WEBVTT 1 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:20.640 Hello, and welcome back to Sleepy Stories. I'm your host, Lucy, 2 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:24.600 and my friends and I will be reading you a 3 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:31.039 sleepy bedtime story every week to relax you and to 4 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:37.560 help you to drift off into a RESTful sleep. From 5 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:42.000 time to time, we will also read you a relaxing, 6 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:49.079 peaceful meditation that will take you somewhere beautiful and calming. 7 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:54.280 Once we have read the stories, we will then read 8 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:59.719 them a second time, but this time they will be 9 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:07.599 ready even slower. This will help you to relax even more. 10 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:13.000 Before we begin, I would like you to close your 11 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:21.640 eyes and breathe in and out nice and deeply. Take 12 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:27.359 a few seconds to inhale, and then hold your breath 13 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:35.000 for a few seconds more, and then release and breathe out. 14 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:40.959 Do this a few times if you need to. While 15 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:45.599 you listen to the music and you listen to my voice, 16 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:53.000 give yourself time to let your body relax and your 17 00:01:53.120 --> 00:02:00.560 mind settle. It's important that we allow time for us 18 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:10.800 to feel safe, cozy, and completely at ease. And now 19 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:25.120 it's time for this week's story. 20 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:35.879 Long ago, in a land of mist covered mountains and 21 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:41.680 ancient cedar forests, there existed a kingdom that appeared on 22 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:47.520 no map, no traveler could point to its location, no 23 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:52.479 merchant could describe the road that led there. No emperor 24 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:57.360 had ever claimed it. Yet stories of the Hidden Kingdom 25 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:01.879 were known throughout the land. Some believed it lay beyond 26 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:06.479 the northern mountains where the clouds touched the earth. Others 27 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:11.080 claimed it rested upon an island concealed by silver mist. 28 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:15.800 A few insisted it could only be found by those 29 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:20.680 who were not looking for it. Whatever the truth, one 30 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:25.400 thing remained certain. Nobody who claimed to have visited the 31 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:31.319 Hidden Kingdom ever returned quite the same. Some came home wiser, 32 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:40.319 some became kinder, some abandoned lives of wealth to become gardeners, artists, 33 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:45.960 or teachers. And some simply smiled whenever the Hidden Kingdom 34 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:52.360 was mentioned, refusing to say another word. Naturally, these stories 35 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:57.639 fascinated Prince Wren. From the highest tower of the Imperial Palace, 36 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.879 he would often gaze towards hoards the distant mountains and 37 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:07.199 wonder what secrets lay beyond them. Wren was the youngest 38 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:12.159 son of the Emperor. Unlike his older brothers, he cared 39 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:17.920 little for politics or military strategy. He preferred old books, 40 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:26.839 ancient legends, maps covered in mysterious markings. His favorite place 41 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:31.759 in the palace was the library. There he spent countless 42 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:37.399 hours studying scrolls collected from every corner of the kingdom. 43 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:42.279 One rainy afternoon, while searching through a forgotten section of 44 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:48.720 the library, Wren discovered something unusual. Hidden behind several dusty 45 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:54.000 boxes sat a narrow, wooden chest. The lock had rusted 46 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:59.879 away long ago. The Prince carefully lifted the lid. Inside 47 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:05.000 lay a collection of yellowed papers, most appeared to be 48 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:14.480 ordinary records, old inventories, letters, receipts. Then, at the very 49 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:19.079 bottom of the chest he found a map. Immediately he 50 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:25.279 knew it was different. The paper felt ancient, the ink 51 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:31.959 had faded with age. Across mountains, rivers, forests, and valleys 52 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:36.600 ran a winding red line. The route ended at a 53 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:42.560 symbol unlike anything Wren had ever seen, a circle surrounded 54 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:48.360 by seven stars. Beneath it were written four simple words, 55 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:55.439 the Hidden Kingdom. The Prince's heart raced for several moments. 