Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 147

Chapter 147: Detailed Explanation

Before Zhou Jingyun spoke, she truly hadn’t expected it.

She hadn’t expected that he would suddenly talk about Madam Zhuang, about that letter, and even about Shen Qing. All the people and matters she didn’t know before, all the people and matters she suspected him of deliberately concealing, he revealed them all in one breath.

When she thought he was in the know, on Shen Qing’s side.

Turns out he wasn’t.

He wasn’t like Master Zhuang, someone who would abandon her.

Perhaps she shouldn’t be so sure.

But at the moment he spoke these words, Zhuang Li didn’t want to think about anything, only to embrace him.

At least he said these words.

As for the purpose of saying these words, that was something to think about later.

Zhou Jingyun looked at the woman who was tightly hugging him.

Since becoming a pretend couple, they sometimes acted intimately in front of others, but it was all fake.

When they were alone, they also had some physical contact, but that was because, after all, they slept in the same bed, and no matter how big the bed was, it was still person next to person.

Between her and him, it was still basically polite and courteous.

Moreover, she always seemed to be smiling, but in reality, she was a very aloof person.

This was the first time she had hugged him like this.

Not that kind of polite, pretended hug, but a real, passionate, tightly squeezing hug.

“Ah Li….” he called out, suddenly not knowing what to say.

And besides passion, he could also feel her sadness.

Because of Madam Zhuang’s matter? Zhou Jingyun raised his hand, slowly wrapping it around her shoulders, landing on her back, gently patting her.

“Do you know what Master Zhuang and Madam Zhuang are… planning?” he asked softly.

Zhuang Li shook her head, her voice muffled from his chest: “I don’t know, I don’t know this person Shen Qing either, I’ve never met him, Master and Madam have never mentioned him.”

She doesn’t know… Zhou Jingyun felt something hanging in his heart fall down, she also didn’t know, just like him.

So, this is also why she’s sad, right? After being with Master Zhuang and his wife for so long, she thought it was a simple life, but it turned out to be hiding many unknown secrets.

“I’m still investigating the details, don’t worry, don’t be sad, it’s just danger, you’re Bai Xun’s daughter, you’re already in danger, from the very beginning, so, we’ll meet the challenges head-on…”

Zhou Jingyun continued, pausing here.

To meet the challenges head-on, you first need generals, earth, brave and determined generals, and thick and solid earth…

He reached out and pulled Zhuang Li away from him.

“Wait a moment.”

Zhuang Li was a little dazed, watching Zhou Jingyun push her away, walk towards a bookshelf, and then go around it.

There was actually a door behind the bookshelf.

Zhou Jingyun pushed open the door and went in. Zhuang Li looked through the gap in the bookshelf and saw that the room was filled with bookshelves, and many boxes, piled with scrolls, paintings, bamboo slips, and ancient books.

This is a library.

Zhou Jingyun didn’t stop and walked straight to the innermost part. Zhuang Li couldn’t see, but soon Zhou Jingyun came out, holding a scroll in his hand.

He stood in front of Zhuang Li, wanting to say something but hesitating, looking down at the scroll in his hand.

Zhuang Li didn’t ask, just looked at him quietly.

It seemed like a long time passed, Zhou Jingyun raised his head, looked at her, and unfurled the scroll in his hand, holding it up.

Zhuang Li only felt her eyes blur, and a woman in her line of sight smiled at her.

She felt as if she had returned to Shangguan Yue’s Realm of No Dreams, looking at the mirror.

That was, the face she saw of herself in the mirror.

Except the mirror only showed half a face, and now, it was a complete face.

Perhaps because it was complete, the face that was once beautiful but lifeless, now, was vivid and lively.

She seemed to be looking at her, her eyes flickering, the smile on her lips spreading like water.

Zhuang Li subconsciously let out a low cry and raised her hand to cover her eyes, her ears buzzing, as if the world was spinning. At this moment, Zhou Jingyun’s voice rang out.

“Ah Li, this person is Jiang Mian’er, she’s dead, she no longer exists.”

Dead.

A person is dead.

No longer exists.

It’s an illusion, it’s fake.

The world returned to its place, no longer spinning. Zhuang Li steadied herself, the buzzing in her ears fading away. She slightly opened her hand, looking through the gaps between her fingers again.

Looking at Zhou Jingyun’s face.

His expression was wistful, with a hint of sadness.

“She is…” Zhuang Li hesitated for a moment and asked.

Zhou Jingyun held the scroll: “She is Empress Jiang.”

It’s Empress Jiang, Zhuang Li’s expression was surprised, then she smiled and nodded.

So it’s Empress Jiang.

No wonder Master Zhuang chose her.

Compared to such a woman, she, the daughter of Bai Xun, was insignificant.

“I don’t know how to tell you this.”

