A Shocking Dream

Chapter 164

The sound escaped from his lips, soft and slow, but like a thunderclap, exploding in this quiet courtyard. All those seemingly ordinary moments of getting along in the past years were instantly given a different deep meaning, like a hidden arrow in the dark, piercing his defenseless heart without warning.

Su Yijing stood stiffly in front of the carved beams and painted buildings. The warm afternoon sun shone through the hollow carved window lattices, casting fine light and shadows, like a quiet painting. However, his heart seemed to be in turmoil. His eyes were wide open, full of horror and astonishment, and his eyes reflected the equally complex and solemn face of Qin Rongchen opposite him.

"What did you say? The medical prowess who developed the antidote is Lin Bingshuang, and Lin Wunian is Lin Bingshuang?" Su Yijing's voice rose unconsciously, tinged with urgency and disbelief, breaking the long silence. The last words resonated against the beams. All the clues from the past were like puzzle pieces, frantically fitting together in his mind. But because of this shocking revelation, none of them fit together, leaving him with a sense of absurdity.

Qin Rongchen looked gloomy and nodded slightly: "When I first heard about it, I was as shocked as you. In Linzhou, the epidemic was raging like a beast, devouring the lives of the people. The city was full of wailing and crying. I looked for doctors and medicine everywhere, and was exhausted, but I saw her - Lin Wunian, oh no, Lin Bingshuang, dressed in plain clothes, carrying a medicine box and hurriedly shuttled through the streets. Wherever she passed, the sick had hope and the dying rekindled hope." He raised his eyes and looked at the swaying branches outside the window, as if traveling back to the purgatory where the epidemic was rampant, his eyes full of complex memories.

At that time, the streets of Linzhou were filled with a pungent odor of decay and medicine. People huddled in the corners of their houses, their faces ashen, the cries of children and the lamentations of adults intertwined. Lin Bingshuang, like a ray of bright moonlight, stepped into this dark quagmire. She worked day and night in the makeshift clinic, her bare hands flitting as she mixed potions, taking pulses with precision and administering medication decisively for difficult and complicated ailments. She lacked the cold and stern nature of the legendary chivalrous heroine, leaving only the compassionate focus of a doctor.

Su Yijing frowned, "The Holy Maiden of Yun Country suddenly transformed herself into a miracle doctor who saves the dying and heals the wounded? What kind of plan is hidden behind this? Is she trying to win the hearts of the people, or is there another hidden story?" His eyes were burning, as if he wanted to burn a hole in this mystery.

Qin Rongchen smiled bitterly and spread his hands helplessly: "I also had such doubts. When fighting alongside her against the epidemic, I was full of confusion, but the cherishment of life and the anxiety for patients in her eyes were by no means fake. She spent all her family wealth to purchase medicinal materials, went to dangerous places to collect rare herbs, and even risked her life for drug testing, almost fainting. Such dedication, how could someone with ulterior motives pretend?" Speaking of this, he clenched his fists, thinking of her tired but resolute face, his heart was mixed, trust and suspicion were fighting fiercely in his heart.

"Lin Wunian's identity is unique. If revealed, it would cause quite a stir," Su Yijing murmured, his voice carried away by the night wind, then fell heavily upon the silent corridor, each word carrying the weight of impending storm. Snow Nation General Lin Bingshuang, a fierce warrior who roamed the northern border, intimidating the enemy. Legend has it that she, clad in silver armor and wielding a sharp blade, charged through the ice and snow, staining the wind and snow with the blood of her enemies wherever she passed. Forged a reputation for her illustrious military exploits, she protected the Snow Nation's borders for years, earning her the reputation of an undefeated war god among the people.

Then, she transformed into Yun Shuang, the Holy Maiden of the Cloud Kingdom. Within the incense-filled, mysterious, and solemn temple of the Cloud Kingdom, she wore a plain white gauze dress and a sacred crown, her face cool and elegant, like a fairy detached from the mundane world, revered and worshipped by the people. With every gesture, she, as a saintly maiden, prayed for blessings and warded off disasters, preached and bestowed grace, manipulating the spiritual balance of her followers, quietly weaving an invisible yet resilient religious web, maintaining a delicate balance between the Yun Kingdom's court and the people.

Now, he has transformed himself into the miracle doctor Lin Wunian, shuttling between streets and alleys where epidemics are rampant and suffering is deep. He prepares prescriptions with his delicate hands, and with the heart of a doctor, he saves the dying and the wounded, brings people back to life with his miraculous hands, snatches back lives from the brink of life and death, rekindles the fire of hope for the desperate, and wins the sincere gratitude and respect of the people at the bottom.

The more Su Yijing thought about it, the colder she felt. What kind of shocking plot lay hidden behind these layers of identities? A woman, straddling three kingdoms, manipulated power, beliefs, and public sentiment across diverse sectors. Like a puppeteer hidden behind the scenes, she toyed with all the forces at her will, and they had been completely unaware, like a blindfolded donkey pulling a millstone, blindly spinning in her chess game.

"This Lin Bingshuang is definitely not a simple character." He gritted his teeth and spoke word by word. His expression showed both anger after being played a trick and deep fear of the unknown plot.

"Are you overthinking it? Her identity is currently known only to the Crown Prince and me, and the Crown Prince has taken her under his wing. As long as she stays away from the capital, her identity will remain hidden," Qin Rongchen muttered, his voice so soft it was almost swallowed by the growing wind outside the window. He could still vividly remember the time they'd fought alongside each other in Linzhou, against the pandemic and the zombies. Back then, Lin Bingshuang had been resolute and courageous, filled with compassion. With her own strength, she had stood up to protect the people of Linzhou. He had been moved by her sincerity and, considering returning to the capital, hoped to help her realize her ambitions, alleviate the capital's plight, and heal the people's chronic illnesses.

Su Yijing sat on a wooden chair beside him, tapping the armrests rhythmically with his fingers. He looked up at Qin Rongchen with a serious expression and said in a deep voice, "Rongchen, don't take it lightly. Once Lin Bingshuang's identity is exposed, it will be a weapon that can stir up the court and subvert the government, which will be a disaster. Although it seems calm now, there are undercurrents in the capital, and spies from all sides are intertwined. If you are not careful, the news will be leaked, and the consequences will be unimaginable." After speaking, he stood up and paced, his sleeves brushing against the tables and chairs, making a slight rustling sound, just like the footsteps of the approaching crisis hidden in the dark.

Qin Rongchen smiled bitterly, turned around and leaned against the windowsill, his eyes dim: "How could I not know the pros and cons of this. It's just that I thought of our friendship at the beginning and was lucky. Now, I hope she can stay away from the capital, hide in the rivers and lakes, and continue to practice medicine and save the world in the mountains and rivers of Linzhou, or be a free and easy person. As long as her identity is not discovered, she can be safe for a while." Recalling the dimples on Lin Bingshuang's smile, the sparkling stars in her eyes, and the back that resolutely rushed to the epidemic-stricken areas, he felt mixed emotions in his heart, with concern and worry, and the helplessness of having to give up his emotions and consider the overall situation.

Seeing Qin Rongchen like this, Su Yijing raised his eyebrows slightly and said bluntly: "You are different from before. You were devastated because of Lin Bingshuang before, why now..." Doubts were like threads, entangled in the tail end of his tone, lingering in this quiet pavilion.