A Shocking Dream

But soon, a hint of stubbornness ignited in Yuanyuan's eyes. She couldn't give up so easily. This pattern must have its answer, and she had to find it. She stood up and decided to search the room carefully again to see if there were any other clues she had missed.

She began to carefully examine every corner of the room: the walls, the floor, the undersides of tables and chairs...leaving no place for a potential clue. However, as time passed, she still found nothing. Yuanyuan leaned against the wall, feeling exhausted and helpless.

Suddenly, the wall in the room began to rotate, making a slight sound. This sudden movement made her alert instantly, her body tense, and her eyes fixed on the direction where the wall appeared after rotating.

When she saw who it was, Yuanyuan's eyes widened in surprise. It was actually Sister Qingluan. Qingluan was graceful, with a hint of concern in her eyes and a smile on her face.

Yuanyuan relaxed her guard a little, but she was still full of doubts.

"Sister Qingluan, why are you here too? I came here following the guidance of the carrier bird, but I didn't expect to meet you." Yuanyuan looked at Qingluan in surprise, with a hint of joy in her eyes.

Qingluan raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a gentle smile. "I asked the carrier bird to bring you here. How about it? Do you have any ideas about this pattern?" Her eyes fell on the piece of paper in Yuanyuan's hand, her eyes full of anticipation.

Yuanyuan looked down at the pattern in her hand and shook her head gently. "Sister Qingluan, this pattern is so mysterious. I've been thinking about it for a long time but still can't figure it out. Do you know what it represents?" Her eyes were filled with curiosity and confusion.

Qingluan sighed softly, a complex expression in her eyes. "This pattern was drawn by Grandmaster Wu Nian, but she didn't make it very clear, so there are those messy lines." Her voice was soft, but it was filled with deep emotion.

Yuanyuan's eyes widened in surprise. "Master Wunian? Why would she draw such a mysterious pattern?" She was filled with questions, her gaze fixed on the piece of paper in Qingluan's hand.

Qingluan shook her head gently. "I don't know Master's specific intentions, but I know this pattern must be hiding a profound secret." As she spoke, she folded the paper and carefully placed it inside the ancient book. The yellowed book seemed to carry the sediment of time, exuding a mysterious aura.

"Sister Qingluan, what is this place? Why did you bring me here? Aren't you in Jinyuyuan? Why did my uncle-master let Yunshuang fake her death?" Yuanyuan asked doubtfully, her eyes filled with anxiety and confusion. Her eyes were fixed on Qingluan, hoping to get an answer from her.

"This is where your Grandmaster Wu Nian once stayed. An underground passage has been dug through here, leading to the Jinyu Courtyard." Qing Luan's voice echoed softly in the dim space. She didn't respond to the other questions.

Yuanyuan's mouth dropped open in surprise. She looked around; this seemingly ordinary place held such a startling secret. "Why would Master Wu Nian dig an underground passage leading to the Jinyu Courtyard?" she asked curiously.

Qing Luan narrowed her eyes slightly, as if recalling a distant memory. "There are complex reasons behind this. Master Wu Nian may have opened this passage for some special purpose. I'm not entirely clear on the specific circumstances."

Yuanyuan's gaze fell on the ground, as if she could see through the seemingly solid earth to the mysterious underground passage. "So are we going to go through this passage to Jinyuyuan now?" She felt an inexplicable excitement and nervousness in her heart.

Qingluan shook her head, "It's not the time yet. Your great-uncle asked you to stay with the prince because of the Snow Country scroll. Didn't she tell you?" She stared at Yuanyuan with a hint of doubt.

Yuanyuan looked bewildered. "The Snow Country scroll? My uncle-master never mentioned it to me. What's so important about this Snow Country scroll? Why did my uncle-master want me to stay by the prince's side? Is it related to it?"

Qingluan frowned slightly. "It seems that my great-grandmaster has her reasons for not telling you everything. The Snow Country scroll is said to contain a huge secret that concerns the fate of many people. My great-grandmaster asked you to get close to the Crown Prince, perhaps because he plays a key role in this matter."

Yuanyuan fell into deep thought. She tried to recall every moment she had spent with her great-grandmaster, trying to find some clue about the Snow Country scroll, but she found nothing. "So what should we do now? I've already left the Crown Prince. Will this affect the progress of things?"

Qingluan thought for a moment, "Since you're out, let's continue exploring here and see if we can find more clues about the Snow Country scroll. As for the Crown Prince, we'll find a chance to approach him later."

"Sister Qingluan, is the Snow Country scroll in the hands of the prince?" Yuanyuan asked anxiously, her eyes full of curiosity and anticipation.

Qingluan shook her head and said, "It's in the hands of the Sage King, but I heard it was lost recently." There was a hint of doubt in her tone.

"Lost? Then..." Yuanyuan was surprised, a look of worry on her face. "Then how can I find it? My uncle-master asked me to approach the Crown Prince about the Snow Country scroll, but now the scroll is no longer in his possession, and I don't know where it's gone. What should I do?" She felt lost, as if she had lost her way.

Qingluan frowned slightly, and after a moment's contemplation, she said, "Don't worry. Although the scroll is lost, there must be clues to find it. We continue to explore here, and perhaps we can find some clues related to the scroll. Moreover, even if the scroll is not in the hands of the prince, he may know something about it. When the time is right, you still have to find a way to approach the prince."

Yuanyuan nodded. Although she was still a little uneasy, she also knew that panicking would be useless at this moment.

"My uncle-master has arranged a place for you. You are not allowed to get too close to anyone else in the palace except the crown prince. The Yun Kingdom delegation will leave the capital in three days, and we will also leave. You will be alone in the capital then." Qingluan looked at Yuanyuan solemnly and said.

Grandmother-in-law, always a foresighted person, must have had special considerations in mind when arranging a place for Yuanyuan. Perhaps it was a place that would allow Yuanyuan to be closer to the Crown Prince while avoiding potential dangers. Grandmother-in-law, fully aware of the complexities of the imperial palace and the unpredictable nature of human nature, specifically instructed Yuanyuan not to get too close to others, lest she get into unnecessary trouble.

Yuanyuan was slightly startled, a complex wave of emotions welling up in her heart. "Staying alone in the capital... Sister Qingluan, I'm a little scared." Her eyes were filled with confusion and uneasiness.