Chapter 584 Two Souls, Facing Each Other with Utmost Sincerity
After speaking with Su Qinglan, Shang Ruyi was supposed to leave, but just as she was about to turn around, she heard someone call her from behind—
"Young Madam."
Shang Ruyi hurriedly turned around and saw that it was the Imperial Physician Lin Shi'an, who came up with several other medical supervisors.
The group bowed respectfully to her, saying, "Greetings, Young Madam."
Shang Ruyi hurriedly returned the gift.
Lin Shi'an glanced at the jubilant crowd around him and then smiled, "The fact that Chang Le Fang has been able to treat so many patients is all thanks to the Second Young Master and the Young Madam. We have come here to congratulate the Young Madam."
The other medical supervisors also chimed in, "The Second Young Master and the Young Madam have made tremendous contributions."
"Both of you are kind-hearted."
"Thank you, Second Young Master, and thank you, Young Madam."
...
Listening to their enthusiastic praise, Shang Ruyi simply smiled and nodded in response, but she understood in her heart that Lin Shi'an and the others had already begun to take sides on the very day the plague broke out. Therefore, this group of people had been busy in Yanzuofang these days, while in Changlefang, when things were so dangerous, only Wu Huanzhi and Su Qinglan were working with a few doctors.
Now that the situation is settled, these people have made the right bet.
However, matters in officialdom are unpredictable and ever-changing. No one can say for sure who will be there tomorrow. Even if they have already sided with Yuwen Qian, they are unwilling to completely offend Yuwen Ye. They come over to say a few polite words to ease the atmosphere, which can be considered as leaving a way out for the future.
Shang Ruyi knew what they were thinking, but she didn't point it out. She just smiled and gave them a perfunctory reply for a while, and then everyone dispersed.
After they left, Shang Ruyi glanced at Wu Huanzhi, who was standing not far away.
Compared to the swarm of people who had rushed over to flatter him, he didn't say anything. He just silently watched the patients reuniting with their loved ones, the people who were overjoyed and even in tears. After a long time, he slowly turned around and met Shang Ruyi's gaze.
After a long silence, he bowed deeply to Shang Ruyi.
Shang Ruyi smiled and returned his greeting.
Many things have already been said in this moment.
When Shang Ruyi returned to the carriage, the surrounding crowd had dispersed, and Chang Le Fang had finally returned to its usual tranquility. The sun had already begun to set in the west, almost touching the horizon.
The golden sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating Yuwen Ye's face, yet strangely, it made him appear cold and aloof.
Especially his cold, stern eyes. Even though the people around him were cheering and jumping for joy, and the whole city of Daxing was in a frenzy, like a boiling pot of soup, his eyes were as calm as a lake with frost on them.
It even exuded a hint of coldness.
Shang Ruyi still had a smile on her face. Meeting his gaze, she smiled and said, "Have you been waiting long?"
"..."
Let's get going!
"No."
"Um?"
Shang Ruyi was taken aback, and turned to look at Yuwen Ye in surprise: "Why?"
Didn't we just agree on that?
Yuwen Ye also turned to look at her. His handsome face, bathed in the golden, fiery light of the setting sun, still exuded a coldness. It wasn't until he met Shang Ruyi's eyes that his deep eyes slowly warmed up and revealed a hint of emotion.
It was complex, like a thousand threads intertwined, an emotion that was hard to unravel.
Shang Ruyi looked at him: "What's wrong?"
"..."
Yuwen Ye's brow twitched slightly, almost imperceptibly, as if he were angry, but there was no anger on his face, only a hint of confusion as if he didn't know what to do.
After a long while, he finally let out a soft sigh.
Then he said, "It's too late."
"ah?"
Shang Ruyi was taken aback, and looked up at the window again—indeed, although there was still a sunset, the sun was about to set, and by the time they went to Dayan Temple, it would probably be dark.
What about the Empress Dowager?
Before she could ask, Yuwen Ye said, "I have just sent someone to Dayan Temple to bring the Empress Dowager back to the palace."
Shang Ruyi said, "We—then you're not going?"
"I'm not going."
"Then we—"
"Go home."
After Yuwen Ye finished speaking, he gave an order to the driver outside. The driver immediately raised his whip, and the carriage swayed and wobbled away from Chang Le Fang, heading towards the Duke's Mansion.
Although it was already dusk, the entire city of Daxing seemed to have just woken up after more than ten days of slumber. The jubilant atmosphere could be heard even from inside the carriage, without needing to see anything.
However, that kind of atmosphere couldn't get into the carriage.
Throughout the journey, even though they could clearly hear the laughter and shouts of every passerby, the two people in the carriage remained silent, and an inexplicable, oppressive atmosphere enveloped them.
Shang Ruyi knew very well that this aura was emanating from Yuwen Ye.
but why?
Before, when asked if he minded him going to see the Empress Dowager, he did seem a little angry. But later, he was clearly happy. Although he didn't know what the trigger was, it was indeed because Su Qinglan asked him to go to see her, and he was sitting in the carriage waiting for her.
Why did his mood change so completely in just a short while?
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi carefully turned her head to look at him again. Yuwen Ye, sitting next to her, was still as usual, his back straight, his eyes slightly closed, his long eyelashes covering his thin eyelids. He seemed to be motionless, only the slight tremor of his long eyelashes could make people feel that something was troubling him.
Shang Ruyi felt uneasy—would he think that she deliberately delayed him in Chang Le Fang because she didn't want him to go to Dayan Temple to see the Empress Dowager?
