Chapter 78: This Seat's Master Has a Nightmare

That night, Chu Wanning and Mo Ran shared a room together. Mo Ran was so carefree that she soon fell asleep on the floor, but Chu Wanning's mind wandered and tossed and turned for a long time before he managed to fall asleep.

With eyes closed, the sound of a gale blowing snow seems to whistle in your ears.

Chu Wanning opened his eyes and found himself on his knees in the snow.

Dreams

But why is it so real, as if it was experienced at some point in person?

It was the middle of winter, the sky was leaden grey, the clouds were heavy and graceful, flowing from the distant mountains and trailing down into the earth's lungs. The snow had accumulated to about a foot, enough to reach his ankles, and it was so cold that even though he was clad in a large banner, it was still too cold for his bones.

Chu Wanning looked down at the azure fur coat, embroidered with silver silk threads in an elaborate scrolling straw pattern.

""

Not understanding why he had such a painful dream, Chu Wanning prepared to stand up, but his body did not look like it belonged to him, and he remained motionless on his knees until frost and snow had fallen on his shoulders and his eyelashes had become beads of ice.

" Master Chu, it is dark, His Majesty will not see you tonight, so let us return."

A faltering, old voice sounded behind him.

The dream self didn't turn around, footsteps sounded behind him, someone creaking on the snow and carrying an umbrella to his left and right.

Chu Wanning heard himself say, "Thank you, Liu. You are getting old, go back to the water pavilion and rest yourself, I can still hold it together."

"The Patriarch"

The old voice was about to say something else when Chu Wanning said, "Go back."

The faded voice sighs and shuffles a few steps, then turns back to hold the umbrella for Chu Wanning.

"The old slave accompanies the Patriarch."

Chu Wanning felt his dream self close his eyes slightly and stopped talking.

He could not help but wonder more and more at what was really a very absurd dream. Both himself and the old man were speaking in an incomprehensible conversation.

What with "Your Majesty" and "Liu", it was not the Xianxia world that he was familiar with, but rather the deep palace courtyard.

He tried hard to see the dream scene through the body and through the drooping eyes. It looked like the top of death and life, but something was different.

The house remains largely the same, with the addition of many small extravagant items. The corridors around the courtyard are draped with snowy green star-embroidered mantles, tied with beasts of prey containing pearls and octagonal incense bells, which tinkle when the wind blows.

He knelt with his face towards the main hall, in front of which stood a row of guards, also dressed in a way he had never seen before, and he did not know which sect they were from.

As the sky grew dark, a line of high-bunned palace maids came out of the side door, with their delicate hands, lighting two bronze standing lanterns, one on the left and one on the right, under the side of the hall, which was as high as a man, with nine tiers, each tier scattered with seventy-seven to forty-nine fine bronze begonias.

The first palace maid glanced at Chu Wanning and sneered, "It's freezing at night, so who can you show such bitterness to? His Majesty and Her Majesty are enjoying themselves.

How unbridled

Chu Wanning, who had never dared to speak to him in this way in his life, was furious, yet he opened his mouth, his voice was his own, but he could not help but say something else.

"I am not here to spoil his fun, but I have something important to discuss, so please let me know."

"Who are you, who am I to pass on your behalf," said the great court lady with contempt, "His Majesty and the Queen are in the thick of love, who dares to disturb them? You want to see His Majesty, just stay on your knees, tomorrow His Majesty will get up, maybe he will even have the heart to look at you, humph."

The old slave behind Chu Wanning couldn't stand to hear any more and said in a trembling voice, "I know your mother is in favour, but don't you see who you're talking to and don't leave any virtue in your mouth?"

"Who am I talking to here at the summit of death and life, who doesn't know that His Majesty is most disgusted with him? I need no respect to talk to him... You have the audacity to lecture me, even you, old man!" The grand palace maid's eyes widened in anger, "Someone!"

"What are you doing," said the pale old man, taking two steps forward and hunched over Chu Wanning.

