Xing was in deep thoughts as she went back from the temple not having any idea what those two powerful people - one G.o.d and one demon were discussing and the implications that it would bring in her life in the near future. How she had such powerful people by her side because of the same person who brought her all the troubles she is in too.Shengli was holding her hands as usual with the Emperor walking on the other side of him. Somehow that made Shengli realise he is currently surrounded by the two people who love him unconditionally and most dearly in this entire world. He knew how much Xing loves him always but he realised how much his brother loved him only when he saw him pus.h.i.+ng Xing when she stabbed him to break his spell thinking that she hurt him.
This little brother of his never s.h.i.+ed away in telling him how much he admired him even when he was a boy. He proved his point when he was willing to give up his throne to him - something one can never expect from a person of Imperial blood or anyone else too. Seriously! Who"d give up the chance to be the highest authority of the land, right?
When Shengli learned his brother fell for his Xing, he knew it is how it would go down.... Them standing against each other. He knew Xing was fated to be with Junjie and no one can break the shackles of fate... Of course Xing is the exception... But his brother surprised him by backing off...
Shengli thought maybe his brother was faking it until he saw that night how worried his brother was for him and as a reflex came to his aid by pus.h.i.+ng away the woman he"s supposed to be in love with by fate who he believed to be pregnant at that time. Unexpected moments like those would bring out the true feelings in people and his brother proved his heart. If it was someone else who pushed her, they"d have lost their hand by now... But his brother can be forgiven for a moment of lapse in judgment for almost hitting his woman.
My brother clearly loves me more!
So that"s why he had the guts to talk to his brother openly that day about her and he get to know clearly that his brother has no romantic feelings towards her. And that"s why he is willing to let her stay here for as long as it is needed for her to do whatever that she has to do. But he has to make sure it won"t be for too long and so he"ll be with s.h.i.+hong, working against him so to help them attain their goals as soon as possible.
Xing dragged Shengli in the wrong direction and Shengli knew where she is going might not be a good place to be. There were many rumours about the "Light Wind Courtyard" which was built for Empress Shu by the Tians.h.i.+ Emperor, explicitly for her with extraordinary brilliance in architecture. The first courtyard in the new Palace built by the Tians.h.i.+ Emperor and the only courtyard in the inner palace during his time. It was said a thousand workers worked for day and night for a month to build this place close to the temple as the Empress preferred, with expensive and exotic materials and a lot of gold. The Palace of Love built by the Warlord for his only woman!
So after the Tians.h.i.+ Emperor"s time, many consorts tried to take this lavish courtyard but were essentially driven off by "The Ghost of Empress Shu" or some other supernatural forces . At least that was the talk.
Shengli in his time in the inner palace wasn"t an avid believer of ghosts and anything supernatural but this courtyard gave him this eerie feeling that makes one"s scalp go numb out of fear. There will be camellias growing in the gardens all year long even though no one tends to it and people have talked about weird noises and occurances around this courtyard and this is one of the most mysterious places in the Inner Palace as people have been physically harmed trying to get inside this place.
And of course, she has to go in that direction!
"Xing! You are going in the wrong direction", Shengli tried to stop her. If she knows the Scarlet Tiger"s one true love"s courtyard is here, she"ll go nuts and he won"t be able to hear the end of it!
"Let"s take a diversion... I think I heard something from there", Xing pointed exactly at the direction of "Light Wind Courtyard".
Seriously! How come your sense of direction works for the unnecessary things, my sweet kitten! Shengli sighed.
" There is just an abandoned courtyard ahead. Let"s not go that way", the Emperor said the one thing you are not supposed to tell Xing when you want her not to do something.... "Let"s not". Because when you say let"s not, she"ll...
"Really? Let"s go! ", Xing grinned and pulled Shengli towards that direction.
That"s right... When you say "Let"s not", she"ll say "Lets". It is a basic rule with her. Haru knows it!
So with no other option, everyone went in the big gates of that courtyard and as expected it was filled with different colours of Camellia flowers white, red and pink. The entire place looked well-maintained as if there are servants a.s.signed to take care of this place. As per Shengli"s knowledge, only the garden was tended "mysteriously". The last time he came here, the residential building looked worn out as how a two century old building would. But who renovated the building now ? Shengli looked at the Emperor who was as surprised as he was.
And also where are the birds p.o.o.ping at you and the rats running at you? The last time Shengli was here he saw a bunch of pigeons trying to use his head as a bathroom and he barely escaped.... Wow! That was terrifying! But why is nothing supernatural happening now? Is it because we are with her? He looked at Xing.
