THE FLOWER PALACE'S SECRET

Chapter 28: The Secret Room of Ruo Shui Palace

Eighteen years ago when the Ling mainland was still peaceful, the imperial palace was so crowded every day. Thousands of servants were busy walking here while carrying various kinds of items to be used. The smoke of firewood and the smell of cooking always billowed from the royal kitchen.

The eunuchs were busy helping to serve the clothes and needs of the princes, while the ladies were busy helping to prepare all the needs of the princesses, concubines, and court ladies. Every morning, all the inhabitants of the palace began to be busy preparing for the day. This huge and vast palace was never deserted.

Guanling Palace, the palace now occupied by the Queen Mother, was the residence palace of the previous Emperor. While still alive, the great and wise Emperor spent forty years of his life in this simple yet very beautiful palace. Every winter, Guanling Palace is the warmest and most comfortable place to rest.

It was here that the Queen Mother saw the former Crown Prince and her other sons growing up and playing. The palace is always open to any prince who wants to come and see their father. If night falls, moonlight can be freely enjoyed its beauty through the beautiful palace garden with flowers and hanging lanterns.

Ever since the previous Emperor died in battle and the people of the Ling mainland lost their leader and Crown Prince, the beauty of Guanling Palace seemed dim. The usually beautiful moonlight to be enjoyed turns into a terrifying ray of darkness, reminding the entire palace family that the owner of the beautiful place is gone.

No more crowds were heard every morning and evening, no more laughter from the princes and princesses and concubines could be heard. The death of the owner of this palace was heartbreaking, leaving a very deep mark for anyone who had ever set foot here. Even though the owner of this palace is gone, the memories created in this place will not just disappear.

For a queen who was left for dead by the king and his crown son at the same time, taking over the private residence of the late husband is the right action to slightly treat the pain in the heart. The Queen Mother who was in mourning immediately made Guanling Palace as her new residence, building and reviving the atmosphere and joy in that beautiful place without the slightest loss or change of her belongings. Now, Guanling Palace was not as quiet as it used to be when the previous Emperor died.

The Queen Mother stared at the front building of Guanling Palace from the front garden. The tall and large roof of the palace was bleached covered with snow. The grass-covered lands around it also bleached. The old woman clenched her hairy robe. Mi Shaoshi, her personal servant who had lived with her since she was still a big miss of the Han family to become a first lady like this was currently helping to break her.

“Shaoshi, how long do I live here?” ask her to Mi Shaoshi. While still helping him walk, the servant then replied hesitantly.

“Perhaps about forty years, Your Grace. I Remember when you first set foot into this palace as the empress of the late Emperor, you were seventeen years old.”

The Queen Mother stopped her steps. She recalls her youth when she was an empress. At that time, her husband was only twenty years old and his status was still that of a crown prince. She was crowned queen when her husband ascended the throne at the age of thirty and herself at the age of twenty-seven. She and the Emperor co-ruled the entire Ling land for twenty years until her husband died at the age of fifty.

“When my husband died, I've been living here for thirty years. Now, those times have passed. Count again, how long have I been here?”

Mi Shaoshi moved his fingers and started counting.

“If by the time the Emperor died you had already lived for thirty years here, then your lifespan back then was forty-seven years. Eighteen years have passed since the death of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Your Majesty, you've lived here for forty-eight years!”

“Am I not very old?”

Suri's mother laughed with her servant. Laughter is so light and makes anyone who hears it feel happy and happy. A eunuch then approached the two and informed them that Prince Qin and his wife had come to visit. After being invited, the two human figures he loved appeared from behind the magnificent and sparkling palace gates.

The Queen Mother then brought the couple to the back of Guanling Palace. After passing through a tall and large gate, they arrived in front of a magnificent building that was no less beautiful than Guanling Palace. For a moment things became quiet. Shen Yanzhia and Lin Zian were stunned at the beauty and splendor that was plastered before their eyes.

“Your Majesty, this?”

“True, Zhi’er. Come in.”

The building was Ruo Shui Palace, the palace of the Queen Mother's residence before she moved to Guanling Palace. It is located right in the backyard of Guanling Palace. It is one third of the size of Guanling Palace. The main building is almost the same as Guanling Palace, only the supporting pillars are made of wood coated with marble, not pure marble as in Guanling Palace.

The flowers that decorate the garden and bloom in spring or summer in this palace are much more numerous and more beautiful than in any other palace. Ever since the Queen Mother moved to Guanling Palace, Ruo Shui Palace was intentionally left empty and should not be occupied by anyone even if it was the Emperor's concubine. Despite being uninhabited, Ruo Shui Palace was still very well maintained.

“Where is Aunt Yan?” shen Yanzhia asked as they reached the front steps of the palace.

“I gave her a day off during winter,” replied the Queen Mother.

Shen Yanzhia recalled, Aunt Yan is the servant assigned to take care of this palace. His last meeting with the middle-aged maid was a few months ago, when he ran to meet the Queen Mother and inquired about her marriage decree with Lin Zian. Plum flowers that were asked at that time had not been brought to the residence and forgotten.

“Come.”

The inside of this palace was almost entirely covered in sparkling green jade. In every corner of the room there is a set of bright candles that are intact golden yellow. The walls of this palace are plastered with various paintings and poetry verses. Various gold and silver plated furniture neatly arranged. In the corner of the guest room, there was a golden queen oversized robe inscribed with gleaming white ruby beads.

