Chapter 285 A King's Promise Is Never Broken
The sky was covered in ice and snow.
Walking through the chaotic, swirling snow that seemed to blanket the entire world is more than just a matter of hardship; yet, even so, some people still trudged forward with the most arduous steps.
When they finally entered a dilapidated mountain god temple where they could rest for a while, the snow on the group of people had almost frozen into ice. They stood at the temple entrance and stomped their feet, and chunks of snow fell down, immediately covering the broken ground.
A fair and soft hand lifted the veil of the headdress, immediately revealing a familiar and beautiful face.
It was Shang Ruyi who was causing chaos throughout the entire Eastern Capital at this very moment.
She seemed to be able to sense the turmoil that would occur in the distant capital city. She looked up at the gloomy sky and couldn't help but sigh. At this moment, Tushe'er and Jiang Kesheng, who had entered the dilapidated temple first, had already cleaned it up and lit a bonfire before inviting her in.
This dilapidated temple had been abandoned for who knows how long. Even the stone statue of the mountain god was incomplete. The thick layer of dust on the altar still bore the footprints of rats. Although Jiang Kesheng had the cracks in the surrounding walls sealed with straw, the air was still cold and even smelled musty.
Fortunately, the fire had already started.
Shang Ruyi walked over and sat down. The heat emanating from the flames quickly dispelled the chill on her body, but her heart remained stiff and cold, and even the sorrow between her brows could not be dispelled.
At this moment, Wo Xue was heard to say softly, "So, this is what the young mistress is planning."
Shang Ruyi looked up at her and smiled, "Scared?"
Wo Xue nodded hurriedly, but after thinking for a moment, she hesitated and shook her head, as if afraid that her attitude at this moment would cause her anger. However, Shang Ruyi was not angry, but smiled and said, "It is my fault for not telling you beforehand, but this matter is of great importance and I do not want to leak any information."
Jiang Kesheng said, "From the very beginning, did the young mistress never intend to return to Dongdu?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi remained silent for a while, then looked at the young faces around her illuminated by the flames, and calmly said, "His Majesty said this time he was touring Jiangdu Palace, but the situation in the north has become so critical. If he leaves, even if Dongdu does not fall, the north will inevitably be in chaos. Therefore, His Majesty will definitely not return."
"..."
"But my roots, our roots, are in the North. Besides—"
She paused for a moment, and although her eyes reflected the firelight, a chilling coldness suddenly emanated from them.
Tushe'er, standing to the side, whispered, "What?"
After a long silence, Shang Ruyi slowly said, "This journey is uncertain, and life or death is unknown."
The words "life and death are unpredictable" seemed to send a chill through the dilapidated mountain temple, making everyone shiver.
When she spoke of the uncertainty of life and death, it seemed she wasn't referring to those who hadn't gone with her.
Instead...
Tushe'er thought for a moment, then waved her hand and said, "Hey, anyway, I'm going to follow you wherever you go. Since you're not going back to Dongdu, then I won't go back either."
Wo Xue and Jiang Kesheng, who were sitting to the side, nodded repeatedly.
Shang Ruyi smiled.
After thinking for a moment, Wo Xue asked, "But young mistress, where are we going next?"
Shang Ruyi glanced at her and said, "Of course, we're going back."
"Go back? Go back where?"
"Eastern Capital".
"Eastern Capital?!"
Upon hearing this, everyone in the dilapidated temple was taken aback. Even Jiang Kesheng, who was usually the most composed, showed a surprised expression. He stared at Shang Ruyi with wide eyes and an incredulous look on his face: "Young Madam, didn't you just say that you weren't going back to Dongdu?"
Shang Ruyi calmly said, "What I mean is, we will not return to Dongdu, but follow His Majesty to Jiangdu Palace."
"..."
"But it's not that I'll never go back."
"But,"
Wo Xue revealed a somewhat frightened expression: "Young Madam, this time you sent the empty carriage back and did not go to Jiangdu Palace with His Majesty, which is already disobeying the imperial decree. If we go back again, I'm afraid we will be caught and punished."
Tushe'er nodded repeatedly.
Shang Ruyi smiled faintly and said, "When I say 'go back,' I don't mean to go back openly and get arrested by them."
Chang Wan asked, "Then, what are we going back for?"
Shang Ruyi said, "Go and meet up with Feng Chen."
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized, and even Chang Wan's usually aloof face showed a slight smile. After all, everyone knew that after disobeying the imperial decree, their group had become "traitors" to the court. No matter where the emperor went, they were still in great danger. Only by joining up with Yuwen Ye could they feel at ease.
He was like a towering giant, a pillar of stability in a chaotic world.
However, amidst his joy, Jiang Kesheng murmured, "But why must we meet in the Eastern Capital? Even going back to the manor would be fine."
Shang Ruyi glanced at him but didn't say anything.
She slowly stood up and walked to the temple gate. The wind and snow outside were still very heavy, and you could hardly see anything more than ten steps away. Walking in such weather was really exhausting.
She said in a deep voice, "We'll set off once the snow subsides a bit."
The crowd replied, "Yes!"
But the moment they answered in unison, a huge clump of snow on the eaves above them suddenly seemed unable to hold on and fell down with a thud in front of Shang Ruyi, shattering like a piece of pure white porcelain.