56 00:05:55.480 --> 00:06:02.920 He simply stared. The map looked genuine, yet that was impossible. 57 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:07.600 No map of the Hidden Kingdom had ever been found. 58 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:15.160 Carefully unfolding the fragile paper, Wren examined every detail. The 59 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:24.120 route crossed enormous mountain ranges, dense forests, remote valleys. Several 60 00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:29.399 places carried names he had never heard before. The further 61 00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:34.319 he studied the map, the more convinced he became. Someone 62 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:39.560 had drawn this after making the journey, someone had actually 63 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:45.800 been there. That night, sleep proved impossible. The map remained 64 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:51.759 spread across his desk. Moonlight spilled through the window. The 65 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:59.079 Prince sat, studying every line and marking. Questions filled his thoughts. 66 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:04.959 Who had created the map, how had it found its 67 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:12.079 way into the palace library, and perhaps most importantly, did 68 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:18.160 the Hidden Kingdom truly exist? Just before dawn, Wren noticed 69 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:23.639 something he had missed. Written in tiny, faded characters near 70 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:29.000 the bottom corner were several words, words so faint they 71 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:35.000 were almost invisible. The journey begins where the river disappears. 72 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:41.160 Wren sat upright. He knew exactly what that meant. Far 73 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:44.839 to the west of the capital stood a famous valley 74 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:49.800 where a great river vanished beneath a mountain. The place 75 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:55.839 was real, Travelers spoke of it often for centuries. People 76 00:07:55.879 --> 00:08:01.240 had wondered where the water emerged again. The princes pulse quickened. 77 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:07.439 This was no fairy tale. This was a clue, and 78 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:11.399 for the first time in his life, Prince Wren felt 79 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:16.240 a venture calling. Within a week, he had made his preparations. 80 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:24.959 He packed lightly, a traveling cloak, a notebook, a compass, 81 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:31.600 the mysterious map, and little else. Before sunrise on a 82 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:36.440 cool spring morning, he slipped quietly through the palace gates. 83 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:44.799 The city still slept. Lanterns glowed softly along empty streets. 84 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:49.840 Above him, the sky was beginning to brighten. A head 85 00:08:49.960 --> 00:08:56.320 lay forests, mountains, forgotten roads, and mysteries older than memory itself. 86 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:02.559 Somewhere beyond them waited the Hidden Kingdom. The Prince took 87 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:07.120 one final look at the palace. Then he turned towards 88 00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:11.320 the distant horizon and began to walk. He could not 89 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:15.120 know that before his journey ended, he would cross a 90 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:21.039 forest where every tree grew perfectly straight. He would discover 91 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:26.720 a village that appeared only during moonlight. He would follow 92 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:31.879 a pathway of stone lanterns deep into the mountains, and 93 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:35.679 he would learn a secret about the Hidden Kingdom that 94 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:39.480 would change not only his own life, but the future 95 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:45.240 of the entire empire. But those discoveries still lay ahead. 96 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:52.279 For now, the adventure had only just begun. For many days, 97 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:56.559 Prince Wren followed the route marked on the ancient map. 98 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:01.440 The road carried him through quiet, f arming villages and 99 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:07.679 forests of towering cedar trees. He crossed rivers by ancient 100 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:13.639 stone bridges. He climbed mountain paths where clouds drifted among 101 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:19.240 the peaks. Every evening he carefully compared the landscape to 102 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:25.639 the faded markings upon the map. So far everything matched perfectly. 