The Double
Chapter 784 - 231 Death News_3

Chapter 784: Chapter 231 Death News_3

The door was shut again, and silence resumed in the room, with only the remnants of the tea cup on the floor bearing witness to the events that had just transpired. Jiang Li gazed at the door and let out a deep sigh.

Yin Zhili’s path was also a dead end, but fortunately, the Ye Family and September were already safe. Yin Zhili would not go as far as to harm them; to Yin Zhan, it seemed he believed that the only one who could threaten Jih Heng was himself, and others were merely burdens—not worth the extra concern. But what about Jih Heng?

In the words of Yin Zhili, there was still no sign of Yin Zhan, and he had no idea what the situation outside was like. In his heart, Jiang Li could only silently pray, hoping that Jih Heng was safe and sound.

...

Qingzhou and Yanjing were far apart, and while Qingzhou was still engulfed in long stretches of snow, the streets of Yanjing City would almost be empty at night.

The imperial palace stood steadfast in the midst of the snowstorm, as if it would never waver. Yet, it lacked its usual splendor and looked much like any ordinary estate. It even resembled a grand yet gloomy underground palace, compelling anyone who entered to never return.

Inside Cining Palace, the lanterns flickered, and the heat was substantial, making it not as cold as outside. The scriptures were placed carelessly on the desk, untouched for a long while. Only the incense in the burner was still burning quietly in the night, like the legendary beast with eyes glowing red in the palm of a hand, ferocity hidden beneath gentleness.

The Empress Dowager was resting on the soft couch, dozing off. Lately, she had taken to daydreaming, sitting in the hall, trying to copy scriptures with a calm heart, yet she could never settle her mind and simply stopped trying. With nothing to do when not copying scriptures, in the past when Empress Dowager Liu was around, she could hear Liu causing a ruckus. After Liu’s departure, the harem had become even quieter, filled with a sense of rabbit dying, fox grieving. Emperor Hongxiao’s concubines did not like to visit her; as the Empress Dowager, she had long ceased to engage in worldly affairs. The harem was a place of undermining and flattery, with concubines busy forming alliances and plotting for favor, leaving no spare time to entertain an old woman like her.

The Empress Dowager thus missed the days of old all the more. It seemed that even the jealous squabbles with Consort Liu Shu and Noble Consort Xia in the palace when they were younger became endearing memories. Of course, most of her reminiscences were related to Yin Zhan. More than once, she dreamt of the time she first met Yin Zhan—him on horseback, the young man tall and handsome, with a hearty smile on his face. After saving her from villains, as she dressed his wounds, Yin Zhan sat on a stone, smiling at her. She blushed under his gaze but still mustered up the courage to ask for his name. She indulged in this dream, unwilling to wake up, for each time she opened her eyes, it seemed as if everything was just a grand dream, and she was still the young lady of the Lin Family, still with a chance to change everything.

But of course, there was none. Today, she dreamt of Yin Zhan again, only this time, it was not Yin Zhan as she first met him. She was in Red Mountain Temple, the day when a hundred archers ambushed Jih Minghan, and Jih Minghan was nowhere to be found. Returning to her room, she found Yin Zhan also injured. She knew Yin Zhan had killed many people, and that Jih Minghan was his sworn brother. Yin Zhan was silent, and she asked, "Do you resent me?"

"No," Yin Zhan answered, "I have never resented you. I only regret not meeting you sooner."

The next moment, Yin Zhan’s figure was suddenly engulfed in raging flames, his expression one of agony, calling her name, "Roujia..."

The Empress Dowager’s eyes snapped open, drenched in sweat as she awoke from the nightmare. Mei Xiang approached with concern, "Empress Dowager, are you all right?"

"I’m fine," the Empress Dowager said, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, "It was just a bad dream."

Just as she finished speaking, she heard a man’s voice from outside, "What sort of nightmare has scared you into such a state, Mother?"

The Empress Dowager looked up to see Emperor Hongxiao appearing at the entrance of the great hall. Behind him, eunuchs and palace maids kneeled in succession, presumably because he had ordered them not to announce his arrival, so the Empress Dowager hadn’t heard him coming. Emperor Hongxiao entered with a smile. The Empress Dowager straightened up and said with a smile, "What brought Your Majesty to visit today?"

Her heartbeat quickened. She wasn’t sure if it was because she hadn’t quite recovered from the shock of the dream or if she just sensed an ominous feeling from it. Even her smile felt forced. Emperor Hongxiao seldom visited Cining Palace or spoke with her, often conversing with her in the Imperial Garden instead.

"There’s a heavy snowstorm outside today, so I specifically came to see how you were," Emperor Hongxiao said, gesturing to Eunuch Su. Eunuch Su then ordered the surrounding palace staff to withdraw.