Chapter 729 Crown Prince's Right Gatekeeper
Shang Ruyi asked anxiously, "Is the injury serious?"
Seeing her like this, a tender look flashed in Yuwen Ye's eyes, and he said softly as if to comfort her, "Don't worry, it's not serious. When Ruoyan sent someone to visit him, he was still able to joke and laugh with people. It's just that it seems he broke a rib, so he needs to rest for a while."
Even a broken rib is considered quite serious by most people.
But compared to people like Yuwen Ye who often fought bloody battles on the battlefield, and even Pei Xingyuan's own near-death experience in the warehouse during the plague, it really was nothing.
Shang Ruyi asked, "Then, how was he injured? Who injured him?"
Yuwen Ye shook his head: "Of course he wouldn't say, he just laughed it off. The people Ruoyan sent didn't press him too much, they just saw that he was alright and in good spirits, so they came back."
"..."
"So we should probably ask him about this sometime."
Shang Ruyi nodded hurriedly.
It should be noted that Pei Xingyuan was not only an official of the imperial court, but also a close confidant of Yuwen Ye. Now that Yuwen Qian's position as crown prince was already secured, his presence was not only an aid to Yuwen Ye, but also a source of comfort.
To harm him is tantamount to harming Yuwen Ye.
We need to find out who hurt him, whether it was the Crown Prince or someone from the Yu family.
However, Shang Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief and said, "As long as he's alright, that's good. As for the other matters, once we find out the truth, we can always resolve them."
Yuwen Ye nodded.
But he glanced at Shang Ruyi again, his eyes seeming to flicker slightly. Shang Ruyi keenly caught that sharp look and immediately asked, "Is there anything else?"
Yuwen Ye did not hesitate, but his tone was more somber than when he spoke of Pei Xingyuan's injuries.
He said, "There's something else, and I'm afraid you'll be even more unhappy if you hear it."
Shang Ruyi's eyes widened: "What?"
Yuwen Ye said, "Father has appointed your elder brother as the Right Palace Gate General."
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi frowned, her small face scrunched up, and she instinctively said, "Why bestow such an honor? Even if there were to be an honor, my brother should be the same person you recommended before, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Besides, he just returned—"
She stopped before she could finish speaking.
Seeing Yuwen Ye's meaningful look, a thought flashed through Shang Ruyi's mind, and she suddenly realized: "It's not my brother, it's, it's Shang Shoufei?!"
Yuwen Ye nodded heavily.
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath.
Over the years, although she has never changed her name or surname, she has long regarded the Shen couple as her living parents. She only has one brother, Shen Wuzheng. As for Shang Shoufei, who shares the same surname as her, if Wang Shaoji hadn't mentioned that he was cheated in buying an official position and then came to her door after being made the Princess of Qin in Chang'an, Shang Ruyi would have almost erased him from her life.
But unexpectedly—
Shang Ruyi frowned and asked, "Why would Father bestow such an honor upon him?"
Yuwen Ye said, "I heard that he went to the Prince's residence several times to request an audience with his younger sister. The people there were worried that if they neglected him, they would offend you, so they could only try to get the message into the palace. After Father Emperor found out, he summoned him. Perhaps because of his old friendship with your father, he appointed him as the Right Palace Gate General."
Shang Ruyi's face flushed red and then turned pale.
When Shang Shoufei went to the Shen family to see him, he already knew that he was about to move into the palace. How could he possibly see him again at the Prince's residence? He clearly knew all of this and knew that he would not help him, so he did this on purpose. How could the people guarding the Prince's residence know about his grudges with him? Even if they did know, many people felt that blood ties and kinship could override everything, as if women were born to help their families instead of doing what they wanted.
Therefore, the guards of the prince's residence, out of consideration for their own reputation, had no choice but to introduce him to the emperor.
As for Yuwen Yuan... he is a very sentimental person. Even though his father had passed away many years ago and he himself had long since fallen on hard times and could only be raised by his uncle and aunt, he was still willing to follow the old marriage agreement and let his son marry an orphan girl like himself who came from a lowly family. This shows his character.
Whether it was arranging for Yuwen Ye to marry him or bestowing titles upon Shang Shoufei, he was only doing it for the sake of his deceased old friend.
But what about the Right Palace Gatekeeper?
If I remember correctly, the name "Right Palace Gate General" was changed after Chu Yang ascended the throne. During Emperor Wen's reign, the original name of this official position was "Right Palace Gate Guardian of the Crown Prince," which was the position of an inner court general who guarded the Eastern Palace and protected the Crown Prince!
Shang Ruyi immediately asked, "When was the investiture made?"
Yuwen Ye said, "One month ago."
"A month ago...?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi's originally bright expression turned completely gloomy, and because she was clenching her teeth, her face even looked more ferocious.
