Chương 852: Epilogue 3: Luo-Luo

Bedecked and bejewelled in the noble trappings of aristocracy, Divine True Musician Liang Xiao Luo strode through the halls with nothing less than the grace and magnanimity her station demanded. Her dress was a gift from her Imperial Father, a snug, silken, sleeveless affair dyed in a shade of vibrant lavender available only to the Royal Family.

The intricate embroidery painted a fabulous tableau of flowers in bloom using gold wire rather than thread, with embossed gold-plated clasps in place of buttons or ties to hold it all together. Its high-collared neckline gave her a modest appearance, while the tasteful, diamond-shaped cut-out across her chest allowed her to display her feminine curves without appearing too wanton or immodest.

The snug waistline hugged her hips and left little to the imagination, while a lilac stole draped around her waist and hanging loosely from her arms kept most of it hidden away from plain sight. Ten years ago, a dress like this would be considered scandalous in high company, but given Lord Husband's lusty appetites, it was only a matter of time before others took notice and tailored their fashions after what best caught his eye. No outfit was complete without accessories of course, and Luo-Luo's was no exception.

Her coifed high-bun hairdo was held in place by a mother-of-pearl comb, one inlaid with gold and silver markings to depict a phoenix on the wing. To add to the motif, she wore an elaborate golden circlet that made her hair look like an immaculate nest the legendary bird was returning to, which she herself thought was a little silly.

Wonderous as the creature might be, Luo-Luo would never allow any bird to nest in her hair, not even a Divine Beast capable of piercing the Heavens and Ascending to a higher plane of existence. The rest of her jewellery was nothing of note. Twin chains of dangling amethysts dangled down from her ears, and a single jade pendant hung around her neck to settle between her bosom and help draw the eye.

She also wore a golden band of twin phoenixes around her right shoulder, and a single jade bangle around the same wrist, one easily removed should she ever see fit to play the zither. All in all, she was the very picture of nobility as she moved step by careful step through the halls, ringed by her coterie of Imperial Servants bustling about her. One to clear the way, one to carry her Sceptre, and three more to ensure no one ventured close enough to tread upon her voluminous stole trailing behind her.

Five Imperial Servants in total for the Imperial Princess, and as a member of the Royal Family, Luo-Luo could accept no less. Or at least that's what she'd been told, but as always when it came to the Royal Family, the real answer had more to do with politics than anything else. Five Supreme Families meant five Imperial Servants, one hailing from each so that they might further their family's cause in blatant disregard for tradition.

Add in how her Imperial Servants had threatened to invoke their Privilege and take their own lives should she refuse their service, and Luo-Luo had no choice but to accept and endure their nagging about living up to expectations as the Imperial Princess. Not that anyone in the village cared much about her status. It was all so silly, dressing up like she was going to a banquet in honour of her Imperial Father instead of heading into the office in the vain hopes of making a dent in her mountain of paperwork.

There was no helping it though. The dress and jewellery had only arrived this morning, and her Imperial Servants had made such a fuss about trying it on before the banquet this evening so they would have time to make any necessary alterations or possibly even find a replacement dress. A veiled barb that was, insinuating she might not fit into the outfit, or worse, would not look good in it.

The thought made her turn her nose up as she proceeded up the stairs, because despite her thirty-five years of age, Luo-Luo was more physically fit than ever before. This was the result of keeping to a Martial Warrior's training regimen for the last ten years, and while she wasn't as taut and athletic as Mila or slender and supple as Yan, Luo-Luo was in far better physical condition than most Imperials, for whom indolence and indulgence was a way of life. Yes, Luo-Luo looked phenomenal in her dress and she knew it.

Sure, the eyes of the villagers held more amusement than awe, and the cold, chill mountain breeze made her yearn for a thick, fur cloak to wrap around her. All of which was beside the point. Fashion was not meant to be practical after all, else it wouldn't have taken so much time and effort to slip into her new dress. That was partially why she was still wearing it despite not needing it until tonight's dinner, as she refused to go through that long and arduous process a second time today.

There had been far too much squeezing and pushing to get all her bits into the right places, because despite all her training, a decade of indulging her sweet tooth with little to no restraint had taken a toll on her hips, adding a layer of padding that no amount of training or exercise could render away.

