Chapter 59 "Yuan'er, don't be afraid, your husband is here."
The dream sequence was after she died from postpartum hemorrhage; she rose up and became a wisp of a spirit that could not be possessed, drifting around her.
She saw many people crying for her, but perhaps because she had the clear perspective of an outsider, she was able to easily distinguish who was genuinely crying and who was faking it.
Those who truly cried for her were naturally the maids who came with the Ji family as part of her dowry, especially her personal maid, Emerald, who knelt by her bedside, crying out for her mistress with heart-wrenching sobs, wishing she could follow her in death.
Ji Wanyuan felt terrible seeing her snot and tears stuck together.
The maids and servants of the Wen family appeared to be crying, but they were secretly delighted.
The news of her death was quickly suppressed by the Wen family. The doctors and midwives who delivered her were all bribed to keep quiet, and almost no one came to visit. The maids and servants who accompanied her were also placed under guard.
The Wen family was busy taking care of the children and felt that she was unlucky, so they had her remains hastily prepared, wrapped in straw mats, and buried in a thin coffin without even holding a memorial service.
All the riches and honors one enjoys in life cannot be taken with one after death, and one cannot even enjoy them at all.
At this time, the Ji family was already in decline, embroiled in lawsuits, and even being monitored by the imperial court. In order to protect her, her parents rarely visited the Wen family. She was also too big to move around, so no one outside knew that she had given birth prematurely.
It had been almost half a year since she last dreamed of storybooks, but the content of the storybooks was still fresh in her mind. However, this time the dream was not so fleeting; it was more detailed.
Ji Wanyuan lingered beside her own coffin, unable to bear watching any longer, and floated away.
During the days of handling her funeral, the Wen family members basically did not show up. Wen's mother came once, but no one else showed up. Wen's mother came to hold the child and also gave instructions on how to handle the arrangements.
The reason she was buried so quickly, without a seven-day mourning period, was not only because of the fear of the news leaking out, but also because her child kept crying, crying very loudly.
Perhaps it was a mother's heart that was connected to her son's; he was grieving for her, as if he wanted to use his cries to announce his mother's passing and to plead for her.
Ji Wanyuan looked at the beautiful and delicate baby in the swaddling clothes and wanted to reach out and touch him, but she couldn't.
Wen's mother was worried and consulted a doctor, who said that he was fine and that it was nothing to worry about a child crying. Only then was she able to relax.
But Wen Qingling actually said that it might be her doing the haunting, and it would be better to bury her sooner rather than later, lest things get complicated.
Upon hearing this, Wen's mother actually had her carried out and buried under the cover of night. To be on the safe side, even the tombstone was blank. Ji Wanyuan was furious when she saw this, and even in her dreams, she couldn't help but curse and insult Wen's mother and Wen Qingling.
To be honest, her sister-in-law clearly had no grudge against her. It was just because she liked Lin Nianxi that she helped that woman to oppose her, the real sister-in-law!
In the storybook, Ji Wanyuan was extremely tolerant of Wen Qiyan, even towards her, a member of the Wen family. But what about her? Thinking about those things, Ji Wanyuan felt it wasn't worth it.
Fortunately, she learned about what happened in the storybook and no longer showed her any mercy, otherwise she would have suffered even more.
To be honest, the dream that followed was somewhat unexpected for her, because when she first had intimate moments with Wen Qiyan, her thoughts were mostly focused on the time when she died, and the rest of the dream was basically just a fleeting glimpse.
The Ji family's scheme failed, their property was confiscated, and they were exiled. Wen Qiyan became a powerful and influential figure, and the following year he married a woman from the Lin family. Her son suffered neglect and died.
But this time, she actually saw a more detailed follow-up and learned that Wen Qiyan was completely unaware of her childbirth?! He was completely unaware?
Inside the South Study, the father and son were facing off. She saw that the handsome man's face was cold and his whole body was filled with sinister intent. His unusually stern voice was questioning why Wen's father had not given him any information and had even concealed everything.
