Luckily, Lan Zhan understands that they're not free to talk, not even for an internal conversation, and he pulls Wei Ying closer as they follow Xue Nanping.
He gives them a general layout of the Palace first, as they walk along, and this time, he's much more talkative. Wei Ying doesn't want to make judgements on anyone, and besides, it's natural that people can be stiff and awkward upon first meetings, but the stark difference between these two versions of the same man is so noticeable. Xue Nanping is almost chatty as he directs their attention to small details, entertaining them with anecdotes and funny stories relating to what they're being shown.
They're led to another central garden and this one includes a maze.
"The Prince likes plants and flowers, then?" Wei Ying asks the Advisor, making general conversation.
"Yes. And since it is common knowledge, he often receives gifts of that nature as well. He even has his own greenhouse, and though we are not permitted to go inside, we can certainly look in from the outside. It houses many rare and unusual plants from the different regions of the world, and is famous in the gentry circles."
"That sounds so exciting! Where has he received gifts from?" Wei Ying asks him enthusiastically.
"Oh yes, it IS very exciting. When I was a child, I never thought I would have such an unusual, prestigious job, and I've met so many new people from all over."
"How did you become an Advisor to our Gracious Emperor? Was it difficult?"
Wei Ying keeps him chatting as they turn another corner and the Advisor opens the door to the Gold room.
They are almost blinded by its glare. Everything is gold, from the cushions on the floor, the tables and the decorations, it's all gold.
Outside, the sun is about to set, and the brilliant light coming in from the bare windows retracts to shoot rainbows all over the room. Reds, yellows, blues and purples, greens and oranges blend into a vibrant, natural display of startling beauty. It's awe inspiring and at once, an assault upon their senses.
"Wow!" Wei Ying says, stepping out of there and rubbing his eyes.
"Perhaps we should have come here at another time," Xue Nanping wrings his wrists agitatedly. "The morning sunrise and the evening sunset are the most glorious times to view this room, but mostly to those who are already prepared for the view."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Wei Ying says, clutching at Lan Zhan's arm and still seeing green spots wherever he looks. "Is the silver room just as bright?"
"Yes, though it's right here, and if we wait for a few moments, the sunset will have passed, and it will be easier on your eyes." Xue Nanping smiles gently as they wait outside the second door.
"Good, that'll give our poor eyes time to recover." Wei Ying keeps blinking.
Lan Zhan isn't faring much better, but his approach is to glare at the floor until he can see it properly.
"Do you know the history of these two rooms?" Xue Nanping asks them.
"No. Please tell us." Lan Zhan says.
"About a hundred years ago, the then Emperor, our current Gracious Emperor's great grandfather, fell in love with the daughter of a local merchant. They met when the merchant came to deliver a new flower, a rare and wild peony that he had nurtured himself. But the court opinion and that of his Advisors and Elders did not agree to his marriage request, and the Emperor argued that what was the point of his position, if he couldn't do as he pleased.
"The Elders of the Royal family decided to marry him off to the neighbouring King's daughter, a princess of famous beauty and good mannered, and described as a great catch. But her father had heard that the Emperor was pining away for another and refused to give his daughter unless the Emperor agreed not to have any concubines. It was a sharp political move designed to secure his daughter's future by ensuring she alone would bear the next heir of the kingdom."
"Oh my! That poor Emperor! What happened to him? And what about the merchant's daughter? Did she like him, too?" Wei Ying temporarily forgets their agenda in place of listening to this love triangle story.
"We would all wish for a happy ending, I'm sure." Xue Nanping says enigmatically. "The King of the neighbouring country gave so much gold to the Emperor that the gold room is only the surplus of what was left over after whatever they used to take care of the new Queen. Her retinue of servants and the new Palace she had built for herself was a testament to how wealthy her father was.
"But she too, knew that her husband's heart did not belong to her. Unfortunately for everyone, she could not conceive children. Years went by and in spite of physicians being called in from around the world, the Emperor could not provide an heir. Political and internal unrest was shaking the foundation of the Emperor's rule, and things were not looking good.
"The Queen was a wise lady and while she understood why her father had done what he did, she was more practical. One night, she invited the merchant's daughter over and explained the situation. The merchant's daughter understood immediately what was being asked of her and since she too, had fallen in love at first sight, she had prepared herself to live as a spinster for the rest of her days.
"What the Queen was offering her was a great solution, and would make everyone happier. But this story is a sad one. They did not tell the Emperor of their plans since he might not agree. Instead, in secret, keeping the room dark, they let him think he was with the Queen when in fact, it was the merchant's daughter who was there.
"Afterwards, she bore him a child which the Queen passed off as her own child, after going into seclusion with the merchant's daughter for nine months. Unfortunately, the merchant's daughter passed away during the birth of her son. It was all very sad."
"And no one knew? How come YOU know, then?" Wei Ying asks him, with a grin.
Lan Zhan pinches his waist so he doesn't waste his smile on people who definitely don't deserve them. Wei Ying winces but doesn't give the game away, pretending to be hanging off every word Xue Nanping says.
"In secret, the Queen was preparing this, the silver room, for the Emperor. It was sealed until her death, which was years later. She left him a note explaining what she had done. The Emperor was devastated, but he understood. And the Crown Prince was of his blood so no one could say anything about that, either. Her note said, 'after the heat of the sun, the moonlight feels like a balm'. She meant that during their lives together, even if she could not give him happiness throughout her life, she could give him some peace at the end of it."
Xue Nanping opens the door to the silver room.
The Emperor must be employing someone to polish everything in this room because it's a carbon copy of the sun room, except that everything is made out of silver. It feels cooler, too, and with the last few minutes of the daylight passing, it's much easier to look around.
Xue Nanping seems to be in a hurry after that.
The rest of the tour passes quickly and by the evening when it's dark outside, he escorts them to their carriage waiting for them.
"It was good to see you," he says, waving at them until they can no longer see him.
Wei Ying sags against Lan Zhan, pressing his palms to his eyes. "Aarrgggh! That was so excruciatingly painful!" He says outwardly. Internally, he says, I promise to explain everything once we get back to Hao Bai. We definitely need those silencing talismans now!
************
A/N
Dear Lovely Readers,
What do you think he knows? I'm having so much fun reading your guesses!
Happy Sunday everyone!
🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫
Charlie
YOU ARE READING
WangXian Forever Book 10
RomanceWei Ying and Lan Zhan must step up to the new challenge that awaits them when they find something that was given to them in secret. What is it, and why is it so dangerous? They embark on a new adventure to find out.
