Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Puzzled by fallen flowers surrounding me

In the first month, I was surprised to see the blossoms bloom, 

and suddenly, the New Year welcomed the flying snow; 

the fallen flowers only laughed at the late spring colors, 

yet the affectionate ones were annoyed by the indifferent ones. 

— Spring Snow Tune

Clearly, it was already late winter and early spring, but suddenly, snow began to fall in the imperial city of 

Lianjing in the Canghuan Kingdom. The delicate snowflakes, though not very large, danced in the air. In early 

spring, some flowers in this place had already bloomed, their bare branches lightly covered by the white snow, 

creating a unique and beautiful scene.

In the study, warmth enveloped the room. 

The window was half-open, and Feng Lan stood silently, his eyes filled with stillness as he gazed at the falling 

snowflakes. Occasionally, a gust of cold wind would blow in, carrying fine snowflakes that hit his face, feeling 

both refreshing and somewhat bone-chilling.

On the other side of the desk, Si Cang Qing leaned back in his soft chair, listening to Qiu Ping Tian's report while 

occasionally flipping through the ministers' memorials. 

"The people recruited by the commercial regulations last year, after observing them for the past few months, truly 

have their own talents," Qiu Ping Tian said. "With another year or two of preparation, we can fully implement 

the measures to promote commerce." 

"Mm," Si Cang Qing merely responded. Since it was entrusted to Qiu Ping Tian for management, he believed that 

with the latter's business acumen and natural talent, everything would be arranged properly. 

Si Cang Qing casually flipped open another piece of paper and frowned slightly.

"Your Highness, do you have something on your mind?" Qiu Ping Tian asked. He did not miss the fleeting 

displeasure or impatience on Si Cang Qing's face. Casually, he shifted his gaze to Feng Lan, who was standing 

quietly by the window, seemingly admiring the rare spring snow.

Si Cang Qing did not answer, but simply put down the memorial, lightly pressed his thin lips, and lowered his 

eyes in thought.

"Could it be because the ministers have repeatedly petitioned to appoint a Crown Princess over the past six 

months?" Qiu Ping Tian probed, with a hint of concern. His peripheral vision caught the figure standing by the 

window, who suddenly trembled, their back tense.

Si Cang Qing raised his eyes, his gaze coldly fixed on Qi Ping Tian.

A sudden chill rose in his heart, but Qiu Ping Tian's expression remained as usual. "Your Highness, please don't 

be angry, I mean no harm," he said with a gentle smile. "Before coming here, I heard that the Hundred Flowers 

Banquet was originally requested by the old ministers in the court to the Emperor, and the real purpose was to 

select a consort for Your Highness..."

The Hundred Flowers Banquet? Si Cang Qing pondered, no wonder the Emperor suddenly decided to hold some 

kind of flower-viewing banquet on the Lantern Festival, supposedly to celebrate the success of the new policies. 

He invited all the officials and their families to come and admire the blooming flowers in the imperial garden, 

and even asked him to host the banquet.

It turns out... 

The displeasure in his heart became increasingly evident, and Si Cang Qing called out, "Lan..."

With a slight tremor, Feng Lan casually closed the window, his expression unchanged, and approached Si Cang 

Qing's side. "What are your orders, Master?" 

"Why did you hide the matter of the Hundred Flowers Banquet from me?"

With a slightly cold look in his eyes, Si Cang Qing stared at Feng Lan. As the commander-in-chief of the Eastern 

Palace, how could Feng Lan not know the truth about the Hundred Flowers Banquet?

Feng Lan slowly lowered his eyes, not uttering a word. 

"Speak!" 

The familiar yet cold voice made Feng Lan tremble slightly, almost imperceptibly. His eyelids half-closed, hiding 

the tangled, complex emotions and sorrow. Faced with Si Cang Qing's question, Feng Lan, besides remaining 

silent, didn't know how to respond. In fact, how could he respond!

