THE FLOWER PALACE'S SECRET

Chapter 51: The End of the Journey

Shen Yanzhia exhaled her tired breath. Her beautiful legs blisters and bleeds, painful but not as painful as her heart. His journey out of the capital during the night without an escort made his body slightly weakened. Shen Yanzhia had no idea where she was now. He only knew that the train he used was Consort Duan's delivery train assigned to take him away. Wherever the train takes itself, that's where it ends.

For three days and three nights, the horse-drawn carriage carried him across various foreign places. It crosses towns, villages, forests, bridges, and plantation areas. The coachman who controlled the speed of his carriage occasionally brought him to a stop at restaurants and inns. Fortunately, Shen Yanzhia did not need to spend a penny to finance her trip.

The horse-drawn carriage led him to a remote place of unknown name. When he arrived, the horse coachman who was by his side said that Shen Yanzhia should go down there. The coachman relayed a message from Consort Duan that Shen Yanzhia should walk straight north. If he came to a hill covered with tea and melons, Shen Yanzhia would have to walk up to the highest hill. That's where the final destination of the trip exhausts him.

Now, here, on a small hill filled with herbs and peach blossoms, Shen Yanzhia could breathe freely. The stuffy feeling during being in the car evaporated instantly as the fresh and clean air from this place touched his nose. Throughout the eye of the beholder, Shen Yanzhia was treated to a stunning view of nature around this small hill.

Shen Yanzhia saw a small temple at the northern end of the hill. The temple was seen shining in the afternoon sun. His small footsteps brought Shen Yanzhia walking towards the very simple little temple. The wooden stairs that became the main road to the altar of the temple looked so old but still powerfully stepped on. One by one, Shen Yanzhia climbed the steps until she reached the main terrace of the temple.

A nun who had just finished praying was shocked when Shen Yanzhia's footsteps echoed into the place of prayer. The female monk bowed to see a young woman coming with her belongings. Shen Yanzhia's conspicuous attire made the female monk think that this woman was no ordinary woman.

“Are you a monk in this temple?” asked Shen Yanzhia.

“True. Miss seems to have just arrived,” replied the female monk kindly.

“Yes, I just got to.”

The female monk allowed Shen Yanzhia to come with him to the inside of the temple. Shen Yanzhia stared in amazement at the old building complex that was on the inside of this simple temple. The architecture is similar to the palace architecture. The designer of this temple was definitely not an ordinary person. Shen Yanzhia was amazed as this temple turned out to be not as simple as it seemed to the eyes.

A woman older than the first monk she met appeared to be sitting cross-legged on her seat. The old woman's monk's eyes opened as his disciple came with a foreign woman whose clothes were very beautiful. He immediately got up from his seat to greet Shen Yanzhia.

“Welcome to Dongshan temple,” welcome the female monk while bending down.

“Ah, thank you.”

The female monk sat opposite Shen Yanzhia. The female monk that had delivered Shen Yanzhia had already gone to pick up tea and snacks.

“Can I ask, where are you from?” ask the female monk.

“I'm from Rouwu.”

“Nona is from the capital?”

Shen Yanzhia nodded.

“What is your purpose in coming here? Miss doesn't look like someone who would be a nun like us.”

“I did not come to be a nun. Someone brought me here.”

The slightly old lady monk nodded and smiled. A few days ago, he received an anonymous letter saying that his temple would be the arrival of a guest. The guest was a respectable woman who by looking into his eyes alone, his identity could be instantly known easily. The monk did not think that the contents of the letter were true. This woman before him was not just any woman, but rather someone who had inherited the holy blood of the Ling kingdom.

“Then, what does Miss want to be so that I can allow you to stay here?”

Shen Yanzhia was confused. She once said she was going to be a nun, but it was just a joke. He said it only to threaten Lin Zian. Shen Yanzhia did not really want to do so.

“I want to be like him only!” shen Yanzhia exclaimed as she pointed at a woman in the courtyard of this building. The woman was wearing the clothes of a servant. Her hair was black and rolled up. His age was in Consort Duan's age range.

