Chapter 57: The Dreamscape—Reality is False, the Dream is Real

After returning to Anle County, Su Zhenyue felt utterly exhausted. Her back ached, her waist was sore, and she didn’t even want to move. She spent a full day catching up on sleep.

She figured that the Royal Grand Concubine’s request for her to visit the Yan Prince Manor often was probably not going to happen.

Traveling nonstop was just too tiring.

Shen Ji, on the other hand, had only rested in the carriage for a little over two hours. When someone beat the drum to announce a case, he immediately turned his attention back to his official duties.

Perhaps because she had slept too much during the day, Su Zhenyue found herself unable to fall asleep that night.

“Can’t sleep? Shall we do something else, then?” Shen Ji’s brow twitched, his suggestion rich with implication.

Su Zhenyue smiled and pushed his hand away. “Stop fooling around.”

It was finally her turn to say this line. After several hard days, they shouldn’t overexert themselves.

She composed herself and said in a serious tone, “Cousin, I need to discuss something proper with you.”

“Go on,” Shen Ji said, his eyes half-closed as he idly toyed with a lock of her hair.

Her hair was dark and thick, like the finest satin, and felt sleek and smooth to the touch. He couldn’t get enough of it.

“Winter is approaching. I want to hurry and have some winter clothes made, and also raise everyone’s monthly allowance a little,” Su Zhenyue said. She felt that it hadn’t been easy for everyone to follow them to Anle County.

This was especially true for the personal guards from the Yan Prince Manor. Although the manor still paid their monthly silver, she wanted to give them an extra share.

She couldn’t let them be treated unfairly.

These preparations should have been made in the autumn, but unfortunately, autumn in Anle County was far too short. There simply wasn’t enough time.

But it didn’t matter. They would have the experience for next year.

Shen Ji gave a slight nod. “You can make the decision on this.”

“Then tomorrow, I’ll ask them what colors they want and hire two seamstresses. We’ll do this from now on—issue a few sets of clothes for each of the four seasons,” Su Zhenyue continued.

This was something she had observed during her time at the Jing An Marquis Estate; it was standard practice for large, distinguished households.

During festivals and New Year celebrations, they would also distribute some extra monthly silver.

Although she had been living under someone else’s roof during those years at the Jing An Marquis Estate, she had imperceptibly gained some knowledge in managing household affairs.

“Mm, that’s fine,” Shen Ji nodded, adding, “If you don’t have enough money, I have more here.”

The Shen family had quite a few businesses in Qingzhou, and he himself had a considerable amount of private property.

Su Zhenyue had originally planned to open a few shops in Anle County as well, but on second thought, it would be somewhat inconvenient since Shen Ji was the local magistrate. Besides, they wouldn’t be staying here for very long, so she abandoned the idea.

She smiled. “I know. Don’t worry, we have enough to spend.”

Indeed, not having to purchase a new residence was a real money-saver.

“Mm.”

After just a short conversation, Shen Ji had already fallen asleep.

Since their marriage, Su Zhenyue had rarely seen him fall asleep before her.

Seeing it so suddenly now, she found it both novel and heart-wrenching.

She gazed at his sleeping face for a while before leaning against him and closing her eyes as well.

The next day, Su Zhenyue summoned everyone to ask about their preferred colors and styles for their clothes, and she also hired two seamstresses to come to their home.

In less than half a month, two sets of winter attire were completed for each person.

She had Nanxing distribute the new winter clothes along with the monthly silver. Everyone was, naturally, delighted.

Before long, the first snow of the year arrived.

Su Zhenyue couldn’t help but feel thankful that the winter clothes had been distributed at just the right time.

—— —— —— ——

Yuan Ye was staying at the Yan Prince Manor for a short while.

Claiming that his body had not yet fully recovered, he frequently sought out Divine Doctor Xu for pulse readings and consultations.

Out of respect for the friendship between their ancestors, Prince Yan instructed his servants to host him well and not to neglect him.

However, it was unclear whether it was because his temperament had mellowed while being a guest in someone else’s home, or because the rumors were false. Although Yuan Ye had been a bit strange during this period, he hadn’t resorted to whipping servants at the slightest provocation as the rumors claimed.

On this day, Divine Doctor Xu came to see Yuan Ye again.

After taking his pulse, the pale-faced young man asked, “Divine Doctor Xu, is the theory of reincarnation credible?”

Divine Doctor Xu was slightly surprised. “Young Master, why do you ask this?”

“My memories are a bit chaotic. I feel as if I’ve lived a second life, but many things don’t add up,” Yuan Ye said, his gaze heavy.

Divine Doctor Xu pondered for a moment before saying, “Whether reincarnation exists or not, it’s hard to say. But as for memory confusion, in my many years of practicing medicine, I have indeed encountered it.”

