White Fence Dream

Chapter 138 Her Dream
As dusk approached, snowflakes fell and every household lit up their lights, making the place look bustling with activity.

In the small courtyard with the word "Zhuang Zhai" hung on the door, a little maid was standing on a chair hanging new lanterns under the eaves.

"Xiaojuan, don't worry about hanging up. The yard is bright enough." Mrs. Zhuang said from inside.

A maid came out of the kitchen holding food and said with a smile, "Madam, don't pay attention to her. She is obviously just looking for something new to do."

The maid hung up the lantern and laughed, "The lanterns Aunt Cong sent are beautiful."

Madam Zhuang looked through the door. The new lotus lantern was exquisite and gorgeous, and it was extremely beautiful in the falling snow. She smiled and nodded, "It is indeed beautiful. Madam Cong, thank you for your hard work."

The maid placed the food on the table and pointed to a dish of steamed fish: "Sent by the Huang family, freshly caught fish."

The maid also ran in and said, "The scholar from the front alley invited Madam to climb Wenshan Mountain, saying that he wanted to enjoy the scenery after the snow."

The maid cried out, "It's so hard to walk on the road after the heavy snow, and it's so cold. Why bother climbing the mountain? Let's wait until spring comes and the flowers bloom."

Mrs. Zhuang said, "When I was at home, Zhuang Lang and I liked to go hiking after snowfall. It has been decades since I left home. I am surprised that someone still remembers us."

The maid laughed and said, "Mr. Zhuang teaches with all his heart and never cares about the family background of his students. Apart from anything else, many children on this street have changed their lives because of Mr. Zhuang. They no longer have to fish or farm. Even if they work as accountants, they can get an extra two taels of silver just by saying that they studied with Mr. Zhuang."

Mrs. Zhuang smiled and said, "They are willing to learn. The master leads them to the door and it is up to them to practice." She sighed, "I thought I would be lonely after returning, but I didn't expect that my clansmen would take care of me and the neighbors would care about me. It is even more lively than when I was in the academy."

The maid nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, it's the most lively at home, the lady should come back earlier, maybe the master will come back earlier too..."

Nor will he die.

The maid almost said it out loud, but luckily the servant stopped her by glaring at her.

Madam and husband have a deep love for each other. Don't make your wife sad during the New Year.

The maidservant picked up the tray on the table and ran out, saying "I'm going to clean up the kitchen."

Madam Zhuang smiled and said, "Life and death are never taboos. I will die too."

The maid said, "It's good that Madam is not sad. People should live happily all their lives."

Mrs. Zhuang nodded: "I'm not sad, you can go and eat."

The maid answered yes and left.

Time seemed to pass very slowly, and in the blink of an eye it was already dark.

The lanterns hanging in the yard seemed to be swallowed up by the night.

"Madam, it's time to rest." The maid said gently and concernedly.

Mrs. Zhuang looked at the book in front of her.

All the lights in the room had been turned off, except for one lamp held by the maid, which was dim.

"You must go to sleep," said the maid, and put out the lamp in her hand.

The room fell into darkness.

Mrs. Zhuang stood on the street with a basket in her hand, listening to the hawking sounds on the street, looking a little confused. What should I buy today? The New Year is coming soon. What does my husband like to eat the most? What does Ah Li like to eat?
"Mrs. Zhuang, did you adopt a child? Has the child come back this year?" A neighborhood woman followed behind and asked.

Mrs. Zhuang shook her head: "I won't come back." She sighed again, "That child..."

He stopped here, as if he didn't know what to say.

A woman came up to her and asked curiously, "What happened to the child?"

Mrs. Zhuang felt a pang in her heart and tears fell: "The child is sick..."

The two women burst into tears: "What's wrong with that child?"

They stood on the street and talked. The street was bustling with people coming and going, but it seemed isolated from them.

Mrs. Zhuang sighed: "That child can't remember the way home, and can't remember who he is."

The two women sighed, "This is so pitiful, but can Mr. Zhuang cure her?"

Mrs. Zhuang nodded and said, "Yes, yes." Then she laughed.

The two women also laughed, and the three of them walked to the end of the street.

The next moment, Mrs. Zhuang appeared at the street corner again, standing there in a daze, holding a basket.

Two women followed behind him and asked, "Mrs. Zhuang, you adopted a child? Did the child come back this year?"

Mrs. Zhuang shook her head: "I won't come back." She sighed again, "That child..."

Another woman beside her asked curiously, "What happened to the child?"

Mrs. Zhuang's tears rolled down her cheeks: "The child is sick..."

They repeated what they had said before and walked along the street again.

Then back to the streets again and repeat it all over again.

