A Shocking Dream

Chapter 196

Su Yijing played with the wine bowl, his eyes burning, "I hope so. I'm just afraid that you might be showing off, but you still have some thoughts in your heart. Lin Wunian is a clever girl with many tricks up her sleeve. You never know what tricks she has in mind. You have to calm down and don't fall into it again and miss the important task."

Qin Rongchen smiled bitterly: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Even if there are a thousand possibilities for the old love to rekindle, I will weigh the consequences first. My life is not only about myself now. The court situation and thousands of people are watching me from behind. I will not act foolishly again." After that, he filled another bowl of wine for himself and drank it, as if he wanted to use the alcohol to completely extinguish the remaining sparks in his heart. In this cold night, he swallowed the past feelings and the confusion about the future with the liquor, leaving only the determination to go on the journey.

Qin Rongchen, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe and standing tall as a pine tree, led his jet-black steed out of the towering gates of Hanmei Villa. The horse's hooves clattered lightly on the stone pavement, the clattering sound seeming to inquire about the road ahead. He had come to Jiangnan under the guise of a leisurely trip, but in reality he was secretly visiting Yingzhou regarding Xie Yuan.

Crown Prince Qin Ruoyu personally came to see him off. The gold embroidery on the corners of his robe gleamed in the sunlight, making him look even more desolate. He stepped forward and grasped Qin Rongchen's arm, his fingertips trembling slightly. "Uncle, you're going to Jiangnan. The journey will be long and arduous. Take care." Qin Ruoyu's brows were furrowed, his eyes filled with nostalgia and uneasiness.

Su Yijing stood beside him, his hands behind his back, his dark clothes fluttering in the wind, a hint of thought in his sword-like brows and star-like eyes. He and Qin Rongchen were even good friends, and in the past they rode the rivers and lakes together, taking revenge and settling scores. Now his eyes followed Qin Rongchen's figure, feeling a bit lost, as if he saw the unruly young man of the past disappearing into the mist of mountains and rivers, and it was impossible for them to be together again. "Rongchen, you have always been casual, but the world of rivers and lakes is not what it used to be. There are waves in the dark. Don't go into danger alone. If you encounter any difficult problems, send a pigeon to send a letter, and I will be there immediately." His words were sincere, and his eyes were full of concern. He knew that Qin Rongchen was not going there just for fun, but he still hoped that his best friend would be safe and sound and return safely. However, this unspoken worry was frozen in his eyes, becoming a trace of deep sorrow that could not be dissolved.

Qin Rongchen smiled faintly, agreed to all the requests, and then mounted his horse. With a flick of his whip, a cloud of dust rose. Looking back, the villa receded into the distance, the figures of his nephew and best friend shrunk to tiny dots, and the road ahead was unknown.

Qin Rongchen rode his sturdy steed at lightning speed for several miles. He was eager to leave behind all the troubles and head for Yingzhou, but he never expected to see a carriage quietly standing in the road ahead, as if waiting there on purpose.

Qin Rongchen suddenly tightened the reins, and the horse neighed, raised its front hooves, and then stopped steadily. His sword-like brows knitted slightly, and he regarded the suddenly appeared carriage with caution and suspicion. At this moment, the curtain was raised, and Yuanyuan jumped out first. Then she turned around and carefully helped out a graceful but haggard old woman. It was Madam Liu.

"We had no choice but to stop the Sage King on the way. I hope Your Highness will forgive me." Old Lady Liu said with a slight bow. Although she was old and frail, she still tried her best to straighten her back, her eyes full of earnestness and anxiety.

Qin Rongchen dismounted, walked quickly forward, and bowed: "What's the matter, old lady? Don't be so polite, please stand up quickly." There was a bit of surprise and concern in his words.

"Your Highness, I asked the old lady to bring me here. This is something Sister Qingluan wants to give to my great-uncle-master. Please give it to her, Your Highness," Yuanyuan said crisply, holding out an exquisitely carved box with intricate patterns, seemingly hiding countless secrets. Qin Rongchen raised his eyebrows slightly, his gaze lingering briefly on the box before turning to Yuanyuan. He raised his hand to take it, feeling the weight was quite heavy.

Qingluan? Qin Rongchen's mind raced through his memories, and after a moment, he suddenly realized it was the Yun Kingdom envoy. At a past court meeting, Yun Kingdom's envoy, Qingluan, had worn a water-blue brocade robe, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders. Her eyes were bright, yet she exuded the cunning and composure unique to a diplomat. She navigated the crowd with sharp words yet maintained a respectful demeanor, leaving a lasting impression.

Qin Rongchen took the box. The moment he touched it, it felt cool to the touch. The carved edges and corners rubbed against his palm, as if silently telling of its weight. He looked up at Yuanyuan and Old Madam Liu, his expression calm, his tone light but unquestionable: "I'll give it to her. You two should return as soon as possible." With that, he swiftly turned around and mounted his horse. With a flick of his whip, the sound of hooves echoed, dust filled the air, and he galloped several feet away.

Yuanyuan stood still, her slender figure faintly obscured by the rising dust. Her gaze followed Qin Rongchen's retreat until his tall figure vanished at the end of the winding road, a fleeting, elusive phantom. She breathed a sigh of relief, a mixture of emotions welling up in her heart, knowing a silent, tacit drama had begun.

Qin Rongchen must have known that his great-uncle-master was Lin Bingshuang. The slight tremor in his hand as he took the box, and the complex emotions that flashed across his eyes as he looked at him, gave it away. Thinking back to the past, the love-hate relationship between the prince and his great-uncle-master was like a raging fire, consuming their youth. Though time passed, faces changed, some feelings could never be easily extinguished. All those years, the sweet embraces and the painful separations, each one must have left a mark on the prince's heart.

Yuanyuan had heard snippets of their love, knowing their unforgettable separation, a sudden and unexpected change that swept away their peace like a torrent. Now, his uncle-master had changed his identity, hidden from the world, his past tenderness and affection sealed away, but the prince's appearance was like a gust of wind that disturbed his heart.

Did he not mention it because he didn't know where to begin, or was he afraid of piercing this fragile disguise and reopening old scars? Yuanyuan didn't explain, also obeying the instructions of her uncle-master, guarding this secret as if it were a fragile treasure.

On the way back home, the carriage rumbled, and Yuanyuan's worry deepened. Her great-grandmaster lived alone in a small courtyard, often standing quietly on moonlit nights, gazing into the distance, his gaze bathed in the moonlight, his desolate loneliness like a banished immortal. His eyes, once vibrant and full of life, now concealed an inextricable melancholy, and the occasional absent-minded mumblings were undoubtedly about the prince.

She wondered if entrusting the box would bring them together, or if it would disrupt their peace and bring further trouble. She only hoped that her uncle-master would live his remaining days free from the torment of his past. But fate had already begun, and the foreshadowing of their reunion was already in place. Will the story unfold, whether it's a reunion or a fleeting love, is like the ethereal shadow of a flower in the mist, unpredictable and elusive. Only time will reveal the answer, but she wondered if anyone could calmly face that uncertain final chapter.

On a morning in Yingzhou, mist hung thick, like a veil veiled through the streets. The door to the Yuelai Inn was gently pushed open, a crisp sound shattering the stillness within. Lin Wunian glided in, a heavy basket laden with freshly picked herbs behind her. The tender leaves, adorned with pearls of water, tumbled down the edge of the basket, wetting a corner of her plain dress, like a casual floral print.