How easily it escaped her notice for all these years, having grown accustomed to the lavish meals featuring Spiritual Plants brimming with Heavenly Energy, to say nothing of the delicious and delectable desserts made by Di Shi Shen, the cook provided to her by her Imperial Father. Combined with Lord Husband's love of loose-fitting sundresses and slinky, silken gowns, and Luo-Luo had little reason to pay heed to her waistline.

The only solace she had was the fact that his affections had only grown over time, rather than lessened as expected, and she looked forward to seeing his reaction to her appearance tonight. It didn't take long to regret her decision however, as the long walk to the office took its toll on her in more ways than one. Most days, she simply Cloud-Stepped out of the courtyard to arrive at her office post haste, but her dress was too restrictive to allow for any real range of motion.

Or protection from the cold, as she already noted, which the jewellery only made worse, the metal sapping away what little body heat the chill winds left her. At least she'd managed to convince her Imperial Servants to eschew the many bangles and bracelets thanks to her title as Divine True Musician and parcelled them out as gifts for her sister-wives, Sister-in-Law, and Mother-in-Law.

The earrings were a bit much in her opinion, as she worried her earlobes would soon be stretched to twice their normal length under their weight. Hence why the first order of business after arriving at the office and dismissing her Imperial Servants was to rush over to her full-length mirror and make sure her ears were still the same size as before. They were, much to her relief, and she allowed herself to indulge her vanity for a few moments more, turning this way and that to ensure she looked good in every angle.

During the early years after his Ascension, Lord Husband had brought her to all manner of banquets and festivities, but these days he'd grown accustomed to rejecting invitations out of hand, leaving her few opportunities to dress for the occasion. Not that she minded, as the banquet hall was her battlefield and left her feeling stressed and overwhelmed more often than not, though she wouldn't mind going once or twice a year... Then again, perhaps not.

Luo-Luo quickly reconsidered her stance as she took a seat in her padded office chair and found that it was impossible to get comfortable. Loosening the clasps fastening her collar allowed her to breathe at least, but not too deeply lest her dress burst around the chest or stomach area, while the circlet and comb weighed heavy atop her head. There was no removing it herself, not without losing half her hair, so it would have to remain.

Heaving a small sigh, she made the best of it and marvelled at how she could have ever aspired to this sort of lifestyle, a childish dream come true that failed to live up to the fantasy. Being an actual Princess of the Royal Family was far more burden than boon considering Lord Husband's status, one which heaped far too many responsibilities and expectations upon her. Take her manner of dress for example.

Were she ever to wear anything less than the latest fashions to a public event, the nobility would whisper of how the 'Savage' Divinity had no respect for the Emperor, else he would not treat the Royal Princess so poorly. Then there were matters of propriety and decorum to observe, such as maintaining a veneer of neutrality and impartiality before the Five Supreme Families.

Whenever she wanted to visit her Paternal Family, she would have to schedule visits to her Maternal Family as well, and then stop to offer greetings at the remaining three Supreme Families after the fact so as to keep up appearances, and Heaven forbid her manners should be anything less than superlative.

This was merely scratching the surface too, as there were all manner of dark undercurrents flowing through the Eastern Province of late, whispers of discord and discontent that were all too easily heard even by Luo-Luo residing several thousand kilometres away. Yes, she had been far better off as the Imperial Servant Zheng Luo, and better off still as Lord Husband's wife, a simple title, yet one she cherished above all others.

Hardly surprising considering his lofty status as the one and only True Human Divinity in existence, which made him quite possibly the most powerful man alive. Oh how quickly the tides had shifted in his favour with his successful Ascension. Not just for Lord Husband, but for Luo-Luo's Imperial Father too, so much so that her five Imperial Servants hadn't been trained from birth like she had.

No, they were ladies of high peerage offered up by the Supreme Families shortly after Lord Husband's resounding victory in Shi Bei. A show of obeisance to their 'new' Emperor once it was clear he had Lord Husband's support, as none of the Supreme Families were ready to test the newly Ascended True Human Divinity who'd single-handedly defeated the Eternal Foe.

