Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Zhou Jingyun hung up his clothes and sat down by the bed, looking at Zhuang Li.

The room was brightly lit, but he couldn’t tell if it was because the lights were too bright, her features seemed hazy, making it hard to see clearly.

Actually, he hadn’t seen her clearly before either.

When he asked Master Zhuang for her hand in marriage and Master Zhuang agreed, she didn’t come out. She only conveyed through Madam Zhuang that she would obey the arrangements of her teacher and his wife.

Their first meeting was at the wedding, when he lifted her veil.

But at that time, he was wary of Zhang Ze in the front hall and concerned about Master Zhuang in the back hall. There were many people, flickering lights, and heavy makeup, so he didn’t see what she looked like. Immediately after, he had to attend to Master Zhuang, and later, he sent his new wife to the carriage outside the city gate.

She was in mourning, dressed in plain clothes with a clean face, and it was the first time he saw her clearly.

Thinking of this, Zhou Jingyun couldn’t help but purse his lips. Fortunately, he had that one glance; otherwise, when he returned home and saw her in his mother’s room, he wouldn’t even recognize his own wife.

He didn’t know much about this wife either. Besides knowing that she was Bai Xun’s daughter and had been taken in as a disciple by Madam Zhuang, he knew nothing else.

Not a good person, Zhou Jingyun pursed his lips. Just now at his mother’s place, Madam of Dongyang complained, “What kind of person did you find? Do you know how terrible her actions and words are?”

How terrible could a girl be? It was just dissatisfaction stemming from her status as his wife. He gestured to Zhuang Li, “Sit down and let’s talk.”

Zhuang Li walked over and sat down as instructed, looking at him.

“How is she not good?” Zhou Jingyun asked, then added, “I asked you before if you had been wronged at home. If you were wronged and had to protect yourself, it’s not your fault.”

Zhuang Li said, “I said before that my mother passed away when she gave birth to me.”

Zhou Jingyun nodded.

“So, I’m considered a jinx, bringing bad luck because of my mother’s death,” Zhuang Li said.

About that… Zhou Jingyun was about to speak, but Zhuang Li cut him off, “It’s true bad luck. It’s not just my mother. Since I was little, people around me have been prone to misfortune. That’s why I sold myself and removed my name from the family genealogy. I didn’t want to affect the Bai family.”

She gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“But it was still useless.”

“Not only the Bai family, but after taking me in, Master Zhuang also—”

“Master Zhuang also passed away,” Zhou Jingyun finished her sentence, looking at Zhuang Li. “Madam Zhuang, you, me, my family, everyone in this world will die.”

Zhuang Li looked at him for a moment and smiled, “I know. The Marquis’s Heir dares to bring even a criminal home, so naturally, he wouldn’t be afraid of these things. But I still need to tell you these things.”

She paused.

“You see, I’m a jinx. Even the lotus buds I make can worsen someone’s illness…”

The lotus buds.

He had learned about the lotus buds from the accounts of the Li family and Duke of Ding’an, even though he had stopped his mother and the others from talking about it.

Grand General Li actually didn’t believe that the lotus buds scared Li Shilang to death. He only went to Duke of Ding’an’s residence to vent his anger.

Duke of Ding’an, besides thinking that Grand General Li couldn’t do anything to the Shangguan and Wang families and was just picking on him, also believed that his mother was obsessed with burning incense and chanting Buddhist scriptures, and the servants in the house followed suit, acting crazy to please her, making the whole place spooky. Incidentally, Lu Wenjie was also bewitched.

Madam of Ding’an brought Lu Jin to their house to cause trouble, also with ulterior motives.

They kept talking about evil spirits, but they didn’t believe it themselves. They were just trying to achieve their own goals.

He couldn’t let them ruin Zhuang Li’s reputation to achieve their own selfish desires, so he kept suppressing the matter and didn’t mention it.

He didn’t even plan to ask Zhuang Li.

Although this woman refuted Madam of Ding’an’s accusations with confidence and a clear voice that could be heard even in the courtyard, she was still uneasy inside.

Zhou Jingyun looked at Zhuang Li’s slightly furrowed brows, which seemed to hold a hint of melancholy, and said, “Was the little maid in Duke of Ding’an’s residence also a jinx because she recovered after dreaming about the lotus buds?”

Zhuang Li seemed surprised by his words, “That’s because she’s blessed with good fortune—”

Zhou Jingyun chuckled, cutting her off, “Then Li Shilang was just unlucky. It has nothing to do with you.” He didn’t wait for Zhuang Li to speak again. “You are the disciple of Master Zhuang and his wife. Don’t say such foolish things again.”

Zhuang Li looked at him for a moment and smiled, pursing her lips, “When I met Madam Zhuang, the reason I wanted to sell myself to her was because she said she could cure my jinx.”

She was about ten years old when she met Madam Zhuang, Zhou Jingyun thought. Madam Zhuang was really good at coaxing children. He listened as Zhuang Li’s voice continued.

“After I started following Madam Zhuang, she taught me many things, like reading, making incense, playing music, meditation, and so on. I did get much better.”

“However, I’ve been very cautious all these years. I rarely appear in front of people. After coming here, I also try to avoid going to Madam’s place and stay indoors as much as possible.”

“And…”

Zhuang Li looked at Zhou Jingyun.

“When this blows over, let’s get a divorce as soon as possible.”

When this blows over… Zhou Jingyun looked at the flickering lamplight and smiled, “Don’t think about that for now. This has just begun.”

