Nan Xuzong looked at the curtains. The window was open, and a gentle breeze was blowing through his bed curtains. Everything seemed like a dream. Gradually, he finally succumbed to sleepiness and fell asleep.
Let the future decide what's to come.
——
Ji Wushang felt as if he were in a dream, his whole body light and airy. He had been dreaming about being forced to his death in his past life, but in the blink of an eye, it transformed into the various events of his present life. Ji Wushang slept extremely restlessly.
Deep within the underground palace, Yiyun Shangcheng, dressed in exotic finery, stared at the crystal ball in front of him with an extremely grim expression. The crystal ball was constantly changing colors, which made him very anxious.
The words of the five elders flashed through Yiyun Shangcheng's mind:
"The crystal ball changing color indicates that her nightmares are haunting her, and her heart is in turmoil!"
What disturbed her heart? Yiyun Shangcheng stood up and glanced at the night outside the window. It was about 1:00 to 3:00 AM Beijing time. Should she go and see or not?
Maria brought in a basin of water, and upon seeing Yiyun Shangcheng, she bowed and said in the Western Regions language, "Your Highness, it is time to wash up and go to bed."
"Put it there and step back." Yiyun Shangcheng glanced at Maria, then stared back at the crystal ball, which continued to change.
After watching Maria go down, Evian immediately put on her night clothes and climbed out of the window.
With feet flying, he quickly arrived at the Ji residence under the cover of night. Using his lightness skill, he immediately flew towards Ji Wushang's window.
At this moment, Tie Yi's armored team was still patrolling the General Ji's mansion. One of the armored team members accidentally spotted the black-clad man Yi Yun flying up the city! Immediately, the team member reported to Tie Yi.
Upon hearing this, Tie Yi immediately and secretly ordered all his team members to follow him and stand by.
Almost everywhere is on high alert right now, and all the armored teams are waiting for the man in black to land! Once he lands, his destination or what he intends to do will not escape the eyes of the armored teams!
Yi Yun was perched on the wall of a building. From this angle, he could see Ji Wushang's small window. However, he could clearly see that some figures downstairs were constantly setting up formations or launching attacks, all heading in this direction!
Yi Yun Shangcheng was immediately displeased. She hadn't expected that such a patrol team would suddenly appear just a few days later! Should she still go and check on Ji Wushang?
After thinking for a while, he came up with a plan. Immediately, Yiyun Shangcheng flew in the opposite direction from Xinyuan, and the people below immediately followed!
The armored team dared not make a sound, after all, they couldn't alert the enemy, and even more so, they couldn't disturb their sleeping masters.
Yiyun Shangcheng saw a grove in the distance. Without thinking twice, she landed in that direction and ran into the grove.
The grove was indeed small; Yiyun Shangcheng had reached its end in no time. She darted to the treetops, waiting for the armored troops to arrive.
Three or five members of the armored team arrived. One of the team members looked around and said, "Let's split up and search!"
As they spoke, the five team members immediately headed into the depths of the forest to search, but they couldn't find a single person.
Just as she was thinking of returning, Yiyun Shangcheng spotted a lone team member, pounced on him, inserted a needle, and pulled it out. The team member was already fast asleep on the ground.
Immediately, Yiyun Shangcheng reached up the tree with both hands and quickly climbed to the top.
This method has already sent all five of them to the realm of the Duke of Zhou (a figure in Chinese mythology associated with dreams).
Yiyun Shangcheng didn't want to kill anyone; this was her residence, and she wouldn't kill them no matter what.
After finishing up in Yiyun City, she flew towards Ji Wushang's location.
Just as they were leaving, they saw Tie Yi leading his men toward this small grove, which was located near Aunt Qin's West Garden.
Yiyun Shangcheng flew to Ji Wushang's window with great satisfaction, climbed through the window, and was already inside.
Seeing that the surrounding furnishings remained unchanged, and the beauty on the bed still fast asleep, Yi Yun Shangcheng gently stepped forward, lifted the curtain, and saw Ji Wushang inside. A surge of excitement welled up within her. However, upon seeing Ji Wushang's uneasy expression and the fine beads of sweat on her forehead, Yi Yun Shangcheng's purple eyes deepened.
He reached out his hand towards Ji Wushang, intending to use his power to help her sleep more peacefully, but unexpectedly, Ji Wushang suddenly jumped up from the bed and looked at him. She originally intended to call out, but when she saw those purple eyes, Ji Wushang was stunned.
This surprised Yiyun Shangcheng, but when he saw her thin and semi-transparent gauze dress, an unreadable look appeared in Yiyun Shangcheng's eyes.
Ji Wushang reacted quickly, immediately grabbing the blanket and covering himself with it. "It's you!"
"It's me." Yi Yun Shangcheng's lips twitched slightly. "You just realized I came in?"
"I was woken up by the armored patrol and knew something had happened. Although I didn't go out to see, I guessed that someone had broken into the mansion. I didn't expect it to be you." Ji Wushang looked at him and moved closer to the wall. Although he didn't know what the man wanted, he still had to keep a proper distance.