The palace maid glared at him and said in a delicate voice, "Put out the two pots of coals outside."

"Yes."

Immediately, someone came and doused the charcoal pots that were burning in the courtyard.

Chu Wanning thought to herself, "Although this palace maid is tough-mouthed, she is not a stupid person after all. It was so cold and icy that she didn't need to fight her opponent directly and make people talk. If she extinguished the two pots of charcoal, the courtyard would be like an ice cave, and even the best of bodies would not be able to withstand half the night.

As the night wore on, the hall was warmed by the spring banquet, with songs, dances and music.

Chu Wanning remains on his knees, his legs and feet numb.

"The patriarch returns."

The old slave's voice had taken on a sobbing tone.

"Go back, your health is important, and you know His Majesty, if you were freezing, I'm afraid he wouldn't send a medical officer to take a look at you, so take care of yourself."

Chu Wanning said softly, "I am not ashamed of a broken body. If I can stop him from advancing to Kunlun Snow Walk Palace, I have nothing to lose."

"Patriarch you, what is your suffering?"

Chu Wanning in the dream world was already very weak, and he coughed a few times, but his gaze was still clear: "I am responsible for what happened to him. I cough."

Chu Wanning covered his mouth with his sleeve, his throat was fishy and sweet, and when he lowered his sleeve, he saw blood all over his hands.

" Master Chu "

"I"

Chu Wanning was about to say something else when his eyes went black and he couldn't hold on any longer, falling into the snow and ice.

The confusion in his ears was endless, as if he was suddenly in a state of confusion, or as if the waters of the sea were heaving through layers of mantle, so that he could not hear the noise around him.

He could only dimly hear the old slave shouting in panic, and bits and pieces drifted into his ears.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please."

"Master Chu, Master Chu, he's dying, please see him, I'd like to die"

There was a gradual chaos in all directions, with heavy foot traffic and bright lights.

The sound of drumming and the sweet song of the women stopped abruptly, as the doors of the temple seemed to open wide and a fragrant breeze rushed out wrapped in the warmth of the room. Chu Wanning felt someone pick him up and carry him into the warmth of the hall. A large hand touched his forehead, only to be probed for a moment and then jerked back as if it had been pricked.

Immediately afterwards, a familiar low male voice hissed dangerously.

"Why don't you report to the throne?"

No one answered.

The man burst into a steep rage and with a thud seemed to lift and smash a pile of heavy objects as he roared in anger, building up a thunderous rage.

"He is the master of the red lotus, the master of this house, and he is kneeling here, and not one of you has come to tell me why not."

With a thud someone fell to her knees, shivering, none other than the large palace maid who had flaunted her power earlier.

"Slave servant is deadly guilty, slave servant saw that His Majesty and Her Majesty were in good spirits and dared not disturb"

The man walked back and forth in circles, but his anger grew instead of subsiding, his black, gold-trimmed robe whipping across the floor like a black cloud before finally stopping, his voice distorted to the extreme.

"He is not well and is afraid of the cold. You didn't come to report me and left him waiting in the snow, and you also you put out the charcoal fire in the courtyard"

His voice was shaking with too much anger, and finally he took a deep breath and the words rumbled and rolled out of his throat.

The sound of those words was not loud, but the killing intent in them sent chills throughout the body.

"You are trying to get him to die."

"Drag them down. The punishment will be the death penalty at the Good and Evil Terrace."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

The sharp voice sounded like bloody fingernails scraping against her ears, and the dream began to shake and disintegrate at the sound of her harsh screams, the scene around her falling apart like snowflakes.

"How much effort it took for this throne to get him back from the ghostly gate. No one but this throne is allowed to hurt him even by a finger"

The raspy voice was deep and cold, but it was the extreme coldness that gave rise to some hideous madness.

Chu Wanning felt the man approaching and stopping in front of him.

One hand cupped his chin.