She was startled.
Upon closer inspection, I couldn't help but chuckle, feeling that I had overreacted. But after laughing, when I looked at the scattered snow at my feet, my smile inexplicably grew heavy.
Almost simultaneously, a deafening roar shook the entire Warm Dock.
Standing outside the warm dock, Eunuch Yu and the other eunuchs looked at each other in dismay. Despite the biting wind, they were all sweating profusely from the fright.
Just now, the Imperial Guards sent a message.
They didn't know what the news was, only that the Emperor, upon hearing it, immediately ordered the beheading of an entire squad of Imperial Guards. The thought of the white snow on the ground being melted by the gushing hot blood made Eunuch Yu's legs go weak.
What alarmed him even more was that it was almost time to leave.
A eunuch cautiously approached him and whispered, "Sir, should we go in and urge them to hurry up?"
"..."
A troubled expression appeared on Eunuch Yu's face.
If the journey south is delayed, His Majesty will not punish him; it is these people who will be punished. But who would dare to go in and urge him on while His Majesty is in a fit of rage?
Just then, amidst the rustling of falling snow behind them, they heard soft footsteps, accompanied by a weak cough.
Looking back, it turned out to be Empress Jiang, walking down from the eaves carried by several eunuchs.
She was dressed in a snow-white fox fur coat. Although the clothes were heavy, she still looked slender. Especially because of her illness, her steps were slow, which made her look like a willow swaying in the wind. When Eunuch Yu and the others saw her, they felt as if they were bathed in a spring breeze and had been granted a pardon. They hurriedly stepped forward to kowtow.
Eunuch Yu said, "Why did Your Highness come at this time? You should take care of your health."
Empress Jiang's skin was already as white as snow, but in the wind and snow, she appeared even paler, like a nearly transparent piece of porcelain, so fragile and easily broken. She forced a smile and said, "I heard that His Majesty has not yet set off, but it is almost time."
Eunuch Yu smiled wryly and said, "Yes, yes—something came up and I was delayed."
Empress Jiang asked, "Is this about the Yuwen family?"
"..."
Grandpa Yu lowered his head, not daring to answer.
Empress Jiang looked up at Nuanwu, a hint of helplessness seemingly showing in her gentle, affectionate eyes, and then said, "You all hurry up and prepare, we can't be late. I'll go in and persuade the Emperor."
Yu Gonggong and the others breathed a sigh of relief, immediately agreed, and then withdrew.
After they left, Empress Jiang slowly walked into the warm pavilion.
Even though we were about to leave, the warm spring water still flowed inside the palace, making it cozy and warm. But even in this warm palace, a chilling aura was spreading, almost freezing the entire palace.
The source of the aura was that solitary figure standing in the center of the inner hall.
He was still dressed in white, graceful as an immortal, but the aura emanating from this immortal was no longer that of a ethereal being; instead, it was a gloomy and cold aura, as if he were about to fall into demonic possession. And at some point, he spread out that huge map carpet again, right under his feet, stepping on the Eastern Capital, which he was now almost abandoning.
But looking at his thin figure, it seemed as if he was the one who had been abandoned.
In one corner, there was a pile of broken porcelain shards.
At a glance, it was clear that a porcelain cup had been thrown there and shattered in a fit of rage. However, among the shards, something seemed to be shimmering with a warm light.
Empress Jiang quietly observed the scene before her, and finally sighed, saying, "Your Majesty."
The figure trembled slightly.
After a long while, Chu Yang finally turned around slowly. His handsome face had calmed down, without any expression of joy or anger. He glanced at Empress Jiang and said indifferently, "Didn't the Empress want to stay in Ziwei Palace to recuperate? Why have you come here again?"
Empress Jiang said, "I heard that it's almost time, but His Majesty hasn't set off yet."
Chu Yang suddenly smiled, waved his hand, walked to the bedside and sat down, lazily saying, "Didn't the Empress keep advising me against going south? Why is she urging me now?"
Empress Jiang walked over slowly and said calmly, "Since His Majesty has already issued the decree, he cannot go back on his word."
"..."
A ruler's word is his bond.
A ruler's word is his bond.
Chu Yang narrowed his slender phoenix eyes, and after a long while, he smiled and said, "Yes, a king's word is law. I should indeed keep my word, whether it is for anything or for anyone."
For some reason, the almost gritted determination in his words made Empress Jiang's heart tremble slightly.
The next moment, Chu Yang suddenly stood up and walked to that corner.
He had just thrown the cup in a fit of rage, and his arm was still slightly numb, though his fingertips still had a faint sensation.
There was one more thing he threw out.
Chu Yang crouched down and found it among the shards on the ground—
A small, almost inconspicuous jade pendant.
He reached out and grabbed the jade pendant, but also the other small porcelain shards in his hand. As he clenched his fist, his skin was immediately cut, and a sharp pain instantly dispelled the numbness. In its place came an uncontrollable pain that shot straight to his heart.
Since being named Crown Prince and ascending to the throne, he had never suffered such pain again.
He was in so much pain that he could barely breathe.
Chu Yang gritted his teeth, his face contorted in pain, his eyes bloodshot. Looking at the jade pendant in his palm, now stained red with his own blood, he grinned, revealing a sinister smile.
Those I take with me, none of them will escape!
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