Chapter 236 An Invisible Embrace
Upon returning to the Yuwen residence, the first person she encountered was Tu She'er, who was sobbing uncontrollably. She had been living in fear these past few days, and any rumor had made her feel like she was dying. As soon as she saw Shang Ruyi, she grabbed her hand and cried, "Miss, you must take me with you wherever you go from now on, or I'll kill myself!"
Shang Ruyi knew she had worried her these past few days, so she could only apologize repeatedly, even swearing oaths, before she finally managed to appease her.
Next, it's time to talk about family matters.
Everyone was clearly very worried about Yuwen Ye's expedition and subsequent interrogation at the Dali Temple. Although they dared not ask any questions, their anxious expressions and uneasy eyes showed that the Yuwen family was in a state of panic.
Even more timid people resigned directly.
Shang Ruyi did not make things difficult for them. She distributed their monthly wages as usual and gave them some extra rewards. She carefully comforted those who stayed at home and instructed Jinyun to restrain the servants. She also instructed all the personal guards who accompanied Yuwen Ye on this expedition to stay at home. Apart from going out to buy things, the household should try not to go out. She even politely refused some guests who came to visit.
This makes the truth behind the Grand General's defeat and subsequent triumphant return to the capital even more perplexing.
Five days have passed in the blink of an eye.
Everything at home was relatively peaceful under her control, but Shang Ruyi's heart was far from as peaceful as the situation in the mansion. During the day, when facing everyone, she had to put on the demeanor of a young mistress, remaining calm and composed to reassure everyone. But at night, her worries were like a venomous snake that wouldn't let her go, coiling around her mind and body, often leaving her unable to sleep all night.
That night was no different.
It was past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), but she was still wide awake. The sound of the night watchman's drum outside seemed to strike her heart, preventing her from finding peace.
It turns out that the silence in the room was actually a form of torture.
She couldn't help but look up at the bed by the window. Usually at this time, if she couldn't sleep, she would see Yuwen Ye sleeping there as soon as she opened her eyes. He always slept very soundly, with long, even breathing, a calm face, and even his sleeping posture was very neat, just like him, who could never be found to have the slightest flaw.
But now—
The bed was empty, and Shang Ruyi even felt a void in her heart. She couldn't help but get up and walk over. She walked barefoot on the ground and didn't feel the slightest bit of cold. It wasn't until she lay down on the bed that the cold and hard bed board made her realize how cold it was.
It turns out that Yuwen Ye had always slept like this.
A sudden pang of sadness welled up inside her, but she couldn't pinpoint the source of it. She simply curled up gently and pulled his thin blanket over herself. His faint scent immediately enveloped her, like an invisible embrace.
Shang Ruyi slowly closed her eyes.
But what is Yuwen Ye doing at this moment?
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Just as Shang Ruyi finally drifted off to sleep amidst that familiar scent, on the other side of the Dali Temple, in an empty room, the atmosphere was stiff and cold, almost freezing one to the bone.
This is where the Dali Temple houses its detainees.
It was neither a prison cell nor a dungeon, but a very simple, empty room with only a bed against the wall. The thin blankets on the bed didn't seem very warm. In the center of the room, there was only a low table and two blankets, which were for the person taking interrogation notes.
At this moment, three people are sitting opposite each other.
Sitting directly at the top was Yuwen Ye.
He was still wearing the fur coat he had worn when he returned from Xingluocang. He hadn't changed it for several days, and it was now covered in mud and looked rather dirty. However, as he sat upright, he still looked very handsome and even exuded a noble air.
Sitting opposite him was Zhai Ying, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
This man was only in his thirties, with a thin beard and a gaunt appearance, but his narrow eyes revealed a shrewdness. Especially in such a dimly lit environment, facing a candle on the table, the cunning glint that occasionally flashed in his eyes was completely exposed.
The document he brought was sitting to his left.
At that moment, the clerk picked up his pen and quickly wrote down what he had heard. After writing the last word, he looked up at Zhai Ying.
As Zhai Ying stroked his beard, he laughed and said, "So, it's actually Lord Kou who's been rebellious, trying to ambush the General on the way, kill him, and steal the credit?"
Yuwen Ye said, "Killing is killing, but whether he did it to steal credit—that's something you gentlemen will have to investigate."
Zhai Ying sneered, "The person is dead, how can we investigate?"
Yuwen Ye gave him a cold look.
Zhai Yingdao said, "To be honest, the general was too hasty. Why kill him with one blow? If we could have kept him alive, we could have had a face-to-face confrontation and clarified things. Now, based solely on the general's side of the story, I find it difficult to make a judgment."
Yuwen Ye sneered, "Lord Zhai, if I hadn't killed him with one stroke, it would be Kou Yunliang being interrogated here right now."
"..."
"I wonder if, at that time, Lord Zhai would have said to Kou Yunliang that I should be spared?"
Zhai Ying's expression changed.
The clerk standing to the side held a pen, hesitating whether to write down what was said. Zhai Ying glared at him, and the clerk immediately lowered his head in fright, not daring to move.
Just then, the sound of the night watchman's gong rang out from outside.
It's almost dawn.
Since arriving at the Dali Temple, Yuwen Ye has been interrogated day and night for the past few days. Although they asked him the same questions, they did so from different angles and even asked him for details from different people. This went on and on, and although he answered fluently, his mental state had reached its limit.
At this moment, her bloodshot eyes were so swollen that she could barely see the person in front of her; only a faint candlelight flickered slightly.
It seems it might be extinguished at any moment.
Just as Yuwen Ye's consciousness was becoming somewhat hazy, Zhai Ying's voice suddenly rang in his ears again: "However, there is one thing I am curious about. I wonder if the General could tell me?"
Yuwen Ye immediately looked up again: "Oh? May I ask?"
Zhai Ying sneered, "The General said that Kou Yunliang led his men and the Imperial Guards to ambush the General at the foot of the mountain. Moreover, they took the initiative and shot the General's men with arrows, even injuring the General's wife. Later, their formation was broken up by a group of people, which gave the General the opportunity to defeat them. So, who exactly is it that dares to attack the imperial army at this time?"
A glint flashed in Yuwen Ye's chaotic eyes, then dimmed.
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