Chapter 210 Blessing or Bitter Consequence?

In a somewhat cramped room, steam rose and water gurgled.

Amidst the rising steam, a middle-aged woman emerged from behind a screen, carrying a set of coarse cloth clothes. She placed the clothes on a low stool beside the bathtub and said rather rudely, "The clothes are here; please wear them yourself."

After saying that, he muttered something to himself and turned to leave.

Once the door closed, the room was once again left with only Shang Ruyi in the bathtub. She slowly raised her head, her eyes filled with vigilance and seriousness.

Last night, after several brushes with death, she ultimately could not escape the pursuit of the group of people lurking in the darkness, and was captured and taken away by them.

Fortunately, these people were relatively polite to her. They didn't harm or imprison her. Seeing that she was covered in blood, they even prepared hot water for her to bathe and a change of clothes for her. After the long journey of the past few days and the life-or-death struggle last night, she did need to clean herself up and, more importantly, she needed this moment of relaxation—but even so, she dared not completely relax.

This is, after all, Xingluo Cangcheng!

Thinking of this, even though she was already feeling a little tired from the warm bath, Shang Ruyi shook her head vigorously to clear her mind.

Just then, the sound of conversation came from outside the door—

"Sister-in-law, is that woman in the house... the general's wife?"

"That's right."

"That's strange. Aren't the people fighting against us just lackeys of the imperial court? Why didn't they kill her and instead brought her back?"

"Well, who knows? That's what the head manager ordered."

"If you ask me, we shouldn't have bothered with this. Her man has been causing us trouble these days. Look, even now, Brother Lu and his men are still out there looking for him."

...

Shang Ruyi could no longer hear what was said after that.

Looking for him?

Are the people from Xingluocang also looking for Yuwen Ye?

Feeling uneasy, and finding the bath water rather cold, she hurriedly stepped out of the tub. With no one to serve her, she could only take a dry handkerchief to wipe herself clean and then reach for the clothes the woman had brought her.

Only when I reached out did I realize that there was a pair of earrings on the clothes.

Strange, these people are already being very polite by changing her clothes, why are they even giving her things to do with her hair and makeup? But even if they are doing her hair and makeup, what good are a pair of earrings?

Besides, she wasn't in the mood for that at the moment.

So she put the earrings aside and changed into a dress—just an ordinary blue cotton dress, faded from washing, obviously someone else had worn it. But at this moment she had nothing to complain about. She carefully adjusted her collar and belt and prepared to go out.

However, just as I reached the door, I heard footsteps outside.

The footsteps were very steady, clearly different from those of ordinary people.

Shang Ruyi instinctively stopped inside the door, holding her breath and listening intently. She heard a young man's voice ask, "Are you all done yet?"

A middle-aged woman laughed and said, "Brother Hua, why did you come over in person? It'll be ready soon, it'll be ready soon. Humph, that official's wife is such a hassle, she even dawdles while taking a bath. I'll go and urge her now."

"No need."

"Ziying, why don't you lock this woman up?"

"Yes, we don't have time to take care of the court's lackeys."

"Go tell the head manager to kill her and settle the matter."

Upon hearing that she was to be killed, Shang Ruyi's heart still trembled involuntarily, but the next moment, she heard the young man's calm voice say, "Although we have left Wanggang Village, do you still remember the village rules? Do not kill the old and weak, do not kill women and children, these are ironclad rules! In the future, do not let me hear such words again!"

Although he was young, he spoke with an authoritative and commanding presence, and those around him immediately dared not say anything more.

At that moment, the voice addressed the closed door again: "Madam, if you are ready, please come out."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat again.

Unexpectedly, although this person was talking to someone outside, her ears were very sharp. She probably already knew that she was standing at the door. She took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and went out.

Two guards stood outside the door, along with a middle-aged woman who had just come in to bring her clothes.

Then there's that young man.

He was dressed in a blue, close-fitting outfit, with a quiver and a longbow slung across his back. He was handsome, tall, and capable, and looked to be only in his early twenties, yet he had a very calm demeanor. He was clearly the same archer who had rescued her from Kou Yunliang's camp last night, arrow by arrow, and then forced her closer to Xingluocang.

Just now, I heard someone call him Brother Hua, Ziying. It seems that he is Hua Ziying, known as "Little Li Guang" in Wanggang Village.

When Hua Ziying looked up and saw her, his eyes flickered for a moment, and he immediately cupped his hands in a salute, saying, "Madam, if you are ready, please come with me."

After saying that, he raised his hand and gestured for her to leave. Shang Ruyi didn't say anything and left immediately.

