A Shocking Dream

Chapter 212

Xie Yuan paced back and forth, the sound of his boot heels hitting the ground was rapid and dull, just like his disordered heartbeat at the moment.

After a moment, he stopped, his eyes suddenly brightening. "Go quickly and wake up all the spies we have planted around Lin Wunian. Keep a close eye on her every move. Even if she plucks a flower, she must report it to me. I will personally meet with Zhou Junze and test his words to see how much he has guessed. He has been keeping an eye on Lin Wunian recently, so he must have some ulterior motive. We must not let him get ahead of us. In this game, the slightest mistake will lead to ruin. We all need to be extremely vigilant!"

"Come, help me bathe and change my clothes, and prepare a sedan chair to take me to the Zhou residence," Xie Yuan instructed the servants. His voice was low but brimming with undeniable authority, his words carrying the chill wind from outside the window, making the atmosphere inside the room even more solemn.

After the servants hurriedly prepared everything, Xie Yuan stepped into the tub. The rising steam of hot water couldn't warm the chill in his heart. Lin Wunian's cold face and Lu Yao's resolute figure before disappearing flashed through his mind. If Lu Yao was truly in Lin Wunian's possession, once the matter leaked, the covetous old guard in the court would surely seize the opportunity to impeach him for harboring a high-ranking criminal and disregarding official principles. Then, the power base he had painstakingly built over the years would be in tatters.

Xie Yuan was neatly dressed, his dark brocade robe making him look tall and imposing. The gold embroidery shone brilliantly in the candlelight, reflecting his hidden ambition and unyielding pride. He stepped out of the mansion, his sedan chair steadily lifted, and headed towards the Zhou residence.

Along the way, Xie Yuan closed his eyes in deep thought, his sedan chair swaying like a small boat on the crest of a wave, its fate uncertain. As the gates of the Zhou residence gradually appeared, he opened his eyes, a sharpness flashing in them, as if he were entering a battlefield with a sword in hand.

In this game with Zhou Junze, there is no regret in making any move. Only by taking every step carefully can one find a chance to survive in this treacherous situation, protect power, and also protect the unspeakable secret buried deep in one's heart.

"The person who was following was discovered by Lin Wunian and questioned. Did he say anything?" Inside the Zhou Mansion, Zhou Junze was panicked when he heard the servant report that Lin Wunian had arrested the person he had sent to follow. He had been secretly planning, trying to trace the little girl's whereabouts through Lin Wunian's every move, but now this crucial link had gone awry, like a gaping hole in a carefully woven web.

"The distance is too far, and I couldn't hear clearly. The man had already died of poison when he was released." The servant replied tremblingly, with his head lowered, not daring to look directly into Zhou Junze's gloomy face.

"I don't care about his life or death, I only care about what he said to Lin Wunian!" Zhou Junze gritted his teeth, and his hands unconsciously clenched the armrests. His knuckles turned white and his joints creaked, as if he was going to crush this fine pear wood carving alive in the next moment.

He was filled with anxiety, his thoughts swirling. Even if that person revealed a single clue, it could cause the entire plan to collapse. Lin Wunian was already intelligent and perceptive. If she got even one more clue, the situation would spiral out of control.

Zhou Junze paced back and forth in the hall, his rapid footsteps shaking the ground slightly. Suddenly, he stopped and gave a cold order, "Go, bring everyone who knows about this stalking incident here. Leave no one behind! I'll interrogate them thoroughly, even if it means asking them what they had for breakfast today. Any clues about what Lin Wunian might know won't be spared! Also, send a few trusted confidants to keep a close eye on Lin Wunian's residence. If we fail again this time, don't come back!"

The servants repeatedly said yes and hurriedly retreated. Zhou Junze stood alone in the hall, shadows shrouding him, only his eyes gleaming with a fierce and resolute light. This battle with Lin Wunian had reached a stalemate, but there was no reason to retreat.

"Who is this?" Lin Wunian walked into Yuelai Inn. The innkeeper was a little surprised when he saw Qin Rongchen behind her.

This person was clad in a brocade robe, the fabric flowing like a waterfall, its intricate, intricately embroidered pattern a true masterpiece of the ordinary. His figure was tall and slender, like a bamboo standing proudly, and his robes fluttered as he walked, evoking the air of a gentle breeze. His face was like a finely crafted jade, his sword-like brows slanting into his temples, his eyes deep as the abyss, their darkness concealing a sharp edge that made one hesitate to stare directly at him for too long.

Qin Rongchen raised his eyes slightly and glanced around the inn lobby. His gaze was so real that the noise dropped a little wherever he looked. The rough guys who had been sitting around drinking and playing finger-guessing games fell silent when they saw him, and put down their glasses with a groan.

The shop owner was even more frightened and hurriedly apologized with a smile, but he was wondering in his heart, how could such a person follow behind Lin Wunian, a girl who looked so weak?

Lin Wunian seemed not to notice the subtle atmosphere and smiled faintly, "Boss, this is a friend of mine. He passed by here and wanted to rest with me. Please prepare two upper rooms in the backyard and send some light food and wine to the room." Her voice was soft, but revealed an unquestionable certainty.

Qin Rongchen's face was gloomy, his gaze as unfathomable as a cold pond. Slender fingers slipped from his sleeves and slowly placed three gold ingots on the table. The ingots shone dazzlingly in the dim candlelight, dazzling the waiter and the guests in the inn. "I prefer quiet," he began, his voice low and hoarse, as if enveloping the chill of the night outside. "For the time I'm here, I've booked all the guest rooms in the backyard. The owners of the guest rooms in the front yard will continue to operate as usual. No one except the inn staff is allowed to set foot in the backyard. How do you do that?"

The innkeeper's face, once filled with smiles, froze in an instant. His eyes flickered between the gold ingots and Qin Rongchen, his mind clattering with calculations. These three ingots of gold were indeed quite substantial, equivalent to several months' worth of the inn's profits. However, this strange guest's request was also strange. Closing the backyard for no reason would undoubtedly affect business.

While he was hesitating, Qin Rongchen seemed impatient and tapped the table with his fingers. The tapping sound seemed to knock on the boss's heart, startling him.

"Sir, your request... Although our shop relies on your support, we should satisfy your request. But now that the backyard has been closed suddenly, we have to reconsider the accommodation of the guests and the arrangement of the waiters. It's really difficult." The boss had a bitter face, his forehead was wrinkled, and his words were full of embarrassment.

Qin Rongchen raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes turning colder. "Hmph, isn't the price I offered enough? Don't refuse a toast and then drink a forfeit. I just want peace and quiet. If you accept, you will naturally get benefits in the future. If not..." He paused, his eyes swept towards the shadows outside the inn, where several dark figures seemed to be lurking. "This inn has been uneasy lately. There are often strange noises at night, and the number of guests during the day is inexplicably scarce. I'm afraid your business won't last for a few more days."

The boss was horrified, knowing that he had run into a tough guy. He had long been aware of those hidden troubles and wanted to spend money to avoid disaster, but he didn't expect to be controlled by this guy today.