Chapter 296 Jiangdu, is it still safe?
In an instant, the palace fell silent.
Shang Ruyi clearly saw Chu Yang's face slowly darken, especially the cold light flashing in his slender phoenix eyes, which was countless times colder than before. When he looked at her, it felt as if the blood in her body was frozen by the extreme cold in his gaze.
She could only clench her hands tightly under the covers to try and stop herself from trembling so badly.
After a long pause, Chu Yang suddenly chuckled softly.
He said, "I know."
Shang Ruyi was somewhat caught off guard as the expression on his face became relaxed and cheerful. He got up, walked to the side, and opened the window. A breeze carrying fragrance and warmth blew into the hall, dispelling the stiff and cold air that had almost filled the entire space just moments before.
Then Chu Yang asked, "Who captured the Eastern Capital? Liang Shide? Or that rabble from Wanggang Village?"
"It was them together."
"Together?"
Chu Yang sneered, "I ordered Yuwen Ye to attack Wanggang Village, but he returned empty-handed, is that it?"
"...!"
Hearing that name so unexpectedly, Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat.
She found it somewhat ridiculous.
Now, aren't I thousands of miles away from him? Why do I still feel a pang of pain in my heart whenever I hear his name?
Just as she stood there, pale-faced and silent, Chu Yang seemed to sense something and turned to look at her.
Under his sharp gaze, Shang Ruyi could only lower her head and whisper, "Before he sent out his troops, Wanggangzhai had already sent people into the city as inside agents. When His Majesty left the Eastern Capital and the main force also left, leaving the Eastern Capital undefended, Liang Shide's army attacked the city, and those people colluded from within and without, and the Eastern Capital fell."
Chu Yang's face showed an ugly expression.
His expression was as if someone had used a knife to cut a bloody piece of flesh from his heart, and he could only watch helplessly.
He turned around and looked out the window again.
As Shang Ruyi watched his retreating figure, she whispered, "Your Majesty—"
"Shang Ruyi,"
Before he could finish speaking, Chu Yang interrupted him with a cold voice: "You really are like this. You know perfectly well what to say to make me happy, and you also know what to say to make me unhappy, but you insist on choosing the latter, is that it?"
"...No, it's not."
"So do you know what you should say now?"
"..."
"And do you know what I want to hear right now?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi remained silent for a long time before raising her head and saying softly, "Your Highness the Princess and His Highness Prince Zhao are both safe and sound."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yang's shoulders twitched slightly. He turned to look at her, and his eyes finally regained some warmth and vitality.
He said, "It's good that they're safe."
Shang Ruyi could tell that he was not surprised by the news, obviously Wo Xue had already reported it long ago.
She then added, "Her Majesty the Empress... is also safe and sound."
Chu Yang's eyes flickered.
After a long silence, a half-smile, a hint of coldness, appeared on his handsome face: "She has achieved her wish and her merits are complete."
Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at him.
Chu Yang said, "What, you still can't see it?"
"..."
"Although she is the Empress of the Daye Dynasty, she has never considered standing by my side. Now, her eyes are only on her two children. Otherwise—"
He looked at Shang Ruyi with a cold smile: "Why would she be so eager to win you over?"
"..."
"She always wanted Xinyue to marry Yuwen Ye, even though he had already married you. She was willing to let her daughter become someone else's concubine, and she even hoped that you two could get along well in the future..."
"..."
"I don't understand why she values the Yuwen family so much. Yuwen Yuan, Yuwen Ye, and even Yuwen Qian seem to be pillars of the court in her eyes."
At this point, a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "But I have never trusted them."
Shang Ruyi's heart pounded slightly as she looked at Chu Yang with difficulty: "I... I am also a member of the Yuwen family. Does His Majesty never trust me?"
Chu Yang said, "You are not."
"I--"
"You are the one I have chosen and recognized. And now, aren't you right beside me?"
Shang Ruyi's heart trembled slightly without her noticing.
At this moment, Chu Yang seemed to sense her silence, turned around and slowly walked over. Looking into her absent eyes, he remained silent for a long time before saying, "What are you thinking about?"
Shang Ruyi gently shook her head: "It's nothing."
Chu Yang frowned: "You, are you thinking about Yuwen Ye?"
"..."
"You're still thinking about him?"
Shang Ruyi found it somewhat amusing. Why would she possibly miss him? Instead of wasting energy thinking about him, she should be thinking about how to break free from her current predicament. So, she slowly raised her head to look at him, her voice slightly hoarse, and asked, "Your Majesty, do you still wish to return to Dongdu?"
Chu Yang's eyes flickered.
He immediately replied, "Of course, it's not that I want to, but that I will definitely go back."
"That--"
"However, I still have some matters to attend to in Jiangdu. Once I have finished those matters, I will naturally lead my army north again, just like when I marched south to conquer Chen, and finish the job in one battle!"
"..."
