A Shocking Dream

Chapter 185

The night was as thick as ink, sinking heavily into Zhou Junze's study. Only the solitary lamp struggled to provide a small patch of dim warm light, just like the erotic thoughts in the corner of his heart at the moment, flickering weakly in the endless darkness.

He stood in front of the desk, his posture upright but his loneliness could not be concealed. His hands gently and reluctantly rolled up Lin Wunian's portrait, as if every inch of his movement was filled with endless attachment.

"If I can get this beauty, I will have no regrets in this life." Zhou Junze whispered, his voice trembling slightly, and the words fell in the silence, full of unshakable obsession.

His fingertips caressed the edge of the scroll, as if he was touching a real person through the thin rice paper. He recalled their first meeting in the daytime. Lin Wunian walked towards him gracefully in the mottled sunlight, her clothes fluttering in the wind, and her pure and otherworldly aura instantly washed away the noise around her. The focused look on her face when she brushed over to check on the injured, and the calm and confident manner in which she blurted out the remedy to save the world, such outstanding grace and elegance struck straight into his heart, making the colorful world pale in comparison.

After rolling up the portrait, Zhou Junze seemed to be frozen, his eyes fixed on the scroll. The person hidden inside seemed to have magical power, which made him unable to take his eyes away.

The radiant eyes held the compassion of mountains, rivers, and seas; the faint smile on her lips held the gentleness of a spring breeze. Just looking at the portrait brought back details of their brief encounter, overwhelming him completely. After a long pause, he awoke as if from a dream. Slowly, he placed the scroll in its carved box and carefully locked it in a drawer, as if this could contain the surging emotions within him.

But the moment the cabinet door closed, a surge of emptiness washed over him. He paced to the window and flung it open. A chill wind, swirling with night dew, lashed his face, yet the slightest chill couldn't quench the burning longing within him. The branches of the flowers in the courtyard rustled in the shadows, the moonlight hazy, a perfect reflection of his current chaotic state—knowing the road ahead was fraught with obstacles, this lingering attachment too reckless, yet unable to sever or untangle itself.

Yingzhou City fell into a deep sleep, unknown to anyone within the deep courtyard of this prestigious city. Zhou Junze's heart had lost its composure for the woman he had met by chance. The years ahead were long. Should he bury these feelings deep within his heart, letting them wither, or take the risk and seek a happy ending? The balance swung violently in the night, and only his silent sighs drifted on the wind, lingering for a long time...

The long, clamorous court meeting still echoed in his ears as Crown Prince Qin Ruoyu hurriedly crossed the threshold of the great hall, his bright yellow court robes fluttering. His face, stern beneath a golden crown, bore a trace of fatigue. As soon as the court session ended, a personal attendant hurried forward, bowed, and presented a letter, whispering, "Your Highness, I have a letter from Physician Wu Nian for you."

Qin Ruoyu's eyes flickered as she reached out to take the letter. The moment her fingertips touched the envelope, her usually steady hand trembled imperceptibly. Everyone present bowed their heads in tacit understanding. In this vast court, who wouldn't know that the renowned Physician Wu Nian was a disciple of the Crown Prince? Therefore, her letter could be presented directly to the Crown Prince without a courier.

Qin Ruoyu clutched Lin Wunian's letter tightly, his fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure. The beautiful handwriting seemed to have a magical power, captivating his gaze. But then, a thought flashed through his mind, and his eyes suddenly brightened: "Lin Wunian's letter? Then wouldn't Kankan be with her too!" Thinking of Kankan, Qin Ruoyu's stern face seemed to break the ice, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up, and a smile spread from his eyes.

Qin Ruoyu coughed lightly to suppress the ripples in his heart, calmly put the letter into his sleeve, raised his eyes and looked around, his cold eyes swept over, and everyone nodded and dispersed.

Returning to the East Palace study, Qin Ruoyu hurriedly locked the door, as if pursued by a wolf. His movements were marked by a rare flurry of panic. Silence fell, his rapid breathing the only echoing sound in the room.

I couldn't wait to retrieve the letter, my hands trembling slightly as if I were holding a heavy object. Unfolding the letter, the familiar, elegant handwriting caught my eye, and the tenderness that should have surged at the sight of the letter was instantly shattered by its contents.

As Qin Ruoyu scanned the lines of text, his expression darkened, as if a dark cloud were looming over him. The paper detailed the atrocities committed by Pingding Hou Xie Yuan: how he led his servants in open fire, killing and burning people, leaving villages in ruins overnight, the screams and cries of innocent civilians still ringing in his ears; how he forcibly abducted women, taking delicate women back to his mansion, ruining their prime years and leaving the rest of their lives filled with blood and tears;

What's worse, they secretly colluded with court officials and hoarded food and fodder like a giant beast, trying to control the wartime lifeline. They also manipulated the salt market, causing misery for the people's livelihood, soaring prices, and more and more starving people on the streets, making the people suffer terribly.

After Qin Ruoyu finished reading, his hand trembled, and the letter rustled like a wail. A vein bulged across his forehead, and he felt a mixture of anger, shock, and bewilderment. For a moment, he didn't know what to do.

Xie Yuan, the seemingly loyal and patriotic minister at court, secretly harbored such ferocious fangs! As the Crown Prince, he was completely oblivious to the undercurrents at court. What a dereliction of duty! If he acted rashly, Xie Yuan's entrenched influence, with his loyal allies spread throughout the court and the military, would have a ripple effect. A single misstep could destabilize the court and endanger the stability of the country. But if he feigned ignorance, the people would still be in dire straits. This was unacceptable, and how would the Crown Prince maintain his dignity? How could he inherit the throne and rule the country?

He paced the room, the hem of his robe whipping up a gust of wind, his usually steady and confident steps now hurried and chaotic. Sunlight streamed in from the window, but it couldn't dispel the gloom within. Qin Ruoyu felt like a trapped beast, bound by confidential letters in his small study.

After a long moment of contemplation, Qin Ruoyu slowly paused and took a deep breath, as if to absorb the shock and resoluteness the letter had brought. With steady yet solemn hands, he folded the letter and carefully placed it in his arms, as if concealing not just a piece of paper but a crucial chess piece in the world's chess game. He looked up at the outline of Hanmei Villa looming among the distant mountains, his eyes gleaming as he walked forward, braving the biting wind.

"Uncle, I received a letter from Lin Wunian." Qin Ruoyu stepped into Hanmei Villa, completely ignoring the fact that Qin Rongchen was sitting with Su Yijing to discuss matters. He spoke anxiously, and his voice broke the originally solemn silence in the hall, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, stirring up layers of waves.

When Qin Rongchen heard the words "Lin Wunian's letter," it was like a long-lost, familiar sound of a zither, unexpectedly plucked a long-dormant chord in his heart, and the stillness of his heart began to ripple once more. "Doctor Wunian's letter must be extraordinary," he spoke first, his voice trying to remain steady. He raised his hand to gesture for Qin Ruoyu to take a seat. His gesture was graceful as always, but the fingers that dangled at his side unconsciously curled slightly, betraying the turmoil within him.

She had written a letter to Qin Ruoyu, but had forgotten herself. Qin Rongchen lowered his eyes, hiding the sadness in his eyes, as if he were an abandoned person, with a bitter heart.