that time but the Imperial alchemist and physician assured him the pills and elixirs were fine and completely harmless.

"It's quite solid too. This is good…very good!" Zhang Yu Hong stroked his beard with pride.

"The Emperor wanted to ruin my body and cultivation by choking me with pills and elixirs. Unc…Lord Long Ming erased my old cultivation when I woke up, and Master Jin Hao detoxed my body. This should have ruined my body and destroyed my cultivation if I was in a normal situation. Thankfully, I was blessed by the tree's 'Gift' and I'm fine as you can all see. Actually, I'm GREAT!" Ming Yue Yin's smile grew wider.

"That SCUMBAG!" General Fu furiously hit the table. He was fooled once again by the Emperor. He felt stupid. It seemed the Emperor had bribed everyone including the alchemist and physician in the palace to hide the Princess's condition.

"That man…when did he become like this? I didn't even realize it," Zhang Yu Hong asked with regret. He should have noticed it sooner since he was in the palace for a decade and also watched both Emperors grow. 

"Don't blame yourself, Master Zhang, Xiao Jin. This man has always been good at pretending. It is why Ming Ze trusted him with all his heart. Although I thought some of his behavior was peculiar, I never thought he would go this far…" Wu Tian Zi patted Fu Xiao Jin's shoulder with a somber expression.

The Previous Emperor, Fu Xiao Jin, and Wu Tian Zi were childhood friends and their relationship was more than a superior and his subordinates. They were like brothers. Fu Xiao Jin and Wu Tian Zi also knew the current Emperor as a young boy who admired his older brother. They wondered when his admiration changed into jealousy and hatred.

"Uncle Wu is right! What happened in the past is what led me to receive this Gift. I can now cultivate faster than a normal person. You don't have to feel sorry for me, Uncle Fu," Ming Yue Yin comforted them. Their eyes turned warm and soft when they talked about her biological father. She was touched to see they really cared for her father as it meant her real father was a good man.

Wu Tian Zi and Fu Xiao Jin were dumbfounded by her address. Fu Xiao Jin stammered. "Pri…Princess, we don't dare…"

"Yes, Your Highness, this humble subordinate doesn't dare…" Wu Tian Zi cupped his fists courteously.

"Why not? I can see your relationship with my real father was close. I would like to see you all as my family...since I no longer have any..." Ming Yue Yin's eyes shifted to the floor with sadness.

The four men soon realized Ming Yue Yin was right about the lack of family. The only family member she knew actually killed her real family and now wanted to kill her too. There was no blood relation between them. The Princes and Princesses currently in the palace also did not have any blood relation with her. She was the lone survivor of the true Imperial family.

The four men couldn't help but feel bad for her. They failed to protect the previous Emperor because of their incompetence. They now needed to redeem their mistakes. They needed to avenge the previous Emperor and his dead family and also protect their last Princess.

"Yes, you can call them uncle and you can also call me Grandpa Zhang too. I tutored your father for decades. He more than a student and Emperor to me…" Zhang Yu Hong's chin trembled as he remembered a small boy with a bright smile and golden robes calling him 'teacher'.

"I now have uncles, a grandpa, and an aunty," Ming Yue Yin smiled with contentment.

"Can I be your sister instead?" Lory raised her hand like a good student and shouted from her position behind them.

"No!" Ming Yue Yin swiftly rejected without turning. 

Lory pursed her mouth. She had no choice but to become an aunt at seventeen. How sad! She lazily leaned her head on Zhao Li Xin's arm while he gently stroked her head. Bei Li Yan giggled at this while Jin Hao rolled his eyes with an amused expression.

"I'm not alone anymore… I can do this!" Ming Yue Yin took a deep breath as her eyes filled with determination.

"Oh, I have an idea," Lory raised her hand once again. "While you are all gathering people, evidence and whatever… Why don't you let me search for the ancestor's crystal?"

"NO!" Ming Yue Yin, Zhao Li Xin, Bei Li Yan, and Jin Hao refused as one.

Lory slumped on her chair and pouted, "Why not?"

"Because it's dangerous. Do you want to infiltrate the palace? I'm more suited for the job if that is the case as I know every nook and cranny in there," Ming Yue Yin placed both her hands on her waist.

"That is stupid as you just got out of there. Why would you enter the palace again? People there know your face. Besides, you need to practice your martial arts. Your cultivation may be high but you know nothing about real fight," Lory raised her eyebrows as she knew she was right and Ming Yue Yin couldn't reciprocate. 

"No, I won't let you!" Zhao Li Xin thought it was wise for him to interfere.

"Why…? You are all busy and I have a lot of spare time," Lory asked casually. "Think about it… I can pretend to be a maid again and snoop around. I have an average face and no one would notice me. I even remained low key inside the Lao manor."

"But you look more beautiful than the last time you work there," Zhao Li Xin said firmly.

Lory mouth twitch slightly, she does look better but she is certain she is not as beautiful as Ming Yue Yin or breathtaking like Lao Min Na, the change she made is only the shape of her eyes and lighter her skin color, overall she still look like ordinary woman.

"But my face is still average compared to that of the beautiful girls around here. No one would look at me twice," Lory coaxed.

"But… I look at you all the time," Zhao Li Xin said with a serious face.

"Awww…" Lory was flustered and almost fell into his trap. "Wait, that's not what I mean!"

Jin Hao couldn't stand their flirting anymore. He dragged Bei Li Yan who was watching them with excitement and beckoned for the others to leave the room. Wu Tian Zi, General Fu, and Fu Ying ran out of the room as they were conservative men, while Zhang Yu Hong gently nudged Ming Yue Yin who was grinning from ear to ear as she watched the couple.

"What about the Heavenly Jade Pavilion?" Fu Xiao Jin asked Bei Li Yan once they were outside the room. They had yet to discuss how to handle them.

"Don't worry. They are SO DEAD!" Bei Li Yan carelessly waved his hand as he laughed freely.

Fu Xiao Jin stiffened at this as he was unsure if Bei Li Yan was serious or not. He shot a glance at Jin Hao but his face was expressionless so Fu Xiao Jin couldn't discern what they really meant. It seemed Long Ming's subordinates were also hard to read.

Only two people seated on an arhat chair remained in the study. They were too busy having a staring contest to realize everyone had left. Actually Zhao Li Xin didn't care if there was anyone else in the room. 

"Please… I will be careful," Lory pleaded pitifully.

"I lost you inside the tomb the last time you said that. Do you know how many times I thought I lost you forever?" Zhao Li Xin crossed his arms in seriousness.

"How many times?" Lory pouted.

"Countless…" Zhao Li Xin said sternly.

"But… This is not the tomb… It's only a palace," Lory did not give up. Stubbornness was one of her virtues.

"It's worse than the tomb and humans are crueler than beasts," He was unyielding.

"Send Mong Yi with me to protect me."

"He can't be at two places at the same time."

"You can send Mong Ki too."

"Mong Ki is busy!" He said coolly.

Lory slouched. This Demon Lord had learned to play defense but she did not give up. She stared at Zhao Li Xin with her big doe-like eyes. She blinked a few time to look sadder.

"It's no use looking at me like that," Zhao Li Xin hardened himself.

Lory made an expression that resembled an abandoned puppy.

"Stop it! It is of no use!" Zhao Li Xin glared at her.

Lory blinked again and her eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly. She projected a bullied wife.

"I FORBID YOU TO ENTER THE PALACE!!" Zhao Li Xin said with firmness.