Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 16: nightmare

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No, no, I don't want to stay here, I don't know this place.

The book beside her pillow clattered to the ground in her panic.

The pros and cons seem obvious.

She subconsciously turned her head. On the ground, on the open page of the book, there was a sentence like this drawn in blood-red lines -

In front of her is a mirror, and the woman opposite is herself.

—Act 1, Section 1 of "The Castle", written by Lu Qin

Twilight: May 15, year 100, yin. The astrologer predicts that today will be a bad day and everything will be unfavorable.

"How will this end?" She didn't know.

She wiped the cold sweat on her head, exhaled a long breath, and said calmly: "It's nothing, it was just a nightmare. Pour me a glass of water."

The medical officer and the officials present agreed graciously, and she stood up with a somewhat malicious smile: "Also, go and invite Countess Moline to come and see His Majesty. Just say that I asked her to come. She must have Your Majesty and I miss each other, and I’m not that unkind.”

You're back, and this time, you'll never leave...

The maid came in in panic and lit the lamp beside the bed: "Your Highness, the Grand Duchess, what happened?"

Go up two more steps and there will be a mural on the wall.

You're back. You belong here, no matter where you are, you will come back and never leave again.

She lightly tapped the feather fan in her hand: "You are a bunch of useless idiots, just keep treating yourself for the time being. Send out a list immediately to recruit people who can treat His Majesty the Grand Duke's condition. Send more troops to various places, and add 5,000 more soldiers to protect the capital. , to prevent chaos. If the army is not enough, I will ask the empire to send it."

The candle in her hand suddenly went out, darkness enveloped her whole body, and the wind touched her cheek like a pair of cold hands.

The flickering light of the candle could only illuminate a dim scene in the darkness. She climbed up the spiral staircase step by step, the carpet stepped on by her bare feet soft but cold. It was not clear in front of her eyes, but she knew in her heart what everything around her should be like.

Yes, I'm back.

Suddenly there was a bright light in the dark tower, and overwhelming red came over her. She opened her eyes suddenly, turned over and sat up from the bed.

The study room where the Grand Duke handles government affairs is at the end of another long corridor. She could imagine the expressions on the ministers' faces when they saw her entering the study.

When she reached the long corridor, she stopped. On the walls of the corridor, portraits of the Grand Duchess of the past dynasties are arranged one after another. These portraits were painted by the best painters of that era, lifelike and set in gold frames with intricate patterns. Their names and dates of birth and death are engraved on solid gold nameplates below the portraits.

Walking to the second floor, turn right, the wind leaks in through the window, the gauze curtains sway gently, the sound is like a person whispering -

She couldn't help but respond to this sentence in her heart.

On the wall at the top of the stairs are vases from the East.

She stood in fear, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if she had really been away for a long time and now she was back, and the low voice was lingering in her ears.

His fingers touched the cold mirror.

The woman in the portrait has thick golden brown hair and blue eyes. A luxurious dress wraps her body. A red rose pendant necklace hangs on her swan-like elegant neck. The expression on her face is a bit... Strange, the smile on his lips seemed to have a hint of ridicule and a hint of expectation.

Her whole body was cold.

She was stunned, her heart suddenly tightened as if being pinched, and she reached out her hand in disbelief.

Should she choose to be an abandoned wife and live in an imprisoned castle forever, or should she choose to be a widow and become the first female Grand Duchess and the last Grand Duke of the Principality of Camon

The nameplate under the portrait does not have the year of her birth or death, but only her name - Grand Duchess Melanie Stan.

Her long golden brown hair was spread out charmingly, her eyes were the color of blood, and the red rose pendant on her chest had a charming halo.

The woman smiled: "Yes, who am I?"

The medical officers of the Royal Medical Clinic asked in a trembling voice outside the curtain: "Your Majesty's condition can no longer be delayed. Grand Princess, please make a decision as soon as possible. Should we treat conservatively or take a risk?"

"The principality will surely fall in the hands of this woman."

The female officials bowed in agreement, and she continued to walk forward. There was already a pile of documents piled up in the study, waiting to be processed.

A blazing fire suddenly burst out from the fireplace, and the black shadows turned into black vines on the wall, wrapping around her body. She turned around to escape, but was already tightly tied up.

He got that thing, and at that time, he didn't know that it would bring about a sweet and dangerous nightmare.

The morning sun shines through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, and the red rose pendant shines on her chest. At the end of the corridor, she turned to the right, trailing her long shadow across the first portrait hanging on the wall.

It doesn't matter, that's what they said from the day she got married.

She wanted to laugh a little. Only at this time did they honor her as the Grand Princess. The life of the man who never bothered to look at her was actually under her control.

If he dies, she will become a widow.

She grabbed the pendant on her chest with trembling hands. The roses carved from gemstones had the color of blood.

She smiled back at these seniors and said to the female officials behind her: "These picture frames are a little dull, let the craftsmen take care of them."

Necklace, that necklace hung on her neck at some point.

She struggled and shouted hysterically, "Let me go!" I don't recognize this place! Who are you

One day, her portrait will hang here, and there will also be a nameplate recording that Grand Duchess Bai Siqi Stan was born on a certain day of a certain year and a certain month, and died on a certain day of a certain year and month. If by then, this small principality and this palace would still exist.

At night, in her dream, she walked into the stone tower again.

She had never worn this necklace before, and it should obviously be in her jewelry box now.

She panicked for a moment and tried hard to get rid of these entanglements.

If he recovers from his illness, she will become an abandoned woman.

One day, she will return to the world together with this necklace.

In silence, she turned and walked out of the splendid hall. The silk skirt rustled, and the thin soles of her satin shoes stepped on the thick blanket, with a slightly sunken softness. The female officials hurriedly followed her without saying a word. behind.

The maid responded, her sweaty hand touching something, and her heart suddenly felt cold.

In the eyes of these people, she just wanted to destroy the principality with evil intentions, so they tried every means to send her to the confinement castle without any conscience, so there was no need for her to care about anything at the moment.

The portraits show them all wearing heavy gowns, posing in similar poses, looking down at their successors with smiles on their faces.

You're back.

The shadow on the wall turned into a woman and slowly walked towards her.