Xingluocang City, after all, was built by the imperial court, and was clearly different from ordinary mountain strongholds. Its scale and layout were much higher, and along the way, one could even see some remarkable scenery. However, now, the guards at the various passes were no longer the imperial court's troops, but the people of Wanggang Village. Their eyes were full of hostility, and as one walked along, being stared at by hundreds or even thousands of eyes gave one the illusion of countless blades rolling around one's body.

Shang Ruyi was already covered in cold sweat after taking a shower.

"Don't worry, Madam."

Hua Ziying, who was walking in front, suddenly spoke up. Shang Ruyi was startled and quickly looked up, but saw that he did not turn around and continued to walk slowly forward, saying as he walked, "Our people do not have any good feelings towards the imperial court, but you are a woman, and we Wanggang Village people will not make things difficult for women."

"oh?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and deliberately drew out her voice, saying, "Won't we make things difficult for women?"

Hua Ziying seemed to have caught the sarcasm in her words. He stopped and turned to look at her, only to see Shang Ruyi staring at the quiver of arrows and the longbow on his back.

Hua Ziying wasn't stupid; she immediately understood that she was referring to the arrow she had used to force her to stop last night.

So he said, "Madam, you can rest assured. I dare to shoot an arrow at you, and I am 100% certain that I will not hurt you."

"Yeah?"

"Isn't Madam completely unharmed now?"

"..."

That's true; no amount of explanation can compare to the facts before our eyes.

Shang Ruyi paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "Your archery skills are very good."

Hua Ziying looked at her, a glint of light flashing in his hawk-like eyes: "I wonder, how does this compare to Young Master Yuwen, who could repel a hundred thousand Turkic troops with a single arrow in Yanmen County?"

"...!"

Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat.

From the moment she realized last night that the archer in the dark was a master archer, she couldn't help but compare him to Yuwen Ye. If even she thought this way, then Hua Ziying herself would inevitably think the same way.

After all, competitiveness is a man's instinct.

Especially when someone has mastered a skill to perfection and is almost at the peak, they can't help but compare themselves with other masters to prove that they are the best.

Although Hua Ziying appears mature and composed, he is, after all, a man, and a young man at that.

Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "Do you want to compete with him?"

Hua Ziying took a deep breath, a hint of anticipation, even restlessness, appearing on his handsome face, and said, "If that day ever comes, I will look forward to it."

Do you think that day will ever come?

"If we find him, perhaps that day will come very soon."

"Find him?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat.

Hua Ziying turned around and continued walking forward, saying as she went, "As you probably know, your husband has disappeared, taking his troops with him, and suddenly vanished in the Luo River basin."

"You went out last night, actually to find him?"

"good."

"That--"

"His whereabouts have not been found yet,"

As Hua Ziying spoke, he paused for a moment, saying, "But perhaps, he will appear."

Shang Ruyi frowned upon hearing this, but after a moment's thought, she understood and said, "So, this is why you brought me back? You think he will appear after you've captured me?"

Hua Ziying said, "Aren't you his wife?"

"..."

This time, Shang Ruyi didn't say anything more.

It's not that I have nothing to say, but rather that I find it somewhat amusing.

So this is the blessing or the curse that Yuwen Ye received for being so clear-headed and playing the role of a dutiful husband in front of everyone?

Even those who had only met them once would assume that they were a loving couple and that Yuwen Ye would appear once she was captured.

But would he appear because of me?

Shang Ruyi didn't even want to think about the answer to this question in detail.

But for some reason, even without thinking about it, just the problem in front of her caused a faint pain to rise in her heart, like rising water gradually engulfing her. She had some difficulty breathing and subconsciously took a deep breath. Just then, Hua Ziying, who was walking ahead, stopped.

Shang Ruyi also stopped immediately.

Looking up, they realized they had arrived at the entrance of the largest council hall in the very center of Cangcheng.

The door was wide open, and there were several braziers inside. However, because the place was too big, there weren't many braziers and torches, so the light was still not very bright. In Shang Ruyi's eyes, it was more like a dark cave, and she didn't know what was waiting for her inside.

Hua Ziying stopped at the door and said, "Please."

Shang Ruyi glanced at him, composed herself, stepped over the high threshold and went inside, while Hua Ziying behind her retreated without saying a word.

Upon entering this council chamber, the first impression is one of darkness.

Although she was standing near the entrance, where the sunlight could still shine on her, when she looked up, the area directly in front of the council hall, leading up several steps, was completely dark. She could barely make out a large table with a person sitting behind it, intently looking at a map that covered the entire tabletop.

Only when he heard her footsteps did he slowly raise his head.

In the dim light, those familiar, gleaming eyes looked at her once again.

There was even a hint of delighted smile in his eyes.

"Young Madam, it's been a long time."

Shang Ruyi took a deep breath and looked into those eyes, saying, "Young Master Xiao, it's been a long time."