Chapter 310 is truly "good news".
As they walked towards the inner palace, they passed through familiar places, but the scenery was different from before. All the flowers and trees along the way had been trimmed and decorated, exquisite glass lanterns hung under the eaves, and various screens adorned the porches. It was clear how much effort Chu Yang had put into preparing for today's garden outing.
How much manpower and resources were wasted?
But none of this was enough to worry Shang Ruyi. At this moment, her entire mind and body were occupied by another matter of life and death, leaving her no room for even the slightest thought.
They are in danger!
To be precise, someone wanted to take action against them.
The last time she received a warning from that person, the drawing depicted a stalk of wheat, a person, and a knife. It took a lot of effort to make her think of Yuwen Ye. But this time, the warning only showed a knife, so the meaning was very clear.
In Jiangdu Palace, there are only two types of people who would harm her and Chu Yang—the old palace guards and the Imperial Guards.
Since the message was sent by Cheng Qiao, it couldn't possibly have been from the old palace guards, leaving only one answer.
Wang Shaoji is rebelling!
Thinking this, Shang Ruyi felt a chill run through her body. Although she knew Wang Shaoji was treacherous, cunning, and ruthless, he had always been a trusted confidant of Chu Yang and a favorite of the emperor. She never imagined he would also—
Today, Chu Yang arranged a spring outing in the palace, and Wang Shaoji had requested permission from him two days ago not to close the gates of the palace. In this way, the imperial guards could freely enter and leave the palace, and doing anything else would be a piece of cake!
Thinking of this, she quickened her pace and walked through the familiar Treasure Bottle Gate.
As soon as I walked in, I saw Grandpa Yu.
At this moment, Eunuch Yu's usually chubby, smiling face was filled with panic. Especially after turning his head and seeing her, his panic turned into terror. Eunuch Yu hurriedly waved his hand at her, signaling her to leave quickly, as if he wished he could come over and push her away a hundred thousand miles away.
What happened?
As the head of the palace eunuchs, Eunuch Yu was a man who had seen a lot of things, but he had never seen him so panicked. What happened?
Shang Ruyi was taken aback, and her steps unconsciously slowed down.
Just then, a voice, trembling with sobs and filled with panic, came from ahead, saying something in a panic—
"Your Majesty, this servant truly heard it!"
Shang Ruyi hurriedly looked up and saw, behind the layers upon layers of semi-transparent screens, like a maze, a handsome and leisurely figure leaning against a huge flowering tree—it was Chu Yang. He wore a snow-white robe, so dazzlingly white that he seemed like a crystal-clear soul sculpted from snow. At this moment, he sat casually against the tree, his slender phoenix eyes, still slightly tinged with the effects of alcohol, gazing at the person before him.
A young palace maid was kneeling before him.
The young palace maid was still frantically saying, "Your Majesty, I really didn't lie. The Imperial Guards are really going to rebel!"
"...!?"
Shang Ruyi gasped.
Unexpectedly, before she could even speak, someone had already come to report.
So—the expression on Eunuch Yu's face was because of this?
But even if the news of the Imperial Guard's rebellion alarmed him, why was he so terrified when he saw him, and why did he seem to want him to leave immediately?
Shang Ruyi was puzzled for a moment, but there was no time to ask any more questions. She focused on looking ahead and saw Chu Yang with one hand casually hanging on his knee, his head down, his long eyelashes covering his eyes, making it impossible to see the expression on his face and in his eyes. After everyone held their breath, they heard him chuckle softly.
Shang Ruyi was taken aback, and the next moment, she heard him say, "Someone come here."
Immediately, two guards approached: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
Chu Yang raised his head and lazily pointed at the little palace maid in front of him: "Drag this person who is spouting nonsense and causing chaos in the palace away and execute her!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. The young palace maid was terrified and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I—this servant did not, I did not speak nonsense, what this servant said is true!"
Shang Ruyi looked at Chu Yang in disbelief.
Someone reported that the Imperial Guards were plotting a rebellion. Even if he trusted Wang Shaoji, he should at least have investigated the matter, or at least summoned Wang Shaoji for questioning. Why did he kill the person who came to report it without even asking?
Did he really trust Wang Shaoji that much? Or—
At this moment, her mind was in complete chaos, and she didn't even have time to react. The two attendants were stunned for a moment, seemingly hesitant about the emperor's decree, but Chu Yang coldly said, "Do you dare to disobey the imperial decree?"
The two guards had no choice but to immediately go up, grab the little palace maid, and drag her out.
