Chapter 74: I Dreamed of You
Seeing Lan Wu sincerely reveal the truth, Chu Mingheng frowned.
“Are these words all true?”
“Does Your Majesty still not believe this concubine? This concubine truly had many dreams and did not deceive Your Majesty—” Lan Wu’s tone carried a hint of urgency, her fingers clutching Chu Mingheng’s clothes tightly.
“Besides these, what else did you dream of?”
“Nothing more.” This reply came too quickly, earning her a deep look from Chu Mingheng.
He carried Lan Wu back to the bed, turning her around so she sat with her back to him on the edge. Standing by the bedside, he picked up another towel and began drying her hair.
“Think carefully again. Did you dream of anything else?”
Lan Wu tilted her head back, looking up at Chu Mingheng’s face above her. He didn’t seem angry, but did he believe her or not?
He asked if there was anything else—what counted as “else”?
With her head gently pressed down by him, her hair not yet completely dry, she thought for a moment and tentatively said, “Actually, this concubine dreamed of one more thing.”
She watched Chu Mingheng’s expression closely as she slowly spoke, “In the dream, this concubine did not live in Yilan Hall.”
Chu Mingheng’s hand paused as he listened.
“This concubine lived in Lejing Pavilion. Lady Shufei often made this concubine kneel and pay respects to her. This concubine’s knees were bruised and swollen from kneeling—it hurt terribly.”
She spoke each word earnestly, her eyes fixed intently on Chu Mingheng, trying to discern something different from his reaction.
Before she could see clearly, Chu Mingheng gently pressed the back of her neck, lowering her head.
“In your dream, was I not there?” Chu Mingheng’s voice betrayed no emotion, but his grip on Lan Wu’s neck was gentle and slow, as if afraid he might accidentally hurt her.
At this mention, Lan Wu had plenty to say.
She shifted forward slightly, turning to face Chu Mingheng with a smile. Smoothing her long hair, she softly said, “Of course Your Majesty was there. It was Your Majesty who made this concubine live in that Lejing Pavilion. Oh, right—I heard earlier that Your Majesty issued an order to seal Lejing Pavilion. It seems there are some differences between dreams and reality.”
Though she spoke with a smile, every gesture was a rejection of Chu Mingheng’s touch, clearly indicating she was quite upset. After finishing her words with a smile, her eyes seemed to glare at him, unconcealed.
“I made you live there…” Chu Mingheng repeated her words. After a moment, his lowered eyes lifted again. He reached out, tightening the blanket wrapped around Lan Wu and pulling her closer.
“It was my fault.” After saying this, Chu Mingheng lowered his head and kissed Lan Wu’s forehead.
Lan Wu was stunned, instinctively reaching up to touch her forehead. Her anger subsided a little, replaced by confusion. “You can admit fault for things in a dream, so why…”
Why had he been so cruel to her in her previous life? Was it because she had truly been too presumptuous?
Lan Wu had thought she had already grieved enough, but hearing Chu Mingheng’s belated apology still made her feel wronged. Perhaps it was because Chu Mingheng had spoiled her too much in this life, making her take his affection for granted.
“Awu, don’t cry. It was my fault.”
If he hadn’t comforted her, it might have been better. But his words only made Lan Wu feel worse.
Blinking away her tears, she wiped the wetness from her face and softly said, “…You’re a scoundrel.”
Her hair was not yet completely dry, and crying only made her feel warmer. She started to push the quilt down, but halfway through, she remembered Chu Mingheng was still watching, so she wrapped it back around herself. As her mind cleared, she recalled the purpose of saying those words and asked him, “If this concubine dreamed it, then so be it. Why is Your Majesty apologizing? Could it be that Your Majesty knows what kind of injustice this concubine suffered in the dream?”
“Earlier, I heard Your Majesty ordered the sealing of Lejing Pavilion. Why did Your Majesty seal it? No imperial concubine lives there.”
She spoke between sobs, sounding pitiful and looking utterly heart-wrenching, let alone how Chu Mingheng felt seeing her like this.
“I made you sad, A’wu.” Chu Mingheng crouched down, gently brushing away her tears with his palm. He met her gaze at eye level, even slightly lower, seeing Lan Wu’s dark eyes glistening with tears but now filled with confusion. He reached out and slipped his hand into hers.
He told her, “I’ve also had some dreams, A’wu. I dreamed of you.”
Dreamed of… her?
Lan Wu swallowed those words, carefully processing them, then forced a stiff smile and said dryly, “This concubine is right here. Why would Your Majesty still dream of me?”
Chu Mingheng’s words surely didn’t mean what she implied, but how could she dare think that he, like her, had been reborn? If it were the Chu Mingheng from her previous life, how would he have reacted upon learning how she died? Those imperial concubines were utterly vicious, resorting to every means to frame her. Would Chu Mingheng have believed she was innocent?
“What did Your Majesty dream about this concubine?” she nervously continued, unconsciously tightening her grip on Chu Mingheng’s hand.
Chu Mingheng seemed to notice her tension but wasn’t sure what Lan Wu was afraid of. Her reaction… seemed as if she feared his dreams were of something unpleasant.
“I dreamed of you living in Lejing Pavilion, always crying.” Although Lan Wu had a gentle temperament, she cried easily—whether feigned or genuine. Sometimes, it wasn’t even her intention to cry; her sensitive nature led her to overthink. In this palace, she could only rely on him, which was why, in the dream, she appeared so affected by his every reaction, afraid he might abandon her.
Afraid he might abandon her?
Chu Mingheng frowned slightly, feeling as though he had heard this phrase somewhere before.
Gazing at Lan Wu’s flushed face, he suddenly remembered—he had indeed heard it, and it was Lan Wu herself who had said it to him.
Back then, when Lan Wu had hurt herself over the matter of the Instruction Matron, she had said those very words to him when he arrived.
Returning to the present, Chu Mingheng propped himself up on the edge of the bed with one hand, straightening his posture. His expression grew pensive, his gaze darkening. He first kissed Lan Wu’s forehead, then moved down to her lips, whispering to her, “I truly am a scoundrel.”
As her lips parted, Chu Mingheng’s words fell softly into Lan Wu’s ear, causing her to widen her eyes timidly, her long lashes fluttering in panic, unable to comprehend his meaning.
Lan Wu still wanted to ask if Chu Mingheng had dreamed of anything else, but he hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her down. Her body sank softly into the bedding, and weariness washed over her in an instant.
She had already been drinking, her emotions fluctuating wildly. Earlier, while bathing, she had nearly fallen asleep. Now, with Chu Mingheng soothing her, it was difficult to muster the energy to press him with more questions.
“Sleep now, Ah Wu, I won’t ask you anymore.” He kissed her lips until they flushed a deeper red, then carried her to the inner side of the bed.
Lan Wu kept her eyes open, watching him, and softly murmured a reminder: “My sleeping robe…”
Chu Mingheng then rose to fetch her clothes from the cabinet, selecting a light pink one. When he returned, he saw Lan Wu’s eyelids were already drooping heavily.
She had indeed tired herself out today.