103 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:30.919 Yet despite his excitement, the Prince found no sign of 104 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:37.639 the hidden kingdom, only more questions. One evening, while staying 105 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:41.720 at a small mountain inn, he overheard an old traveler 106 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:47.559 speaking about a place known as Moonlight Village. According to legend, 107 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:53.200 the village appeared only during the full moon. By sunrise 108 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:59.240 it vanished again. Most people laughed at the story, but 109 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:04.399 Ren remember but the map Moonlight Village was marked upon it. 110 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:09.440 The very next night happened to be a full moon, 111 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:16.399 so before sunset, the Prince followed a narrow path leading 112 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:23.080 deep into the mountains. At first he found nothing, only 113 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:31.519 trees and rocks and silence. Then, as moonlight spilled across 114 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:37.960 the valley floor, something extraordinary happened. Lights began appearing among 115 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:43.799 the trees one by one, like stars emerging in the 116 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:50.480 night sky. Soon an entire village stood before him. Lanterns 117 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:57.679 glowed beneath wooden rooftops, Gardens bloomed around tiny cottages. A 118 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:02.600 stream wound peacefully through the center of the settlement. The 119 00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:08.000 prince could hardly believe his eyes. The villages welcomed him warmly, 120 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:13.759 yet whenever he asked about the hidden kingdom, they merely smiled. 121 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:18.840 One elderly woman finally offered a single piece of advice, 122 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:25.159 the kingdom cannot be found by following roads alone. Before 123 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:29.720 Wren could ask what she meant, the woman quietly returned 124 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:34.039 to her garden. The next morning, the village had vanished. 125 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:42.360 Only an empty valley remained. The prince continued onward. Weeks passed, 126 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:49.320 Spring slowly gave way to summer. His journey led him 127 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:53.480 higher into the mountains than he had ever traveled before. 128 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:59.279 One afternoon, he reached a forest unlike any he had seen. 129 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:06.200 Every tree grew perfectly straight, Each trunk rose towards the 130 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:13.080 sky without the slightest bend. The forest seemed almost impossible. 131 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:19.840 As he walked beneath the tall trees, he noticed something strange. 132 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:24.799 The further he traveled, the quieter his thoughts became. The 133 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:29.200 worries that had accompanied him throughout the journey slowly faded. 134 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:37.960 His mind grew calm, clear, peaceful. When he finally emerged 135 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:43.080 from the forest, he felt somehow lighter, as though he 136 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:48.320 had left something behind. The ancient map directed him onward. 137 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:54.200 Beyond the forest stood a mountain shaped like a sleeping dragon. 138 00:13:55.200 --> 00:14:00.759 Hidden among its cliffs, Wren discovered a staircase carved directly 139 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:06.960 into the stone. Hundreds of steps climbed towards the clouds. 140 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:13.519 At the summit stood seven stone lanterns, the same seven 141 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:19.360 lanterns shone on the map. The prince's heart raced. He 142 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:24.399 had reached the final marker. The Hidden Kingdom must be close. 143 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:31.080 Yet when he looked around, he saw nothing, only mountains, 144 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:41.559 only sky, only endless mist. Disappointed, Wren sat beside the lanterns. 145 00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:45.799 Perhaps the map had been wrong after all, perhaps the 146 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:50.519 Hidden Kingdom was merely another story. As the sun began 147 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:55.559 to set, golden light spilled across the mountains. The mist 148 00:14:55.720 --> 00:15:03.600 below him started to glow slowly Silently, the clouds parted, 149 00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:08.080 and there, hidden within a valley far Beneath the mountain 150 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:12.679 peaks lay a kingdom unlike any he had ever imagined. 