Wen's father remained calm and composed. "How important are the mines in Youzhou? How much effort did the imperial court put into arresting those people and setting up this scheme? What harm is there in me sending you this message?"
"You're far away in Youzhou, do you really intend to come back? Are you really able to make it back in time?"
She had been married to Wen Qiyan for almost a year and had known him for many years, but she had never seen his emotions surge like this before.
He looked extremely angry, even somewhat pained.
Will Wen Qiyan be in pain because of her passing? Ji Wanyuan looked at her, puzzled.
Wen's father put down his teacup. "Qi Yan, the deceased is gone. Please accept our condolences."
"Who told her to be Ji Zhao's daughter? Your marriage was a twist of fate, and it was also ordered by His Majesty. You don't need to feel so guilty. I know I've wronged her, after all, she gave birth to a child for our Wen family's eldest branch."
"Please accept my condolences?" the man sneered. "It's truly a shame that Father still remembers that she gave birth to a child for our Wen family."
"Your son never knew you could be so cold-blooded. If it weren't for my brother Qin going to Youzhou to find me and telling me all the inside stories, how long did you intend to keep this a secret?"
"When Ji Wanyuan was having a difficult childbirth, why did you send someone disguised as your son's subordinate to deliver a message saying to save the baby, not the mother?"
Ji Wanyuan was surprised. Was it a letter from Wen's father? It wasn't from Wen Qiyan.
She looked at him.
Looking closely at his expression, I was surprised to find that he was not only angry, but his eyes were even red with anger.
Mr. Wen remained silent, looking at his son who was now in a fit of rage; he had never lost his composure like this before.
"You should understand why your father did this."
"Intention?" A ruthless glint flashed in Wen Qiyan's eyes. "For the Wen family?"
Father Wen sighed again, "Even if she survives, she is still a member of the Ji family. The Ji family has already been punished. Can Ji Wanyuan be protected?"
"able."
Ji Wanyuan, the ghost that was floating around, heard the man say this.
His tone was firm and solemn.
Mr. Wen looked at him silently for a long time. “There’s no need to talk about this anymore. It’s all in the past anyway. You should calm down.”
Without saying anything more, Mr. Wen got up and left.
He walked faster and faster under Wen Qiyan's gaze from behind.
The study fell silent. Ji Wanyuan saw Wen Qiyan's tall figure suddenly bend over after his father left.
The pain on his face was quite obvious; his brow was furrowed, and even with his eyes closed, his eyelashes trembled, making him appear somewhat vulnerable.
Then, she heard the man call her name, "Ji Wanyuan..."
Upon hearing this, she was somewhat taken aback and her expression was complicated. "..."
Is he acting all hypocritical because he's discovered her presence?
Ji Wanyuan moved closer to the man, almost touching his nose. She didn't believe that Wen Qiyan, with his vigilance, wouldn't notice her at such a close distance, but he indeed didn't notice her presence.
After a long while, Ji Wanyuan was getting bored and was about to move when she noticed Wen Qiyan suddenly look up, which startled her.
The man stared intently at her, his gaze so intense that she dared not move. After a long while, Ji Wanyuan realized that Wen Qiyan was not looking at her, but rather at the direction she was in.
He only looked up because some branches were swaying and making a sound in the wind. He stared at them for a long time, until the branches stopped swaying. Wen Qiyan was still looking at them, and it was unclear what he was looking at.
"..."
Even after learning about this from a dream, Ji Wanyuan's hatred for the Wen family did not diminish.
Wen Qiyan acted strangely that day, and afterwards his relationship with his father cooled completely. They barely spoke to each other and rarely saw each other.
In the storybook, Wen Yunqin became the General of the Escort Flag. He went back to the Wen family and made a scene over her matter, saying particularly harsh words.
Wen's father, who usually smiled and rarely showed any sign of anger, was also made to look unpleasant by Wen's few sarcastic words.
