Er kämpft in allen Himmeln und unzähligen Welten

Kapitel 6

He whispered in my ear again, "Peace, peace."

I wanted to answer him, but I couldn't muster the strength. Suddenly, I felt a warmth on my body. He had opened his shirt and wrapped me in his arms, pressing me against his chest. He was very hot, his heart was pounding, and the place where our skin touched was almost burning hot, so hot that I jolted and opened my eyes wide.

I was startled to see his heart beating so fast, even though it was only the second time I'd felt it. It made me realize that I wasn't the only one who had been through so much today—327 in total! He must have been incredibly anxious and tormented for a long time.

Thinking of this, I felt a pang of pity. He had a very pleasant scent, not the ambergris that burned in various palaces, nor the herbal fragrance that I often wore on my clothes. It was clean and fresh, like the scent of trees. It reminded me of the towering trees in the Imperial Garden and the Five Animal Exercises in the shade of the trees.

Those lazy afternoons in the shade of the trees, which I used to think were endless and boring, now seem so enjoyable.

Not knowing how to comfort him, I rubbed my face against him, trying to think of how to start the conversation, when I heard his voice above me again.

"Ping An, don't sleep. There'll be food outside, a pound of beef, okay?"

Oh no, I'm so weak, how can I withstand this kind of stimulation? After hearing those four words, I unconsciously stopped everything and started drooling.

~~ ...

Hai: Ping An, I'm going to take you to eat a pound of beef, aren't you happy?

Ping An: ...Get lost! Did you take me to eat here? Don't you dare sit at the table, and don't you dare narrate either.

Narrator: What did I do to offend you...?

Chapter 18

A cool breeze blew behind my head. I turned my head to look. I had been buried in Ji Feng's arms, in complete darkness, but suddenly I saw light, faintly visible, right in front of me.

Finally, we were able to leave this awful place. I should have been happy, but I felt complicated. I didn't feel particularly joyful. I turned around and looked at the darkness we had left behind, and a strange sense of reluctance arose in my heart.

The world is vast, but there are actually very few places where only the two of us are together.

At the end of the passage, the monsoon leaped up, revealing an exit above, hidden by lush foliage. Emerging from there, one found himself in a forest, the ground covered with countless fallen leaves, piled up thickly, untouched for who knows how long, rustling softly underfoot.

The sunlight shone brightly down, and I, having been in the darkness for so long, couldn't open my eyes for a moment.

The monsoon is calling me again, "Peace, peace?"

I like it when he calls me that, and I really want him to keep calling me that, but I'm afraid he'll worry, so I just agree. Not only do I agree, but I also remind him of that.

"One pound of beef."

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, then continued forward. The woods were small and surrounded by walls, like an abandoned garden of some wealthy family. After turning two corners, a small ancestral hall appeared, dilapidated with its doors and windows tightly shut. He led me inside, put me down, looked around, and then went into the inner hall alone.

I didn't understand what he meant, and sat on the threshold in confusion, but he soon came back with a small bottle in his hand. He walked over to me, squatted down, and said something to me.

"Have some first."

I took it and saw that his previously open collar had been closed up, and I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Springtime has vanished so quickly; the monsoon is so stingy.

He opened the small bottle for me, and a strong smell of alcohol hit me. I lowered my head and remained silent for a moment, then looked at him very clearly as I spoke.

"Ji Feng, I know what a restaurant looks like, don't lie to me."

He looked quite helpless, but still explained to me, "You've been hungry for too long and caught a chill, so your blood circulation is poor. Drink some wine first to improve your blood flow before you go out. Also, these clothes won't do; you need to change them before you can go out."

It was rare for him to say so much in one go, and I cherished the moment. Most importantly, I could tell that he still wanted to take me to the restaurant. I was so satisfied that I took a sip from the small bottle.

I also drank wine in the palace. My favorite was the pear blossom wine from Chengzhou, which had a sweet, mellow, and lingering flavor. But this wine was much stronger than I had imagined. One sip and it burned like fire from the tip of my tongue to my chest. I was caught off guard and coughed repeatedly, my face turning red.

"Drink slowly, this wine is potent. I didn't expect to find another bottle." His lips twitched as if he were smiling, but it was so fleeting that I didn't even have time to see it clearly.

Ah, I'm used to it. Beautiful things never last; colorful clouds easily disperse, and glass is fragile...

The ancestral hall was extremely quiet. Sunlight streamed in through the torn window paper, illuminating the dancing dust motes in the air. I knew how potent this wine was, so from the second sip onward, I sipped it very slowly, gradually becoming genuinely happy. I felt as if everything before me was shrouded in a hazy light, even the monsoon.