He saved my life once, so he won't take it, but it's best to avoid getting involved in matters of propriety between men and women.
Yiyun Shangcheng frowned. "Are you afraid of me? Why are you keeping such a distance from me?"
Ji Wushang blushed. "Your Highness, this is a woman's private room. You shouldn't have barged in." She didn't dare to raise her voice, because if she did, it would definitely attract attention.
"Oh." Yiyun Shangcheng nodded thoughtfully. "I see. However," he said, as if about to climb onto the bed, Ji Wushang immediately reached out to stop him, "Your Highness, don't come any closer! Don't come any closer..." She held back her whisper, oh heavens, could this prince from the Western Regions please know about the proper distance between men and women?
Just then, there was a knocking sound at the door; it was the garden gate.
Xian'er was asleep in the small house outside. Hearing the knocking, she rubbed her eyes, went to the main gate of Xinyuan, opened it, and asked, "What is it?"
"The guards said they saw someone break in, so we came to check. Has Miss been disturbed in any way?" Tie Yi, who was leading the group, greeted them with a cupped hand.
Xian'er opened her eyes halfway and said, "Where can I see anyone? I didn't see anyone at all!"
"Xian'er, what's wrong?" At this moment, Ji Wushang's voice came from inside the house, startling Xian'er, Tie Yi, and the others. They hadn't expected that the young lady had already woken up.
"Reporting to Miss, it seems someone broke into the manor just now. My men searched everywhere. Did you see any unidentified people appear in your area?" Tie Yi said, bowing his head. The guards behind him all stepped back, not daring to look into the room.
“No.” Ji Wushang said, standing through the door, “You may look around, but be careful not to disturb the ladies, concubines and young ladies of the manor.”
"Yes." Tie Yi replied, then took his leave of Xian'er and left with his men. Xian'er watched their departing figures, closed the door, and muttered to herself, "There's no one here!"
Ji Wushang listened to the sounds outside gradually disappear before lifting the beaded curtain and entering the inner room.
Yiyun Shangcheng was leisurely flipping through the Buddhist scriptures she had copied. When she saw Ji Wushang come in, she looked up and said, "Your handwriting is really good."
"Thank you," Ji Wushang said. "Your Highness, you should leave now."
"Hmm." Yi Yun Shangcheng responded habitually, but then remembered what she hadn't finished saying and immediately said, "Miss Wu Shang, I'm here to help you."
"Help?" Ji Wushang asked, but then remembered Madam Bei's illness and immediately bowed towards Yiyun City, "Please, Your Highness, save my mother! Let my mother wake up soon."
Yi Yun Shangcheng was taken aback, then chuckled, "Miss Wu Shang, can't you think about yourself?"
"I'm fine," Ji Wushang said earnestly, looking up.
Yiyun Shangcheng listened and shook her head, "I came today to help you get rid of your nightmare. I didn't bring any other medicine with me."
"Nightmare?" Ji Wushang muttered, immediately leaning back, his face deathly pale, thinking that he knew she had been reborn. "What do you know?"
Seeing that she looked unwell, Yi Yun Shangcheng immediately stepped forward to support her. "Don't you have nightmares every day?"
Ji Wushang shook off his hand. "You, you knew everything?"
"I know." Yi Yun Shangcheng looked at Ji Wushang with a hint of pity in her purple eyes. "Let me help you get rid of him."
Ji Wushang shook his head without speaking and stepped back.
"No?" Yi Yun Shangcheng stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. "Do you know how worried I am about your nightmares every day!" As soon as he said it, Yi Yun Shangcheng was stunned. Had he just said he was worried about her?
Ji Wushang was even more stunned upon hearing this, then pried her hand away, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness... Just let this dream stay with me for the rest of my life! That way I can always remember my pain and always remember my mission of revenge!"
Yiyun Shangcheng shook her head. How could she be so stubborn? "Why?"
"No reason. Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I hope Your Highness can forget about this matter. It's getting late, Your Highness should go back!" Ji Wushang looked at Yiyun Shangcheng. He knew that if Yiyun Shangcheng ever encountered difficulties in the future, he would definitely help him. But this time, he didn't need his help.
Sometimes, you need some pain to stimulate yourself, so that you don't become too numb and easily bullied!
Yi Yun went up to the city, looked at the sky, and then turned back. Taking advantage of Ji Wushang's lack of vigilance, she knocked Ji Wushang unconscious with a chop to the neck and then picked her up in her arms.
Gently place her on the bed and cover her with the blanket.
She was so quiet now, sleeping sweetly. She said she didn't need to get rid of it; how could she be so cruel to herself? A nightmare had haunted her for months—no, it had been going on for a very, very long time, so long that she couldn't even be sure.
Yiyun Shangcheng reached out and began to exert her power towards her head.
Half an hour later, Yi Yun Shangcheng finally withdrew her last bit of power. She gently wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with her sleeves, and seeing the fine sweat on Ji Wushang's forehead, she immediately wiped it clean with her sleeve as well.
Her face was displayed so clearly before him. Yi Yun Shangcheng's hand involuntarily stopped, and he stared at the contours of her features in a daze.
