Chapter 35 Original Rule: "I'll wait for you for three sticks of incense"
Jingnu recognized this doll.
When General Xue ordered that all of Madam Cui's belongings be thrown out and burned, she risked her life to steal some back to comfort her heartbroken wife, just so that her wife could remember her.
This teddy bear had a peculiar and unusual appearance; she had never seen it even in the largest entertainment shop in Chang'an, which is why she remembered it so vividly.
Only after asking the old nanny who served the lady at the time did they learn that the teddy bear was drawn by the lady herself when she was only five years old, and was later sewn by Madam Cui stitch by stitch, making it a unique item.
When she stole the teddy bear and presented it to her wife, her wife hugged the teddy bear and cried very sadly. It was the most heartbroken she had ever seen her wife cry in all the years she had served her.
During that time, the lady would hold this teddy bear day and night. It wasn't until Madam Cui left Chang'an that the lady chased after the carriage in the rain and developed a high fever. After recovering from the illness, she forgot many things from the past, and the teddy bear was put away and placed at the bottom of a box. The lady hadn't taken it out to play with it for a long time.
"Has my lady suddenly remembered this teddy bear? Don't worry, I've kept it in the wooden box all this time. Look, it's been kept safe and sound." Jingnu thought that Xue Rongyue hadn't seen the teddy bear for a long time, so she said, "If my lady wants to play with it, I'll wash it clean, dry it, and give it to her."
Xue Rongyue suddenly reached out and restrained Jingnu's outstretched wrist, her fingertips turning white with force.
The roar of blood rushing backward filled her ears. Xue Rongyue's face was ashen, her heart pounding wildly as if it would burst out of her chest. Memories flooded her mind, and her lips trembled uncontrollably.
Of course she remembered the teddy bear.
In her hazy memories of being eight years old, this teddy bear carries many memories of her and her mother. When her mother learned that she wanted a teddy bear, she took her to the Chang'an Plaything Shop to choose one. However, looking at the dazzling array of goods, she was never satisfied.
Later, when her mother saw the drawing, she was surprised but still stayed up for several nights and finally sewed a teddy bear that looked exactly like the drawing.
Not just this one, the mother sewed rag dolls for the whole family of four.
"I want to give these other three plush toys to my mother, father and brother. You must always stay with me, just like these four little bears, never to be separated."
"Okay." Her mother gently tied her hair up in a bun. "We are a family, of course we will always be with Xiaoyue."
Later, the teddy bear given to the elder brother was buried in the coffin along with his body, while the father's teddy bear was mercilessly consumed by flames.
She had wanted to ask her mother to take her horse with her when she left Chang'an, but no matter what she did, she couldn't catch up with the speeding carriage.
Ultimately, the doll was lost in the weeds on the outskirts of the city. She did not send anyone to search for it afterward. Perhaps the doll had already rotted in the mud with the rain.
Now, only this rag doll remains intact at the bottom of the wooden box.
But......
Why does she remember these details so clearly, but can't recall these patterns even her mother has never seen? She was only five years old at the time, so how was she able to draw this unique teddy bear pattern?
A bold conjecture was thrust into Xue Rongyue's mind and wouldn't go away.
A sudden chill ran down my spine, like a snake slithering through my back, and beads of cold sweat trickled down my upturned nose, soaking through my thin clothes.
Everything before her eyes blurred and distorted in an instant. Xue Rongyue felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. She wanted to speak, but she couldn't make a sound.
Amidst Jingnu's exclamation, Xue Rongyue slumped in front of the wooden box, completely unconscious.
***
"How is Madam Xue?"
Princess Yu'an summoned the imperial physician and Jingnu for questioning: "Why did you suddenly faint?"
The imperial physician replied in a low voice, "Lady Xue fainted because of excessive shock and worry, which caused her blood and qi to rush to her heart."
Princess Yu'an frowned and looked at Jingnu: "Has anyone dared to offend your mistress recently?"
After a pause, Princess Yu'an had her first suspect and asked the lady-in-waiting beside her, "Where has Qin Jin been these past few days? Has he gone to provoke Lady Xue?"
Before the female official could reply, Jingnu had already explained the whole story clearly. The female official also said, "Perhaps there is some progress in the poisoning matter. Prince Qin has been busy outside for the past two days and has not returned to the mansion."
Princess Yu'an thought to herself: It is indeed nearing the time when General Xue and Madam Cui will divorce. Could it be that the time has brought back painful memories?
With a sigh, Princess Yu'an instructed Jingnu: "Your mistress has not wanted to see anyone these past few days, so keep the door closed and refuse all visitors. Whether it's the Liu family or anyone else, send them away in my name. You must take good care of your mistress and not make any mistakes."
He then instructed the female official to prepare a medicinal meal to nourish Xue Rongyue's body.
Hearing the footsteps leaving outside the window, Xue Rongyue slowly opened her eyes. After drinking several bowls of medicine, her pale face regained its rosy hue.
She asked the system, "Am I really her?"
Although it was not explicitly stated who "she" was, Xue Rongyue and the system knew perfectly well.
The system gave an affirmative answer.