Especially when Wen Yunqin said that he had never known his own family was a den of wolves that devoured people without spitting out the bones, Wen's father pointed his finger at his nose and scolded him for disrespecting his elders, and Wen's mother also told him to bow his head, but Wen Yunqin was still denouncing the Wen family.
He said that Wen's father was obsequious, Wen's mother was cold-blooded, and Wen Qingling was foolish and opportunistic. Even if Wen Qiyan was not there and was summoned to the palace by the eunuch, he could not escape his curses.
Ji Wanyuan felt incredibly satisfied with his words. It was worth it for her to have known him for so many years and to have considered him a true friend. He was the first person who was willing to stand up for her and condemn everything after her death, especially since he was surnamed Wen and was cursing the Wen family.
Besides, there was her child, still in swaddling clothes. He had been quiet until Wen Yunqin finished cursing, at which point he suddenly started wailing, as if echoing him.
Wen Yunqin's angry rebuke was stopped by the cries of the swaddled infant. Ji Wanyuan saw his thin lips tremble as he looked at the child she had left behind, and the pain in his eyes was very obvious.
Wen's mother tried to soothe her for a long time without success, so she hurriedly sent someone to fetch the wet nurse and the doctor.
The commotion was quite intense. After the doctor and wet nurse arrived, they spent a long time comforting the child until he finally stopped crying. Wen Yunqin didn't linger to continue scolding him; he left.
The following day, the Wen family received an imperial decree that Wen Yunqin had requested permission to leave to guard the frontier. He left without stopping, unwilling to see his parents one last time, but he saw her alone.
Before he left, Ji Wanyuan saw that he had bought a lot of silver coins and ingots to burn for her, saying that even after he left the capital, he would still burn a lot of silver coins for her during festivals so that she would always have plenty of money to buy the rouge, face powder, hairpins and jewelry she wanted.
He also told her that the verdict against the Ji family had been handed down. Because the evidence of the Ji family's unauthorized mining, garrisoning of troops, and forming cliques for personal gain had been presented to the emperor, there was really no way to turn the tide. He apologized to her.
He also said that he had privately approached the emperor, hoping that the emperor would show leniency to the Ji family in consideration of his years of guarding the country, but he was still reprimanded by the emperor.
He felt useless for failing to protect her, and also said that the Wen family members were his own flesh and blood, and he couldn't bring himself to harm his own relatives. He hoped she wouldn't blame him.
Ji Wanyuan felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this, and patted his head from afar to comfort him.
Wen Yunqin said a few more words, “The yellow sand flies at the border, which is very different from the capital in the Central Plains. You once said that you wanted to go, but you never set off because of the long distance. Now that I’m going, it can be considered as fulfilling your wish.”
After he finished speaking, as he was leaving, Ji Wanyuan saw him take away a handful of yellow soil from her grave and plant a seed next to her grave, which looked like a willow tree.
After Wen Yunqin left, the scenes in the dream began to speed up. Wen's mother was depressed and cried constantly, while Lin Nianxi often comforted and consoled her.
Wen Yunqin left without saying goodbye, Wen Qiyan rarely returned home, and then she died, leaving behind a child. The Wen family suddenly became cold again.
None of that is the most important thing. The most important thing is that Ji Wanyuan saw her parents being escorted to the execution ground, not only her parents, but also many of her family's relatives and friends, both direct and collateral relatives.
She had never seen her parents so haggard, their hair turned white overnight, and they were nowhere to be seen as their former spirited and elegant selves.
She paced anxiously nearby, calling out for her father and mother, trying to stop them, but she was just a phantom and could do nothing. She could only helplessly watch everything unfold.
When Wen Qiyan returned home, it was raining heavily outside, and the maid on night watch didn't notice Ji Wanyuan's nightmare at all.
He had just stepped inside when he heard the noise coming from her side.
Frowning, Wen Qiyan quickly untied his rain-soaked, pale cloak and handed it to the person beside him, then quickened his pace to walk inside.
