The man said, "Unfortunately, Lord Lu, the Grand Secretary is currently in the Cabinet office discussing matters with the Chief Minister, and is not in the ministry."
When will she be able to return?
"They've only been gone a short while, it'll probably be quite a while before they arrive."
Lu Shenyun wasn't good with words. He spent several nights preparing what he wanted to say to her before leaving, but fate didn't give him the chance.
I wanted to see her, but I couldn't.
A servant from the Ministry of Revenue brought over a cup of tea, saying, "Please wait here, sir."
The army was about to set off, and he didn't have much time. He had originally planned to come and see her briefly before leaving. Since she wasn't there, he didn't have time to wait any longer.
"No need," he said, turning and leaving.
Half an hour later, Lu Shenyun led the Imperial Guards to join Lan Tan, and together they marched towards the White Lotus Sect army.
More than a month later, news came from the front that the Ming Dynasty had gained the upper hand in the battle. A few days later, the troops under the Duke of Ying arrived at the battlefield to assist Lu Shenyun and Lan Tan.
With the addition of 30,000 elite troops, the Ming army achieved repeated victories against the White Lotus Sect, which was already showing signs of weakness, and triumphantly celebrated their victory.
From this point on, the White Lotus Sect's fate was sealed. Victory for the Ming Dynasty was in sight.
Meanwhile, in the court, the new Emperor Zhu, with the help of Qingchen and Song Yue, rectified the administration, revised some laws, replaced all the officials who held their positions without merit, and promoted a group of promising young scholars. For example, Han Yuanshu, the former sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Works who was known for his blunt but reasonable remarks and for frequently cursing his grandmother, was promoted to the third-rank position of Vice Minister of Works on Qingchen's advice.
Qingchen and Song Yue served in the same court and were both cabinet members, so they worked together exceptionally well. They didn't need many words; their thoughts and intentions were immediately understood.
The two retired cabinet ministers had never seen such a harmonious and efficient cabinet before, and they often remarked on it in private. In the past, they couldn't wait to retire and couldn't stand the mess Xu Yan was doing, but now they wanted to help him for another two years.
In short, the entire Ming Dynasty court was completely transformed.
There were many affairs in the imperial court, and both Qingchen and Song Yue were very busy, so they didn't have many opportunities to meet privately.
At the end of October, autumn was drawing to a close.
It happened to be a day off, so Song Yue took a break from his busy schedule and invited Qingchen to go out together.
Their destination was the outskirts of Beijing, because today was also the anniversary of the death of Wang Mingyang, the founder of the School of Mind.
Along the way, the sky was clear and the autumn breeze was pleasant. The ginkgo trees on both sides of the road had turned yellow again, and golden leaves fluttered down.
Sitting in the carriage, Qingchen turned his gaze from the window and asked curiously, "How old were you when you met your master?"
"Ten years old." He said, "Before I met him, I was a stubborn and eccentric child. Every day I would force myself to memorize the Four Books and Five Classics and practice poetry and prose. I was not happy at all. After entering Wang's school and receiving guidance from his teacher, I gradually became more cheerful."
Qingchen could imagine it. He carried the grief of losing his family members and the desire to avenge his parents, so he could only force himself to study hard, hoping to pass the imperial examination one day, bring glory to the Song family, and avenge his parents.
She suddenly felt a pang of heartache.
“Do you still remember my purple bamboo?” He changed the subject. “There is a large patch of purple bamboo next to my teacher’s tombstone, and it is growing very well. Sometimes I think that the disciples of the School of Mind are like those purple bamboos, which can also sprout in the cracks of rocks, grow more and more, and grow better and better, and can withstand the severe cold and scorching heat.
Qingchen nodded. How could she not remember? At the time, she thought it was a gift from some woman.
He chuckled, "Come to think of it, you seem to get quite jealous..."
She turned her head away embarrassedly and ignored him.
The mountain forest air was fresh in the morning. Sunlight filtered through the thin clouds in the distance, and the wind rustled through the dense bamboo forest.
"Is this the tomb of our grandmaster?"
It turned out to be a blank stele.
"Hmm." He took the offerings from the driver and wiped the dust off the tombstone with a cloth.
