A Shocking Dream

Seeing this, Lin Wunian's expression was solemn. She quickly raised her hand to stop him, her fingertips barely touching Qin Rongchen's arm, like a gentle yet resilient lock, stopping his advance. "Don't worry, Your Highness! Xie Yuan must have come prepared. We must not fall into his trap." She lowered her voice and spoke rapidly, her eyes fixed on Qin Rongchen, trying to convey calmness and composure. "You see, he has many informants, and our covert actions may have been noticed. He must have made an appearance now, seizing the perfect opportunity, with a conspiracy and cunning plan, hoping to bite back and confuse the public."

Qin Rongchen's brows were furious, his chest burning with anger. However, he knew that Lin Wunian was right. He gritted his teeth and withdrew his hand, saying bitterly, "Am I just going to watch this evil villain act so arrogantly? He has ruined so many families. I wish I could execute him right here and now!"

Lin Wunian shook his head slightly, his eyes as calm as the abyss, and he quickly thought of a countermeasure: "Of course we can't let him go, but a strong attack is not advisable. What we need to do now is to stabilize Xie Yuan first and find out his strengths and intentions. I will deal with him."

The storm suddenly converges, and the old enemy seizes the opportunity

Lin Wunian moved lightly, her posture erect, as if clad in invisible armor, as she resolutely headed for the front yard. But a dark cloud hung over her heart, a surge of worry. She pondered to herself, "Now that Xie Yuan had come looking for me, Zhou Junze, his trusted henchman with spies everywhere, might have discovered Ah Nian's hiding place and was perhaps already rushing to the inn. If so, the situation would become exponentially more difficult." This thought, like a venomous ant gnawing at her, lingered.

The crowd gathered around Xie Yuan, and the atmosphere in the front yard was tense, like the thick, oppressive silence before a storm. Lin Wunian had just stepped in, his eyes scanning the crowd like lightning. Before he could speak, he heard a flurry of footsteps. Turning, he saw Zhou Junze step into the house, hurriedly moving, his expression bearing the urgency of someone following orders.

The instant Zhou Junze raised his eyes, his gaze met Lin Wunian's. He was stunned for a moment, as if struck by thunder, and stood there in a daze. In the past, he had often seen Lin Wunian with snow-white hair, as if wrapped in frost, cold and mysterious. Now, his black hair cascaded down his shoulders, his smooth black hair accentuating his face with an even cooler and more otherworldly air, like a deity descended from the heavens. His cold demeanor pierced his eyes, and for a moment, he was mesmerized.

Lin Wunian was secretly annoyed when she saw this. Zhou Junze's straightforward and unconcealed gaze was like a sticky spider silk that made her feel uncomfortable, but she still forced herself to remain calm and did not show any sign of it.

She moved lightly with lotus steps, straightened her back quietly, raised her eyebrows slightly, and her watery eyes instantly became as sharp as an eagle. She asked first: "You two came to find me at the same time. Is there something important? Such a scene really makes my small inn shine." As she spoke, it seemed as if broken ice was carried by her, clanging and falling in the quiet yet tense front yard.

Xie Yuan was leisurely fanning himself with a folding fan, whispering a few words to his guards, when he looked up and saw Lin Wunian had appeared. As his eyes met that head of black hair, he felt as if struck by lightning, his body suddenly stiffening. A familiar feeling, like a wildfire in the wilderness of spring, instantly swept through him.

The dusty memories of the past burst forth like a caged beast, howling. Once upon a time, a nimble figure, with flying black hair and a sweet smile, darted through the intertwined light and shadow of the past. Its face quietly overlapped with Lin Wunian's before him, sending a wave of confusion through his heart.

After being stunned for only a moment, Xie Yuan came back to his senses and calmed down. He closed his folding fan with a crisp "snap" sound, breaking the brief silence. The corners of his mouth showed a smile: "Ms. Lin, don't pretend to be ignorant. I heard that you have taken in some people who should not be taken in recently. As the Marquis, I am the most generous. As long as you hand over the people, the past will be written off. Otherwise..." The ending tone was prolonged, and the threat was obvious.

Lin Wunian pretended to be surprised, her innocent eyes wide open: "My Lord, you are joking. How dare I offend you? You can't believe the slander of villains and wrongly accuse good people." As she spoke, she quickly calculated a plan to escape. She knew that every step she took at this moment was like stepping on a knife edge. If she made a mistake, she would be doomed.

Zhou Junze bowed slightly, with a seemingly gentle smile on his face, but the smile did not reach his eyes. He spoke slowly and unhurriedly: "Ms. Lin, is Anian, the maid from my house, here with you? This girl is not a clean person. She stole my valuables and escaped here. I hope Miss Lin will let her out and don't delay me from recovering the lost items." After that, he pretended to glance around the inn casually, as if looking for Anian's trace.

Lin Wunian sneered in his heart, but did not show it on his face. He moved lightly with lotus steps, bowed, and responded politely: "Mr. Zhou, what you said is strange. There are people coming and going in the inn. How can I have the leisure to pay attention to who is the maid in your house? The name Anian sounds unfamiliar. I have never seen a woman stealing things. Could it be that Mr. Zhou has gone to the wrong place?" His innocence and ignorance were revealed in his words. His clear eyes met Zhou Junze's inquiring gaze calmly without any dodging.

There was a hint of displeasure in Zhou Junze's eyes, but he still maintained his composure, frowned slightly, and sighed softly: "Ms. Lin, I know you have a kind heart, but don't be fooled by that girl. She is very smart, and she must have fooled you with sweet words. The stolen items are very important to me, and I am really anxious. If you know her whereabouts, please tell me, and I will reward you handsomely. In the future, when you are in Yingzhou City, I will take good care of you." The intention of inducement was evident in his words, as if it was a finely woven net, trying to wrap Lin Wunian in it.

Lin Wunian raised her eyebrows slightly, with a smile on her face: "Mr. Zhou, you say this as if I am deliberately hiding someone. Although I, Lin Wunian, am a woman, I have made a living in this city with my own ability. I have never been afraid of anything, but I don't want to be wrongly accused for no reason. You keep saying that Anian stole things, but do you have any evidence? If there is no real evidence, and you slander me like this casually, if it gets out, I'm afraid others will question your behavior, Mr. Zhou." Every word was as clear and sharp as pearls falling on a jade plate. The counterattack was just right, and she threw the problem back to Zhou Junze.

At this moment, Qin Rongchen stepped out steadily from behind Lin Wunian like a gust of wind. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, his clothes rustled, and he exuded the dignity and awe of someone who had held a high position for a long time.

When Xie Yuan and Zhou Junze suddenly saw the person coming, their expressions were stunned for a moment, as if they were hit by a sharp sword energy from a distance. They subconsciously tensed their bodies, and their eyes were sharp and alert like hungry wolves meeting an enemy.

Qin Rongchen stood with his hands behind his back, his brows sharp and his eyes gleaming with a deep, unfathomable light. His every move emanated an aura unlike any other wealthy young man. His aura was like a sharp, materialized blade, its invisible pressure spreading outward, thinning the air around him.

Zhou Junze's eyes darted around, secretly trying to figure out where this Cheng Yaojin who suddenly showed up came from. An ominous premonition welled up in his heart, cold sweat broke out on his palms unconsciously, and his original arrogance was quietly reduced by half.