Chapter 58: As of Old, Invade My Dreams Again

Ning Xi leaned sideways on the chaise longue, drinking wine. Her surroundings were bustling with noise and clamour, but it seemed as if she was living in a world of her own.

The strong alcohol slipped past her dark red lips and slid down her elegant, slender neck, rolling down the collar of her clothes and inviting wild thoughts…

That scene was extremely beautiful, causing all the men present to stare fixedly.

The cameraman intentionally pushed the camera nearer for a close up.

“The storm envelops the river, rain darkens the village, the four mountains sound like ocean waves…” Ning Xi read the poem out loud in a haze of intoxication, while standing up shakily.

In the next second, she tossed the wine goblet away with a clatter. With messy steps, she began to dance, “The fire burns soft and warm, my cat and I are unable to leave the house…”

That slender waist was like a willow branch, bending to its limit before fiercely springing back up. A light gauze fluttered along with her movements, her gaze turned charming and coquettish.

“Abed, motionless, in a lonely village,

For myself I sorrow not.

All I seek’s defence of my country’s frontier,

And to me a station there allot…”

She picked up the wine pot on the table and took a gulp.

Those dazzling movements could be called a dance, but it seemed even more like a war dance for the battlefields. From a bewitching fairy into a general who had led armies into campaigns, the difference was breathtakingly stunning.

Consort De’s true identity was the female general Meng Changge. The Meng family had gone on war expedition after war expedition for the sake of the country, but it had resulted in the execution of all of her family members, leaving her alone. She had entered the palace, not just to kill her enemies, but to topple this kingdom further…

Close by, the emperor didn’t seem to have noticed the danger. He was entranced by the beauty of the scene. Holding a wine goblet, he couldn’t react for a long time, he was totally drawn in.

Seeing the wild infatuation rekindled in the emperor’s eyes, Consort Xian and the new concubines were full of jealousy and resentment.

“Lying in the depth of the night I listen

To the winds blowing the rain,

And iron-clad horses o’er frozen rivers,

As of old, invade my dreams again…

As of old, invade my dreams again…

As of old, invade my dreams again…”

Ning Xi spoke the last line three times: the first time absent-mindedly, the second time with sorrow, and the last time was filled with clear resolution.

Once she finished speaking, she leaned into the emperor’s embrace alluringly, bewitching the ruler of the country, determined to continue on her path of revenge…

When the scene came to an end, the director almost forgot to shout cut.

“Cut! That was great!” Guo Qisheng was the first to applaud, “Ning Xi’s dance was good, very professional. The hardest part was conveying everything I wanted, everyone’s expressions were good as well. Old Feng, I don’t need to mention you, but the rare one was Qingqing, that expression was extremely on point!”

Jia Qingqing’s expression was as dark as the bottom of a wok. How could it be off point? That was real jealousy and hatred there.

The actor playing the emperor, Feng Yibo, was an experienced actor who specialised in playing the emperor. He had acted alongside countless beauties, and at this moment, he couldn’t resist smiling, “Director Guo, I was stunned for real there, I wasn’t acting!”

“I told you earlier that my junior’s skill isn’t ordinary!” Ning Xueluo, who had been watching from the side, gave her praise as well. However, in actuality, she was about to grind her teeth into powder.

Once they finished filming for the day, Ning Xueluo pulled her assistant to a side for interrogation.

“What’s going on? It’s been an entire afternoon and she hasn’t had any reaction at all!”

The assistant showed panic in her expression, “I poured it in myself, and I even put a bit of it in all the makeup: blush, eyeshadow, highlighter… Maybe it’s a late reaction?”

Ning Xueluo glared at her, “That’s not possible, the moment she touches something like that, she should start having red spots within half an hour!” That was how she had made Ning Xi look bad at a birthday banquet previously.

“Then maybe she didn’t use those products…” The assistant said weakly.

“Useless! Why didn’t you do something to her clothes as well, just in case?”

“I didn’t think of it back then. Xueluo-jie, please don’t be angry, I won’t make such a mistake the next time!”

Ning Xueluo suppressed her anger. It was just an unexpected mishap this time. There were so many opportunities ahead. Maybe she wouldn’t need to make a move herself, the look in Jia Qingqing’s eyes when she looked at Ning Xi earlier revealed how much hatred she bore for her.

Heh, Ning Xi, did you think that you could rest easy in this role?

I’ll push you up higher so you will fall even harder!

TL Note:

The poems that Ning Xi read are called by Lu You.

—

The first poem:

???????????????

???????????????

The storm envelops the river, rain darkens the village,

the four mountains sound like ocean waves,

The fire burns soft and warm,

my cat and I won’t leave the house.

–

It talks about a storm raging in a village, being warm and cosy at home and not wanting to leave the house. (So relatable >u>)

I couldn’t find an official translation for this, so I tried to translate to the best of my ability. ovo;;

—

The second poem:

???????????????

???????????????

Abed, motionless, in a lonely village,

For myself I sorrow not.

All I seek’s defence of my country’s frontier,

And to me a station there allot.

Lying in the depth of the night I listen

To the winds blowing the rain,

And iron-clad horses o’er frozen rivers,

As of old, invade my dreams again.

This pretty translation was written by Wang Zhihuan! (Source: http://www.en84.com/dianji/shi/200912/00000398.html)

It talks about patriotism, which is why Meng Changge was so emotional while reading it. Her family was loyal to the country, and she was surely raised to be patriotic too, but now she’s on the path to destroying the country for revenge…