Lin Feilu’s chess skills combined Emperor Lin’s domineering arrogance and Xiao Lan’s flexibility like water as she bested Si Miaoran, who had been well-versed in chess since she was a child, without leaving a speck of dust behind.
As the saying goes, ‘the quality of a game of chess could show you the quality of the owner’. However, even though Si Miaoran lost the chess round quite badly, there was no trace of annoyance in her eyes. Instead, they were gentle and full of admiration, “The Fifth Princess has superb chess skills, Miao Ran is rather ashamed.”
Lin Feilu jumped down and pulled her hand, “Sister-in-law, let me take you out for a walk. The chrysanthemum flowers have been blooming beautifully lately.”
Naturally, Si Miaoran, who had never visited the palace, nodded in anticipation.
Over the years, Lin Feilu had ventured even to the corners of the palace and found particular areas where specific aspects shone the best. She knew where the flowers bloomed the best, the clearest lakes and the trees that bore the sweetest of fruits.
Although the Si Residence was also gorgeous, it was still inferior to the beauty of the royal palace. Si Miaoran walked all the way and silently noted specific spots of the palace and remembered the paths that Lin Feilu brought her to.
When they reached an intersection, she suddenly smelled a strange fragrance. It was different from anything that she had smelled before, so she looked over curiously. Pointing towards the front, she asked, “What is that?”
Lin Feilu glanced at it and said casually, “The Cold Palace.”
Si Miaoran’s fingers trembled as she quickly retracted them. Then, she urged Lin Feilu, “We should go, quickly.”
Lin Feilu still introduced her sister-in-law to the unfamiliar building enthusiastically, “Although it is the Cold Palace, there is a kind of flower called the Iris which is not found anywhere else. Does my sister-in-law smell the fragrance of the flowers? That’s the smell.”
Si Miaoran was a little curious, but she was even more worried about the taboo of the Cold Palace, so Lin Feilu volunteered, “I’ll go pick one for my sister-in-law!”
Si Miaoran hurriedly said, “There’s no need! That place is…”
Before she could finish speaking, she saw Lin Feilu take a vertical leap and rose into the sky, flying up the treetops.
Songyu was beside her as she requested the chance to explain, “Please excuse her, Your Highness Crown Princess. Our Princess doesn’t have many other hobbies besides flying…”
Si Miaoran was amused and she laughed while standing in wait for the Little Fifth Princess to return. She watched Lin Feilu jump up the wall of the Cold Palace two or three times before the girl flew in.
The cold palace was not big, but it was chilly and there was a sense of gloominess to it everywhere. There were no servants in the palace as servants would deliver meals regularly every day without entering. They would just put them on the platform by the door while the concubines who were punished to stay in the Cold Palace would fend for themselves here.
Now, the only person living in the Cold Palace was Imperial Concubine Mei.
When Lin Feilu jumped off the wall, she saw that there were already two food boxes on the stone platform which were today’s breakfast and lunch.
She glanced at the door of the room where the Imperial Concubine resided in, but it was tightly shut. She couldn’t hear anything from outside either.
The concubines who were sent to the Cold Palace would generally become insane or lifeless, so no one really bothered to come and check on them.
The scent of cold Irises wafted to her nose and Lin Feilu remembered the hug last night. She pulled out the dagger from her waist and held it in her hand, walking towards the room step by step.
With a slight push, the door opened with a creak.
All she could see was a pair of feet hanging in the air.
At that moment, Lin Feilu’s heart seemed to stop.