1314: A Thousand Peonies Bloom
The Cloud Country Palace

Time is rolling fast. Shuwan and the others had already finished dinner. While Zhang and Yu Hao had prepared to head for the palace.

“Yu Hao, how are you preparing?” ask Zhang.

“I've been ready since.”

“Good. In that case, let's go,” take Zhang excitedly.

Zhang and Yu Hao said goodbye to Shuwan, Jiao, and Luo Shu. 

When Zhang confronted Shuwan, he smiled.

“Be careful, and quickly return,” Shuwan said gently.

“I'll be careful.” 

Zhang and Yu Hao then left Luo Shu's house on horseback. Shuwan looked at their departure.

Wait for me, Shuwan. Inner Zhang in his horse's pace. “Hyaa!”

After they both disappeared in the dark of the night. Shuwan, Jiao and the alchemist Luo Shu return to the house.

“Hah... What would we do without them?” jiao Complain.

Shuwan chuckled at the change in his friend's attitude. “Hei... Whatisthis? Yu Hao just left and you already miss him?”

Jiao's face instantly turned red. “A-I didn't mean it that way. I just feel that this week will definitely feel so quiet. Aren't they both troublemakers?”

“Yes, yes, yes. You can't hide your feelings in front of me, Jiao.”

“A-I don't..”

“Already. We just pray, hopefully they can come back quickly again,” added Shuwan trying to calm his friend.

“Ahem!”

Shuwan and Jiao were shocked to hear that.

“Ah, sorry for bothering you guys,” reprimand Luo Shu.

“No, Shifu. You don't bother us,” Jiao said.

“Shifu? You studied with him Jiao?”

Jiao nodded, “Of course. Who wouldn't want to be this great alchemist.”

“It's cool. Later you will become a great alchemist, Jiao!”

“You're overreacting. I am still a beginner and need to learn a lot.” Jiao blushed in embarrassment after hearing Shuwan's praise.

“Nona Shuwan, will you be able to meet me tomorrow in the study room? I want to talk to you,” Luo Shu said.

He wants to talk to me? About what? “Good. Tomorrow I'll see you.”

“Good. As for Jiao, don't forget tomorrow we practice as usual.”

“Ready, Shifu!”

That night Luo Shu's house became so quiet. Shuwan slept with Jiao. Shuwan's mind wandered into thinking of something else.

Liem, what are you doing? Have you arrived at the palace safely?

***

Meanwhile, Zhang and Yu Hao were still on their way to the palace. Zhang stopped the horse for a moment. His view was distorted on a moon that is no longer intact. He remembered Shuwan's shadow there.

“Zhang, are we not too late to get to the palace? What if we were even suspected of being intruders?” asked Yu Hao worriedly.

Zhang smiled, “You just calm down. Everything will be fine.”

“I just feel a little worried.”

“You who are former criminals also feel worried because of something like this,” ledek Zhang.

“H... It's a foreign place that seems to exist in delusion. Of course I'm worried. After all I was a conscious criminal. Obviously there are some feelings missing.”

“Includes courage?”

“Yah's... You know it. So, I don't need to answer it.”

“Hahaha. You have a side like this, huh?”

Yu Hao snorted in annoyance as he was continuously being bullied by Zhang. “Ya. Let's get on with the journey. Don't you want to get back to your heart?”

“Tumben you're smart.”

“Hey, what do you mean?”

“No.”

Now Zhang's view is again straightened on the path in front of him.“Hyaa!” Zhang again drove his horse towards the palace of the Land of Clouds.

Horses echoed in the streets of the night. Retracing the path he had previously traveled. No matter the cold air that attacked them at that time.

After traveling for 3 hours, Yu Hao and Zhang finally arrived in front of the palace gate.

“It..” Yu Hao was amazed by the magnificent view of the palace of the Cloud Country. 

“Come we're in!” bring Zhang.

While there, the bodyguards on duty at the gate stopped them. As always, there is always an identity check before entering an important area.

“Give me your identity!” pinta the guards.

Zhang then reissued the token he had previously issued at the gate of the Cloud Country.

“You're from 7 big families. What is the need to come to the palace?”

“I want to see His Majesty. There is something I want to discuss with him,” Zhang explained.

“Ah... Apparently so. But it's late at night. Your Majesty must be resting.”

Yu Hao brought his horse closer to Zhang, “How is this Zhang?” tanyanya's worried. Couldn't our trip have been in vain?

“Because you are a member of 7 large families, then you can stay at the special residence of diplomats. When morning comes, you can only meet His Majesty,” said the bodyguard.

“Then let's follow me.”

The bodyguard became Zhang and Yu Hao's guide. They were directed to the residence of the diplomats who were specially provided by the palace.

Before entering the residence, the guards recorded them back. After that, the two of them were given a room to rest.

Along the way in the hallway to the room, various paintings of the messengers who had stopped were displayed there.

Yu Hao then approached one of the paintings, and he was surprised that there was a Zhang surname on display there. “Hey, Zhang, check this out!”

Zhang then approached Yu Hao. “What's up?” simple tanyanya.