The closer you get, the more you can hear her agonizing nightmare cries, and you can even see her waving hands through the curtains.
After lifting the curtain, he saw her having a nightmare, tears streaming down her face, crying and shouting "No, no!"
Seeing this, Wen Qiyan disregarded everything else and gently lifted her up. He patted her slender back softly and naturally uttered her maiden name.
He called her softly, "Yuan'er..."
The person in his arms was having a terrible nightmare; within a short time, they were soaked in sweat and couldn't be woken up at all. He couldn't just shout at them or shake them awake.
Wen Qiyan's brows furrowed even more deeply, his magnetic voice filled with endless worry.
Having no other choice, he could only lean down and whisper softly in her ear, coaxing her again and again.
"Yuan'er, don't be afraid, your husband is here."
"Don't be afraid..." He pulled her into his arms.
His body warmth dispelled the cold sweat that broke out in her nightmare.
Ji Wanyuan nestled in the man's arms, her hands clutching his pale white robes. Although she no longer flailed her arms wildly, she was still trembling and shedding tears.
The man gently kissed her temples and forehead. "Don't be afraid, I will protect you."
"..."
In her dream, Ji Wanyuan didn't know if it was because her obsession with rushing forward was too strong, or because she was crying too hard, but she didn't know what was going on.
A gentle force pulled her back, and she could no longer remain on the execution ground. The world spun around her, and she was back at the Wen family home.
She wanted to float away again, but her strength seemed to have weakened by half, and she floated very, very slowly, only able to spin around in place.
After several unsuccessful attempts to get out, Ji Wanyuan was at her wit's end. Still shaken and with tears still wet on her face, she was trying to figure out what was going on.
Suddenly, I heard someone crying, and the voice sounded somewhat familiar.
Following the sound, they found the old woman who had accompanied the bride in her dowry wiping away tears around the dry well. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that what they had pulled out was a corpse—the corpse of Jade.
Jade... her only confidante, the person who had been with her for more than ten years, had also died.
Ji Wanyuan felt increasingly distressed. Thinking of her parents rushing to the execution ground, she couldn't help but continue to cry. However, her spirit in the dream was about to dissipate, and despite her immense pain, she couldn't shed any tears.
She couldn't cry in her dream, but outside of it, tears streamed down her face, soaking Wen Qiyan's collar and chest.
He looked down at her, his handsome features revealing an undeniable tenderness.
How could she have such nightmares?
Listening to her mumbled cries, it seemed that she was crying because she dreamed that something bad had happened to the Ji family, that Prime Minister Ji and Madam Ji had met with misfortune.
But then she called out Emerald's name, which was her personal maid.
But then... he heard Ji Wanyuan call out something like Lin'er? Ling'er...?
Does she have any other maid named Ling'er? He doesn't recall.
But soon, Ji Wanyuan's tone changed again; she called the child...
child?
Could it be that the "Lin'er" she was calling out for was her child? Did she dream about giving birth?
The man holding her fell into deep thought.
He thought that if things hadn't changed and he hadn't fallen for Ji Wanyuan, he would have reported the shady dealings he'd discovered in the Ji family to the court, and by the time the Ji family ran into trouble, Ji Wanyuan would definitely have given birth.
So, the name she was calling out could very well be the child's?
He then thought of something else: he had previously discussed the child with Ji Wanyuan, and she had been very certain that it was a boy.
Even though she brushed him off by saying she didn't like boys, and even brought up that his mother, Madam Wen, wanted a grandson to succeed the eldest son of the main branch, so she assumed it was a boy to fob him off, he still found it strange and thus remained suspicious.
Ji Wanyuan's tone at the time was as if she had known in advance that the child in her womb would be a boy.
Was it because of her dream?
If it was because of a dream, then it was definitely not the first time she had this dream, otherwise she would not have thought that way.
What interrupted his thoughts was the sudden trembling of the person in his arms. She seemed to be dreaming of some bloody scene again, and she kept snuggling into his arms.