Shen Yanzhia squinted her eyes to enjoy every beauty and luxury that was within this palace. The previous emperor was so kind and understanding that he gave a palace and its magnificent items to the Queen Mother. It seemed, the previous Emperor did indeed love the Queen Mother very much.

Shen Yanzhia's eyes turned to a painting of someone wearing a beautiful white robe. The body of the person in the painting was so sturdy and dashing, handsome-looking, and earthy. The man's right hand held a sharp sword with a brown tassel in its handle. The eyes of the person in the painting were so radiant that it was completely like the eyes of a living person. His partially rolled hair really makes anyone fascinated if in the real world.

For a moment, Shen Yanzhia was in silence. The surrounding sounds were no longer heard. His eyes were fixed on observing every part of the painting of that person. The handsome face in the painting, the sword in his right hand, his white robe, was as if carrying Shen Yanzhia to someone who was far from where she was standing at the moment.

Like a magic cast through the gaze of the eyes, Shen Yanzhia became so helpless. There was a pain that emerged from his deepest heart. The pain really felt like a sword prick in winter.

“Zhi’er, why are you crying?”

Shen Yanzhia was like being forcefully pulled out by someone. He looks. The Queen Mother and Lin Zian looked at her with questionable gazes. Why did he cry without knowing it? And that pain, why did it suddenly come and disappear just like that? What really happened to him?

“She... She's my son,” replied the Queen Mother in a quivering tone.

“He was the previous Crown Prince?” Lin Zian asked in surprise. The Queen Mother nodded. His eyes dimmed and hid the pain.

“Uncle is much more handsome than Emperor's father!”

“Zhi’er, have you forgotten him?” ask the Queen Mother.

“Have I met him?” Shen Yanzhia asked back.

“Of course not, my son. My son was dead when you were born.”

“Then why did His Majesty ask me?”

The Queen Mother sighed for a moment.

“I brought you here a few years ago. At that time you also saw the painting.”

Shen Yanzhia looked back at the painting. His brain was spinning around looking for fragments of memory a few years ago. The Queen Mother had indeed brought him to this place before. Merely, Shen Yanzhia did not pay much attention to every detail of this place.

“I have a bad opinion in recognizing someone's face,” Shen Yanzhia said slowly.

The Queen Mother forced herself to smile again. He then took Shen Yanzhia and Lin Zian to a study room which on his right and left were neatly lined bookshelves. On the back of the bookcase there is an eagle-shaped statue that is flapping its wings.

The Queen Mother shifted the eagle statue. He then shifted the bookshelves and cabinets that were next to the eagle statue. Lin Zian immediately helped the old woman. After sliding the shelves and cabinets, the Queen Mother then tore the painting stuck on the back wall of the former shelves and cabinets.

Shen Yanzhia and Lin Zian could see a small wooden door from behind the torn painting. Their hearts asked exactly what the old lady they respected so much would do. The Queen Mother then shifted the door wide open. Shen Yanzhia's eyes widened in disbelief.

A secret room! Shen Yanzhia and Lin Zian stepped foot into the room, following the Empress Dowager who had entered first. This room was filled with jewelry and furniture of gold and silver that was very beautiful and shiny.

“Use it to help evacuate villagers around the river before spring arrives,” Suri said.

Shen Yanzhia and Lin Zian halted their steps, staring at the Queen Mother and the several large chests in front of her. The Queen Mother's hand then moved to open the large chests. The dust that flew from the top of the lid of the crate occasionally made the Queen Mother sneeze.

“This is the legacy of the previous Emperor that I kept. No one knows about this. I purposely hid it because I know, many cunning rats are ready to steal it at any time for various boring reasons,” explained the Queen Mother after opening several large chests. The crates turned out to contain a large amount of gold and silver.

“Because I can't use my wealth, then use this. Don't let anyone know that I'm helping you.”

“But Your Majesty, this is very much and valuable. How could we dare to use it?” asked Lin Zian a little doubtfully.

“The value is much higher if it can be used to connect someone's breath,” said the Queen Mother firmly.

Lin Zian and Shen Yanzhia looked at each other. How could they dare to use it? This was a relic of the previous Emperor, and it was probably very valuable to the Queen Mother because the Emperor himself had given it away. Moreover, the number is very much.

“How do we move it?” shen Yanzhia asked after a while.

“Move tonight also at the turn of the palace guard clock. Ask your secret army to help move it.”

The Queen Mother then took a golden sign clip encrusted with a red ruby bead in the shape of a flower from one of the cabinets. The woman then gave it to Shen Yanzhia. He also took out a silver-handled dagger and gave it to Lin Zian.

“Please refer to as a gift. Both I got when I was pregnant with my son.”

After that, they came out of the room. The Queen Mother shifted back the cabinets and bookshelves until the situation returned as usual. Mi Shaosi came with a pot of tea and three small glasses. The Queen Mother then invited Shen Yanzhia and Lin Zian to sit in a room filled with paintings and wall hangings. The old woman looked exhausted.

When the Empress Dowager closed her eyes, Shen Yanzhia whispered to Lin Zian,

“I remember something.”

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