Chapter 757 Tragic
"...!"
Shang Ruyi's pupils suddenly contracted, and then, after letting out a long sigh, she slowly regained her composure.
Although she had regained her composure, she couldn't suppress the resentment in her heart. She gritted her teeth and sneered, "No wonder, when I was first made Princess Qin, he shamelessly went so far as to go to my uncle's house to try and curry favor with me; but this time when I came back, not only did he not come to visit, he didn't even come to see me once. So that's why..."
As she spoke, she gave another cold laugh and shook her head: "Pathetic."
Actually, she was neither disappointed nor angry.
For someone who could drive his helpless younger sister out of the house while his father's body was still warm and in the dead of winter, when water was freezing cold, it was no wonder he could do anything heartless. Shang Ruyi just felt sorry for him.
It's pitiful that his own father, the dignified General Shang Ruohong, a hero of his time, has such a wretched son!
Hearing Shang Ruyi say this, and knowing that she had long since lost faith in the Shang family, Yuwen Ye hesitated for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh and saying, "It's better to have known about this sooner rather than later, so that he won't do anything else."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi's face darkened: "Actions?"
"..."
“I was wondering before who killed Jianchun—although it seems unimportant in this matter, it’s quite clear now.”
"..."
“Jian Chun couldn’t have died in Qianqiu Palace, and Chengqian Palace, perhaps you’re right, His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn’t be so ruthless.”
"..."
"So, even if it wasn't him who did it, it's still related to him."
After saying that, she gritted her teeth and said in a deep voice, "Of course, there's also the Yu family father and daughter."
This afternoon, after Wo Xue returned and explained the clues she had found, Shang Ruyi was almost certain that the one who could collude with Aunt Hui and arrange this series of vicious schemes was Yu Mingyue. And now, after hearing that even Shang Shoufei's official position was recommended by Yu Mingyue's father, Duke Yu Dingxing of Wushan County, then the whole thing could be connected.
Thinking of this, and recalling how Yu Mingyue had repeatedly said she looked down on her that day, yet turned around and used such despicable means against her, she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger: "All for the sake of the child in my belly."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Ye's face also darkened.
Compared to Shang Ruyi's anger, his anger was obviously even greater, but it was suppressed even more deeply. Moreover, even though he was furious to this extent, his eyes remained cold and clear. After a long silence, he said, "She naturally targeted you, but her purpose was not just to cause you to miscarry."
"Um?"
Shang Ruyi turned to look at him in surprise: "What else?"
Yuwen Ye looked at her and said in a deep voice, "This palace cannot remain without someone in charge."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi suddenly took a deep breath.
Oh right, she had forgotten about that.
Because Taiyuan fell not long after Yuwen Yuan ascended the throne, she and Yuwen Ye led the army away from the palace. After finally winning the battle in Taiyuan, she returned to Chang'an and discovered she was pregnant a few days later. She stayed in Qianqiu Palace to rest and recuperate, and hardly got involved in palace affairs.
In reality, even ordinary families need a matriarch to manage household affairs, let alone a large imperial palace.
In a large family like theirs, the person in charge of internal affairs should rightfully be Yuwen Yuan's wife. If she passes away, then the daughter-in-law should assume the responsibility. Previously, due to Aunt Hui's special status and Guan Yunmu's initial concessions, Shang Ruyi had not taken over this power. But now that Yuwen Yuan has become the emperor, it would be somewhat unreasonable for a mere palace maid to be in charge of the palace's internal affairs.
Now, those in charge of internal affairs are either his concubines or his daughter-in-law, the princess.
However, none of the wives around Yuwen Yuan were given the responsibility of managing the six palaces by him. Obviously, he did not trust these women, or perhaps he did not really consider them as family.
Then the responsibility should fall on the daughter-in-law.
If Yu Mingyue hadn't made those outrageous remarks at the previous victory banquet, causing Yuwen Yuan to change his mind, she might already be the Crown Princess, and the responsibility of managing the palace affairs should have been handed over to this eldest daughter-in-law. However, Yu Mingyue ruined her own future and has been neglected since the victory banquet. Meanwhile, Yuwen Qian has gained two concubines bestowed upon him by Yuwen Yuan, which has clearly made her somewhat flustered.
Therefore, this action was taken.
Shang Ruyi figured some things out, but then slowly frowned and said, "This matter does have an impact on me and on both of us, but it doesn't do her any good."
"..."
"Even if Father doesn't hand over the power to manage the palace affairs to me, she has no part in it, so why is she bothering so much?"
Yuwen Ye was silent for a moment, then said, "This is something I haven't figured out either."
"..."
"But, given her personality and way of doing things, this matter will ultimately be in her favor."
"..."
"After all, she also has that ability—'foresight'."
Although they already knew where Yu Mingyue came from and that her knowledge of certain things was not prophetic, they had become accustomed to those four words. Shang Ruyi also understood the implication, but when she heard Yuwen Ye mention this again, her heart sank once more. She said, "You mean that her actions might be connected to some things she knows will happen in the future, and we can only see the surface of these things, not the truth behind them?"