151 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:19.720 Its rivers shimmered like silver ribbons, Its gardens stretched across 152 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:27.039 gentle hillsides. Its temples reflected sunlight from golden roofs. Cherry 153 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:33.720 trees bloomed along winding roads. Waterfalls tumbled from distant cliffs 154 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:39.200 the hidden Kingdom. For a long time, Wren simply stared. 155 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:45.519 The place was real, all the stories were true. Yet 156 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:53.519 something puzzled him. The kingdom appeared peaceful, beautiful, ordinary in 157 00:15:53.600 --> 00:16:00.919 many ways. There were no magical towers to no dragons, 158 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:05.759 no treasures of gold. The Prince descended into the valley. 159 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:12.600 The people welcomed him kindly. They seemed unsurprised by his arrival, 160 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:17.840 as though they had been expecting him. Over the following days, 161 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:28.639 he explored every corner of the kingdom. He visited markets, gardens, temples, libraries. 162 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:36.039 The people lived simple lives, yet everyone seemed content. There 163 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:40.960 was a sense of peace he had never encountered elsewhere. Eventually, 164 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:47.080 Wren met the kingdom's oldest resident, a wise gardener who 165 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:51.720 cared for a magnificent orchard. The Prince asked the question 166 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:55.519 that had been troubling him. Why is this place hidden? 167 00:16:56.519 --> 00:17:00.840 The old gardener smiled. Then he led Wren to the 168 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:06.559 highest hill overlooking the valley. Together they watched the sunset. 169 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:12.880 At last, the gardener spoke, people spend their lives searching 170 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:20.079 for extraordinary places. The prince nodded. The gardener gestured towards 171 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:24.920 the valley below. But the greatest treasure is not this kingdom. 172 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:32.319 Wren looked, confused. The gardener smiled again. The treasure is 173 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:37.400 becoming the kind of person capable of finding it. The 174 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:44.079 Prince fell silent. Slowly, he understood every part of the 175 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:51.119 journey had changed him. The forests, the mountains, the villages, 176 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:56.319 the people he had met, the challenges he had overcome. 177 00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:01.200 The hidden kingdom was never meant to be discovered quickly. 178 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:07.200 The journey itself was the lesson. Without it, the kingdom 179 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:14.119 would seem ordinary. With it, the kingdom became extraordinary. Wren 180 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:18.839 remained in the valley for many weeks. When autumn arrived, 181 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:23.960 he finally began the journey home. The road seemed shorter 182 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:29.720 this time, not because the distance had changed, because he 183 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:39.119 no longer hurried. He noticed every sunrise, every river, every forest, 184 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:45.359 every village. At last, he returned to the Imperial Palace, 185 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:51.680 his family welcomed him warmly. His father listened carefully as 186 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:56.599 Ren described his travels, but when the emperor asked where 187 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:01.119 the Hidden Kingdom could be found, the prince simply smiled. 188 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:06.960 For the first time, he understood why travelers rarely spoke 189 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:13.480 about it. The location was not the secret. The secret 190 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:19.160 was the journey. Years later, when Ren became emperor, he 191 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:24.680 ruled with wisdom and patience. He often encouraged young people 192 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:31.160 to travel to explore, to learn to see the world 193 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:36.519 beyond their own doorstep, and whenever someone asked if the 194 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:41.119 Hidden Kingdom truly existed, he would look towards the distant 195 00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:48.759 mountains and smile. Yes. He would say it exists. Then 196 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:52.640 he would pause, and the road to it begins the 197 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:57.680 moment you decide to take the first step. And though 198 00:19:57.720 --> 00:20:00.920 many searched for the Hidden Kingdom after he hearing his story, 199 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:05.480 