The young palace maid struggled in terror, crying out, "I was in the corner, and I heard them say with my own ears that they were going to take action tonight, and they even told everyone not to close the palace gates! Your Majesty, Your Majesty, everything I said is true..."
Shang Ruyi was anxious and was about to step forward immediately.
Before she could go over to plead for the little palace maid, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her. When she turned around, she saw that it was Eunuch Yu.
The eunuch looked terrified and clung to her tightly, whispering, "Madam, please don't concern yourself with this."
"Father-in-law."
"You, you get out of here!"
"..."
Shang Ruyi didn't know what had happened, but when she looked back, she saw that two attendants had already dragged the struggling little palace maid out of the side door.
Soon, her cries faded into the gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers and the songs of birds.
Shang Ruyi stood frozen in place, feeling icy cold all over.
She didn't know if she couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing, or what her ears were hearing, or perhaps she simply couldn't believe she was there and what she was facing.
Chu Yang...why did you do this?
No matter how much he trusted the Imperial Guards and Wang Shaoji, if someone reported a rebellion by the Imperial Guards, as an emperor considering his own safety, he should have sent people to investigate thoroughly and prevent any potential crisis. But he killed the person who came to report the secret simply because he didn't want to hear those "nonsense tales"...
Is this how an emperor should act when faced with his own safety?
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi felt a chill in her heart.
Just then, she felt a weight on her wrist. Turning her head, she saw that Eunuch Yu's plump, white face was covered in cold sweat, and his eyes were almost red with fear. He stared at her and whispered, "Madam, run!"
"..."
At this moment, Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat again.
What is Grandpa Yu worried about?
Just now, she thought that Eunuch Yu was worried that the palace maid's report would anger the emperor and might affect her, which was why he was so panicked. But now that the palace maid has been dragged away, why is he still afraid?
What exactly happened?
"You've come?"
Just as Shang Ruyi was hesitating, Chu Yang's lazy yet somewhat cold voice rang out from ahead. Immediately, Shang Ruyi felt as if the hand gripping her wrist had been pricked by a needle, and she immediately let go.
Grandpa Yu retreated, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
Shang Ruyi glanced at him, and although she didn't understand, she still took a deep breath and looked up ahead.
Chu Yang had already seen her, but he remained motionless, leaning against the tree. A half-smile played on his handsome face, and his slender phoenix eyes held a smile, but more than that, they reeked of alcohol.
Shang Ruyi immediately noticed that several wine jars had been overturned beside him.
If I'm not mistaken, he must have been drinking here all night.
Anyone who has ever drunk alcohol knows that if you drink all night, you will gradually sober up by daytime, but your head will ache. As Shang Ruyi approached him step by step, she did see his brow furrow involuntarily, as if he was enduring some pain. But when she stood in front of him and bowed, the corners of his mouth still turned up.
That smile held a hint of mockery and sarcasm.
Are you still angry about what happened yesterday?
Shang Ruyi said, "Your Majesty."
"..."
Chu Yang tilted his head and looked at her for a while, then said, "What are you doing here?"
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment.
Even without turning around, she could feel the anxious look on Eunuch Yu's face as he stood not far behind her, as if he wanted to rush up and push her away. In her mind, the image of the little palace maid crying and struggling as she was dragged away was still vivid.
The hand, tucked into her sleeve, gripped the handkerchief tightly, unconsciously tightening its hold.
"I--"
Just as she was about to say something, Chu Yang suddenly let out another cold laugh and said, "Did you come because you heard the news?"
"……information?"
Shang Ruyi was taken aback and looked up at him.
What news?
Only then did she clearly see that beside Chu Yang, besides the wine jars, there was also an urgent document.
These days, Chu Yang has completely stopped reading the documents sent from various places. Since the fall of Luoyang, uprisings have broken out everywhere, and the documents arriving at Jiangdu Palace are either reports of which general has rebelled or which person has started an army. Chu Yang completely avoids reading these messages, as if—
Just like just now, he ordered his men to drag that little palace maid out and kill her.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi tightened her grip on the handkerchief.
But this document...
She said softly, "Your Majesty, what have you received? Is there any good news?"
"..."
Chu Yang raised an eyebrow at her, his smile deepening. He slowly stood up, his legs probably numb from sitting for so long, and he stumbled as he stood up, almost bumping into Shang Ruyi. But he managed to steady himself, chuckled, and then leaned closer to her, looking down into her somewhat dazed eyes.
The two were so close that it seemed their breaths were almost mingling.
He said, "This is really good news."
Shang Ruyi shuddered: "What?"
Chu Yang stared into her eyes and said, word by word, "The Duke of Sheng and his son have raised an army in Taiyuan."
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