Brilliant and capable as her Imperial Father might be, Luo-Luo suspected he and the Supreme Families had made what should have been a fatal mis-step in challenging the immortal Founder of the Azure Empire so directly. Were it not for Lord Husband's miraculous and timely Ascension, the Eternal Foe would have emerged victorious in Shi Bei and doomed the Western Province.

From there, it would only be a matter of time before Luo-Luo's Imperial Father was either executed by one of the Eternal Foe's many hidden pieces or supplanted in mind and soul by the body-snatching Immortal. Even if she were to take a dozen steps back and presume that the ageless villain would keep his word to abstain from meddling in the affairs of the Azure Empire, Luo-Luo's Imperial Father and the Liang Family behind him lacked the strength to hold the throne for long against the other Families.

The Five were far too evenly matched for any one to emerge victorious against another in open conflict, and had too much history of bloodshed behind them to ever unite as one. Civil war would have broken out within the year as each Family sought to seize the throne for themselves, a war which would spread like wildfire throughout the rest of the Empire. The fighting would be bloody, the battles fought to stalemate or marginal victory at unsustainable cost.

From there, it was only a matter of time before one or more Supreme Family was unable to continue the fight, leaving them no choice but to escalate matters further by unleashing their Divinities. With the Empire at war, none would care to uphold the Treaty, and having felt first-hand the sheer destructive capabilities they possessed, Luo-Luo feared there would be no victor in any such battles, or at the very least, no prize left for whoever was left still standing at the end.

None of which would ever come to pass so long as Lord Husband still drew breath, for the existence of True Human Divinity posed such a threat that it united the Five Supreme Families against him, much like the Eternal Foe before him. It was almost flattering in a way, for the Supreme Families to put aside their feuding in order to present a united front against Lord Husband.

The final battle in Shi Bei proved that they'd greatly underestimated the threat of the Eternal Foe, and the years since had uncovered a great deal of hidden traps laying in wait. There were secret factions within secret factions reporting back to independent spymasters, and death cults standing by to rise up against the Supreme Families should they ever unite in rebellion against the seated Emperor.

There were plans within plans laid out centuries in advance, and the more Luo-Luo looked back on the Empire's storied history, the more she could appreciate the Eternal Foe's brilliance. The man was a monster, of this there was no doubt, but there was no denying the fact that Ying Zheng had instilled peace and stability into a land that had never known it, one which lasted from the founding of the Azure Empire to this very day.

Sure there were minor rebellions, blood feuds, and battles aplenty, but they were all minor altercations in the grand scheme of things. The Uniter's invasion had sparked off the greatest conflict the Empire had ever seen in tens of thousands of years, and they were still years away from fully recovering from its effects. Which more than anything showed the stabilizing effect an Immortal Monarch could have, tyrant or otherwise.

So knowing all this, the Supreme Families were understandably wary of Lord Husband's ambitions, and not without reason. In the first few years following his Ascension, Lord Husband had been none too shy about championing what he called the Rule of Law, a principle in which all people, peasant, merchant, Warrior, and Nobility alike, were equal under the law.

A fanciful aspiration, and one Luo-Luo's Imperial Father had encouraged since it put Lord Husband at odds with the Yang Family who oversaw the Disciplinary Corps. Of course, that support ended abruptly when it became clear that Lord Husband's idealistic vision was popular with not only the masses, but the impressionable youth of wealth and nobility alike.

Add in his reputation as a man of honour and repute, and Lord Husband was rewriting the ideal that so many youths aspired to, a consummate and unparallelled Warrior who espoused the burdens of responsibility and what he called the Dao of Peter Parker, who as far as Luo-Luo could tell was a Demi-human half-spider Lord Husband had idolized in his past life.

"With great power, comes great responsibility," He would often say, with all the intonation and solemnity of a prayer. Words he lived by, else he would never have closed himself off in the village these past few years. A gruff, yet hesitant bark shook Luo-Luo out of her thoughts, and she turned to find Buddy climbing through her office window. Or at least, he had been before he stopped to bark, his short fur all bristly as he growled around the basket of berries and yam leaves clenched between his jaws.

The deep rumble resonated throughout the room and shook Luo-Luo to her core, but while the sound was intimidating to be sure, she knew Buddy was all bark and no bite.