Qingchen helped arrange the sacrificial meat and food, and placed three lit incense sticks into the incense burner. Afterwards, the two knelt down and kowtowed in worship.
At this moment, behind a large tree not far away, stood a woman in plain clothes, who was Wang Yangming's daughter.
Wang Fu had just arrived when she saw Song Yue and was very happy. She was about to walk over when she saw that there were other people with him, so she stopped in her tracks.
Today, he was still dressed in white, his robes fluttering like a gentle breeze and the bright moon. The woman beside him was also exceptionally beautiful. Sunlight filtered through the bamboo grove, casting a soft glow on her face, revealing her exquisite features, truly flawless and radiant.
For ten years, Wang Fu has waited for him here every year, and he has come alone every year. This is the first time she has seen him bring someone else with him.
Who is that person?
Although she was dressed in men's clothing, her figure was somewhat like a woman's. In the chaos of war a few days ago, it wasn't unusual for a woman to dress as a man and go out.
For the past ten years, Song Yue has rejected her every year, but she hasn't given up and has waited here every year. Today, he finally brought someone else with him.
Wang Fu smiled to herself, understanding.
She turned around and left silently.
Not far away, after Song Yue finished paying his respects to Wang Mingyang, he inexplicably looked in her direction.
But he didn't see her; he only saw the wind rustling the leaves and the gentle slanting sunlight.
...
On the carriage back to the city, Qingchen was a little tired and gently rested her head on Song Yue's shoulder.
He said softly, "I want to tell you something."
"What's wrong?"
"I want to resign from my official post."
She looked at him with some surprise, "Why?"
He said earnestly, "I will marry you."
"Let's find a quiet place in the enemy territory and live the life of ordinary people."
Sitting in that prime minister's seat, every word and action of his attracted attention; marrying her was impossible. Over the years, he had experienced so much ups and downs in his official career, and he was indeed feeling somewhat weary.
Qingchen's face flushed. "You're the Grand Secretary now, are you really willing to resign like this?"
"No matter how high the court or how abundant the salary, nothing compares to seeing your smiling face every day."
She was a little shy. "Then, will the Emperor agree to your resignation? The Ming Dynasty is in dire need of capable people right now."
“Even if I am not in officialdom, I can still do my best for the Ming Dynasty. If the Emperor needs me, I can correspond with him.” He paused, then added, “It just means that you will have to give up your position as Grand Secretary.”
She immediately shook her head. "I am a woman, and I cannot stay in the officialdom forever."
He laughed, "Then are you willing? If I lose my position as Grand Secretary, will you care?"
She shook her head without hesitation. His identity was never important; what she cared about was his soul.
Song Yue smiled and said, "Although I am no longer the Grand Secretary, I still own some fertile land, shops, and houses, and I still have money..."
Before he could finish speaking, she interrupted, "I have nothing. No fields, no shops, only twenty-odd taels of silver left, and even the house was a gift from the Emperor. I only have a cat, which you picked up..."
His eyes were deep and bright, filled with a deep smile. "I don't mind if your dowry is a cat. With you, that's enough... Marry me, and have a few more children for me."
She was so ashamed that she covered her face with both hands, not daring to look at him.
He shamelessly leaned in and kissed her lips, "My wife..."
...
A short while later, the carriage returning to the city passed by a cluster of farmhouses, and Song Yue ordered the carriage to stop.
Qingchen asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
“My teacher has a daughter who lives here. She used to come when I paid my respects to him, but I can't see her today. I'm worried that something might have happened to her, and I'd like to go in and check on her. Would you allow me to, my wife?”
She gently nudged him. "Go on, I'll wait for you in the car. Come back soon!"
Song Yue got out of the car and hadn't walked far when he noticed smoke rising from the roof of Wang Fu's house, and a pungent smell of smoke hit him.
His heart tightened, and he rushed over to check, only to find that the burning house didn't belong to Wang Fu, but to her neighbor. He called her name twice, but there was no response. Then, a child's cry came from the burning house next door.
It was harvest time, and most of the nearby villagers had gone to the fields. Without hesitation, Song Yue rushed into the burning house.
