17 Dreams
Last night, the wind blew, but the grass didn't move.
Silence reigned all around. A black veil covered the full moon in the sky. The dark night and high winds were the perfect time for demons and monsters to come out and roam.
Qi Gu leaned against her father, her eyes half-closed. She was exhausted from traveling all day, but her mind was filled with thoughts of "Sister Cheng" and Sima Hong's purpose for this trip, so she couldn't fall asleep.
The wind rustled through the dense bushes around them, and Qi Gu sat up straight, looking around warily.
Just as she was about to relax, realizing it was just a rustling of wind and no one was around, she heard footsteps behind her.
Qi Gu turned around and saw Sima Hong walking towards her. In the hazy moonlight, he made her feel dizzy for a moment, as if she had returned to the days after she and he got married.
She would always sit by the window, watching him walk through the veranda and return under the moonlight. He was a man of exceptional talent and beauty, with a face of unparalleled elegance. Unfortunately, such a person's heart was hard to fathom.
One moment he could promise to grow old with her, the next he could coldly order the arrows to be fired, letting a rain of arrows hurtle towards his wife.
Qi Gu withdrew her gaze, and Sima Hong sat down on the rock beside her. His deep voice rang out in the darkness:
"You're not asleep yet." It wasn't a question, it was a statement; he must have just noticed her wariness.
The person beside him acted as if this wasn't the middle of nowhere, but his own mansion.
Seeing this, Qi Gu stopped pretending to be asleep and whispered, "It's always good to be vigilant when you're out and about."
"A cautious young lady, but you must sleep no matter what. Sleeping is the mark of a good girl, otherwise you will see things you shouldn't see."
Qi Gu looked at Sima Hong with horror. He tilted his head slightly, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, a forced smile on his face. Dressed in a white robe, he looked sinister and eerie in the night.
His words were chilling. Had her vigilance disrupted his plans? Was he telling her to sleep and not to look at things she shouldn't?
Qi Gu hugged her knees, pulled them in a little, and deliberately yawned, "I'm sleepy. Please make yourself at home, Lord Sima. I'm going to sleep."
She turned her face toward her father, closed her eyes, and gently leaned against his arm. Only when she was with her father did she feel her heartbeat calm down.
She thought she had slept as the man had asked, but his gaze was always on her from behind, making her feel uneasy.
She dared not ask any further questions and resolved to stay further away from Sima Hong, to respect and fear him, and to be like everyone else, with eyes full of admiration for such an outstanding young man, so as not to arouse his suspicion.
Qi Gu was in turmoil, and she closed her eyes and gradually fell asleep.
All around were red fires, occasionally crackling and popping as branches burst open. It was the middle of the night, and everyone around was asleep.
Even Sima Hong sat with his eyes closed beside Qi Gu, seemingly having fallen asleep as well.
The man in the prison cart opened his eyes, the black cloth covering his eyes gently slipping off. He looked up at the stars and moon in the sky, calculating the time. It was the first quarter of the third watch. He scanned his surroundings, his gaze finally settling on two figures huddled together.
It really is Aunt Qi! How could she be here? Her beautiful brows and eyes were tightly furrowed. She hadn't been worried even after being captured, but seeing Aunt Qi, she couldn't help but worry about the safety of the others.
Chen Zhan had many doubts in his heart, but then he smiled easily.
It's alright. He has lost too much since childhood. This time, being able to take away something he desires is perhaps the only mercy God has shown him.
As the morning sun rose, it shone on Qi Gu's face. She was in a dream, as if she were being watched by something. She wanted to run, but her legs felt like they were frozen, and she couldn't move at all.
Something lunged at her from behind. She couldn't run away, so she could only turn around to see what was staring at her. It was Sima Hong!
With his gloomy eyes, he held a bow and arrow, pointing it directly at her. "No, no, don't kill me!" Qi Gu cried out, but Sima Hong looked at her with bloodlust, then revealed a cold smile. She felt her heart freeze at that smile.
"Bang!" He released the arrow!
"No!" Qi Gu shuddered and woke up from her dream just before the arrow pierced her heart.
She patted her pounding heart, felt a gaze on her head, looked up, and almost shouted: Don't kill me!
Fortunately, she held back; what had just happened was just a dream. She stood up and moved away from Sima Hong's line of sight. "Why is Lord Sima staring at me like that? You startled me."
She was afraid of him; she had been afraid of him from the very beginning. This fear was hidden in her obvious resentment and disgust towards herself.
Sima Hong looked at Qi Gu's face, which was rather ordinary to him. Her skin was dark, and her round face had a touch of childishness, but her eyes were clear. The emotions in her eyes were like pebbles in a clear stream, layered and crystal clear under the sunlight, and could be seen through at a glance.
Sima Hong recalled his dream, in which he saw her being shot by an arrow, and saw her wearing a peach-colored blouse, like a wounded butterfly, helplessly struggling and falling to the ground.
In that instant, he could see the sadness in her eyes, the disbelief in her eyes as she looked at him, and the long arrow piercing her heart.
Sima Hong woke up with a start. The person beside him was still fast asleep. He stared at her face, which was somewhat similar to her appearance in his dream, yet also somewhat different.
In her dream, her skin was even whiter, and her clothes and appearance were more like those of a princess, a princess who had gotten married.
She got married? Who did she marry, and why did he kill her?
Sima Hong stared at Qi Gu, who was still asleep, for an unknown amount of time.
