"Ehm!" Lory clear her throat in loud voice "I hope you like the story, your majesty" Lory bow her head again.

Lory's voice take back them from their daze, they look at each other awkwardly they didn't expect the would be drawn by the story even the empress dowager, empress Jing and Princess Youya speechless, who would have thought the story would be so good. Yang Xi Ying almost clapped her hand excitedly while Ming Yue Yin leans her head on her palms and sighs if one-day Lory wants to make this a full-time job she would be the first who hired Lory.

​​

'She's good, very – very good!'

The Empress Dowager expression suddenly stiffed, she never thought someone like her who had been lives decade and has experienced many ups and downs would be influenced by a mere story from a village girl, he feels so ashamed.

"Not bad…" the empress pretend to be nonchalant to save her face.

"Thank you for her majesty compliment" Lory humbly responds.

To smoothen the atmosphere the empress Jing throw a casual question "It's a nice story madam Zhuo, is its a story from your village?" she subtly reminds everyone that this only a story that circulating among village people and they as noble people should not be influenced by such thing.

The young ladies and madam understand the empress mean, they immediately collected themselves and pretend they are not bothered by Lory's story which granted cynical smiles from Ming Yue Yin and yang Xi Ying. Knowing their acted is too apparent the ladies and madam face turn bright red.

Lory didn't care, like it or not is not her problem. The only way words can bring you down only if you believe it if it's not it got nothing to hold you "It does her majesty, it's something that my mother used to share with me" Lory expression devoid of any shamed of her background.

Lory calmness is kinda irked Empress Jing, it's bothering her when she can't get the reaction she wanted from someone. She used to have people begging for her favor and pleaded on her feet, but this woman is too indifferent she shows no worry, fear, or anger and there is a sense of tranquility around her, it's almost overwhelming.

"Your mother is a storyteller too?" there's a hint of ridicule in her words.

Lory stifles as she realizes she already get on the empress nerves "No, just to me – my mother like to tell a bedtime story, maybe she wants to teach me about something and thought is easier to understand when she make a story" Lory gaze soften when she talks about her mother.

It's obvious Lory care dearly to her parents, the empress can't nitpicking her all the time because she knew her parents have passed away if she persistent to corner Lory people would think she is a cruel and petty woman, she can't let that happen that's not good for the empress reputation who should be the mother of the nation not to mention Empress Ming was also present.

"It's good to be filial to your parents," the empress end the matters reluctantly.

"Thank you for your compliment, your majesty" Lory smile innocently.

The matters settle there with Lory dignity intact, Lory calmness and Ming Yue Yin present is the main reason why they can't press further. The empress had no choice but back off for now however her impression of Lory change tremendously, turns out the village girl is far from how the rumor describes her.

She is not a shameless vixen who only has beauty in fact she not that beautiful but she is sharp-witted, clever, and has unbelievable self-control even in a place very few people could match this woman temperament. Not only empress Jing, but princess Youya also curious about who is this woman exactly.

Lory was sipping her wine when girsha suddenly warned her through telepathic connection.

[Lory someone is watching us]

Lory finger on the winecup paused for a second [Is it hostile?]

[No, but their attention is on you so I don't know what is all about] said Girsha.

[How many are they?] Lory asked.

[Four men – they are strong] he describes briefly.

[Stronger than my man?] she probes further.

Girsha chuckles lightly [I haven's seen anyone stronger than your man]

Lory sigh in relief [Then there's no problem…] she put another moon cake on her plate.

Just like Girsha said someone from the next building watched the commotion excitedly, there is four men gather in the small but lavish room, they all watch what happened behind the window partition. One of the men is sanguan Wu Ci he sat on the chair on the corner of the room while drinking her wine leisurely white the other three men return their chair across from him with big smiles and smirked on their faces.

Once they have a seat on their respective chair a few young eunuchs pour a cup of wine for the three men without daring to lift their head after they serve the three men they bow their head deeply and immediately left the room.

"That woman is very interesting" one of them men pinch his chin and smiles flirtatiously.

"Be careful the second brother, that woman is Long Ming wife" another man who looks older calmly warned the younger man seriously.

