Floating life reflects two lotuses

When Xiao Jinlian awoke, the dim light filtering through the window lattice shone on the bamboo slips on the table. Her thoughts were still somewhat chaotic. The sound of Li Heng's departing footsteps still echoed in her ears. His recent actions had always stirred complex emotions within her. He seemed to have sensed something, yet he never questioned her. She gripped the handkerchief in her hand, a few unspeakable feelings surfacing between her brows.

At this moment, Silan came in carrying a calming soup and said softly, "Princess, the young general just told me that you were frightened, so I made some calming soup and left in a hurry. He's worked so hard, he didn't even get a moment's rest." She then handed the soup over.

Xiao Jinlian took the soup bowl, a ripple passing through her heart, but she only whispered, "Put it down." As she watched the steam rising from the bowl, her thoughts grew heavier.

“Li Heng really loves Chu Wanlian…” she murmured, her gaze becoming lost. “What if one day I could meet someone like that…?”

After a moment of blankness, Xiao Jinlian finally drank the medicine in one gulp. She looked up at Silan, her tone regaining a hint of firmness: "Silan, help me change my clothes, I need to get up and take care of some things." She recalled the rune fragments she had found in the bamboo forest and the royal secret chamber these past few days, and vaguely felt that they contained hidden mysteries, so she was eager to immerse herself in their study.

Xiao Jinlian bent over, examining the two fragments on the table. Tea had soaked the back of the fragments, revealing some tiny characters. She frowned slightly, her finger gently tracing the characters, and murmured, "How did these characters appear?"

“Stealth.” Chu Wanlian’s voice echoed in his mind, her tone familiar and calm. “The text on these runes has been deliberately hidden. Steganography is an ancient technique used to conceal information. The information will only be revealed under specific conditions, such as when exposed to water, fire, or light.”

"Looks like you haven't been idle either; you've found something useful," Chu Wanlian said.

Xiao Jinlian didn't stop what she was doing, carefully observing the characters following Chu Wanlian's prompts. Silan asked, her face full of doubt, "Hidden writing? What is that? Princess, how are these characters hidden?"

“It’s very simple,” Xiao Jinlian said smoothly. “It uses special materials to write information beneath the surface. For example, tea can activate a certain component on the surface of the rune, and only then will the hidden text emerge. These rune fragments obviously protect their content in this way.”

Silan suddenly realized: "Oh, I see. So what do these words mean?"

Xiao Jinlian stared at the fragments, the words gradually becoming clearer. She read aloud softly: "'Deep in the Cangshan Mountains, shadows lurk; beneath the moonlit waters, the roar of a dragon is hidden.'"

"Cangshan?" Silan repeated the name softly. "Princess, is this a hint for the next place?"

“Very likely.” Xiao Jinlian’s gaze was solemn. “‘Deep in the Cangshan Mountains’ may refer to a hidden location, while ‘a dragon’s roar is hidden under the moonlight on the water’ may be a hint that we need to search under specific conditions. ‘Dragon’s roar’ may be a symbol, possibly referring to a natural landform or power in the mountains.”

She gently pieced the two fragments together. Although some parts were still missing, the patterns on them already showed a certain regularity. She murmured thoughtfully, "Each of these fragments points to the next location... There are probably more secrets hidden in this Cangshan Mountain."

The voice in her mind echoed again, Chu Wanlian softly reminding her: "These verses may be more than just clues; they might contain even more information. The steganography of each fragment progresses layer by layer."

"Where could this Cangshan be? Could it be the mountain that Li Heng and I visited before? We also found fragments in the bamboo forest we went to before. It seems that someone was secretly guiding us."

She frowned; this clue felt unfamiliar and perplexing. Just as she was pondering, Chu Wanlian's voice suddenly echoed in her mind, tinged with a hint of teasing and displeasure: "Cangshan? You're quite good at hiding things, aren't you? I have absolutely no recollection of this place."

Xiao Jinlian was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then calmly replied, "I'm not hiding anything from you. This place shouldn't be called Cangshan, you just don't know it."

"Oh?" Chu Wanlian's tone was tinged with sourness. "It seems this is a secret between you and that young general. Tell me, was it a special trip you made there?"

Xiao Jinlian didn't respond to Chu Wanlian's teasing, her gaze slowly shifting to the fragments. Fragments of memory gradually surfaced, depicting the only time she and Li Heng went out together.

A few months ago, in early summer, the sky was high and the clouds were light. Li Heng personally drove her away from the palace gate, saying he wanted to help her relax.

"Where are we going?" Xiao Jinlian raised an eyebrow at him, her eyes full of curiosity.

Li Heng smiled slightly, “There is a mountain to the north called Qinglong Mountain. The scenery there is very special. There is a place called ‘Mingyuan’ where the stream flows between the rocks all year round. At night, the moonlight shines on the water and you can hear an echo like the roar of a dragon. I once stayed there and I think you will like it.”

Xiao Jinlian glanced at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "So this is the place you used to be stationed. Looks like I'll have to see it for myself this time."

The carriage traveled north, arriving at Qinglong Mountain at dusk. A gentle breeze rustled through the mountains, the verdant bamboo casting shadows, and the babbling brook of Mingyuan murmured softly. Li Heng led the way, pointing to a pool in the mountains and saying, "That's Mingyuan."

As night deepened, moonlight spilled onto the water's surface, and the surging currents emitted a faint, low murmur, as if carrying the ancient roar of a dragon. Xiao Jinlian stood quietly by the pool, gazing at this scene, her expression unusually gentle.

"Do you think that sound is really a dragon's roar?" she asked softly.

Li Heng chuckled softly, "It's a legend, but in reality it's just a coincidence of echoes in the mountains."

Xiao Jinlian turned her head to look at him, and asked thoughtfully, "When you were stationed here, did you often come here?"

Li Heng shook his head, his gaze focused and earnest. "No. At that time, I felt that it would be more worthwhile to see this scenery with you."

Xiao Jinlian's heart trembled slightly, but she did not reply; she simply kept those words in mind.

Xiao Jinlian snapped out of her reverie, a complex emotion flickering between her brows. She murmured softly, "Cangshan...Qinglong Mountain...Mingyuan..."

"Azure Dragon Mountain?!" Chu Wanlian interrupted in her mind, her voice filled with bitterness, "You actually went there together? And even saw the Dragon's Roar Pool?"

Xiao Jinlian raised an eyebrow, her voice calm: "It was when Li Heng took me out to relax."

"To relax..." Chu Wanlian's voice suddenly turned cold. "Hmph, why are you being so kind? Did he arrange this on his own?"

Xiao Jinlian didn't respond, continuing to stare at the text on the fragments. She placed the two fragments together and discovered that the runes on the back could be pieced together to form a longer sentence. She read aloud, "'Azure Dragon Mountain echoes in the deep pools, beneath the jade steps lie hidden traces.'"

"It seems the next fragment is in Mingyuan of Qinglong Mountain," she said slowly, her voice filled with certainty.

“You know this place well, you’ll definitely find it.” Chu Wanlian’s voice softened slightly, but there was still a hint of emotion in her tone. “But if Li Heng knows you went, will he nervously follow you again?”

Xiao Jinlian pursed her lips, not responding to Chu Wanlian's words, but turning to instruct Silan: "Prepare the horses, we're setting off for Qinglong Mountain."

Silan nodded and hurried away, while Xiao Jinlian's gaze returned to the fragments. She knew this trip wasn't just about the secrets of the runes, but also about her unresolved feelings for Li Heng. Perhaps this trip to Qinglong Mountain would complicate everything further.