Chapter 1226 A tree grows from its roots, and water flows from its source.
"congratulate?"
Tao Wanyin was stunned for a moment when she heard those two words, but then she understood that Shang Ruyi was referring to the fact that she had been quiet and lonely these past few days, and that regaining the emperor's favor was indeed something to celebrate.
She just smiled faintly, her eyes showing little joy, but rather a hint of gloom.
Although she has regained the emperor's favor and is now seen by everyone as the calm, gentle, and understanding "confidante" who can relieve the emperor's worries with just a few words, the painful cold treatment she suffered during this period was like a journey through the eighteenth level of hell, and she still remembers it vividly to this day.
Fortunately, the words that Shang Ruyi had Qiaoshu bring brought her back to her senses.
She didn't want to look back...
So he said, "I'm sorry to have made the Princess Consort of Qin laugh these past few days."
Seeing the desolation in her expression, Shang Ruyi's gaze also turned serious. To be honest, Tao Wanyin's actions lately had been quite bold, even considered "reckless" by other palace servants. After all, as a concubine, her life in the palace depended on the emperor's favor. The more favor she received, the more respectable her life would be; losing the emperor's favor meant losing everything. Therefore, no matter how much grievance, pain, or trouble she felt, she had to conceal her pain and offer a smile when facing the emperor.
However, Tao Wanyin allowed herself to wallow in the pain of losing her child, refusing to see even the emperor when he came to visit, which is why she received such a cold reception.
This is probably what Zhang Yuping and the others would be most happy to see.
Seeing her like this now, her soul still trapped in pain, yet her body struggling to stand up, and even feeling ashamed of her past actions of indulging in pain, Shang Ruyi felt even more bitter.
She said softly, "Jieyu, please don't say that."
"..."
"When a woman loses her child, it's like losing half her life. Others only see our pain, but the only ones who truly feel the pain are ourselves."
"..."
"We have the right to be sad."
She even wanted to tell her that she had once lost her unborn child and suffered the same pain, and that she had wanted to sever all ties with Yuwen Ye. Even now, looking back, she didn't think she had overreacted at the time.
The only difference was that Yuwen Ye had always stayed by his side.
Upon hearing Shang Ruyi's words, Tao Wanyin's originally delicate and calm face trembled slightly, as if a crack had appeared due to the impact. The pain hidden beneath her smile surged out in an instant, and the smile in her eyes was also covered by the slowly rising mist.
She trembled slightly, almost bursting into tears.
Seeing her like this, Qiaoshu felt both heartache and sadness. She hurriedly stepped forward and offered her a handkerchief, but Tao Wanyin gently pushed her hand away. She forced herself to swallow her pain and tears. When she looked up again, her eyes were still a little red, but her expression had become much more relaxed.
She said, "Thank you, Princess Qin."
Shang Ruyi hurriedly said, "I didn't do anything."
Tao Wanyin shook her head. At this moment, she didn't necessarily need anyone to do anything for her. Just having someone tell her that her suffering was deserved was more effective than any magic pill. And when she looked up at Shang Ruyi again, her eyes held a greater determination.
It seems that joining the King of Qin's camp was the right choice for her.
Moreover, she understood the situation. Zhang Yuping had completely sided with the Crown Prince and Prince Qi; their fates were intertwined, one prospering and the other suffering. Therefore, she knew Zhang Yuping would target her now that she was pregnant. If the Crown Prince were to ascend the throne in the future, with Zhang Yuping, this "meritorious official," what would become of her and her family?
She could no longer hold back.
Tao Wanyin thought for a while and said softly, "A tree starts from its roots, water flows from its source, and to strike a snake, strike its head; to capture a thief, capture its king. The matter of transferring General Shentu and Lord Pei was ultimately proposed by His Highness Prince Qi. If His Highness Prince Qin and his consort want to resolve this matter once and for all, I'm afraid they will have to start with Prince Qi."
Shang Ruyi was surprised and delighted that she had cheered up so quickly.
Upon hearing the words "King Qi," she frowned slightly.
Perhaps in many people's eyes, Yuwen Ye and Yuwen Cheng were, after all, siblings from the same mother, and should be closer than Yuwen Cheng and Yuwen Cheng to the Crown Prince. It was only because of their rivalry over military achievements that they became estranged. But Shang Ruyi herself understood that the bad relationship between Yuwen Cheng and Yuwen Ye had nothing to do with their status or position, and it didn't even have much to do with the Crown Prince.
It can only be said that Yuwen Cheng was fundamentally flawed and destined to be unable to get along with Yuwen Ye.
So he smiled wryly and said, "That's true, but if the Crown Prince had proposed this, we might have been able to find a solution through the Prince of Qi; but since the Prince of Qi proposed it, then—"
Tao Wanyin also realized what was going on and said, "It seems that I had oversimplified the problem."
Shang Ruyi pondered for a long time, then murmured, "But you said that a tree should start from its roots and water should flow from its source, which is one way."
Tao Wanyin looked at her: "Oh?"
