White Fence Dream

Chapter 208 Explanation
Although the contact of the stranger's embrace and body made Bai Li tense up instantly, the familiar breath made her relax again.

"Li Yu!" Bai Li said, "Why are you back?"

After she blurted out the words, she then realized that she could erase everyone's memory of her absence after she came back, but that was not possible when she was away before.

After two days and two nights without returning, the people on the boat must be getting anxious.

She thought that they might look for her everywhere in a hurry, but she didn't expect them to tell Li Yu. She didn't expect Li Yu to come back.

"Aren't you guarding the imperial mausoleum?" Bai Li asked, "Are you okay coming back like this?"

She patted Li Yu's back, signaling him to let go, but Li Yu didn't seem to understand. He held her motionless and said in a muffled voice, "It's okay. No one found out."

His voice was muffled and hoarse. Because they were so close, Bai Li could even smell the sweat and dirt on his body. She could imagine how he had rushed back so fast and was so worried about her that he had not even bothered to wash or change clothes.

"I thought something happened to you." Li Yu's voice came again, "I don't know where to find you, and I don't know how to help you."

Then he hugged her again.

"I'm really afraid that something will happen to you, just like what happened to my father and mother. I will lose you too and never see you again."

Because he was hugging her so tightly, she could feel his tense body, which was still trembling slightly. Bai Li thought of the layers of sleeping children in Shangguan Yue's dream. It was a fear hidden deep in her heart that made her dare not wake up or dream.

She said softly, "I was wrong. As the owner of this place, I shouldn't have left without telling you. I scared everyone, including you." She no longer tried to push Li Yu away. Instead, she hugged his waist and patted him gently, continuing, "It happened very suddenly. The person I was staring at suddenly made a move, so I had no choice but to follow him. I didn't have a chance to notify the ship, and then I've been dealing with the aftermath for the past two days. I should have come back last night, but it was too late and I thought the ship had left, so I waited until morning to come back. I planned to have someone tell you when I came back..."

Perhaps it was her chattering, or perhaps it was the hug and caress, Li Yu's tense body gradually relaxed.

"What's going on? Is it dangerous?" he asked, and then said hurriedly, "There are people from Yuqingtang upstairs, you can use them as you like."

Bai Li said, "It's scary to tell you." She looked up at him, but because he was hugging her so tightly, she could only see his ears. "Let's sit down and talk." She patted Li Yu's back and asked, "Have you eaten? Have you not had any water?"

Changing the subject and asking about trivial matters is the best way to calm a nervous person. Sure enough, as she asked, Li Yu loosened his arms around her and slowly stood up.

"Yes, you've been busy for two days and two nights." He seemed to be talking to himself, looking down at her and asking with concern, "You haven't eaten yet, right?"

Bai Li nodded to him and said, "I haven't had time to eat breakfast yet. I hurried back when the city gate opened."

Li Yu called out to the outside world for good luck.

Jixiang came in upon hearing the sound and listened to Li Yu's instructions to prepare hot water for breakfast. Bai Li saw the shopkeeper Cai peeking outside the door with a worried look on his face. His eyes met hers, and he frowned, turned his head and walked away.

Li Yu was angry, so it was normal for his subordinates to be unhappy.

Bai Li didn't take it seriously and went to wash up. When she changed her clothes and came out, the curtains had been drawn, the room was bright, and the food table was full. Li Yu also washed up and changed into clean clothes. Under the morning light, he turned into the fresh, clean and handsome young man again.

But there was no longer the bright smile on his face as before, nor was his face tense, but just as clear and cold as the surface of a lake in autumn.

It was the first time I saw him angry.

When Princess Jin Yu lied to him before, the only way he could express his anger was to smile.

If he doesn't smile at this time, it seems that he is really angry.

