Sima Yi watched Xiahou Dun, noting his visible signs of frustration, and he felt guilty for not disclosing information that could potentially aid their friend.
"Xun Yu, have you been having strange nightmares?" Sima Yi asked softly, earning a surprised look from Xun Yu; however, his surprise quickly morphed into fear.
He nodded. Sima Yi noticed as his body tensed; it was as though he was afraid to speak about it aloud. His face bore a sad forlorn expression, like he was haunted by the dream and its contents. Sima Yi ignored the displeased look of Xiahou Dun and continued to focus on Xun Yu.
"Forgive me for prying, but are these nightmares recurring? And do they involve a woman shrouded in darkness?" Sima Yi inquired.
"Yes. How did you know?" Xun Yu replied.
"You muttered something about it before in your sleep, but I think that I know how to make it go away!" Sima Yi gushed, earning a skeptical, yet hopeful, look from Xun Yu. "I recently visited one of the local taverns, and I overheard a group of three discussing a situation identical to yours. They said that nightmares like yours are caused by the spirit of a woman who was wronged in life latching onto you. This spirit then haunts your dreams, and sometimes breaches your reality, to show you pieces of her past in the hopes that you will put her spirit to rest. The men said that they remember hearing news about a woman committing suicide at a village nearby several years ago; however, that village has been abandoned for several years now, and it is hard to tell what could be there."
Xiahou Dun frowned. He knew that Xun Yu would want to find the village and put the woman's spirit to rest; however, he was not about to risk letting him leave. He is sick. What would happen if he collapsed while attempting to find this village, if it is even real? And what is this about a woman's spirit attaching itself to Xun Yu? Why would it choose him and not someone else? I am not about to let him leave.
"Sima Yi, that sounds ridiculous. Out of everyone in the world, why would this woman's spirit choose to attach itself to Xun Yu? And Xun Yu is sick, how is he supposed to undertake a task like that?" Xiahou Dun asked.
"Most spirits choose to attach themselves to people because they are lonely, vengeful, see parts of their selves in others, or desire to bring past wrongs to light," Xun Yu said stoically, causing the two to focus on him. "Perhaps one of those reasons is why the spirit has become attached to me, and believe it or not, I am more than capable of handling the task that Sima Yi proposed."
Xiahou Dun and Sima Yi both gave him skeptical looks, and Xiahou Dun clicked his teeth in disbelief.
"You are delusional," Xiahou Dun muttered. "Mengde, can you come here please?!"
Cao Cao rushed into the room with a panicked expression on his face.
"Is everything okay? What's wrong?" Cao Cao asked as he walked over to join the group.
"Nothing is wrong, but can you tell Xun Yu that he is delusional?" Xiahou Dun gushed. "He said that he could handle traveling to an abandoned village and putting the spirit of a ghost lady to rest."
Cao Cao looked at the three men and chuckled.
"To be fair, Wenruo probably could handle it; however, he is not going on any crazy adventures until he gets better. Why are you even talking about a ghost woman?" Cao Cao asked as he focused on Xiahou Dun with a look that sent chills down his spine.
He's so protective. Xiahou Dun thought to himself.
"Cousin, I was not the one who mentioned it. It was Sima Yi!" Xiahou Dun gushed and motioned at Sima Yi.
YOU ARE READING
Light and Shadow
خيال (فانتازيا)Friendship, love, and betrayal. These three things thrive alongside each other in the chaotic, war-torn land of ancient China. Xun Yu is a kind and gentle advisor who seeks to restore the Han to its former glory. He is highly intelligent and places...
