Big Bodhi

Chapter 23: One Night, Fish and Dragon Dance

Ji Hong paced up and down in the hall room, his expression changing repeatedly before he gradually calmed down after a long while and said, “The return of Nian’er is a great joy! Xu Jianghe, immediately order the city of Anyang to be carefully decorated to welcome the Grand Duke!”

Xu Jianghe answered and went away with his orders.

Ji Hong then resumed his seat in the hall room, his gaze cloudy and uncertain, as if he was hesitating about something.

……

It was already midnight.

The streets, bridges, and downtown areas were all lit up with large red lanterns, and every corner was lit up with the gentle glow of lights.

Many stalls and vendors were shouting and selling, while ladies and gentlemen dressed in fine silks walked hand in hand under the lanterns, and there were even magnificent carved wooden carriages slowly passing by, adding an extra touch of colour to the festival.

Anyang City, one of the eight cities in the inner city of Tai Chu, is a city under the direct control of the Ji family. 90% of the mortals living here are of the Ji surname, and apart from the four houses of the main line of the Ji family, almost all the rest are descendants of the many side lines of the Ji family.

The annual lantern festival in Anyang City was not supposed to be held at this time, but at the order of Ji Hong, the head of the Ji family, the festival was brought forward to today, half a month later. The specific reason was not clearly stated.

However, as rumours swept through the eight inner cities, almost everyone knew that the Ji family’s eldest son, Ji Yue Nian, was heading towards Anyang City.

The area within the walls of the ancient city of Tai Chu is extremely wide, and the western gate of the outer city is not close to the core inner city, so if one were to travel on foot, it would take at least a few hours.

……

“The Lantern Festival?” Ji Bugui looked at the lights within Anyang City from afar and looked a little surprised, “Grand Duke, there is actually a lantern festival in Anyang City this evening.”

The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on Ji Yue Nian’s blue Taoist robe, as if it was covered with a layer of bright silver light.

The silvery white moon was reflected in the young man’s pupils, and he said softly, “I understand the intention of Father’s move.”

Ji Bugui was a bit puzzled and said, “Just now I counted the days, if we follow the usual practice, we still have at least ten days before the lantern festival in Anyang City. What does the Grand Duke mean at this point, does he mean that …… this is an order from the Lord of the family?”

Ji Yuenian brushed the sleeves of his robes and never spoke, but continued to walk towards Anyang City under the white moonlight.

The night breeze is still chilly, and the memories of sixteen years ago come in waves, as if from another world.

……

At the lantern festival, the lanterns were in full bloom.

Zhao Yin Yue stood quietly on top of the stone bridge, her hair tossed up in the wind, her gaze lowered as she looked at the dark river flowing below the bridge.

The moonlight seemed to have never changed since the beginning of time, splashing on her snow-white dress and her cold eyes, reflecting her like an exiled immortal.

“Yue’er.”

Ji Hong, in a long black robe, slowly walked up to the bridge and gently took Zhao Yin Yue’s shoulders from behind.

Zhao Yin Yue’s delicate eyebrows were distant and she took a half step back, breaking away from Ji Hong’s hand, her sandalwood mouth lightly opened and said, “What is it?”

“You gave birth to a child a few days ago, why didn’t you take more time to recuperate, why did you sneak out again?” Ji Hong’s eyes were full of worry, and the concern in his words did not seem to be fake, “You don’t have any cultivation at this time, so don’t catch a cold.”

Zhao Yin Yue glanced at Ji Hong, shook her head and laughed lightly, with a hint of disdain in her tone, “You and I have no feelings for each other, so why do you need to act like this?”

Ji Hong was silent for a moment and said, “Turn your head away first.”

“What?” Zhao Yin Yue’s eyes darted around and stopped on Ji Hong’s face.

“You turn your head first.” Ji Hong repeated again.

The woman lost her smile for a moment and said, “It’s just that, I’d like to see what you want to do.”

With those words, she gently turned around, her snow-white neon dress tossed and danced like a fairy of the moon palace that had fallen to the earth.

Ten breaths later, Ji Hong’s voice came into her ears, “All right, turn around.”

As the night breeze picked up, Zhao Yin Yue turned her head sideways, her soft red lips carrying a strand of hair, and what caught her eyes was a dazzling sky of fireworks.

The sky was full of fireworks.

“Still lonely?” Ji Hong smiled.

Zhao Yin Yue did not say anything, but only looked up and stared fixedly at the magnificent fireworks that lit up the night sky.

Ji Hong leaned closer and said, “Yue’er, is your heart feeling better?”

The woman in white, as beautiful as an exiled immortal, still did not say a word.

Ji Hong was silent for a moment, then untied his own black robe and gently draped it over Zhao Yin Yue and said:”You were born like a celestial being, I know I am not worthy of you, but I did my best to save you from the Zhao family, don’t you have any gratitude?”

“My mother is a lowly ghost, I am not worthy of anyone,” Zhao Yin Yue flicked her hand and took off her black robe, throwing it under the stone bridge, “I am a bit tired.”

With these words, she turned around, holding onto the cold carved stone pillar, and walked slowly towards the bottom of the bridge step by step.

The river ran across the whole of Anyang City, rippling in the moonlight, curling around the black robe and disappearing in a flash.

“Yue’er.”

Ji Hong’s voice came from behind him.

Zhao Yinyue turned her back to him, her eyes as cold as moonlight were full of loneliness and loneliness: “It’s too late.”

Ji Hong was stunned for a moment and said, “Yue’er?”

The woman’s snow-white skirt swung lightly as she stepped off the stone bridge, her hair tossed up in the wind, and she didn’t look back.

The bright and noisy lights of the house, but not even one of them really belonged to her.

……

The snow is plucked to find the flowers, the lamps are burned to last the day, the fate is hard to say.

The moon is bright and cold, the river is flooded with boats, and the ground is filled with trees and willows.

The first time I saw her, I was a prisoner in a mirror.

The fire and smoke of the past are over, and a song of neon dresses fills the sleeves.

……

“Zhao Yin Yue was only sixteen years old when she gave birth to me, and seven days later her soul fell and she died.”

Ji Yue Nian stood under the equally bright white moonlight, looking at the brilliantly lit Anyang City not far away, and said in a soft voice.

“Eldest son, these are all events from sixteen years ago,” Ji Bugui’s forehead was already seeping with cold sweat, “The people of the Ji family have always kept this secret, you were just a newborn baby then, how did you know this in such detail?”

The young man glanced at him and did not say anything.

At once, Ji Bugui fell to his knees in terror, his scalp tingling as he said in a trembling voice, “Grand Duke, I know I was wrong! I shouldn’t have asked you!”

With these words, he raised his palm and slapped himself fiercely, and in a short time, Ji Bugui’s face had already swollen up with obvious bruises on both sides.

“Get up.”

Ji Yue Nian faintly shook his head and straightaway raised his steps towards Anyang City.