"Buddy," she began, shaking her head with a smile as she waved the silly hound in.

"You don't recognize me? It's Luo-Luo." The transformation was startling to behold as Buddy opened his eyes wide and pulled himself up through the window with a complete and utter lack of grace. Though capable of Cloud-Stepping up to the second story office, he climbed through the window like a normal, unathletic beast, his hind paws scrambling to find purchase on the windowsill before heaving his heavy rear-end up and over the obstacle.

He landed with a thump in a similarly ungainly fashion, somehow keeping his head up even as his front paws slipped on the hardwood before his belly and hindquarters came crashing down. Unbothered by his rough landing, Buddy's tail wagged so hard his entire body shook as he padded over while making silly noises of doggy delight, utterly relieved that she wasn't actually a stranger and there was no danger to be had.

The dog was no less powerful than Lord Husband, yet it behaved with less dignity than most hounds, which was all part of his ineffable charm. Unable to kneel down to greet him properly, Luo-Luo pointed at the elevated doggy bed she'd commissioned just for him, one her guests sometimes mistook as a cushioned footstool. Again, the dog made a show of his lack of grace as he slowly pulled himself up onto the bed and carefully set his basket of goods down before raising his head for her to scratch.

It always brightened her day to see how expressive his little doggy face could be as she massaged her fingers into his scalp, causing his big brown eyes to close as his mouth stretched into a sweet grin. Sensing the arrival of her friend, Noodle poked her head out from Luo-Luo's padded hip pouch and slithered over to greet him, though the emerald serpent was quickly distracted by Buddy's basket of treats.

Not for long however, as fruits and vegetables were of no interest to Noodle, so she draped her twenty-centimetre-long torso loosely across Buddy's shoulders and rested her chin atop his head, seeking out her share of Luo-Luo's affections after her morning wakeup call.

"Good morning Noodle," Luo-Luo said, greeting her sweet snake with the saccharine tone she reserved for all the pets.

"I see you decided to wake up for today." The snake wiggled her entire body in delighted response, setting her emerald scales to shimmering in the sunlight as she stretched herself out before looking this way and that in expressive curiosity.

Though not the most physically affectionate of their pets, Noodle had a certain charm to her mannerisms that most did not appreciate, and there was no denying her lustrous beauty either as she coiled around Luo-Luo's bare left wrist in a scintillating show of serpentine affection. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. As for Buddy, no one would ever call him pretty, but he had his own, lovable charms.

Unfortunately, she wasn't equipped to properly appreciate them today as he pressed his head against her leg and left a trail of dark brown dog hair embedded into her silk dress.

"Yes, I know Buddy," she crooned, giving his forehead a big kiss.

"I love you too, but this is a new outfit I still have to wear at dinner, so you can't sit in my lap." Divine Beast though he might be, his grasp of Common was still shaky at best beyond a few key words and phrases, so she plucked a berry out of his basket and presented it to him instead.

"We can't cuddle today, so why don't I feed you instead?" It was a game they played, one born out of a misguided attempt to teach Buddy how to eat in a more refined manner, or at least keep him from flinging food all over the place whenever his bowl was placed in front of him. Wild and voracious though he might be when it came to meal time, she found that he was surprisingly gentle when taking food out of her hands, and doubly so when she held his treats between her thumb and index finger.

Seeing him gingerly mouth at the treat as if deathly afraid to lay tooth to skin never failed to bring a smile to her face, because he always looked so concerned and frustrated when doing so. Today however, there was none of his normal eager greed, and quite the opposite in fact, as he craned his neck to throw his head so far back his nose was pointed straight up at the sky.

What really brought a smile to her face however was how he tilted his head ever so slightly, just so he could keep an eye on the Spiritual Berry he so obviously desired, yet was saving for some other occasion. For a time, she amused herself trying to get him to eat, and laughed at his antics as he twisted his head this way and that, right up until a knock came at her door to signal the arrival of her mid-morning snack.

