In her dreams, countless times, she was humiliated, a woman who felt life was unbearable. She always wore a long robe embroidered with gold thread, and the hairpins by her temples jingled with her steps. Those long nails, painted a crimson red, cruelly pinched her jaw, forcing her to meet her gaze.

Lin Wanji couldn’t forget those eyes from the dream. In those eyes, she saw the woman’s boundless hatred.

And excitement, the excitement that increased the force in her hand, watching her struggle in pain, the woman finally raised the corner of her lips.

In the woman’s eyes, she was nothing more than a dying plaything.

Thinking of this, Lin Wanji clutched at her clothes, breathing heavily, forcing herself to calm down.

It was just a dream, just a dream…

“Miss, have you had another nightmare?”

The maid with a double-spiral bun heard the cry from the inner room, quickly lifted the curtain and hurried to the bed. Seeing the girl on the bed sweating slightly on her forehead, her delicate face pale, she quickly took out the handkerchief from her bosom and gently wiped it, asking, “Shall I call Master and Madam over?”

The girl shook her head, her voice still trembling slightly, “Water… Ying Shi, get me some water, I’m thirsty.”

“Yes, I’ll go right away.” The maid named Ying Shi hurriedly lifted the curtain and bowed out of the inner room.

After a while, Lin Wanji drank several large mouthfuls of water, finally calming down. She handed the bowl to Ying Shi, “I feel uneasy, and I can’t sleep peacefully. I might as well go find Mother myself.”

Lin Wanji carefully recalled the scene in her dream. The woman in luxurious clothes had a completely unfamiliar face, yet she repeatedly appeared in her dreams. Even if it was an illusion, why did she remember the woman’s appearance so clearly?

And the woman kneeling in the snow in the dream was clearly her own image, the piercing chill was like a real experience, still making her very frightened. Who was that woman? She had never made enemies with anyone, why would that woman torment her so much?

And… the woman mentioned the Lin family’s imprisonment.  The current Anping Marquis Mansion and the Crown Prince were at peace in the capital, how could they easily fall?

Doubts filled her mind, and her head began to ache again. Lin Wanji hissed, rubbed her temples, lifted the curtain, and bowed out of the room.

It was already late at night. The wind on the deck was strong, the mournful wind howled, she couldn’t help but shiver, pulling her clothes tighter.

In the distance was a boundless expanse of dark ink. The ship sailed on the sea, and only the sound of surging water could be heard. She quietly closed her eyes, letting the sea breeze blow over her, finally feeling the long-lost tranquility.

I can’t think about it anymore. A vague dream, worrying and grieving, is nothing but futile. She shook her head hard, trying to shake off those chaotic thoughts, stood in front of another room, and softly called, “Mother, are you asleep?”

The curtain was suddenly lifted, and Madam Lin, Lu Yanyong, seeing her daughter standing outside in her clothes, quickly pulled her into the room, saying with heartache, “Oh, it’s such a cold day, why are you dressed so thinly, come in quickly to get rid of the chill.”

It was already November, and the wind and waves on the ship were strong. Lin Wanji sat down, immediately holding a hand warmer. Looking up, she saw that her father was also there.

“It’s so late, I should have been asleep long ago, but my daughter had another nightmare, and I was really scared. I didn’t want to disturb Father and Mother’s rest.”

“Another nightmare?” Hearing this, Father Lin anxiously looked at his daughter, “Ever since you boarded the ship and went north, you’ve often had nightmares and fears, and your body has become thinner and thinner.”

When Mrs. Lu heard her daughter’s words, she was also very anxious, “She was fine in Yangzhou, but on this journey, Wan’er has suffered so much. If I had known this, I shouldn’t have listened to your father to come to this troublesome capital…”

Lin Yanqing, Lin’s father, was from the Anping Marquis Mansion, but he wasn’t the old Madam’s biological son. He passed the imperial examination years ago, knowing he wasn’t interested in court intrigues, he became a seventh-rank local official in Yangzhou.

Madam Lin was the daughter of a wealthy merchant family in Yangzhou. Because of Lin’s father’s profound scholarship, he founded a Qingya Academy, where many scholars came to listen to Lin’s father’s lectures, and many students passed the imperial examinations, gaining considerable reputation locally.

Lin’s father and mother were very much in love, and they only had one daughter, Lin Wanji, who was now fifteen years old. A few days ago, Lin Yanqing was favored by a nobleman and was promoted to a position in the Hanlin Academy in the capital. The whole family then set off north, traveling by boat for more than a month, finally nearing the capital.

Seeing her mother’s tearful eyes, Lin Wanji quickly got up to comfort her, “Mother, don’t worry, it’s probably because the journey by water is bumpy, so I’m restless and can’t sleep well. If it’s still like this in the capital… there are many famous doctors in the capital, they will surely be able to cure my daughter’s heart ailment.”

After hearing this, Lu Yanyong could only touch her head with heartache, “Fortunately, we’ll arrive at Jingkou tomorrow, and it won’t be far from the capital after getting off the boat. Tomorrow, we’ll first check the houses and shops we’ve prepared, and then go to the Marquis Mansion to pay our respects to your grandmother.”

The Lu family was wealthy, with countless properties in Yangzhou City. Because they were going to live in the capital for a long time, they had sent the steward to the capital early to prepare for purchasing matters. Although the Anping Marquis Mansion had not yet been divided, they should live in the Marquis Mansion, but after all, Lin Yanqing and the old Madam were separated by a generation, if there were conflicts between brothers, their family of three would not have to live under others’ roof, they would naturally find another house.