“Oh?”

“If the heart and spleen are both deficient, and there is phlegm turbidity and blood stasis, symptoms similar to soul-loss can occur, such as memory confusion and the inability to recognize people. The uninformed might think they’ve seen a ghost. Those in the know understand that it is an illness,” Divine Doctor Xu explained.

Yuan Ye closed his eyes. “What if one remembers being killed by someone? And in reality, this person truly exists, but is a complete stranger to oneself?”

Divine Doctor Xu frowned. “That doesn’t seem right, does it? If you can remember it, it means you are still alive. Since you are alive, how could someone have killed you?”

Yuan Ye shook his head. “You don’t understand.”

In the eyes of others, he was perfectly alive and well. But only he knew that he possessed the memory of having died once.

After the high fever he had suffered several months ago, he had been having the same dream over and over.

In the dream, during the first month of this year, the Emperor had decreed a marriage for him, requiring him to marry a woman from the capital. The imperial decree for the arranged marriage arrived suddenly. He was out at the time, and when he was called back to receive it, his father’s illegitimate son tampered with his saddle. He was injured by the crazed horse, thrown off, and rendered impotent.

He was never a good person to begin with. He directly killed his father’s illegitimate son and threw the corpse at his father’s feet. As for the “wife” from the capital, he felt not a shred of goodwill, instead blaming her for his inability to perform as a man.

—If he hadn’t been in such a hurry to receive that imperial marriage decree, how could he have fallen for someone else’s scheme?

Hating the Emperor was too difficult, but hating a woman was much easier.

His new wife was beautiful and delicate. Far from her homeland and with no one to turn to, she had tried to cautiously curry favor with him when she first arrived in the Shu Region, hoping to live a good life with him. He deliberately tormented her in various ways, finding a strange pleasure in seeing the terror and resentment in her eyes.

At the end of this dream, however, this very woman killed him in a subtle way to avenge her maid.

After waking up, Yuan Ye realized something was wrong.

In reality, there was no arranged marriage, and he hadn’t been ambushed. His father, however, did indeed have an illegitimate son living elsewhere.

But Yuan Ye still dreamed of that woman again and again. In his dreams, she was either crying or pleading. Her beautiful eyes always seemed to be brimming with tears, appearing before him time after time.

He knew her identity: Su Zhenyue, the adopted daughter of Jing’an Hou, Gu Nianzhang.

Yuan Ye had intended to go to the capital to find this person, but his mother stopped him. Coupled with the fact that he was still recovering from a major illness, he didn’t go himself, instead sending men to the capital to make inquiries.

The result of the inquiries was this: the Jing An Marquis Estate did indeed have such a person, but in the third month of this year, she had married the new Number One Scholar, Shen Ji, and had gone with him to Anle County.

It didn’t add up. It didn’t match his memories.

Wasn’t that Shen Ji already dead?

When Yuan Ye arrived in Youzhou, he discovered many more discrepancies. Shen Ji wasn’t dead; he was alive and well, serving as the county magistrate in Anle County, and doing a rather good job of it.

He and his wife were very much in love.

And Shen Ji’s wife looked exactly the same as the woman in his dream.

Of course, there were differences. The woman in his dream was perpetually sorrowful and terrified, while the Shen Ji’s wife in reality had a smile in her eyes.

What exactly had gone wrong?

Yuan Ye’s head throbbed violently.

Divine Doctor Xu couldn’t diagnose the cause of his illness either, only prescribing a few doses of medicine to offer some meager comfort. “Dreams are illusory; you cannot take them as truth.”

Yuan Ye’s eyes were dark as he murmured a soft “mm,” but he couldn’t help but wonder: was it possible that reality was false, and the dream was real?

—— —— —— ——

After the heavy snow, the ground was a vast expanse of white.

Just as the sky brightened, people were already on the streets sweeping snow.

After breakfast, Su Zhenyue, wrapped in a newly made crane cloak and holding a hand warmer, also directed the household servants to clear the accumulated snow from the rooftops.

Ping An had grown a little taller and a bit sturdier. The injuries on his body had long since healed, and he clambered up and down, bustling about nonstop.

He even used the snow to build a snowman and excitedly pointed it out to Su Zhenyue.

“Madam, how is it?”

Su Zhenyue nodded with a smile. “Not bad, it’s a good likeness.”

“Of course, I’m great at building snowmen.”

“I know Ping An is very capable,” Su Zhenyue thought to herself, she had known it since their time at the Jing An Marquis Estate. She smiled. “I’ll have the cook make you your favorite clear-broth mutton for lunch.”

“Yay, yay!” Ping An grew even more delighted. He not only cleared the roof but also swept the area outside the gate.

