Chapter 511 He doesn't want to hurt you, and he can't let you down.
Why……
The whole city is in an uproar. Both the Duke's Mansion and the Shen family have become the eye of the storm in this political turmoil, making them all restless and unable to eat or sleep.
What else could it be for?
Shang Ruyi paused for a moment, still looking at him with red eyes, and said, "But why would Uncle do this?"
"..."
Do you know how worried your aunt was, how worried your brother was, and how worried I was?
Upon hearing this, Shen Shiyan's eyes softened, but also showed a hint of sadness. He gazed intently at Shang Ruyi, pondered for a long time, and finally asked, "Ruyi, who am I?"
"...?"
Shang Ruyi was taken aback, wondering why he suddenly asked this question at this moment, but she subconsciously replied, "...Uncle."
Shen Shiyan smiled faintly and said, "Yes."
"..."
"But that's not entirely true either."
"..."
"Ruyi, I am not only your uncle, but also the Chief of Ceremonies of the Daye Dynasty, and also—Shen Shiyan!"
Shang Ruyi's aura suddenly turned somber.
She immediately sensed the weighty meaning conveyed in Shen Shiyan's somewhat weak and light aura. Gathering her composure, she looked at him solemnly. Shen Shiyan sighed again and said, "I know that things must be in complete chaos outside. Some people think I'm just seeking fame and fortune, some think I'm colluding with the Duke's mansion, and some probably think I'm just a crazy person who doesn't know what's good for him and is talking nonsense."
"..."
"But I know what I'm doing."
At this point, he smiled faintly, looked at Shang Ruyi, and said with a glint in his eyes, "If you were still a child, or if you hadn't seen so much of the world with your father, or had those experiences after you got married, such as Yanmen County, Xingluo Granary, Jiangdu Palace, and even going to Fufeng with Yuwen Ye, your uncle wouldn't be talking to you like this."
"..."
"Because you are still young, you don't understand, you can't comprehend it."
"..."
"Putting you in charge will only make things worse."
If the previous words were still spoken to himself, then Shang Ruyi understood that the last sentence was spoken by Shen Shiyan to the world from within this narrow dungeon.
He wasn't just talking about himself.
And then there's that child who inherited his father's great legacy and sits on the dragon throne—the ruler of the world.
Even though she had experienced so much, including things that were unimaginable to most people, Shang Ruyi knew that she was not yet capable of managing the Duke's mansion, let alone discussing matters of state. As for Chu Chengfei, even though he was the emperor and had the responsibility and destiny to inherit the throne, she knew all too well that the child was still too young. His age, experience, and even his abilities were not enough for him to lead the country and the people, which were so important to the well-being of all.
Therefore, the word "xun" that Shen Shiyan presented was not only from the message from that year, but also from his heart, or rather, from the hearts of many ministers in the court who were worried about the country.
Shang Ruyi's breathing grew heavier and heavier, sounding like a tremor coming from the depths of the earth in this cold and dark dungeon.
Amidst this upheaval, Shen Shiyan's weak voice sounded like a warning bell. He said, "If it were a peaceful and prosperous time, even—even an ordinary era—I would never say such things or have such thoughts."
"..."
"But now, the world is in chaos, and rebels are rising up everywhere. Even if you and Yuwen Ye quell Xue Xian's eastward advance, in the east, Liang Shide and Xiao Yuansui still hold sway over Luoyang, eyeing Xijing with covetous intent; moreover, Wang Shao and his brothers are leading hundreds of thousands of fierce and ruthless troops northward; and in the north—the Turks, they are not wolves that can be satisfied with just one piece of meat. Once the flames of war in the Central Plains are fully ignited, how could they not come south to plunder and take advantage of the chaos?"
"..."
"And there's Goli Kingdom in the northeast, and Wa Kingdom at sea; they never stop thinking about invading the Central Plains."
"..."
"Is all of this something that child, who usually only knows how to play and frolic with eunuchs, can bear when sitting on the dragon throne and hearing the word 'disaster is about to strike'?!"
The more he spoke, the paler Shang Ruyi's face became.
After a long silence, she finally said, "So, my uncle was willing to sacrifice himself as a torch?"
"right!"
Shen Shiyan nodded firmly. Although he was still limping and covered in wounds from torture, his eyes were resolute and unwavering. He said in a deep voice, "In this chaotic world, there is only one person who can lead the world and quell the rebellion!"
Shang Ruyi said, "My father once said that if dark clouds cover the sun, the hand that will clear the clouds and reveal the sun will surely be the Duke of Sheng."
