Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 116

Chapter 116: First Snow

The door opened and closed softly. As the person who entered took their first step, Shangguan Yue opened his eyes and woke up.

Jixiang couldn’t help but pause.

“Young Master, I woke you up,” he said apologetically.

Shangguan Yue watched as the sunlight streamed in through the gap in the door that had never been closed, brightening the cabin.

It was already the sunlight of dusk.

“No, it’s time to wake up,” he said. “I lay down all night last night and all day today. My bones are sore from lying down.”

Bai Li didn’t appear all night. Maybe it was because Wang Tong was there.

He also remembered that he had dreamed of Bai Li in his dream last time, so when the pleasure boat was empty during the day, he deliberately fell asleep.

But, there were no dreams.

Jixiang brought over the tea and saw Shangguan Yue sitting there in a daze. He reminded him in a low voice, “Young Master, have some tea.”

Shangguan Yue came back to his senses, took the tea, but stared at the tea again in a daze.

Jixiang asked in confusion, “Is the tea not to your taste?”

Shangguan Yue looked up and smiled at him. “No, I’m thinking about something.” After saying that, he drank the tea in one gulp, handed it to Jixiang, and stood up.

Jixiang hurriedly asked, “It’s still early, Young Master, rest for a while longer.”

“Go and ask if the Imperial Consort’s Husband is at home today,” Shangguan Yue said.

Jixiang replied, “Young Master wants to see the Imperial Consort’s Husband? I’ll go and ask right away.” He turned and retreated.

Shangguan Yue sat in the cabin, holding the teacup and watching the sunlight gradually slant.

✿✿✿

✿✿✿

It gets dark early in winter. As soon as the sunlight slants, it gets dark the next moment.

Brilliant lights lit up inside the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence.

The return to their hometown to pay respects to their ancestors had been discussed, and the family banquet was coming to an end. The Marquis of Dongyang, slightly drunk, was about to tell everyone to disperse when the Madam of Dongyang reminded him of something. He suddenly remembered to call Zhou Jingyun.

“Take your wife and go pay respects at the ancestral hall,” he said.

Zhou Jingyun stood up, and Zhuang Li also got up, slightly puzzled.

“You didn’t have a wedding at home,” the Second Madam Zhou said with a smile. “Although she’s on the family register, you still need to let the ancestors know.”

That’s right. They had their wedding elsewhere. The Marquis of Dongyang received Zhou Jingyun’s letter and added Zhuang Li to the family register. But first, Zhuang Li came back by herself and had never paid respects to the ancestors. Second, after Zhou Jingyun came back, it was a fake marriage after all, and neither of them cared about these things.

“Take advantage of this grand occasion to make up for it,” the Third Madam Zhou said with a smile from the side.

Neither Zhou Jingyun nor Zhuang Li knew about this beforehand, and they couldn’t help but look at each other at this moment.

“Yes, thank you, father and mother,” Zhuang Li hurriedly bowed and said.

Zhou Jingyun also responded with a “yes.”

“You should have another wedding,” Zhou Jiuniang said, pinching a pastry. “Let the whole capital know about sister-in-law.”

The Madam of Dongyang glared at her. “It’s none of your business.” She glanced at Zhuang Li again. “The whole capital already knows your sister-in-law.”

The Second Madam Zhou added with a smile, “That’s right. My sister-in-law from my maternal family has heard about it. Our Jingyun married a divine physician.”

Zhuang Li smiled and said, “It’s just a small skill, I don’t dare to claim to be a divine physician.”

The Madam of Dongyang waved her hand and urged the Marquis of Dongyang, “Hurry up and take them there.”

Zhou Jingyun and Zhuang Li bowed. The Marquis of Dongyang stood up with a smile and led them out.

After paying respects at the ancestral hall, the Marquis of Dongyang let them go back directly. Hearing from the servants that the Madam of Dongyang’s side had already dispersed and the families of the Second and Third Madams had gone back, Zhou Jingyun and Zhuang Li didn’t stand on ceremony and bid farewell to the Marquis of Dongyang before returning.

“Is my family not very big either?” Zhou Jingyun said with a smile.

The Zhou family only rose to prominence during the Great Zhou Dynasty, and it wasn’t considered a large family.

Thinking of the memorial tablets she had just seen in the ancestral hall, Zhuang Li said, “Bigger than my family.”

It used to be bigger than the Bai family, but now, it’s even smaller.

This was really an inappropriate topic, Zhou Jingyun thought to himself. He couldn’t help but say, “Now, this is your home too.”

“I hope the ancestors won’t be angry,” Zhuang Li whispered to him with a smile.

Yes, they were in a fake marriage, Zhou Jingyun thought to himself, his expression faltering again. Sometimes he even forgot it was a fake marriage.

He hesitated for a moment.

“Actually…” he said.