“Really?” The female monk tried to make sure.

“Ya!”

“Nona is smart. Miss fared the same as that woman.”

“You mean?”

“I mean, you chose to be a servant who helped take care of this temple instead of being a nun like us.”

Shen Yanzhia nodded in understanding. His eyes sparkled brightly.

“What's your name?”

“Shen Yanzhia.”

“How can you know?”

“Your eyes shine. People who visited this temple once said that the girl from the residence of Prince Yun has eyes that shine like you.”

“So apparently. Can I meet that woman?”

“Please.”

Shen Yanzhia ran over to the woman in the courtyard. The woman who was watering the flower turned her head when Shen Yanzhia came. For a moment, the woman was stunned. His eyes looked empty. His facial expression looked a little surprised. The woman had just met a beautiful woman whose eyes were very bright and shining.

“Auntie, may I know your name?” asked Shen Yanzhia.

“Whose phone is this?”

“I'm Shen Yanzhia. From today, I will be your friend.”

“Shen Yanzhia? What a beautiful name. I'm Niang Yuan.”

“Aibi, your name is also beautiful.”

Two women from different generations who had just met then talked about their lives. Niang Yuan told me that eighteen years ago, she was a daughter of noble descent in Rouwu. She was the prima donna among men and academics, because among the educated women in Rouwu, Niang Yuan was the most superior.

However, when the chaos of the war and the Crown Prince and Emperor died, his entire family was destroyed. Most of his relatives were mysteriously killed. Niang Yuan who did not possess any martial ability could only rely on his legs to go as far as possible. Niang Yuan fled, passing through the forest, the river, the swamp, the village without carrying any possessions. Niang Yuan arrived at this place in the ninth month after the funeral of the Crown Prince and Emperor.

Fortunately, the female monk that Shen Yanzhia had met earlier accepted it. Niang Yuan also did not want to become a nun. That was the reason why he was currently a temple attendant. Niang Yuan survived by relying on the donations of temple visitors and occasionally going down the hill to sell the small plantation produce he cultivated along the road to the temple.

“Auntie, don't you miss Rouwu?”

“I have no reason or anyone else to miss there. Life here is not bad either. How about you?”

“The story I have isn't really as complicated as Aunt's. I may be much luckier,” replied Shen Yanzhia.

“Really?”

“Yes. I am also a daughter of noble descent. I'm already married. But, I made a mistake that was fatal enough to not have the face to meet my husband and family or show the face to the outside world. So, at night, I fled from my residence and suddenly arrived at this remote temple.”

Niang Yuan knew this woman was lying. The ability of his sharp eyes when judging people still functioned very well. Niang Yuan knew the story of Shen Yanzhia was not that simple. The woman seemed to be holding back the sadness and trying to smile at the same time. Niang Yuan could not force or ask any further. The story is also sad, the fate of this woman will also be the same as her.

“How should I call you?”

“Call me Mei’er. My real name is Xiao Jing Mei.”

“Xiao Jing May?”

Shen Yanzhia nodded.

“Why do you have two names?”

“Ah, Shen Yanzhia is the name given by a noble lady who loves me very much. That's my little name and my family name. Xiao Jing Mei is my official name. But, people know me better as Shen Yanzhia.”

Niang Yuan was slightly choked. The woman who had two names, based on her knowledge, was no ordinary noblewoman. Moreover, the Xiao clan that was used as an official name was a clan that could not be used just anyone. The price to pay for using the Xiao surname as an official name was family and wealth, except for people born with special status.

“You are from the royal family.”

Shen Yanzhia was shocked. His identity was so easily known in just a very short time. How could Niang Yuan have so easily recognized him?

“Auntie, can you keep this a secret from everyone?”

Niang Yuan nodded. So, that was the story of Shen Yanzhia. The intelligent Niang Yuan knew that Shen Yanzhia was sent here by someone he had once known while still a student at the Royal Academy. Niang Yuan knew the person who sent Shen Yanzhia here was a high-ranking person.

“From now on, you and I are friends,” Niang Yuan said as he linked the little promise.