But when it was repeated for the fourth time, Mrs. Zhuang was holding the basket in a daze, and suddenly she saw a person standing on the street.

"Madam—" he cried.

Mrs. Zhuang trembled, looked at the person in front of her, and subconsciously stepped back.

The two women behind her stopped her and stopped asking about the child, instead asking "Madam? What's wrong? Who is he?"

As they asked, Mrs. Zhuang looked at the person in front of her and murmured, "Yes, the lantern seller."

As she spoke, a young man appeared before her carrying a load hung with lanterns.

But he was wearing a black suit, had a sharp look in his eyes, and had a sword hanging from his waist.

There is not the slightest hint of hawker atmosphere.

Mrs. Zhuang moved her lips, seeming very reluctant, but still called out the name.

"Jiang Yun," she said, "Where's the prince?"

Jiang Yun, who was carrying a lantern, looked a little dazed and said, "The prince is at home."

The two women standing behind Mrs. Zhuang shouted from left and right, "What are you doing here? What are you doing here?"

Jiang Yun was stunned: "I'm here to deliver a letter to Madam Zhuang." As he spoke, he raised his hand and a letter appeared in his hand.

But the next moment, fireworks rose up, and the lanterns on the shoulder pole, the letters in the hands, and the person holding the letters all turned into fireballs in an instant.

Mrs. Zhuang screamed and opened her eyes.

There was a faint light in sight, I couldn't tell if it was the morning light or the reflection of the snow outside the window.

"Madam." The maid who was sleeping in the side room stood by the bed. She seemed to have heard the noise and came over. She also seemed to have been standing there all along. She frowned and said, "So you saw someone you know on the street."

Mrs. Zhuang sat on the bed with a wry smile on her lips.

Dreams are false.

But dreams hide reality.

She heard the hidden name in the daytime and recognized Jiang Yun in disguise. She could pretend not to know him, but she couldn't pretend in her dream.

She presented whoever she recognized.

"Madam, since he is here, you can meet him. You can say whatever you want." The maid said, sighing softly, "You know we never interfere with your freedom, otherwise we would have taken you to the capital instead of returning to Dengzhou as you wished."

Mrs. Zhuang smiled.

"Yes, you are right. You never restrict my freedom." She said, and sighed, "But I am free only when I am awake. I am not free when I am asleep."

She couldn't control herself from dreaming, nor could she stop others from spying on her dreams or even making up her dreams.

The maid handed over a cup of tea and said, "Madam, dreams are false and absurd. A truly awake person will not be trapped by dreams."

Madam Zhuang did not take the tea. She looked at the maid and asked, "So?"

The maid said, "So, whoever wakes up is free."

Mrs. Zhuang looked at her, and the next moment her vision became blurry, the maid disappeared, and she turned over suddenly, her arm hit the edge of the bed, and she felt pain.

Mrs. Zhuang opened her eyes, feeling the real pain. This time she was really awake. She rubbed her arm, and the dream in her memory quickly faded away and became blurry.

In the courtyard there were sounds of snow being swept and a maid feeding chickens and ducks.

"I almost forgot that we are going to climb the mountain today." Mrs. Zhuang opened the door and said to the outside.

The maid who was feeding the chickens and ducks smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam, we haven't forgotten. We have prepared the carriage and the thick clothes."

The maid threw down the shovel and said, "I have already prepared the yellow croaker noodles. Madam, come and have a bowl. It's hot."

The courtyard becomes lively in the early morning.

The sun was already high when they went out. Madam Zhuang was riding a donkey, led by the guard, and walking down the street with a maid by her side.

The shops are already open and the streets are becoming increasingly bustling as the Lantern Festival approaches.

"Mrs. Zhuang is going out."

Although she has been back for less than a year, almost everyone on the street recognizes her and greets her warmly wherever she passes.

Mrs. Zhuang responded with a smile and looked around the street. She soon saw Jiang Yun, who was disguised as selling lanterns yesterday.

Perhaps he remembered what she said yesterday, so when he saw her, Jiang Yun did not move forward and turned his eyes away.

Mrs. Zhuang stopped and said, "My dear, your lamps are very good. I will go to meet relatives and friends today, so I want to take two of them as gifts."

Jiang Yun seemed a little surprised. He looked towards Madam Zhuang and saw that only the maid and the groom were with her, but not the two women from yesterday.

"It's safe today." Madam Zhuang leaned close to him and whispered, "Jiang Yun, what did the prince ask you to do?"

But after he finished speaking, Jiang Yun seemed to be frightened and stepped back: "Madam, two lanterns are ten cents, it can't be any cheaper."

He seemed annoyed because it was Mrs. Zhuang who bargained.

"It's a small deal, Madam, please don't tease me. If you don't want to buy, forget it."

