Ola did not stop and walked towards the corridor.

"Wait."

Atrey grasped the bars of the cell, still hesitating slightly.

She bit her lip, "I will write to them, hoping you can bury me in the family cemetery."

...

...

On the road to Giant Stone City, one caravan after another queued up to move.

The battle at Giant Stone City quickly spread across the Empire.

The bards dubbed it the Battle of the Dragon’s Arrival.

The bards only spread what happened within Giant Stone City, but many nobles were aware of the Silver Thorn Legion’s involvement.

Sensitive nobles realized the shift in the situation and, upon receiving the Duke of Flowers’ letters, headed towards Giant Stone City without hesitation.

The Tulip Clan was no exception.

The Earl of the Tulip, upon receiving the news, immediately set off with his eldest son Vincent.

"Father."

Vincent rode alongside the carriage on his warhorse, reporting, "We are still ninety miles from Giant Stone City, the sun is about to set, let’s camp here and rest for today."

Vincent pointed ahead, "The scouts say there’s a sheltered hillside ahead, suitable for camping."

Inside the carriage, the Earl of the Tulip glanced at the sky and nodded slightly, "Alright."

Vincent waved his hand to the guards beside him.

The guards, understanding, urged their horses forward, loudly relaying the order,

"Camp on the hillside ahead!"

The caravan slowly changed direction, heading to the base of the hill.

Servants deftly began lighting fires, sprinkling powder around to ward off snakes and insects.

The guards began pitching tents for the Earl of the Tulip to rest in.

As for the others, laying animal skins or grass mats on the grass was sufficient.

Just as the servants of the Tulip Clan were busy, another caravan stopped not far away.

A short, slightly plump old lady, exuding noble demeanor, wearing a sun hat, hurriedly approached with two servants.

Vincent saw the emblem on the carriage and quietly reminded the Earl of the Tulip, "Father, it’s the Countess of Rose from the Rose Clan."

The Earl of the Tulip responded with a soft "Hmm," stood up to greet the old lady,

"Earl of Rose."

The Earl of the Tulip nodded slightly.

The Countess of Rose nodded in response, "Long time no see, Earl of the Tulip, you are still as handsome as ever."

"Your beauty still leaves one in awe," the Earl of the Tulip complimented smoothly.

He casually invited the Countess of Rose to an empty spot nearby.

The guards thoughtfully brought wooden stools and covered them with fur pads.

The Earl of the Tulip invited the Countess of Rose to sit, and then sat himself.

"Thank you for your compliment, Earl of the Tulip."

The Countess of Rose smiled, causing the wrinkles around her eyes to gather.

"But no matter who, none can compare to your fourth son, Duke Luo De."

"Have you received the news? Duke Luo De actually turned into the legendary dragon... It’s truly amazing."

The Countess of Rose was full of amazement, softly asking, "Does your family possess Dragon Blood lineage?"

"If that were true, it would indeed be the Tulip Clan’s fortune."

The Earl of the Tulip chuckled and shook his head, "But there’s no record of such in the family."

"Perhaps it was never revealed before."

The Countess of Rose finished speaking, then leaned in and asked softly, "Then what about the mother of Duke Luo De?"

The Earl of the Tulip frowned slightly, his gaze becoming somewhat profound.

Recalling certain distant past events.

He knew the Countess of Rose was asking about "Luo De’s mother," referring to Luo De’s birth mother.

But the Earl of the Tulip knew very little about Luo De’s birth mother.

Those memories were already vague, like being veiled by the dust of time.

The Earl of the Tulip only remembered it was during autumn hunting, when he got lost in the depths of the forest and discovered a courtyard covered by trees and vines.

The courtyard was filled with flowers, many of which the Earl of the Tulip did not recognize.

A girl stood among those flowers, wearing a simple linen dress, carrying a bucket to water the flowers.

The girl was full of natural aura, and the Earl of the Tulip was instantly attracted to her.

Afterward, the Earl of the Tulip entered the courtyard and got to know her.

The girl enthusiastically received the Earl of the Tulip, preparing various flower delicacies for him.

To thank her, the Earl of the Tulip brought her back to Tulip Castle, hiring her to tend the flowers in the garden.

Over time, day and night spent together, they developed feelings, had a relationship, and Luo De came into the world.

After giving birth to Luo De, the girl’s health was extremely weak, she passed away in less than two and a half years.

Once the girl had passed away, the initial feelings gradually faded, as for the girl’s origins, the Earl of the Tulip no longer remembered.

"Countess of Rose, do you have something on your mind?"

The Earl of the Tulip, smiling, said softly: "You seem suddenly very interested in the Tulip Clan."

"It’s my youngest daughter, she greatly admires the Tulip Clan."

The Countess of Rose’s smile blossomed, shaking her head helplessly, "In her dreams lately, she wishes to become Duke Luo De’s wife."

As the Countess of Rose spoke, the Earl of the Tulip immediately realized.

This was a proposal for an alliance through marriage.

Now that Luo De had captured the Duke of Flowers, the decline of the Flower Clan was inevitable.

The Countess of Rose was seeking a way out for her clan.

"My youngest daughter is very beautiful, proficient in herbalism, court etiquette, dance, as well as painting and embroidery..."

"Your youngest daughter must be very outstanding."

The Earl of the Tulip gently interrupted the Countess of Rose, saying: "But I cannot influence Luo De’s marriage."

The Earl of the Tulip knew very well that Luo De did not hold much affection for this family.