only a few ever found it, For the kingdom revealed 200 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:09.759 itself only to those who had learned the lesson hidden 201 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:14.359 within the journey itself, that the greatest treasures are not 202 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:20.319 always waiting at the destination. Sometimes they are quietly gathered 203 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:39.599 along the road that leads there the journey to the 204 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:45.880 Hidden Kingdom. Long ago, in a land of mist covered 205 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:52.000 mountains and ancient cedar forests, there existed a kingdom that 206 00:20:52.119 --> 00:20:57.279 appeared on no map. No traveler could point to its location, 207 00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:02.880 no merchant could discribe the road that led there. No 208 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:08.079 emperor had ever claimed it. Yet stories of the Hidden 209 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:12.799 Kingdom were known throughout the land. Some believed it lay 210 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:16.400 beyond the northern mountains, where the clouds touched the earth. 211 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:22.680 Others claimed it rested upon an island concealed by silver mist. 212 00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:27.000 A few insisted it could only be found by those 213 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:31.880 who were not looking for it. Whatever the truth, one 214 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:36.599 thing remained certain. Nobody who claimed to have visited the 215 00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:42.519 Hidden Kingdom ever returned quite the same. Some came home wiser, 216 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:51.519 some became kinder, some abandoned lives of wealth to become gardeners, artists, 217 00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:57.160 or teachers. And some simply smiled whenever the Hidden Kingdom 218 00:21:57.240 --> 00:22:03.559 was mentioned, refusing to say another word. Naturally, these stories 219 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:08.839 fascinated Prince Wren. From the highest tower of the Imperial Palace, 220 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:13.640 he would often gaze towards the distant mountains and wonder 221 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:18.839 what secrets lay beyond them. Ren was the youngest son 222 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:23.839 of the emperor. Unlike his older brothers, he cared little 223 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:31.400 for politics or military strategy. He preferred old books, ancient legends, 224 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:38.319 maps covered in mysterious markings. His favorite place in the 225 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:44.119 palace was the library. There he spent countless hours studying 226 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:50.279 scrolls collected from every corner of the kingdom. One rainy afternoon, 227 00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:55.160 while searching through a forgotten section of the library, Wren 228 00:22:55.319 --> 00:23:01.920 discovered something unusual. Hidden behind several dusty boxes sat a narrow, 229 00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:07.599 wooden chest. The lock had rusted away long ago, the 230 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:12.880 prints carefully lifted the lid. Inside lay a collection of 231 00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:24.759 yellowed papers, most appeared to be ordinary records, old inventories, letters, receipts. Then, 232 00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:28.359 at the very bottom of the chest he found a map. 233 00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:34.839 Immediately he knew it was different. The paper felt ancient, 234 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:42.440 the ink had faded with age. Across mountains, rivers, forests, 235 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:47.480 and valleys ran a winding red line. The route ended 236 00:23:47.559 --> 00:23:52.440 at a symbol unlike anything Wren had ever seen, a 237 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:58.440 circle surrounded by seven stars. Beneath it were written four 238 00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:05.640 simple words, the Hidden Kingdom. The Prince's heart raced for 239 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:12.480 several moments. He simply stared the map looked genuine, yet 240 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:17.680 that was impossible. No map of the Hidden Kingdom had 241 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:24.000 ever been found. Carefully unfolding the fragile paper, Wren examined 242 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:31.680 every detail. The route crossed enormous mountain ranges, dense forests, 243 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:39.000 remote valleys. Several places carried names he had never heard before. 244 00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:43.920 The further he studied the map, the more convinced he became. 245 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:50.160 Someone had drawn this after making the journey, someone had 246 00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:56.480 actually been there. That night, sleep proved impossible. The map 247 00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:01.759 remained spread across his desk. Moonlight night spilled through the window. 