"I know these flowers", Xing who didn"t know the place like those two did, felt a strong nostalgic feeling towards this flower and wondered why. She half kneeled in front of a white flower bearing shrub and grabbed a flower.
Where have I seen it before?
Shengli knew she doesn"t know much about flowers as much as she must and he was surprised by her reaction and she seemed to be in deep thought too.
" Yes, they are Camellias. Everyone knows them!", the Emperor answered. Half the embroidery women did will be of Camellias, right?
" Camellia... Is that the name..?", Xing hought deeply but she could not remember where she had seen these flowers before.
"The petals symbolises the spirit of the girl and the callyx symbolises the gentleman protecting her. The flower Proclaiming love and devotion... Undying love... When the petals fall, the callyx falls with it too... Unlike other flowers where the callyx sticks to the stem... A symbolism of one true love... The kind of love the Grey wolves have that makes them die along with their mates.... Camellia ", Xing elaborated holding the flower in her hands. She looked like her mind was elsewhere and as if she was speaking out unconsciously .
" Xing", Shengli placed his hands on her shoulder, "Where did you learn about this?", he tried to bring her back and it worked.
"Where?", she bit her lower lip that made her look a lot cuter, "Probably in one of those books Lady Zhong gave... Where else?", she shrugged and walked through the pathway towards the building.
"This place is haunted, Mingxia! Dont just walk in..! ", the Emperor warned her. Shengli knew those warnings will go over her head and just followed her.
Xing didn"t heed his warning... As expected of her... and kept on walking. There was a fake pond in the side that was extremely clean and even had lively Koi fish in there.
Are these people making fun of me, Xing thought, This is the most amazing place I"ve seen in here! How is it abandoned?
Xing stepped on the steps that lead to the entrance of the building that was made with the expensive mahogany and pushed open the door to look inside. The entire place looked dark as there was no light inside so she just went in and opened all the windows and doors and the curtains and took a good look at the place as the sun spilled inside the room filling it with its radiance making the place feel like it was glowing with all the gold fixed inside.
The entire place was s.p.a.cious with many exquisitely carved furnis.h.i.+ngs and beautiful jade and gold decorative vases and other expensive items set perfectly to her taste.
Xing was a simple person. When she sees gold, she automatically likes that place. Period.
"Give me this courtyard!", she interlocked her fingers pressing her palms together and asked the Emperor in a pleading tone.
"Xing! Not this place. There are other good places too", Shengli tried to change her mind. Is she having an internal bell that rings in her head for everything related to the Tians.h.i.+ Emperor?
" But I like this place. It has gold, It is secluded, does not have abnoxiously smelling flowers and this is already prepared! Did I say it has gold?", she pouted at Shengli.
" But that"s why... No one prepared this place... This place is abandoned for two centuries.. This is not supposed to be this... Well-maintained ", the Emperor explained her how this courtyard that belonged to Empress Shu is known as the haunted courtyard.
"It"s fine... No, this is perfect! I"m the Ghost of Empress Shu anyway. I"m meant for this place.", she had no intention of changing her mind.
Shengli and the Emperor tried to talk her out of her decision when Xing was sunken in her own deep thoughts...
If no one maintains this place, who did all this then? She clearly heard some noise over here and that"s why she came here, so is someone leading her here? Where they the one who prepared this place too? Why?
As Xing was thinking she suddenly remembered her Master Yuan, the mysterious person who appeares and disappears. Is this his doing too? If so why am I lead here? To the place of Empress Shu and Scarlet Tiger?
A weird thought popped in Xing"s mind all of a sudden, "What if Master Yuan is a descendent of Scarlet Tiger? Is that why he is maintaining his ancestor"s courtyard? That would explain a lot... His sword skills, The spells he uses, his Amber eyes and a lot of other things.. "
But Xing shook her head to put out those thoughts. Oh, Xing! Why do you connect everyone and everything to the Scarlet Tiger? The Scarlet Tiger didn"t have children and that"s why he had to split the kingdoms and then had to leave with nothing. Now focus!
"I"ll be staying here", she said with conviction when Bai Li entered the place,
"Hey la.s.s! Is this where you are going to stay? Nice choice... It"s perfect!", he had a complicated emotion in his face as he hid it with his perky smile.
The Emperor looked at Shengli who nodded in agreement and so it was decided that Xing would spend her time in the inner palace at the same courtyard that Empress Shu, the most loved Empress in the Empire"s history lived.