A Shocking Dream

Qin Rongchen said firmly: "Queen Dowager, I can't let it go. Yunshuang is very important to me, I must seek justice for her."

The Queen Mother looked at Qin Rongchen's determined eyes and sighed inwardly.

She knew Qin Rongchen's character. Once he made a decision, it was difficult to change it. Looking at Qin Rongchen's current appearance, her heart was filled with worry and confusion.

She didn't want Qin Rongchen to continue his stubborn obsession, but she didn't know how to dissuade him. Especially today, Qin Rongchen's reaction was too unusual. Five years ago, when Lin Bingshuang died, he was heartbroken, locked himself up and tried to kill himself, and even caused a lot of trouble. However, this time, facing Yunshuang, he was so calm.

Questions kept popping up in her mind. Could it be that everything he did to Yunshuang was just for the Snow Country scroll, and he didn't really love her at all? Once this thought appeared, it grew wildly in her mind like weeds. She began to recall every detail of Qin Rongchen's time with Yunshuang, trying to find the answer.

She recalled the look in Qin Rongchen's eyes when he looked at Yunshuang, sometimes gentle, sometimes with a hint of complexity. She recalled the things he had done for Yunshuang, those seemingly affectionate actions, but now they were all shrouded in a layer of mist.

The atmosphere in the palace was solemn. Kou Jing looked at Qin Rongchen, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She sighed and said, "Rongchen, you've treated me with great respect since you came here. Have you ever considered that I've always been your mother? You've always addressed me as the Queen Mother. You came to me right after returning from Qiuluo Mountain. Do you suspect that I sent someone to kill Yunshuang?"

Qin Rongchen raised his head and looked into Kou Jing's eyes. He could see Kou Jing's sincerity, but the doubts in his heart had not been completely dispelled. "Empress Dowager, I dare not doubt you, but Yunshuang's death is too strange, and I have to investigate it thoroughly." Qin Rongchen said slowly.

Kou Jing's tone was filled with anxiety and helplessness. "The cause of Yunshuang's death was clearly stated: she died of illness. How else do you want to investigate? All the doctors in the Imperial Hospital took turns to feel her pulse, and they personally admitted it. Do you doubt that their medical skills are not good enough?"

Qin Rongchen frowned slightly, his eyes still filled with doubt. "Queen Dowager, this matter is extremely strange. Yunshuang has always been in good health, how could she pass away suddenly? I have no choice but to investigate carefully."

Kou Jing's words were filled with anxiety and anger. "You insist on investigating, and I can't stop you. Even if you do find out, what good will it do? Yunshuang's body has been burned. Can you bring her back to life? The Yun Kingdom's envoys will leave Beijing soon. Everyone is unquestioning Yunshuang's death, yet you insist on doing this? Is it your love for Yunshuang, or is it the secret of the Snow Kingdom scroll that Yunshuang revealed before her death?"

Qin Rongchen's brow furrowed, his mind filled with doubt. A Snow Country scroll? He fell into deep thought. What secrets did the scroll hold? How could he not know?

Qin Rongchen began to recall every detail of his time with Lin Bingshuang, trying to find clues about the Snow Country scroll. He remembered that Lin Bingshuang had never mentioned the scroll, nor had she done anything unusual that reminded him of its existence.

But Kou Jing's words forced him to take it seriously. If the Snow Country scroll truly held a secret, could Yun Shuang's fake death be related to it? The more Qin Rongchen thought about it, the more he felt that the matter was not simple.

The atmosphere in the palace was heavy and oppressive. Qin Rongchen looked at the Queen Mother's reaction, and his suspicions were confirmed. The Yunshuang on the bed was not Lin Bingshuang; she had faked her death again.

Qin Rongchen's expression became complicated, filled with anger and confusion. He didn't understand why Yun Shuang wanted to fake her death again. What was she planning?

Qin Rongchen seemed to have some clues in his mind, and he was eager to verify his ideas. So, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have important matters to attend to. I will take my leave."

Seeing Qin Rongchen about to leave, Kou Jing hurriedly said, "Rongchen, aren't you curious about the secret of the Snow Country scroll?"

Qin Rongchen paused slightly, but did not turn back. He just said lightly: "When the Queen Mother wants to tell you, she will tell you naturally." After that, he left quickly.

Kou Jing sighed helplessly as she watched Qin Rongchen leave. She knew his character; once he made a decision, it was hard to change it. She herself was also struggling with whether to tell Qin Rongchen the secret of the Snow Country scroll.

The tranquil atmosphere of Hanmei Villa was shattered. Qin Rongchen hurried back to his room, his mind full of thoughts. As he stepped onto the familiar corridor, his pace unconsciously quickened. He felt a vague sense of unease, as if something was about to happen.

Finally, he reached the door. The carved wooden door seemed remarkably quiet in the afternoon sun, yet Qin Rongchen keenly sensed something unusual. He took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open.

The room was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, but Qin Rongchen's eyes were instantly drawn to the blank space on the wall. The familiar portrait that should have been hanging there was gone, replaced by a cold wall.

His heartbeat quickened, and an indescribable sense of loss washed over him. He slowly walked to where the portrait had once hung, reached out, and gently touched the cold wall. The touch from his fingertips confirmed his certainty that the portrait was missing. His eyes were filled with confusion and uneasiness. Who could have taken the portrait so quietly?

His gaze turned to where the scroll had been placed; it was also empty. He squatted down and carefully examined the ground. There was no sign of any disturbance, no footprints, no signs of being disturbed. All of this left him with a profound confusion, as if the portrait and scroll had vanished into thin air.

Qin Rongchen stood up and looked around the room again. His eyes fell on the desk, where the writing brushes, inkstones, and paper were neatly arranged, without any abnormality. He then looked at the window. The window was closed tightly, the latch was firmly in place, and there was no sign of it having been opened.

He walked to the bedside, sat down, and tried to calm himself. He closed his eyes and recalled the moment he left the room. He remembered that he had left in a hurry and had not paid much attention to the portrait and scroll. However, he was sure that they were still in the room when he left.

Qin Rongchen opened his eyes, stood up, walked to the wardrobe, and opened the door. The clothes inside were neatly hung, with no signs of being disturbed. He checked under the bed, in the boxes, and other places, but found no trace of the portrait or scroll.

Anger and helplessness welled up in him. He didn't understand why this had happened. The portrait and scroll held special meaning for him. They weren't just objects; they were his connection to the past. Now that they were gone, he felt as if he had lost something important.

He clenched his fists and tried to calm himself down. He knew that now was not the time to panic, he had to find the whereabouts of the portrait and the scroll.