A Shocking Dream

His eyes stared blankly ahead, as if gazing into the distant past, yet as if he saw nothing at all. His heart was filled with pain and despair. He didn't know how he could continue in a world without Yunshuang. Memories flooded back. Those beautiful times were now only painful memories.

Qin Rongchen hadn't expected this last farewell to be permanent. Standing in the room where Lin Bingshuang had once lived, he was filled with grief and disbelief. "No, I don't believe it. She never told me she was ill. There might be something else going on. I shouldn't be sad right now, but I need to get to the bottom of it," he muttered to himself, a determined look in his eyes.

He began to carefully recall every meeting and every conversation with Lin Bingshuang, trying to find some clues. Five years ago, he saw her jump off a cliff and survived. Now, he didn't see her die of illness with his own eyes, and he couldn't believe it was true no matter what.

"Something must be wrong," Qin Rongchen gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. He paced back and forth in the room, his thoughts racing. He thought of all the difficulties and challenges Lin Bingshuang had faced in the past. She had always persevered, and this time would surely be no exception. Qin Rongchen's eyes grew more determined. He was determined to get to the bottom of Yunshuang's "death" at all costs.

Prime Minister's Mansion

Qin Rongchen's steps were slightly heavy when he stepped into the yard. Su Yijing was sitting in the yard, the tea on the stone table still steaming. He seemed to have known Qin Rongchen would come.

"I heard that you were there when Yunshuang passed away." Qin Rongchen spoke first, his voice calm, but his eyes were fixed on Su Yijing.

"It's two days ahead of schedule. It seems that the prince told you. I was indeed there and saw it with my own eyes." Su Yijing frowned slightly, with fatigue and confusion in his eyes.

"Are you sure that the person lying on the bed is her?" Qin Rongchen asked immediately, with a probing look in his eyes.

Su Yijing was slightly startled, then said, "At that time, apart from the Queen Mother, no one else in the room had seen her through the bed curtains, so I'm not sure. But the Holy Maiden of the Yun Kingdom is so noble and sacred, I don't think anyone would dare to impersonate her. Why, do you suspect there's something hidden behind Yun Shuang's death?"

Qin Rongchen was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "She faked her death once five years ago, and now she died suddenly of illness. I always feel that things are too strange." He walked to the stone table, sat down, picked up a cup of tea but did not drink it. He just stared at the tea shaking in the cup.

Su Yijing sighed softly and said, "But the situation was indeed very sudden at the time. Everyone in the Imperial Hospital was there, and no one noticed anything unusual. But now that you mention it, it does seem a little strange. The Queen Mother only cried in grief after reading it, and didn't say much."

Qin Rongchen raised his head, his eyes determined: "I must find out the truth. I don't believe she left so easily."

Su Yijing looked at Qin Rongchen and nodded: "I understand your feelings. I thought about it, as you said, Lin Bingshuang is really Yunshuang. After so many years, you knew she was Lin Bingshuang at a glance, but why didn't the Queen Mother recognize Lin Bingshuang's appearance when she lifted the bed curtain?" Su Yijing's eyes were also full of doubts.

Qin Rongchen narrowed his eyes slightly, lost in thought. Various thoughts raced through his mind, trying to make sense of the chaotic chaos. "The Queen Mother has had considerable contact with Yunshuang. Even though time can change a person's appearance, it's not so unrecognizable," Qin Rongchen muttered to himself.

"Maybe as you said, the person on the bed is not Lin Bingshuang at all. Although I have never seen Lin Bingshuang, I know your aesthetic taste." Su Yijing said with a firm look at Qin Rongchen.

"I didn't believe it when I heard that Lin Bingshuang was ugly. The painting of the beauty in your room didn't have her face drawn on it because you wanted everyone to guess that Lin Bingshuang was ugly, so you didn't draw her face on it." Su Yijing continued to analyze, frowning slightly as he paced.

Qin Rongchen was slightly startled, the image of the beautiful woman surfacing in his mind. He did have his own thoughts at the time, and didn't want others to know anything about Lin Bingshuang. "You have a point. But I won't be mistaken. In the palace, in the plum garden, and in the empress dowager's bedroom, I know very well that she is Lin Bingshuang," Qin Rongchen whispered, and he began to re-examine everything that had happened.

"What you mean is that except for the person on the bed, everyone exposed to everyone is herself. Then why did she fake her death? What is her purpose? Where is she now?" Su Yijing's voice was full of anxiety and confusion.

Qin Rongchen frowned slightly, also lost in thought. "This is indeed a crucial question. There must be an important reason for faking her death, perhaps to avoid danger, or perhaps to plot something larger. As for her current location..." Qin Rongchen shook his head. "I have no clue at the moment." He paced back and forth, his mind in turmoil. He tried to recall every detail of his time with Lin Bingshuang, trying to find some clue.

"These are just speculations between you and me. We still need to investigate the truth in detail. Before she died, Yunshuang said in front of everyone that you were with her just to explore the secret of the Snow Country scroll. A dying man speaks well. By saying this, she has cleared the relationship between the two of you." Su Yijing's words flowed slowly in the air with a hint of solemnity.

Qin Rongchen's body stiffened when he heard this, his mind instantly in turmoil. "Snow Country Scroll? Why would she suddenly say something like that?" His eyes were filled with shock and confusion.

Su Yijing looked at Qin Rongchen's reaction, sighed slightly, and continued: "Or maybe he said this on purpose before his death so that everyone would not misunderstand your relationship with Yun Shuang, because, among all people, you are the only one who knows that she is Lin Bingshuang, right?"

Qin Rongchen's eyes grew deeper, and he fell into deep thought. If, as Su Yijing had said, Yun Shuang had deliberately said those words before dying, then what was her purpose? Was it to protect him? Or was there some deeper reason?

"Why did she do this? Did she sense some danger?" Qin Rongchen whispered to himself, his voice filled with confusion and worry. Su Yijing shook his head. "You came to me, and I'm sure those in the palace know you're back. Since you don't believe she's dead, why not go into the palace and investigate? The Empress Dowager saw Yunshuang in bed, so why don't you go and investigate? The doctors at the Imperial Hospital also said Yunshuang's illness was congenital. Didn't Lin Bingshuang mention this to you before?" Qin Rongchen frowned slightly, lost in thought. Indeed, Lin Bingshuang had never mentioned any congenital illness to him. All this seemed increasingly confusing.

"I'll go to the palace right away." Qin Rongchen said decisively, his eyes revealing determination. He knew that only by conducting an in-depth investigation could he find the truth.