Chapter 77 Part 4: Feast
“It’s a nightmare,” Baixue said: “It’s okay, there’s a saying in our village, when you have a nightmare and feel uncomfortable, just bask under the sun and everything will be okay. If miss feels afraid, let’s go bask in the sun——”
“What nonsense are you spouting,” before Baixue finished talking, Tong’er interrupted her, “it’s now raining outside, where’s the sun?”
Baixue was stumped and then said: “Oh, then wait for a few days to bask under the sun.”
Tong’er asked Jiang Li: “What did Miss dream about that makes you so scared?”
Although Jiang Li tried her hardest to cover it, the fear and dread in her eyes was still visible. Every day she always did her work with a smile, as if nothing could worry her. As a result, once she lost herself, it appeared particularly obvious.
“It’s okay,” Jiang Li lowered her eyes and said: “just dreaming of an old friend.”
Last night, again she dreamt of Xue Zhao.
This dream was different from the dream she had of Xue Zhao before the horse riding exam. This time, Jiang Li saw Xue Zhao being detained in a prison-like place. The place was guarded by many people and each and every one’s life inside was like monsters. Xue Zhao was covered with blood all over and was suspended in the middle of the prison. Jiang Li wanted to approach him, but she was obstructed by the metal fence. She also called out Xue Zhao’s name but he didn’t budge even a bit, his life or death was unknown.
Shortly after, from out of nowhere, some people came and started to torture Xue Zhao. They used a branding iron that was heated until it glowed red to burn on Xue Zhao’s body. They also used salt water mixed with chili pepper to pour on him. Xue Zhao started to shout loudly and Jiang Li felt extremely heartbroken. However, she was unable to touch Xue Zhao.
It wasn’t until Tong’er woke her up that Jiang Li became aware that she was dreaming.
She couldn’t help feeling anxious, why is she dreaming of Xue Zhao? People said that close relatives who’d pa.s.sed away might enter their family’s dream, but why does Xue Zhao let her see those things in her dream? What kind of place was that? Was it h.e.l.l? But Xue Zhao, his age was still young, he had never done any bit of misdeeds. He was thoroughly sincere, warm, with an upright and brave conduct. In any case he shouldn’t go to h.e.l.l?
And feeling powerless as she looked at Xue Zhao really made her suffer more than death.
Though it was just a dream, Jiang Li was unable to forget. In addition, today’s weather was overcast with continuous rain. Unknown whether that had any influence, but Jiang Li refused to say anything and was taciturn.
Jiang Li’s silence was taken in by the servant girls in Fang Fei Garden. Tong’er and Baixue didn’t know the reason, but seeing that Jiang Li appeared didn’t want to be disturbed, each of them also did their job silently.
In the afternoon, Feicui from old madam Jiang’s side, came to Fang Fei Garden to invite Jiang Li to Wan Feng Hall. There’s an important matter that old madam Jiang wanted to explain.
After responding, Jiang Li returned inside the room to change her clothes. During this interval, Baixue asked: “I wonder why old madam is looking for miss?”
“You still need to ask this,” Tong’er said while handing a skirt overlay to Jiang Li: “It should be about the palace feast. Tomorrow is the palace feast, our young lady doesn’t just have to go, she is also going to receive His Majesty’s gift. Such a huge honor, old madam must carefully remind the young lady so as to avoid any mistakes. But,” Tong er snorted in a low voice: “since following the young lady to return to the capital, I’ve never seen Miss make any mistakes, it’s better to be worried about the third young lady and the others…….”
Tong’er’s temperament was somewhat impertinent, perhaps because she grew up in the mountains for a long time. These words fell into Jiang Li’s ears and made her break into laughter. The haze from the morning also scattered a bit.
Seeing Jiang Li finally smile, Tong’er and Baixue also felt relieved. They heard Jiang Li say: “That’s right, old mada called me over certainty because of the palace feast. Let’s go quickly now.”
At this moment, in Wan Feng Hall, apart from Jiang Li, the females from the main branch, the second branch and the third branch were all present.
Jiang Yuan Bai was the dynasty’s chief a.s.sistant, Jiang Yuan Ping was a third ranked government administrator Although Jiang Yuan Xing was just a school secretary in charge of collecting books, due to his two elder brothers, he was able to attend the palace feast. The palace feast was a major event, representing the Jiang family’s face, so naturally old madam Jiang needed to remind some things.
These matters had probably been more or less said, it was like this year after year. Because Jiang Li was also going this year, she was going to tell once again, especially for Jiang Li.
While waiting for Jiang Li to arrive, perhaps Lu-shi felt somewhat bored and asked Ji Shuran: “Eldest sister in law, I hear the time for You Yao and Zhou heir’s marriage has been set?”
When this question came up, the expressions of several people in the room changed.
Old madam Jiang’s expression didn’t change but the few people in the third branch looked astonished, clearly they’d just heard it today.
Ji Shuran smiled gently: “Younger sibling’s news is very accurate. That’s right, A few days ago, Ningyuan marchioness and I had a discussion. The marchioness thought since You Yao has reached marriageable age, they can get married a bit earlier. Next winter is best.”
Next winter, Jiang You Yao would soon be sixteen.