With his mind in a mess, Feng Lan recalled Kui’s words again…

Two days ago.

Kui suddenly approached him, staring at him with a complex gaze for a long time. At that moment, Feng Lan 

vaguely knew what the other party was going to say.

"Feng Lan," Kui spoke slowly after a while, "During the Lantern Festival, the palace will hold a banquet for 

selecting concubines for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I hope you can make sure His Royal Highness 

attends."

Suddenly, his heart felt like it was being tightly grasped. Feng Lan struggled to maintain an indifferent expression, 

pretending not to understand, "The subordinate has no right to restrain the master's actions."

Looking at Feng Lan with understanding, Kui said, "The Emperor knows that His Highness is tired of the idea of 

selecting a consort, so now he can only resort to this desperate measure, using the Hundred Flowers Banquet as 

an opportunity for His Highness to interact with the noble ladies of the capital. As the head of His Highness's 

shadow guards and the leader of the Eastern Palace, you only need to conceal the true purpose of the Hundred 

Flowers Banquet from His Highness."

Unwilling to show even a hint of weakness in front of others, Feng Lan merely said coldly, "Feng Lan is the 

master's personal shadow guard and will not conceal anything from the master."

Upon hearing this, Kui's eyes instantly turned cold. "Feng Lan, as a shadow guard, you have already violated the 

orders. I considered you a rare and excellent shadow guard and did not wish to pursue this matter further. Now, 

do not make me reconsider!"

The words were unclear, but they all knew what the "forbidden order" meant. Shadow guards could not have 

feelings, especially not for the master they served, and now…

Feng Lan was also unafraid, calmly looking back at Kui, "Feng Lan will only serve the master in this life and 

will never do anything against the master's will."

"Loyalty to His Highness?" Kui snorted coldly, "Or is it for your own selfish reasons?"

As soon as these words came out, Feng Lan's face turned pale.

Kui continued, "Today, I came to talk to you about this. Do you think it was my own idea?"

"Kui..." Feng Lan couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. The implication of the other party's words was all too 

clear—Kui and An were both the emperor's personal shadow guards. Kui was essentially delivering the supreme 

monarch's warning to him! How could his relationship with Si Cang Qing possibly escape the emperor's notice? 

However, Si Cang Qing was the crown prince; the emperor couldn't possibly do anything to him. But he was 

different; he was just a mere shadow guard…

A hint of reluctance flashed in his eyes, and Kui sighed inwardly. After all, this person before him was someone 

he had raised himself. However…

"Today, I will directly convey the Emperor's intentions to you. After all, you are the shadow guard leader whom 

His Highness trusts. The Emperor will not treat you harshly; however, if you continue to be stubborn and 

unrepentant, the Emperor might find it difficult to tolerate you any longer. I have said all I need to say. You should 

take care of yourself!"

◇Cang Huan◇Seven Palaces◇

In the study, a suffocating silence spread. Si Cang Qing coldly stared at Feng Lan, who was bowing his head in 

silence. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "What did Kui say to you?"

Si Cang Qing was clever; he quickly guessed that someone must have given Feng Lan an order. He also knew 

about the day Feng Lan met Kui, and now it seemed that there was something suspicious about it.

"I-I didn't say anything..." Feng Lan raised his head in a bit of a panic, hurriedly denying it. 

The sorrow in this person's eyes, unable to be concealed in time, struck straight into his heart. Si Cang Qing was 

slightly taken aback for a moment, but his expression soon softened. Ignoring the presence of others in the room, 

he reached out and pulled Feng Lan into his embrace.

"Master..." Unlike usual obedience, Feng Lan tried to resist in panic, but was held tightly in Si Cang Qing's arms, 

unable to move.

