THE FLOWER PALACE'S SECRET

Chapter 10: Hearts that Start to Warm

Shen Yanzhia had a good experience regarding flowers. Since childhood, the Queen Mother always gave her new flower seeds every time she came home to play from the palace. Whether it's plums, azaleas, lilies, roses, he's always happy. I don't know how many flowers he's planted since his childhood years.

No wonder the pavilion in his residence used to look like a beautiful flower garden. Shen Yanzhia did not even remember how many exotic plants she had. Now, the flowers were definitely no one to take care of anymore.

Flowers, indeed, were very opposite to his stubborn and slightly wild personality. A beauty like a flower represents only its physical beauty. Shen Yanzhia's heart was actually very hard. It is not easily conquered.

Since childhood, he had received several times of oppression from his brothers. Because such oppression often injured his physical and inner self, Shen Yanzhia grew into a person who was often vengeful and rebellious.

Despite having a personality that was not good enough, Shen Yanzhia was not evil. He still has the heart to say sorry and thank you in front of the right people, and be kind if the people around him treat him well too.

That hardened heart sometimes softened when Shen Yanzhia could not help herself to help someone who was in danger, even though she herself was also in danger. Many times he was punished, many times he fought back. If only the Queen Mother had not been behind him, Shen Yanzhia would have been a wasted child.

On this morning, Shen Yanzhia's white hands were already filled with dirt from the ground she was cultivating. After dawn, Shen Yanzhia was informed of the punishment she had to face for her actions yesterday. Shen Yanzhia thought Lin Zian would punish her by locking her up and not letting her out of wangfu.

However, unexpectedly, Lin Zian had instead given him the punishment to plant more flowers in the courtyard of the residence of him and Lin Zian, the Eastern Pavilion and the Western Pavilion. Lin Zian even bought him seven small flower boxes ready to move planting.

The courtyard of the residence he decorated with flowers was quite spacious. Shen Yanzhia spent quite a lot of time organizing and planting them. Now, if Lin Zian saw the results of his work, Shen Yanzhia would directly ask him to release her. He did not expect Lin Zian to give another punishment to him. The man seemed to have enough free time to make Shen Yanzhia suffer.

The little flower boxes were now empty. Tan’er helps his employer clean up all the equipment they have finished using. The waiter took her, put her in a storage building. He then returned to where Shen Yanzhia was.

“Tan’er, I want to take a shower. Please help prepare the water for me,” the door on Tan’er. The loyal servant nodded, then left.

Shen Yanzhia stretched her body, moved her muscles and freed her joints from the aching feeling of continuing to crouch from earlier. He then looked at his blackened fingers and nails. Some of the ground went into his nails, causing a little pain. Shen Yanzhia might have to clean it by brushing it when she takes a bath later.

In the gazebo that was further away from the East and West Pavilion, Lin Zian was standing watching his wife's behavior. His eyes stared fixedly at the woman who was standing with her dirty clothes and hands. His face looks so tired. The corner of Lin Zian's lips lifted into a beautiful little smile.

But, Shen Yanzhia's presence in her life had attracted her quite a bit. Since his arrival to this residence, his mood had become slightly different. Shen Yanzhia's strange behavior along with her poor temper, inevitably forced Lin Zian to get closer to the woman. Lin Zian did not dare to deduce what he was feeling at this moment. For him this was too foreign and troublesome.

If he let this feeling develop just like that, he was worried that one day it would interfere with his life. Lin Zian hated living with a commotion. The chaos on the battlefield was enough to make him sick. Lin Zian only needed to be kind to Shen Yanzhia for their relationship to go well even though it was not in the sense of a relationship between husband and wife. If allowed, Lin Zian wanted to be good friends with Shen Yanzhia.

But, he could not guarantee whether he would be able to hold to that principle. Lin Zian knew he was not a human being who could fully keep his promise. The human heart is not like a flour. It was easy for one to turn it into any shape one wanted.

Lin Zian then quietly walked into the Western Pavilion. At the bathhouse, he saw the tub was filled with warm water and filled with red rose petals. He then took out a small porcelain bottle and sprinkled the contents into a water bath. He hoped that Shen Yanzhia's tiredness and aches could be slightly reduced after this.

Lin Zian then stuffed the porcelain bottle back into his pocket. After which, he walked out of the back door carefully. Fortunately, not a single servant saw him. If there is, the business will be more troublesome.

Shen Yanzhia entered into the Western Pavilion right after Lin Zian left. Once he knew that the bath water was ready, Shen Yanzhia immediately took off her clothes and attached them to the gallows. He went into the tub that had been sprinkled with red rose petals. Shen Yanzhia can inhale the scent of pain-relieving and achy powder mixed with the scent of rose petals.

“Tan’er, you are understanding,” murmured while immersing the body in water. Shen Yanzhia enjoyed a warm and cold sensation at the same time. He closed his eyes, fell asleep for a while and only woke up after the water became a little cold. Tan’er walked in while carrying the change of clothes that Shen Yanzhia would be wearing today.

Seeing his master so calm, Tan’er felt relieved. He no longer worried that his master would be angry because of the punishment his master had given him.

“Tan’er, where did you get this pain and sore powder?”

“Powder? Miss, I didn't sprinkle it.” Tan’e was confused because Shen Yanzhia asked like that.

“Then who mixed it?”

Shen Yanzhia looked thoughtful. Shen Yanzhia smiled. Face radiant. Shen Yanzhia was sure that someone had sprinkled it. Shen Yanzhia's heart warmed up a little. His body feels lighter now. His entire muscles and joints were no longer stiff. Now he can move freely again.***