A Shocking Dream

Wu Nian sat in the dimly lit room, the candlelight flickering. "Hmm," she sneezed several times, rubbed her nose, and muttered, "Strange! Who's tickling me in the middle of the night?" She pulled her cloak tighter around her, her eyes flickering in the darkness.

Counting the days, Qin Rongchen and the others should be arriving in the capital soon. Wu Nian's brows furrowed slightly at the thought of Qin Rongchen. She knew that Qin Rongchen was extremely cautious about Lin Bingshuang's affairs, and he certainly wouldn't easily believe Lin Bingshuang's claim of death. However, Wu Nian's lips curled up in a cold smile, "It doesn't matter if you don't believe it. Anyway, the body has been burned in front of everyone, and he can't find out anything."

She stood up and paced slowly around the room. The shadows on the ground swayed with the candlelight, as if twisting restlessly. Wu Nian's mind kept replaying the scene: the blazing flames, the shouts and cries of the crowd intertwined. Her plan had been going smoothly so far, but Qin Rongchen was like a bomb that could explode at any moment, leaving her feeling uneasy.

Wu Nian walked to the window and gently pushed it open, letting a gust of cold wind blow in her face. She looked out at the quiet night, the distant mountains only a vague outline in the darkness. "Qin Rongchen, no matter how cautious you are, you can't change the established facts," she whispered, as if to encourage herself.

Recalling Lin Bingshuang's life, Wu Nian felt a surge of mixed emotions. There was jealousy, resentment, but more importantly, she was planning for her own future. But Qin Rongchen wasn't someone who could be easily fooled, so she had to come up with a foolproof plan.

Wu Nian turned back to sit by the bed, her fingers unconsciously tugging at the sheets. She began to carefully consider Qin Rongchen's possible actions and how she would respond. The candlelight flickered in the wind, as if it would go out at any moment, just like Wu Nian's current mood, full of uncertainty. In the silent night, she plotted alone, waiting for the coming storm.

Doubt and persistence.

Su Yijing frowned and said solemnly: "Let's not talk about the purpose. That day, the Imperial Hospital took turns to check the pulse of the Holy Maiden of Yun Kingdom and they all said it was an illness. I was also present at the Holy Maiden's cremation ceremony and did not find anything abnormal. The disease can be faked, but this ceremony, you can't fake it." He stared at Qin Rongchen, hoping to get some response from him.

Qin Rongchen remained silent, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, lost in thought. He'd thought about this too. The ceremony that day had been solemn and dignified, everyone watching as Lin Bingshuang's body was consumed by flames. On the surface, everything seemed normal, nothing suspicious. But deep down, he couldn't believe that Lin Bingshuang had died in such a way.

He recalled every moment he had spent with Lin Bingshuang: her smile, her gentleness, her strength, all of which were deeply imprinted in his mind. He could not accept her sudden departure, and always felt that there was some unknown secret hidden behind it.

Qin Rongchen raised his head, looked at Su Yijing, and said slowly: "I know your suspicion is reasonable, but I just can't believe that she left like this." His eyes were full of determination and persistence.

Su Yijing sighed and said, "I understand how you feel, but we can't just act on emotion. If all this is really a conspiracy carefully planned by someone, I believe you also want to find out the truth."

He nodded slightly and said to himself, "I just don't understand why she faked her death. Was she really just trying to get rid of me?"

Qin Rongchen stood there, looking ahead with a somewhat empty look in his eyes, his mind constantly replaying the past he had spent with Lin Bingshuang. Those beautiful memories were like bright stars, gleaming with a warm light in his heart.

They had gazed up at the stars together on quiet nights, sharing their dreams and aspirations. Every moment seemed etched deep in his soul, making him unforgettable.

However, now Lin Bingshuang has left him by faking her own death, which makes Qin Rongchen feel extremely confused and painful. He doesn't believe that Lin Bingshuang has no feelings for him. Every bit of their relationship is filled with love and warmth. But why would she choose such an extreme method?

"Perhaps, she has her own difficulties." Su Yijing patted Qin Rongchen's shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and understanding. Then, he turned and walked out.

Qin Rongchen's heart was filled with questions. What was her problem? Why didn't she just tell him directly? Were all the words she had said in the palace those days false? He recalled their past conversations, those gentle words, those affectionate promises, but now they seemed like sharp blades, piercing his heart.

Qin Rongchen clenched his fists. He decided to find Lin Bingshuang and ask her why she did this. He couldn't lose her like this without knowing the reason.

In the majestic Ninghua Palace, the Queen Mother had just woken from her sleep, her expression still somewhat languid. However, when she heard the palace servants report that the Sage King Qin Rongchen was waiting outside the palace, she was instantly startled.

The Queen Mother sat up slightly straighter, her heart filled with doubt. Rong Chen had never set foot in her palace before, and he always maintained a distant attitude towards her. This time, he actually came on his own initiative, which was truly unusual. Various speculations quickly flashed through the Queen Mother's mind. Could he have come because of Yun Shuang's death? Thinking of this, the Queen Mother's eyes became complicated.

She waved her hand and told the palace servants to quickly invite Qin Rongchen in. A moment later, Qin Rongchen walked into Ninghua Palace with steady steps. He was dressed in a dark robe with a golden belt around his waist. He stood tall and straight, with a stern expression.

The Queen Mother looked at Qin Rongchen, sighed slightly, and said, "Rongchen, what brings you here today?"

Qin Rongchen bowed slightly, then raised his head, looked at the Queen Mother with a firm gaze, and said, "Queen Mother, I came here this time because of the matter of Lin Bingshuang, the Holy Maiden of Yun Country."

The Queen Mother's heart tightened. It was just as she had expected. She frowned slightly and said, "What happened to Yunshuang is truly regrettable. But it's fate, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Qin Rongchen shook his head and said, "Queen Dowager, I don't believe Yunshuang died of illness. I think there must be some conspiracy behind this."

The Queen Mother's expression changed slightly, and she said, "Rongchen, what do you mean by this? Do you suspect someone is plotting to murder Yunshuang?"

Qin Rongchen said, "I just think this matter is too strange. Yunshuang has always been in good health, how could she suddenly fall ill and die so soon? I must find out the truth."

The Queen Mother was silent for a moment, then said, "Rongchen, I understand how you feel. But Yunshuang is already dead, so there's no point in pursuing this matter further. Just let it go."