Iron Pagoda must be the most mystical building ever exists in Kaifeng. Actually, this pagoda was not made of iron, but brick instead, just because it was colored as dark as iron then it was called Iron Pagoda. This pagoda was built during the Northern Song Dynasty by Emperor Song Renzong. Song Dynasty was known as the meekest and most merciful dynasty in China. The emperors of the Song Dynasty were ambitionless, as the results its area was smaller than the other Chinese dynasties' area. For those who measured the glory of a dynasty based on the area it conquered, they would soon underestimate the Song Dynasty. But that was precisely the greatness of Song emperors. It was seemingly unimportant for them that their country was small or they appeared unimpressive in the opinion of other countries. Yet although it was not valorous or impressive, Song Dynasty provided some of the most significant technological advances in Chinese history. Three important inventions of mankind were made during the Song period: moveable printing types, gunpowder, and the compass. Not only science and technology; architecture, literature, art, economy, and trading also achieved the most rapid progress during the Song Dynasty.
The Song emperors had great interest in medicine, they paid much attention to health issues, thereby Chinese Medicine achieved great progress during the Song Dynasty. One of the greatest results was the Book of Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, which was compiled by the Song authority. The medicinal book still had a large influence in the Ming Dynasty, and even until today.
And, Emperor Song Renzong who built the Iron Pagoda, was the most well-known emperor of the Song Dynasty. He was not well-known because he could expand the area of Song, or his military terrified the enemies all around... no. Emperor Song Renzong was widely known for his merciful, tolerant and lenient personality. He was very careful about the death penalty. He once said, "I have never used the word "death" to scold others, how dare I abuse the death penalty?" If an official was caught wrongly sentenced an innocent person to death, he would never be promoted. Emperor Song Renzong was also well-known to be righteous. It was in his time that the legendary Bao Zheng - the famous Justice Bao - lived. Emperor Song Renzong appointed Bao Zheng to hold several important positions in government, entrusted him with legal matters, and totally did not intervene, so that Bao Zheng could demonstrate extreme honesty and uprightness. Even though it was a royal who was found guilty, but he or she would be punished according to the regulations. Thus, Emperor Song Renzong was remembered in the memory of Chinese people as the most lenient emperor ever existed.
Zhu Su himself, often got a peculiar feeling about Dragon Pavilion where he settled in. This palace was a legacy from the Song Empire as it was once served as the residence of Song Emperors. Of course, Emperor Song Renzong also ever lived here. And, the peculiar feeling Zhu Su got was, this palace gave him a calm and serene sensation. He was motivated to be kind and help others, and always keen to become a benevolent leader who paid attention to the people. Zhu Su was actually a kind and ambitionless person, and this personality was apparently fit with the character of mostly Song emperors who once lived in Dragon Pavilion. When he came into this palace for the first time under his father's instruction, a kind of strange feeling approached Zhu Su as he entered the main gate. He felt comfortable, calm, and peaceful - he felt that he was "approved" by the palace.
So, I have been approved by the departed Song Emperors?
Now Zhu Su stared at the Iron Pagoda standing majestically before him. It was nine o'clock at night. The moon had risen higher, the night turned much darker, and the wind was blowing stronger. Zhu Su had told Hu Nayin to return to the palace, but the Wang Fei refused.
"Please allow me to accompany you, Your Highness!" She said firmly.
Zhu Su was about to reject, when his eyes met with her serious eyes. "Your Highness, I will be alright. You know, this baby encourages me to help his father. So, please don't worry. Because I love you so much! And this love will be a great energy for me to survive no matter how difficult the obstacles blocking my way!"
Once more, the night wind came and blew Hu Nayin's hair, made it fly and tangle, yet her look was unchanged. She kept staring at Zhu Su, eyes emitted great resilience.
Her look made him touched.
"Thank you very much, Nayin..." He smiled. "Alright. I'm sure that Heaven will protect you and our baby. Protect our whole family."
That was why Hu Nayin still accompanied Zhu Su. Both of them started to walk around this pagoda.
There were beautiful gardens around the Iron Pagoda. A small gazebo was standing next to the large lake. Zhu Su planned to meditate there.
He had made up his decision, he was going to meditate. Although he seemingly knew what he had to do, but to tell the truth, he did not get any picture of what he had to do. The solution he got was only in abstract, and he could not change it into the concrete form. He was challenged to find that concrete form.
However, after he got the idea of meditation, of course he should find about the location to meditate. But, instead of his own palace, the image of Iron Pagoda instantly passed through his mind. All of that soon happened that way. His intuition shortly agreed with him and so, he was here right now.
Not only Iron Pagoda possessed a solemn atmosphere, it was also very eye-catching. And the night atmosphere even made it appear more gorgeous. The lake looked pitch-black, reflecting the darkness of night sky. The splashing water blended with the night breeze and moisturized the skin, making the atmosphere cooler and more mysterious. The park of Iron Pagoda was seemingly the most suitable place to meditate and calm the mind.
Zhu Su sat on a chair in the park gazebo. Hu Nayin sat beside him, while Wu Qi chose a location quite far from them, but he could still watch them from there. No one else in that park other than the three of them, Zhu Su felt an aura of privacy and he was positive that he could find the solution he was looking for.
He started to close his eyes.