Chapter 115: A Terrifying Dream During Pregnancy
The night was deep and all was quiet. In the inner room of the Duke of Zhenguo's residence, only a floor lamp in the corner emitted a dim, soft glow, illuminating the sleeping figure on the bed.
Su Wanrou, however, slept very restlessly.
In her dream, she returned to that bitterly cold winter hunting day. The horses neighed wildly, the ride was violent, the wind howled in her ears, and she gripped the horse's mane tightly until her knuckles turned white. Fear, like icy vines, coiled around her heart, almost suffocating her.
Suddenly, the scene shifted. She was walking alone on an unfamiliar palace path shrouded in thick fog, the surroundings eerily silent except for the sound of her own frantic heartbeat. She kept walking, but couldn't find an exit. It was as if countless eyes were watching her from the fog, filled with malice.
"Husband... Mingxuan..." she cried out helplessly, but her voice seemed to be swallowed by the mist and could not be heard.
Immediately afterwards, a sharp, throbbing pain shot through her abdomen! She looked down and was horrified to see bright red blood trickling down her skirt, staining the bluestone slabs beneath her feet.
"My child! My child!" Overwhelmed by fear, she collapsed to the ground, clutching her stomach, as a chilling coldness washed over her from all sides.
"No--!"
A suppressed scream shattered the stillness of the night. Su Wanrou sat bolt upright on the couch, her chest heaving, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, even the back of her undergarment was soaked. She instinctively reached for her lower abdomen, feeling the still-flat yet undeniably real curve, and her wildly beating heart calmed slightly. But the terror from her dream lingered, making her feel cold all over and tremble uncontrollably.
"Wanrou?"
Almost simultaneously, Gu Yangui's sleepy, slightly hoarse voice came from beside her, but it quickly turned into full wakefulness and tension. He quickly got up, his strong arm encircling her trembling shoulders, and his other hand precisely covered her hand that was tightly clutching her lower abdomen, his palm warm and dry.
"Had a nightmare?" he asked softly, his heart tightening as he saw her pale face and terrified eyes in the dim light. Since she became pregnant, she had occasionally experienced discomfort, but she had never woken up as startled as she had tonight.
Su Wanrou, as if grasping at a lifeline, turned and threw herself into his arms, pressing her cheek tightly against his warm chest. Listening to his steady, strong heartbeat, her cold body gradually regained some warmth. Her voice choked with sobs and lingering fear, she said, "Husband... I dreamt... I dreamt that the baby was gone... so much blood..."
Upon hearing this, Gu Yangui tightened his arms, holding her tightly in his embrace. His chin rested gently on the top of her head, and his voice was more tender and soothing than ever before: "Silly girl, it's just a dream. Dreams are always the opposite of reality. Look, our baby is doing well inside. Didn't Physician Zhou say yesterday that the pregnancy is much more stable?"
His large hand gently stroked her still flat belly, the movements clumsy yet full of tenderness. That day, the imperial physician said that the fetus was still small and might not be able to feel fetal movement, but he stubbornly believed that his child could feel his father's comfort.
"But...I'm scared..." Su Wanrou said sullenly in his arms. The scene in the dream was too real, and the heart-wrenching pain of loss seemed to still linger.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here." Gu Yangui's voice was deep and firm, carrying a reassuring power. "I, Gu Yangui, hereby swear that I will protect you and our child. No demons or monsters will be able to harm you in the slightest."
He rarely spoke such harsh words, and even less so expressed his emotions so directly. But at this moment, listening to his wife's fragile and helpless sobs in his arms, feeling her body trembling slightly, all the composure and self-control he had cultivated in the court and the military camp crumbled, leaving only a man's instinct to protect his wife and children.
"Qingdai," he called out, his voice not loud, but clearly carried to the outside.
