Side Story- Long Lian 4 – Secure the thigh of his in-laws to hug
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LL 4 - Secure the thigh of his in-laws to hug

 

The scary frown was finally erased from Tian Liang's face. He sat down and placed his leg on top of the other horizontally, just like an uncouth youth, but he looked cool. 

 

Tian Liang sneered as he thought of something. "That useless king from before. He has ten children. But none of them is a prince."

 

"Impossible..." Long Lian remembered hearing from her teacher that the previous King of Munzhu may be greedy and unsuitable to lead the country, but he was gifted with having all sons.

 

"That idiot fat man had all his daughters pretend to be male for the rest of their lives to avoid the throne to fall to outsiders. That selfish coward would do anything to keep his luxurious lifestyle."

 

This secret was tightly hidden from the public and only the royal family and close servants knew. Those that should not know, including the aunties that helped the Empress and concubines to give birth, were all silenced to hide the secret. 

 

"It would have continued being a secret, if not for Nu Li's nanny. She seeks for us and tells us everything, in return to save Nu Li's mother."

 

"...Is that also why you spared Prince Nu Li?"

 

"Nu Li is the youngest daughter, and the king throws her out of the palace with her mother in anger when his eleventh child is once again a daughter. At least that animal did not kill her and spared his own child. She grew up as a commoner, not knowing her real identity until her nanny asked for help from us." 

 

That was why Nu Li has darker and coarse skin unlike royalty should have. Hearing this much, Long Lian no longer understood clearly what was going on. 

 

Tian Liang grinned, liking that Long Lian no longer treated him like her enemy and put away her sharp claws to listen to a story. Seeing his unabashed grin, Long Lian looked away with a pretty blush.

 

"Are you not going to explain?"

 

"When we decided to overthrow the useless King, we had long ago decided to make use of Princess Nu Li to appease those old geezers that would all day long speak about rules and tradition that does not help the country at all. They are willing to have the princess to pretend as a prince, and when she's of age, she will be paired with a suitable man and give birth to a prince to continue the bloodline."

 

"... If it's just to continue the bloodline, why not pick other princesses other than Prince Nu Li?” Long Lian’s unsettled gaze fell on Tian Liang. “Why… kill them all?"

 

Tian Liang sneered, remembering how those princesses acted when facing life and death. They would sacrifice their servants or beg for their lives with ugly words just like how their father did. Some even go as far as to use their female body to please the rebels just to stay alive.

 

"None of them are worthy."

 

None of them were like Nu Li, who accepted her new role of an obedient prince, as long as her mother could get medical help. She knew what she needed to do and did not oppose it. It was better to work with someone willing and agreed to the plan.

 

Long Lian nodded, accepting his word as it was. "Training a young child is certainly easier than training an old one with their own opinion."

 

Tian Liang smirked. "Her mind is easily shaped." 

 

Nu Li had lived a simple life, and her mother does not tell her anything about her father, already decided to cut ties with the royalty the moment they were banished. But her mother still worked hard to instill principles that her father failed to have, such as kindness and generosity. 

 

Placing his leg back to the ground, Tian Liang inched forward to face Long Lian properly with a solemn expression. "Being a king is never what I intended, but after being one, I never plan to be a sloppy one. After Nu Li reaches adulthood with sufficient knowledge to govern the country, I will pass the throne to her. I will stay behind as her advisor for a minimum of two years until she takes full control of the court."

 

Long Lian blinked, lowering her eyelashes to hide her trembling pupils. She was shocked at how much he had told her. "You have planned till this far?"

 

Tian Liang snorted in revulsion. "I don't want to be stuck seeing those old geezers till my deathbed! And I prefer living a simple life with my wife."

 

Long Lian rolled her eyes and huffed as she looked away, trying to pretend her blush was non-existent under Tian Liang's roguish stare. 

 

"My princess, will you agree to marry me now that you know everything?"

 

Long Lian bit her lips. Half of her heart was already swayed and captured by Tian Liang again. 