About a quarter of an hour later, Ping An suddenly ran back from outside, his face alight with pleasant surprise. “Madam, the Third Master is here! His carriage is right outside.”

“Who?” Su Zhenyue didn’t react for a moment.

“The Shen family’s Third Master, our Young Master’s third uncle,” Ping An said excitedly. “He came specifically to see you and our Young Master.”

Su Zhenyue collected herself and quickly said, “Hurry and invite him in.”

As she spoke, she personally went to the entrance to greet him.

She had heard Shen Ji mention that his parents had passed away early, but his several uncles and aunts were all quite friendly. When the two of them married, the distance was too great, so they hadn’t invited them.

Why had he come now?

But there was no time to dwell on it. Just as Su Zhenyue reached the entrance, she saw the Shen family’s Third Master, Shen Yunsong, walking toward her.

The Third Master was nearly forty, and his features bore a faint resemblance to Shen Ji’s.

“Greetings, Third Uncle,” Su Zhenyue hurried forward and curtsied.

Third Master Shen was slightly taken aback. “Ah, so this is…”

“Yes, Third Master, this is our Young Madam,” Ping An eagerly interjected with the introduction.

Third Master Shen nodded with a smile. “Good, good, good, very good.” He then took a red envelope from his robes and gestured for Ping An to pass it to Su Zhenyue.

“When you two married, there were no elders from the family present. We have slighted you. Please bear with us.”

Su Zhenyue quickly tried to refuse.

But Third Master Shen was extremely firm. “Take it. Don’t be polite with me.”

Su Zhenyue had no choice but to accept it, and she curtsied once more. “Thank you, Third Uncle.”

She had someone lead Third Master Shen into the main hall and served him hot tea.

—Shen Ji was still at the public court, so she had to entertain him first.

“In the second month, the family received He Ming’s letter. I was originally going to come to the capital for your wedding. Unexpectedly, by the time I arrived, I learned that you had already set off for this place. Then something came up for me, and I was stuck in the capital for several months. As it happened, a few months ago, a merchant caravan was heading to Youzhou, so I came along with them to have a look…”

Third Master Shen explained simply, not mentioning the complex emotional rollercoaster he had been on.

Over the past six months, his mood had seen great ups and downs. At first, upon receiving his nephew’s letter, he thought that as a member of the Shen family, he had to make a trip to the capital. After all, his nephew’s wedding was a major event. Though his nephew had no parents, he still had several uncles; they couldn’t let the Gu family handle everything. Who would have known that before he even reached the capital, he heard that his nephew had become the Number One Scholar. Unfortunately, before he could be happy for long, he heard that his nephew had been demoted.

Initially, he didn’t believe it, thinking it was just a baseless rumor. It was only after arriving in the capital that he learned the news was true, absolutely true. He tried to find out the reason but couldn’t. Then, unable to acclimate to the new environment, he fell ill. Coincidentally, while he was recuperating, a murder occurred in the inn where he was staying. As an important witness, the capital prefecture required him to remain in the capital temporarily, to be available for questioning at any time. So he stayed in the capital until the case was closed.

After experiencing so much, Third Master Shen had been thinking of returning to his hometown in Qingzhou. But as luck would have it, he ran into a merchant caravan heading to Youzhou. The leader was even an old acquaintance from Qingzhou whom he had known for many years. Third Master Shen thought it over and decided to come to Anle County with the caravan.

Although he recounted it simply, Su Zhenyue could hear the twists and turns within his story and was moved. She quickly said, “We have troubled Third Uncle to worry. Everything is fine.”

“Actually, being an official is the same no matter where you are. As long as you are safe and sound, that’s all that matters.” As Third Master Shen spoke, he took out a bank draft and pushed it forward. “You two are far from home and will have many expenses. You should take this bank draft.”

Su Zhenyue was startled, and even more so when she saw the denomination on the bank draft.

Were all the members of the Shen family this generous?

She instinctively refused, “Third Uncle, I can’t accept this…”

“Take it. This is what He Ming deserves. He has a share in the family businesses. When you’re away from home, having more funds on hand makes things more convenient,” Third Master Shen said again. “You are a child who values relationships, and I can see you manage this household very well. You can hold onto this money for now.”

Third Master Shen was undoubtedly very satisfied with this niece-in-law. His nephew’s earlier letters had already praised her as a rarity in this world. And setting aside everything else, the fact that she was willing to give up her life in the Marquis Estate and consent to a simple, early wedding to accompany his nephew to his post after his demotion was enough to show that she was a person who valued relationships and loyalty.

Seeing Third Master Shen’s resolute attitude, Su Zhenyue sincerely thanked him and temporarily accepted the bank draft.

