THE FLOWER PALACE'S SECRET

Chapter 57: The Unexpected Meeting

Niang Yuan accompanied Shen Yanzhia the entire night. The woman felt very devastated because the woman who made her a precious person lay helplessly in a coma. Every breath that came out of Shen Yanzhia's nose felt like thousands of needles piercing through her skin.

The next day, when Mo Ran had yet to open Pavilun Lingxiang, Niang Yuan was already on standby. The woman cleaned herself up early in the morning, then helped clear Shen Yanzhia's still weak body. He also personally changed the bandage that wrapped the wound of the Prince Yun's daughter.

The door was knocked from the outside. Niang Yuan hurriedly changed into Shen Yanzhia's clothes. So, not long after that, the woman who was lying weak already looked fresher than yesterday. Niang Yuan then allowed people from outside to enter.

"Zhi'er, what happened to you?"

That voice made Niang Yuan petrified. He turned his body. His face instantly changed, shocked as well as delighted without any comparison. It seemed, the person who had just asked already made Niang Yuan remember something he had long forgotten in the past eighteen years.

"Pa... Fourth Uncle?"

The person who had just come was Prince Yun. After Zhi Hao'er and Ru Xiaolan explained something to him last night, Prince Yun could not close his eyes for a second. He kept thinking of his injured daughter after returning to the capital. Prince Yun knew that Consort Duan had sent Shen Yanzhia outside Rouwu secretly and forbade Lin Zian to tell him.

Thus, just as the sun was about to rise, he hurriedly came to Pavilun Lingxiang to see the condition of his daughter. Prince Yun was very surprised when he saw a woman at his daughter's side. That woman, was the woman who for eighteen years lived in hiding and her identity was annihilated.

"Yuannian? Is this really you?"

"Uncle Four!"

Niang Yuan scattered himself into the arms of Prince Yun. It had been eighteen years since his last meeting with Prince Yun. It feels like a dream. Niang Yuan did not expect that he would be reunited with Prince Yun, the person who had helped him escape Rouwu when it happened eighteen years ago.

Niang Yuan, Han Yuanniang was declared dead eighteen years ago. The late Crown Prince Xiao Yanzhi's wife actually fled the capital when she learned her husband and father-in-law had died in the war. Niang Yuan fled because he knew, if he remained in the capital, someone would attempt to eliminate him.

That night, he came out of the palace secretly on the advice of the Queen Mother. Niang Yuan, who was pregnant, left in a secret horse carriage. The Queen Mother also gave her a secret warrant, stating that if she met Prince Yun, then Prince Yun would have to help her at any cost.

Incidentally, while on the middle of the forest road, he met the entourage of Prince Yun who had just returned from the border. Niang Yuan who was currently pregnant suddenly felt a pain in his stomach. The servants who had come with Prince Yun immediately helped him. In a state of darkness and urgency, she gave birth to her baby in the middle of the forest unattended.

The moment the baby was born, Niang Yuan directly handed it over to Prince Yun while showing the warrant from the Queen Mother. He knew that he would never be able to return to this capital. Niang Yuan then asked Prince Yun to care for and hide the identity of his newborn baby, so that those with a bad heart could not go after him. Niang Yuan also asked Prince Yun to fake his death. To show evidence, he asked one of the servants to exchange clothes with him. The servant then committed suicide to hide the truth while helping Han Yuanniang.

As a token of his love if one day Niang Yuan wanted to find him, he gave Crown Prince Xiao Yanzhi the phoenix jade hanger to Prince Yun. From then on, was born a Shen Yanzhia, a royal princess whom the Queen Mother loved dearly, because the noble lady knew that the baby Prince Yun had brought was his biological grandson, and that she was his grandson, daughter of Xiao Yanzhi and Han Yuanniang. Prince Yun deliberately gave the Shen family identity so that people would not be suspicious.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" Prince Yun released his embrace.

"Uncle, you're so old. Is my daughter making things difficult for you?"

"No. She's a nice, smart girl."