“Is this your ancestor? He is also surnamed Zhang,” Yu Hao said as he looked closely at the painting. “Dan... Look at the family symbol. Isn't that similar to the one embedded in your token?”

A symbol of a snow lotus is in the painting. Exactly the same as the sculpture in Zhang's token.

“You're right. Maybe he was my ancestor. Grandpa once told me about the relationship between my family and the Cloud Country.”

“Isn't that cool? You turned out to be an important noble.”

“Already. The status of the nobility is not very important to me. Whether it's royalty, or ordinary people, we're all the same. Both eat rice, and will also die.”

Yu Hao was surprised to hear the words coming out of Zhang's mouth. This guy, it doesn't seem as simple as it looks.

“We'd better get some rest, before morning comes.”

Yu Hao nodded. The two of them finally left the place, and entered the room that already had the family emblem there.

“Even everything has been custom made. It's really cool.” Yu Hao was again amazed. Not only that, once the door was opened, a room with a beautiful design and also many facilities were plastered in front of them. They both stepped in. 

Zhang immediately put his body on the bed. He looks very tired. 

Yu Hao understood, he did not want to harass or disturb Zhang anymore. He slept in another bed in the room.

Before falling asleep, Zhang thought of Shuwan. Tonight feels so long. Is it because Shuwan is nowhere near me? Shuwan, do you feel my unrest too? After thinking about Shuwan, Zhang fell asleep.

***

After waiting for the morning in a short silence but felt so long and long, Zhang finally realized. When he opened his eyes, and looked around. He found Yu Hao who had woken up first.

“Finally you wake up. I thought you'd miss today?” said Yu Hao.

Zhang immediately sat down. “Are you ready?” ask Zhang.

“Of course. Can't you see I'm handsome, neat, and fragrant? Come quickly, take a shower and get ready.” 

“Why don't you wake me up if you're up first?”

“You look so exhausted. I can't bear to wake you up. So the only way is to prepare in advance and wait for you to wake up yourself.”

“H... Thank you for understanding.”

Yu Hao just nodded his head.

Zhang got out of bed and took a shower. Again he daydreamed Shuwan. It seems Shuwan is already a filler in his brain and heart.

Finally after waiting for some time, Zhang finished the bath. Yu Hao looked like a person who was tired of waiting.

“Hey, are you the crown prince? Why was the bath so long?”

Zhang immediately stopped his activities wearing clothes. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm just thinking of someone?”

“Pfft... Is that guy Shuwan?”

Zhang's face immediately frowned. Although he turned his back on Yu Hao, but Yu Hao could tell what his expression would be like.

“Hah... Patience, Zhang. Once you're healed, you'll have enough time with him.”

Suddenly, Zhang's vision turned sad. Again, he paused for a moment from his activities. “I hope so too,” in short.

Once both of them were ready, they finally continued their goal. With the help of the palace guards, the two were led to the palace.

Arriving at the hall, His Majesty the King was sitting on his throne. The bodyguard who guided Zhang and Yu Hao gave the report to the king. As soon as the bodyguard finished reporting, the king asked the two to come closer.

“Greetings to Your Majesty,” said Zhang and Yu Hao while lowering his back to pay his respects.

“Please stand up,” said the king as he gave a hand gesture for Zhang and Yu Hao to re-stretch his body. “I've heard reports about your arrival. Now what do you want?”

Zhang then took a step forward from his original position. “Your Majesty, I want to ask permission from you to use the cold pool that is here. In addition to that, I would like to ask His Majesty's generosity to give the Snow Lotus Potion to the servant.”

The King of the Cloud Country frowned. He then asked a question, “Why do you need those two things?”

“I need it to treat a disease that I have long suffered.”

The king understood Zhang's words. But he didn't just give it away. “Then, what can you give me instead?” added the king.

“As long as I'm here, I can help you strategize trade between countries. So that it can get a bigger income, and help development in this country.”

The king smiled with satisfaction. “You are indeed from the Zhang family, who are famous in the world of commerce. In that case, I will leave it to the temple guards to help you, as well as the royal physician to make the potion.”

Zhang folded both his hands forward, “Thank you for Your Majesty's kindness. May long live and always be blessed.”

Zhang's face looked so bright. Now his hope of healing was plastered before his eyes.

“To welcome this visit, we have lunch together as a welcome from Cloud Country,” said the king.

“Thank you Your Majesty,” Zhang and Yu Hao again pay their respects.

Banquets were held at the king's residence. He invited the two in particular because there was something he wanted to talk about.

“Since when did you guys arrive here?” ask the king.

“Since three days ago. It just so happened that we stayed at Luo Shu's alchemist residence these few days,” Yu Hao added.

The king took his breath away, and said, “I haven't seen him in a long time. He became so secretive after losing his wife and son a few years ago.”

“Actually what happened to his wife and son? When I talked to him, he didn't say anything,” Zhang said.

As soon as Zhang finished speaking, His Majesty's face seemed to be wistful. He then placed the chopsticks he held onto the bowl, and began the story. “This is actually quite a heartbreaking tragedy. Not just for Luo Shu but for me as well.”

Zhang became even more curious about it. What the hell is going on? Am I getting curious? Inner Zhang while putting on a serious look.