Taking a moment to regain her composure, Luo-Luo refastened her dress's clasp around her neck and called for her Imperial Servants to come in, and for the umpteenth time, bit back a joke about how many Imperial Servants it took to serve an Imperial Princess her mid-morning snack. Five. That was the answer, but there was little humour in it, merely the truth, each one striving to appear useful while keeping tabs on the others.

The first two carried trays bearing a small bowl of fruit jelly, while the third's tray held a teapot and a single cup. The fourth carried a single spoon, while the fifth bore two cloth napkins, having gone above and beyond to provide one for sweet Buddy. That was Bao Xiu, a silly and carefree girl whom Luo-Luo suspected hailed from the Liang Family, and thus might well be her cousin. A supposed ally, but the competition within the Supreme Families was second only to the competition between the Families themselves.

Meaning all five of Luo-Luo's Imperial Servants were not only scheming to seduce Lord Husband, they were also reporting back his every move to their original families. And now Bao Xiu was trying to win Buddy over, but the Divine Dog was not so easily fooled. Or at least, Luo-Luo hoped he wouldn't be, as he wagged his tail and sat up straight as Bao Xiu tied the napkin around his neck with a giggle and gave him a quick kiss on the nose.

Spy and aspiring homewrecker though the girl might be, it was difficult to hate someone who spent every day and night by your side, and Luo-Luo saw much of her past self in her Imperial Servants. Though she had no desire to share her beloved with even more women, Lord Husband's indifference to their advances had caused the five Imperial Servants no small amount of grief, and she sympathized with their plight.

Even the most beautiful woman in the world would feel ugly and unloved after ten years of rejection, but such was life. There were no good solutions to be had, or at least none any of the involved parties would accept, so Luo-Luo put her concerns aside to enjoy her mid-morning snack. At first, she resisted the idea of tea and dessert so early in the morning, but Imperial Father insisted she go along with Di Shi Shen's lavish and excessive meal plans and Lord Husband agreed.

It had little to do with pomp and pageantry as she first suspected, and everything to do with practicality, as every meal provided by Di Shi Shen was cooked with the finest Spiritual ingredients available. A necessary luxury, according to her Imperial Father and Lord Husband both, one meant to shore up her lacking foundation brought about by her inability to Create her Core without outside assistance.

The difference was easily seen when comparing Luo-Luo's abilities to her Imperial Sister, Liang Xiao Rou, a consummate Warrior on the cusp of inheriting their Imperial Father's title as the Divine True Warrior of their generation. Not that Luo-Luo minded, as she cared little for battle and bloodshed. The food was to die for however. Most of the dishes were of fruits and vegetables, as not even the Di Family had a method of raising Spiritual Beasts in a timely and sustainable fashion.

What they did have was several thousand years of experience cultivating Spiritual crops which they provided to the Supreme Families to help nourish and refine the bodies of their most prominent members. As such, Luo-Luo had grown accustomed to dining on the finest Spiritual foods available each and every day. Though unable to secure enough for her sister-wives, she was more than willing to share, but Lord Husband would not allow it.

Better to focus all the benefits on herself rather than spread them out thin, and looking at her tiny bowl of fruit pudding, which was barely more than a mouthful, she had to admit his argument held merit. Before she could begin however, a chorus of girlish giggles drew her attention, and when she saw what had so captivated her Imperial Servants, Luo-Luo joined in their mirth.

Most days, sweet Buddy would inhale his portion of the treat, one provided by Di Shi Shen solely because the Divine Dog had won the man over. Today however, Buddy showed immense restraint as he gingerly opened his mouth wide and tried to pick up the tiny bowl between his teeth, but the small size and voluminous amounts of drool kept him from succeeding. The silly hound tried once, then twice, then turned to her and let loose the smallest of whimpers, and Luo-Luo couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Oh Buddy," she crooned between laughs, stroking his jowls with the back of her fingers so as not to get them covered in his saliva.

"What are you doing, you silly little dog?" Using his nose to poke his bowl, Buddy then brought his head down to his basket of berries and yam leaves, repeating the motion twice more in quick succession and growing more frustrated each time. It was clear he wanted to place the bowl in his basket and save it for later, but Luo-Luo couldn't help teasing him.

