Chapter 48 - Flower Garden

The entrance to the palace divided by female and male entrance, if you from an influential family you can enter without the need to wait in line, and the entrance for Prince also different they're carriage doesn't need to stop at the front gate but they can ride their carriage into the inner Palace.

While inside the carriage Zhao Li Xin reprimand Lory firmly "While you inside the Palace never leaved my side even just for a second and if you have to wait for me, don't go anywhere stay put the shadow guards will protect you but you cannot lose your guard down, always bowed to everyone's don't talk if they are not talking to you, at matter a fact just avoid everyone and stay low key keep your head down, okay"

Lory never heard him talking this much at one single breath suddenly she felt she not enter a Royal Palace but a lair of beast, her heart beating faster she feel a bit worried but yet excited, she wondered what kinda place Imperial Royal palace is? whatever this is, this not somewhere you could call 'Home'.

"Understood" Lory nodded her head with a serious face as if she would go to the most dangerous dungeon she ever be.

"Good" Zhao Li Xin patted her head, he secretly feels a little bit anxious because of her with him. Normally he wouldn't care whatever happened in the palace worst come to worst he would just slaughter them one by one but when she's around he can't help feels worried a bit.

Lory got off first from the carriage, then Zhao Li Xin elegantly follows behind her. For his sixth prince persona, he wears white snow robes with red chrysanthemum embroidery on his sleeve, makes him look feminine and frail even as a man. He tied half his hair and wear a small white jade crown on his head to show his position. Zhao Li Xin has to play impeccable performance as a weak and frail prince through all the years he becomes used to it maybe that's why even when he not acting as a weak prince he always looks unenthusiastic and indifferent.

Because his famous for being heavily ill the palace the head of the eunuch already prepare palanquin for him the moment he gets off from his carriage, it's a long walk from the front to the royal Main hall not to mention Zhao Li Xin need to greeted his Mother Royal Concubine Ying first, Zhao Li Xin completely forgot about this the distance to his mother 'Refined Beauty' courtyard is quite far he immediately feel bad for his little savior.

Lory doesn't realize Zhao Li Xin conflicted feeling she's bussy admired the palace long stairs, as matter a fact she pitty the peoples who were carried the Palanquin while climbing the stairs and now she realizes it she becomes anxious, what if someone slipped and Zhao Li Xin falls from the palanquin, unconsciously both of them look each other at the same time with worried look plastered on their face but for different reasoned.

While they climbing the stairs both of them keep glancing at each other, Zhao Li Xin worried this long limbing would tire her off he scared she would faint and fall from the stairs if that happened she would broke a few bones this thought just make him more restless while Lory scared the palanquin would slip and zhao Li Xin would fall from the stairs she worry he would injure himself, if that happened what could she do? She had no power to heal him again.

Mong Yi and Mong ki who follow them from behind feels so confused, why their Lord and Miss Luo keep looking at each other anxiously, although they understand their Lord worries, they not understand why Miss Luo also worry about their Lord, is she forgot their Lord only acting to be weak, since their Lord had cured his poisoned these two servants had been relief from burden and very relaxed this past few years, there's not much too worried about their Lord, he is the strongest person in the country or perhaps in the whole continent.

When they reach the top of the stairs Lory and Zhao Li Xin sighed in relief. They walk past the long hall with a row of red pillar cover with intricately carved on the top of it, the servants would kneel on the floor when Zhao Li Xin palanquin passes in front of them while people who had better status would bow ninety degrees until the Palanquin left. This shows how much different the status between commoner and royalty, Lory eventually understands where is the royalty arrogant came from, this kinda absolution would feed anyone egomania to the fullest.

Just like her Father used to say from all the sin's in the world the one that they must careful is 'Pride' because it's doesn't feel like sin's because there's nothing wrong to feel pride of what you do and what have you accomplice. Lory never really understands what her Father mean but now she does.

"I want to rest here" Zhao Li Xin abruptly said.

The palanquin immediately stops, the carrier did not understand why the Prince suddenly wants to stop halfway.