After a while, Yi Yun Shang Cheng finally withdrew his hand. He pulled up her blanket, then lowered her bed curtains. Seeing that the sky was gradually brightening, Yi Yun Shang Cheng did not linger any longer and flew out of the window in the blink of an eye, disappearing from sight.
Ji Wushang felt that he had a very peaceful sleep. When he woke up in the morning, the sun was already shining warmly on the window.
Ji Wushang took a deep breath, feeling refreshed, but the next second, he suddenly remembered the man from Yiyun City last night. He looked around, and only when he didn't see him did he feel slightly relieved. However, he then recalled the time the man had knocked him unconscious. But if he had been knocked unconscious, he should have had a headache; unexpectedly, he was surprisingly energetic.
He must have removed his so-called nightmare... Ji Wushang shrugged. He didn't know how to repay him.
"Miss, who brought this?" Xian'er walked in from outside and said after seeing Ji Wushang sit up straight.
Ji Wushang nodded, then got out of bed, changed into a light blue horse-face skirt with gold brocade trim, and sat in front of the dressing table. Xian'er immediately stepped forward, picked up a comb, and asked, "Miss, which hairstyle would you like?"
"Put your hair in a bun, and hurry up, I need to go pay my respects to my grandmother and then go to the North Garden to see my mother."
"Yes." Xian'er's hands were very nimble, and she quickly helped Ji Wushang tie up her hair, braided several braids, and inserted a jade hairpin. Ji Wushang looked at the jade hairpin and thought of the white jade hairpin and the phoenix jade hairpin.
Ji Wushang shook his head, smiling to himself. There was nothing wrong with the hairpin; they were all beautiful.
After quickly washing up and having breakfast, he went to see the matriarch.
The room was already full of people at the Elder Madam's place, and some of them were inevitably dissatisfied that Ji Wushang had only arrived at this time.
"Oh, as expected of the young lady, she gets up later than everyone else. It's almost noon before she pays her respects to the old lady. How domineering!" A shrill voice came from over there.
Ji Wushang frowned. "Which chicken or duck is quacking like that?" He looked up and saw Aunt Bai, but her face was already extremely displeased after hearing the chicken or duck comment! Ji Wushang looked at her and laughed, "So it was Aunt Bai who was speaking just now. I thought it was someone else!"
These words caused everyone present to chuckle.
"What did you just say?" Aunt Bai looked at Ji Wushang, swaying her hips as she walked forward. After being released from prison for the day, she became even more arrogant, just like a prisoner released from jail.
"Greetings to Grandmother." Ji Wushang said, looking at her fair face, then ignored her and bowed to the matriarch, saying, "Wushang greets Grandmother."
The matriarch waved her hand, "Wu Shang isn't in good health, so it's fine for her to sleep more. Aunt Bai, you need to maintain your composure! Don't always join in the commotion with the younger generation!"
Upon hearing this, Aunt Bai's resentment only intensified. Looking at Old Madam Yuan, she said indignantly, "Old Madam, the eldest young lady was clearly scolding Ao Mei just now! Why didn't you do anything about it!"
"Did I?" Ji Wushang looked at the matriarch with a wronged expression. "Grandmother, did I say anything that offended Aunt Bai?"
"Take a seat." The old lady was still thinking about how Aunt Bai had kicked Granny Guo in the chest yesterday, causing her injury, so she naturally protected Ji Wushang. "Wushang, how could she say anything that would offend Aunt Bai? She already said that the whole family is harmonious!" As she spoke, her tone became more serious.
Aunt Bai stomped her feet in anger upon hearing this, for the old lady was clearly protecting that little hussy Wu Shang!
"Yes," Aunt Bai replied and returned to her seat.
Seeing the matriarch protecting Ji Wushang, Ji Meiyuan felt displeased. Why should she be pampered? She shouldn't be the one receiving love in this life! She didn't know what was so good about her! A mother who was dying, and a seven or eight-year-old younger brother who was a burden! Ji Wusi! A trace of hatred flashed in Ji Meiyuan's eyes. Looking at Ji Wusi playing around in the distance, she smiled slightly.
Ji Wushang was talking to the matriarch of the elders, unaware of what Ji Meiyuan was thinking.
Aunt Bai noticed Ji Meiyuan and followed her gaze, only to see that it was Ji Wusi.
Ji Wusi was still playing innocently, fooling around with his pageboy Xier. The books that had been neatly arranged nearby fluttered slightly in the breeze. The matriarch of the Yuan family was not annoyed and let the two of them play around in the courtyard.
Aunt Bai watched, her heart filled with jealousy. Although Madam Bei wasn't particularly capable, at least she had given birth to a son, while she herself had two daughters! If she had given birth to a son, he would surely be more distinguished than Madam Bei! And if Madam Bei were to die, the position of Madam would definitely be hers!
Her hand involuntarily moved towards her lower abdomen, but her eyes remained fixed on Ji Wusi. Fine, since the American aid workers were already planning to help her get rid of this scourge, she might as well watch the show!