Forgotten Legend of the Bloodied Flower

It was as if she didn't have anything else that she could do.

Due to Nan Shu Cheng being busy, there were no dinner together for the past two times, so Nan Hua was living a leisure life.

Madam Qu still wanted to invite her friends over, but Nan Shu Cheng prohibited her from inviting anyone to the residence for the time being. There was a reshuffle of political power in which some people were demoted and some people were promoted.

They had to be careful for now.

Even though Madam Qu was annoyed, she knew that Nan Shu Cheng's position was very important. If he were to be demoted and then put in other cities, she would be crying to the Heaven yet couldn't do anything. She had to follow her husband to another city should that happen.

How could she possibly stay here when her husband was somewhere else?

That would be impossible.

Nan Hou Xiang was busy because of academy. He had started to attend class again and rarely spent his time at home aside from sleeping. The materials he had to study increased exponentially, making it impossible for him to play around if he still wanted to catch up with his friends.

On the other hand, Nan Xin was staying low with her mother. It seemed that they were watching a good show as Concubine Su had been getting Nan Shu Cheng's favor recently. It caused Madam Qu's mood to be all time low.

The other concubines also watched the show happily.

And that was how it was for the past few weeks.

But the peace didn't last long.

Nan Hua looked at the letter in front of her, wondering why there would be such a letter given to the supposedly unremarkable First Young Miss of Nan Family. She hadn't acted suspiciously at all and spent her time inside, yet trouble kept on coming in her direction.

How annoying.

"Miss, the letter comes from Imperial Family." Xiao Yun looked nervous.

"I know."

The letter was an invitation for a flower seeing banquet that Empress Dowager Mei would hold in a few days. It stated her name openly and even specifically said in the letter that Empress Dowager Mei would wait for her.

Nan Hua knew that Empress Dowager Mei didn't like her son and naturally that extended to Long Qian Xing, who was supporting him.

But did she had to target her?

"Will you go, Miss?" Chu Yue, one of the two maidservants who used to stay in Old Master Nan's Residence, asked.

"Can I reject?" Nan Hua asked back.

Chu Yue was silent.

The answer was a big no. It was a letter coming from the Imperial Family and rejecting them was the same as not giving any face to the Imperial Family. Who among them could stay alive with the brand of not giving an Imperial Family face?

They would be isolated.

And eventually killed.

Nan Hua played with the invitation then put it down. Since she couldn't reject it, all she could do was to prepare herself for the battle that would eventually come. No matter what they prepared for her, she would welcome them all.

That night, there was a commotion as Madam Qu came to Nan Hua's Quarter. From the way it looked like, she was very displeased because of something.

"Madam Qu," Nan Hua greeted. She looked at the other party and blinked her eyes. "Is there anything you need?"

"Since Empress Dowager Mei had invited all of us to Flower Seeing Banquet, it would be better for you to have some education in regards to this matter." Madam Qu looked at Nan Hua while suppressing her feelings. "We wouldn't want to see you embarrass yourself, would we."

Nan Hua looked at Madam Qu indifferently. "Madam Qu didn't have to worry. I'll not embarrass Nan Family."

"Do you really think I'll let you go without attending some education?" Madam Qu sneered.

Nan Hua looked back at Madam Qu and tilted her head. "In that case, I will personally write a letter to Her Highness that I couldn't go because Madam Qu refused to let me go."

Madam Qu's face paled. She knew that Empress Dowager Mei had personally asked her servant to send a letter straight to Nan Hua. This was also the reason why she didn't dare to force Nan Hua.

Feeling embarrassed and angry, Madam Qu flung her sleeve and strode outside. Her fuming figure could be seen from miles away.

Standing still on her place, Nan Hua really wondered why her mother could lose against such a simple and stupid person. Even though Madam Qu was trying her best to hide her intention and coated her words nicely, it wouldn't be able to cover up the dirtiness underneath.

Was there something she didn't know?

With the original Nan Hua's memory still in shambles, Nan Hua would have no hope of finding out the truth. Xiao Yun clearly knew as much as her because she didn't stay near Madam Nan if there was nothing important. Most of the older servants had died or kicked out long ago.

Finding them again would be hard.

'The information agency had been quite idle lately. This should give them some job to do.'

Cai Yun Shao, the head of the information agency, sneezed out of the blue. He looked outside the window while rubbing his nose, wondering whether his son was searching for him again.

He hoped that brat didn't get into a new trouble once more.

Madam Qu tried to protest to Nan Shu Cheng, but he didn't heed to her words. With no other choice, there was nothing that Madam Qu could do but to watch as Nan Hua stayed leisurely in her quarter to wait for the Flower Seeing Banquet by Empress Dowager Mei.

…

A few days pass by quickly.

"Miss, please look at the mirror." Mu Yan handed the bronze mirror to Nan Hua after she had finished dressing Nan Hua up. "Is there anything you would like to change, Miss?"