"I'm too tired from the walk, let's rest here....." Zhao Li Xin said while covers his yawn with his fist.

Everyone looks at each other with baffled looks 'You not even walk, why the HECK you feel tire?'

everyone's said inwardly but no one dare said it out loud. It was Mong Ki who understand his Lord minds swiftly step up "Your highness is too tired because the long hours in carriage, let him rest first, send the message to Royal Consort Ying please announce her highness that his highness sixth Prince would be arrived later" Mong Ki bowed at the young eunuch who was following them from behind who was presence.

The young Eunuch did not dare to refuted he can only bow at Zhao Li Xin "This servant understands, please rest well Your Highness" the young eunuch left with the palanquin.

After they left Zhao Li Xin led Lory to the small pavilion in the garden, this is one of the garden inside the palace even though is winter the garden fill with plum blossom flower,chrysanthemum, and winter orchid the snow only enhance the color of the flower, the pavilion is connected by a small bridged and under the bridge there's a half-frozen koi pond with fish sculpture water fountain in the middle, the garden is so not too big but it's so beautiful and tranquil.

Her eyes are wandering around admiring the beauty around her, she was mesmerized by the scened who almost like the storybook she used to read when she was a kid.

"You like this garden?" Zhao Li Xin hands her ginger tea to warmed herself "You seem like the flower?"

"All women like flowers" she replied with certain "Even Winter this place full with colorful flower, I can't imagine how beautiful it would be in spring"

"If you like it so much, I would plant a lot of flower at Ninjing Manor" he said casually, this is simple matter for him she can order his gardener to rearrange the garden in his place and plant a lot of flower in one day, if she can fulfill her simple wish how could he ever repaid her kindness.

"The plum Blossom is beautiful, the chrysanthemum is exquisite, and the orchid is elegant and refined but you only plant that bluebell wildflower in your garden, your taste is questionable" Lory hold her chin with perplexed gazed while watching at him, sometime she really can't understand him.

"There's nothing wrong with that flower, it was beautiful and unique like no one has ever seen before..." he said with certain but why lory feels his words have a double meaning.

Her smile grew wider "Do you know that flower is bad luck, no one dares to get too close to it"

"Really" Zhao Li Xin suddenly intrigue "Why?"

Lory cupped her cheek with both her hands, she gazes outside with distant look in her eyes "Because it's fairy belove flower, the fairy would cast a cursed to anyone who dare to harm the flower, but other people also said if you hear the sound of little bell from the Bellflower it's mean someone you love is dying" she retract her gaze, then she looked at him warmly.

"It quite mystical flower don't you think?"

"It is…..they also said the witches used the flower to concocted spell, some people called the flower as a witch flower"

"Mysterious and beautiful....more reasoned for this Lord to keep it" Zhao Li Xin smile while looking at her with a meaningful gaze. For Zhao Li Xin the flower was represented of her, every time he looks at the flower he would remember that day when he found her among the blue flower.

Her mysterious aura and her tender gaze captivating him. After that day his obsession to her is intensified, it was the first time he learned to care for someone, he wanted to get closed to her it also the very first time he learns how it felt to missed someone. After they lived together he even experiences a different kinda feeling, the feeling he can not explain.

He had been lived for twenty-five years and he never felt this alive and all because of her, so how could he ever replace her with others flower that is impossible.

When they were talking Zhao Li Xin suddenly frowned with distinctive irked on his face, Lory follow his gazes and sees woman with white hanfu approach them, Lory hastily stand up she knew it's not appropriated in this world for servant sit's with their Master, but Zhao Li Xin holds her arms, he doesn't want Lory degrading herself in front other people and after all this all façade would be end.

Lory doesn't know what to do so can only sit beside him, the women with white hanfu squinted her eyes when she saw lory sits next to Zhao Li Xin, her eyes contain with curiousity and irritated but only for a second before her face back to her calmed and icy demeanor.

"Lao Min Na greeting sixth prince" she bows respectfully.