He opened his eyes vaguely and tried to see the person's face, but in the dazzling light he saw a blurred face with dark, deep brows, a straight nose and eyes as black as satin, with hints of purple in the candlelight.

" Mo Ran "

"Master."

The sound suddenly became clear.

Chu Wanning opened his eyes abruptly and saw that he was still lying in his room at the inn, the sky still dark, a lone lamp trembling on a candlestick.

Mo Ran is sitting on the edge of the couch with one hand on his forehead and one hand propped up on the bed, looking at him with some anxiety.

"What about me?"

For a moment, he was in a trance, the dream was so real that he could not get back to it for a long time.

"You've been having nightmares and shivering." Mo Ran pulled the thin blanket for him, "I looked like you were cold and was afraid you were running a fever, but thankfully not."

Chu Wanning gave a little nod and turned his head to look out of the slightly open window. Outside, the sky was still heavy with grey and black, and the night was still deep.

"I had a dream in which it was snowing heavily."

He mumbled something and stopped talking again.

Chu Wanning sat up, buried his face in his palms, and after a moment's silence, sighed, "About as tired as you can get."

"I'll go and make a bowl of ginger tea for your master." Mo Ran looked worriedly at his pale face, "Master, you look so pale."

""

When Chu Wanning didn't say anything, Mo Ran sighed and didn't think too much of it, and habitually pressed his forehead against his cold, sweaty forehead.

"If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes."

Chu Wanning, slightly startled by the sudden intimacy, subconsciously leaned back, "Mmm."

Mo Ran was also drowsy and, as in his previous life, rubbed his hair with his hands before putting on his coat and running downstairs to borrow the kitchen. Within moments, a beechwood tray was brought up.

Mo Ran is not a man with a heart of stone. Chu Wanning rushes to his rescue and protects him at Peach Blossom Yard, and no matter how much resentment he may have felt towards this man, he is grateful at this moment.

On the tray was a steaming pot of ginger tea and a small jar of earthy black sugar. He remembered that Chu Wanning did not like choking but preferred sweetness.

In addition to the ginger tea, he also asked the kitchen for a white steamed bun. The steamed bun is cut into thin slices, dipped in fresh milk and fried in a frying pan, sprinkled with a layer of sugar frosting, making it a simple but tasty snack.

Chu Wanning slowly sipped his ginger tea, his face gradually gaining blood, his white as porcelain fingertips picked out a piece of creamy steamed bun and asked after a long time, "What is this?"

"I made it off the top of my head, I haven't named it yet." Mo Ran scratched his head, "Try it, Master, it's sweet."

Chu Wanning doesn't like fried food and is sick of grease, but when he heard the word "sweet", he hesitated and took a piece close to his lips and took a bite.

"Mmm."

"Is it good?" Mo Ran asks tentatively.

Chu Wanning looked at him without saying anything, then took another piece and ate it slowly with his ginger tea.

A pot of tea and a plate of snacks soon ran out, and the nightmare dissipated like smoke in the warmth.

"Wait a minute." Mo Ran suddenly raised her hand and wiped her fingers across the corner of Chu Wanning's lips, "Snack crumbs."

""

When she saw the young man's frank smile, Chu Wanning could not help but feel her ears burning, so she turned her face away from him with a "hmm".

Mo Ran collected the dishes and went downstairs to return them. When he came back up, he saw Chu Wanning asleep with his face to the wall, not sure if he was asleep.

He went forward and gently lowered the curtain, when he heard Chu Wanning say, "It's a cold night, don't sleep on the floor."

"That."

Chu Wanning's long, slender eyes are drooping and she wants him to stay with her, but she can't say "sleep next to me", and the tips of her ears are getting hotter and hotter.

Heartbroken he didn't want him to sleep on the floor, loved him and didn't want him to leave.

But with such a thin skin, knowing that even if one asks, the other party will surely just reject him or her, and then lose both face and face, I feel sad just imagining it.

It's better when you're Xia Sini, and when you're a child, you can always behave yourself.