If his clothes hadn't been made of high-quality material, they probably would have been torn to shreds by her.
He pulled her closer and continued to coax her in her ear.
In her dream, Ji Wanyuan was extremely heartbroken and felt like someone was talking to her. She couldn't hear what it was, but the tone was gentle and soothed her. Moreover, when she looked down, she saw that she had regained her strength and could float faster.
Jade's body was quickly carried away. Since her mistress was dead, Jade's fate was not good either. The servants of the Wen family were sycophantic and servile. Madam Wen said she would find someone to bury her, but these old women had embezzled money and actually wanted to throw Jade into a mass grave.
It was only through the remaining old women of the Ji family pooling their savings and humbly borrowing some money that they were able to afford a thin coffin for Emerald and erect a wooden plaque.
After seeing the jade buried, Ji Wanyuan floated to the execution ground, but there was nothing there anymore. The officials who had beheaded her were cleaning the execution platform. She didn't see her parents, but she saw bloodstains that hadn't been swept away and had flowed all over the steps.
It must be her parents, her family members from the Ji family.
Ji Wanyuan stood there crying for a long time, and knelt there for a long time.
I don't know how much time passed, but it was raining in my dream, the sound of the rain pattering down.
When she came to her senses, the scene around her was blurry, and the red bloodstains in front of her had turned into a glaring wedding ribbon.
According to the surrounding people, the Wen family and the Lin family have formed a marriage alliance.
Right, she remembered now. In the story, Wen Qiyan married a woman from the Lin family the following year, and they were about to grow old together in harmony.
Time flies when you're in a dream. When I first learned of the ending, it all flashed by quickly, and I only had a general idea of what happened.
Now, she felt as if she were there in person, seeing the Lin family's bridal sedan chair being carried to the Wen family, just like the day she married Wen Qiyan.
She shouldn't have gone; going would only have added to her troubles and anger, but she still floated there.
Because she wanted to know more clues, and besides, her child, her precious son, was still at the Wen family mansion.
Now that she can dream today, she must remember to dig into more details and see if there is anything that can help her.
Ji Wanyuan hadn't expected that the originally harmonious wedding scene would turn out to be somewhat awkward.
The reason was simple: she didn't see Wen Qiyan at the entire wedding banquet.
Lin Nianxi actually married a rooster.
Where did Wen Qiyan die? Or did Wen's father fail to notify him properly again?
After the bride was escorted to the bridal chamber, Ji Wanyuan finally saw Wen Qiyan, who had floated over with his father.
He stayed at another private residence in the capital and did not return.
This house belongs to Wen Qiyan. She has never been here before and is now looking around while listening to the two talking.
"What brings Father here?" Wen Qiyan asked coldly.
Wen's father's voice was also cold. He asked Wen Qiyan if he knew how important today was, and how he could run away from the wedding and embarrass the Lin family.
Wen Qiyan's answer was irrelevant, and his words were highly offensive, even somewhat rebellious.
"Father is so pleased with the Lin family girl and has been arranging this marriage behind my back. Why don't you marry her yourself? I see you are busy all day long and have a lot of energy. Even though you are getting old, you can definitely handle it."
Mr. Wen was so angry that his face turned green, and he cursed his son as an unfilial son.
Wen Qiyan scoffed at his father's fury and dismissed him, saying, "It's getting late, so I won't keep you any longer, Father."
"You must come back with me today!" Father Wen's tone was very firm.
Wen Qiyan, however, didn't take it seriously at all. "Is that so? Father wants to fight his son?"
Wen Qiyan raised his eyes, and Ji Wanyuan, who was floating beside him, saw that the coldness in his eyes was extremely obvious, as if he was waiting for Wen's father to make a move, and he was not afraid of him at all.
After a long stalemate, neither of them made a move.
Wen's father stormed off in anger, while Wen Qiyan continued with his work expressionlessly.
Ji Wanyuan wanted to know what he was busy with, watching so intently, still working at his desk late at night, and tried to go over and take a look.
