Chapter 166 - Getting Killed in the Dream?

Xia Jingqiu sat at the side and also remained silent. After a long time, she suddenly sighed. “Yingxue, I know that you feel unfair, but no matter how jealous and uncomfortable you are in the future, you must endure it.”

Yang Yingxue’s heart trembled. “Mother, why? Was she born to suppress me?”

Xia Jingqiu smiled bitterly and her gaze shifted. “You once asked me why I married your father in Jiangnan despite the fact that my father was a Grand Master and was a Grade-One official with overwhelming power. Although I am the daughter of a concubine, if I planned carefully, I might be able to marry into an extremely powerful family.”

“Mother, you willing to tell me the truth now?” Yang Yingxue had asked this question many times before, but Xia Jingqiu never answered her.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, but that I didn’t know how to tell you. Some people are really born superior, such as your aunt Xia Jingyan. She was the apple of the Xia family’s eye since she was born. She had been doted on since she was a child. Even if she wanted a star in the sky, countless people would offer it to her with both of their hands. I was once jealous and wondered why I received completely different treatment when I was also the daughter of the Xia family. The only difference was that I was born by a concubine.”

Seeing the painful expression on Xia Jingqiu’s face, Yang Yingxue felt sorry and stepped forward to hold her arm.

Xia Jingqiu took a deep breath. “Yingxue, you haven’t experienced it, and you will never understand the pain. When the current emperor was still the Crown Prince, he fell in love with Xia Jingyan. Unfortunately, in order to compete for the support of the Xia family, several princes were fawning on Xia Jingyan. You can’t imagine the scene at that time, when the most powerful men in the country fought for a woman…In order to protect Xia Jingyan from being involved in the competition for the throne, my father wanted to resign and return to his hometown, but the princes were angry with him. In the end, he could only choose to support the current emperor and helped him ascend to the throne. Later, when the emperor won the throne, the several princes who were still alive vented their hatred on the Xia family and made a conspiracy that ultimately forced Xia Jingyan to marry Shen Dong, a lowly official at that time.

“So this is how aunt married Shen Dong. Didn’t the emperor try to foil the conspiracy then?”

“I don’t know the exact reason. I only know that there was evidence that the Xia family collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country. The whole family was annihilated. Xia Jingyan barely managed to survive because of the emperor’s efforts. Unfortunately, she still died in the end.” Xia Jingqiu sighed deeply.

“So the emperor dotes on Shen Ninghua in every possible way just because of her mother. He has been obsessed with a woman who was married to someone else for so many years. Is aunt really that good?”

Xia Jingqiu’s eyes twitched fiercely. “You won’t know how beautiful Xia Jingyan was until you see her! It’s hard to describe such a unique woman with whatever words you think of. Her every move was fascinating. Back then, countless women from aristocratic families hated her so much, because the moment Xia Jingyan appeared, she would outshine all the other women, however beautiful they were.”

Yang Yingxue was stunned…

“I was jealous of her and said bad things about her behind her back. I even plotted to damage her reputation. That was why your grandmother arranged for me to marry your father in Jiangnan. Thinking about it, I actually benefited from the misfortune. Otherwise, I would be dead now.”

“Mother, why did you suddenly tell me this?”

“Yingxue, I want you to know that no matter how jealous you are of Shen Ninghua, don’t go against her. She is becoming more and more like your aunt. She is exceptionally talented and beautiful. If she only has these qualities, I won’t say anything. Most importantly, she is sophisticated and ruthless enough. Think about it. Since we came here, she has experienced many things. Has she suffered any loss? Even if she was in a difficult situation at a time, she would retaliate later. If you meet such a woman, you could only be her friend, and never be her enemy. Remember these words of mine. Otherwise, Shen Linghan’s fate is your lesson. ”

“Shen Linghan?” Yang Yingxue’s heart trembled when she thought of that crippled madwoman. She had also heard from her servants that Shen Linghan used to the number one beauty in the capital. “Yes, mother, I remember.”

The two of them remained silent for a long time. Then, a figure flashed past the window and quietly left. Not long after, the contents of their conversation were delivered to Shen Ninghua’s hand.

Looking at the contents on the paper, Shen Ninghua frowned for a long time.

“Miss, what’s wrong with you?” Bai Ruo was a little worried.

“No problem, I’m just a little emotional. I’ve heard about my mother from a lot of people. If it wasn’t for giving birth to me, she wouldn’t have…”

“Miss, why did you have this idea? You have also investigated. Madam was poisoned and suffered tremendous hardship before giving birth to you. She must love you very much…”

Shen Ninghua smiled. She took out the jade pendant carved with dragon and phoenix from her sleeve and carefully rubbed the carving on it. “Bai Ruo, notify them to continue investigating and find where this jade pendant came from.” Actually, after hearing so much news, she had a faint guess in her heart. With her mother’s intelligence, she must more or less be able to find out some clues after being poisoned. But why did she die at a young age without finding anything? It seemed that she was disheartened and had wanted to die. That was why she allowed things to develop without interference.