Inside, there was indeed a child of about five or six, crying helplessly, with a still-burning flint lying beside him. He picked him up and hurried outside, but as he reached the doorway, he saw the burnt-out beams about to collapse…
He immediately put the child down and pushed him away with all his might, but the burning giant log crashed down and hit him on the back.
He was pinned down, unable to move, feeling as if his spine had been broken, waves of excruciating pain washing over him...
At this moment, Qingchen was still waiting for Song Yue in the carriage, thinking about what he had said.
Finally, I can change back into my female form. I wonder what his expression will be when he sees me dressed in women's clothing?
So, she could also live the simple, happy life of an ordinary woman. They'll have children then. How many should they have? He seems to really like children; even the paper-cut window decorations he bought are things like "Five Sons Passing the Imperial Examination," "A Fairy Boy Holding a Peach," and "A Shepherd Boy Riding an Ox"... But if they have too many, will they be able to afford to raise them?
Thinking of this, she smiled to herself, not noticing that Song Yue had been gone for a while.
Later, Qingchen finally grew impatient and lifted the curtain to look out. What he saw was astonishing: thick smoke billowed from the sky in the direction he was looking.
She immediately got out of the carriage and saw that the driver was already asleep from exhaustion, completely unaware of what was happening. She woke him up and ran with him to the burning house.
...
The villagers returned one after another, and the fire was finally extinguished.
Unfortunately, Song Yue has already closed his eyes and will never wake up again.
His back was mostly burned, and his white robe was burned beyond recognition. The air was filled with the smell of burnt silk and hair.
Today is September 29th, early autumn. Song Yue, the Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty, has died.
Qingchen stared blankly at his corpse, the pain seeming to transform into a long blade, piercing her heart and making it hard for her to breathe.
Ignoring everything around her, she broke down and wailed, crying so hard it was heartbreaking.
Before long, Qingchen fainted due to excessive grief.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, the White Lotus Sect army suffered a crushing defeat, with Meng Gexing's followers reduced to less than 20,000. The Ming army, on the other hand, still had 70,000 to 80,000 men remaining, their morale high and their fighting spirit soaring.
The White Lotus Rebellion's defeat is inevitable.
Winter was fast approaching, and if things dragged on any longer, there would be no hope left. Meng Gexing decided to make one last desperate attempt. He made some plans, and then led the most elite soldiers of his remaining forces in a midnight raid on the Ming army camp, attempting to kill the two commanders, Lan Tan and Lu Shenyun, in the chaos.
However, the Ming Dynasty's defenses were so tight that they had no chance to take advantage of the situation, and Lan Tan and Lu Shenyun remained unharmed.
However, Meng Gexing did not come away empty-handed; they unexpectedly captured Lu Shenyun's brother, Huang Yu, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Lu Shenyun and Huang Yu were sworn brothers for many years. They took the martial arts exam together, drank and ate meat together, talked about everything under the sun, and went through thick and thin together. Huang Yu had even tried to match him with Qingchen. Now that his brother had been captured, he naturally couldn't stand idly by.
Upon hearing this, his gaze immediately turned icy cold, and he gripped the embroidered spring knife at his waist tightly with one hand.
Meng Gexing held Huang Yu's life in his hands, so he dared not rashly lead a large army to attack. One night, he led only a small team and boldly broke into the White Lotus Sect's camp.
That night, the White Lotus Sect's military camp was ablaze with flames and filled with smoke, as the two sides engaged in a chaotic and fierce battle in the darkness.
Later, Lan Tan led a large army to meet Huang Yu as planned, and Huang Yu was finally rescued.
However, Lu Shenyun was not among those who came out.
"Hey, wake up, Shen Qingchen."
"get out of class is over."
After being nudged twice, Qingchen woke up on the desk and rubbed his eyes.
The scene before me was somewhat blurry.
Gradually, she began to see clearly. A bright and clean classroom, a teacher writing on the podium, students listening attentively... She touched her face and felt several marks left by books.
"My dear sister, you've slept through the whole class, you're finally awake," the person next to her said.
Qingchen remembered the girl beside her; her name was Xu Qian, and she was her college classmate and roommate. "Where am I now?"
"The Literature and History Building, huh? Seriously? You're running a fever?"
Qingchen frowned.
Arts and Humanities Building, Peking University, Beijing, the capital, modern...
