Chapter 33: Flame Flower (4)
"Yes, their actions are indeed very much like the nature of wolves, cold-blooded and cruel. Although they are a group, no one knows why they act or why they kill. No one knows their identities, let alone where they were born or where they came from. All we know is that their actions are indiscriminate, no matter if they are from the underworld, ministers in the court, or even royal nobles, as long as they receive a mission, they will execute it. It is said that no one who has been targeted by them has survived so far—"
You don't know until you tell it, and it's shocking. Zhou Cheng and Zhou Yan really don't know much about the rumors in the martial arts world, which are completely opposite to those in the court. Because they were born in imperial families, they only knew more about power and state affairs, but they had no idea about the affairs of the folk martial arts world. Xue Han's words really taught them a good lesson in the martial arts world.
If this is the case, then it has nothing to do with the group of assassins who attacked the imperial mausoleum before? Because they don't have the mark of the wolf on their bodies, but we can't draw a conclusion from this. After all, it has not been confirmed that the assassin who assassinated Zhou Yan is the black wolf. So Zhou Cheng and his team have to face whether there is a connection between the two incidents this time. If there is, it will involve the previous Gray Valley incident. If not, they will face a new and unknown strong enemy...
"Hmph, no matter how strong you are, you are just a coward who hides his head and shows his tail——"
Zhou Yan habitually provoked him, or should we say that he refused to admit defeat? Zhou Cheng seemed to be worried...
At this time, a eunuch came: "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister [Imperial Study] requests an audience——"
"Prime Minister?"
Zhang Ren's sudden arrival made Zhou Cheng a little curious. Could he be here for Zhou Yan's matter? If so, he could just come directly to Gyeongbokgung Palace, but...
"Yes, the Prime Minister also said that we must ask Imperial Physician Xue to go with us—"
The eunuch's message surprised Zhou Cheng even more. Xue Han was also going to go with him? The eunuch's words also made Zhou Yan, who was lying on the bed, a little confused. So, he tried hard to support himself with his elbows and tried to get up...
"Eh? Yan?"
Hearing Zhou Yan's faint gasps and groans, Zhou Cheng and Xue Han noticed something. Seeing Zhou Yan was about to get up, they subconsciously stepped forward to help, but unfortunately: "No need——"
Zhou Yan refused Zhou Cheng and Xue Han's help due to his stubborn character, and relied on his own will to sit up...
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to see the Prime Minister, too—"
Judging from Zhou Yan's somewhat rapid breathing, the fact that he just sat up on his own had consumed a lot of his physical strength as he was seriously injured at the moment, and his face became a little paler than before...
Perhaps he sensed Zhou Yan 's thoughts. Zhou Cheng also felt that Zhang Ren must have something going on when he came to see him and specifically asked Xue Han to accompany him. Zhou Yan might have also noticed it, so he insisted on going despite his own injuries, right?
——Soon after——
【Imperial Study】.
"Your Majesty, eh? Your Majesty?"
Zhang Ren immediately went forward to greet Zhou Cheng upon his arrival, but he didn't know that Zhou Cheng was followed by Zhou Yan, who was supported by a eunuch and Xue Han. This surprised him somewhat. Although had heard that Zhou Yan had woken up, he didn't expect that he could get out of bed. Judging from Zhou Yan's haggard and pale face, it seemed that he was seriously injured. Zhang Ren thought so...
"Why is Prime Minister Zhang in such a hurry to see me?"
"Oh, Your Majesty, please come and have a look——"
Zhang Ren, who had come back to his senses from Zhou Yan, quickly turned to a large, heavy, green stone-carved box that was placed on the side. Zhou Cheng, Zhou Yan, and others came over...
When Zhang Ren hurriedly opened the box and revealed a crack, Zhou Cheng and others felt a chill coming. Then Zhang Ren opened the lid with great effort, and saw the cold air. It turned out that the inside of the box was completely carved out of ice. This was not the point. The point was that there was a group of orange flowers surrounded by fire inside the box. In this icy box, from the cold air when the box was just opened to the faint warmth emanating from the box after it was fully opened...
“What is this?”
Zhou Cheng, who was the first to react, suddenly asked.
"Flame flower?"
Then came Xue Han's surprised voice.
"Is Imperial Physician Xue really sure it is the 'Flame Flower'?"
Zhang Ren asked in a half-believing and anxious tone. Xue Han opened his eyes wide and looked at the orange flower in the box. It stood on the ice and snow in the box, and its roots were still in the ice and snow, which showed that it was uprooted. From the light and heat it emitted and its characteristics, Xue Han was very sure from the first time he saw it: "It's the 'Flame Flower', I'm sure-"
"Really?"
Zhang Ren still seemed speechless and couldn't believe it.
"Prime Minister Zhang, what on earth is this?"
Zhou Cheng seemed to be unable to believe that the 'flame flower' they had been looking for for a long time would suddenly appear?
"It's like this. This morning, after hearing that Prince Jing had woken up, I planned to come and visit him. Just as I was about to leave, a special visitor came and said he had something to ask. This is the first gift I'll give him—"
Under normal circumstances, Zhang Ren would not accept any gift. However, before he could refuse, they opened the box. Zhang Ren had seen "Ice Grass" before, and this was the same as "Ice Grass", but completely opposite to it, standing in ice. Zhang Ren immediately realized that the thing in the box in front of him was "Flame Flower". With half-belief and anxious mood, Zhang Ren brought the box of "Flame Flower" to the palace and asked Xue Han to identify it.
"Who is that person?"
This question was asked by Zhou Yan, .
"That man claimed to be a merchant from the State of Wu. He was an extremely handsome young man—"
"How could he have the 'Fire Flower'? Moreover, as a businessman, how could he easily give away such a rare item?"
A wave of doubt surged in everyone's mind. Zhou Cheng and Zhou Yan sent an army of no less than 10,000 people to search for the 'Fire Flower' but found nothing. Unexpectedly, a stranger brought it so easily. No matter who it is, they will have doubts about this, right?
"What did he mean by 'I want to ask you something'?"
"He hopes to see the dancing of the one who is known as the 'dancing lady' in the world—"
Zhang Ren's words immediately aroused Zhou Cheng and Zhou Yan's suspicion. A mere businessman not only sent the rare "flame flower" in the world, but also asked to appreciate the dancing of Yin Yin, who was known as the "dancing girl"? There must be another hidden story behind this.
