A Shocking Dream

"I haven't seen you for many years, so I thought of coming to see my uncle." Qin Ruoyu said softly.

"I'm not so old that I can't walk and need someone to see me. Tell me, what do you want to see me about? You suddenly disappeared a few months ago. Where have you been?" Qin Rongchen's tone was still cold, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Uncle, do you believe me?" Qin Ruoyu looked at Qin Rongchen, his eyes full of expectation.

"You have to tell me, then I will know whether to believe you or not." Qin Rongchen raised his chin slightly, with a scrutinizing look in his eyes.

Qin Ruoyu lowered his head, his tone a little respectful. He knew that the emperor's uncle didn't like red tape, so he tried to make his tone sound more natural.

Qin Rongchen narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Qin Ruoyu, "Tell me, what's the matter?" His voice was still cold, but with a hint of curiosity.

Qin Ruoyu took a deep breath, slowly raised his head, and looked into the eyes of his uncle, "Uncle, Ruoyu was ambushed while hunting and fell into a coma. After waking up, I found myself in a mysterious place. A woman there saved me and gave me a jade pendant, asking me to give it to your uncle, saying that from now on, we owe each other nothing." As he spoke, Qin Ruoyu took out the jade pendant from his arms and handed it to Qin Rongchen.

Qin Rongchen looked at the jade pendant, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He slowly reached out his hand, took the jade pendant, and looked at it carefully. The pattern and handwriting on the jade pendant made his heart surge with mixed emotions. He was silent for a moment, then raised his head and looked at Qin Ruoyu, "Do you know who that woman is?"

Qin Ruoyu shook his head. "Ruoyu doesn't know. That woman is very mysterious. When I woke up, I only saw her back. But her voice was very cold and unforgettable."

Qin Rongchen frowned slightly, lost in thought. His mind was filled with questions: Who was that woman? Why did she have his jade pendant? What was her relationship with him? A series of questions swirled in his mind, making him feel heavy.

"Uncle, do you know that woman?" Qin Ruoyu looked at Qin Rongchen and asked anxiously. He hoped that his uncle could give him some clues to solve this mystery.

Qin Rongchen was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "I don't know that woman. But this jade pendant..." His voice paused, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes. "I once gave this jade pendant to someone, but that person has passed away. I don't know why it ended up in that woman's hands."

Qin Ruoyu's heart tightened. He felt that this matter was becoming more and more complicated. He looked at his uncle, "Uncle, who is that person? Why did he leave?"

Qin Rongchen sighed slightly, "That person is someone I once loved, but for some reasons, she passed away, and I don't know if she is still alive." His voice was full of helplessness and sadness, which made people feel sad.

Qin Ruoyu looked at the painful expression on the emperor's uncle's face, and his heart was filled with sympathy. He knew that the emperor's uncle had never forgotten that person, and his heart was filled with longing and concern. But he didn't know how to comfort the emperor's uncle, so he could only sit there silently.

Qin Rongchen, who had been calm and composed, suddenly changed his expression. He held the jade pendant, his hands trembling slightly as he stroked the patterns and gazed at it affectionately, his eyes gradually turning red.

Qin Rongchen's thoughts seemed to drift back to the past, to the woman who had once moved his heart, the person he thought he would never see again. His heart was filled with longing and pain, and those memories he had buried deep in his heart came flooding back like a tide. Qin Ruoyu looked at the emperor's uncle quietly, and he could feel the waves in his uncle's heart at this moment. He didn't know what exactly happened between that woman and the emperor's uncle, but he knew that this jade pendant must carry the deep emotions between them.

A tear fell quietly, and then a sad smile broke out. It was the first time Qin Ruoyu saw Qin Rongchen like this, and she was so shocked that she didn't know what to say. That tear seemed to carry endless longing and pain, while that smile was mixed with helplessness and self-mockery.

"What do you mean by 'we owe each other nothing'? Even if you hide to the ends of the earth, I will find you." Qin Rongchen's voice was firm and resolute, with an unquestionable aura. He clutched the jade pendant tightly, as if it were the only connection between him and her. After saying this, Qin Rongchen turned and left, the corners of his white clothes fluttering in the breeze, leaving Qin Ruoyu alone, her heart filled with shock.

