Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 11 Drinking
Wang Yixi kept patting her shoulders, "Mingzhi? Mingzhi? Are you okay?"

Everything in front of her finally stopped and her hands began to tremble.

She suddenly realized that in the memory that she had temporarily lost, something happened that was far beyond her ability to bear.

She looked toward the stage.

Madam Xuanwu smiled, with red dots flowing between her lips and teeth, revealing an inexplicable charm. She crossed one leg, placed the zither on her legs, and began to play.

Ten fingers move gracefully between the strings.

The song "Autumn Water Walking on the Moon" outlines a beautiful picture with the music.

The water is sparkling, the moon is reflected, and the shadow of the moon on the lake ripples slowly with the waves, with delicate emotions filled with tenderness.

But Pei Nai couldn't calm down and had no intention of appreciating it.

"What's wrong with your head?"

Pei Nai waved his hand: "It's okay, I just had a migraine, but it's better now."

"It's good that she's better. My mother said that this Madam Xuanwu looks a lot like the late Madam Yingwu. I was still young when Madam Yingwu passed away, and I don't remember what she looked like. But in my opinion, apart from the appearance, there is no resemblance at all. Madam Yingwu is far superior to her in terms of aura alone, otherwise how could she have been with Lord Duan Ding for so many years without any status." Yi Xi commented unhappily.

Pei Nai was still thinking about the reason behind this, and she didn't listen to much of what Yi Xi said.

Yixi felt something was wrong beside her and turned around: "Mingzhi, do you think what I said makes sense?"

"Ah? That makes sense." Pei Nai replied subconsciously.

Yixi looked at Pei Nai's eyes, thinking that Pei Nai might be infatuated with Madam Xuanwu's beauty, so she said, "Don't be like this, she is not the most beautiful, she just looks a bit like Madam Yingwu. I know a few top-notch beauties who are no less beautiful than those sent to the palace. I will introduce them to you later. Or is it that you haven't recovered from your headache yet?"

Pei Nai shook his head: "I'm recovered, but I'm a little tired. I want to have a good rest."

"Oh, I was thinking of inviting you to my house to enjoy tea after this." Yixi said with some regret.

After the song was over, Madam Xuanwu picked up the zither on her lap and bowed in the air.

Three red ropes slowly lowered her down until she hit the ground. The moment she landed, all the red silks fell with her, forming a long red carpet.

"Thank you all for coming. It has made Mingyue Tower glorious. This is the third year since Mingyue Tower opened for business after renovation. It is because of your support that Mingyue Tower has become what it is today..." said Madam Xuanwu on the stage.

Because of your support. Or rather, it’s because of Gu Jinheng’s support.

Pei Nai felt extremely upset, but she didn't want to show it on her face. She slowly looked away and put away her stern expression.

Mrs. Xuanwu had finished her reading and it was getting dark, so it was time for her to go home.

She declined Yixi's invitation, and the two agreed on the time and place for the next meeting, and then said goodbye in front of Mingyue Tower.

In a blink of an eye, the moon was already dim and the stars were sparse. Pei Nai returned to the Ju Mansion and happened to meet the owner of the Ju Mansion, Ju Yan, who was about to get on the carriage to go out at the door.

Pei Nai knew very well that at this moment he was just an unrelated distant relative, so he simply said hello.

Ju Yan nodded and said, "Chaoyang has not been very peaceful recently, so try not to go out at night."

Pei Nai was also stunned. Was he talking about the recent assassination of officials?

I heard that the murderer was brutal and the victim died in a horrible way. Although she was not afraid of this, she still replied: ".Understood."

Ju Yan looked at her, not knowing what he was thinking, then continued to get on the carriage and urged the coachman to leave the Ju Mansion.

The night becomes increasingly quiet.

Lanterns are still hanging in the pavilions and palaces of the capital city, gathering together like a river of stars, with flowers blooming in the morning and the moon shining at dusk.

Ju Yan learned from the servants that Duke Duan Ding was currently on the roof of the highest hall in the mansion, so he climbed up the ladder.

When he went up, Duandinggong was sitting on the eaves, staring blankly at the lights of thousands of houses in the distance. Wine cups and jugs were placed messily beside him. Many of them had been spilled and were dripping down in puddles. The whole roof was filled with the smell of alcohol.

After Ji Wei and Jiang Wentao were sentenced to death ten years ago, Ju Yan became the person who had followed Duke Duan Ding the longest.

He knew that during the day Duke Duanding had had an argument with the emperor over the dispatch of garrison troops in response to the earthquake in Qingzhou.

The emperor did not give in in handling this matter. The two had been at odds for years. Civil and military officials stood aside, afraid of being implicated, and dared not utter a word.