A month ago, before Yuwen Yuan officially appointed Yuwen Qian as Crown Prince, he had already arranged for him to become the Right Gatekeeper. So, as I said before, this appointment had nothing to do with the military achievements in the Battle of Taiyuan.
It's just a matter of bestowing titles on one hand and suppressing others on the other.
However, the struggle for imperial power was their own business, and Shang Ruyi didn't blame anyone, but Shang Shoufei's involvement was truly hateful!
Just as she was gritting her teeth, Yuwen Ye, though also angry, was calmer than her.
He said, "Your elder brother is indeed unworthy."
"..."
"But this time, it's far more than just his disgraceful behavior."
Shang Ruyi immediately looked up at him, only to see Yuwen Ye say in a deep voice: "Being appointed as the Right Palace Guardian means that he has entered the ranks of military officers. Although this position is only a guard in the inner court, he still has the power to command troops."
Shang Ruyi came to her senses: "So, if war breaks out, he can also lead troops into battle?"
Yuwen Ye nodded.
Shang Ruyi immediately sneered, "Him?"
Although they share the same surname, Shang, and the same blood, and although their father was Shang Ruohong, the valiant general who was still admired by many military officers in the court, Shang Shou was not that person. He was uneducated, ambitious but incompetent. How could such a person be allowed to lead troops?
She said coldly, "If we let him lead the army, then for ten thousand years, he will be the biggest joke of the Great Sheng Dynasty!"
Yuwen Ye remained silent.
He didn't need to say this; having followed Yuwen Yuan into battle since he was a teenager, he understood all too well what a general's ability meant for an army—something not everyone could handle.
The saying "Military affairs should not be taken lightly, for if they are taken lightly, they will lose their authority" means that military matters should not be neglected, and the same applies to the selection of generals and commanders.
However, if Shang Shoufei is just a joke, then it's not a big deal.
But when the two looked at each other again, a glimmer of light still flickered deep in their eyes, as if there was a deeper worry in their hearts, but for a moment they could not tell what it was.
Finally, it was Tushe'er who invited them to change and bathe. Only then did the two realize that even though they had returned to the palace, they didn't have much time today, and the banquet would be starting soon.
So the two of them went to take a bath separately, and then rested for a while after they returned.
Looking at the sky again, it was already sunset.
The two drank some tea to cleanse their minds and mouths, then changed into their finest clothes. Tushe'er and Changwan each carried a lantern and led the way. The two left Qianqiu Palace and headed straight for Baifu Palace.
As she passed by Jinyuyuan, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but glance inside.
Although it wasn't brightly lit, candlelight could be seen burning deep within the palace, flickering and casting a faint glow on a slender figure standing inside, seemingly gazing at someone passing by the gate.
Even if it was just for a moment, she seemed content.
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said softly, "If the banquet ends early tonight, why don't you go to Jinyu Garden to rest?"
"..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a chill emanating from the side, which instantly penetrated her clothes and entered Shang Ruyi's heart.
But she composed herself and avoided meeting his glaring eyes, saying only, "Anyway, you went there when you just got back."
"..."
“Every step you take here counts as a day.”
The chill vanished instantly.
Shang Ruyi turned to look at Yuwen Ye again, only to see that the eyes that had just been glaring at her were now looking up ahead. His face was still cold, but in the dim light, she could clearly see that his lips pursed, then pursed again, and his cheeks even twitched a little as he barely managed to suppress the corners of his mouth.
Shang Ruyi said, "Hmm?"
Yuwen Ye ignored her and took several more steps forward before letting out a soft snort: "Sometimes you really can be quite annoying."
After saying that, the corners of his mouth turned up.
However, before that slight smile could be illuminated by the sudden burst of light after passing through the Hundred Blessings Gate, it immediately vanished. Shang Ruyi also turned her head and saw that the tall Hundred Blessings Hall in front of her was brightly lit, radiating brilliant light in the night, instantly brightening the eyes of both of them.
At this time, the banquet had not yet officially begun. Ministers who were invited were walking in one after another, while some who had arrived early were already standing at the entrance of the main hall, greeting familiar people and chatting and laughing in twos and threes. The air was filled with a pleasant atmosphere.
However, as soon as Yuwen Ye entered, the young eunuch standing at the entrance of the main hall shouted loudly—
"His Highness the King of Qin has arrived! His Queen Consort of Qin has arrived!"
Suddenly, all the cheerful laughter and conversation stopped, and everything around seemed to freeze for a moment. But the next moment, the people immediately came to their senses and bowed to the two of them.
Yuwen Ye raised his hand indifferently: "No need for formalities."
Only then did the officials rise.
But after he got up, most of these people stepped back, not only refusing to exchange pleasantries, but also avoiding even glancing at him.
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