Qin Ruoyu stared at his uncle's retreating figure, unable to recover for a long time. He had never seen his uncle so out of control. What position did that mysterious woman hold in his heart? He didn't know, but he could sense his uncle's deep affection for her. Qin Ruoyu was overwhelmed by a complex emotion: he was moved by his uncle's persistence, yet curious about their story.

"Uncle, uncle!" Qin Ruoyu called out anxiously, but all he got was an empty echo. By the time Qin Ruoyu found Qin Rongchen, he had already ridden out of the village and disappeared.

Qin Ruoyu felt a surge of worry. His uncle was so agitated, he feared something might happen. Qiuluo Mountain was a hundred miles away; it was impossible to reach it on a whim. He knew his uncle's current mood, but he also worried that he might get into danger if he acted impulsively.

"Someone come here!" Qin Ruoyu shouted loudly.

"I'm here. What instructions does Your Highness the Crown Prince have?" A guard quickly appeared and saluted respectfully.

"You should quickly take your men and horses to catch up with the emperor's uncle and protect his safety at all times until he returns to the capital." Qin Ruoyu said in a firm tone.

"We will definitely live up to the mission!" The guard took the order and left, quickly gathering men and horses to chase in the direction the emperor's uncle left.

Qin Ruoyu watched them go away, silently praying that his uncle would be safe. He knew that his uncle must have a deep affection for that mysterious woman, which was why he went to such great lengths to find her.

In the quiet Hanmei Villa, Qin Ruoyu fell into deep thought.

Who is she, anyway? Why is she so thrilling to the Emperor's uncle? Qin Ruoyu pondered, his inner doubts shrouding him like a fog. Puzzled, he stepped into Qin Rongchen's room. A delicate fragrance permeated the room, not just any ordinary one. The aroma lingered faintly in the air, as if telling a story unknown to the public.

Following the direction of the strong fragrance, Qin Ruoyu saw a painting. The fragrance actually came from a scroll. This scroll was a jade scroll that the Snow Country had once given to the emperor's uncle. The emperor's uncle used such a precious scroll to decorate this painting. Could the person in the painting be... With curiosity, Qin Ruoyu opened the scroll from the bottom, and the woman in the painting gradually emerged. She was wearing a pure green dress with wide sleeves, and her slender jade hands grasped a blooming red plum blossom. Her posture was elegant and moving. Then, Qin Ruoyu was startled. The painting was fully opened, and the woman in the painting had no facial features. How could it be...

Qin Ruoyu stared blankly at the painting, his heart filled with shock and confusion. Why was the woman in the painting not fully drawn? Why did the emperor's uncle treasure it so much? What was the connection between that mysterious woman and the painting? A series of questions swirled in Qin Ruoyu's mind, plunging him into deep contemplation.

He stood quietly before the painting, as if he could sense the emperor's uncle's emotions as he painted it. What kind of emotion would lead the emperor's uncle to leave behind such a faceless painting? Qin Ruoyu knew that the painting must be hiding a great secret, and this secret might be closely related to the emperor's uncle's past and the mysterious woman.

In this quiet room, Qin Ruoyu's heart was filled with desire for the truth.

"It turns out to be His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I thought the prince had forgotten to blow out the candles again." Butler Chen suddenly stood at the door and said with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"I... just came in to take a look." Qin Ruoyu said guiltily, and quickly put away the scroll. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes, as if someone had discovered his secret.

"If your Highness wants to know anything, you might as well ask the Queen Mother. She will tell you." After saying this, Butler Chen left with the lantern. The light of the lantern flickered in the darkness, as if guiding Qin Ruoyu.

The Empress Dowager? Qin Ruoyu glanced at the painting in his hand and returned to the palace, puzzled. He was filled with questions. Why had Housekeeper Chen asked him to ask the Empress Dowager? What did the Empress Dowager know? Who was this mysterious woman? What was her story with the Emperor's uncle?

Along the way, Qin Ruoyu's thoughts were tangled like a tangled mess. He didn't know what answer was waiting for him, but he was determined to solve this mystery.