Of course you are her.
Her heart leaped into her throat, and Xue Rongyue pressed her dry, wrinkled lips together, her breathing quickening for a moment.
[From the moment you fell into the water, I told you that the character [Xue Rongyue] was about to awaken. Awakening, not replacement.]
[You are the cannon fodder female supporting character who transmigrated into the book in the original story.]
Xue Rongyue couldn't understand: "Then what is this so-called original work, and what is it now?"
You can interpret the original story as a past life, and the present as this life. In your previous life, you failed to defy fate and ultimately met your end.
I see……
I see!
Her chest heaved violently, and a myriad of emotions welled up inside her. For a moment, Xue Rongyue didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
But she quickly realized what was happening.
"If I failed to defy fate in my previous life and was forced to face death, why would I have a second chance in this life?"
The system fell silent for a brief moment.
It had to admire Xue Rongyue's keen insight; it had guessed that she would have doubts, but it hadn't expected her to react so quickly.
[I cannot disclose the details to the host before triggering key plot points.]
[If the host wishes to learn the secret, please continue your efforts to win over the target character [Qin Jin].]
That in itself is an answer.
Xue Rongyue frowned; it seemed that the key to this matter was related to Qin Jin.
Sunlight streamed through the window, and the peach branch in the white porcelain vase, bathed in the blazing sun, turned a rosy color, attracting butterflies that lingered outside to flutter against the window.
After an unknown period of silence, Xue Rongyue's expression gradually returned to calm. Suddenly, she asked, "Why does Liu Ruyu faint at the sight of blood, yet enjoy gouging out her eyes?"
She learned from Lu Jun, a servant of Liu Ruyu, that Liu Ruyu had been fascinated by human eyes since childhood, but due to his fear of blood, he had never been able to do it himself or witness torture. He even dared to put his eyeballs in his hands to play with them only after they had been washed clean.
Such a preference is clearly contradictory to himself.
[The penchant for gouging out eyes is a character trait created for Liu Ruyu in the original novel. However, even outside the novel, Liu Ruyu is a living, breathing person with a side that the novel doesn't explicitly describe or portray.]
Xue Rongyue realized: "So even if he suffers from hemophobia, regardless of whether he really likes gouging out eyes, he must follow the persona and carry it out."
Yes, because he hasn't awakened. Only awakened characters possess independent consciousness and have the potential to change the fate predetermined in the original work.
She was an unexpected transmigration into the book, naturally escaping the limitations and rules of the original work, which allowed her to reverse her fate of dying under the Imperial Guard's blade in her previous life. In this life, some unknown event occurred, and she lost her memories of the time before transmigrating due to a high fever. It wasn't until she fell into the water and bound herself to the system that she awakened her self-awareness.
Otherwise, she would very likely follow the original storyline and meet her predetermined end.
"And what about your existence?"
Xue Rongyue asked again: "In your past life, you suddenly appeared and bound yourself to me. Was your existence meant to correct the original plot, or to modify it?"
The system remained silent for a moment before replying:
My existence is to prevent the original world from collapsing.
As Xue Rongyue was pondering the message behind those words, she suddenly heard a knock on the window of the inner room.
She looked up—
With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his figure seemed to be a perfect outline drawn with ink. Qin Jin's slender and tall figure stood behind the window, and through the bright window paper, his sharp brow bone was visible.
Xue Rongyue's brow twitched slightly, but she did not speak.
"I heard you're sick, and you're not seeing or talking to anyone?"
Qin Jin's voice followed, carrying a nonchalant tone.
Xue Rongyue turned over.
"Who has provoked you to make you so angry?"
Seeing that she remained silent, Qin Jin raised his hand and knocked on the window again: "I asked Jingnu and know that you have already woken up."
How dare they! They actually revealed her situation to Qin Jin.
Xue Rongyue pursed her lips, secretly noting down this debt, intending to settle it with Jingnu another day.
She had no intention of strategizing today, and didn't even bother to feign concern, asking in a calm voice, "What does this have to do with Prince Qin?"
Upon hearing Xue Rongyue's reply, Qin Jin's lips unconsciously curled up for a moment.
“If you faint, the princess will definitely suspect me. I will find out the truth and clear my name.”
Although Princess Yu'an hasn't asked him about it these past two days, it doesn't mean she won't in the future. He's not concerned about Xue Rongyue; he's just preparing for the worst.
Xue Rongyue lowered her eyes and said, "Your Highness need not worry. I will explain to the Princess in a couple of days. I will not wrong Your Highness."
Qin Jin then changed the subject: "Although I don't know who upset you, there might be one thing that can make you feel better."
Xue Rongyue raised an eyebrow: "What is it?"
Qin Jin asked, "How was the interrogation of Liu Ruyu?"
"Really?" Xue Rongyue's eyes lit up, but she hesitated. "Liu Ruyu is imprisoned in the Guard Bureau. You at least have the title of heir apparent, but my title of county princess is clearly not enough. How can I get in?"
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Qin Jin's tall figure receded into the distance, his lazy voice drifting back: "I'll wait for you for three incense sticks."
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