Niang Yuan shed tears. Ever since Shen Yanzhia had come to Dongshan Temple, Niang Yuan had already begun to feel an unknown attachment. He was only convinced after Shen Yanzhia told his story, and also displayed the phoenix jade hanger that Niang Yuan was very familiar with. The woman purposely hid it for the good of Shen Yanzhia.

Until that day, Shen Yanzhia asked him to come back to the capital. His heart was indecisive, yet looking at the child's face, Niang Yuan could not resist. He can't separate from her anymore. Niang Yuan could no longer endure the yearning that had been for eighteen years pent up.

"How did you meet him?" ask Prince Yun.

"Consort Duan sent it to me. Uncle, I really don't know what that woman wants."

"If he doesn't want you, he won't let Zhi'er meet his birth mother. Consort Duan was the Prime Minister's eldest daughter. Why would he help his enemies?"

"That's what I don't know the answer to."

Mo Ran who was standing in front of the door reflexively dropped the basin of water he was carrying. The sound of the falling object distracted Niang Yuan and Prince Yun. The two turned their heads and found Mo Ran being fixated with a look of disbelief.

"Ja... So, Shen Yanzhia isn't Prince Yun's real daughter?"

Not long after Mo Ran said that, Ru Xiaolan and Zhi Hao'er appeared together. They also put on a face of disbelief. The two people had probably already heard the conversation of Niang Yuan and Prince Yun.

Prince Yun then explained all the details of the incident eighteen years ago to the three people. She also explained the reason the Queen Mother ordered Niang Yuan out of the palace was because she wanted to save Niang Yuan and the baby. The Queen Mother's sharp vision told her that someone would come to eliminate Han Yuanniang and the child she contained.

"Your father also knew this. He helped me hide Yuanniang."

"My dad?"

Prince Yun nodded.

"But, why would they want to eliminate the Crown Princess?"

"Because I know their secret. It was Xiao Yanzhi and I who gathered the evidence of their crimes" Niang Yuan replied.

"Where is the evidence now?"

"I'm sure Zhi'er and Prince Qin have already found it" Niang Yuan added.

Niang Yuan's memories returned eighteen years ago. That night, when Xiao Yanzhi and the Emperor set out for the battlefield, Niang Yuan handed the keys of the basement of Ruo Shui Palace to the Empress Mother. From the beginning, she had already felt that the departure of her husband and in-laws to the battlefield this time would not go smoothly. If something bad happened, then Niang Yuan would have died along with those two people. Let the evidence of the crimes of the ministers that he had gathered together with Xiao Yanzhi be kept until one day someone will reveal them.

Unexpectedly, Niang Yuan's bad premonition came true. One week after the departure of the Crown Prince and Emperor, he got word that both had been killed. At that time he immediately met the Queen Mother and asked for her opinion. That was the last night he was in the palace before being declared missing and dead.

"Aunt Niang, have you heard of Situ Ting Yue's name?" ask Mo Ran.

"That's Ting Yue?"

Mo Ran nodded.

"That's the name of the Prime Minister's adopted son."

It's unbelievable! Mo Ran, Zhi Hao'er, Ru Xiaolan, and Prince Yun looked at each other, not believing in the fact they had just obtained from Niang Yuan's mouth.

"He was the one who killed the late Crown Prince and the previous Emperor!" exclaim Mo Ran.

"What's? He killed Xiao Yanzhi and the Emperor?"

Niang Yuan's anger grew. He did not believe that the Prime Minister would go that far. He even had his adopted son to kill the Emperor and the Crown Prince! Truly an unforgivable crime!

"So, can we conclude that the Prime Minister is behind it all?" ask Mo Ran.

"Should we tell the Second Prince?" ask Zhi Hao'er.

"No. Prince Qin is in trouble facing Crown Prince Lin who is under the influence of the Prime Minister."

"Then what should we do?"

"Wait for Zhi'er to wake up, then we decide on the next step."

Ru Xiaolan suddenly exclaimed,

"Wait on! There's something I need to tell you!"

"What's up, Doctor Ru?"

"Miss... Miss is pregnant!"

Whether this was happy news, or disaster news, Niang Yuan and Prince Yun were sad for Shen Yanzhia.

...***...