blasting
After returning to Hengdian, Chu Yiran focused intently on reshooting the last few scenes, trying to numb herself with intense work and temporarily suppress her chaotic thoughts.
The ending of *The Dream of the Past* is a complete tragedy. Su Jing plays a passionate student who, for participating in progressive activities and publishing a manifesto, is ultimately arrested by the authorities and suffers torture in a dark and hopeless prison, dying silently. Chu Yiran's character can only retrieve that already cold, wounded body from the chilling cell. With his close friend dead and his ideals shattered, his character, heartbroken and disillusioned, resolutely abandons his studies to join the army and go to the front lines.
During a break in filming, Chu Yiran was rehearsing his lines with the director when he picked up a thermos next to his folding chair. His fingertips touched the cold cup, and he paused for a moment before realizing that the ginger and jujube tea that was always warm and comforting with a spicy and sweet aroma was no longer inside.
He unscrewed the lid, and there was only a little less than half a cup of cold water inside. It had an indescribable astringent taste when he drank it.
Seeing Chu Yiran's somewhat dazed expression, director Wang Wei suddenly sighed, "I really miss Xiao Jing now that he's not here. His mother's snacks are really delicious. Let's get together after filming officially wraps up..."
Chu Yiran forced a smile, and the staff around him echoed her.
After filming the character's transformation into an soldier in Hengdian, the crew moved to Nantang Mountain to shoot scenes in pursuit of a more realistic and desolate visual effect. The mountainous terrain and sparse population made it an ideal location for filming the war scenes and the ending.
Nantang Mountain is steep and its summit is shrouded in mist, making it a perfect location for filming. The final scenes consisted of intense explosions and the sacrifice of Chu Yiran's character. The props team set up explosives to simulate the hail of bullets and the roar of artillery on the battlefield. Dust flew everywhere, and smoke filled the air.
Chu Yiran changed into military uniform, with a prop gun at his waist, and stood in the trench, looking at the distant mountains, feeling somewhat dazed for a moment.
"All departments, prepare! Explosion, action!"
As soon as the director's shout fell, explosions rang out one after another, smoke and dust filled the air, and debris flew everywhere.
Chu Yiran moved through the simulated trenches according to the pre-arranged plan, the deafening explosions ringing in his ears. However, an unexpected event occurred in an instant—the explosive force of one of the pre-planted explosives exceeded expectations, causing a small-scale loosening of the mountainside! Several huge rocks rolled down from above with tremendous force, heading straight for Chu Yiran's location!
"Danger—!" A chorus of terrified screams erupted from the scene.
Chu Yiran had no time to react and could only watch helplessly as the enormous shadow descended, the chill of death instantly gripping his heart.
At that critical moment, a figure lunged at him like an out-of-control arrow! The figure was so fast that it was just a blur, and with a resolute and desperate force, it slammed him away!
It's Su Jing!
The moment Chu Yiran was knocked aside, she met Su Jing's eyes—the panic, despair, and an almost instinctive protectiveness in them were so familiar, so breathtaking, and strangely overlapped with a moment from her past life!
"Boom—!"
A massive boulder crashed down, the dust it kicked up instantly engulfing everything. Chu Yiran felt a tremendous impact, a sharp pain in the back of his head, and then everything went black as he lost consciousness. In the last second before his consciousness sank into darkness, the last thing he saw in his mind was Su Jing's broken yet resolute eyes as she lunged at him.
——
Consciousness rises and falls, like a drowning person finally breaking through the surface of the water.
Chu Yiran suddenly opened his eyes, and what came into view was the familiar golden pillar with coiled dragons in the Golden Palace. Sitting high on the dragon throne was none other than Su Jing.
His bright yellow satin embroidered dragon robe accentuated his natural majesty, and a white jade crown with twelve tassels hung down, half-concealing his deep eyes. In his arms, he affectionately embraced Shen Ruoqing, who was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had a radiant smile.
This scene was like the sharpest dagger, piercing Chu Yiran's heart.
Is he... back again?
Before he could even process this absurd scene, the palace servant's shrill voice echoed throughout the hall: "Imperial Preceptor Chu Yiran has formed cliques for personal gain, wreaked havoc on the court, and acted arbitrarily..."
Chu Yiran's mind was drawn to the scene before him. As he listened to the palace servants' pronouncement, a cold smile appeared on his lips as he silently stroked the silver hairpin that he had always kept close to his body.
A palace servant brought him a cup of poisoned wine and said, "You wicked subject Chu Yiran, hurry up and accept the decree to die."
His cold smile was reflected in the wine. Chu Yiran had already made up his mind; he would not drink this fake poisoned wine.
Yes! This wine isn't poisoned! He already knew; Shen Ruoqing had told him yesterday when she came to visit him in prison—
Shen Ruoqing looked at him, disheveled and miserable in the imperial prison, and said with a smirk, "Chu Yiran, you 'traitorous sorcerer,' you were the one who quelled public anger, stabilized the court, and sacrificed yourself for his glorious cause... in the end, and most perfect, pawn."