"..."
“Uncle, he is speaking out for the people.”
Shen Shiyan gave a bitter smile and said, "But in the eyes of the world, I am a disloyal minister."
Shang Ruyi's throat tightened, and she said hoarsely, "No."
"..."
"My uncle is not a disloyal subject."
Back then, he risked his life to petition Chu Yang, along with Pei Xu and others, to stop the campaign against Liaodong and allow the people to catch their breath. Now, having just ended his exile, he disregards the risk of death again to plead for the people.
He was not unfaithful.
His loyalty was not to the Great Ye Dynasty, but to the people of the world who were waiting to be redeemed from the carnage of war.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi's eyes reddened again. She looked up at Shen Shiyan and choked out, "Uncle is selfless and devoted to the public good. Ruyi understands..."
Upon hearing this, Shen Shiyan's eyes flickered.
Looking at his niece, who had endured hardship since childhood yet possessed extraordinary intelligence and had risked everything to save him when he was in trouble, his gaze softened once more, and he said, "Well, not entirely."
"Um?"
Shang Ruyi was stunned, then opened her tear-filled eyes and looked at him: "Uncle?"
Shen Shiyan looked at him and smiled kindly, "To say that I am selfless is not entirely true. Even if I am 99% selfless, there is still a little bit of selfishness in me."
Shang Ruyi was puzzled, but she still raised her hand to wipe away the tears that kept streaming down her face. She looked at Shen Shiyan with a somewhat embarrassed expression and asked, "What is Uncle's ulterior motive?"
Shen Shiyan looked at her and said softly, "Silly girl, ordinary women rely on their maternal family to gain a foothold and establish authority in their husband's family after marriage."
"..."
"You married into the Duke's mansion. Although Yuwen Yuan will treat you well because he was an old acquaintance of your father, your uncle still has some regrets in his heart that he was unable to be your support."
"..."
"On the contrary, I am being exiled, and I'm afraid you will suffer as well."
Shang Ruyi hurriedly shook her head.
But as she shook her head, the tears that had already stopped started flowing again. It wasn't tears of grievance, but rather tears of affection from her uncle, which warmed her heart and made her feel even more pained by her own powerlessness at that moment.
Shen Shiyan felt even more heartbroken and said, "If your father were still alive, with his prestige as General of the Cavalry and his achievements in splitting the Eastern and Western Turks, no matter what, he would never let you be threatened by others in your husband's family."
"...?"
These words made Shang Ruyi's heart skip a beat.
Threatened by someone?
Who is threatening them?
Although she was indeed made difficult by Aunt Hui and some people behind her in her husband's family, it was not a threat. After all, given her status, her skills, and the special relationship with the Yuwen family, she was not a threat at all.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi subconsciously said, "What Uncle said is true—"
Shen Shiyan said solemnly, "Princess!"
"...!"
Shang Ruyi gasped in shock.
She only found out about Yuwen Ye and Princess Xinyue's affair by accidentally stumbling upon their "secret meeting" at Tinghe Tower. How did Shen Shiyan find out?
He immediately asked, "Uncle, how did you know?"
Shen Shiyan gave her a reproachful look: "If you don't tell me, do you think your uncle really doesn't know anything?"
"..."
"Luckily, I went to Dayan Temple that day!"
"Oiwa Temple?"
Upon hearing those three words, she immediately thought of the Buddhist ceremony at Dayan Temple. It was on that day that she and Yuwen Ye finally cleared up all the misunderstandings between them and confirmed their feelings for each other.
But on that same day, in the Buddhist hall, the two had just pledged their love when they encountered Princess Crescent Moon.
What she didn't expect was that Shen Shiyan also went to Dayan Temple that day!
Upon being asked, Shen Shiyan shook his head and said, "At that time, I had not yet been reinstated, but the Dharma assembly at Dayan Temple had already attracted monks and laypeople. Moreover, I knew in my heart that someone would be watching you at that Dharma assembly and making a big fuss about your affairs at Jiangdu Palace. How could I not attend? I just didn't tell you."
"uncle……"
"Later, after things were settled, I also planned to talk to you. I searched for half a day before I saw you in the Buddhist hall. But I didn't expect that as soon as I got close, I saw you leave, leaving Yuwen Ye and the Princess behind."
"..."
"I just found out that the two of them—"
Shang Ruyi suddenly realized.