“First, about this Shen Qing, he was once a musician in the late Emperor’s presence. Later, he recommended himself to Empress Jiang, to listen to the sounds of the world for her. So the world saw him being driven out of the court for offending Empress Jiang, but in reality, he became solely responsible for the Bronze Jar for Empress Jiang.”

“This is all old news, I don’t know much about him, and I haven’t seen him for more than ten years. He suddenly came back, and somehow learned devious techniques.”

✿✿✿

“The previous strange incidents in the palace related to Empress Jiang were all caused by him.”

“And you…”

Zhou Jingyun’s voice continued, and when he reached this point, he looked at Zhuang Li, clutching the scroll.

“I don’t know what happened, I don’t know what method he used, but once, I saw you as…”

This sentence, whether he didn’t know how to say it or didn’t want to say it, was even more difficult for him than before. He almost spat out each word one by one.

Zhuang Li didn’t urge him, just looked at him, waiting quietly.

“I saw you as Empress Jiang.”

Zhou Jingyun finally finished the sentence.

A smile spread across Zhuang Li’s face. She had previously hinted and probed with bewitching techniques, but Zhou Jingyun hadn’t said anything.

When someone truly wants to speak, they don’t need any technique.

She raised her hand and touched her face, whispering: “You must have been terrified at that time.”

This was also what she had always wanted to say to him, thinking she would never have the chance.

“You should have told me,” she said, “told me at that time.”

Her expression seemed to be blaming him, and also seemed to be aggrieved. Zhou Jingyun looked at her and shook his head: “I thought it was my fault, it had nothing to do with you…”

“You saw it on my face, how could it have nothing to do with me?” Zhuang Li said.

Because…

Zhou Jingyun looked down at the scroll in his hand, his voice a low murmur: “I thought it was because I wanted to see it, so I saw it.”

He wanted to? Zhuang Li froze, her gaze falling on the scroll, seemingly understanding.

He kept a portrait of Empress Jiang.

And it seemed, it was painted by him.

He…

Zhou Jingyun raised his head and looked at her, smiling: “I told you, I’m an Empress Jiang partisan.”

Yes, when they first met at Master Zhuang’s place, he had said, “I also believe Empress Jiang is a hero.”

He painted a portrait of the hero in his heart, he admired this hero, missed this hero, hoped this hero would come back to life.

So when he saw the face of the person beside his pillow turn into the person he longed for, he would indeed only think it was his own problem.

And a problem that was difficult to talk about.

Zhuang Li suddenly wanted to laugh, this was probably karma.

The reason he saved her was because of Empress Jiang.

But also because of this, he saw a strange vision on her face, and didn’t tell her.

This was a secret hidden in Zhou Jingyun’s heart, something he didn’t want to share with anyone.

She glanced at the portrait and looked away.

There was a strange silence in the room.

Zhou Jingyun put away the scroll: “So I always thought it was my problem, I waited for it to pass and fade away, I didn’t expect Shen Qing to find me.”

He let out a soft sigh.

“He had just arrived in the capital and had already met me, but I didn’t take it to heart, I’m not the same kind of person as them.”

“But suddenly he showed me that letter you sent to Madam Zhuang and said some strange things.”

Speaking of this, Zhou Jingyun frowned and paced back and forth in the room.

“Very strange, very absurd words, I didn’t want to pay attention to him.”

“I sent Jiang Yun to Dengzhou, but he really saw something strange going on at Madam Zhuang’s place.”

“Shen Qing also said that he wanted to take you away at that time.”

“He also mentioned your old illness.”

“He knows about your old illness, I don’t know if he knows you or not.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t want to listen to him, I don’t believe him either.”

“But I know he’s dangerous.”

“You suddenly appeared at the street corner today, you know Shen Qing was there, about to walk up to you, I don’t know if this was an accident, or his arrangement.”

He spoke faster and faster, and more chaotically, just like his pacing.

Zhuang Li looked at him, him who didn’t know anything, suddenly facing these things, no wonder his behavior had become strange these days.

It was already impressive that he hadn’t gone mad.

“Marquis Zhou’s Heir,” she called out, walking over and taking his hand, making him stop pacing, “I know.”

Zhou Jingyun stopped and looked at her.

What does she know?

Zhuang Li looked at him: “I’ve learned some things these past few days, now you tell me what you know, and I’ll tell you what I know.” Holding his hand, she curtsied again, “Before that, I want to apologize to you.”

Apologize? Zhou Jingyun looked at her.

“I didn’t tell you what kind of person I am.”

Participating in the Yuewen Huangshan event, I’m going hiking tomorrow, and then the return trip, so updates will be irregular on the 13th, 14th, and 15th, there will definitely be a break in updates, you guys just wait until the 16th to read.

This time there will definitely be a break in updates hahaha, no stockpiled chapters, no way around it.