lcionline Chapter 210 In a dream
Chapter 210 In a dream
Nianyao was startled, her voice clearly filled with fear: "Who?"
An Liangchen's voice was calm and tinged with a smile: "It's me. I heard that my sister-in-law was enjoying the spring flowers all night and didn't want to leave, so I came here to keep her company."
Nianyao was too lazy to argue with him: "Come on. What kind of formation is this? I've never heard of it before."
Nianyao prided herself on being mediocre at poetry and prose, but her military strategy and tactics were second to none. Yet, without Luo An, she couldn't even leave the garden?
Hearing her discouraged voice, An Liangchen comforted her, "This is the Lotus Lantern Array. It was created by your father-in-law Luo An's father and is not recorded in any books. The lotus lanterns are all made of human skin and were hung here after being performed by a high monk from Puji Temple."
Nianyao subconsciously moved closer to An Liangchen, not daring to look directly at the lotus lantern, and even her words were somewhat incoherent: "This...this is so cruel? It can't be true, can it?"
An Liangchen remained noncommittal: "Sister-in-law, you're going back to your own home. Why didn't you use the front door? Why did you climb over the wall?"
Nianyao originally thought it best to avoid trouble, so she decided to stay one night and leave early the next morning without disturbing anyone. Who would have thought that Xizhai was rife with ghosts and monsters? Nianyao had little dealings with the officials, so naturally she didn't know that she had crossed the Jingjiang River and entered Dongyang territory; the news was immediately sent to Bianjing.
Nianyao, feeling embarrassed, remained defiant: "Since I'm going back to my own home, I can come and go as I please. What's so... strange about that? Anyway, I'm naturally rude, unlike you royal children. Your Highness, do you really want to chat here? Could you please leave first?"
An Liangchen nodded: "Sister-in-law, stay close to me."
An Liangchen strolled leisurely along the garden path, his steps relaxed. Nianyao dared not look at the lotus lanterns on both sides, following closely behind, and remarked as they walked, "You're just like Luo An."
An Liangchen said, "Oh, how is it similar?"
Nianyao said, "Don't panic. I don't think I've ever seen Luo An panic in the years he's been on Chongming Island."
An Liangchen said, "Panic won't help."
When Nianyao saw the familiar stone house, she inappropriately recalled all the absurd things she and Luo An had done inside. She didn't know what she stepped on, and she almost stumbled and fell.
An Liangchen quickly caught her and said, "Sister-in-law, be careful."
Nianyao steadied herself and broke free from An Liangchen: "I can walk now."
Does that mean he doesn't need to lead the way? An Liangchen said, "I've never seen anyone dismantle a bridge so quickly after crossing it."
Nianyao retorted without hesitation: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince who oversees the country, why are you arguing with a nobody like me?"
An Liangchen said, "The Xue family is a family of generals who protect the country in Nanyue, and the Du family is the maternal relatives of the late Empress Dowager. Now they are the wives of the owners of the Heaven and Earth Manor. Such people from the Jianghu are rare."
Nianyao weighed the longsword in her hand, her tone nonchalant: "Even a true hero doesn't dwell on past glories. No matter how incompetent I may be, I wouldn't stoop to talking about ancestors I've never even met..."
Nianyao covered her mouth with her hand and let out an exaggerated yawn.
An Liangchen, naturally understanding the situation, said, "Sister-in-law, please get some rest. I'll take my leave now."
Nianyao watched An Liangchen's figure disappear into the darkness. She was about to climb over the wall into the hot spring room, but then restrained herself. She walked in through the door, took off her clothes, jumped into the hot spring water, let out a long sigh, and muttered to herself, "Bianjing is still the most comfortable."
Nianyao lay half-reclined in the pool, initially splashing water with her feet, but gradually lowered her feet and fell asleep against the edge of the pool.
In the vast desert, a person with disheveled hair and tattered clothes stumbled along.
Nianyao, riding her camel, called out to him from afar, "Brother, could you tell me how to get to Alan City?"
The person seemed to be a wandering ghost, unable to hear anything, and continued walking forward regardless.
Nianyao quickly chased after him: "Hey, wait a minute..."
The man stopped and squinted at her. His face was covered in dirt, and against the light, his features were completely obscured. But the moment their eyes met, Nianyao froze as if struck by lightning.
The man moved his lips but made no sound, then collapsed without warning. Nianyao rolled off the camel and rushed to help him up.
Just then, a sandstorm swept in, blinding Nianyao. She was forced backward by the sandstorm, only stopping when she bumped into a camel. She then clung to the camel and refused to let go.
After the sandstorm finally subsided, Nianyao, disregarding the dust covering her, began searching everywhere. All she could see was yellow sand; there wasn't a soul in sight.
Nianyao frantically dug into the yellow sand, her hands getting chafed and bleeding, which disappeared instantly into the sand.
Nianyao broke down in tears: "Luo An... Luo An..."
Nianyao sat bolt upright in her sleep, splashing water everywhere. She opened her hands and looked at them repeatedly; her hands were still fine. But the excruciating pain in her fingers from the dream was still vivid.
When Nianyao finished dressing and stepped out of the hot spring room, she shivered; she couldn't tell if it was from the cold or from fear. She hadn't wanted Luo An to go to the Northern Desert, but she knew she couldn't stop him. She knew Luo An was more sentimental than he thought!
Since their separation, Nianyao had never stopped worrying. Even with his guards, he was still outnumbered and outmatched; how could he possibly defeat Batu? Even Nanfei was afraid of Batu, and even Yuan Feng couldn't defeat him.
Nianyao stood outside the hot spring room in a daze until her face became wet. She touched the corner of her eye, realized she wasn't crying, and then realized it was raining. Unable to sleep, she simply ran to the warm pavilion and sat by the window, listening to the wind and rain.
On Chongming Island, when it rained, Luo An would usually sit sideways, leaning against the armrest in the teahouse, staring blankly at the rain. At the time, she always looked down on it, thinking that only pretentious literati would do such a thing. Little did she know that one day she too would sit and listen to the sound of wind and rain.
It turned out that she did know Luo An, but she had never paid attention to him before. However, Luo An was like a gentle spring rain, silently permeating her life.
She thought of Luo An as she listened to the rain. What did Luo An think about when he listened to the rain? Did he think of heaven and earth, his father, or his mother? Or was he simply lost in thought? Now, as Luo An listens to the rain, does he think of her?
Once they find Luo An, they will definitely bring him back to Chongming Island. She doesn't want the money from Heaven and Earth, and neither does Luo An; the two of them will live independently and be self-sufficient on Chongming Island.
Luo An runs a clinic on the island, while she grows rice and vegetables and occasionally fishes with her sister, Ba Mei. With the man as doctor and the woman as farmer, they can manage to make a living. At worst, they can raise their children in poverty later.
The baby? Nianyao suddenly froze, unconsciously reaching out to touch her stomach: It's been so long since I've been back to Chongming Island, Eighth Sister's belly must be bigger again, right? She'll be throwing her weight around over Tiger again now, won't she?
Duan Mingzhu, petite and frail with congenital deficiencies, has children, yet Nian Yao, who is as strong as an ox, doesn't? Then Nian Yao thought, not having them isn't necessarily a bad thing. What if… just in case… Luo An can't be found…
No, no, we'll find her! She's definitely not a good mother, it doesn't matter if she doesn't have children. If Luo An wants children, as long as he returns safely, she'll give him ten or eight concubines and have a whole bunch of children.