 

Seeing that she refused to answer, Tian Liang helplessly reveals his final trump card. "After settling everything in Munzhu, I will be your Prince Consort and stay at Guilin with you."

 

"What?!" Long Lian gasped in shock and blurted, "Are you sick?"

 

"I want you to be happy," Tian Liang explained carefully, word by word so that they will imprint into his princess' mind. "I will bring my father along and live in luxury, even more luxurious than our stay in Munzhu."

 

"What? Is Munzhu that poor?" Long Lian said jokingly but knew what he said was the truth. Munzhu Country's wealth could not be compared to what the Guilin Kingdom had. That was why many people said with confidence that the King of Munzhu was scheming enough to court the Princess of Guilin. 

 

He was choosing her for benefits!

 

"That's why, princess, after 10 years into our marriage, this husband will have to rely on my dear wife to feed the family."

 

Long Lian scoffed. "What husband and wife? We are not married!"

 

"Soon to be married," Tian Liang corrected with self-confidence.

 

"I never agreed!" Long Lian stood up and escaped. Of course, Tian Liang gives chase and the courtyard soon filled with their shrieks and laughter.

 

A few days later, Long Lian went to have a private talk with her mother. No one knows what they spoke of, but the news of the Guilin Princess marrying to the King of Munzhu spread as fast as a bushfire!

 

The Empress Dowager and 20th Emperor did not hold back any resources just to prepare a grand wedding for their only daughter and Tian Liang let them do so. They have money to help him make the day even more memorable and lavish for his wife. Tian Liang had given his entire savings as Long Lian's bridal price and did not hide the fact. He chose to ignore the knowing whispering from his best buddies that he was acting this much to secure the thigh of his in-laws to hug!

 

While everyone was happily discussing the joyous event that will soon approach, there was a quiet place inside Munzhu's palace. There was none of the celebrative air around the courtyard, and none of the people living there had a happy expression.

 

"If Madam had been more provocative, His Majesty would certainly not marry that princess as his Queen. Everyone knows he only married her for her identity."

 

"Nian Su," Pei Jin cut in her maid's words that were full of unwillingness. "Do not say those things anymore or you will give me trouble."

 

Nian Su teared up, feeling wronged for her lady's behalf. "Madam-"

 

Pei Jin gazed at her untouched herbal soup without appetite. "The princess will make things difficult for me once she marries in. It’s best to not do anything to provoke her or our days will not pass comfortably."

 

Pei Jin knew she had been acting foolishly when she went to antagonize the princess by acting familiarly with Tian Liang and it was useless to regret. 

 

In the beginning, she had no feelings towards Tian Liang, for her type leaned towards those gentle and scholarly types that would write beautiful poems to court her. But after being Tian Liang's concubine in name, following along the passage of time, her heart slowly grew greedy for more from the most powerful man in the country. Her heart and mind could not remain strong against other people's words, and soon found herself failed in holding onto her previous views firmly. 

 

With the pride of being the most beautiful lady in Munzhu and successfully occupying a spot in Tian Liang's heart thanks to her brother's final words to take care of her, Pei Jin did not act like a lovesick fool, believing she had all the time to make the strong man fall for her. She acted rather discreetly as she began to entwine herself into his schedule, telling him to rest and eat on time, or to prepare nutritious soup for him. 

 

Tian Liang thought nothing about it, but his acceptance of her care boosted Pei Jin's confidence in her own charm.

 

That was until she finally met the Princess of Guilin and her full to brim self-confidence took a heavy hit, right at her weakest point. The princess’ beauty left others far behind her and for the first time, Pei Jin felt apprehensive about being compared to her.

 

With the princess' beauty and Tian Liang's obvious biased treatment towards her, Pei Jin knew she had lost.  

 

"If Madam manage to hold onto His Majesty-"

 

Pei Jin cut off her maid’s words. "She will make sure to deal with me before I could do it."

 

Which woman will like her husband to pay attention to another? 

 

None.

 

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