No, she was clearly in the Ming Dynasty, in the outskirts of the capital, and Song Yue was dead.
Thinking of this, a sharp pain pierced my heart.
The bell rang, and Xu Qian urged her to go eat, "Hurry up, or you'll have to wait in line. We have things to do this afternoon."
"I'm not eating," she shook her head. "I want to go to the library."
"Go to the library in the middle of the day?" Xu Qian couldn't understand. "Okay, I'll call you this afternoon. Don't forget, this is a rare opportunity."
Qingchen didn't understand what Xu Qian was talking about. In a hurry to get to the library, he just nodded while packing his bag, "Okay."
Upon arriving at the library, she first searched for the book's name on the computer, found its number and section, and then went inside.
The library was nearly empty at lunchtime; the librarians had probably gone to lunch to relieve everyone, leaving fewer people than usual. Qingchen walked past rows of bookshelves and only saw one or two students engrossed in their books, oblivious to the time.
She followed the numbers and finally found the book—Stephen Hawking's "The Universe in a Nutshell," which is about wormholes.
She traveled back to the Ming Dynasty for nearly ten years, only to find herself back in the modern world, still in her third year of university, as if it had all been a dream. Yet, the memories of those ten years were so vivid, and the scene of Song Yue's death was so heart-wrenching.
It can't be a dream.
She had previously encountered the concept of "wormholes." A wormhole, also known as an Einstein-Rosen bridge, is simply a narrow tunnel connecting two different points in time. If someone could pass through this tunnel, then that person would exist in both of those different points in time.
She suspected that she entered the tunnel through a dream and returned to the Ming Dynasty, and that she and the original owner of the body were actually the same person.
According to the wormhole theory, time flows at different speeds in two different time periods. In other words, ten years in the Ming Dynasty might only be the length of a class in modern times.
Yes, everything that happened is real.
But how did she get into the wormhole? After watching so many movies and TV shows, she had always thought that wormholes only existed in the distant atmosphere. Could they also exist in ordinary life? She came to Hawking's book to confirm this.
Looking at the book "The Universe in a Nutshell" on the bookshelf, Qingchen reached out his hand, but before he could even get halfway there, the book was snatched away.
She turned her head and saw a boy. He was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with short black hair, very tall, and fair-skinned. He was the kind of guy who was handsome at first glance.
The boy happened to turn his head to look at her, waving the book in his hand, "You want to borrow this one too?"
Qingchen was stunned for a moment.
The boy's face bore a striking resemblance to Lu Shenyun.
No, his temperament wasn't as cold as Lu Shenyun's, and his eyes were much clearer. His pupils were larger than average, and the corners of his eyes were slightly upturned. Coupled with his thick eyelashes and fair, smooth neck, he had a more pleasing appearance than Lu Shenyun.
"Hey, sister?" The boy raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I know I'm handsome, but you've been staring at me for too long. It's not appropriate for a girl to do that."
His dark eyes shone incredibly brightly.
Qingchen snapped out of her daze and hurriedly said, "I'm sorry. I just felt that you looked a bit like someone I know."
He laughed again, "Sister, don't you think... your way of striking up a conversation is a bit old-fashioned? Although you're quite pretty, I'm not really into older women..."
"..."
"But you can read this book first." He handed the book over and pressed down on the folded corner of the cover. "After all, you were here first."
Qingchen thought for a moment, then took it. "Thank you."
"Miss," the boy leaned against the bookshelf and suddenly looked down at her, "I want to discuss something with you?"
Qingchen paused for a moment, then blinked. "What is it?"
The boy smiled. "This book is very popular. I've come several times but haven't been able to borrow it. When you're done reading and need to return it, could you give me a call? I'll borrow it right away as soon as you return it."
Qingchen looked him over, somewhat puzzled that someone his age would be reading such books. "How old are you?"
"I was sixteen, still in high school, and the library card belonged to my cousin. This book... to be honest, it was mainly for showing off."
I see.
Qingchen smiled knowingly, "Okay, give me your phone number, I'll call you back after I've finished reading it."
The boy held out his hand, "Paper and pen."
She handed him the paper and pen, and he quickly wrote a string of numbers on it, finally signing his name in a flamboyant style:
Xu Su.