"Are you saving your dessert for later? A welcome home gift for Lin-Lin and the bunnies? You miss them don't you? A whole week without Mama Bun to snuggle up to, or Ping Ping and Pong Pong to play with while they all look for wild Spiritual Plants." And the Divine Beasts responsible for fertilizing them, which was why Lord Husband insisted Medical Saint Taduk and Sister Lin-Lin bring both Divine Turtles with them for protection.

Buddy didn't answer of course, or even understand the question as he continued alternating between the bowl and basket, until he grew so frustrated he started barking.

"Hush now," she admonished gently, because even without using Resonance, the hound's baying could wake the dead, and Buddy quieted down with a disgruntled huff.

"Here," she continued, patting his head before making room in his basket so that the bowl would not crush his berries. It made for a strange sight, a tiny bowl of fruit pudding in a basket almost overflowing with berries and yam leaves, but Luo-Luo had long since learned not to question Buddy's strange antics. Her actions resulted in a wave of love and adoration emanating from the sweet hound, and she spent a few minutes more petting his fur and basking in his pure emotions before returning to her own dessert.

This resulted in a more powerful Aura radiating from the Divine Dog, a wordless plea of hunger and yearning, one which combined with his sad brown eyes and drooping ears left her no choice but to share half her dessert with him. She fed him one small spoonful at a time, loving how big his eyes grew while licking the implement clean. When there was no more food left, she let him lick the bowl too before her Imperial Servants cleaned up and left.

Once they were alone again, Luo-Luo reached into her desk drawer for the ball and string which Buddy so loved to chase, but when she looked up again, the hound was nowhere to be found, having eaten and run with his basket of Spiritual goodies without so much as a second glace. How rude. To lessen the sting of Buddy's abrupt departure, Luo-Luo contented herself with singing to Noodle, who raised herself upright and swayed side to side in rhythm with the melody.

Though singing was still one of her least impressive skills, ten years of practice had seen her improve by leaps and bounds. Mostly because it was easier to find opportunities to sing to Lord Husband than it was convincing him to sit still for a Zither performance, especially if she wanted to hold or be held by him at the same time.

In truth, Buddy's behaviour wasn't all that different from Lord Husband's, who might shower her with love and affection one day, then become distracted by something or the other and disappear the next. Like these last few days, for example, having all but disappeared after deciding to throw an impromptu dinner party on the anniversary of his victory in Shi Bei exactly one decade ago.

An idea Luo-Luo had brought up almost half a year ago mind you, which Lord Husband had rejected out of hand because 'it sounds like too much work'. Granted, she had suggested a banquet in the city of Shi Bei itself, with invitations to everyone who took part in the defense and possibly an appearance from her Imperial Father the Emperor himself, but it still rankled to have Lord Husband dismiss her ideas only to turn around and agree when his old war buddies made the same suggestion.

With less than a week to prepare mind you, and no invitations to anyone outside of close friends and family either, but that meant little to the Supreme Families once they caught wind of the event. Hence the mountain of paperwork awaiting her, which mostly comprised of innocuous letters intended to be sent to all of Lord Husband's erstwhile allies and acquaintances and explain the lack of invitations.

Not just Martial Warriors who fought in the battle, but also civil servants and merchant contacts who aided in the restoration of the West and might well take offense from being excluded from Falling Rain's banquet celebrating their effort and sacrifice.

A factor Lord Husband never even considered, because despite all of her efforts to educate him on matters of politics and decorum, he still refused to conduct himself as a dignified Martial Warrior should, much less like an Imperial Prince Consort or the sole True Human Divinity in existence. Despite being one of the most powerful and influential men in the Empire, Lord Husband had remained true to himself since his Ascension, and might well have grown less mature in the time since.

As evidenced by his actions some two hours later, when he crawled in feet first through the window only to stop half way and wiggle his behind.

"Oh no," Lord Husband Sent, in the stilted tones of a two-copper actor, "I'm stuck. I sure hope no one takes advantage of me in this compromising predicament." Rolling her eyes with a smile, Luo-Luo took a moment to appreciate the view of Lord Husband's shapely rear outlined in his loose pants, which sat just under his hips for no reason other than his personal comfort.

