THE FLOWER PALACE'S SECRET

Chapter 14: Jade and Anger

Tan’er walked in a hurry when he saw a horse carriage arrive in front of the wangfu gate. Some of the servants who saw him looked at him in wonder because from earlier, their wangfei personal servant continued to stand at the entrance. Tan’er was so happy and almost jumped when he saw his master get off the carriage with Lin Zian.

“Young Master, is nonaku okay?” ask them directly.

“You see for yourself, does he look like a sick person?” Lin Zian asked back. Tan’er looked at Shen Yanzhia from head to toe. Master's right. None of it is very healthy. Tan’er even saw the red color of the leftover sweets at the corner of Shen Yanzhia's lips.

It seemed, the incident at the banquet did not have a bad impact on his master's body.

Lin Zian walked ahead of his wife. He turned towards the gazebo in the garden overlooking the East pavilion. There, Tang Yin had been waiting for him for a long time. The detective was sitting around twirling the teacup. Xu Chi told him that Lin Zian had already returned. Tang Yin then stood up and saluted as soon as Lin Zian arrived at her place of waiting.

Shen Yanzhia came slower behind him. His face was very sour. The loyal Tan’er beside him tightly locked his lips, not wanting to ask much what really happened until the nonanya was angry like that.

Ever since getting off the train, his nonanya has not spoken a word with himself nor with his master. Tan’er guessed something must have happened between the two. Inwardly, Tan’er asked when these two masters could live a better life and get along like a husband and wife in general.

The large and beautiful gazebo is now filled with people. The small table in the center looked like the center of attention because on it, there was a sketch of the dying man's face and a map. Tang Yin started the conversation by notifying the results of her investigation these few days.

He said that the person in the sketch had worked as a servant of Yilan's palace, the residence of the late Consort Rui— Lin Zian's foster mother. The servant worked for over ten years and came out of the palace three years ago. Now, the palace was occupied by Concubine He, a third-rate concubine who entered the harem palace one year ago.

From Concubine Rui's death case records, Tang Yin obtained information that the person had met Consort Duan a few days after Consort Rui's death. It was not explained the reason why the maid met Concubine Duan.

Tang Yin also explained that the man in the sketch was previously Consort Rui's confidant. Lin Zian should have known him since he had lived by Consort Rui's side since infancy. When asked, Lin Zian shook his head. He did not know at all because he never had a good relationship with the servants.

“Wangye, yesterday you said you found another clue from this man, can you tell me what clue you found?” ask Tang Yin.

“Not me, but wangfei. You can ask him,” replied Lin Zian. At the end of his sentence, there was a hint of doubt as he knew Shen Yanzhia and Tang Yin's relationship was not going as well as last time. He had no confidence whether Shen Yanzhia would answer him honestly if the detective asked him.

Tang Yin turned to look at Shen Yanzhia.

“Since wangye does not allow me to come with him, then I have nothing to say,” Shen Yanzhia replied firmly. His eyes were fixed on the flower garden he had made a few days ago. He didn't want to look into those shitty people's eyes. Today, Shen Yanzhia had already swallowed quite a great annoyance.

They were shocked to hear Shen Yanzhia's words being so firm and cold. The troublemaker's cheerful woman now felt like an untouchable phoenix. Lin Zian asked in his heart, has he been acting outrageously today?

“Wangfei, if I knew you'd be this angry, I wouldn't have let you know it in the first place.”

“Who's talking to you?”

“I did it for your own good."

“What's the difference? Even if I didn't die at the hands of the killer who was looking for the dying man, I would have died at the hands of Consort Duan.” Shen Yanzhia said without pause. A moment later, he realized what he had just said.

Shen Yanzhia ignored Tang Yin's question. With a hand signal, he then left with his servant. His face was still as sour and cold as before.

Not only angry that he was not allowed to join the search, Shen Yanzhia was also angry that Lin Zian kissed him for the third time without permission and stole his sweet. Shen Yanzhia felt being played with. Lin Zian may not like her, but she should have understood that Shen Yanzhia was still a stubborn girl with high curiosity.

Until nightfall, Shen Yanzhia's anger had not disappeared. Tan’er repeatedly knocked on her bedroom door while carrying food and water, but turned down rejection. The food he left in front of the door was completely untouched, indicating that Shen Yanzhia did not leave the room and was still locked away.

The candles are already on. The light is still flickering touched by the wind from the cracks of the wall. Shen Yanzhia sat down with a blank look. His clothes were the same as the one he had used this morning.

Then, he moved towards a small wooden chest carved with a beautiful and intricate dragon. Shen Yanzhia opened the box, then took out a jade hanger carved into a bone-white phoenix. Shen Yanzhia stared fixedly at the jade.

Something had pinched his heart. Curiosity began to creep back as soon as he remembered when he found this jade lying inside the same wooden box as he had secretly infiltrated the study room of his father, Prince Yun, a few years ago. Shen Yanzhia was captivated because the carvings and colors of this jade were so beautiful.

At first he thought this was just ordinary jade. He then realized that this jade was special, after which he took a closer look at the shape of his phoenix carving. This Phoenix, its shape was exactly the same as the jade belonging to the Queen Mother he had seen at a banquet. When he asked the Queen Mother, he only found out that the phoenix-carved jade was the jade given by the Emperor and the previous Crown Prince, who died together on the battlefield. Their deaths still leave a big question mark. There are only two jades, and not just anyone can have them. Only the Queen Mother and the Crown Prince's wife are entitled to have it.

Shen Yanzhia asked inwardly, what is the relationship of Prince Yun and the previous Crown Prince's wife? Shen Yanzhia felt that the relationship between the two was not just that of sisters-in-law. Could it be that the relationship was also much deeper with the Crown Prince? Although Prince Yun was only a minor prince and son of a concubine, he was quite dear to the previous Emperor and Crown Prince. The Queen Mother said that the three often hunted together. No wonder the Queen Mother was so kind to her father.

“Dad, actually how far are you going to hide it?” ask him to yourself. Shen Yanzhia did not realize that someone was sitting watching her.

“Wangfei, are you still angry?”

Hearing the voice of the man behind her, Shen Yanzhia suddenly hid the jade behind her body. He was surprised because Lin Zian had suddenly been in his room without him noticing. This man, must be walking like a ghost. Shen Yanzhia did not reply. He was still standing in front of the jade box.

“Alright, I'm sorry for kissing you without permission.”

Lin Zian said without regret. Shen Yanzhia did not see the sincerity in her eyes. This nosy man would not have easily apologized if not for being forced to. Seeing this man's efforts, Shen Yanzhia began to understand him. At the very least, hearing an insincere apology is better than nothing.

“As an indemnity for you, you can come with me.”

Shen Yanzhia's facial complexion changed the moment she heard it. Finally, he could go find the man. Shen Yanzhia did not merely want to help Lin Zian, but she wanted to help herself. He was sure, that person must have had a connection related to the death of Consort Rui.

It was possible that, if he could solve the mystery of Consort Rui's death, he would also get clues regarding the death of the previous Emperor and Crown Prince. He also hopes to discover the truth about the previous Crown Prince's wife's disappearance, as Shen Yanzhia hears that Consort Rui used to be very close to him.

“Although your apology is not sincere, I will accept it,” Shen Yanzhia said as she walked towards the bed.

He then laid down his body and covered it with a blanket, regardless of Lin Zian who was still sitting looking at him. Shen Yanzhia turned her body towards the wall until Lin Zian's gaze only hit her back. After a while, Shen Yanzhia heard the sound of footsteps coming out from her room.***