Chapter 808 It's lamentable that even the eldest brother couldn't change.

Yuwen Qian silently watched Yuwen Ye. Neither of them uttered a word. Although it was quiet, there was a suffocating tension in their gazes. Even the people outside the mourning hall fell silent, staring nervously at the two people in the mourning hall, unsure whether they were simply facing each other calmly or in a tense standoff.

It has a feeling of an arrow on a bowstring, ready to be released at any moment.

Just as everyone held their breath, as if waiting for a certain moment, Yuwen Qian suddenly smiled faintly and said, "You understand me best, Second Brother."

"..."

"So many years have passed, but my second brother's eyes are still sharp and unchanged."

"Yes, so many years have passed,"

As Yuwen Ye spoke, his gaze toward Yuwen Qian was deeper than ever before. Shang Ruyi, standing beside him, even had the illusion that his gaze pierced through the years, and through some inexplicable sediment within those years, as he looked at Yuwen Qian: "It's a pity, elder brother, that you haven't changed either."

As the surroundings grew quieter, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but frown.

What does "failed to change..." mean?

She vaguely sensed that their words not only had a hidden meaning, but seemed to be referring to something that belonged only to the two of them and could not be told to outsiders.

Sure enough, after hearing Yuwen Ye's words, a light flashed in Yuwen Qian's eyes, as if the ice that had been frozen in his eyes had finally shattered. However, the cracking of the ice did not bring spring warmth and blooming flowers; it only revealed a deeper, unfathomable pool of cold water below.

He smiled faintly and said, "Yes, I haven't changed."

"..."

"Perhaps I shouldn't have tried to change anything in the first place, otherwise—"

As he said this, his pupils dimmed slightly, as if he glanced behind Yuwen Ye, but the fleeting look was too much for Shang Ruyi to catch, and she had no idea who he was looking at in that instant. She then heard him say calmly, "What belongs to me, how could I lose it?"

This time, Yuwen Ye's face showed a clear expression, his brows furrowed and his eyes cold.

He came from a military background and had been trained in the army for many years, as well as fighting on the battlefield for many years. To put it bluntly, he was a ruthless killer; to put it nicely, he was imposing and awe-inspiring. As long as such a person showed the slightest displeasure, he would give people the feeling of invisible killing intent and pressure. Those around him would immediately feel as if an invisible boulder was pressing down on their heads, making their breathing and heartbeat slow down for a moment.

Just as everyone was at a loss and Shang Ruyi was also somewhat surprised, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

Why is it so noisy at this hour?

Everyone instinctively turned to look outside, only to see a bustling crowd in the outer courtyard separated by a wall. They could vaguely see many people pacing back and forth in a panic. After a while, the gatekeeper of the Dong family walked in from outside with a look of alarm and said to the people inside, "His Highness Prince Qi has arrived!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, not only were the Dong family members taken aback, but the guests who came to pay their respects were also surprised. Even Yuwen Qian and Yuwen Ye withdrew their cold gazes and showed some astonishment. Yuwen Ye immediately turned his head and exchanged a glance with Shen Wuzheng and Pei Xingyuan. Both of them frowned and shook their heads slightly.

Shang Ruyi's thoughts became even more chaotic.

King Qi? Yuwen Cheng?

He went with Shen Tu Tai to attack Song and Xu prefectures. Now that the two cities have been captured, they should be guarding them. Moreover, the court did not give him any orders. Why did he suddenly come back?

Could it be a mistake?

Just as Shang Ruyi was inwardly complaining, the strange noise outside grew closer and closer, and then she saw a familiar figure stride in from outside.

After several months apart, the young man before them had not changed much. He was tall and strong, dressed in fine clothes, arrogant and unruly, and even more arrogant. Although he had come to the Duke's mansion to offer condolences, his manner of entering showed no respect or humility. Instead, he seemed to be there to cause trouble. Even the servants of the Dong family who were serving him behind him showed expressions of panic and fear, speaking timidly and obsequiously, as if they were afraid of offending this master.

This person is none other than Prince Qi of the Great Sheng Dynasty, Yuwen Cheng.

He actually came back!

Upon seeing his figure, Shang Ruyi felt a surge of unease. She subconsciously glanced back at Shen Wuzheng and the others, only to see a hint of seriousness and unease on their faces. This Yuwen Cheng, although born of the same mother as Yuwen Ye, seemed to be natural enemies. No matter how Yuwen Ye taught him or how kind Shang Ruyi treated him, he never showed any familial affection towards them. Instead, he displayed a sense of antagonism akin to that of enemies.

His return this time will obviously have a greater and more unpredictable impact on the already complex and turbulent court.

Although somewhat surprised, Shang Ruyi and the others did not show much emotion on their faces. After a slight frown, they quickly composed themselves and waited for the two sides to meet. Yuwen Cheng strode in from outside and, as soon as he stepped into the mourning hall, he immediately raised his head and said to Yuwen Qian, "Your Majesty!"

When he looked up, everyone was startled again.

This time, the surprise wasn't his appearance, but rather the fact that his face was wrapped in bandages!

The bandage was wrapped around his entire forehead, with one section slightly pressing down on half of his eyebrows and the corner of his eye. A faint trace of blood could even be seen through the bandage near the eyebrow.

He's injured!?

Upon seeing him like this, Yuwen Qian, whose eyes had been cold and detached, suddenly frowned. As if a ghost had suddenly returned to the mortal world, he seemed to regain some vitality and walked up to Yuwen Cheng: "Third brother, what's wrong with you?"

When Yuwen Cheng met his solemn expression, he gave a cold smile instead.

He reached up and touched the corner of his eye, the gesture as sharp as a knife as it sliced ​​across it, then sneered, "It's nothing, just a little slap."

Yuwen Qian frowned.

At this moment, Yuwen Ye stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Third brother, why are you back?"

Upon hearing his voice, a cold glint flashed in Yuwen Cheng's eyes. He sneered, slowly turned around to look at Yuwen Ye, and said, "As expected, Second Brother really wants to ask this first."

Yuwen Ye looked solemn and said, "You are serving in the army and should not have returned without a transfer order."

Should I not have come back?

Yuwen Cheng repeated his words, then reached up and touched the corner of his eye, before coldly saying, "I'm injured, and besides, I've heard about the Duke—of course I have to come back."

"..."

"Don't you want to know how I got hurt, Second Brother?"