The great fire in the Hall of Mental Cultivation wasn’t completely extinguished until the following morning. Inside, thick white smoke filled the air. At that time, when Lang Bo led people rushing in, all they saw were charred wooden posts and objects covering the ground, along with horrifically burned corpses. He frantically searched through the ruins, continuously shouting “Your Highness!” But in the end, he only found the armor Jingrong had worn during his lifetime and didn’t find a body.

But the Hall of Mental Cultivation had been engulfed in flames, the side door was sealed—there was simply nowhere to escape. Moreover, at that time Jingrong had already been stabbed with a sword, and the beam had crashed down toward his head.

Under such circumstances, there was simply no possibility of survival!

But if that were truly the case, where had the body gone?

These past few days, everyone had searched over and over again, practically turning the entire palace and Gaoding City upside down, interrogating palace maids and eunuchs one by one, but there were no clues whatsoever.

They had even dispatched people to search outside the city and posted portraits, but still couldn’t find a single trace.

Some said the remains might have already burned to ashes!

But this was merely self-deception!

Because everyone knew that human bones couldn’t possibly be burned to ashes by that ordinary fire!

So Ji Yunshu waited for three days.

Her heart ached for three days.

But in the end, what lay before her was still that blood-stained armor.

Although others told her over and over that the chances of Jingrong’s survival… were too slim.

She stubbornly insisted that the person must still be alive!

As the saying goes, one must see the living person or see the corpse in death.

But Jingrong, where exactly have you gone?

…

Marquis Nanguo increased manpower, searching from inside the city to outside.

But because it was during the national mourning period, they couldn’t make a big commotion. Moreover, Jingrong was a prince of Da Lin—this matter absolutely couldn’t be publicized.

During the national mourning period, affairs in the Huyi court had gradually stabilized.

Getting back on track!

Bai Yin, as the heir apparent, would don the dragon robes in a few more days.

These past few days, besides worrying about Jingrong’s whereabouts, he was also worried about his own future.

The throne was decided!

He had no choice but to withdraw at this time.

But the conflict and hesitation in his heart had never diminished by even a fraction.

He stood in the rear courtyard of the marquis’s manor, in a pavilion, facing the frozen lake water.

Snowflakes continued falling.

Dancing all over the sky.

He gradually lost himself in thought…

Until someone approached from behind!

Lian Que silently walked to his side, looking at the frozen lake surface before them, not saying a word.

After a long while—

Bai Yin turned his head and asked him: “How is Yunshu doing?”

Lian Que sighed and said: “Still waiting!”

Following that, Bai Yin also sighed. He said firmly: “Since the body hasn’t been found, the person must still be alive. I believe Jingrong will be fine.”

“But Guard Lang saw with his own eyes that Prince Rong was stabbed in the chest, and the beam crashed down. Even if the person’s whereabouts are unknown, to survive…” It was too difficult! He kept those last three words in his throat.

He couldn’t bear it!

Back then, he had repeatedly told himself that A Jin must still be alive, but everyone told him that A Jin was already dead.

So he understood very clearly that feeling of harboring hope only to have it strangled by others.

Bai Yin asked: “Do you believe in fate?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Jingrong and Yunshu have been through so much together. Their fates are already bound together—neither can leave the other. They are twin lives!”

“Your meaning?”

Bai Yin looked at him and said seriously: “As long as there’s a shred of hope, Jingrong will fight with all his might to stay alive for Yunshu’s sake, because he knows that if he dies, Yunshu won’t be able to live either!”

Lian Que didn’t have a deep understanding of the feelings between Jingrong and Ji Yunshu, but hearing it from Bai Yin’s mouth, that relationship must be profoundly moving and unwavering!

He fell into silence.

Bai Yin said: “Isn’t living all about carrying a belief? Just like back when I woke up in that forest, the only belief in my heart was to know who I truly was! I never imagined that this wait would last over twenty years.”

A bitter laugh!

Hearing these words, Lian Que frowned, his tone slightly sorrowful as he said quietly: “How am I any different?”

Bai Yin’s whole body stiffened as he glanced at him.

All these years, the belief supporting Bai Yin’s survival was uncovering the mystery of his own identity.

And Lian Que’s belief was waiting for… and searching for his A Jin!

This wait had similarly lasted over twenty years.

Lian Que looked at the frozen lake surface, suddenly remembering things that had happened in the past.

He couldn’t help but smile, saying: “A Jin, do you still remember… when you were five years old, you insisted on dragging me to the bottom of the lake to catch fish for you?”

Catch fish?

He didn’t remember!

Bai Yin shook his head.

“I remember. The weather was just like now, also in the first month! The lake surface was covered in thick ice. You insisted on dragging me here and told me you saw a golden carp at the bottom of the lake. You were incredibly happy, clamoring for me to help you catch that carp. I had no choice—who could ever refuse you! In the end, it took great effort to finally chisel through a piece of ice. I went into the water bare-chested several times before I finally caught that fish for you. At the time, you were certainly happy, even saying you wanted to take the fish back to the palace and raise it in your room. But I fell seriously ill and couldn’t get out of bed for a month. When the marquis found out about this, he forbade you from coming to the manor again, but you still secretly came to see me, bringing me lots of good food and drink from the palace. After that month, you nearly fed me into a big fatty.”

Remembering those times, Lian Que’s face always carried a smile.

Bai Yin listened while imagining the scene from back then.

He couldn’t help but smile too.

“Was I really that mischievous?”

“More than just mischievous? If you’d been given a pair of wings, you probably would have flown straight up to the sky.”

“…” Bai Yin.

Did that mean if he’d been given a shovel, he could have drilled down to the center of the earth?

Lian Que recounted many more things that had happened in the past.

Interesting things, happy things, sad things…

He wished he could recount every single incident from the past in meticulous detail to Bai Yin.

Hoping he could remember some things from before!

But by the end of his words, Lian Que’s eyes had moistened…

He took a deep breath.

Unable to continue any further.

“A Jin, if back then… if I had been able to reach the palace in time, wouldn’t we have been separated for so long?” Lian Que’s eyes moistened.

Bai Yin said: “We can only say that worldly affairs are unpredictable!”

Both fell silent!

Neither said anything more…

When Lian Que was about to leave, Bai Yin called out to him.

Hm?

In the blink of an eye, a sword appeared in Bai Yin’s hand.

It was the one he had given to Lian Que back then!

“This sword—you left it at the Second Prince’s manor. I retrieved it for you.” He personally handed the sword over, saying, “Didn’t you say back then that you would use this sword to always protect me? I hope this promise will never change in this life.”

Ah!

Lian Que’s pupils dilated, his face full of pleasant surprise.

But his heart was quite shaken.

Tears immediately burst forth!

“You… you’ve remembered?”

Bai Yin smiled…