248 00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:09.559 The Prince sat, studying every line and marking. Questions filled 249 00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:15.480 his thoughts. Who had created the map, how had it 250 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:22.000 found its way into the palace library, and perhaps most importantly, 251 00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:28.759 did the Hidden Kingdom truly exist? Just before dawn, Wren 252 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:34.279 noticed something he had missed. Written in tiny, faded characters 253 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:39.680 near the bottom corner were several words, words so faint 254 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:46.200 they were almost invisible. The journey begins where the river disappears. 255 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:52.359 Wren sat upright. He knew exactly what that meant. Far 256 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:56.039 to the west of the capital stood a famous valley 257 00:25:56.400 --> 00:26:01.000 where a great river vanished beneath a mountain. The place 258 00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:07.079 was real. Travelers spoke of it often. For centuries, people 259 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:12.440 had wondered where the water emerged Again, the Prince's pulse quickened. 260 00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:18.640 This was no fairy tale, This was a clue, and 261 00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:22.559 for the first time in his life, Prince Wren felt 262 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:27.440 a venture calling. Within a week, he had made his preparations. 263 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:35.079 He packed lightly, a traveling cloak, a note book, a compass, 264 00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:42.799 the mysterious map, and little else. Before sunrise on a 265 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:48.079 cool spring morning, he slipped quietly through the palace gates. 266 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:55.519 The city still slept. Lanterns glowed softly along empty streets. 267 00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:01.039 Above him, the sky was beginning to brighten. A head 268 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:07.559 lay forests, mountains, forgotten roads, and mysteries older than memory itself. 269 00:27:08.599 --> 00:27:13.759 Somewhere beyond them waited the hidden Kingdom. The Prince took 270 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:18.319 one final look at the palace. Then he turned towards 271 00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:22.519 the distant horizon and began to walk. He could not 272 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:26.319 know that before his journey ended, he would cross a 273 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:32.240 forest where every tree grew perfectly straight. He would discover 274 00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:37.880 a village that appeared only during moonlight. He would follow 275 00:27:37.960 --> 00:27:43.079 a pathway of stone lanterns deep into the mountains, and 276 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:46.880 he would learn a secret about the hidden kingdom that 277 00:27:46.920 --> 00:27:50.680 would change not only his own life, but the future 278 00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:56.480 of the entire empire. But those discoveries still lay ahead. 279 00:27:57.480 --> 00:28:03.480 For now, the adventure had only just begun. For many days, 280 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:08.000 Prince Wren followed the route marked on the ancient map. 281 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:13.519 The road carried him through quiet farming villages and forests 282 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:19.960 of towering cedar trees. He crossed rivers by ancient stone bridges. 283 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:26.440 He climbed mountain paths where clouds drifted among the peaks. 284 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:31.160 Every evening he carefully compared the landscape to the faded 285 00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:38.359 markings upon the map. So far everything matched perfectly. Yet 286 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:42.240 despite his excitement, the Prince found no sign of the 287 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:49.039 hidden Kingdom, only more questions. One evening, while staying at 288 00:28:49.079 --> 00:28:53.480 a small mountain inn, he overheard an old traveler speaking 289 00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:58.720 about a place known as Moonlight Village. According to legend, 290 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:04.400 the village appeared only during the full moon. By sunrise 291 00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:10.440 it vanished again. Most people laughed at the story, but 292 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:15.599 Ren remembered the map Moonlight Village was marked upon it. 293 00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:20.640 The very next night happened to be a full moon, 294 00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:27.599 so before sunset, the Prince followed a narrow path leading 295 00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:34.279 deep into the mountains. At first he found nothing, only 296 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:42.680 trees and rocks and silence. Then, as moonlight spilled across 297 00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:49.160 the valley floor, something extraordinary happened. Lights began appearing among 298 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:55.039 the trees one by one, like stars emerging in the 299 00:29:55.119 --> 00:30:01.680 night sky. Soon an entire village stood before him. Lanterns 300 00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:08.880 glowed beneath wooden rooftops, Gardens bloomed around tiny cottages. A 301 00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:13.799 stream wound peacefully through the center of the settlement. The 302 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:19.200 prince could hardly believe his eyes. The villages welcomed him warmly, 303 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:24.960 yet whenever he asked about the hidden kingdom, they merely smiled. 