Forgotten Legend of the Bloodied Flower

'Well, I guess it's fine.'

Not being able to talk about this matter to anyone was hard for her. Now that she had someone to talk to, even if it was that annoying brat, it was much better than having no one.

Empress Dowager Yan let out a weak smile and closed her eyes.

A drop of tears slowly fell from the corner of her eyes.

She's tired.

And meeting with Long Qian Xing helped to vent her feeling in this frustrating and harsh world. Because the two of them could converse about things she had long buried in her heart.

Even if it was only a little bit.

…

<Outside>

Long Qian Xing saw Nan Hua was waiting while looking at the yard. Her side profile could be seen very clearly, showing her defined appearance. His smile grew wider as he watched the young girl.

"Hua'er."

"Brother Long," Nan Hua replied. She turned to look at Long Qian Xing and then lowered her head slightly. "Are we going to the main palace?"

"Mhm, yeah." Long Qian Xing knew that Nan Hua would have to be present along with the other Nan Family members. However, he chose to bring her away in order to show to the others the stance of Empress Dowager Yan and his.

Well, it was more like he was asking for a favor.

But whatever.

With Nan Hua had the backing like this, it wouldn't be easy to drag her down the mud along with the rest of the Nan Family. In fact, the rumors that had been circulating would instead cause her to be alienated from the rest of the Nan Family.

And that would be for the best.

"Let's go."

"Mhm."

Long Qian Xing brushed the top of Nan Hua's head tenderly, feeling a bit ticklish from her hair. If only it was possible, he wanted to pat her head properly and ensure the young girl would never be wronged forever.

*ehem*

The two of them turned around and saw two people waiting for them. One of them was an old maid who had followed Empress Dowager Yan for a long time. The other one was a young lady who looked like a kid.

Nan Hua blinked her eyes.

"Mu Fei Jiu?"

Mu Fei Jiu covered her face with her hand, but her fingers were pulled apart. This would cause her action to cover her face to be rather useless. She still could see what the other party was doing very clearly.

In fact, her action made her look so hilarious and cute.

But one couldn't be angry when they saw her.

Because the impression she gave was that of a playful and naughty kid.

"Sister Hua," Mu Fei Jiu greeted back with a grin.

The old maid glared at Mu Fei Jiu.

Mu Fei Jiu quickly corrected her words, "I mean, Young Miss Nan. It's almost time for the Nan Family trial in the main hall. His Majesty requested that all of you come there."

"I understand... Mu Fei Jiu." Nan Hua noticed that Mu Fei Jiu was dressed as Empress Dowager Yan's handmaid. However, she also knew that it was impossible for Mu Fei Jiu to be Empress Dowager Yan's official handmaid based on her age.

Was it just a position for her to be able to enter the palace?

Things seemed to have progressed in the direction that Nan Hua truly didn't expect.

Long Qian Xing nodded.

The old maid looked at each of them before sighing. "Miss Mu, please send them to the main hall."

"Yes, Sister Ji."

Afterward, the old maid left while Mu Fei Jiu led the other two to the main hall. Mu Fei Jiu grinned when there was no one else around them and turned around, looking towards the two of them with glistening eyes.

"Sister Hua, I'm now a messenger in the palace. I can come here if I have something important to say as Empress Dowager Yan's handmaiden, then Her Highness will deliver the message to me. Today, I came here because I heard that Sister Hua will come."

In other words: she abused her position.

Long Qian Xing looked at Mu Fei Jiu and nodded calmly. He knew that Nan Hua and Mu Fei Jiu knew each other and were rather close despite their age difference. It was also because of this that he didn't have any objection to the two of them looking at each other.

It was just… did she have to interrupt his time with Nan Hua?

He wanted to stay with her without having to hear her chatter, alright?

"I see. Fei Jiu is amazing." Nan Hua nodded.

Mu Fei Jiu beamed even happier when she heard Nan Hua's praise. In her opinion, the highest praise she could get must be from Nan Hua. The second will be from her father and sister. Any other people… were secondary or third or fourth, or even less.

"The main hall is in this direction. It'll not do me any good to leave this area, so I'll let you walk on your own, Sister Hua."

"Okay."

Long Qian Xing, who was being ignored: "…."

He had the feeling that almost everyone ignored him when he was with Nan Hua. First his grandmother and now Nan Hua's close friend. Did he have zero sense of existence in their eyes?

While Long Qian Xing silently doubt himself, he still didn't forget his initial goal to accompany Nan Hua. He would never allow those officials to say anything bad to his girl no matter what.

"Hua'er."

"Yes, Brother Long?"

"Do you bring a veil?" Long Qian Xing just recalled that she didn't wear a veil because Nan Hua was only visiting Empress Dowager Yan. Now that they were going to the main hall… there was no way he would let her come any close without wearing a veil.

Nan Hua nodded faintly and took out the veil that she had brought with her. She wore it calmly as she had already expected that she would have to wear one.

Seeing how obedient Nan Hua was, Long Qian Xing nodded in satisfaction.

In fact, the trial had already started, but the people there had tacitly agreed to ignore the fact that Nan Hua and Nan Luo were not there.

Why?

Obviously, it was because Emperor Yang Zhou himself told them to start.

Since the Emperor had decreed, who were they to go against his words?

The two of them walked towards the main hall and saw the man guarding the gate, Chi Song Lian. The man glanced at Long Qian Xing as his frown furrowed even deeper to form a crease on his forehead.

"Young Commander Long," Chi Song Lian greeted the other party. No matter how much he disliked Long Qian Xing, he knew that it wouldn't do him any good to show his dislike upfront in front of so many Imperial Guards.

"Young Commander Chi," Long Qian Xing greeted back, his face smiling 'kindly' without any mirth in his eyes.

"I didn't expect to see you here with your fiancée." Chi Song Lian glanced at Nan Hua, and his gaze lingered for a moment. He had repeatedly heard about Nan Hua, the first young miss of the Nan Family.

In many of those reports, it was said that Nan Hua had beauty far surpassing many other ladies. It was to the point that people lamented that Long Qian Xing had struck it gold. His fiancée was known as beautiful as a fairy.

But, of course, it was just their talk.

Now that Chi Song Lian saw Nan Hua closely, he felt that the young girl's skin was very fair. Her clear black obsidian eyes were staring without any hint of impurities. It caused one to have the impulse to care for her so that it would remain that way yet, at the same time, cause the eyes to stare at them in different ways.

Chi Song Lian frowned at his own thoughts and quickly averted his eyes.

Long Qian Xing's eyes deepened when he noticed Chi Song Lian's gaze. As a man, how could he not understand what kind of gaze Chi Song Lian had toward Nan Hua just now? They had only met, but Nan Hua had already attracted the other party?

It was true that Nan Hua was about to turn 14, but she was still essentially a kid.

Her charm had only started to bud, but she had attracted another man's attention?

What would happen when she truly grew up?

Long Qian Xing felt he wanted to lock his little girl and watch her grow up without the eyes of these predators around her.

"I don't think it's a must for me to report my whereabouts to you, Young Commander Chi." Long Qian Xing's tone was as cold as ice.

Chi Song Lian looked at Long Qian Xing. His gaze held unreadable meaning. "My apologies. I didn't mean to offend you, Young Commander Long. I was simply inquiring because the Imperial Guards are wondering about your whereabouts."

The Imperial Guards: "…"