Ch55.2; Time skip

A month passed, and in due time, rumors spread within the palace. The news spread fast among all servant's and guard's and the whole kingdom, creating speculations among them that the queen was pregnant.

The maids were muttering softly in corners, with doubts as to who might be the father of the child.

Soon afterward, Zhang Lian realized her mistake & Finally, she summoned Guo Liang, the head of the palace guards, and the head maid to her chamber.

Once they had entered, the sharp gaze from Zhang Lian made the atmosphere heavy. She had lost her patience: "Why so many rumors about the father of my child?" she asked, in a sharp voice.

"Find one of the concubines who have been dismissed, call him the father and bring him back into the palace permanently. I want this rumor to end.

Guo Liang was muscular. The seriousness in his expression made him nod. He exchanged a quick glance with the head maid.

"Yes, Your Highness," they replied in unison, then bowed and left the room. The heavy silence of unspoken concerns down the hall was their only conversation.

They had to choose the man again.

But it had been more than just finding a scapegoat; they also needed to stop the whispers that ran like wildfire through the palace.

Continuing, they also had the same question: Whose child is it, really?

…

In the mansion hidden part of Minister Hu's estate, two prisoners sat in the bars, apparently a room like a cage. This part of the mension had been heavily guarded and was hidden from the outside world.

Each prisoner had a space that resembled more of a luxury guest room than a prison, as it has decorated walls, clean floors, each room having its bed, desk, and small seating area.

One of the captives was a remarkably handsome young fellow: he had black hair and black eyes.

He lay in bed, sleeping next to a nude maid who had tangled her hair and was sweating.

The queen had instructed that these kids were to be 'taught' about sex, and this maid had just carried out part of the orders as Minster Hu instructed them.

The other prisoner sat quietly in his cell looking very sad. He had been captured just two days earlier.

His red hair and red eyes made him different, giving him a unique appearance.

He sat on the edge of his bed, staring through the blankness of the wall, as he was thinking about his family and the life taken from him.

He realized that resistance or even crying was a waste of time; his body had scars to tell of the past struggles. Now, he remained silent, trying to control his emotions.

They knew nothing for what reason they were brought here or by whom. All they knew was that they had been kidnapped by someone, taken care of.

Days went by, and maids quietly went up and down the halls, serving efficiently for guards and prisoners.

They like shadows, avoid looks, and keep their faces blank. To these prisoners, almost everything was given to them that they wanted: rich foods, fine clothes, and entertainment; the one thing that they wanted most-which was freedom-was not given to them.

However, this did not go unnoticed. In a low populated kingdom, the disappearance of two boys could hardly be concealed.

This was the first great crime since the commencement of the kingdom, and news about it reached the queen in no time.

Zhang Lian ordered Minister Hu, as soon as she heard about this incident, to stop all kidnappings for the following two or three years.

"Stay low," she insisted.

The Minister Hu sighed and bowed. There was nothing much he could do but to follow the order's; the kidnappings stopped

….

Several weeks later, the kingdom began to take on some life again. Activity wasn't as vigorous as the past year's though, but the streets began filling up as the spiritual root testing ceremony was soon to come.

Stalls and markets resumed business, with the owners selling their goods in a joyful manner.

The air was heavy with the smell of freshly cooked hot rice, grilled meats, and fragrant herbs and spices.

Banners were flying in the wind; the air was filled with children's laughter.

About a hundred children gathered for the occasion and were mostly of the same approximately twelve-year-old age.

Most were testing for the first time to see if they had a spiritual root.

Some had been tested before, but came back this time with a little hope that things might be different this time.

Hope began to overspread the city despite the tension.

Parents & children waiting for cultivators to arrive.

The guards carefully patrolled the city

Soon, a male cultivator took to the stage by flying down onto the back of his flying sword.

The crowd immediately fell silent. He looked out at the group of around one hundred or so children, all excited yet nervous in appearance.

Without delay, he took out a crystal ball, the key to their hopes and fears, and began the testing.

One by one, the children approached and placed their hands on the crystal ball. The cultivator moved quickly and efficiently.

Zhang Lian had left the ceremony's organization to the ministers, and with the kingdom's small size, everything went smoothly.

In no time, the testing was done. Ten children were found to have spiritual roots, their eyes shining with a mix of pride and fear for what was to come.

While the cultivator prepared to leave with the children who had spiritual roots.

The kingdom gave a large amount of money to their families whose children were selected.

The children who were not selected were sad as they returned to their families.

Despite the fact that their dreams of becoming cultivators had come to an end, they started looking for other opportunities after realizing how important it was to make other plans for their futures and how mortal life actually was.

After the ceremony was over, the city gradually got back to its regular pace. The day's events simply became another chapter in the kingdom's never-ending story, and life went on…