Bai Li could also understand. Since she accepted his proposal to live on the boat, this place was like her home, and he also regarded her as a family member. How could she not be anxious when her family suddenly disappeared and never came back?
Put yourself in her shoes. If she were still the young lady of Dongyang Marquis' Mansion, she would also be angry if Zhou Jingyun disappeared without saying a word.

"It's my fault." Bai Li apologized again, "I didn't expect them to look for you. I thought they would look for you in the capital. I came back this morning, just one day and two nights, which was pretty quick. I was careless and took it for granted..."

Li Yu interrupted her: "I know you don't believe them, so if I were on the ship, would you tell me?"

Bai Li nodded immediately: "Of course." He raised his voice again, "I didn't distrust them. They were the people you entrusted to me. Of course I trusted them. It was just too sudden and I didn't have time. Besides, they couldn't help with what happened later." He looked at him and said, "But if you were here, I would definitely find a way to inform you, because you can definitely help." So, Li Yu frowned: "You should have someone tell me."

Bai Li held his arm and pushed him, "Come, let's sit down and talk." Then he asked, "Did you eat well in the Imperial Mausoleum? It was cold, wasn't it? It wasn't all cold food, was it?"

Li Yu shook his head and followed her to sit at the table: "It's not cold, there is hot tea."

Although he was still frowning, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, and the autumn lake surface was rippling and sparkling.

"Do you know that the queen is dead?" Bai Li asked.

Li Yu nodded, looked at her and said, "People and things in the capital that are important to me will be passed on to me as soon as possible."

The so-called important people and things are the movements of the emperor and empress, Princess Jinyu and her husband, and her.

So even though he hadn't come back for just one night, Jixiang would rather have a false alarm than delay in telling him.

He didn't say this directly, but Bai Li could understand what he was saying. He coughed lightly and continued, "Then you also know that Bai Ying gave birth to a prince, right?"

Li Yu nodded again: "I found out yesterday and sent it along with the news that you were missing."

The news that Bai Ying gave birth to a prince was far less alarming than her disappearance.

Bai Li coughed again and looked at him: "Bai Ying actually gave birth to a princess instead of a prince."

Li Yu was stunned, and pulled himself out of all the complicated emotions and looked at her intently.

"Bai Ying and Zhang Ze swapped the baby."

"I kept an eye on Zhang Ze the night before yesterday at the palace, but unfortunately I failed to stop him."

"But I got the little princess."

Bai Li briefly recounted the course of events, but of course concealed the fact that Empress Jiang had intimidated Zhang Ze. She would not even tell Zhou Jingyun about this.

After listening to the story, there was no anger on Li Yu's face anymore.

"So you often leave the ship and go into the city during the day to keep an eye on this," he said.

It turned out that he was not wandering around the streets randomly as Jixiang said.

Bai Li nodded: "Yes, I also found a way to find out where they are. The woman gave birth very suddenly, and the pregnant women were suddenly taken away. I couldn't leave and had to keep a close eye on them. Afterwards, I was very busy to arrange for them..." She felt a little guilty when she said this. In fact, there was not much hustle and bustle afterwards. The child, Zhou Jingyun, was arranged, and he was also taking care of the child. She even slept most of the night last night.

Li Yu had already sat up straight and interrupted her: "I know, I understand, I was wrong, I shouldn't have been angry and lost my temper, I knew that you must have something to do if you didn't come back, I was just, I was just very worried, very anxious, worried that I couldn't help you..."

Bai Li interrupted him, "Don't you know? I left without saying anything, so you're right to be anxious and angry. Now you know where I went and why I didn't leave a message, so you're not angry at all." He smiled again, "And how can you be considered angry? You didn't yell at me or make a scene. It's just..."

She reached out her hand and pulled slightly at her mouth, causing the corners of her mouth to drop.

"Just a little bit of a frown, not scary at all, and..."

She smiled with her eyes curved.

"You look better when you're not smiling."

Li Yu chuckled, then frowned, thinking: "Well, is it better? Then I won't laugh anymore."

I have written half a chapter, and will continue to coax in the next chapter