It made him look ridiculous at times, and he had to pull them up far too often for her tastes, but after sitting in this tight dress for the better part of the morning, she had to admit that there was something to be said about comfortable clothes. She couldn't even bring herself to stand, since she'd have to go to great lengths to avoid wrinkling the silken fabric, so she simply watched for a moment longer before replying, "Oh no. Lord Husband, wait right there and I shall send for my Servants to save you."

"Please no." Bolting upright inside the room, Lord Husband smoothed his shirt and pulled up his pants with a pout.

"Why do you think I came in through the window? To avoid that flock of – Woah!" The last was said with a wide-eyed stare as he looked her up and down, though more down than up.

"That is some dress."

"Oh this?" she asked, coyly looking down at her outfit as if she'd forgotten she was wearing it.

"A gift from my Imperial Father. It arrived this morning, and I considered wearing it to tonight's dinner."

"Then think again, my Imperial Princess." Striding over to her side, Lord Husband feigned gruffness was spoiled by his tender actions as he turned her chair with a gentle effort of Plated Domain before extending his hand to help her stand.

"Can't be having you look like that, not in front of company. You'll get all the married men in trouble, and I'll be stuck beating back the unmarried ones with a stick." Holding her out at arms length, he spun her right, then left to get a better look.

"Yea, no. You should wear something nice and concealing instead, like a rain poncho or thick winter jacket and pants."

"Does Lord Husband not approve of this one's outfit?" She gave a little twirl and struck a pose, fluttering her eyes all the while.

"Your lowly husband most certainly does, oh Imperial Princess." The husky growl which followed sent a pulse down her spine, and she happily posed for Lord Husband while simultaneously dancing away from his grasping touch, playing a game of predator and prey which she was more than happy to eventually lose.

"And therein lies the problem. I approve far too much." But not so quickly just yet, as it was a rare occasion to find him in her office, and doubly so when there was work he could help with.

"Perhaps you're right," she declared, releasing his hand and returning to her seat with a sigh.

"I'll change into something more modest after I finish up here." Paying him no mind, Luo-Luo focused on the document in front of her and sighed.

"If only someone were here to help me put the finishing touches on all these important letters." Rather than argue or protest, Lord Husband sprung into action.

"What are these?" he asked, scanning the letter before her.

"- 'Sincerely apologize for the lack of invitation'? Oh come on." Amazing how a man in his position could act so childish, and sound it too as he tossed the missive aside and huffed in displeasure.

"It's a small dinner for family and friends, which just so happens to coincide on the ten-year anniversary of our victory in Shi Bei. Big whoop."

"Indeed it is a 'big whoop'," Luo-Luo replied, ignoring his bristling sarcasm whilst stumbling over yet another curious turn of phrase.

"This letter in particular is for Minister Liang Yin Hang, whose efforts as you might recall were pivotal in the establishment of your War Bond initiative, which were instrumental in the victory we celebrate today."

"Efforts. Ha." Seating himself onto her armrest, Lord Husband slipped his arm around her neck and grumbled, "Would've gotten things done quicker if he kept quiet and out of the way. Hi Noodle. Boop." Which while true, wasn't the point, as the once-lowly Administrator had risen high riding on the tides of that singular success, and now held the highly coveted position of Minister of Finance.

As such, keeping up the pretense of friendship and camaraderie was more important that the actual relationship itself, as a public falling out would sever what little influence Lord Husband still had with his former office.

"And yet he is still counted among your allies, so there is no sense in giving him reason to turn him against us," Luo-Luo explained, even though she knew he would understand just as well as she did if he ever cared to think it through.

"Not to mention we still need his help to garner much needed support for your Education Bonds." After greeting Noodle with a tap on the nose, Lord Husband set the snake upon a cloud of Domain which let her swim about the room, and she set to exploring their surroundings now that she was no longer constrained by gravity or had to worry about losing all her body heat to the cold floor.

Scowling up a storm, Lord Husband sighed and said, "They're happy to pay for war, but refuse to spare a copper to help the children of the Empire." The contempt in Lord Husband's voice was thick as always, while the subtle undertones of resignation and defeat were louder than ever.

"Won't let us pay for it either, because the people in power would lose face if private citizens without government positions started feeding children in their stead. It's ridiculous. The Empire produces more than enough food to feed every last one of its citizens, yet somehow ensuring kids don't go to bed hungry will cause mass economic strife when their parents decide they no longer have to work."