304 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:30.039 One elderly woman finally offered a single piece of advice, 305 00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:36.359 the kingdom cannot be found by following roads alone. Before 306 00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:40.920 Wren could ask what she meant, the woman quietly returned 307 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:45.240 to her garden. The next morning, the village had vanished. 308 00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:53.559 Only an empty valley remained. The prince continued onward. Weeks passed, 309 00:30:54.680 --> 00:31:00.519 Spring slowly gave way to summer. His journey led him 310 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:04.680 higher into the mountains than he had ever traveled before. 311 00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:10.519 One afternoon, he reached a forest unlike any he had seen. 312 00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:17.400 Every tree grew perfectly straight, each trunk rose towards the 313 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:24.279 sky without the slightest bend. The forest seemed almost impossible. 314 00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:31.039 As he walked beneath the tall trees, he noticed something strange. 315 00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:36.000 The further he traveled, the quieter his thoughts became. The 316 00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:40.400 worries that had accompanied him throughout the journey slowly faded. 317 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:49.160 His mind grew calm, clear, peaceful. When he finally emerged 318 00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:54.279 from the forest, he felt somehow lighter, as though he 319 00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:59.519 had left something behind. The ancient map directed him onward. 320 00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:05.400 Beyond the forest stood a mountain shaped like a sleeping dragon. 321 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:12.000 Hidden among its cliffs, Wren discovered a staircase carved directly 322 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:18.160 into the stone. Hundreds of steps climbed towards the clouds. 323 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:24.720 At the summit stood seven stone lanterns, the same seven 324 00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:30.599 lanterns shone on the map. The prince's heart raced. He 325 00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:35.599 had reached the final marker. The Hidden Kingdom must be close. 326 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:42.319 Yet when he looked around, he saw nothing, only mountains, 327 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:51.799 only sky, only endless mist. Disappointed, Wren sat beside the lanterns. 328 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:57.000 Perhaps the map had been wrong after all, Perhaps the 329 00:32:57.079 --> 00:33:01.720 Hidden Kingdom was merely another story. As the sun began 330 00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:06.799 to set, golden light spilled across the mountains. The mist 331 00:33:06.920 --> 00:33:14.799 below him started to glow slowly. Silently, the clouds parted, 332 00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:19.759 and there, hidden within a valley far beneath the mountain peaks, 333 00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:25.119 lay a kingdom unlike any he had ever imagined. Its 334 00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:32.160 rivers shimmered like silver ribbons, Its gardens stretched across gentle hillsides. 335 00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:39.519 Its temples reflected sunlight from golden roofs. Cherry trees bloomed 336 00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:46.880 along winding roads. Waterfalls tumbled from distant cliffs the hidden kingdom. 337 00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:52.519 For a long time, Wren simply stared. The place was real, 338 00:33:53.640 --> 00:33:59.400 all the stories were true. Yet something puzzled him. The 339 00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:06.920 kingdom appeared peaceful, beautiful, ordinary in many ways. There were 340 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:13.960 no magical towers to no dragons, no treasures of gold. 341 00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:19.880 The Prince descended into the valley. The people welcomed him kindly. 342 00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:25.519 They seemed unsurprised by his arrival, as though they had 343 00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:30.920 been expecting him. Over the following days, he explored every 344 00:34:31.079 --> 00:34:39.840 corner of the kingdom. He visited markets, gardens, temples, libraries. 345 00:34:40.920 --> 00:34:47.239 The people lived simple lives, yet everyone seemed content. There 346 00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:52.199 was a sense of peace he had never encountered elsewhere. Eventually, 347 00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:58.280 Wren met the kingdom's oldest resident, a wise gardener who 348 00:34:58.360 --> 00:35:02.480 cared for a magnificent all way, the prince asked the 349 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:06.719 question that had been troubling him, Why is this place hidden? 