A Shocking Dream

Chapter 191

"Your Majesty, the Sage King has been waiting outside the palace for quite some time." Queen Mother Kou Jing had just woken up when the palace maid reported the news, startling her. Her sleepy eyes widened instantly, all traces of sleep gone. A flicker of surprise and panic crossed her face, and she raised her hand to signal the nanny beside her to help her up.

"Why did you come so suddenly? No one was informed beforehand." The Queen Mother murmured in a low voice. As she spoke, she let the nanny make her bed and put on her outer clothes. Her fingers unconsciously clenched the corners of her clothes, and she secretly wondered the reason for this sudden visit.

Several months had passed since she and Qin Rongchen last met. The scene of that fierce argument still flashed back in her mind from time to time, and a dull pain would arise in her heart.

At that time, the two of them were arguing fiercely over Yun Shuang's matter. She was filled with grievance and resentment, her eyes red, her voice trembling slightly with anger as she loudly questioned Qin Rongchen. Qin Rongchen's brows were also furrowed, his expression stern, and his words were filled with unquestionable determination. Neither of them gave in, and those hurtful words were like sharp blades, piercing each other directly.

After that, Qin Rongchen set off for Linzhou. Although she feigned indifference and continued her daily routine, in the dead of night, her heart was filled with worry for him. She knew the complex situation in Linzhou and the dangers of the journey, and she couldn't help but worry. But when she thought of his decisiveness during the argument that day, she became frustrated and sullen, thinking to herself, "Why do I always have to give in first? This time, let's see if he comes to me first."

Until the eve of Qin Rongchen's departure, she was filled with turmoil, pacing back and forth in the room, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corners of her clothes. She approached the door several times, but stopped abruptly, biting her lower lip, and ultimately did not go to see him. When she heard the sound of horse hooves gradually fade away, until it dissipated in her ears, her eyes suddenly warmed, tears rolled down, and her heart was filled with regret and disappointment.

And now, he unexpectedly came to find her. When the Queen Mother heard the news, her heart suddenly sank, and she was stunned for a moment. The memories of the past, some warm and some bitter, came flooding back like a tide, drowning her in an instant.

She subconsciously raised her hand, trying to fix her hair, but her fingertips couldn't help but tremble. She took a deep breath, the breath swirling in her chest, as if to suppress all the surging emotions. She slowly sat down on the phoenix couch, straightened her back, and closed her eyes for a moment. Various responses flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern. She tried her best to calm her expression and re-embody her usual dignified and graceful demeanor, the mother of the country.

After she had calmed down, she opened her red lips slightly, her voice steady, without any trace of panic, and said slowly: "Let him in." But the slightly clenched corner of her clothes revealed the nervousness deep in her heart that she could hardly control.

As the summons spread, she stared fixedly toward the palace gate, her heartbeat growing increasingly rapid, as if threatening to burst through the confines of her chest. She clenched her palms, her nails digging into her flesh. The stinging pain made her more alert, but her face remained calm and composed, waiting for that familiar yet unfamiliar figure to enter.

Not long after, Qin Rongchen steadily entered the hall. He was dressed in a white robe as white as snow, the hems of his clothes fluttering in the wind. His posture was as straight as a pine tree. His once youthful, impulsive demeanor had faded, replaced by a calm and reserved demeanor, his every move revealing composure.

Queen Mother Kou Jing sat upright on the phoenix couch. The moment her eyes met Qin Rongchen's, they trembled, and her heart felt as if an invisible hand gently grasped it. Those long-lost memories instantly broke through the dust of time and rushed towards her. She stared at Qin Rongchen without blinking, her eyes full of emotion, and a myriad of thoughts surged in her eyes.

This was her son. She had watched him grow up since he was little. The outline of his eyebrows, the straight curve of his nose, and his innate noble demeanor, as he grew older, became more and more like that person. With each glance, the image of the old friend walking hand in hand with her became clearer and clearer. That person's voice, appearance, and smile gradually overlapped with the figure of Qin Rongchen in front of her, as if time had gone back and the old friend had never left.

Kou Jing tried her best to calm her mind, but her fingers unconsciously tightened around the couch's armrests, her knuckles turning slightly white from the strain. She swallowed the bitterness in her throat, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips as she whispered, "Rongchen, long time no see." The slight tremor in her voice echoed the undercurrent of emotion surging within her heart, years of suppressed endurance threatening to burst forth at this moment.

Qin Rongchen took a few steps forward and knelt down to salute. When he raised his eyes, there was a mixture of complex emotions. He replied softly: "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager, is well. I am about to go to the south of the Yangtze River and come to say goodbye." After speaking, he lowered his head slightly, and the strands of hair on his forehead blocked his deep eyes, making it impossible to see the look hidden in them.

The silence in the hall was like the deep sea, so thick that it could not be dissolved. Only the copper clock in the corner was ticking tirelessly. Every tick seemed to strike at the tip of her heart, counting this extremely awkward silence.

Empress Dowager Kou Jing's hands, which were placed on her knees, had unconsciously been clenched tightly. The force was so great that even the luxurious brocade was torn into tiny wrinkles. The graceful smile that she always maintained on her face was now shaky, as if it would be blown away by the wind.

How could she not know what Qin Rongchen's departure meant? In the Jiangnan region, floods were like ferocious beasts, ravaging thousands of miles, destroying farmland and leaving the people wailing everywhere; the bureaucracy was like a thicket of thorns, each root entangled, and the corruption was so deep that it had already become a terminal illness.

This journey is by no means a simple business trip. It is clearly a thrilling one at every step. The danger is comparable to climbing a mountain of knives or wading through a sea of ​​fire. It is no exaggeration to say that it is a life-or-death experience.

Kou Jing sighed softly. Those past obsessions, those unspeakable emotions and concerns, what did they matter in the face of such a major event for the country? Qin Rongchen hadn't embarked on this journey for personal gain. He was determined to help his country, to go to that troubled land and turn the tide. This breadth of mind and responsibility was very much like his biological father.

But precisely because of this, the pure mother-son relationship between them was bound tightly by the towering palace walls and strict etiquette. He was obsessed with the rules of the court, and even the intimate "Mother Queen" could not be uttered by him anymore, and only the distant and indifferent "Empress Dowager" remained.

Every time she thought of this, Kou Jing's heart ached, and her eyes warmed slightly. She couldn't help but wonder, after he left, the journey would be long and arduous, and she would have to endure the storms and hardships. In the days to come, would she ever be lucky enough to hear that affectionate "Mother" again? Perhaps by the time they met again, they would be separated forever, and she would only be able to recall the few tender moments of the past before the cold memorial tablet.

"You go." After a long while, Kou Jing swallowed the lump in her throat, tried her best to steady her voice, and said calmly,