"Tell me, was his move brilliant?" she asked softly, her voice like a viper spitting its tongue.
Chu Yiran listened quietly, her face expressionless.
Seeing that he didn't react, Shen Ruoqing looked surprised: "He treated you like this, don't you feel heartbroken?"
"Hehe... How interesting..." Shen Ruoqing curled the corners of her lips. "I originally wanted to keep it from you, but now it seems that it won't hurt to tell you..."
As she spoke, Shen Ruoqing suddenly leaned down and whispered in Chu Yiran's ear, "Actually, the cup of poisoned wine that your cousin wanted to give you wasn't poisoned. He just added a fake death drug to make you unconscious for a while. He wanted to let you leave the palace. I originally wanted to keep it from you... but now I feel sorry for you. He treats you like an object to be manipulated..."
Look at you, Su Jing, what a terrible idea you've come up with?
He thought he was protecting me, but even Shen Ruoqing felt sorry for me...
The hall was deathly silent, all eyes were fixed on him, some with pity, some with pleasure, and some with indifference.
The next moment, to everyone's horrified gaze, Chu Yiran suddenly pulled out a silver hairpin from her sleeve and, without the slightest hesitation, slashed it fiercely at her own neck.
You want me to live? I'll choose to die.
Su Jing, do you think you can control everything in this world?
Overwhelmed by a vengeful thrill, Chu Yiran closed his eyes, awaiting the arrival of eternal darkness.
However, the expected excruciating pain of his throat being ripped open did not come. Instead, a strange sense of weightlessness, as if his soul had been forcibly ripped from his body, swept over him. His consciousness seemed to float in mid-air, looking down at the chaos below with a detached perspective.
He saw that, in the instant the silver light flashed, Su Jing on the dragon throne suddenly stood up, the crown tassels clanging together with a chaotic sound. His face, which had always remained calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain, was filled with unprecedented horror and panic!
"Ah Ran—!!!"
A heart-wrenching roar shattered the solemnity of the hall. Su Jing disregarded imperial dignity and, like an arrow released from a bow, rushed down the imperial steps, lunging towards the body of "Chu Yiran" that was collapsing limply.
What's going on?
Chu Yiran felt a sense of bewilderment.
He saw Su Jing stagger and kneel on the ground, futilely using his trembling hands to desperately cover the wound on "Chu Yiran's" neck that was constantly gushing bright red blood, trying to stop the loss of life. The warm, viscous blood soaked through his bright yellow dragon robe and stained his pale fingers red.
"Imperial Physician! Call the Imperial Physician! Quickly!!!" Su Jing's voice had completely changed, filled with the madness and fear of someone on the verge of despair. He could no longer care about anything else, and he scooped the body up in his arms, running wildly towards the back of the palace amidst gasps of shock and the strange looks of the courtiers.
All the imperial physicians were urgently summoned and stood trembling around the emperor's bedside. However, the wound was so deep, and the force so decisive, that there was no hope of recovery.
The blood has finally run dry.
Su Jing sat motionless in the empty, cold bedchamber, holding Chu Yiran's already cold and stiff body, for the entire night. He was like a soulless statue, with only the occasional touch of his fingers on the temple of the person in his arms proving that he was still alive.
When the night was deepest and the chill was strongest, he suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows:
Where is Huo Yan?
The palace maid standing beside him trembled with fear and prostrated herself on the ground, stammering, "This...this servant doesn't know..."
The candlelight inside the hall flickered, casting large shadows on the beams and pillars.
Shen Ruoqing carried a gilded tray and walked gracefully towards them. Today she was dressed in a pomegranate red palace gown, with lotus patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. The gold thread gleamed coldly in the candlelight, and a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin was tucked into her hair, swaying gently with her steps and tinkling softly.
"Your Majesty, please take care of your health. Have some ginseng soup to warm yourself up." Her voice was as soft as honey. She handed the tray to Su Jing, her gaze sweeping over his already cold body in her arms, a fleeting hint of pleasure flashing in her eyes.
Before he could finish speaking, Su Jing suddenly raised his head.
"It's you?" Su Jing suddenly stood up, his movements so fast they caught everyone off guard. His large hand, like an iron clamp, gripped Shen Ruoqing's slender neck tightly, pressing her firmly against the cold, vermilion pillar. His knuckles turned white from the force, the strength almost crushing her bones. Every word he uttered was like a blade chilled to the bone, scraping through the air, carrying the stench of blood, "Was it you who did this?"
"Cough cough cough..." Shen Ruoqing's face turned purple from being choked, and she couldn't help but cough violently. Looking at Su Jing's frantic appearance, she suddenly laughed in a twisted way, "Cousin...why, why do you have to do this? In the end...wasn't Chu Yiran...driven to his death by yourself?"
Su Jing suddenly let go as if he had been stung, letting her slide to the ground like a rag doll, coughing violently.
"Lock her up! No one is allowed to see her without my order!" His voice was icy cold.
As Shen Ruoqing fell to the ground, she coughed and laughed until she was shaking all over and tears streamed down her face onto the floor.
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