A Shocking Dream

He tried to search his memory for some details that he had overlooked, some clues that could explain Yunshuang's sudden death, but his brain was like a tangled mess and he couldn't make sense of it.

The carriage fell into silence, each of them having their own thoughts.

It would have taken two days to reach the capital, but Qin Rongchen arrived that very evening. He galloped furiously, his heart filled with endless longing and fear. He kept repeating to himself, "Yunshuang, wait for me. You'll be fine." Every crack of the whip carried his eager desire to see Yunshuang. The horse was already panting from exhaustion from his frantic drive, but he showed no sign of stopping.

When he finally arrived in the capital, he didn't pause for a moment, running straight towards the room where Yunshuang had lived. He had only one thought in mind: find Yunshuang. His figure flashed through the night like a flash of lightning. People along the way saw only a blurry figure rushing by, and were filled with astonishment.

Ignoring everyone's stunned gazes, he rushed straight into Yunshuang's room. His eyes were filled with anxiety and longing, as if searching for a last glimmer of hope. Everything in the room was still so familiar, the items Yunshuang had used, the faint fragrance, all made his heart suddenly clench.

"Holy King, it's too abrupt to visit you so late at night." Qingluan followed into the room with a hint of surprise and dissatisfaction on her face.

Qin Rongchen ignored Qingluan. He simply stood blankly in the center of the room, his eyes searching for Yunshuang. His heart was pounding. On the one hand, he longed to see Yunshuang appear before him with her usual smile, but on the other, he dreaded the cold, empty room that would confirm her departure. This must be a misunderstanding, he thought. How could someone as vibrant as Yunshuang just disappear like that?

"Yunshuang, where is she? She can't just leave me like this..." Qin Rongchen's voice was hoarse and trembling. He clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He kept telling himself in his heart that this couldn't be true, that she must still be waiting for him in some corner. He recalled every little detail of their past, those sweet moments, the gentle words, as if it were just yesterday.

Qingluan looked at Qin Rongchen in such pain, she sighed slightly and said: "Saint King, our country's saint girl died of illness and is gone. We will set off soon to bring the ashes back to Yun Kingdom. Please respect yourself, Saint King." There was a hint of helplessness and determination in her tone.

Qin Rongchen whipped his head around, his eyes filled with anger and resentment. "No, she can't be dead! I don't believe it!" he roared, his voice echoing through the room, tinged with endless grief. He felt as if his world had crumbled in an instant, all his hopes and happiness vanished. He couldn't accept that the person who always smiled at him and gave him warmth had vanished like this. It felt as if his soul had been ripped from his body with Yunshuang's departure.

The room fell silent, with only Qin Rongchen's heavy breathing echoing in the air. Tears gleamed in his eyes, and the pain in his heart was like a knife cutting through him.

The night was as black as ink, with only a few stars twinkling faintly. The wind blew quietly, bringing a hint of coolness, rustling the branches outside the window, as if humming a sad story.

He didn't believe it. Five years ago, she had faked her own death. Five years later, she would definitely... Qin Rongchen kept repeating this sentence in his heart, as if it was the last straw that supported him. A faint sadness filled the room. The atmosphere that was once full of warmth was now shrouded in heavy grief.

Thinking back to five years ago, when he learned of her death, the heartbreak he felt was still etched in his mind. But later on, he discovered it was all a hoax, and she was still alive. Now, facing this situation again, deep down, he couldn't accept that this was real death.

His eyes wandered around the room, looking at those familiar objects, as if he could see Lin Bingshuang's past. He remembered her smile, as bright as the warm spring sun; he remembered her voice, gentle yet full of power. Those past memories came flooding back like a tide, constantly impacting his heart.

"She must still be alive. There must be some reason that compelled her to do this." Qin Rongchen clenched his fists and vowed to himself that he would find the truth. He began to carefully observe everything in the room, trying to find some clues. Perhaps there was a letter or a hint that could tell him where Yunshuang had gone.

He walked over to the dressing table, gently opened the jewelry boxes, and looked through the contents. He picked up a hairpin she had once worn and held it tightly in his hand. The wind outside the window blew the curtains, as if Yunshuang's hand was gently caressing them. The fluttering curtains, like Yunshuang's figure looming, brought Qin Rongchen a glimmer of hope.

"Please accept the reality, Lord Saint. The Great Qi Emperor and others were present and witnessed the death of our Saint Maiden." Qing Luan spoke unhappily upon seeing Qin Rongchen like this. Her voice echoed in the silent room, carrying an unquestionable certainty.

Qin Rongchen froze, as if struck by these cold words. He slowly turned his head and looked at Qingluan, his eyes filled with confusion and painful pleading. "What you said... is it true?" His voice was weak and trembling, as if saying these words had exhausted all his strength.

Qingluan raised her chin slightly, her eyes firm, "Holy King, how could such a major event be false? Many people have witnessed with their own eyes that Saint Yunshuang has indeed passed away." There was no trace of retreat in her eyes, and she met Qin Rongchen's gaze directly. She had to make Qin Rongchen recognize this fact.

The air in the room seemed frozen, the pressure so intense it was suffocating. Qin Rongchen felt his world crumbling, the beautiful memories of the past tearing at his heart like shards of glass. Yunshuang's face, her smile, her gentle words, kept resurfacing in his mind, but now, all of that had been mercilessly shattered by the word "death."

"No, it won't..." Qin Rongchen muttered to himself, shaking his head, unwilling to believe this fact. He stumbled and almost fell. He reached out to hold on to the table beside him, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Qingluan looked at Qin Rongchen who was so distraught, but still hardened her heart and said, "Holy King, the dead are gone, I hope you take care of yourself." Although her words were cold, they also contained a hint of comfort.

Qin Rongchen didn't respond. He just stood there blankly, as if he had lost the ability to think. The wind outside the window was blowing, making the branches sway and the leaves fall, as if they were also sighing for this sad story.