Behind him, Axiang and Atai watched their master staring at a sleeping young woman, quite puzzled. "Atai, do you think the young master has fallen for that young lady?"
Atai stroked his chin. "Impossible. How could someone like my husband fall for a country bumpkin? How could she be worthy of him?"
"Atai, you don't understand. When it comes to love, there's no such thing as being a good match or not, there's only... hehe..."
Atai looked at Axiang with a lewd grin and asked, "What does 'hehe' mean?"
"Hehe means something that cannot be said, it can only be understood but not explained."
Atai didn't take it seriously, "My lord would never fall for a woman like that. There are so many noble ladies in the capital, some virtuous and some beautiful. How could my lord possibly be interested in such an unremarkable woman of unknown origin?"
Ah Xiang looked at Ah Tai's simple-minded face and said, "Just wait and see, you'll understand when you grow up."
Qi Gu woke up with a start, and then saw the person who was going to shoot her in her dream standing in front of her, staring at her with an unreadable gaze for an unknown period of time.
Startled, she took several steps back. Sima Hong looked at her intently and asked, "Aunt Qi, are you afraid of me?"
"No!" Qi Gu's voice was a bit loud, waking up Li Shi, who was sleeping soundly beside her.
He rubbed his eyes and looked at his daughter standing a few meters away from Sima Langjun, her face showing a look of shock.
"Qi Gu, Sima Langjun, what's wrong with you two?"
Qi Gu realized that her reaction was too strong, so she quickly said, "It's nothing. I was just half asleep and thought this was my home. When I saw Lord Sima, I didn't recognize him for a moment." She turned to Sima Hong and smiled awkwardly, "Please don't take offense, Lord Sima."
His laughter was more like a grimace than a cry. Sima Hong thought of that absurd dream. He never believed in ghosts or gods, and that dream was even more ridiculous.
"Now that you're awake, we should get ready to leave."
Sima Hong left, leaving behind Qi Gu and Li Shi. Li Shi looked at Sima Hong's departing figure and asked, "Qi Gu, are you and Sima Langjun really alright?"
"No, what could possibly be wrong?"
“You always act strangely when you're around Sima Hong. Do you like him?” Li Shi thought. If that were true, that would be good too. With Sima Hong’s looks, what woman wouldn’t be attracted? “A beautiful young man is a woman’s ideal. Qi Gu, don’t be shy. Father understands, he understands.”
“Father, what are you saying? How could I like him? Lord Sima is worlds apart from me. If I were to be with him, I would not be a good match.”
“You can’t say that. If it’s really just a matter of identity, your father can always try to help you. Besides, Aunt Qi, you…”
"What about me?"
Li Shi kept everyone in suspense and said, "It's nothing. Anyway, if you really like her, go for it. Your father will take care of all your worries."
Fearing that her father might have misunderstood something, Qi Gu solemnly said, "Father, I would never like Sima Hong." Afraid that her father wouldn't believe her, she added, "I like the strong type, and someone like Lord Sima is not strong enough."
"Alright then, anyway, Aunt Qi, if you really want to be... be a little bolder."
Li Shi went to the river to wash up. He felt really uncomfortable sleeping on the stone bench all night, so he needed to catch up on his sleep in the carriage.
Sima Hong glanced at Qi Gu, who was slowly boarding the carriage, then looked back at the person in the prison cart. Just like yesterday, he sat quietly in the prison cart.
Ah Xiang stepped forward and said to Sima Hong, "My lord, last night, the wind blew, but the grass didn't move."
"Oh, really? That's interesting. It seems they have a new plan." Sima Hong said dismissively.
"So, do we continue to wait?"
"Of course, if we can't wipe them all out, then this trip to Fanyue Mountain will be pointless. Tell them to keep an eye on them."
"yes."
A horse-drawn carriage followed by a prison cart and a group of twenty or thirty soldiers entered Peng County.
This group of people, along with a handsome young man on horseback, attracted the attention of the people on the street as soon as they entered Peng County.
Qi Gu lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked out at the bustling streets and the crowds of people who stopped to look at them.
Thinking back to her past life, she had passed through Peng County on her way back to the capital from Lijia Village, but at that time their group kept a low profile and only passed through Peng County to stay for one night.
The prefect of Peng County was very respectful to her, probably because her identity had not yet been recognized by the royal family. He simply sent people to arrange accommodations for them and gave them some gold and silver jewelry, which she refused. He didn't say anything more and sent them away the next day.
Peng County was very prosperous. Compared to Huai County, where Li Family Village was located, Peng County was second only to the current capital, Chang'an.
Peng County was once the capital of the previous dynasty. The second emperor of the previous dynasty was extremely extravagant and built a luxurious palace called Zhangsheng Palace. Later, the people of the world could no longer bear the tyranny, and uprisings broke out in various places.
Prince Chen raised an army, stormed into Zhangsheng Palace, burned, killed, and looted, and then set fire to the palace, which had cost an immeasurable amount of gold, silver, sweat, and blood to build.
Qi Gu had heard from two palace maids sent to fetch her in her previous life that Prince Chen had stolen countless treasures from Zhang Sheng Palace, and these treasures were said to still be missing.
Today, Zhangsheng Palace no longer exists, and King Chen, who burned it down, has been defeated and committed suicide. Now, only a city called Pengjun has been revitalized by the new dynasty.
[Author's Note]
Sima Hong: It feels like something is growing out of my head.
Author: Maybe I'm just love-struck
Qi Gu: I hope it's not because you're in love with me, I just want to farm!
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