Chapter 628: Entering a Dream, but Whose?

"Father, I’m perfectly clear-headed. In all my life, I have never been more so than at this very moment. I know what I want, and I know what I must do." Zhan Chi’s gaze went past the crowd and fell upon the coffin. "I owe her mother, and I owe her. This time, I refuse to be a coward again."

Zhan Yi’s lips trembled. He knew all too well what his son was planning.

How could he watch him walk down a path of no return?

"Zhan Chi, go see your mother. If you can still be this resolute in front of her, then I won’t stop you."

Zhan Chi didn’t move. In truth, he didn’t dare.

"Zhan Chi, don’t be rash," Dean Chen stepped forward. "Mrs. Zhan has already suffered a great enough shock. If she were to lose you too, how could she possibly go on living?"

"Dean," Zhan Chi choked out.

"The situation isn’t at its worst yet," said Dean Chen. "She had a cheerful, open-minded personality and yearned for freedom. Compared to the Imperial Mausoleum, the little lass would have much preferred a secluded paradise. She never liked Beili to begin with, so why must we bind her to this land?"

"Dean Chen is right." Qian Fu took a step forward. "Zhan Chi, I know you’re filled with rage, but now is not the time for recklessness. The most important thing right now is figuring out how to transport the child’s body out of Beili."

"I’ll go with the Dean," Gu Shuo said, having calmed down considerably.

"The entire Qian family will go with the Dean as well," said Qian Fanji.

"Good. The weather is growing warmer; even preserved in ice, we can’t wait too long. We’ll set out in three days. Everyone, go back and prepare." As he spoke, Dean Chen looked toward Zhan Yi. "As for the Capital City and the General’s residence, we’ll have to rely on Old Master Zhan to look after things."

"Rest assured, Dean. I understand," Zhan Yi nodded.

Old Master Gu was draped over the coffin, his tears nearly cried dry. ’His Gu family great-granddaughter wasn’t even allowed to rest in peace. The Emperor is incompetent and corrupt... Beili will fall, sooner or later.’

"I’ll go with the Dean too," Zhan Chi said, having gradually calmed down.

Dean Chen nodded.

Listening to the group’s planning, Ye Qianning paced anxiously within the space. ’Still, since they aren’t burying me in the Imperial Mausoleum, or burying me at all for that matter, it at least buys me some time.’

’The Beili Emperor is truly ruthless. Master, the Qian family... they’ve all had their nationality revoked. In this era, people without nationality are considered wanderers—the most despised people of all.’

’Most wanderers are vicious thugs or desperados. Unable to enter any of the four nations, they can only linger in the lawless borderlands.’

’Master, the Qian family... for them to pay such a heavy price for me... was it really worth it?’

’All for a dead person...’

’The Qian family, the Gu family, the Zhan family... I’m so stunned by what they’re doing. And for some reason, at this moment, I actually feel a strange sense of... excitement and joy...’

’My mind must be twisted. Otherwise, why would I feel so happy watching them risk everything for me?’

’I swear, I have to get out of this space alive. I have to...’

Her spirits lifted, and she flipped through the booklet in her hands with renewed focus. Suddenly, her fingers froze. Her gaze fell on the bottom corner of the page.

*Enter a Dream*

Ye Qianning rubbed the spot between her eyebrows. ’It seems those three words weren’t here before.’

’The booklet only has eight pages with writing on them. In the hours since I woke up, I’ve flipped through it so many times I’ve nearly worn it out, but I’ve never seen these three words before.’

’When did they appear?’

’Enter a Dream?’

’Does it want me to enter a dream to escape this predicament?’

Ye Qianning was baffled. Her fingers traced the three words as she muttered to herself, "Enter a dream... How do I enter a dream? And whose dream would I enter?"

"Who’s that?"

"..."

Ye Qianning froze, as if she were hearing things. She looked up, scanning her surroundings.

"Huh? Who? Who was just talking?"