Volume One, Chapter Six: The Deal

In the pitch-black night, Lin Qingwu’s figure moved silently through the forest like a ghost, her destination the ancestral tomb of the Lin family. Three years ago, her mother had passed away and was buried here. Lin Qingwu had once secretly come to bid farewell but never dared to approach the new grave.

Even in the years that followed, the fear and guilt clung to her like a shadow, preventing her from summoning the courage to visit. Yet tonight, perhaps because the day held special significance, an overwhelming impulse surged within her, inexplicably drawing her here.

But just a few meters from the tomb, she instinctively stopped.

A complex wave of emotions rose in Lin Qingwu’s heart. Thinking of her mother’s gentle smile from her dreams, she finally gathered her courage and took step after step toward the long-unvisited grave.

“Mother, your unfilial daughter Qingwu has come to see you.”

However, at that moment, the scene before her eyes was terrifying.

“Mother!” Lin Qingwu’s eyes widened with fury as she rushed forward.

For three years, her expression had remained calm, but now, for the first time, intense emotion overtook her. The tomb, which should have been guarded and maintained by dedicated attendants, had been desecrated at some unknown point.

The coffin lid was violently pried open and thrown aside on a nearby mound of earth. Inside, the flesh of the corpse had decayed, leaving only bare bones exposed, covered in dirt.

“What happened? Hasn’t the Lin family’s ancestral tomb always been under guard? How could Mother’s grave end up like this?!” Lin Qingwu’s heart filled with confusion and anger.

She could not think of anything else and immediately leapt into the grave pit, beginning to clear the debris from the coffin.

Tears welled up as guilt overwhelmed her. “I’m sorry. Qingwu came too late. If only I had come sooner…”

No!

Suddenly, Lin Qingwu’s movements halted. She quickly picked up a bone and stared at it, frowning deeply.

As she examined more closely, her heart sank further. After touching every part of the skeleton, an unbearable weight crushed her spirit, and her body collapsed weakly onto the cold earth.

“This isn’t Mother. It can’t be her!” she repeated, shaking her head in disbelief, voice trembling. “I watched with my own eyes as Mother was buried. How could there be a mistake?”

Like a jolt of electricity, a sudden realization struck her. She scrambled out of the grave pit and staggered toward the tombstone ahead.

But the large, conspicuous characters on the stone—“Tomb of Lin Wenyuan’s Beloved Wife”—burned into her eyes.

She had not mistaken the tomb.

Yet the person inside was definitely not her mother, Bai Qiuyun. Though her mother had died only three years ago, the remains inside were from about five years prior. Even the skeletal frame differed greatly from her memories. What was going on?

Who was the body in the grave? And where was her mother?

Suddenly, the sky tore open, silver lightning writhing like wild snakes, followed by deafening thunder.

The howling wind brought a torrential downpour that mercilessly swept over the cemetery.

Yet Lin Qingwu seemed oblivious. She sank helplessly into the cold, damp earth, letting the icy rain drench her.

Clutching the bone tightly, her eyes bloodshot, indistinguishable tears or rain streaked down her cheeks.

At that moment, Lin Qingwu resembled a tormented spirit struggling out from the abyss of hell, filled with despair and pain.

Then, a pair of black boots entered her blurred vision, followed by an umbrella appearing above her head, shielding her from the raging storm.

Instinctively, Lin Qingwu lifted her head, meeting the familiar, handsome face before her.

“Jun Yue…”

Frozen for a moment upon seeing his outstretched hand, she quickly recovered, roughly wiping the water from her face and turning away to walk.

Though utterly disheveled, she still wished to preserve a final shred of dignity before him. At least she, Lin Qingwu, knew how to hold on and let go.

In the night, Jun Yue watched her resolute departure with deep sorrow in his eyes.

He instinctively wanted to follow, but instead, coldly and calmly, he spoke:

“Miss Lin, aren’t you going to pursue the whereabouts of Lady Lin?”

Those words made Lin Qingwu stop without hesitation. She turned, looking at him urgently.

“What do you know?”

But she did not receive the answer she hoped for. Jun Yue replied in an indifferent tone:

“No, I do not know. But I am willing to help you.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness,” Lin Qingwu’s voice held a trace of melancholy as she bowed her head slightly, respectfully declining. “But I can manage on my own.”

“Of course I know you are capable,” Jun Yue said lightly. “But with your current status, you may attract unnecessary trouble. With me by your side, you can pursue what you desire without restraint.”

“What do you intend, Your Highness?” Lin Qingwu took a deep breath, knowing there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Jun Yue’s lips parted slightly, his tone straightforward:

“I grant you status. In return, you will heal my imperial sister.”

Lin Qingwu could not help but smile bitterly.

Years ago, when the true Lin family heiress Lin Qingyun appeared, she had written to Jun Yue—who was stationed far at the border—informing him of everything happening in the mansion, leaving the choice to him.

For her, identity and status—everything belonging to the Lin family’s legitimate daughter—could be returned without hesitation.

Only the engagement between herself and Jun Yue was something she never considered giving up, for it belonged to their mutual affection. She clearly remembered Jun Yue’s eyes gleaming with joy when he obtained the emperor’s verbal promise.

Yet that letter disappeared like a stone sinking into the sea. What followed was news that the Jun Manor agreed to replace the engagement.

From that moment, she realized Jun Yue had never truly loved her. From beginning to end, he chose only the consort most beneficial to him.

If not for her status as the Lin heiress and her reputation as a divine doctor, why would he have played this charade of mutual affection?

From then on, she had completely lost faith in this man.

She never expected that after three years, they would reunite under such circumstances, and he would skip any false explanations, opening with a cold transaction.

“Do you still believe in my medical skills?” Lin Qingwu laughed bitterly.

“Of course,” Jun Yue answered without hesitation. “I have witnessed firsthand the excellence of Miss Lin’s healing.”

“I trust your skills won’t fail, but your mind might.”

Lin Qingwu frowned. Was he implying something or mocking her foolishness?

Before she could respond, a figure stumbled out from the woods.

Upon seeing them, the person was clearly startled, then quickly turned and rushed down the mountain…