Which was an exaggerated summation of the oppositions talking points, but Luo-Luo knew better than to argue semantics when Lord Husband was in one of his moods. At least she could report success with her shell companies, having created falsified ledgers for fake business that existed only on paper so that they could buy up all the Education Bonds the moment they were approved for sale.

In the end, Lord Husband would still end up funding the vast majority of the proposed schools, except he would be paying more than necessary to keep up the charade and allow the politicians in power to save face. How frustrating to see so much pushback on the matter after what they'd accomplished in the Northern Province.

There were multiple schools in every city of the North, and hundreds of smaller ones scattered across various towns and villages, as well as plenty of support in place for more isolated or impoverished areas, and Lord Husband had taken great pride in his success. And was equally disheartened to watch his efforts in Central and the South fall flat year after year due to local politics. Alas, distant waters could not quench nearby fires, and even a mighty dragon cannot overcome a local snake.

The only way to ensure success was for Lord Husband to relocate to Central or the South and personally oversee his efforts, but time and time again, he refused to take any direct action and instead tasked Luo-Luo to accomplish miracles. Difficult to do with the Supreme Families and local factions alike pushing back to see where the limits of Lord Husband's tolerance lay after a full decade of inaction. It wasn't just the schools either.

All of his efforts were being blocked in some way, shape, or form, including creating a minimum wage, worker protections, safety standards, and various other passion projects he championed in his spare time, without any real passion, if she were to be honest. He had his reasons, and she knew them well, but there were times when she felt so frustrated having to work at an issue she just knew he could fix with a few words in the right ear. Like the current pushback on all his efforts in Central and South.

Economic concerns aside, the real reason for this blockade were simple. The nobles of the Empire all wanted to know how far they could go before running afoul of the Savage Divinity, an ill-fitting moniker if there ever was one. To this end, she tried to convince Lord Husband to take more of an active role in his philanthropic efforts once more.

"I'm sure much of this pushback could be cleared away if you just sat down and discussed it with the Minister," she said.

"You remember how he was always skimming over letters and missing out on context as such. A single, in-person conversation would go a long way towards seeing your Education bonds approved."

"So he can parade me around Central, remind everyone how we used to work together, and use that to extort exorbitant bribes out of everyone he works with? Forget it." Scowling in a dark fury, Lord Husband pushed her stack of letters aside with a wave of his hand, one which saw the papers lift right off the table and settle onto the floor in a nice, neat pile.

"In fact, tell Cao Cuo I've changed my mind. I'm done playing nice. If the Magistrates of South and Central don't want me building schools in their cities, then the Consortium and I will take our businesses to the villages which welcome our presence and build our own cities if need be." A move which amounted to economic warfare, considering how much money the Spring and Autumn Consortium paid in taxes, wages, and daily expenses, to say nothing of Lord Husband's own sizable holdings.

This was a path Luo-Luo was certain they should avoid even as a bluff, because doing so would only remind their foes how much influence he possessed, and in doing so might cause them to unite against him. Now wasn't the time to argue however, not when he was acting more on emotion than logic. Her fault really, or rather, the fault lay with her dress as he used his Domain to lift her out of her chair and seat her on the table in front of him.

"Enough talk about business," he said, his eyes full of desire and filling her with the same as he graced her with a wolfish smile, one which made her forget all her protests about work and responsibility.

"Let's revisit your lovely dress instead. I'd like to see more of how it looks." Running his hands over her hips, he kissed her deeply and stole her breath away, leaving her gasping for air when he broke away with a grin.

"In particular, how it looks on your office floor." And miracles of all miracles, he had her out of the dress in short order without so much as tearing a stitch, a result neither of them could find complaint with. Whatever passion he might lack in his personal projects, the flames of passion continued to burn bright in their marriage, and for this, Luo-Luo counted herself most fortunate.

Though her life was a far cry from the idyllic fantasies she'd envisioned in her youth, what she had was far better than anything she'd ever dreamed of. The love of a good man and close-knit family, treasures more precious than all the dresses and jewels in the world.