Chapter 5: Yuncang Geography

at the same time.

Deep in the imperial palace, in the Pepper Room.

The queen waved her hand gently, and the attendants quietly withdrew, leaving only a loyal and trusted nanny by her side.

Inside the hall, wisps of tranquilizing incense rose, and the atmosphere, which should have been peaceful and harmonious, was mingled with a few barely perceptible traces of tension.

Chen Jiao stood alone in the center of the hall. The arrogance she had shown towards Shen He in the past had long since vanished, replaced by lowered eyes and a pair of restlessly stirring fingers at the corner of her clothes.

The queen sat upright on the phoenix chair, a symbol of supreme honor, with a gentle face. Time seemed to be particularly kind to her, leaving no trace of anger or joy on her face.

With an almost ritualistic grace, she slowly pulled out a golden hairpin shaped like a peacock spreading its tail from her intricate bun.

The bird feathers at the end of the hairpin are inlaid with tiny sapphires and turquoises, making them look lifelike.

The sharpest tip of the hairpin flashed a cold light under the candlelight.

"Look up."

The queen's words fell softly, like an imperceptible chill in the morning breeze.

Chen Jiao's heart was filled with turmoil, but she didn't dare to disobey in the slightest. She raised her head slowly and tremblingly.

The queen's gaze, like a cold light in winter, was fixed accurately on the bottom of Shen Jiao's left eyebrow, where there was a light red birthmark the size of a grain of rice. If you didn't look closely, it could almost be cleverly hidden under the skin and not be noticed.

The queen slowly stretched out her hand, holding the exquisitely carved peacock hairpin with her fingertips, and gently stroked the place where the birthmark was with an almost gentle yet irresistible force.

Chen Jiao felt a chill spreading from her brows, and her body stiffened involuntarily.

A subtle pain quietly emerged. The tip of the peacock hairpin accidentally scratched the delicate skin, leaving an almost imperceptible mark.

A drop of crimson seeped out quietly.

It is particularly eye-catching on fair skin.

Chen Jiao was so frightened that she dared not breathe, and cold sweat oozed from her forehead.

The queen seemed to have done nothing but a trivial matter. She took back the golden hairpin and slowly wiped the bloodstain on the tip with a silk handkerchief.

Her voice sounded lightly, carrying a hint of inexplicable meaning.

"The eldest lady of the Shen family has chosen a good home."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao quickly said, "Empress, my sister..."

"No need to say more."

The queen interrupted her, her eyes dark.

She paused, lowering her voice even more, as if she was talking to herself, or as if she was giving some kind of instruction to Shen Jiao: "The Xue family's chess piece...it's time to move."

***

When I returned to the side hall in the palace where I was allowed to temporarily live, as soon as the door was opened, a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the smell of soil after the rain hit me in the face.

Chen He waved her hand gently, signaling the maid to leave, and then walked slowly into the depths of the inner room with light but heavy steps.

In a corner of the quiet inner room, a camphorwood box carved with a golden phoenix totem stood silently.

That box contained the wedding dress that she had carefully prepared with great joy for marrying Xiao Jingren.

Every stitch and every thread is interwoven with her infinite imagination and expectation for the future.

She breathed in and out slowly, the air still seeming to hold the sweetness and dreams of the past, her fingertips trembling slightly due to the waves in her heart. Finally, she mustered up the courage and gently opened the lid of the box, as if uncovering a dusty memory.

However, the scene before her was very different from the beautiful vision in her heart.

The expected bright red wedding dress, symbolizing glory and happiness, was not there, shining brightly and attracting attention. Instead, there was an indescribable mess and desolation.

The phoenix coronet and bridal robe, which should have been gorgeous, delicate and exquisite, had been torn to pieces!

Especially the phoenix pattern embroidered with gold thread, with its wings spread out ready to fly...

At this moment, the broken golden thread was deliberately twisted...

It formed two ferocious characters——

must! die!

The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

Chen He's pupils suddenly constricted.

A biting chill instantly shot up from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

Is this a warning?

Or... a curse?

Or is it... an ultimatum from hell, from the wronged souls of past lives?

After a moment of shock, a hint of cold sneer appeared at the corner of her lips.

The brief panic receded like a tide, but a cold smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, a kind of mockery without a trace of warmth.

"Ruined?"

She murmured softly, with a barely perceptible contempt in her tone, as if it was a silent struggle against fate.

"Oh……"

A subtle but clear sneer escaped from her lips, like the coldest ice crystals in winter, gently shattering.

"It's okay if it's ruined."

She whispered, without a trace of regret in her voice, only the indifference of relief.

"This wedding dress is stained with the blood of the Shen family."

"It's... unlucky."

Marry Xiao Jingren?

The man who pushed her entire family into hell?

She was going to burn this wedding dress with her own hands!

Now that someone is doing it for her, it saves her the trouble.

She closed the lid of the box casually, as if she was just throwing away an insignificant piece of trash.

As he turned around, the corner of his eye inadvertently swept across the bronze dressing mirror standing by the wall.

The shadow of the window frame is clearly reflected on the mirror.

as well as……

Outside the window, a bunch of flowers swayed gently in the night breeze...

Lush and green bamboo shoots?

Chen He's gaze narrowed slightly.

Disciples of Qingshan Academy often wear this item around their waists as an identity mark.

The stalker on the palace road last night...

It was indeed them.

Her gaze returned to the wedding dress box.

A thought flashed through my mind.

She opened the lid again and reached out to push aside the pile of tattered wedding dress fragments.

According to the rules, a copy of "Lessons for Women" should be placed under the wedding dress.

Warn the bride to observe the virtues of a woman and obey her husband.

However, what his fingertips touched was not the familiar book cover.

It was a book with yellowed pages and an ancient binding called "Yuncang Geography"?!

Shen He suddenly pulled out the book.

On the cover, four large, clumsy characters written in official script exuded an indescribable weirdness in the dim light.

"Nujie" was replaced by "Yuncang Dizhi"?

What does this mean?

Was it left by the stalker?

Or is it someone else?

Yun Cang...

According to legend, 1,300 years ago, Emperor Cangze of Yuncang Kingdom loved to conquer and expand the territory. Tributes came from all over the world, and treasures flowed in continuously.

Rumor has it that he sent people to search for dragons and build four treasure houses, offering incredible wealth to the mythical beasts, hoping that his country would last for thousands of years.

Later, the treasure house was guarded by four major families, and each of them created the four-character jade of music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Only when the four-character jade was combined could the Cang Ze treasure house be opened.

The four major families of Shen, Chen, Yan and Xue respectively control the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting.

It was said in later generations that whoever found the treasure would rule the world, but for thousands of years, no one had found the location of the treasure.

Is it a coincidence, or...

A deeper foreshadowing pointing to a shocking secret?

Chen He gripped the book tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

The fog of the past life, the chess game of this life, seems...

It was more complicated than she had imagined, and more...

The situation is full of twists and turns!