Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 114

Chapter 114: Response

What good would it do to see His Majesty?

For the Imperial Consort’s Husband to keep a mistress, back when the previous Emperor was alive, forget about this illegitimate son, even the Imperial Consort’s Husband himself would have been beaten to death.

Officially, the Imperial Consort’s Husband has no grounds to file a complaint.

Personally speaking…

Shangguan Yue grasped Shangguan Xue’s arm, shaking his head: “Imperial Consort’s Husband, don’t be impulsive.”

Shangguan Xue looked at him, his expression anxious: “I know you want a clean slate before you acknowledge your ancestry, but with this disgraceful identity, you can’t even keep your life, why cling to a clean slate?”

Shangguan Yue lowered his eyes: “Technically, I’m also a fugitive. The imperial edict at that time was to execute my entire family. If you go to His Majesty now and reveal my identity, it will put him in a difficult position. Should he follow the previous Emperor’s edict and execute me, or should he consider familial ties and spare my life?”

He smiled as he said this.

“In the end, it would still be unclear. What’s the difference from now? No, it’s worse than now.”

He looked at Shangguan Xue.

“Being the son of the Imperial Consort’s Husband is quite good. I’ve lived freely and done whatever I wanted all these years. I often think, how wonderful it would be if I were truly your son.”

Looking at this pale-faced young man with a smile on his face, Shangguan Xue only felt his eyes stinging, as if he saw again the child who was hurriedly pushed to him in the dark night, and the woman who followed.

“Brother Tianxing, I entrust him to you.”

In the reflection of the firelight, the woman’s face was also this pale, also with this kind of smile.

“Whether he lives or dies, I won’t blame you. You appearing here today, I will never forget your great kindness in this life or the next.”

How wonderful it would be if he were truly his son, and she were truly his wife…

Shangguan Xue closed his eyes, holding back the tears of the past.

“Alright.” He looked at Shangguan Yue, “I’ll think about it some more.”

Shangguan Yue smiled: “Those who survive a great calamity will surely have good fortune. I’ve already survived two great calamities. From now on, everything will definitely go smoothly.”

Shangguan Xue smiled, then sighed, helping him lie down: “Don’t think so much, sleep a little longer. I’ll go see if they’ve finished decocting the medicine.”

Shangguan Yue replied with a “yes,” watching Shangguan Xue walk out. The room fell silent.

This was a secret chamber. The closed door blocked out the sunlight, making it as dark as night.

Shangguan Yue stared quietly at the canopy, then remembered something and called out: “Ruibo—”

His voice paused as he spoke.

At the same time, the door was pushed open, and another elderly servant walked in, asking with concern: “Young Master, what’s the matter?”

Shangguan Yue looked at the servant’s face and smiled: “I want to drink some water.”

The servant hurriedly stepped forward and poured some warm water, gently helping him sit up and feeding him two mouthfuls. He then said: “The doctor instructed that you shouldn’t drink too much, lest it dilute the efficacy of the medicine. Young Master, please bear with it a little longer.”

Shangguan Yue said “alright,” lying back down and gesturing to the servant: “You can go down. I’ll sleep for a while.”

The servant replied with a “yes” and retreated. The room fell silent again.

Shangguan Yue stared quietly at the canopy.

There was no Ruibo anymore.

There would never be again.

He and the past were separated by a river of life and death. Now the people from the past were all on the other side of the river, and he was the only one alive on this side.

Suddenly, Shangguan Yue softly called out again: “Bai Li.”

This time, because his voice was low, the servant outside couldn’t hear it and there was no response.

There was no response inside the room either.

Perhaps it was because it was daytime now. Ghosts only appear at night.

Shangguan Yue closed his eyes.

✿✿✿

…….

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the desk. Zhuang Li had a book open in front of her.

Chun Yue and the other maids had already retreated. Unless she gave instructions, they were accustomed to not disturbing her.

Zhuang Li wasn’t reading. Instead, she gently pulled up her sleeve, looking at the purplish-red marks on her arm.

This was the price of taking risks.

No, this wasn’t even a price. It was a necessity.

She could use this skill to kill, so naturally, she could also use it to save.

Moreover, it was too strange that Shangguan Yue could grab her and recognize her. He had to stay alive so she could ask him what was going on.

Also, that Realm of No Dreams she encountered during the Imperial Bell incident should also be investigated.

Zhuang Li sat up straight.

That’s right, the Realm of No Dreams that allowed her to escape from the Imperial Bell’s strangulation was a place of salvation.

But why did she feel like she had forgotten about it afterward, never thinking to investigate it?

It was as if she and the her at that time were completely disconnected.

Could it be because she was seriously injured, her body was weak, she recuperated for a while, and then she encountered Madam Xue’s illness, Zhang Ze’s interrogation, Madam Lin’s illness… Was she so busy that she forgot?

Zhuang Li reached out and touched her face. Was she such a forgetful person?