He produced a package from somewhere and was opening it to examine its contents very carefully. His silhouette was exceptionally beautiful in the light and shadow. I was watching him intently when he suddenly spoke, "Don't drink too much, or you'll get drunk."

Monsoons are monsoons, they have eyes in the back of their heads. I'm convinced, and I obediently put down that little wine bottle.

He turned around and walked over, holding a stack of clothes in his hand. He put them down in front of me without saying a word, then stepped out and closed the door behind him.

I naturally understood immediately; I knew he wanted me to change out of my palace dress. Ji Feng was so thoughtful; he had prepared everything.

The ancestral hall was unusually quiet. I began to unbutton my palace robes. It was a pity that I had never put on or taken off these things by myself before. Usually, the maids and servants would open my clothes and I could just reach in. Today, I had to rely on myself. The more anxious I became, the more confused I got. After a while, I was sweating profusely and extremely irritable. I couldn't help but stomp my feet and call out to him.

"Monsoon, monsoon!"

The door opened, and he seemed to appear before me in an instant, but then he leaped backward a great distance, turned around, and stood with his back to me in the desolate garden, refusing to look back.

I was startled and looked down at myself, wondering if I had suddenly transformed because I had been spending so much time with the monsters. But all I saw was a mess of clothes. Because of the haphazard tearing earlier, my front had fallen to my waist, revealing the embroidered inner lining made of silk satin, which was also in a mess. Everything was in complete chaos.

I suddenly realized that he must have been frightened by me. The number one princess of the Celestial Empire suddenly turned into the number one unrestrained woman of the Celestial Empire. No wonder Ji Feng was startled.

"What a misunderstanding!" I sighed. I was tired of standing, so I sat down and, nestled among the pile of brocade fabrics, said, "Ji Feng, we're in a bit of trouble. I just want to tell you that I won't take off these clothes, and even if I did, I wouldn't wear them."

~~ ...

Hai: Ping'an, the palace is so boring. I want Jifeng to take you traveling, to wander the world, drink some wine, feel the breeze, and see the vast land. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Ping An: ...Excuse me, where is my beef? Also, what are you trying to do by making me feel like I'm not wearing anything or taking my clothes off?

Narrator: Ping An, you're drunk. Why are you talking so much nonsense with this woman…

Chapter 19

After I said that, we both fell silent.

Actually, we both ran out of things to say. Although I am always confident and assertive, not knowing how to put on and take off clothes is not something to brag about. I've said it once, so naturally I can't announce it to the world again and again.

As for Ji Feng, he remained standing there in the same posture, his back stiff, as if he intended to stand there until the end of time.

Fine, if the mountain won't come to me, I'll come to the mountain. I tugged at my skirt and stood up, deciding to walk over by myself. But suddenly, my vision blurred as Ji Feng leaped back, closing the door behind him as swiftly as the wind.

I was overjoyed and was about to speak when I realized he wasn't looking at me at all. His face was turned away in another direction, his eyes were closed, but his hand landed precisely on my body, starting from my collar and running down my body. Wherever his fingers touched, the intricate silk knots and fine silver buttons instantly shattered. In the blink of an eye, the cumbersome palace dress that had bothered me for so long fell off my body, scattering silk and satin all over the ground.

This garment was extremely cumbersome. I found it tedious and inconvenient to move around in when the maids helped me put it on. Now, seeing Ji Feng destroy it completely in an instant, I felt a surge of joy and couldn't help but praise him.

"Ji Feng, you're amazing."

A corner of his perfect profile cracked, but he still refused to look at me, only saying, "Turn around, I'll help you get dressed."

Of course I obeyed. As I turned around, I glanced at the pale white undershirt I was wearing and felt quite wistful.

Although I expected him to do this, not even glancing at me was still a bit of a blow to my pride...

Ji Feng was indeed amazing; he could put my clothes on even with his eyes closed. I would look up at him from time to time. The doors and windows of the ancestral hall were tightly closed, and the light was dim. His face seemed to glow in the shadows. Because his eyes were closed, his eyelashes cast a dense shadow that trembled slightly in the light and shadow.

His fingers moved over my body, and because I couldn't see, he was even more careful. Ji Feng was highly skilled in martial arts, and I didn't know how much strength he possessed with his fingers and palms, but at this moment he was so careful as to dress me in the simplest of clothes. After tying the last knot, he finally opened his eyes, looked at me, and said, "All done."

