Forgotten Legend of the Bloodied Flower

It didn't take long for Nan Hua to dress up.

Old Master Nan followed her to the palace, but he didn't come into Empress Dowager Yan's Residence and instead headed to the main hall. He was called by the Emperor because the next one to be settled would be the Nan Family.

It was already a great mercy of him to settle the Nan Family to be the last one.

And both Old Master Nan and Nan Hua knew very well that the reason why the Emperor allowed this was mostly because of Old Master Nan's contributions. If not because of him, it was estimated that the entire Nan Family would be destroyed.

"Grandfather," Nan Hua called softly.

"it'll be fine." Old Master Nan smiled reassuringly at his granddaughter. "Go and pay a visit to Her Highness. Don't make her wait for you."

Nan Hua looked at her grandfather and then nodded her head. "Okay, Grandfather."

"Good girl."

Guided by the maidservant, Nan Hua walked along the path. The road was decorated nicely, but the people who were guarding the area were all working in a strict manner. It seemed as if they were afraid that if they made even the slightest bit of mistake, they would be punished.

Empress Dowager Yan was not a soft person like what many people thought.

Nan Hua thought that there wouldn't be anyone here, but she saw Long Qian Xing standing in front of the building. Dressed in a black robe, he looked quite eye catching when compared to the bright color of the building behind him.

Nan Hua blinked and called out, "Brother Long."

Long Qian Xing smiled and walked towards Nan Hua, not waiting for her to arrive. "Hua'er, you're here."

"Mhm, Her Highness invited me to come." Nan Hua looked at Long Qian Xing for a moment. "Does Brother Long also come here to pay a visit to Her Highness?"

"Yes."

Long Qian Xing turned around and walked beside Nan Hua. He was the one who asked Emperor Yang Zhou to let the two of them meet, but he naturally had to be present when they met.

What a joke. There was no way he would let the two of them meet without him around. It would be too dangerous, in his opinion.

That woman…

It is not just a mere Empress Dowager who had no power and had been pulled down because of her affairs.

Long Qian Xing's eyes narrowed when he thought about Empress Dowager Yan. There was no way that he would allow his little fiancée met with her alone.

As they walked, Nan Hua could faintly sense the smell of blood. For the blood to be present even in Empress Dowager Yan's palace meant that there was some cleaning done here too. There would have a lot of people who were implicated because of their relationship or because of what they had done.

Long Qian Xing looked at the maidservant in front of them and nodded. The maidservant then led them inside.

"There has been some cleaning here, so if you want to come inside, you have to be accompanied by one of the elder maids," Long Qian Xing explained.

Nan Hua nodded.

She had guessed as much.

"Don't be afraid. Nothing will happen to you." Long Qian Xing's eyes narrowed.

Nan Hua glanced at Long Qian Xing but didn't answer. She was not afraid, not at all. These people from the palaces had no intention of persecuting her with the other Nan Family members. It was something she knew.

So Nan Hua had no reason to be afraid.

"Your Highness, Young Master Long and First Young Miss Nan had arrived."

"Let them in."

The walk didn't last long before they reached a beautifully decorated room. The thick scent of medicine made Nan Hua blink her eyes. She knew that Empress Dowager Yan had a weak body and had to drink a lot of medicine, but she didn't know it was this bad.

For her to be able to survive in this brutal palace showed just how strong her willpower is. An ordinary woman might have long given up in her condition.

Empress Dowager Yan was lying on her bed when the servants announced the two's arrival. She didn't even bother to stand up or prepare herself and allowed the two of them to come inside.

Long Qian Xing's eyes flashed before he cupped his fist, "Long Qian Xing, Young Master of the Long Family, greets Her Highness, Empress Dowager Yan."

"Nan Hua, First Young Miss of Nan Family, greets Her Highness, Empress Dowager Yan," Nan Hua curtsied and followed smoothly.

"There's no need to be so polite. Aijia didn't ask you two to come here just to watch you showcase your proficient etiquette." Empress Dowager Yan chuckled. She looked at the two youths in front of her and sighed faintly.

Her body was laid weakly on the bed, but her eyes were still filled with life and fighting spirit. It was as if she was still very strong and powerful, so she naturally had no worries about anything in her life.

Live for another day.

That seemed to have become her goal in her life.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Nan Hua looked at Empress Dowager Yan carefully. Empress Dowager Yan was still in her twenties, but her body didn't look like she was merely in that age.

She looked like a flower that had withered.

It was saddening, yet the light within Empress Dowager Yan was not one that would allow others to pity her.

It was still filled with fighting spirit.

"Aijia is tired, so Aijia can only greet you two while I'm on the bed." Empress Dowager Yan looked at the two of them and chuckled lightly. She had long accepted her condition, yet even with this broken body, she was still fighting fiercely with Empress Dowager Mei.

She's a powerful person who will not show her weakness normally.

It was only because her task was done that Empress Dowager Yan put down the strong front she had been put on all these times.

"Your Highness, Hua'er learn medicine. She might be able to notice something from your condition," Long Qian Xing said slowly.

Empress Dowager Yan arched her eyebrows and looked at Nan Hua in surprise. She didn't expect to meet with another young lady who spent her youth practicing medicine. "Aijia didn't expect that First Young Miss Nan is so talented. If you would like to check, I would allow you to."

As Empress Dowager Yan extended her hand, Nan Hua curtsied and said some polite words. She then stepped forward and felt Empress Dowager Yan's pulse. Her eyes narrowed when she sensed the condition within Empress Dowager Yan's body.

It's a mess.

A complete mess to be exact.

For Empress Dowager Yang to be able to live this long, it was already a miracle. The only reason why she was still alive was because she had a strong will to live.

Nan Hua had to admit that Empress Dowager Yan was truly a woman that was worthy of being admired and seated in this position.

Without her, it was estimated that the harem would be a complete mess.

She might look like she was just a weak woman now. But Nan Hua had seen when Empress Dowager Yan was in charge and at that time, she was shining brightly. Behind that strong front was a broken body that had to be dragged on.

It was truly a pity.

Empress Dowager Yan's illness was not something that could be handled by her.

"How is it, First Young Miss Nan?"

"Your Highness had a weak body. For Your Highness to be able to stay healthy must have been the Heaven's Will," Nan Hua said carefully.

Saying anything about death was taboo in this culture. Because of that, she had to be careful when she conveyed these words to Empress Dowager Yan.

Empress Dowager Yan didn't seem to be surprised. She knew her body well and naturally didn't think that it would be surprising for the doctors to say that it wouldn't be long for her to live.

"If Your Highness takes care of your body well, you will be able to stay alive for the next few years, Your Highness." Nan Hua looked at Empress Dowager Yan calmly.

Nan Hua's words caused everyone there to be stunned, including Empress Dowager Yan.

Looking at the girl's expression in front of her, Empress Dowager Yan didn't think that Nan Hua was trying to flatter her. Instead, there was some kind of confidence and certainty that her words were true.

Empress Dowager Yan smiled faintly. "You're an interesting girl, First Young Miss Nan."

"Thank you for your compliment, Your Highness."

"Living for the next few years, huh?" Empress Dowager Yan looked into the distance and sighed softly. It was also what she wanted, but she also had to admit that she felt tired because of living in this condition.

Having to please her previous husband, trying to make sure that her nephew would not try to kill her, and eventually, treading on a thin road consisted of danger on both sides. It was tiring and hard.

Empress Dowager Yan often looked back and the path she had treaded and wondered just how in the world she managed to walk it. It was so thorny and hard, but she kept her chin up and continued to walk.

Because only if she kept living will there be hope in the future.