As soon as Bai Lianhua came back from the lotus swamp hut, she rushed home hoping to think of a plan to face Bai Naxing. Even though her half-sister was almost as tall as the sky—as she was about to become the future empress, Bai Lianhua didn't care. She must find granny lotus and free her. But before Bai Lianhua's mind cleared of all the tightness in her chest, from the door of her residence, a woman—her neighbor, cried out in panic with wide eyes.“Lianhua! Lianhua! Quickly help your mother! She—she—” With the nervousness that was shouted out like that, it was clear Bai Lianhua's heart was getting restless. She saw that there were several people standing in front of the door of the house. Bai Lianhua pressed in. Her thoughts became increasingly chaotic when she walked to the edge of the room where her father was. As she ran, from the hallway came a woman's voice crying. She knew that voice very well.Suddenly, her heart pounded and her hands clenched into fists. When she reached the
The sound of a burning fire broke the silence of the night. Guo Fen suddenly didn't realize he had been crying. While beside him Rong Mei was silent as if she could feel again the sadness her teacher had felt. In front of him, Bai Lianhua's nearly half-a-century-old face did not change. Guo Fen felt that this woman was almost like the granny lotus in Guo Fen's imagination all along.It's the saddest thing to hear granny lotus doesn't get a happy ending.“Then now, where is granny lotus? Are you looking for her in that palace? Bai Naxing is so ruthless! Besides her daring to kill her own mother—although I'm actually a little happy about that part—she really is a cruel woman! What your father said was right, Bai Naxing has a terrible devil's heart,” exclaimed Guo Fen who suddenly understood the emotion that was evident in every story of Bai Lianhua.As a child who had just escaped from a band of bandits, it turned out that his life was not as bad as Bai Lianhua's. All this time he t
“Lianhua,” Yao Yupan called when the girl was staring at the black painting in her room. Bai Lianhua got up from the chair and turned to the doorway where her mother was standing."There's someone who wants to meet you."It must be Detective Han Wu, Bai Lianhua muttered. She didn't say anything and walked past her mother. But just as she was about to take a step, Yao Yupan grabbed her hand.With a worried look, the woman whispered softly, “You're not involved in any trouble, are you? That person seems to be from the palace.”Bai Lianhua's eyes swept across the terrace at the front of the residence. The figure of a large man with broad shoulders and slightly white hair standing back."Take it easy, Mother. I'm not causing any trouble.""You know that person?""Yes. I was the one who invited him here.”"What for?" Yao Yupan grew even more worried. “I know you've been angry with your half-sister, but… you have to listen to what your teacher says. Don't live with grudges."Bai Lianhua was
A few days after Bai Lianhua said her name was Hei Lianhua, she wanted her mother to also pretend to be her aunt. Bai Lianhua carefully tells the plan to uncover Bai Naxing's past through Detective Han Wu. Even though it was several days until the day Bai Naxing would marry the future emperor Li Ming Lao, people were too busy to think about where Bai Naxing had appeared from.No wonder the last time she was about to look for Bai Naxing at the Wine Shop and the Spring Maiden's name Bai Naxing, even her mother—Gao Renwei seemed to have forgotten. It must have been since the day the palace officials came to ask about the betrothal with Bai Naxing, everyone had shut their mouths and eyes. She didn't know how dirty it was, but the evidence that twelve-year-old Bai Naxing had been sold to a brothel couldn't just disappear.Unfortunately, recently, if there were people who spoke ill of the future emperor or empress, they would be immediately executed. Apart from being labeled as disrespec
For some reason, it always rained when Lan Qi cried. Amidst the darkness and cold air that blew throughout the wide palace hall, she could hear nothing but the crackling of the wooden pillars which were torn apart by the robbers' axes. Lan Qi had heard of those robbers. Even though she was only fifteen years old, living in the palace, and being the Princess of an Emperor, Lan Qi did not miss out on something dangerous to the people of the palace. One of them was the robber. They had all crashed Lan Qi's fifteenth birthday party, right on the eve of the turn of winter. The peach blossoms that fell, flew freely in the air. Flooded with rain and cold air that began to ambush the night. The vernacular-style windows and doors were open. Let the wind from outside into the hall. Tables were overturned, the edges cracked or a sword stuck in them. Dead people lay strewn in front of Lan Qi. While the little girl hid behind the big chair belonging to the Emperor—her father, she covered her mo
It felt like something was dripping on her eyelids. Caused Lan Qi to slowly open her eyes and she blinked briefly to regain consciousness. She was no longer in that burning hall. But in the middle of a forest filled with tall trees and dense leaves. Beneath her, Lan Qi felt a wet piece of cloth encircle her body with rain-stained soil. While Lan Qi looked around, the night was slightly brightened by the moon which seemed to be unobstructed by the thick rain-causing clouds. She found the blue bowman crouching in front of her, his back to Lan Qi. Not far away, all Lan Qi could see were trees and darkness. Lan Qi coughed and then cleared her throat subconsciously. Her throat was sore, the residual smoke from the fire had probably affected her a little. Then the blue bowman turned to look at her. For a few seconds, they stared. But the man said nothing. He looks like he's sharpening something. As soon as Lan Qi got up and walked over to him, he was chopping a branch of woo
That afternoon the forest on the hill was still too cold. Actually, yesterday's rain was enough of a sign that winter was coming. Before the tree branches were wet and filled with snow, a teenage girl enthusiastically collected tree trunks around the forest. Birds chirping to each other accompany the girl's busy life. She wore simple overalls of the only nicest clothes she had. With a thick robe given by one of her grandfather's friends, she walked through the forest while singing softly.The forest ground was slightly slippery with piles of fallen autumn leaves from last night's rain. The girl was already quite careful. She bent down, picking up thick, dry branches covered with mountains of dry, wet leaves. The wood is a little weathered, she needs time to dry it later. But when she turned around to take another step forward, between two large trees, accidentally, she seemed to step on something.Something that feels soft and hard at the same time. Cautiously, the girl turned her he
A day after Lan Qi regained consciousness from her fever and sore throat, she barely touched food and was able to swallow the small dumplings made by the girl who had taken care of her for the past two days. “Miss Jing, your dumplings taste delicious.”Jing Hua who was busy in front of the big stove with the fire she was constantly fanning to make it bigger turned her head and smiled. To Lan Qi, Jing Hua still looked young enough to be able to live alone. Even though Lan Qi had only slept and taken medicine since yesterday without swallowing any food—Jing Hua still boiled her soft raw vegetables and congee so Lan Qi could eat. On that one day, Lan Qi felt that Miss Jing's help was truly sincere. “You can eat as much as you want. I'm going to make another basket of dumplings today. Early tomorrow morning, I have to go down the mountain to go to the market.”Ever since Lan Qi realized that she was no longer in the palace, she slowly began to accept that the tragedy of two days ago was