After saying that, he threw his shoulders aside, picked up the burden and left.

Mrs. Zhuang stood there in a daze.

"This lantern seller has such a bad temper." the maidservant shouted beside him.

Mrs. Zhuang came back to her senses and smiled: "Forget it, if you don't want to sell it, forget it."

Jiang Yun knew that it was unsafe for her to be under surveillance, so he refused to give her the letter?

She didn't really care whether he believed it or not. The reason she wanted him to believe it was because she wanted him to give her the letter and leave and not stay here any longer.

But what does Jiang Yun want to do now?
Wait and see?
Or wait for someone to rescue her?
These things don’t matter. Even if Zhou Jingyun comes, she will meet him in person.

She was worried about...

Jiang Yun is here, and A Li will borrow his eyes to take a look.

Her current dream is unbearable.

I hope Ah Li still remembers her advice and never takes any risks.

……

……

On the dim street, Jiang Yun appeared directly in the repeated dream.

Madam Zhuang went forward and said, "Jiang Yun, what does the prince want to say?"

Jiang Yun, who was carrying a lantern, had a frozen look on his face and shook his head: "Your Highness, there is nothing to say."

The two women standing behind Mrs. Zhuang shouted from left and right, "What are you doing here? What are you doing here?"

Jiang Yun was stunned and said, "Let me take a look."

Have a look.

Mrs. Zhuang felt sad and tears fell: "Is she sick again?"

The two women burst into tears: "What's wrong with that child?"

Mrs. Zhuang sighed: "That child can't remember the way home, and can't remember who he is."

The two women did not sigh this time, but looked panicked: "What should we do? What should we do?"

Jiang Yun seemed to be frightened and asked: "What should we do? What should we do?"

Mrs. Zhuang seemed to be stumped by the question and stared at Jiang Yun in a daze. Although the Jiang Yun in front of her looked like Jiang Yun, his expression was exactly the same as the two women next to him. He even held his hands in front of him and gently dodged his feet like the women.

This is not Jiang Yun controlled by others.

This was just Jiang Yun in her dream.

Same as everyone else in the dream at this moment.

Therefore, there is no invasion from outsiders, and the dream remains unchanged.

Mrs. Zhuang comforted them: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Mr. Zhuang is here."

The two women breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, yes, Mr. Zhuang is here, Mr. Zhuang cured her."

Jiang Yun also nodded beside him: "Yes, yes, Mr. Zhuang cured her."

Mrs. Zhuang and the two women walked along the street with smiles on their faces.

Jiang Yun stood there, carrying the lanterns on his shoulder, and continued to hawk his wares, blending in with the hustle and bustle of the street.

Mrs. Zhuang returned to the street again and took a step forward again, thinking about what to buy. She looked at Jiang Yun who appeared again, but just as she was about to walk over, a soft call suddenly sounded in her ears.

"Huang Ru."

The streets shook instantly.

Madam Zhuang only felt that countless eyes were looking at her.

The two women who were about to catch up and talk, the shop assistants on the street, the customers in the teahouse and tavern, the passers-by, Jiang Yun carrying a lantern, and even the fat winter sparrows on the eaves.

They all stood there looking at her.

Madam Zhuang stood there in a daze, the whole world was frozen.

In a teahouse on the street, a fat rich man stood up and slowly walked out of the teahouse.

His expression was as frozen as everyone else's, except for the eyes on his face.

These eyes are as dark as stars.

The starlight was spreading on the street. When it saw Jiang Yun, there seemed to be a flash of surprise in the dim starlight, but it soon came to its senses and no longer stayed on Jiang Yun, but returned to Mrs. Zhuang.

"Huang Ru." The rich man opened his mouth and uttered a clear female voice, "Come with me——"

As he said this, his eyes opened and a pair of hands stretched out from them, grabbing Madam Zhuang.

Mrs. Zhuang let out a scream and everything around her collapsed.

Mrs. Zhuang fell to the ground, but what she saw was no longer the stone slabs of the street, but the emerald green mountain grass.

She raised her head in a daze and saw herself sitting in the mountains. The green grass beneath her spread out like a carpet, and the mountain breeze blew her dress gently.

This is…..
Mrs. Zhuang looked around and saw a horse with a little girl on its back. The horse's hooves clattered and it was getting closer and closer with the mountain breeze.

A few steps away the girl reined in her horse and stopped.

She was only eight or nine years old and not very tall. She raised her chin while riding on the horse.

"Hey, Huang Ru," she called out, "Am I still the most precious treasure in your eyes?"

Mrs. Zhuang sat on the ground, wanting to laugh but feeling helpless.

"This child," she said, "is still so rude."