"I don't mean that way elder brother, besides that women face is not suit my taste" he waves his hand carelessly. This man is the second prince of Yunmo kingdom Yun Yan Qin he just reaches twenty-two he was ordered by the Empress dowager to find a legal wife since he only has concubines in his palace. He doesn't really care who will become his legal wife however he rather chooses someone who didn't have too high status, he worries he would be controlled by his in-law even though he is the prince.

The man who reprimands Yun Yan Qin is the crow prince Yun Fang Zi, he is known as a strict, quiet man very calculative, and very cunning. He came here because empress Jing asked him to watch his naughty second and third brother, he personally didn't care with the consort election since he already has a legal wife and few concubines in his own courtyard so this is considered to be wasting his time but who would have thought he would meet interesting lady among the crowd.

"It seems long ming wife is not as simple as people portrayed to be" the corner of Yun Yan Qin lift slightly.

"Doesn't matter isn't it, she still only a low born woman, she is nothing!" the third prince Yun we Qun snort in disdain, he is a haughty and arrogant man, in his eyes commoner is like dirt in his eyes no matter how much talented or smart they are in Yun Wei Qun eyes their existance is no better than a cockroach.

Yun Fang Zi chuckles, his third brother is quite gullible and surprisingly naïve. Is he forgot that their ancestor who built the kingdom is only a lowly peasant, but he is blessed with talent and strength that surpass everyone else, and that why he able to build his own empire. Compare to his brother Yun Fang Zi is more open-minded and wise when he judged other people's characters.

"However, for a village girl able to exchange conversation with the empress dowager and the empress with calmed expression from the first until the end is not something that any woman could do, Master sanguan are you sure she only a village girl?" Yun Fang Zi frowned in doubt.

"She is because Miss Lao Min Na is her former master, Lao Min Na told me that Luo Ri Yi was worked at her manor for a couple of years, she even met Luo RI Yi a few times before she suddenly disappear," said sanguan Wu Ci.

"Disappear, You know why?" Yun Fang Zi got curious.

Sanguan Wu Ci shakes his head "Miss Lao didn't tell me why, and is not easy to probe miss Luo past since she is under Hei Shen protection"

Yun Fang Zi tilted his head while contemplating "That…interesting…"

"Brother, don't you remind me not to involve with Long Ming wife, look what you just said" Yun Yan Qin jokingly said.

Yun Fang Zi guffawed "I just wondering what kinda woman Long Ming wife is, you think I'm like you" he jeered as his second brother.

Yun Yan Qin is known as a womanizer, he is tall and lean, he has a very handsome face and a pair of seductive eyes. Yun Yan Qin also has a way with words to seduce women, although his reputation is not very good, however, women could resist his charmed a lot of them fall head over heels for his seduction and that's why he has more concubines than the crown prince himself.

"I admit that women are interesting but if I want someone's wife I rather choose miss yang over there, she looks innocent and dainty just like a cherry blossom flower, too bad she already married" Yun Yan Qin let out a long disappointed sigh.

"Please stop it, they are married woman compare to them isn't there is one woman who surpasses everyone out there!" Yun Wei Qun scoffed then continue "I think Empress Ming is the best choice, she is very beautiful, talented, smart and have a great family background not to mention she already have her own empire if you marry her don't you think you will automatically become an emperor" he hit the table as he smiles deviously.

"The third brother has a point, I heard Liang Zu army become one of the stronger militaries at Xing Fang continent if we can have hold of this army imagine how strong our kingdom would be," said the second prince.

"But I heard empress ming have quite a temper and she has refused many marriage proposals, I wonder if you can court the young empress" Yun Fang Zi raised his brows meaningfully.

"I'm passed, she looks too hard to control" Yun Yan Qin waved his hand while lean his back on the chair comfortably.

"She only got a proposal from noble from the Xin Fang continent, I will show her the difference between noble people from the Xin Fang continent and Gui Hong continent, I'm sure I can subdue the young empress in three days!" Yun Wei Qun puffed his chest confidently.

Sanguan Wu Ci's memory suddenly recalled the scene when Ming Yue Yin hits his uncle bodyguard mercilessly he remembers the empress's bloody hands and the blood lust filled her eyes, subconsciously his eyes darted at Yun Wei Qun smug face, he snickered and inwardly lit a candle for the third prince.