Five days later, the residence of Yu Dingxing, the Duke of Wushan, was bustling with activity.
Since losing an eye, Yu Dingxing has continued to attend court and perform his duties as usual, but he rarely sees anyone in his spare time and usually keeps his doors closed to guests, so his residence has been quiet for a long time.
Today was unusually lively, as his two daughters—Crown Princess Yu Mingyue and his youngest daughter Yu Mingzhu—had returned to their parents' home with a retinue of servants. The two sisters had always disliked each other, and their words were inevitably laced with barbs. Adding to this, his wife, doting on her own daughter, intentionally showed favoritism in her speech, and soon the atmosphere in the main hall became tense.
Yu Dingxing finally managed to calm both sides down and ordered his servants to serve tea.
When the tea and snacks were served, Yu Mingyue picked one up and took a sip with a disgruntled expression, then immediately exclaimed angrily, "Why is it so spicy!"
As she spoke, she slammed the teacup to the ground, shards flying everywhere, and tea spilling all over the floor, most of it landing on Yu Mingzhu, who was sitting opposite her. Yu Mingzhu, furious, immediately stood up: "You—"
Yu Dingxing was also a little angry: "What are you doing?"
Yu Mingyue said coldly, "I already said that I don't like your tea. Just make me plain tea. Who told you to add all sorts of things to it!"
She only learned after arriving in this place that the locals added salt, ginger, scallions, mint, orange peel, and other ingredients to their tea, making it both salty and spicy with a very strange taste that she found difficult to swallow. Therefore, she had previously instructed her servants not to add anything to her tea. However, after she married Yuwen Qian, the servants of the Yu family changed, and Madam Zheng of the Yu family did not give any instructions to her servants, hence the tea served in this manner.
Yu Dingxing frowned as he looked at the furious Yu Mingzhu.
Although his current status largely stems from his alliance with the Crown Prince and is facilitated by Yu Mingyue, he doesn't like this daughter he once abandoned. He cherishes Yu Mingzhu, who grew up by his side, much more. He only puts on a good face because of her relationship with the Crown Prince and her current status as the Crown Princess. But seeing Yu Mingyue repeatedly provoking Yu Mingzhu, his expression turns ugly.
Yu Dingxing said, "If the Crown Princess doesn't like it, she can have someone take it away and replace it with another cup. Why smash the cup and bowl?"
At this moment, Madam Zheng, who was sitting next to him, chuckled and said, "Your Highness, as long as you are angry, you still have to consider the dignity of the royal family. It's one thing to smash cups and bowls at your maiden home, but if you do it elsewhere, it would be unseemly and would not look good on the Crown Prince."
"..."
"Although I have not raised you properly, I am still your legal mother; if word gets out, it will be bad for my reputation."
Upon hearing her words, Yu Mingyue's expression also darkened.
Although Zheng was saying that her reputation was bad, Yu Mingyue could easily tell from her words that she was implying that her birth mother had not raised her well.
In fact, she wasn't raised to be that weak woman. After all, that woman had been dead for a long time when she arrived here. She was just living as another Yu Mingyue, wearing her daughter's skin. But the resentment she felt towards the scumbag and the mistress didn't need to go through the experience of being abandoned and betrayed. Seeing this family attacking her together, she immediately said coldly, "If mistresses aren't afraid of a bad reputation, what do I have to be afraid of?"
Mrs. Zheng was taken aback: "What mistress?"
She didn't know Yu Mingyue's background, only that some of her words and actions were strange, and she often said things that were hard to understand. Yu Dingxing, on the other hand, vaguely knew something about her, and his face turned even uglier: "Crown Princess, she is still your legal mother after all, what nonsense are you talking about!"
Yu Mingyue originally wanted to curse back, but just as she was about to speak, she saw that Yu Dingxing's only remaining eye was red and his face was ashen. After thinking for a moment, she gritted her teeth and endured it.
She wasn't afraid of them at first, but Yu Dingxing, as the Duke of Wushan, had lost an eye in the battle of Longmen Ferry. Even if he stood on the Crown Prince's side, he wouldn't have to rely entirely on her. Besides...
These days, the Crown Prince has become increasingly indifferent.
To be honest, Yuwen Qian's attitude towards her has never been particularly warm. Even after they got married, he rarely spent long periods of time with her, even if he didn't go to his Buddhist temple. When they met, they could hardly talk about anything except matters of the court and how to deal with Yuwen Ye and others.
They were strangers living under the same roof.
Therefore, when Yuwen Qian calmly accepted Yuwen Ye's great victory in Luoyang, Yu Mingyue was completely baffled as to why he showed no anger.
He wasn't more affectionate towards her, nor was he more indifferent, yet Yu Mingyue vaguely found a familiar feeling in him.
It was as if, at our first meeting, the wandering monk had appeared untouched by worldly affairs…
This feeling made Yu Mingyue very uneasy, to the point that she vaguely felt she no longer had the confidence to argue with Yu Dingxing and the others.
Just as the atmosphere in the lobby was becoming somewhat tense, someone came from outside to report—Su Changjing had arrived.
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