But Mo Ran has been treating him well today, even remembering that when he drinks ginger tea, he likes to put enough brown sugar in it, so can he assume that Mo Ran actually cares for him in some way?

The thought made Chu Wanning's heart burn a little and her head spin.

"You come up and sleep."

"Then I'll go and see if it's died down next door, and when it has, I'll go back to my room."

The words came out almost simultaneously, and Mo Ran's eyes widened slightly as she finished speaking and realised what Chu Wanning had said.

"That couldn't be better."

Chu Wanning agreed, almost without thinking, as if in a hurry to cover up his earlier remark.

"You go back."

"You, Master."

"I'm bored, go away."

"All right then, Master, rest early."

The youth left and the door of the room creaked open and closed.

Chu Wanning opened his eyes in the vast darkness, his heart beating fast, his palms damp with sweat, and he couldn't help but feel embarrassed by his earlier outburst.

It is true that after being alone for a long time, the slightest care and concern from others will make him think that it is an incomparable warmth.

Just like fools.

He rolled over in frustration and buried his face between the pillows, sinking into a deep sense of self-loathing. He knew that Mo Ran was in love with Shi Mingjing, and that he was just a cold and polite master and pupil, but

The man from the dream seemed to come back clearly to the forefront.

The same features, only older than the current Mo Ran.

When he looks at himself, his expression is perverse and paranoid, and his pupils are so deep that it is impossible to see them clearly.

"There was a creak and the door opened again.

Chu Wanning froze momentarily, his back tensing like a horned bow stretched to the breaking point.

A man came up to the bed, ruled by silence, and he felt the man sit down on the edge of the couch, returning with some scent unique to his clothes.

"Master, are you asleep?"

No one picked up on him.

Mo Ran went on, his voice calm, as if he were talking about family matters, "There's still a ruckus next door." He laughed softly and leaned down to rest on his side, lying beside Chu Wanning, his gaze skimming over the man's visibly stiffened back.

"Master just told me to sleep up here, does it still count?"

""

"Master is always non-committal. If I don't say anything, I'll assume that Master is willing again."

"Hmm."

Hearing a not-so-subtle cold hum from the man deep in the bed, Mo Ran curled his eyes, a smile filling his dark purple pupils.

If doting on Shi Mei is a habit, teasing her is a game he never tires of.

Mo Ran has never had a clear definition of his feelings for Chu Wanning, except that every now and then the sight of him makes his heart itch to show his tiger teeth and gnaw on him, making him cry or laugh, although most of the time this is just Mo Ran's wishful thinking.

But as soon as there was the slightest change of mood in that cold, ice-cold face, because of himself, Mo Ran felt a special thrill of excitement.

"Master."

"Hmm."

"It's okay, I'll just shout at you."

""

"Master."

"Something to say, nothing to get out."

"Hahaha." Mo Ran laughed and suddenly thought of something and asked, half jokingly and half seriously, "I was just pondering and thought that Senior Brother Xia and Master are really too much alike, Master, is he your son?"

""

Chu Wanning, who had probably had a long night of ups and downs, was now angry. When he heard that Mo Ran was making fun of him, he was a bit annoyed.

"Pfft, I'm teasing the Master, the Master doesn't have to"

"Right." Chu Wanning responded coldly, "He's my son."

Mo Ran is still smiling: "Oh, I told you, it's a son, wait a minute, son."

Mo Ran's eyes widened in disbelief as she was struck by lightning.

"Son, son, son, son"

"Well." Chu Wanning simply turned sideways and looked at Mo Ran with a serious face that didn't look fake at all.

I've done too many things wrong tonight to be suspicious. Since Mo Ran is going to make this joke, he might as well take advantage of the chaos and never let Mo Ran see that he likes him anyway.

With this in mind, Chu Wanning coldly regained the dignity he had just lost and said sternly, "Xia Sini is my illegitimate son, and even he has been kept in the dark about this.

Mo Ran :""