Yes, Zhang Ze didn’t know of her existence before, but now he did. Their escape and hiding had just begun.

Silence fell over the room for a moment.

“There’s plenty of time. Let’s rest for now,” Zhou Jingyun said.

Zhuang Li nodded and said okay. She looked at the bed behind her and asked, “Marquis’s Heir, do you sleep on the inside or the outside?”

Zhou Jingyun said, “I’ll sleep on the outside.”

Zhuang Li said okay and got into bed as instructed. She then reminded him, “Marquis’s Heir, come and turn off the lights.”

✿✿✿

Her tone was relaxed and familiar, as if she were a real wife reminding her husband. Zhou Jingyun pursed his lips. This was actually their first time sharing a bed.

The lights in the room were extinguished one by one, and the bed curtains plunged into darkness.

In the silence, they could hear each other’s breathing.

“You really don’t have to think about it so much,” Zhou Jingyun suddenly said. “I brought you to the capital. If there really is bad luck associated with Li Shilang, it’s because I brought it. If anyone is the jinx, it’s me.”

Zhuang Li chuckled and nodded in the darkness, “You’re right, Marquis’s Heir.”

Zhou Jingyun’s voice also carried a smile, “Go to sleep.” He turned over to face outwards, then heard the rustling sound of Zhuang Li turning inwards.

There was no more sound in the bed curtains, and their breathing gradually became even and calm.

Zhuang Li looked at the darkness within the bed curtains. Although what she had just said was half-truth and half-lie, it did reveal something about her situation.

It could be considered half-honest with Zhou Jingyun, which was good enough. After all, she wasn’t a good person. Besides being a jinx, it was normal for her to lie. Zhuang Li closed her eyes and blended into the darkness.

The person behind him should be asleep, his breathing long and deep. He had let go of his worries and felt a little more relaxed, Zhou Jingyun thought, looking at the bed curtains in the darkness. She actually didn’t need to say so much.

He didn’t care what kind of person she was, what kind of temperament she had, or what kind of past she had.

Zhou Jingyun closed his eyes and sank into the darkness.

✿✿✿

✿✿✿

The night was deep, but the capital was still brightly lit. The brightest place was the Imperial Palace.

The Emperor sat in the Imperial Study, boredly flipping through the memorials on his desk.

Grand Eunuch Gao Shi’er stood beside him, holding a tray of tea and snacks, “Your Majesty, it’s late. You should rest. The Empress is waiting for you. She just sent someone to say that she has made your favorite snacks.”

The Emperor made a sound of acknowledgment and said, “There are still a few memorials. I’ll go after I finish reading them.”

His eyes were on the memorial in his hand, but what appeared wasn’t text, but an image.

An image of Bai Ying kneeling on the ground.

It seemed like she wasn’t even wearing shoes.

The Emperor sighed inwardly. Bai Ying was very particular about etiquette. Because she came from a military family, she felt she was rough and unrefined, so she strictly observed the rules after entering the Prince’s Residence.

Now she had become like this…

A side of her he had never seen before.

It made him inexplicably distracted.

“…Your Majesty, if you don’t want to go to the Empress, you can go to Consort Li. She sent a palace maid earlier to say that she sprained her ankle.”

Consort Li was a beauty who entered the palace last year, seventeen or eighteen years old, youthful and delicate. She had been deeply favored these past two years, but the Emperor had no interest in her at this moment.

Bai Ying had lost a lot of weight. She looked like she could be blown over by the wind.

Eunuch Wang Degui, who walked in from outside the door, sneered inwardly. Gao Shi’er, you can’t even figure out the Emperor’s thoughts anymore. Your days as Grand Eunuch are numbered.

“Your Majesty,” Wang Degui said loudly, raising the scroll in his hand, “Madam Bai’s portrait is finished. Should we send it to Inspector Zhang?”

Gao Shi’er’s face darkened, and he snapped, “Nonsense! What Madam Bai is there in the palace?”

Wang Degui knelt down with a look of terror, “This servant deserves to die! This servant misspoke!”

“She was once my consort, and she is still in the palace. It’s not wrong to call her Madam Bai.” The Emperor said, glancing at Gao Shi’er with displeasure. “What are you making such a fuss about?”

Gao Shi’er hurriedly said with a forced smile, “Your Majesty, this old servant is afraid that this criminal woman will tarnish your reputation.”

The Emperor’s face grew even darker. Reputation? When Empress Jiang was in power, he was terrified of his reputation. Whether he was praised or scolded, he was frightened, afraid of offending Empress Jiang and losing his life.

Now that he was finally the Emperor, he was still going to be troubled by his reputation? “Grand Eunuch Gao is overthinking it. How can Your Majesty’s reputation be tarnished by others?”

Wang Degui’s voice came.

The Emperor looked at him and saw that this eunuch was just an Imperial Attendant, with a smile on his face but arrogance in his eyes.

When Empress Jiang was in power, the people around her were all arrogant and unruly like this.

But at that time, these people looked down on him, and now they were bowing and looking up at him.

Now it was his turn to rule.

The people around him should naturally be like this.

The Emperor gestured to him, “Bring it here. Let me have a look.”

Wang Degui respectfully replied, “Yes,” and walked past Gao Shi’er to personally unroll the scroll on the desk.

Under the bright palace lanterns, a woman in white clothes, with her hair loose and her face bare, kneeling and sitting appeared in his sight.