The Imperial College's

Eps. 38: The Dream World

The days passed like a dream. The flow of time's turnaround is slowly fading the so legendary story of all time. Only they, the old storytellers who are still loyal are willing to tell the story tirelessly even though they know that everything feels like a lie.

Since Huang Yunxi's departure, a year had passed in Dong Hua. On the day of his funeral, the whole people bowed along the street. The day of mourning lasted for weeks. White flags were everywhere. On that day, it snowed quite heavily.

Winter is quickly over, but the pain felt is actually permanent. Not only the palace family, even ordinary people who had heard his story often cried when they remembered his name. His story slowly became a legend that spread everywhere.

There was a huge change in every aspect after his death. Every death brings change. In Dong Hua, the Emperor executed the officials involved in the conspiracy of Liu Yang and Consort Di. In the spring, they were executed in front of many people.

Liu Yang, the criminal and rebel, was not sentenced to death. For the Emperor, the death penalty was too good for him. Liu Yang was stripped of his power, his entire family of exiled women were not allowed to return to the capital. Their lives are isolated on a small, faraway island. All assets seized, residence destroyed.

Liu Yang himself was left to suffer as a madman who lived inside the palace prison forever. The bad guy became familiar with rats and insects. Every day, she would shout that her sister was a new Queen Dong Hua and would curse Princess Xiyue the entire time. This insanity sometimes makes the prison guards and guards who serve there fed up.

In the Royal Academy, the imperial examination had also already taken place. His system used a new, reformed system based on the records Huang Yunxi had secretly left in his dorm room. Men and women are treated equally even though there are still subtle boundaries that should not be violated. The Fang Twins had graduated, they were awarded the title of Marquis and were given the prize of residence and wealth.

In honor of the late Princess Xiyue, the Royal Academy and the court agreed to crown the late Princess Xiyue or Huang Yunxi as the First Female Master despite not having the chance to undergo the exam. In addition, she was also crowned the Great Princess of Dong Hua.

Huang Yunji, the Crown Prince has now become more diligent in studying. He swore that one day he would become a good and great Emperor. Huang Yunji often stayed silent at Liuli Palace, only to treat his unrequited longing for his older sister.

Like a dream, everything goes beautifully on its own path. If the people of Dong Hua live happily with all the reforms that exist, then another case with Yuwen Yue. He who was appointed the Head of the Royal Academy after the death of his future wife changed as before. The smile that had puffed up on his face disappeared, changing with an even colder expression than before.

Yuwen Yue turned into an untouchable man. His days were passed only to complete tasks and discuss with the Emperor matters of government and education. The words spoken from his mouth become fewer and sharper so that the person who meets him will avoid as far as possible.

Apparently, he still could not forget Huang Yunxi. One day never forgets. Huang Yunxi's shadow kept coming at him from time to time. Whether it was morning, day or night, his figure always appeared in his head nonstop. Such severe pain had made his heart closed to accept others.

Emperor Huang Yun Yi once said that Yuwen Yue could marry anyone. Her marriage decree with Huang Yunxi is no longer valid because the girl is dead. However, Yuwen Yue chose to remain loyal to the girl even though their body and soul were different worlds. Yuwen Yue could not fall in love anymore.

The emperor was equally sad. He had lost two women he cared about in just under twenty years. When she was alone in Mingyan Palace, she often cried, feeling the pain of being alone for failing to be a good husband and father to the two women. No one ever knew the fragile side of the Emperor other than himself.

“You said, you are not of this world and I am only a duty to you. Where is your world?”

Yuwen Yue looked at the sky from the top of the hill behind the Royal Academy.

One year ago, this hill was covered in thick snow. One year ago, this hill became the place where he and Huang Yunxi spent the first winter. In the hut he was now living in, there was once a sweet story that continuously bloomed in his memory. All about Huang Yunxi. It's all about the girl.

How much pain was left by the girl. How much suffering he had to endure for his passing. Yuwen Yue would often blame herself whenever she remembered how the girl had died. The memory of the sharp sword piercing Huang Yunxi's heart was so fresh inside his brain.

His short story with the girl was like a beautiful dream forced to end by fate. The heavens, the Gods, or whatever it was, had played it to such an extent. The sky jokes with him too often. If it could choose, Yuwen Yue wanted to stay asleep in her beautiful dream with Huang Yunxi.

Near the open window, Yuwen Yue enjoyed the breeze of the wind blowing with fresh air. In the past, Huang Yunxi was very fond of daydreaming and enjoying time by the window. Yuwen Yue would faithfully observe her from afar, from a place invisible to the girl. If he is satisfied, he will leave with a good face.

Yuwen Yue's chest felt tight. It hurts, it hurts so much. Tears that usually linger in her pouch are now more and more often come out without permission. Yuwen Yue smacked his chest that was fielding. Behind her fine silk clothes, her heart was crumbling dimly. The knot in it is so tangled.

He has not yet expressed his love well. He used to plan to repeat his declaration of love to Huang Yunxi in the spring after all the problems were over. Yuwen Yue wanted to give her a night filled with a million lanterns, a million fireworks, a million joys.

On that beautiful night, he would kneel before Huang Yunxi and ask her to be his wife sincerely.

Everything is just wishful thinking. Everything is just a dream that can never come true. Liu Yang's troubles were even more quickly revealed from the original plan until everything was out of control.

As hard as he thought, no matter how far he ran, he would only return at one point: Huang Yunxi would never return!

“Yunxi, are you really not planning to return? At least, appear before me to say the last words then we will part well. Ah, where there's a good farewell. Yunxi, look, I've even almost gone crazy because you just left!”

Who should he blame? Destiny? The heavens? A deity? The god? The emperor? Or is it himself? No one gave him a definite answer. What was in his head just became a boomerang that slowly hurt his body and psyche. Outside, he looked healthy. But inside, he was injured so badly.

“Variable? What variables! If something you mean does exist, then come up! I will kill you and make Huang Yunxi come back to me! What did he say then? The system? The system? Fucking system! Dare to create this world and celebrate me!”

Yuwen Yue acted like a drunk. His speech is sloppy and not funny. He even shouted indistinctly at the cottage which only contained himself. Yuwen Yue instead incarnated into a mad drunkard who lost control without drinking alcohol. Yuwen Yue continued to craze until she did not realize that something was flying towards her.

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