After leaving the library with the books, Qingchen went back to her dormitory to rest for a while. Not long after, she received a call from Xu Qian, "Second Teaching Building, come quickly, the crew has arrived."
Only after she mentioned it did Qingchen vaguely remember that a film crew was going to shoot at their school. Xu Qian was a huge fan of the currently popular male lead, so she signed her up as an extra for just one scene.
Unexpectedly, the production team actually chose the two of them.
Qingchen was reluctant to go and wanted to stay in the dormitory to study, but she couldn't resist Xu Qian's persistent pleading and went anyway.
As soon as she arrived at the second teaching building, she found that the entire building was already surrounded by people. Many female students were holding up support signs and chanting the male protagonist's name, Song Xing, in a thunderous roar.
To be honest, she had heard of Song Xing before, but she didn't usually follow the entertainment industry and didn't know what he looked like. However, judging from the entourage, he probably wouldn't be too bad-looking.
Speaking of which, Xu Qian even sent a private message to Song Xing on her Weibo account, and it's said that Song Xing replied.
As if on cue, Xu Qian found Qing Chen in the crowd, grabbed her and squeezed through the crowd with all her might, finally getting into the Second Teaching Building.
Outside the classroom, which served as the main setting, a large group of film crew members were gathered. The director was instructing people on how to set up the cameras, the lighting technician was adjusting the lights, and the classroom next door was being used as a temporary dressing room, where the male and female leads were getting their makeup done.
Xu Qian gripped Qingchen's hand tightly and said nervously, "My goodness, I can finally see Song Xing in person! I have no regrets in this life!"
At this point, the assistant director began to count the names of the extras. After calling out a few names, he called out the names of the two of them.
"Xu Qian!"
"Hey, director, I'm here!" she said, rushing forward as if afraid someone wouldn't hear her and would replace her.
"Next, Shen Qingchen! Is Shen Qingchen here?" The assistant director had a naturally loud voice, and his shout could be heard by almost everyone on the entire floor.
Qingchen hurried over and said, "Hello, Director, I'm here."
At that moment, someone in the dressing room turned around, and upon seeing her, couldn't help but curl the corners of their lips into a smile.
Filming began quickly.
Qingchen and Xu Qian, who played classmates, were seated together. After the production assistant called out "One take," Song Xing, playing the teacher, walked in from the classroom door carrying books.
He wore a pure white shirt tucked into slim-fitting black cropped trousers, had short black hair, and wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. He looked refined and elegant, yet exceptionally handsome.
Qingchen was somewhat stunned.
...This person has the exact same face as Song Yue!
She stared at him blankly, the thought that "he is not dead" growing stronger in her mind, making her so excited that she almost couldn't control her emotions.
On the stage, Song Xing was acting with complete focus, his body language indistinguishable from that of a real teacher, and his lines were delivered fluently. The scene was completed quickly with almost no retakes.
When the director yelled "Cut," Qingchen thought she saw Song Xing on the stage glance in her direction. But she wasn't sure if he was looking at her.
...
Back in the dorm, Xu Qian was glued to Song Xing's photo, admiring it. Qing Chen walked over and glanced at it.
After taking off his glasses, Song Xing really looks exactly like Song Yue.
She went back to bed and carefully read Hawking's book, but there were parts she couldn't understand. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep.
When she woke up, it was almost dark, and her only son was growling with hunger.
Xu Qian wanted to take her out to eat, but just then someone came to the dormitory looking for her.
Qingchen looked at the unfamiliar woman in front of her, "You are..."
The man smiled and said, "Hello, Shen Qingchen, I'm Song Xing's assistant. Are you free right now? Song Xing said he has a scene he'd like to discuss with you."
The male lead was discussing the play with the extras? Xu Qian, who was standing next to him, was stunned for three seconds when she heard this, and then burst into laughter. "I'm free, I'm free, Qingchen, take me with you."
The man replied, "Excuse me, student, Song Xing said he wants to speak with Chen privately."
Later, under Xu Qian's envious, jealous, and resentful gaze, Qing Chen lowered his head and followed the assistant out the door.
A white van was parked on the roadside outside the school gate. After Qingchen got in, she found that Song Xing was the only person inside.
He smiled at her, a smile she knew all too well.
