Chapter 788 He seems to be enraged.
Soon, Shang Ruyi told Yuwen Ye what the Empress Dowager had told her. After she finished speaking, her face darkened and she said, "Actually, I wanted to tell you right away, but I didn't expect the fire to start at that time."
As she said this, a cold glint flashed in her eyes.
"I don't know if this fire is meant to get rid of the Empress Dowager, get rid of me, or get rid of us who might know about this."
"..."
"But no matter what, there's still a chance!"
Hearing her words, Yuwen Ye frowned deeply. Seeing his silence, Shang Ruyi grew anxious. She had kept quiet because she knew Yuwen Ye would worry about the Empress Dowager's health and her own. So she waited until the doctors had finished examining them and confirmed that they were both safe before telling Yuwen Ye, hoping he could leave without any worries.
But why hasn't he left yet?
Shang Ruyi said somewhat anxiously, "Even if you don't believe me, you have to believe the Empress Dowager!"
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Ye immediately looked up and glared at her.
His expression was somewhat ferocious, as if he wanted to curse, but in the end, he was mindful of Shang Ruyi's recent escape from death and didn't want to frighten her, so he could only grit his teeth and hold back. Meanwhile, not far behind them, on the stairs leading to the second floor, came a low, hoarse, yet gentle and smiling voice—
"It's not that he doesn't trust you, he's just worried about you."
Upon hearing the voice, both of them were startled and quickly stood up.
Looking up, Shang Ruyi saw Tu She'er helping Empress Dowager Jiang slowly down from the second floor. Because this meeting was extremely discreet, Empress Dowager Jiang did not bring any of the attendants from Yanchun Palace and came alone. Therefore, Shang Ruyi had just asked Tu She'er to take care of her. Now, seeing her slowly coming downstairs, Shang Ruyi immediately went forward and said softly, "Empress Dowager, are you alright?"
Empress Dowager Jiang shook her head.
She slowly walked up to the two of them, looked at Shang Ruyi, then at Yuwen Ye's somewhat stiff face, and said softly, "I have told you everything I know. You can decide for yourself how to handle this."
"..."
"You don't need to worry about me."
"Empress Dowager..."
After uttering those two words, his throat, already choked by the thick smoke and still burning, became so dry that he couldn't squeeze out a single word. Yuwen Ye simply looked silently at the much older Empress Dowager Jiang before him, who responded with a smile.
She turned to look at Shang Ruyi, who still looked somewhat disheveled, and reached out to take her hand.
Shang Ruyi hurriedly looked up, unsure of the reason for her sudden closeness. Empress Dowager Jiang gently pulled her to a corner of the pavilion and whispered, "Feng Chen will only depart after ensuring your safety, but given his abilities, nothing should go wrong. You don't need to worry too much. However—"
Shang Ruyi asked, "But what?"
As she spoke, Empress Dowager Jiang glanced at Yuwen Ye beside her and said softly, "He seems to be enraged."
"ah?"
These words startled Shang Ruyi.
Isn't this obvious? This time, when Princess Qin met with Empress Dowager Jiang, regardless of the Empress Dowager's position in his heart or her pregnancy, the fact that someone dared to plot against Princess Qin right under Prince Qin's nose was enough to enrage Yuwen Ye. Empress Dowager Jiang's statement that he was provoked was somewhat superfluous.
Of course, Shang Ruyi didn't dare to show her thoughts on her face, but Empress Dowager Jiang seemed to know what she was thinking at that moment. She glanced at Shang Ruyi's high belly and smiled faintly, but there was a deeper worry in her eyes. She said, "When people are provoked, they often lose their rationality or resort to any means necessary."
"..."
“Although Feng Chen is exceptionally capable, he is still a human being in this respect.”
"..."
"If you can persuade him, please try to talk to him again."
Although she hadn't yet grasped the deeper meaning behind Empress Dowager Jiang's words, Shang Ruyi immediately nodded—sometimes, there's no need to know the full reason for certain things; as long as it's right, she'll naturally do it, especially since it's just a small favor.
Empress Dowager Jiang smiled again and said, "Alright, I should go back now. There are more and more people outside."
Yuwen Ye did not ask what the two of them had just said. He just kept his head down and only looked out when he heard this. Indeed, although the fire at Dayan Temple was not very big, it had a great impact. Not only did all the monks in the temple gather there, but according to Mu Xian, even the surrounding people had gathered outside the temple gate. It would be inappropriate if they saw the Empress Dowager here.
Empress Dowager Jiang nodded to them, then turned and walked out.
As she stepped out the door, Yuwen Ye finally stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Empress Dowager, take care."
Empress Dowager Jiang paused slightly, glanced back at him, and then smiled, "Don't worry, I'll only do this one thing in the rest of my life."
After saying that, he left alone.
Before leaving, she stood in front of the library, which was half burned down. Looking at the ruins, her thin figure was filled with loneliness and loss. Shang Ruyi looked at her for a long time before finally saying softly, "It's a pity that those pastries... weren't taken out."
Yuwen Ye was silent for a moment, then said, "Next time, I'll have someone send it over again."
"..."
"But please don't come here in person again."
Shang Ruyi then looked up at him again. She could tell that Yuwen Ye was very calm, but this calmness was a kind of deliberate self-protective calm after the extreme anger and fear just now. Just from the fact that his clothes were burned and there were several large blisters on the back of his hands, she could tell how scared and how determined he was when he rushed into the fire.
So, what the Empress Dowager just said...
Just as Shang Ruyi's mind was in turmoil, heavy footsteps sounded outside again, as if someone had arrived at the lecture hall but did not come in directly. Instead, they whispered a few words to Mu Xian, who was guarding the courtyard gate.
Yuwen Ye immediately said, "Master Mu!"
Upon hearing the sound, Mu Xian hurriedly entered the lecture hall, bowing respectfully to the Prince of Qin and his consort. Yuwen Ye's expression remained gloomy, and when he spoke, his voice, already hoarse from the thick smoke, carried an even more menacing tone: "Have you caught the person?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Xian immediately knelt down: "This humble servant deserves to die!"
Shang Ruyi was startled.
Could it be—
Mu Xian lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "This humble general and his men did indeed capture a few people disguised as monks of Dayan Temple at the side gate, but these people were prepared. As soon as they were captured, they all committed suicide by poisoning themselves!"
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