“It’s been ten years…” Lin’s father said when Mrs. Lu mentioned the Marquis Mansion, recalling the past, “Yanyong, do you still remember that we went to the capital ten years ago? Wan’er was still young then, and couldn’t stand the bumps, so we left her at her maternal grandparents’ house. Who knew that when we came back, Wan’er refused to leave the Lu family.”

Ten years ago, the old Marquis passed away, and Lin Yanqing and Lu Shi went to the Marquis Mansion to observe mourning, staying for half a year. That was the first time Mrs. Lu went to the capital, and it was such a high-ranking family like the Marquis Mansion, she was very nervous. Fortunately, the old Madam was very easy to talk to.

“I remember, Wan’er was only five years old then, crying and not wanting us to leave. Who knew that she was spoiled by her uncles and aunts at the Lu family, saying that she wanted to live at the Lu family and didn’t want to come back.”

Lin Wanji’s face was a little shy. Seeing that the atmosphere had become lighter, she quickly changed the subject, “Father and Mother, don’t tease your daughter. This is my first time in the capital, and I haven’t seen many rules of high-ranking families, I’m afraid I will be clumsy and make a fool of myself.”

Hearing this, Father Lin waved his hand indifferently, “Your grandmother is always easy to talk to, she’s not someone who makes things difficult for others. If the several branches of the Marquis Mansion are not easy to get along with, we don’t have to suffer these grievances, we can just find another house to move out. If we don’t like living in the capital, your father will resign and accompany Wan’er back to Yangzhou.”

Lu Yanyong nodded and added, “Wan’er’s happiness is the most important. But etiquette cannot be abandoned, it’s your grandmother’s birthday in a few days, have you prepared a birthday gift?”

“Father and Mother have told me many times, I remember. I prepared it when I was in Yangzhou.” Lin Wanji looked out of the window and vaguely saw a tall figure standing at the bow of the ship. She thought for a moment and bowed to Lin’s parents, “It’s late now, I won’t disturb Father and Mother’s rest. We’ll enter the capital tomorrow, and I need to rest early to save my energy.”

Mrs. Lu nodded and called Ying Shi to add clothes for Lin Wanji, and put another warm hand warmer into her hand, “The wind is strong outside, it’s cold, be careful not to catch a cold.”

On the deck stood a young man in a dark robe. He stood with his hands behind his back, quietly looking at the surging waves in the distance. The night was like water, silent, only the wind and waves could be heard, together with him, seemed to merge into the boundless and thick night.

Hearing footsteps behind him, the man turned his head and saw the girl coming gracefully. A warm smile appeared on his gentle face, and he bowed to her, “Miss Lin.”

“Brother Zhu.” Lin Wanji bowed to the man and asked with a smile, “Brother Zhu, are you admiring the waves? It seems that I will be able to read another good work.”

Zhu Xiuming was from Yangzhou, now just twenty years old, studying and taking the imperial examination at Qingya Academy. Lin Yanqing appreciated his extraordinary talent and accepted him as a student, personally guiding his studies. Zhu Xiuming was indeed talented, and at a young age, he passed the provincial examination. Now he was going to the capital with the Lin family, preparing for the spring imperial examination next March.

However, he knew he didn’t deserve the title of “brother”. Miss Lin was known for her talent in poetry and literature in Yangzhou City, because her father had taught her since childhood; while he was a late starter, he had only been fortunate enough to study at Qingya Academy for a few years.

Zhu Xiuming’s family was poor, his parents had passed away early, if it weren’t for Mr. Lin’s acceptance, how could he have achieved his current academic achievements. Now he was even taken to the capital by the Lin family, so he could concentrate on preparing for the imperial examination. He remembered the kindness of the Lin family, and he dared not forget it for a moment.

“Miss Lin is joking, what Zhu has learned is just superficial, how dare I show off my literary talent and claim it as a masterpiece.”

“Brother Zhu, you are being too polite again.” Lin Wanji saw his humble appearance and pretended to be angry, “If you only learned a little bit, why did you come to the capital with us? Go back to Yangzhou quickly, if you have no talent, don’t embarrass my father and ruin the reputation of the academy.”

Zhu Xiuming heard this and knew that Lin Wanji was teasing him, his face also turned slightly red, and he hurriedly bowed and begged for mercy, “Miss Lin is right, after I enter the capital, I will be careful in my words and actions, and I will not implicate my teacher’s reputation.”

Lin Wanji knew that he was kind-hearted, but he had read too many books, and his speech was too polite and roundabout, making him a bit tiring to talk to. During her years at Qingya Academy, she had already figured out his character, and she knew that he had a difficult life.

This trip to the capital, Lin Wanji sincerely hoped that he would achieve success in the imperial examination, so she put away her playful attitude and nodded to him, “We’ll enter the capital tomorrow, I wish Brother Zhu success in the imperial examination and early success.”

“Thank you, Miss Lin.” Zhu Xiuming slightly pursed his lips, looking at the constantly surging waves in the distance and sighed, “But the capital is not like Yangzhou, this imperial examination will surely be full of talented people…”

“Brother Zhu, don’t belittle yourself, Qingya Academy has always had many students who passed the imperial examination, and with Brother Zhu’s talent, you will surely be on the list and achieve your wish.”

“Good.” Zhu Xiuming looked at the girl in front of him. Although she wasn’t wearing makeup, she had fair skin and bright eyes, her white face was as smooth as jade, and she had a natural beauty.