Yuwen Ye nodded.
Although Yu Mingyue is knowledgeable but lacks wisdom, they are not fundamentally afraid of her. However, knowing certain things in advance does give them a head start and could cause them considerable trouble. But these are things that can only be dealt with after they happen; revealing them beforehand only causes worry.
Moreover, Shang Ruyi is currently pregnant and shouldn't be worrying about anything else.
So he said, "Let's talk about that later, let's look at the present first."
Shang Ruyi nodded readily and then said, "The fact that you put it that way makes me realize there's something else I've been worried about."
"Oh? What is it?"
"It's Aunt Hui."
"Aunt Hui?"
Shang Ruyi looked at Yuwen Ye and said in a deep voice, "Now, the body is in her hands, and some clues are also in her hands. She probably wanted to provoke Wo Xue or me before, and use us to make this a big deal so that she could completely extricate herself. But now, even if we didn't fall for it, the initiative is still in her hands."
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Ye narrowed his eyes slightly: "You mean, she might still make a big fuss about Jian Chun's death and let Father Emperor know?"
Shang Ruyi nodded: "I guess that's also Yu Mingyue's purpose."
"..."
"The result I can think of now is to turn Qianqiu Palace into a mess for Father Emperor to see, so that Father Emperor will despise us and even ignore us; I just don't know what other purpose she has, or what else she wants."
"What do you want..."
Yuwen Ye was silent for a moment, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "She'd better not want too much."
Under the same pitch-black night sky, at the Yu residence, no sooner had the eunuch who brought the news left than Duke Yu Dingxing of Wushan returned to the main hall, preoccupied with his own thoughts. There he saw Yu Mingyue sitting there, drinking tea with a calm and even somewhat languid expression.
Seeing her calm and composed demeanor, Yu Dingxing grew even more furious.
He walked over and said in a deep voice, "Why didn't you tell me you had this plan sooner?"
Yu Mingyue slowly took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and then looked up at him, saying indifferently, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Do you—Father—have a better plan?"
Yu Dingxing's chest heaved violently. Even though he had experienced monstrous events that many people in the world could hardly imagine, such actions still terrified him. He paced back and forth in the hall twice with his hands behind his back, then returned to Yu Mingyue. After hesitating for a long time, he finally lowered his voice and said, "You actually had someone kill someone in the palace!"
"..."
"Do you know how serious a crime this would be if it were discovered?"
Yu Mingyue said with a half-smile, "Why is Father so frightened? She's just a palace maid. I've read in those books—aren't palace maids often killed?"
Yu Dingxing looked shocked: "Where did you get this ridiculous idea?"
"..."
"Even a lowly palace maid is still a person in the palace, a person of the emperor. If you kill someone who is the emperor's person, isn't that a slap in the emperor's face?"
Yu Mingyue thought for a moment and said, "Many palace maids died under Emperor Yang's command."
Yu Dingxing gritted his teeth and said, "It was because he didn't treat people like human beings that his country was destroyed and he died. But is the current emperor that kind of person? Moreover, in chaotic times, killing one or even hundreds of people wouldn't matter, but the emperor has only been on the throne for a few months. It is the time to establish rules. How can you be so confused?"
"..."
"Furthermore, you often bring up the books you read when you talk. What kind of nonsense are those books? Which one tells you that you can kill palace maids at will? Which one tells you that you can plot against the Princess of Qin! And what are you doing, this palace intrigue?"
Yu Mingyue's face darkened, and she said coldly, "No matter what, the deed is done."
"..."
"Moreover, I can assure you that what I did was flawless. Even if they investigate, the maid who 'poisoned' the Princess Consort of Qin was the maid who sent Lady Han to poison her. The place where the dead body was found was either Chengqing Gate, which was under her brother's jurisdiction, or Qianqiu Palace, where she lived. Do you think she would dare to do anything?"
"..."
"Even if the truth is found, His Majesty will not investigate further because of Madam Dong and the Crown Prince. The investigation will only go as far as the poisoning. Then they will be blamed for their ugly rivalry and their lax management of the household."
"..."
"So, they won't be able to trace it back to us, so don't worry."
Yu Dingxing fell silent.
His silence wasn't due to not understanding the nonsensical words or agreeing with Yu Mingyue's words, but rather because he was astonished by his daughter's meticulous and malicious mind—a meticulousness and malice that even sent chills down his spine.
But that's not what he's most worried about.
After a long while, he slowly straightened up, took a deep breath, and said, "Do you think that's all I'm worried about?"
Yu Mingyue looked up at him: "Then what is Father worried about?"
Yu Dingxing said, "This matter, whether it concerns that Han, the Crown Prince, or the Princess Consort of Qin, is irrelevant."
"..."
"The person you've truly offended is the King of Qin!"
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