“Yes, Miss.”

Shen Ninghua was in a bad mood, so she leaned against the couch and rested for a moment. While she was half asleep and half awake, she suddenly felt her body sink. Then she fell into a deep dream. In her dream, she returned to the cold palace. Her legs were crippled, and she was living like an animal. Meanwhile, Shen Linghan was still high up in the air and enjoyed Baili Jinze’s love…She cried, shouted and entered a state of collapse, but it was completely useless. She could only endure the heart-wrenching pain day after day…

It was as if she was drowning in water, unable to speak or breathe. She could only watch as the ferocious face of death approached her.

“No, don’t…”

Bai Ruo suddenly broke into the room and saw Shen Ninghua sleeping on the couch with cold sweat all over her head and her entire body twitched. Bai Ruo was panicked and her face turned pale. “Miss, what happened to you? Miss, wake up quickly!”

Chu Junyi happened to arrive at the door and heard Bai Ruo’s panicked shout. He hurriedly rushed into the room and saw Shen Ninghua covered in cold sweat. “Ninghua?”

“Lord Chu, Miss has just fallen asleep for less than fifteen minutes. Suddenly, her entire body is covered in cold sweat. She seems to be caught up by a nightmare, and I can’t wake her up.”

Chu Junyi’s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly picked Shen Ninghua up and placed her on the bed. “Take my jade pendant and invite Doctor Chen over.”

“Yes.”

Chu Junyi raised his sleeve to help Shen Ninghua wipe away the sweat on her face. Waves of storms gathered in his eyes. Who was plotting against Ninghua?

“Ninghua, wake up. I’m Chu Junyi. Can you hear me? Wake up!”

In the dream, Shen Ninghua looked at the eunuch who was holding the Corpse Melting Water and approaching her with a sinister smile. She wanted to shout, but she could not make a sound. She could only watch him slowly pouring the Corpse Melting Water onto her body. The intense pain caused her to collapse and slowly lose her will to survive. “So I still fail to escape from my fate in the end?”

Seeing Shen Ninghua’s face getting paler, Chu Junyi was completely panicked. He suddenly pulled her up and hugged her tightly in his arms. He roared in a low voice, “Ninghua! Ninghua! Wake up!”

Tears rolled down the corners of Shen Ninghua’s eyes, and her breath became weaker and weaker…

Chu Junyi panicked and he suddenly kissed her in the lips, shouting in his heart, “Ninghua, wake up! Ninghua, wake up!”

In the dream, Shen Ninghua slowly gave up resisting and let herself slowly sink into death. The moment she closed her eyes, a sudden fit of palpitations came from her heart. Then, a voice came into her ears.

Ninghua, wake up! Ninghua, wake up!

Shen Ninghua slowly opened her eyes. The pain in her body continued, but she subconsciously searched for the source of the sound. Gradually, the sound grew louder and louder. Later on, it seemed as if it was covering the sky and the earth. It directly broke through the clouds, opening a large hole in her boundlessly dark heart, allowing sunlight to suddenly fill in!

Shen Ninghua suddenly opened her eyes and gasped heavily. Air rushed into her lungs, causing her chest to ache from coughing.

Chu Junyi ignored his broken lips and hugged Shen Ninghua. “Ninghua, you’re awake. Great, you’re finally awake.”

Shen Ninghua stared blankly at her surroundings. After a while, she finally restored her senses. “Was that a dream?”

Looking at her absent-minded appearance, Chu Junyi felt very sorry. “You just fell asleep and couldn’t wake up no matter what I did. Moreover, your entire body was covered in cold sweat. You had spasms and even your breath weakened. Fortunately, you woke up in the end.”

Hearing his description, Shen Ninghua suddenly realized something. “Fell asleep, couldn’t wake up, weakening breath…” She didn’t realize that she was dreaming at all in the dream. She even had a feeling that if she hadn’t heard Chu Junyi’s call, she would have given up hope and been killed in the dream, and she would also be dead in reality!

Chen Yun was quickly brought over by Liu Yun and he directly entered the room without any notification.

“Miss, you are awake?” Seeing Shen Ninghua sitting there, Qing Que was pleasantly surprised.

Chu Junyi moved aside and asked Chen Yun to step forward. “Uncle Chen, hurry up and take a look at her.”

Chen Yun nodded and carefully checked Shen Ninghua’s pulse. “The pulse is weak, as if your body has been damaged. Your Highness, have you been in contact with something very harmful recently?”

“No, I was just dreaming…” Shen Ninghua briefly described what had happened.

Chen Yun frowned. “It’s actually because of a dream. Could it be that there are drugs that can get people killed in their dreams?”

Getting killed in a dream? Shen Ninghua frowned tightly. Then, her expression changed abruptly and she fiercely hit the edge of the bed. “Doctor Chen, please help me check this jade pendant. Qing Que, go to Cuizhu Pavilion and invite aunt and cousin here. Also, summon all the servants of Cuizhu Pavilion and Ruixi Courtyard to the yard. I want to see who dared to plot against my life!”