Chapter 719 I've "provoked" him again.
"But I can't divorce her."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi immediately struggled, but felt that Yuwen Ye was still holding her tightly, not allowing her to move an inch. It felt just like when they were on the grassland, when he wouldn't let her look up at him after every word he said.
Although she couldn't move, Shang Ruyi immediately said, "I... I didn't mean that."
To be honest, she wasn't completely indifferent, but she also didn't have such thoughts.
Marriage is no child's play. Even if she and Chu Ruoyan were barely considered "love rivals," they weren't truly enemies, nor did they necessarily have to harm each other. Chu Ruoyan married Yuwen Ye as a concubine on the condition that Yuwen Qian was initially appointed as the Prince of Han. This did help them, although now it seems like it all came to nothing.
However, if she insisted that Yuwen Ye divorce Chu Ruoyan, or prevent the two of them from being together, it would be an utter humiliation for the woman, far worse than when she refused to marry Yuwen Qian and instead married Yuwen Ye. This princess, who had long since lost the protection of her parents and country, had truly reached a dead end.
In this respect, she is somewhat similar to Green Silk.
In truth, princesses and dancers, though of different social classes, both have too many things beyond their control as women.
As a woman herself, Shang Ruyi couldn't even bring herself to humiliate a woman like Yu Mingyue had just done, let alone coerce a woman in this way.
Thinking of this, she added, "I really, am not."
The arms that were wrapped around her trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly. Because the embrace was so tight, Shang Ruyi could clearly feel it this time. Then, she heard Yuwen Ye say in a hoarse voice, "You don't mind at all?"
"..."
At this moment, whether it was the last vestige of chill that had been dispelled seeping out of her heart, or for some other reason, Shang Ruyi suddenly had a flash of inspiration and sensed something.
Yuwen Ye seems to have always been concerned about whether she minds this matter.
Looking back now, from the moment he told himself that he would take Chu Ruoyan as a concubine—no, it should be from the moment Yuwen Yuan brought it up—he had been observing his own attitude. The two of them had several disagreements over this matter, which became an unavoidable thorn in their hearts along the way.
At that moment, recalling the words that Yu Mingyue had instigated, Shang Ruyi came to her senses.
No wonder Yuwen Ye was truly swayed by Yu Mingyue's words.
She suppressed her true feelings, wanting to be a magnanimous young mistress of the Yuwen family and a tolerant and peaceful Princess Qin. However, this indifference, or rather, the complete lack of jealousy, seemed to confirm Yu Mingyue's words to Yuwen Ye—whether it was the former Second Young Master Yuwen or the current Prince Qin, they were merely tools she, Shang Ruyi, used to protect her family.
"...!"
Thinking about this, Shang Ruyi finally understood.
She didn't struggle, but slowly raised her head to look at the face so close to hers. His expression was cold, yet there was a hint of uncertainty in his coldness, making him seem inexplicably vulnerable. She said softly, "Do you want me to mind?"
Yuwen Ye's eyes flickered: "I—"
Before he could finish speaking, Shang Ruyi said softly, "But so what if I mind?"
"..."
"You won't divorce her... then she'll always be between us, won't she?"
The room fell silent.
In truth, this was not the biggest obstacle between them. Since Shang Ruyi knew that Yuwen Yuan would become the founding emperor of the Great Sheng Dynasty, and that she had refused to marry the future crown prince Yuwen Qian, who might die in a future coup, she already knew what the future would hold if she married Yuwen Ye.
If Yuwen Ye were to truly inherit the throne, he would certainly have a harem of concubines.
I am never the only one.
This is also why she keeps telling herself not to mind it. If you choose a path and then complain about how uncomfortable it is, what is that if not being pretentious? She has too many things to face, and there are even more bumpy roads to navigate, so she really can't afford to worry about this.
However, Yuwen Ye was clearly much more concerned about this.
In the silence, Shang Ruyi heard him take a deep breath, and then the arms that were tightly wrapped around her waist slowly tightened, lifting her up and placing her in his lap. The two of them were now facing each other, and he looked directly into her eyes, not allowing her the slightest chance to look away.
He himself didn't have one either.
He said, "I told you before that I have never had any romantic feelings for her, I only regard her as a younger sister. But in fact, ever since my father took Chang'an and supported Chu Chengfei to the throne, I knew this day would come. Her destiny can only be with me."
"..."
“I know you won’t disagree, but I don’t want you to not mind.”
As he spoke, he moved closer to Shang Ruyi, their foreheads touching, their noses lightly brushing, their breaths almost mingling: "Do you understand?"
Shang Ruyi looked at him and nodded gently.
Yuwen Ye took a deep breath, but he didn't seem relieved at all. He said in a deep voice, "Now, I'm telling you too, I won't divorce her. This is my promise to the Empress Dowager, and it's also my responsibility to her."
"..."
"But my feelings for her only go this far."
"..."
“From now on, I will spend one or two days with her each month, and the rest of the time…”
As he spoke, the arm he held tightly around her gradually grew hot.
Shang Ruyi blushed and immediately turned her head away from him, but she felt his gaze fixed on her with a heat even hotter than the brazier next to him, making her feel hot and restless. So she muttered, "I didn't force you to do this."
"..."
"It's fine if you stay a few more days."
Chu Ruoyan is already a concubine of the Prince of Qin. If I cling to Yuwen Ye and prevent them from being together, Chu Ruoyan will be left alone in her empty room. Wouldn't she harbor resentment? Wouldn't that cause me trouble?
Now that the position of Crown Prince has been decided, anything is possible as long as Yuwen Qian does not ascend the throne and inherit the throne. In the future, not only will Yuwen Ye face Yuwen Qian, but also Yu Dingxing and Dong Bizheng, and there will be even more twists and turns. As the Princess Consort of Qin, she will also have to face Yu Mingyue, Aunt Hui, and even more difficulties.
If, in addition, you were to have Chu Ruoyan as an enemy by your side...
She's not that stupid.
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Ye's face darkened: "What did you say?"
Shang Ruyi realized she had "provoked" him again, but she wasn't so easy to talk to today. She pouted and was about to argue with him when she heard Wo Xue's somewhat panicked voice from outside the door: "Lord Shen, you, why are you here?"
Immediately, a familiar, gentle voice said, "I've come to see His Highness the Prince of Qin."
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