It turns out that Shen Shiyan was also at Dayan Temple that day, and even arrived at the Buddhist hall at that time. She left because she was mindful of Yuwen Ye's feelings, giving the two of them a chance to be together. Although she seemed carefree, she still had some lingering doubts in her heart—what exactly did they say?
It seems that Shen Shiyan heard it.
She blurted out instinctively, "Uncle, you...you heard what they were saying?"
Shen Shiyan nodded.
"So, what did they say?"
"..."
Shen Shiyan's expression darkened further, as if he found it difficult to speak. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said, "It's nothing more than those words. It was only at that time that I realized that the Princess was deeply in love with your husband."
"..."
"She told Yuwen Ye that as long as he married her, he would become the emperor's son-in-law and be promoted to a higher official rank. Not only would the heir of a duke be unable to overpower him, but even the Duke of Sheng would no longer be able to control him."
"..."
"But then, how would you explain yourself?!"
"...!"
Shang Ruyi's breathing became increasingly heavy.
Yes, if Yuwen Ye really becomes the princess's consort, then he definitely can't have any more wives, and even if I'm not dealt with, I can't stay with him anymore.
Such examples are not uncommon throughout history.
Only then did Shang Ruyi realize that she had walked a tightrope of fate without her knowledge.
She was not surprised by Chu Ruoyan's infatuation with Yuwen Ye. After all, Chu Ruoyan had never hidden her feelings from the first moment she saw Princess Xinyue. In fact, Shang Ruyi finally understood what Empress Jiang meant when she treated her with such courtesy and Chu Yang said that she needed something from her.
What she sought was for her daughter to belong to someone else.
Compared to Chu Yang, who was exceptionally intelligent but also arrogant and unrestrained, Empress Jiang was wise in a subtle way. She could see that Chu Yang's journey south to Jiangdu was almost doomed, so she arranged for Princess Xinyue and Prince Zhao to stay in Dongdu until they were safe and sound before she herself went down to Jiangdu to follow in Chu Yang's footsteps with composure. With this mindset, she probably saw much earlier that the fortunes of the Daye Dynasty were coming to an end.
Therefore, while her closeness to herself may have been based on genuine emotional affection, it also stemmed from a degree of selfishness, much like Shen Shiyan's, and a consideration for her daughter's future.
Who would rule the world might not have been clear in the past, but after the Duke of Sheng supported the new emperor and became the Grand Chancellor, second only to the emperor, everyone understood all too well. It was because of this that when Shen Shiyan uttered the word "subordinate," almost everyone below rushed to the entrance of the Duke's mansion.
All of this has its reasons, and while it may be unexpected, it is all within reason.
The only thing that surprised Shang Ruyi was that Chu Ruoyan had really changed.
Since Chu Yang died in Jiangdu, this princess, who knew nothing of human suffering and only knew romance and beauty, was no longer as carefree and innocent as before. She not only began to participate in the political intrigues, but also began to stir up trouble.
She even started interfering in Yuwen Ye's family affairs!
Moreover, she understood very well that Yuwen Ye had always been under the control of his father, as well as suppressed by the Duke's heir who had only recently returned home and whose prominence had overshadowed his own. For someone as proud as him, this was indeed difficult to bear.
Therefore, the "conditions" for Chu Ruoyan's dismissal were an irresistible temptation for many people.
but--
The answer, it seems, doesn't need an answer.
Although Yuwen Ye never told Shang Ruyi what they had talked about after that, it is clear from their current situation that Yuwen Ye did not agree to Chu Ruoyan's request.
The promise of the position of imperial son-in-law and the advancement in rank and title did not tempt him.
Even though she already knew the final answer, Shang Ruyi still looked up at Shen Shiyan and whispered, "Uncle, what did you hear Feng Chen say?"
Although Shen Shiyan's face was full of grief, his expression softened slightly when he talked about this.
He glanced at Shang Ruyi and said slowly, "Of course he didn't agree."
"..."
“I heard him tell the princess that he did not want to hurt you, and even more so, he could not betray you.”
"...!"
Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat.
This made her breathing somewhat disordered at that moment.
I don't want to hurt her... and I can't let her down...?
This sentence sounds somewhat familiar.
Shang Ruyi held her erratic breathing, gathered her thoughts, and immediately remembered—that's right, it was on that day, in the Buddha hall of Dayan Temple, that Yuwen Ye poured out his heart to her, and after the two of them finally understood each other, she said something similar to him.
She told him, "Don't lie to me, don't hide things from me, and most importantly, don't hurt me."
So he...
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