Chapter 1: Cold Night (4)

In Shangxianfang in the south of Luoyang City, the Di Mansion was already silent. At the third anniversary, Di Renjie suddenly woke up from a nightmare. He held up from the couch, raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and felt his heart beating violently because of the dream. The study was pitch black, and only a faint moonlight shone into the room through the window paper, vaguely reflecting a square brick in front of the couch. Di Renjie sat blankly by the couch for a long time before fumbled to light the silver lamp beside the couch. The flashing candlelight jumped in front of his eyes. The brazier in front of the couch had been extinguished for a long time, and the room was biting cold.

"I can't sleep anymore." Di Renjie muttered softly, slowly moving his heavy body from the couch. He felt his legs were numb and swollen, and his back felt aches. Aging seemed to have come to him overnight. Not long ago, he was the prime minister who was most trusted by the emperor in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Although he was old, he was energetic. He was less than ten thousand people, but all this suddenly changed. Is it because of the case that happened in Bingzhou? Maybe, but Di Renjie had experienced countless storms in his life, and faced several ups and downs, and this time he was once.

Will setbacks defeat him? Moreover, he eventually turned the tide and gave the best ending. "Hmph." Thinking of this, Di Renjie smiled sarcastically at himself, "Yes, the best ending in this situation." On the surface, his status was not shaken, and his wisdom was once again confirmed. Only he himself knew that "old people are passionate", parting and longing finally made him feel unforgettable pain. Every time he came to him in the middle of the night, he realized that he was moving towards twilight and deeply felt the boundless loneliness.

"Sir." The door was knocked lightly three times, and someone asked carefully and softly outside the door.

"Ah, it's General Shen." Di Renjie greeted, put on his cotton robe, slowly walked to the door, and opened the door. His new guard Shen Huai stood in front of the door. Although it was late at night, he was still dressed in a neat manner, standing in a straight position, holding a tea tray in his hand.

"Oh, General Shen, it seems that I woke you up again." Di Renjie smiled and hurriedly signaled Shen Huai to enter the room. Shen Huai hesitated for a moment and stepped into Di Renjie's study and replied: "Sir, you haven't woken me up, I'm not asleep yet." As he said that, he put the tea tray on the table and brought the tea cup to Di Renjie. "Sir, you drink tea."

Di Renjie took the teacup, took a sip with a smile, noticed that Shen Huai was still standing by the table, and said, "General Shen, please sit down."

"This... I should stand up." Shen Huai smiled shyly, not moving. Di Renjie was stunned when he heard this, looked at Shen Huai quietly, and said with a smile: "Sit down, sit down. Don't be apart. I'm not comfortable with you like this." Shen Huai sat down respectfully at the table after hearing what he said.

Di Renjie took another sip of tea, put the teacup back on the table, and smiled and said, "If you live next door to my study, you will be disturbed by me. I am an elderly person, and you don't sleep heavily. You are young, don't follow me. If you get sick, it's my fault." Shen Huai hurriedly said, "Sir! You can't afford to take on a low-level position. Humble position is just doing your part. Sir, are you... having a nightmare just now?"

"It's nothing, I dreamed of some past events." Di Renjie nodded and said, "General Chen, I am really old and stupid. I can't remember when you came to me? It's... What day of the twelfth lunar month? Today is the 25th lunar month, right?" "Sir, today is the 26th lunar month. Chen Huai serves as your chief guard, and it's just one month since today."

Di Renjie shook his head repeatedly: "You really have to accept your old age. You can't remember such a few things in front of you. Alas. But I can't forget some of the past." He looked up and down at Chen Huai and said with appreciation: "But, you have done a good job this month, and I'm very satisfied."

"Sir!" Chen Huai was about to get up, but Di Renjie pressed his shoulder. Di Renjie still smiled and said, "General Chen, you are indeed very good at guard captain, careful, safe and caring for. You must know that people are different from people, and the situation is also different. If you can come to me, it means that you and I are destined to be together, and the future is long."

Chen Huai nodded, avoiding Di Renjie's gaze. After a while of silence, he said, "Sir, Chen Huai has a request." "What request?" "I'll call you Bei Zhi's name in the future." "Oh? That's good." "Thank you, sir."

"This winter is very cold." Di Renjie gathered his cotton robe on his shoulders: "General Chen, oh, Chen Huai, New Year's Eve will be in two days. Then you will have to go with me to the palace to stay up to the New Year and can't celebrate the New Year with your family. Have you said hello to your family?"

"Sir, all the families of Beiyi are not in the capital, so there is no need to take care of them." Di Renjie was stunned and apologized, "Oh? It was me who was negligent. I have not asked about your family's situation this month. Then where are your family? Do you want to take it?"

Chen Huai shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Report to the adults, Mr. Beizhi's parents died since childhood and were raised by his uncle. Now there is only one uncle and cousin in the family, living near Lanzhou, in the countryside outside Jincheng Pass. My uncle is in poor health and cannot travel for a long distance, so my cousin has been by his side, so it is not convenient to come. Beizhi only needs to visit them once a year."

Di Renjie said with a slight look in his head: "So that's it. It's good that this is the case. This year, our cabinet will celebrate the New Year with you." Looking out the window, Di Renjie said again: "It's late at night, Shen Huai, go to bed quickly." "Yes."

Back in front of his room, Chen Huai looked at the lights turned off in Di Renjie's study next door before he pushed the door into the room. For a month, he often regretted that he had chosen this room on impulse. People are different... Chen Huai sat on the couch, clenched his fists unknowingly. It was not his Chen Huai's personality, but the future was long, and the future was long.
Chapter completed!