The Princess And The Lord

The days quickly passed by as the Martial Competition was around the corner. The city gates of Nan Jing were flooded with people from other sects and countries. The Imperial Palace was also busy accepting honorable guests from different countries and various big sects all over the continent. The Emperor couldn't help but smile with pride as it was his chance to show off his beautiful country and talented people to others.

The main streets of Nan Jing were filled with people in colorful uniforms walking in groups of four or five. The business was booming as restaurants, inns, and shops especially the weaponry shops were more crowded than usual.

A woman wearing a bright red dress and with long dark beautiful hair left one of these shops holding a new dagger in a dainty hand. She easily attracted onlookers' eyes with her beauty as she walked with haste. Her skin was as white as jade with eyes as sharp as phoenix eyes, a small nose, and full red lips.

A beautiful smile was plastered on her face. Three years had passed, and she still missed him so much. She wondered if he, the man of her dreams, missed her too. She fell in love with him the first time she met him at a banquet. She was instantly captivated by his beauty. It was a pity that he was sickly, couldn't cultivate, and was ridiculed by people. She wanted to protect him and was ready to fight with anyone who mocked her man. However, the man was so nice to her and thought to keep his distance so that she won't be troubled. He even acted cruel and cold to her to prevent people from belittling her for standing up for him. His actions made her see him as kind and gentle. He had to love her for him to act the way he did.

The woman stopped in front of the Nin Jing Manor's front gate. Her eyes brimmed with longing and happiness. What the guards saw was a beautiful woman with a yearning expression. 

"May we know the purpose of your visit?" One of the guards asked politely.

"I'm the Sixth Prince's con... friend. My name is Xiang Feng Ran. Can you let me in? It's been a while since we last met. He must be waiting for me." She said with a shy smile. She almost slipped up to say 'consort'. She knew she couldn't say that as they were not officially engaged yet.

This woman was Zhao Li Xin's admirer or stalker if you wanted to be correct. Her obsession with Zhao Li Xin was known by many people but Xiang Wu Ci, her father, denied this. He claimed she was not nice to Zhao Li Xin because of love, but because she was very kind and couldn't just watch someone being bullied or hurt. His explanation was easily accepted by most people. They didn't think someone like her could fall in love with a weak and wasted prince like Zhao Li Xin. Zhao Li Xin was handsome, but his sickness was severe and was not likely to live long. No one would want to marry a dying man like him.

Xiang Wu Ci then dragged his daughter back home and confined her for three years. He hoped time would wash way her obsession. His actions, however, was futile as it only made Xiang Feng Ran more adamant to be with Zhao Li Xin.

The guards didn't dare treat her harshly. They all saw Zhao Li Xin and Luo Ri Yi interaction. The new lady could truly be their lord's friend. However, they also wondered how their lord who was known to be allergic to women to suddenly become a 'womanizer'.

"Please wait here," One of the guards went inside to find Mong Yi or Mong Ki. They were the closest subordinates to Zhao Li Xin. No one knew their lord better than them.

Xiang Feng Ran waited impatiently as she paced back and forth outside the gate. She was over excited as she thought of meeting him again. She could only imagine how excited he would be when he discovered she was already here. Her smile grew wider as she acted like a long-lost lover.

The guard returned with a frown on his face, but Xiang Feng Ran didn't notice this. Her face lit up as she tried to climb the stairs as she thought the guard had come to let her in.

"WAIT!" The guards stopped her by crossing their spears to block her entrance.

"What are you doing?" Xiang Feng Rang looked at the guard with anger.

"His highness didn't recognize you. We can't allow you inside the manor," The guard said shuttering Xiang Feng Ran's dream.

She could only mutter, "What... that can't be?"

"Miss, please leave the premises!" The guard reprimanded her.

"NO! You lie!" Xiang Feng Ran's shouted furiously. "Zhao Li Xin knows me. He will never do this to me. He loves me!" she couldn't believe Zhao Li Xin didn't want to see her. It had to be a lie. Perhaps someone lied to him… Zhao Li Xin was weak and kind. It was possible that someone might have influenced him to say that… It could only be that. Xiang Feng Ran tried to reassure herself as she became more resilient.

"What have you done to Zhao Li Xin? You all are taking advantage of him because he is weak and kind, aren't you? I wouldn't let you do this! I will save him!!" Xiang Feng Ran struck her palm at the guards giving them no choice but to fight her.

The guards were confused by what she said. Weak and Kind? Those words couldn't be used to describe their lord. She would know this if she really knew their lord. They quickly deduced the woman before them was one of their lord's crazy admirers. This thought made relax them as it meant they didn't need to hold back their power fighting her.

Although they were mere gatekeepers, they were also Hei Shen Sect members and couldn't compare to normal guards. A mere gatekeeper in Hei Shen Sect needed to have cultivated to the Master Level at peak or perfection stage.

Xiang Feng Ran was also at Master Level but at the transition stage and she couldn't easily win the fight against the two guards. The only thing working for her was that she was crazy and only cared about meeting her dream man one way or another.

The guards lost their patience as one of them hit Xiang Feng Ran's stomach slamming her to the ground. She screamed like a madwoman, "You dare to hit me?"

"You tried to trespass into the Sixth Prince's manor. What do you think would happen to you?" One of the guards couldn't believe the woman's stupidity. It was no wonder their lord refused her entry.

"Do you know who I am? I'm the Ming Hua Sect leader's daughter! I will make you all pay for this!" Xiang Feng Ran said proudly. She thought they would shiver and beg for forgiveness once they knew her name, but she was wrong. The Hei Shen Sect people only feared their 'Demon Lord' who resided inside the manor. Others, let alone a daughter from some sect, meant nothing to them. 

"Let me in and I won't punish the both of you too much," She gave a smug smile when the guards remained quiet. She thought they were afraid of her identity. She raised her chin and climbed the stairs once again with confidence. She would ask Zhao Li Xin to kill the two worthless guards once she met him.

'BUGGGHH!!!'

The guards hit her in the shoulder with more force. The impact caused Xiang Feng Ran to roll backward two times before falling face down on the ground. The guards were really mad this time, "Miss, if you really are a noble daughter, you would understand what 'No Entrance!' means. Our master told us he didn't know you. Why are you persistent?"

Although the Ning jing Manor was secluded, a few people who wanted to get inside the forest could still pass by. Most of them were hunters. They watched Xiang Feng Ran make a commotion at the gates of the Sixth Prince's manor. They were also bewildered. How shameless was this woman claimed to be Xiang Feng Ran, the daughter of the Ming Hua Sect leader? Why would someone from a big sect act like a thug?

Xiang Feng Ran realized the people were talking about her and immediately felt stupid for revealing her identity. Her father would confine in her courtyard again if he learned about this. Such a punishment would limit her chances of meeting Zhao Li Xin.

Xiang Feng Ran couldn't dare push her way through anymore. She clenched her fists and left as she didn't want more people to see her. 

The guards sighed with relief as they watched Xiang Feng Ran's disappearing figure. Although their lord was reputed to be a weak, useless and dying prince, he still managed to attract a few admirers who wanted to marry him anyway.

If these women were to learn of his real identity, their manor would no longer know peace. They now understood why their lord still pretended to be ill.

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