Wen Qiyan was on guard. She hadn't expected to see anything suspicious, but she still noticed something. The files on the table were actually related to the Ji family, and next to them was a list of officials who had impeached the Ji family.
She stared at it for a long time, originally intending to write it down, but after glancing at it, she realized that there was no need to write it down at all. The Ji family was in decline, and when the wall fell, everyone kicked it. Basically, all the court officials had impeached the Ji family.
Instead of remembering this, she should just write down who hasn't impeached the Ji family before; that would be much quicker.
Ji Wanyuan sighed inwardly. When her gaze shifted, she noticed the dates on the screen and realized that more than a year had passed.
The file remained untouched for a long time. She unconsciously looked up at the man, only to find that Wen Qiyan was staring at the shadows of the trees outside.
She had seen that same gaze not long after her death, in the Wen family's south study, when he confronted Wen's father.
But what exactly is Wen Qiyan looking at?
He seemed somewhat lost in thought, but more like he was deep in contemplation. His gaze was complex, and his eyes were deep, making it impossible for Ji Wanyuan to understand him clearly.
She stared at him for a long time, and just when she was at a loss and assumed that Wen Qiyan was just tired from working at his desk and wanted to look outside, she suddenly remembered something. She used to like to sneak up on the door frame, stick half her head out, and suddenly appear to call him husband, and even bring him soup to ask how he was doing.
Wen Qiyan allowed her to come to the study in order to get closer to her, but after getting information out of her, he started saying that the study was busy with official business and that she was pregnant, so she should go back and rest.
At that time, she was unaware of the truth and was unwilling to leave. She asked someone to move a chaise longue and then moved to rest under the shade of a tree in the courtyard. He looked at the tree shadow, could he be thinking of her?
Soon, Ji Wanyuan shook off her thoughts.
How could Wen Qiyan possibly miss her? He was probably just tired and wanted to take a break.
He won't miss her.
If you miss her, why don't you go to pay your respects to her or visit her?
Not only did he not go, but he also didn't inquire about her whereabouts. They say even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness, and she at least gave him a child.
Sigh, no matter how I think about it, it's not worth it.
Ji Wanyuan sighed inwardly, not planning to stay here for long. The previous dream story was not detailed enough, and she thought the two of them were getting married sweetly, but they were actually in cahoots!
Unexpectedly, Wen Qiyan has no feelings for Lin Nianxi at all? Isn't she the apple of his eye? Could it be that she has misunderstood?
Was this entire marriage orchestrated by Wen's parents and the Lin family?
She wanted to drift back to see the joke of Lin Nianxi being all alone in her empty room.
She drifted away too quickly, turning around without a second thought, so naturally no one knew what happened after she left.
The man's gaze, which had been fixed on him for so long, suddenly became unfocused. His thin lips moved slightly, and he murmured something involuntarily.
"Ji Wanyuan, don't you hate me? Why don't you come back and torment me..."
"..."
Inside the Wen family's bridal chamber, Ji Wanyuan wandered around, looking at everything. She couldn't help but feel disgusted; it was far worse than her own wedding! It was all leftovers, things she didn't want!
What impressed her even more was that Lin Nianxi was so calm and composed, without any of the crying and tantrums she had imagined.
Sigh, I can't even enjoy the jokes anymore.
She lingered for a short while before drifting away again. Just before she was about to leave, she suddenly heard her maid talking to Lin Nianxi about her son.
"When would you like to deal with the child, Miss?"
Lin Nianxi, who had just lifted her veil, said without a hurry, "My parents didn't administer enough medicine back then. It's a real pity they didn't kill this bastard along with Ji Wanyuan."
"But it doesn't matter, what is there to fear from an infant in swaddling clothes?"
As she spoke, she laughed.
Ji Wanyuan was stunned, as if she had been struck by a club.
Was her difficult childbirth not an accident?
-----------------------
Author's Note: Here it is!
As usual, 50 lucky red envelopes will be randomly given away! [glasses]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