I felt happy and looked down at myself, only to find that no matter how beautiful the clothes were, none could compare to the one I was wearing.

He looked me up and down, then bent down to adjust my belt. I looked up to talk to him, and our cheeks brushed against each other. It was burning hot. I was startled and reached out to touch his face.

"Ji Feng, what's wrong?"

He leaned back abruptly, as if my fingers were covered in thorns.

His actions made me even more flustered. Just as I was about to ask him for confirmation again, he turned around to deal with the pile of brocade and silk on the ground, refusing to look at me again.

The burning sensation on my cheeks was still there. I reached out to touch my face and gradually realized what was happening. All I could do was grin foolishly.

He burned the pile of clothes in the courtyard, buried the ashes in the soil, and in the blink of an eye, everything was gone without a trace. I sat on the threshold of the ancestral hall, holding my face in my hands and watching him, occasionally tugging at the hem of the new clothes, feeling very satisfied.

He took quite a while to do this, especially when burying the ashes. He stared at the ground in silence for a long time. I didn't say anything, just watched his every move. It was unusual for me to be so quiet. Ji Feng seemed quite uncomfortable with this. After finally walking back to my side, he lowered his head and asked me, "Are you starving?"

I blinked and shook my head. "It's okay, I'll wait for you to finish."

He was grabbing something wrapped in a strip of cloth from the doorway and carrying it on his back. Hearing this, his lips softened, he patted my head, and said, "Good boy."

Before, in the stone chamber, that guy named Ozu had touched my head like that too. I was so angry at the time that I gritted my teeth. When Jifeng did the same thing, something inside me melted away and flowed everywhere.

Seeing that I was silent again, he didn't ask any more questions, but bent down to hug me and whispered in my ear.

"Ready? Let's go."

I leaned on his shoulder, hugged his neck, and pressed my face against his warm neck. He turned and walked away. At the last moment, I looked back at the desolate courtyard. Through the messy grass and trees, the ancestral hall looked even more dilapidated. Half of the plaque hung crookedly, and several large black characters were covered by thick dust, making it impossible to see what was written on it.

The wind whistled in my ears again. Ji Feng was incredibly agile, leaping over the ten-foot-high wall in an instant. The sunlight was dazzling, and the blue sky and white clouds flashed by. I hastily closed my eyes, feeling only regret, regret for taking that extra glance.

~~ ...

Ping An: There are some things I really don't want to know...

Hai: Then don't say it out loud, just pretend you don't know. Those who don't know are happier, lalala!

P.S.: I haven't even written about beef yet, and I've broken my promise again... If there's no beef in the next chapter, you can eat me!

——||

Chapter 20

The monsoon took me to another world.

After climbing over the wall, the monsoon did not take me to the folk streets I had imagined. Instead, it flew over the undulating rooftops without touching the ground, not afraid of being seen.

Sometimes people think they are a bird, and then naturally assume that others will think they are a bird too.

I knew in my heart that he was worried I was too hungry and wanted to get to the restaurant quickly. But the few sips of wine I had drunk earlier were like a magic potion; I felt no hunger at all. I opened my mouth, wanting to suggest that we walk around on all fours and let me see what the legendary folk life was really like. But the monsoon was too fast, and my mouth was filled with wind as soon as I opened it, and I couldn't utter a single word.

A moment later, Ji Feng leaped off the rooftop. Below was a quiet alley. He bent down and put me down, saying, "We're here."

Have we arrived? I looked around the narrow alley in confusion, only to see that he had already taken a step forward, then turned to the side and stretched out a hand to me.

I placed my hand in his palm. His fingers were long, and because of his years of martial arts training, the edges of his palms were covered with thin calluses. They rubbed against my skin, causing a slight tingling and itching sensation, but also a warm feeling.

I liked this feeling and didn't want to let go. I tightened my grip on the edge of his hand, and he must have noticed me. He looked down at me with gentle eyes and said, "No rush, it's just a few steps."

He misunderstood. Actually, I no longer care how long the journey is; it doesn't matter when we arrive.

The alley was long and narrow, with uneven cobblestones on the ground, a far cry from the smooth surfaces I was used to. I walked slowly, but he didn't rush me. He just held my hand and walked beside me.

As you walk further, you hear more noise. Sure enough, at the end of the alley is a bustling street, and on the side there is a cloth flag fluttering in the wind with the words "Taibai Restaurant" written on it.

The restaurant was very large. As soon as Ji Feng entered, he said we wanted a private room upstairs. A man wearing a white cloth draped over his head greeted us warmly and led the way. I glanced at him and asked...