Ju Yan felt sorry for his master. It was Duke Duan Ding who had supported the young emperor step by step since he ascended the throne. However, as the emperor became more mature and stable, and became a wise and decisive emperor, he began to fear the tremendous power of his uncle.

The group of people personally cultivated by the emperor have been becoming more and more active recently. Duke Duan Ding is aware of this, but he has done nothing.

Ju Yan also knew that Duke Duan Ding was testing the emperor. He was waiting to see whether His Majesty's right-hand men and spies were reliable, whether His Majesty had truly grown up sitting on the throne, and whether he had become adept and proficient in doing things.

Duke Duan Ding silently observed and judged whether his nephew could break away from him and truly become a wise ruler.

Ju Yan knew that he should not disturb his master who was drinking, but the matter at hand was very urgent and required his decision.

After thinking about the severity of the matter again and again, Ju Yan still walked over.

Duke Duan Ding picked up another pot of wine, poured it from top to bottom, and poured it into his throat. The wine flowed down his chin and neck.

At this moment, Duke Duan Ding no longer had the nobility and elegance, but had a bit of ruffian and heroism, as well as an indescribable loneliness.

"Master?" Ju Yan called him.

Duke Duan Ding had already heard the sound of him coming up, but he just turned a deaf ear to it.

Ju Yan sighed, knelt down and comforted him: "Don't drink anymore. If your wife is in heaven and sees you like this, how sad she would be?"

There was a sudden wave in the air around, and the tiles on the roof shook violently.

Ju Yan knew that this was a manifestation of his grandfather's mood swings.

Duke Duan Ding glanced at him calmly, having taken his words in. He smiled to himself, somewhat sadly, "Ju Yan, you know what? She did it on purpose. In the battle of Yagu, if she had the desire to live, she would not have died with her ability. Those avoidable sacrifices were just reasons for her not wanting to see me."

Ju Yan felt a pang in his heart when he heard this.

He looked at Duke Duan Ding and felt that these love affairs, once they transcended life and death, would become obsessions, and he could not be persuaded or talked out of it.

Sometimes he thought that feelings that could make people still remember them ten years later must be more terrifying than feelings that have penetrated into their bones. How tragic is that?
Can't forget, can't quit, can't change.

Duke Duan Ding smiled self-deprecatingly, with a hint of sadness in his eyes, "Everyone says that she dares to love and hate, and she deserves this word. Her love is strong, but even her hatred is so extreme."

He kept looking at the scenery in the distance.

Ju Yan didn't dare to say anything more and just waited quietly by the side. He wanted to wait for Princess Duan Ding to ask about it before he could report the serious matter.

In the silent night, Ju Yan looked at his master shrouded in the pale moonlight, and suddenly thought of a sentence.

There are so many ups and downs in this world, and there are always people who watch the joys and sorrows of thousands of families and light their lights, reminding him that he has lost his warmth.

Life is nothing but a story of sorrow and joy. Death takes away the joy and leaves only sorrow for the living.

　【Liu Nianxuan/Character Story Card】（2/2）

　　Duke Duan Ding shook his head and said, "I have a wife, and there will only be one of her."

　　"Then sir, what do you need me to do for you?" Liu Nianxuan stared at the beautiful face and continued to ask.

　　Duke Duan Ding lowered his head to look at the ground, as if he was missing his first wife, with sorrow in his eyes. After a moment, he said, "If I miss her, I will ask someone to call you into the mansion. You just need to sit there and let me take a look at you."

　　His answer made Liu Nianxuan tremble.

　　What kind of deep love is this? What kind of regret will be left behind by the difference between life and death?
　　Liu Nianxuan envied the late Madam Yingwu very much, and envied her for being able to receive the love and affection from such an unattainable man.

　　The master had someone buy a house for her. A few days later, when the master's men came to her with the title deed, she realized that the livelihood that the master mentioned was that he bought Mingyue Tower and gave it to her to manage, and she could even get a 50% dividend.

　　After the master's men left that day, she held the land deed in her hand and cried bitterly in the yard.

　　No one had ever treated her like this since she was a child. She couldn't imagine that someone would spend so much money just to allow her to not be dependent on others and to be independent.

　　The master would occasionally have someone bring her into the mansion, and just as he said, he would just look at her quietly, and most of the time he wouldn't even say a word.

　　Liu Nianxuan often wondered, who could resist being moved by such a gentle and affectionate gaze from the Grandpa?
　　She was no exception. Even though she knew that he was missing someone when he saw her, she couldn't help but fall in love with him.

　　But she knew she was not worthy, and she knew that once her feelings were exposed, she would lose that kind of gaze forever.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)