Chapter 193: "The Premonition of the Rainbow Peony"
"Your Highness, the flowerpot only fell into the pond, I'm sure we can still salvage it. As for Miss Nangong and Miss Hong, I doubt their actions were intentional so please have mercy." Ling Yue just had to chime in at this moment like she's helping the girls. Then again, it's working because the dowager's nodding at her suggestion.
"As expected of the Lan House's upbringing standard. Compared to these two outrageous ones here, you supersede them by so many level."
She would plead for us? The Lan Ling Yue? There's not a chance in Hong Yu Ying and Nangong Qinglin's mind that this would happen.
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"However, death may be avoided but not the punishment. To avoid future mistakes like today and set a precedent, I suggest a lesson must be taught." This strike in the hole nearly caused the two begging on the floor to vomit blood for they just knew it!
"Yes, you are absolutely right Ling Yue. Thirty rods for Hong Yu Ying and fifty for Nangong Qinglin. Whoever dares to plead for them will face the same punishment. You all hear?!" At the old queen's command, the guards rushed in like a knife and dragged the crying girls out.
Very soon, the screaming cries for mercy filled the air of the Hundred Phoenix Wing. As for Hong Yu Long, his face was a total gloom like a thundering cloud.
Just like that, a perfectly good flower gazing party was now ruined.
Aside from Ling Yue and Feng Xue who was celebrating at the impending cancelation, everyone else had a horrible look that couldn't be missed.
"Someone come, have the pond searched from top to bottom. The dowager's peony must be found." To please the old queen and get back the favor, Consort Luo took the initiative to command the guards for the task.
Surprisingly, it didn't take all that long for someone to locate the flower from the water bed. Turns out the pot had landed on a shallow part where it managed to survive.
When brought before the dowager and everyone still present, the sight had left them all shockingly astonished. This was especially true for the old queen because she had thought the peony was done for, but instead, it's in full bloom with extraordinary results!
The common peony usually comes in two variations - deep red or whiteish pink. Not this one though. Through the nourishment of Ling Yue's rainbow creek, the peony had bloomed five wonderful buds of assorted colors. There's blue, green, red, white, and gold! For a minute there, even the gardenful of chrysanthemums were eclipsed by this one flower.
First off, let's not ask why this peony would be able to bloom in the late autumn, just the fact that it's able to bloom five different colors was literally inconceivable.
"Congratulations to your highness. The peony is not only revitalized, the buds also bloomed a rainbow. This is definitely an auspicious omen." Kneeling on the ground, Ling Yue acts like a seer and rambles on with her nonsense.
"Your Highness, Your Highness! Please hurry, something has happened in the Morning Flower Wing. They are saying the sixth prince... he..." Like wind and fire, Deputy Commander Chiyan suddenly intrudes upon them like he just made an arduous journey through the palace grounds.
"What happened to Hou Qi?" Like the blooming of the rainbow peony, the old queen's mood was also as fine before this barbaric man barged in and wrecked it all with that sentence. If not for the old granny beside her, it's likely the dowager would've lost her balance this second.
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It wasn't just the old queen that looked unwell, Consort Luo and the crown prince also looked tense on their faces.
"His Highness Prince Hou Qi has recovered! Congratulations to the Great Queen Mother!" Chiyan loudly proclaims this in front of everyone, making sure their ears can hear this nice and loud.
While Consort Luo loses her balance at the shock and fear of this announcement, the rest of the other noble ladies' present had a different perspective. As for Crown Prince Xia Hou Hong, his face was the strangest in the room. There's panic, and... rage?
"Hou Qi recovered? The rainbow peony must be a premonition. Thank the heavens. Someone quickly go inform the king while I go ahead." Every word of the old queen carried an obvious sense of excitement that can be felt by those nearby.
At their arrival at the Morning Flower Wing, the place was no longer the same declining residence from back then. In its place, the blooming flowers replaced the withering vines and a lively aura now filled the air.
"Greetings to Mother, may your life last a thousand years." The queen makes her greeting upon meeting the old queen.
"You may rise. Now then, hurry and show me to my Hou Qi. Is it true he's recovered?" The sudden recovery of the sixth prince has left the usually calm and collected old queen out of character, something not easily achieved when the woman had lived a life of political turmoil in the palace.
"Grandmother." Like a tinkling bell, a charming voice reaches out from the side building.
Within the entire palace of Da Xia, only Xia Hou Qi would have the nerve and privilege to greet the old queen by this manner.
They all say there's no family bond in the royal house, but the treatment here between the two was no different from a common grandchild calling out to their grandmother.
Slowly turning their gaze at the source, a young figure soon fell into their eyes. Extraordinarily handsome, this teenager was truly befitting of the once glorious reputation of the sixth prince in his younger years.
"Hou Qi, are you really my Hou Qi? Hurry and tell your grandmother... tell me how you recovered." Stepping forward to embrace his most favored grandson, genuine tears swelled out of the old grandmother's eye.
It's been so many years that even she herself had lost hope, then today this wonderful news falls from the heavens, how can she not be happy? In this moment, all the pain and sadness that has been incurred over the years were wiped away like it never happened.
"This is a long story Mother, but Princess Yue recommended us a remedy from the outside after we became acquainted a while back. Figuring it can't be bad, I had Hou Qi take the medicine. Sure enough, it had an effect and helped Hou Qi's condition. Then last night I got a dream. Inside it, a phoenix appeared from the sky and informed me the day when a rainbow peony blooms in this world is the day when Hou Qi fully recovers." Wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, the queen went over the orchestrated story she had planned with Ling Yue.
Ever since Xia Hou Qi became sane again, both Ling Yue and the queen had wanted to reintroduce the guy back into the public. And just as it so happens, this flower gazing party gave them the perfect opportunity.
A one of a kind rainbow peony, coupled with the false dream statement from the queen, this easily drew the dowager into their ploy since the granny was quite the superstition one to begin with.
"Congratulations to Queen Mother, and congratulations to the Queen. We must thank the divine for healing his highness." Consort Luo babbles on with her hypocritical words.
"Fourth brother, it's been a long time." Xia Hou Qi confronts the one responsible for his misfortune with a greeting. Though the bastard did a fine job of hiding his true emotions, Hou Qi didn't miss that glimmer of murderous intent.
"You've finally recovered brother, it's wonderful. We must get together again and have a fine chat like back then." Though unwilling, this conniving and repulsive crown prince can only play along with the mood and put on a kind smile like he's genuine about the recovery.
If Ling Yue didn't know better, she might have really been fooled by that smile there. Who could've guessed, such a man can have such a scheming heart even back when he was but a kid. It disgusts her!