He stared blankly at the familiar cold and stern face before him. Feng Lan’s eyes became hazy. He could hardly 

contain the surging sadness in her heart and the sudden pang of bitterness that arose. The emotion known as 

grievance had to be forcibly suppressed. He is a shadow guard, having long lost the right to possess such 

emotions! Now, Kui's warning still echoes in his ears; how dare he hope for anything more? He would rather 

accompany his master like a shadow from now on than risk never seeing him again!

"Lan," Si Cang Qing did not pursue the matter further, his voice light, "This will not happen again." He added, 

"I have said before, your only master is me; you need not concern yourself with anyone else."

Feeling the gentle fingertips caressing his brow and eyes, Feng Lan tightly closed his eyes, afraid to open them, 

fearing that a single gaze would turn the unbearable moisture into tears that would fall; biting his lower lip tightly, 

he also dared not speak, fearing that a single response would turn the overwhelming bitterness into a sob that 

would escape.

He only heard that cold voice echoing in his ears, "I will attend the Hundred Flowers Banquet tomorrow." 

In his heart, what was churning—joy or sorrow?

On this side, Qiu Ping Tian, who had been completely ignored and treated like a wallflower, silently watched the 

interaction between the two in front of him, with a strange light flickering in his eyes. When he saw Si Cang Qing 

reach out and stroke Fenglan, he finally cleared his throat, breaking the tension, and said, "Your Highness, I will 

take my leave now."

Si Cang Qing didn't even look up at him, but just waved his hand. A hint of amusement flashed across Qiu Ping 

Tian's eyes, and then he left quietly, closing the door carefully.

Outside, the weather is freezing; inside, it is warm and comforting.

At the Hundred Flowers Banquet, from the emperor down to the officials, everyone was constantly casting 

glances, cautiously observing Si Cang Qing, trying to glean something from his expression, but it was all in vain.

"Rong Ting from the Northwestern General's Office, I have seen the Emperor, and I have seen His Highness the 

Crown Prince." A graceful figure walked lightly to the center of the banquet, bowed slightly, and with a modest 

smile at the corner of her mouth, said, "This humble girl dares to present a song to the Emperor and His Highness 

today."

"Oh?" The emperor, intrigued, observed Si Cang Qing's reaction from the corner of his eye and said, "Zhèn 

(the pronoun ‘I’ for emperors) has heard that the granddaughter of the old general is the most talented woman in 

the capital. Today, zhèn is fortunate to witness her for myself."

The lingering sound of the zither filled the great hall. Undeniably, Rong Ting played exceptionally well, but Si 

Cang Qing showed no signs of emotional fluctuation from beginning to end.

After Rong Ting took the lead, the ladies in the capital city stopped being shy and performed their prepared 

talents just to win a glance from the cold prince in the high position.

The emperor glanced at Si Cang Qing with a hint of guilt, and seeing that unchanged cold face, he hesitated to do 

anything further. After all, having deceived him into attending this sham banquet had likely already displeased 

him. If he were to unilaterally decide his marriage again, who knows what might happen…

A feast where hundreds of flowers bloomed in all their splendor and hundreds of women competed for beauty 

finally ended as the sky grew darker.

"Where are you going, Master?"

Inside the prince's bedroom, Si Cang Qing told Feng Lan lightly to rest first, and then left alone.

Si Cang Qing glanced at Feng Lan again and said, "I still have some matters to attend to. You've also had a tiring 

day, go and rest!" 

"Master..." Feng Lan, who was originally going to insist, lowered his head dejectedly upon seeing Si Cang Qing's 

unquestionable gaze, "Feng Lan obeys."

Leaning quietly against the door, watching Si Cang Qing disappear into the night, Feng Lan felt a wave of 

sadness rise in his heart. This was the first time Si Cang Qing had left without taking him with him. Was it 

because he had concealed the matter of the Hundred Flowers Banquet that had angered him? After all, Si Cang 

Qing never allows his subordinates to do things insincerely, so he must be fed up with him now, right?

The moon, now at its zenith, cast a cold, shimmering light over the snow-covered ground, instantly creating a 

scene of desolation.

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