Last night’s dream was also strange.

Ever since she started living with Master and Madam Zhuang, she had been able to control herself. She wouldn’t have out-of-body experiences uncontrollably like when she was a child, unconsciously dreaming and entering others’ dreams.

Last night, she dreamt involuntarily, and the dream was very chaotic.

When she woke up and tried to recall, everything before encountering Shangguan Yue was hazy.

✿✿✿

She seemed to have dreamt about the Bai family being sentenced as Empress Jiang’s accomplices and exterminated, and about her soul returning home to see her father.

There was also Zhou Jingyun’s reaction. He seemed to be hiding something.

She respected Zhou Jingyun very much. Apart from concealing her appearance, she never probed or influenced him. But this matter was related to whether there was a problem with her own condition, and it was also related to whether Zhou Jingyun’s state of mind would be affected. She should still ask him.

Using her method.

…..

…..

“What did you do today?”

Zhou Jingyun left early today and returned early as well. He came back just after noon.

He was also carrying a food box.

Zhuang Li said with a smile: “Just reading and writing.” She helped Zhou Jingyun take off his cloak and looked at the food box on the table, asking curiously, “What is it?”

Zhou Jingyun smiled: “It’s lamb.” He opened it to show her.

Zhuang Li saw that it contained grilled meat skewers.

“I passed by the Eastern Market on my way back, and Li Family Shop had new roast lamb, so I bought some for you to try.” Zhou Jingyun said.

He had originally intended to buy it earlier, but was interrupted by Zhang Ze’s arrival to inquire about Lingquan Temple.

Zhuang Li didn’t stand on ceremony: “Let me try.” She reached out, took one, and ate it.

Zhou Jingyun hurriedly asked: “Is it cold? I’ll go heat it up again.”

Although he had hurried back as soon as he bought it, it was still cold outside.

As he finished speaking, Zhuang Li held up the meat skewer and offered it to him, saying: “I don’t think it’s cold yet, you try it.”

Zhou Jingyun looked at the meat skewer she offered, hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth and took a small bite from the skewer where she had bitten.

“Right?” Zhuang Li asked with a smile.

Looking at her smiling eyes, Zhou Jingyun nodded: “It’s still alright to eat now.” He touched his nose, “Just eat this one, the rest need to be reheated.”

Zhuang Li said “alright” and lowered her head to eat the meat skewer. Zhou Jingyun picked up the teapot from the charcoal brazier to pour her some tea, when he suddenly heard Zhuang Li’s voice.

“Zhou Jingyun…..”

This form of address startled Zhou Jingyun. He abruptly raised his head and saw Zhuang Li sitting opposite him, staring at him intently.

“It’s early morning, you’ve woken up……”

Early morning, he’s woken up, Zhou Jingyun thought to himself, involuntarily looking around. His vision was blurry, and everything around him was silent.

Yes, he woke up really early today.

“…..Did you see if Zhuang Li is awake?”

Zhuang Li, Zhou Jingyun’s gaze shifted to the bedside, where he saw a woman sleeping on her side.

“….She…” He couldn’t help but reach out and nudge her, “She’s not awake yet…..”

As he nudged her, the woman lying on her side opened her eyes and looked at him.

That face…..

Zhou Jingyun’s eyes widened instantly. He was about to blurt out something when a burning pain shot through the back of his hand. He gasped, the rest of his words swallowed down.

“……Why can’t I wake her up either?”

After saying this, he suddenly came to his senses and looked down to see that he was pouring tea, and the tea had spilled onto the back of his hand.

His hand trembled, and he hurriedly put down the teapot.

Zhuang Li, holding the meat skewer, asked urgently: “What’s wrong? Did you burn yourself?”

Zhou Jingyun shook his head at her with a smile: “No, no.” He showed her the back of his hand, “The tea was lukewarm, it’s not hot.”

Zhuang Li had already walked over and taken his hand to examine it carefully. She suddenly lowered her head and gently blew on the back of his hand.

Zhou Jingyun was amused. Was she treating him like a child?

But looking at his hand held by Zhuang Li, he felt a little guilty.

He was actually distracted just now?

He seemed to be thinking about that morning again?

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Zhuang Li said, gently stroking his hand.

This touch made Zhou Jingyun pause, snapping him out of his thoughts. Of course, it was fine.

“Drink your tea.” He said with a smile, “Don’t let your husband’s near-scalding effort go to waste.”

Zhuang Li chuckled, looked at Zhou Jingyun, smiled, and took the tea, drinking it all in one gulp.

There was indeed something wrong.

She hadn’t woken up in time, causing her body to malfunction, which Zhou Jingyun saw.

But fortunately, she was only unable to be woken up. Zhou Jingyun was a little puzzled.

Later, she woke up and was now acting normally.

He would just assume that she was sleeping soundly, or that her old illness had acted up.

It was fine, everything was fine.