Qingdai, who was on night duty, had already been awakened and immediately brought in a cup of warm calming tea upon hearing the noise. Gu Yangui took the teacup, tested the temperature, and then carefully offered it to Su Wanrou's lips: "Drink some calming tea to calm your mind."
Su Wanrou took small sips of the warm tea from his hand. The sweet honey flavor mixed with the faint aroma of herbs relaxed her tense nerves a little.
After finishing her tea, Gu Yangui gently helped her back onto the pillow and tucked her in. But he didn't lie down himself; instead, he leaned against the headboard so she could comfortably rest her head on his lap. He continued to gently and rhythmically pat her back with one hand, as if soothing a frightened cub.
"Sleep now, I'll stay with you," he whispered.
Su Wanrou looked up at him. In the dim light, the sharp lines of his face appeared much softer, and his usually sharp and deep eyes were now filled with a tenderness and affection she had never seen before. She suddenly felt that the undercurrents hidden beneath their peaceful life no longer seemed so frightening.
“Husband,” she called softly, with a hint of dependence, “tell me a story, just like you told Mingxuan.” She knew he often told Mingxuan interesting stories from the army or strange tales.
Gu Yangui was taken aback. A grown man who had shed blood on the battlefield, how could he possibly tell stories to lull someone to sleep? The stories he told Mingxuan were mostly simplified versions of military strategy and heroic legends. But seeing his wife's expectant eyes, he hesitated for a moment before speaking:
“Alright. Then tell me about something I saw when I first went to the North with the army when I was young.” His voice was deep and calm, and it was particularly clear in the quiet night.
"The skies of the North are high and blue. There is an eagle called the gyrfalcon, with wings as white as snow. It flies extremely high, with sharp eyes, and is the most valiant hunter on the grasslands. But they are extremely loyal to their mates. Once they form a pair, they will never leave each other for life. If one of them meets with misfortune, the other will circle and cry mournfully for a long time, and may even starve itself to stay with it..."
He spoke of the vast grasslands of the North, the brilliant starry nights, and the songs soldiers sang around the campfire, deliberately avoiding the bloody and brutal scenes of war. His stories were not vivid, even somewhat straightforward, but his steady tone was like the best soothing melody.
Su Wanrou rested her head on his lap, listening to his steady heartbeat and deep voice. The comforting, cool scent of his body lingered around her nose. The fear brought by the nightmare gradually dissipated, replaced by a deep sense of security and drowsiness. She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes like two small fans, casting faint shadows beneath them.
Sensing her relaxation and gradually calming breathing, Gu Yangui's voice also softened. He looked down at his wife's peaceful sleeping face, his fingertips gently brushing her slightly damp temples, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
He knew her nightmares weren't unfounded. Her forced composure during the day, the hidden anxieties, had finally manifested as terrifying nightmares in the stillness of the night. He wasn't strong enough; that's why she, pregnant, had to live in fear.
He vowed once again in his heart that he must find the mastermind behind this as soon as possible, completely eliminate this potential danger, and give her a truly peaceful pregnancy.
He sat there quietly, watching over her for most of the night, until the sky turned a hazy gray before carefully moving her head onto the pillow. He then lay down beside her, fully clothed, still maintaining a vigilant posture.
The next morning, when Su Wanrou woke up, the bedside was empty, but the warmth and scent of Gu Yangui still lingered on the sheets. She recalled the nightmare of the previous night and her husband's gentle comfort, and her heart softened.
Qingdai came in to help with washing up, and said with a smile, "Madam is awake? The Duke went to court before dawn. Before he left, he specifically instructed that you should sleep a little longer this morning and that no one should disturb you. He also said that he would definitely come back to have lunch with you before lunch."
Su Wanrou nodded, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack. The sun had just cleared after the snow, and its rays shone brightly on the pristine white snow. The shadow of her nightmare seemed to gradually dissipate in the sunlight, under her husband's silent protection.
She knew that there might still be storms ahead, but as long as she and her husband were of one mind, they would have nothing to fear.
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