350 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:12.079 The old gardener smiled, then he led Wren to the 351 00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:17.880 highest hill overlooking the valley. Together they watched the sunset. 352 00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:24.119 At last, the gardener spoke, people spend their lives searching 353 00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:31.280 for extraordinary places. The prince nodded. The gardener gestured towards 354 00:35:31.320 --> 00:35:36.119 the valley below. But the greatest treasure is not this kingdom. 355 00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:43.519 Wren looked, confused. The gardener smiled again. The treasure is 356 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:48.559 becoming the kind of person capable of finding it. The 357 00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:55.280 Prince fell silent. Slowly, he understood every part of the 358 00:35:55.360 --> 00:36:03.559 journey had changed him. The forests, mountains, the villages, the 359 00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:08.679 people he had met, the challenges he had overcome. The 360 00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:13.559 hidden Kingdom was never meant to be discovered quickly. The 361 00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:18.639 journey itself was the lesson. Without it, the kingdom would 362 00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:25.920 seem ordinary. With it, the Kingdom became extraordinary. Wren remained 363 00:36:25.920 --> 00:36:30.559 in the valley for many weeks. When autumn arrived, he 364 00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:35.880 finally began the journey home. The road seemed shorter this time, 365 00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:42.079 not because the distance had changed, because he no longer hurried. 366 00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:52.519 He noticed every sunrise, every river, every forest, every village. 367 00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:58.440 At last, he returned to the Imperial Palace. His family 368 00:36:58.559 --> 00:37:03.719 welcomed him warmly. His father listened carefully as Ren described 369 00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:08.239 his travels, But when the emperor asked where the Hidden 370 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:13.559 Kingdom could be found, the prince simply smiled. For the 371 00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:18.760 first time, he understood why travelers rarely spoke about it. 372 00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:25.920 The location was not the secret. The secret was the journey. 373 00:37:27.039 --> 00:37:31.599 Years later, when Ren became emperor, he ruled with wisdom 374 00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:38.400 and patience. He often encouraged young people to travel to explore, 375 00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:44.639 to learn to see the world beyond their own doorstep, 376 00:37:45.639 --> 00:37:49.639 and whenever someone asked if the Hidden Kingdom truly existed, 377 00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:55.480 he would look towards the distant mountains and smile. Yes. 378 00:37:56.159 --> 00:38:00.920 He would say it exists, then, and he would pause. 379 00:38:01.960 --> 00:38:05.079 And the road to it begins the moment you decide 380 00:38:05.400 --> 00:38:09.840 to take the first step. And though many searched for 381 00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:13.480 the Hidden Kingdom after hearing his story, only a few 382 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:17.960 ever found it, for the Kingdom revealed itself only to 383 00:38:18.079 --> 00:38:22.119 those who had learned the lesson hidden within the journey 384 00:38:22.159 --> 00:38:26.760 itself that the greatest treasures are not always waiting at 385 00:38:26.760 --> 00:38:32.800 the destination. Sometimes they are quietly gathered along the road 386 00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:58.559 that leads there. The Journey to the Hidden Kingdom. Long ago, 387 00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:03.760 in a land of mist covered mountains and ancient cedar forests, 388 00:39:04.280 --> 00:39:09.599 there existed a kingdom that appeared on no map. No 389 00:39:09.679 --> 00:39:15.000 traveler could point to its location, no merchant could describe 390 00:39:15.079 --> 00:39:19.519 the road that led there. No emperor had ever claimed it. 391 00:39:20.639 --> 00:39:24.760 Yet stories of the Hidden Kingdom were known throughout the land. 392 00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:29.480 Some believed it lay beyond the northern mountains where the 393 00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:34.039 clouds touched the earth. Others claimed it rested upon an 394 00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:39.880 island concealed by silver mist. A few insisted it could 395 00:39:39.920 --> 00:39:43.480 only be found by those who were not looking for it. 396 00:39:44.480 --> 00:39:50.400 Whatever the truth, one thing remained certain. Nobody who claimed 397 00:39:50.440 --> 00:39:54.360 to have visited the Hidden Kingdom ever returned quite the same. 398 00:39:55.559 --> 00:40:02.920 Some came home wiser, some became kinder, some abandoned lives 399 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:08.559 of wealth to become gardeners, artists, or teachers. And some 400 00:40:08.920 --> 00:40:13.760 simply smiled whenever the Hidden Kingdom was mentioned, refusing to 401 00:40:13.800 --> 00:40:21.039