“One day, a memory appeared in my mind, from the Ming Dynasty. I guess it's from my past life.” He got straight to the point. “There’s someone in that memory I can’t forget. Do you know who it is?”
Hearing him say that, her eyes immediately reddened. It was him.
He smiled and said, "It seems you also have memories of a past life."
Tears streamed down her face.
He reached out and wiped away her tears. "If I remember correctly, we still have a promise we haven't kept. I think it's time. Marry me."
Lu Shenyun finally returned to the court after being missing for half a year.
Six months ago, on that night, he was seriously injured and fleeing from the White Lotus Sect's pursuit. However, his body could no longer hold on, and he collapsed on the road. Fortunately, he was quickly discovered by kind-hearted people who rescued him and called a doctor to treat him. After half a year, he finally recovered.
In half a year, the White Lotus Sect was completely defeated by Lan Tan. Meng Gexing, unwilling to live a life of dishonor, committed suicide in Taiyuan with the sword that had wounded Lu Shenyun's neck.
For half a year, Emperor Zhu Yulu of the Ming Dynasty ordered people to search everywhere for Lu Shenyun's whereabouts, but they could not find him. Many people thought he was dead. Lu's stern father wept bitterly and, with great pain, broke off the engagement with the Xie family of the Marquis's mansion.
Within six months, Grand Secretary Song Yue passed away, and Grand Secretary Shen Qingchen submitted her resignation to Emperor Zhu Yuluo. Although the new emperor was reluctant to let her go, he understood that a woman serving as an official was not a long-term solution, and since he could not persuade her to leave, he granted her request. Furthermore, he bestowed upon her a great deal of gold and silver, enough for her to enjoy for the rest of her life; however, Shen Qingchen only accepted her salary and refused the rest.
In half a year, the Hanlin Academy compiled the "Da Ming Lu" (Records of the Great Ming Dynasty). According to Zhu Yuluo's wishes, some things were too dark to be written into history, and some things that could not be explained were also glossed over.
During the six months that Lu Shenyun was recuperating, his condition fluctuated, and he was often in a coma, but he kept calling out Qingchen's name.
Now that he had finally recovered from his injuries and returned to the court, he thought he would finally be able to see her again, but he did not expect that she had resigned from her post and her whereabouts were unknown.
She disappeared, and he couldn't find her no matter how hard he looked.
Song Yue is dead, so is her heart dead too? In the end, there was no place for her in her heart.
On Qipan Street, the streets were still bustling with traffic and crowds, the afterglow of the setting sun falling on the millions of buildings in the capital city that had just experienced turmoil. Lu Shenyun sat alone in a tavern, drinking to drown his sorrows.
He drank very quickly, one cup down his throat and the next cup was already full, his face was slightly flushed, and his eyes were filled with deep sorrow.
Outside the window, the setting sun was somewhat dazzling.
He impatiently raised his hand to block the view, but inadvertently noticed a woman standing in the crowd. She wore a light blue dress, her hair styled in a simple bun, looking very plain, yet beautiful and flawless. The girl was also looking at him.
He was stunned.
This scene felt like something I'd seen in a dream.
He immediately put down his glass, took a few steps out of the tavern, and hurriedly walked up to her, stopping in front of her.
The woman looked at her, her eyes sparkling, and her thin lips parted slightly, "Lu Shenyun."
Looking at the face he had longed for day and night, Lu Shenyun had a thousand words in his heart, but he was too excited to speak.
"Don't you remember me?" She smiled.
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly pulled her into his arms, oblivious to the people around them.
She leaned quietly against his shoulder, closed her eyes, and felt his strong embrace and deep affection.
She is Shen Qingchen, Shen Qingchen of the Ming Dynasty. In modern times, Qingchen fell into a coma due to excessive grief. After traveling back to the modern era, she woke up.
The moment she awoke, it felt like a long dream, and all the things that modern girl had done flooded into her mind. From that moment on, she possessed the same memories as that girl.
From that moment on, there was no longer any distinction between the original owner and the transmigrator; she was simply herself.
The only difference is that after she read that memory, she discovered that the person she loved was not Song Yue.
It was Lu Shenyun.
"Lu Shenyun, I like you," she whispered.
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