NFBE Chapter 1169 Year
Chapter 1169 Year
The secrets of Mirror Flower Spring and the hidden affections of the past. Si Ting Zhu Xuan nestled deep in the bamboo forest east of the palace. Had it not been for Lu'e's guidance, Lin Yanzhi would have likely spent ages wandering through the grove before finding it. The house was constructed entirely of sturdy nanmu bamboo, polished to a smooth, rounded form without a single burr. The roof was covered with layers of thatch, laid so neatly that even the cracks were barely visible, a testament to its meticulous care. The small courtyard in front of the house was surrounded by a bamboo fence, adorned with lavender vines, dotted with small white flowers, each emitting a delicate fragrance. In the center of the courtyard stood a few pink flowers, their petals cascading like an open folding fan. Lu'e explained that these flowers were called "morning glory," and they bloomed only in the early morning, slowly closing as the sun rose, like a shy girl hiding her face. Opening the door, a faint bamboo fragrance filled the air, mingling with the delicate scent of ink, instantly calming the mind. The furnishings in the room were simple, yet indescribably elegant: there was a wooden bed on the inside, the bedframe was made of walnut, the headboard was carved with a simple lotus pattern, the bed was covered with a sky blue coarse cloth sheet, and on it was a plain quilt with a small morning glory embroidered on the corner of the quilt; in front of the bed was a desk, also made of bamboo, with a shiny table top, on which was placed a set of exquisite writing brushes, inkstones, paper and inkstones - the inkstone was a Duan inkstone, the ink stick was Hui ink, and even the paper was the best Xuan paper, obviously carefully prepared; next to the desk was a bamboo chair with a cotton pad, which was soft and comfortable to sit on; in the corner of the wall was a bamboo bookshelf with three layers, each layer neatly placed with several books, the words on the spines of the books were written in cinnabar, revealing a simple and ancient atmosphere. "Sir, this Tingzhuxuan is the quietest residence in the palace. Few people come here on weekdays. If you prefer quiet, this is the perfect place for you." Lu'e put down Lin Yanzhi's luggage—a coarse cloth bundle containing his spare clothes and a few books. "Rest for a while. I'll go to the imperial kitchen to get you some food. I reckon the chef should have it ready by now." Lin Yanzhi nodded and bowed to Lu'e, thanking her. "Thank you, Miss Lu'e." Lu'e smiled and waved, "You're too polite, sir. This is my duty." With that, she bowed and withdrew, gently closing the door behind her, so as not to disturb Lin Yanzhi. Lin Yanzhi was the only one left in the room. He walked to the bookshelf, his eyes scanning the rows of books. Most of the books on the shelf were records of the Mirror Flower Realm, with some poetry, songs, and medical texts. He pulled out a book at random. The cover was made of dark blue cloth, with four words embroidered in gold thread: "Records of the Mirror Flower Realm." The pages were yellowing, the edges frayed, evidently from repeated reading. Lin Yanzhi sat on a bamboo chair and gently flipped open the book, the scent of aged paper and ink wafting through his face. The text, written with a brush, was beautifully written, unmistakably by a woman. The opening chapter chronicled the origins of the Mirror Flower Domain: Three hundred years ago, the Mirror Flower Domain was a small nation on the border of the Central Plains, known as the Mirror Moon Kingdom. At that time, both men and women lived in peace and contentment. But then, a neighboring nation suddenly launched a war. Mirror Moon's weakness made it impossible to resist. Forced to retreat, the king led his people westward, ultimately arriving at this isolated land. They had hoped for peace, but a sudden plague swept through the entire tribe. The plague was peculiar, infecting only men, while sparing the women. Within a month, nearly all the men in the nation had died, leaving only the elderly, women, and children. Just as the people were in despair, believing their tribe to be extinct, an immortal dressed in white descended. Pointing to a spring in the valley outside the city, he declared, "This spring is called Jinghua Spring. Women who drink from it will bear children and continue their bloodline." With that, the immortal vanished in a streak of white light. The people were skeptical, but with no other recourse, they followed the immortal's instructions and had women of childbearing age drink from the spring. Unexpectedly, three months later, the women who drank from the spring became pregnant, and all their children were girls. From then on, Jingyue Kingdom was renamed "Jinghua Territory," a land ruled solely by women. Relying on the waters of Jinghua Spring for reproduction, this tradition spread from generation to generation for three hundred years. "I see," Lin Yanzhi closed the book, his fingers gently stroking the yellowed pages. He gained a deeper understanding of Jinghua Territory and a newfound sense of emotion. He had never imagined that there was such a bizarre ethnic group in the world that could continue its bloodline by relying on spring water. If he told this to his relatives and friends in the Central Plains, no one would believe it. He stood up, walked to the window and pushed it open. Outside the window was a dense bamboo forest. The bamboos grew tall and straight, with branches and leaves intertwined. The sunlight shone through the gaps between the branches and leaves, forming mottled light and shadows on the ground. The crisp sound of birds came from the bamboo forest, and occasionally the rustling sound of bamboo leaves blown by the wind could be heard, like a soft music. There was a faint fragrance of bamboo in the air. Taking a deep breath made people feel refreshed, and the nerves that had been tense due to wandering and anxiety for days finally relaxed a little. Lin Yanzhi leaned against the window, looking at the bamboo forest outside the window, but his thoughts drifted back to his hometown in the south of the Yangtze River. He thought of the old locust tree in his yard. Every spring, the tree would be covered with white locust flowers. His mother would pick the flowers and make sweet locust flower cakes. He thought of his father teaching him to read and write in the study. His father always said, "All things are inferior, only reading is superior." He hoped that he could pass the imperial examinations and bring honor to the family. He thought of his parents standing at the door when he left home, reluctant to let him go. His mother even stuffed him a bag of homemade cakes and told him to "take care of yourself outside and come home early." "I wonder how my parents are doing now..." Lin Yanzhi murmured softly, with a trace of longing and worry in his eyes. He had been out looking for maps for three months, but he had never sent a letter home. His parents must have been worried sick. But now he was trapped in the Mirror Flower Realm and couldn't even find the way back, let alone report his safety to his family. Just as he was lost in thought, he heard soft footsteps outside the door, followed by Lu'e's voice: "Sir, I've brought the food. Is it convenient for you to come in now?" Lin Yanzhi quickly gathered his thoughts and replied, "Yes, Miss Lu'e, please come in." Lu'e pushed open the door, holding an exquisite food box. The box was made of mahogany, intricately carved with lotus patterns, and the corners were wrapped in brass, giving it an exceptionally delicate look. She placed the box on the desk and opened the lid, and an alluring aroma instantly filled the air.