Zhuang Li looked at him.

✿✿✿

Chun Yue and Chun Hong carried lanterns, one in front and one behind, leaving a distance for the couple to talk. The lights were a bit dim, but Zhuang Li’s eyes were exceptionally clear.

She looked at him, listening to him intently.

Zhou Jingyun’s voice faltered again.

“…they won’t,” he said, “because I’m doing a good deed. The ancestors will be very happy.”

Zhuang Li smiled. “To have raised a Marquis’s Heir who is such an upright gentleman, the ancestors must be proud.”

Zhou Jingyun nodded with a smile, then suddenly looked at the shadow of the lantern and stretched out his hand. Crystal clear snowflakes fell.

“It’s snowing,” he said.

The first snow of the year! Zhuang Li looked up at the sky. The cool and damp air under the night sky hit her face. The maids in front and behind also let out joyful cries, raising their lanterns high to illuminate the falling snow.

Zhou Jingyun slowed his pace with a smile, watching Zhuang Li walking in front of him, occasionally reaching out to catch the snow.

Actually, what he wanted to say just now was that it seemed quite good to continue like this.

✿✿✿

…

As the night grew darker, the snowflakes scattered on their shoulders had turned into snowflakes, lightly and quickly covering the ground with a layer.

The back door opened softly, and Ah Ju rushed out, the wind she brought with her causing the falling snow to swirl.

“Young Master,” she looked at Shangguan Yue standing in the snow, wrapped in a cloak, her voice choked with sobs. As she spoke, she bent her knees and was about to kneel.

Shangguan Yue hurriedly reached out to support her. “Sister Ah Ju, what are you doing?”

Ah Ju looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I really didn’t know, I really didn’t know.”

Shangguan Yue knew what she was talking about. “Murder is a secret matter, how could everyone know? I know Sister Ah Ju really didn’t know.” He smiled again. “Even if Sister Ah Ju knew, I wouldn’t blame you, just as I don’t blame the music boy. We’re all pitiful people, our lives are not our own. Everyone relies on their own abilities, live if you can, die if you can’t.”

Under the falling snow, the young master’s face was radiant with a smile, and tears fell from Ah Ju’s eyes.

Yes, even if Shangguan Yue really blamed her, what could she do? How could they, as servants, refuse the orders from above?

What was the use of saying sorry?

Ah Ju put away these useless emotions, raised her head and smiled. “Young Master is here to see the Imperial Consort’s Husband? The Imperial Consort’s Husband is not at home today.”

Shangguan Yue shook his head. “I’m here to see the Princess.”

Ah Ju’s expression was startled, and she subconsciously looked him up and down. “Young Master, you can’t…”

Shangguan Yue spread out his cloak and smiled to show Ah Ju. “I’m not here to fight the Princess.”

Ah Ju shook her head. “I know Young Master is not that kind of fool, but even if I go and report, the Princess won’t see you.”

Shangguan Yue said with a smile, “Sister Ah Ju, don’t make things difficult for yourself, just go and report. I have a reason that I must see the Princess. I’m not afraid, is the Princess afraid to see me?”

Ah Ju shook her head disapprovingly, wanting to persuade him again.

Shangguan Yue raised his sleeve to cover his mouth and coughed twice. “If I don’t see the Princess, I will die too. It’s better to see the Princess and fight for a way out.”

Ah Ju sighed in her heart. This time, the Princess’s attack was unexpected. She didn’t know what was going on, but she suddenly really wanted to kill.

The Imperial Consort’s Husband came to question her and left in a huff, but the Princess’s expression didn’t change at all.

The Princess seemed different from before.

“Alright,” Ah Ju said, “Young Master, wait a moment, I’ll go and report.”

Shangguan Yue smiled at her and bowed, watching Ah Ju walk inside.

When a layer of snow had once again accumulated on his shoulders, Ah Ju returned with a complicated expression.

She had just followed Shangguan Yue’s meaning and deliberately provoked the Princess with her words, asking if the Princess dared to see him. Princess Jinyu naturally wouldn’t be afraid to see Shangguan Yue.

In her eyes, he was just an ant that she could crush at will.

Even though she didn’t crush him this time, it didn’t mean she couldn’t crush him next time.

“The Princess has allowed you to enter,” Ah Ju said, stepping inside first. She turned back and whispered, “You can still leave now.”

Shangguan Yue lowered his gaze. “I wish I were really the Imperial Consort’s Husband’s son.”

Ah Ju didn’t hear his muttering and asked, “What did Young Master say? Do you want to inform the Imperial Consort’s Husband?”

Unfortunately, he wasn’t.

Shangguan Yue looked up and smiled at her. “No need.” After saying that, he stepped inside.

New plot in progress, those who think there’s no content can save the chapters, getting along is in the daily trivial matters.