"The Eastern Capital will surely return to my hands!"
Shang Ruyi looked up at him. No matter what was happening around him, no matter how many people died in places he couldn't see, no matter whether they were rebels or civilians, no matter whether they were engulfed in flames or the world was flooded, he was always so spirited, as if he could make everyone kneel at his feet if he wanted to.
However, the overly gentle and humid air of Jiangnan softened his words, making them lose some of their sharpness.
"By that time,"
Chu Yang slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Shang Ruyi's lowered eyelashes and the slightly shimmering bright pupils in her eyes, and said, "You will come back with me."
"..."
Shang Ruyi suddenly felt very tired.
She couldn't say anything more, and didn't even know what else she could say; she could only nod gently.
A slight smile appeared on Chu Yang's face.
He reached out as if to caress her, but before his fingertips could touch Shang Ruyi's cheek, he was startled by her sudden shrugging and stopped. His hand stiffened for a moment before slowly putting it back down.
Then he stood up: "You should rest."
"..."
"Take good care of yourself these next few days. I'll come to visit you again once you've recovered. The scenery here is beautiful; I'll go with you to see it then."
Shang Ruyi said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Chu Yang turned and left.
As he left, a faint, cold fragrance wafted from his raised sleeve, wafting onto Shang Ruyi's face. For the first time, a sense of sorrow filled her eyes. Shang Ruyi also saw that his hand, peeking out from his sleeve, seemed to be wrapped in a bandage, but it was only visible for a brief moment before disappearing from sight.
Shang Ruyi sighed deeply and tilted her head back weakly.
Jiangnan... Jiangnan, with its magnolia oars and green birds singing in spring, is it really just about beautiful scenery?
|
For the next few days, Shang Ruyi stayed in the palace to recuperate.
In fact, she could only recuperate here. Although she had not suffered any bloodshed or even a scratch on her way south, the prolonged hunger and drug-induced stupor had still caused great damage to her body and mind. She ate soup for several days, and all sorts of expensive tonics and medicinal herbs were sent to her room as if they were free. Finally, after a few days, she was able to move freely and eat and drink normally.
She hadn't seen Wo Xue for the past few days.
She was worried that Chu Yang would still kill her, but when she asked Eunuch Yu, she learned that Wo Xue had been spared at her request, but because of her mistake, she was still beaten dozens of times.
Such a young and slender girl, after being beaten dozens of times, would be half-dead even if she didn't die.
Seeing Shang Ruyi's somewhat worried expression, Eunuch Yu said with a forced smile, "She was protected by the Madam, so His Majesty naturally wouldn't really want her dead. Those dozens of blows were indeed punishment, but also meant to be shown to others."
As he spoke, he sighed again and said, "His Majesty truly cares about the Lady's affairs."
Take it to heart...?
These two words made Shang Ruyi feel a pang of sadness.
She said bitterly, "Doesn't my father-in-law know my identity?"
These days, Eunuch Yu often comes to take care of her, and the two have become acquainted. Shang Ruyi can sense that although this eunuch is shrewd and calculating, he is not a bad person at heart. In addition to obeying his orders, he also shows her some extra concern. So the two can still talk to each other from time to time.
Eunuch Yu glanced at her, his expression somewhat embarrassed, and said with a wry smile, "Who wouldn't know?"
"..."
"But what good is knowing?"
"..."
"Now that you have arrived at Jiangdu Palace, Madam, do not think about anything else. Take good care of your health. In your spare time, you can offer some advice to His Majesty. Perhaps that will be of some benefit to you."
Advice?
Upon hearing those two words, Shang Ruyi seemed somewhat moved. She looked at Eunuch Yu and said softly, "His Majesty hasn't shown his face recently; hasn't he been handling state affairs?"
Grandpa Yu glanced at her but didn't say anything.
As if sensing something, Shang Ruyi asked again, "Eunuch Yu, what is the situation in Jiangdu? Please inform me."
Grandpa Yu remained silent.
Shang Ruyi frowned and asked, "Is Jiangdu still safe?"
Grandpa Yu remained silent, but a faint crack appeared on his ever-smiling face, as if his smile could not keep up with the unease rising in his heart.
Just then, a young eunuch rushed in, looking flustered. He whispered a few words to Eunuch Yu, whose face changed drastically upon hearing them. He exclaimed in shock, "How could this happen?!"
Shang Ruyi listened from the side, her heart skipped a beat—what happened?
The young eunuch asked, "Sir, what should we do?"
"This matter must be reported to His Majesty immediately!"
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Yu was in a dilemma again, and hesitated before saying, "But, but His Majesty is now—"
Just as he was sweating profusely, he suddenly turned his head and saw Shang Ruyi beside him. His eyes lit up immediately, and he grabbed her like a drowning man grasping at a straw, saying urgently, "Madam, we have to rely on you this time."
"What?"
Before Shang Ruyi could react, she was pulled away.
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