Before long, Shen Ji finished his duties for the day. Hearing that his third uncle had arrived, he hurried over to pay his respects.

Third Master Shen once again lavished praise upon his niece-in-law.

Seeing the uncle and nephew catching up, Su Zhenyue excused herself and went to instruct the cook to add a few more Qingzhou-style dishes to the menu.

Third Master Shen had no sons of his own and treated his nieces and nephews as his own children. He was extremely excited to see Shen Ji and questioned him in detail.

At an emotional point, he couldn’t help but sigh, “At worst, you can just quit this official post and go into business with your third uncle.”

—The Old Master of the Shen family was intelligent. After becoming a Xiucai scholar early on, he stopped pursuing the imperial examinations and instead focused on managing businesses and educating his children. Among his sons, Shen Ji’s father, Shen Yunjing, was the eldest. After passing the imperial examination and becoming a Jinshi, he married the adopted daughter of the Gu family and had Shen Ji. Unfortunately, he died young while in office. The second son, after passing the provincial examinations, opened a school to teach in their local Qingzhou, staying out of politics and having many children. As for the third son, he simply didn’t walk the path of the imperial examinations and helped manage the family businesses. The fourth son, however, was still trying to pass the exams, but at over thirty, he was still just a Xiucai.

In Third Master Shen’s view, even if his nephew didn’t serve as an official, he could still live a good life. It was just that with his talent, it would be too much of a pity.

Shen Ji smiled faintly but didn’t respond.

He currently had no intention of resigning from his post.

Of course, Third Master Shen was just saying it casually. He then went on to talk about his various experiences on the road.

“By the way, on my journey, I ran into someone who said he knew you,” Third Master Shen suddenly recalled.

“Who was it?”

“I’m not sure of the specifics, only that his surname is Yuan. Judging by his accent, he seemed to be from the Shu Region,” Third Master Shen said. “His carriage broke down and was stopped on the side of the road. Someone on my side knew how to fix it, so we helped him out. When he asked my name, I said my surname was Shen and I was from Qingzhou, and that’s when he mentioned you.”

Shen Ji frowned slightly. “Yuan Ye?”

“That I don’t know,” Third Master Shen shook his head.

Shen Ji murmured a soft “mm” and didn’t ask further.

He hadn’t had much interaction with Yuan Ye, but for some inexplicable reason, he felt a dislike for the man.

Everyone was delighted by Third Master Shen’s arrival from afar and hosted him warmly. Shen Ji wanted his uncle to stay for a few more days, but Third Master Shen refused.

“I’ve already arranged with that merchant caravan to leave in a few days. We’ll head straight back to Qingzhou. If we travel quickly, we can still make it home for the New Year.”

Shen Ji knew in his heart that when traveling long distances, it was indeed safer to journey with a caravan of fellow countrymen. Although his uncle knew martial arts and had brought several attendants, it was still better to be cautious.

Therefore, Third Master Shen only stayed in Anle County for six days. On the seventh day, he joined the merchant caravan to return to his hometown in Qingzhou.

As he was leaving, Shen Ji and Su Zhenyue saw him off outside the city.

Third Master Shen pulled his nephew aside and whispered, “He Ming, now that you’re married, you must have a child quickly.”

Shen Ji only replied, “I know what to do.”

“That’s good, then.” Third Master Shen didn’t say more, patted his nephew’s shoulder, and left with the caravan.

Only after their figures had disappeared from sight did Shen Ji and his party return to the city.

Su Zhenyue hadn’t ridden a horse today. She sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, and asked curiously, “Cousin, what did Third Uncle say to you?”

She had a very good impression of this Third Uncle Shen, who had come and gone so quickly, feeling that his way of doing things was somewhat like her own father’s.

Shen Ji, riding his horse, said without a change in expression, “Third Uncle was praising you.”

“Praising me? What did he praise me for?”

Shen Ji urged his horse forward, bringing it alongside the carriage, and said slowly, “He praised you for being smart, capable, and having good taste.”

Su Zhenyue was taken aback, then chuckled softly. “Liar. You’re just taking the opportunity to praise yourself, aren’t you?”

What good taste? She didn’t believe for a second that her third uncle would praise her like that.

“Alas, you’ve guessed it,” Shen Ji sighed, looking somewhat helpless. “My wife is truly clever.”

Su Zhenyue let out a soft hmph, her eyes curving into crescents as she lowered the carriage curtain.

However, in the instant she let go, her gaze inadvertently shifted, and she caught sight of a familiar, pale face.

Her heart clenched, and her pulse quickened involuntarily.

Yet, when she lifted the curtain to look again, she saw nothing at all.

Su Zhenyue closed her eyes.