So that's why you're unhappy?
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment, then gently reached out and tugged at the hem of his clothes.
The carriage swayed, a sound that would have been difficult to detect, but Yuwen Ye suddenly opened his eyes. In that instant, his eyes were even brighter than usual, and he immediately looked down at Shang Ruyi.
What are you doing?
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, looked at him and said softly, "Tomorrow, I will accompany you to the palace."
"...!"
Yuwen Ye's eyes suddenly turned black: "What?"
Sensing a flicker of anger resurfacing on his previously calm face, Shang Ruyi quickly regained her composure—
What day is tomorrow?!
Tomorrow will be the first day after Daxing City was unsealed after being under lockdown for more than half a month due to the plague. It will also be the day when the palace gates open and civil and military officials go to court!
But this time, it's no ordinary court assembly!
At the last court assembly, due to the prophecy of "a comet appearing, calamity arose," the eldest princess had promised that if the Yuwen family could control the plague, the emperor would abdicate. Therefore, at this court assembly, the matter that everyone was hoping for or observing would have a final outcome.
Abdicate!
Chu Chengfei must obey and abdicate in favor of Yuwen Yuan!
Even if the matter hadn't happened yet, Shang Ruyi could more or less imagine it. With Ji Hong already paying a visit, the matter was practically a done deal. Tomorrow at the court meeting, this old minister would surely propose to abdicate. Once all the officials agreed, everything would proceed smoothly!
Even today, Yuwen Ye's trip to Dayan Temple to fetch the Empress Dowager back to the palace was probably because he wanted to tell her some things in advance.
After all, his feelings for her were different, so he didn't want the Empress Dowager to be too sad or embarrassed, and he didn't want her to be too frightened.
With so many things to do tomorrow, how can we possibly have time to send them to the palace to see the Empress Dowager?
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi lowered her head in embarrassment—saying such things wasn't just a matter of being open-minded, it was downright foolish.
But Yuwen Ye still stared intently at her: "What did you just say?"
Shang Ruyi immediately shook her head.
Yuwen Ye frowned and stared at her. After a long while, he coldly looked away. Shang Ruyi could only say softly, "I only thought of the Empress Dowager, but I forgot that tomorrow is a big day for Father."
"..."
"Let's talk about it after tomorrow."
"...!"
Yuwen Ye frowned and lowered his head to stare at her.
This time, his eyes weren't as cold as before, but there was a strange restlessness, as if ignited by the fiery sunset. For a moment, Shang Ruyi couldn't even tell whether it was the sunset's flames or the anger in his heart.
After a long while, Yuwen Ye slowly turned his head and squinted his eyes.
His voice was calm, almost like a light laugh, as he said, "You still care about Father's affairs."
Shang Ruyi, still shaken, said, "That's the most important thing."
Inside the carriage, an unspeakable silence fell once again. Only the carriage continued to move forward, the monotonous clattering of the wheels on the bluestone pavement filling the space between the two people, yet it only deepened the hidden emotions, making them even harder to express.
After a long while, a sound that seemed like a sigh was heard—
"yes,"
Yuwen Ye closed his eyes and said calmly, "That is the most important thing..."
Before long, they returned to the Duke's mansion.
It got dark quickly, and the Duke's mansion turned off the lights earlier than usual, seemingly to create a peaceful and uneventful appearance. Yuwen Yuan didn't even go to his study to read as usual, but went back to his room early to turn off the lights and go to sleep.
However, everyone knew that the troop deployment of the Left and Right Guards in the imperial city had already begun at this time. Although everyone knew that the young emperor had no troops at his disposal, and that he would have no room to refuse whatever the officials said at tomorrow's court meeting, some preparations still needed to be made in order to ensure everything went smoothly.
Therefore, even in the silent night, it seems as if countless undercurrents are surging.
It makes people restless.
After Shang Ruyi finished bathing and returned to her room, she saw Mu Xian hurriedly leaving. He must have escorted the Empress Dowager back to the palace and was now returning to report to Yuwen Ye.
Shang Ruyi asked, "Empress Dowager, is everything alright?"
Yuwen Ye had just finished bathing and was sitting on the edge of the bed in plain clothes. Hearing this, he looked up at her.
There was only one lamp on in the room, so the light was rather dim.
But his eyes were unusually bright, even blinking intensely at this moment.
He said, "It's nothing."
Shang Ruyi nodded: "That's good."
After saying that, she came in. Because she was afraid that Yuwen Ye would scold her again, after taking a bath, she instructed Tushe'er to dry her hair in the bathroom. At this moment, her hair was only slightly damp. She then sat down in front of the dressing table and combed her long hair in front of the bronze mirror.
I don't know if it's because the doors and windows are all closed, but it's a bit hot inside.
Shang Ruyi glanced at the table; the incense burner wasn't lit. Smelling the room, she felt the faint warmth emanating from Yuwen Ye after his bath. His body temperature was naturally high, and he always returned with a lingering heat after a bath, especially unbearable in the summer.
But even though it's already autumn and the weather is gradually getting cooler, the temperature tonight is inexplicably high.
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, then put down the comb, got up and walked to the window, preparing to open it to let in some fresh air.
As soon as she reached out, she felt a wave of heat coming from behind her. Before she could turn around, her back was pressed against a burning hot chest, making her shiver.
It's Yuwen Ye!
He suddenly walked up behind her and reached out to grab her wrist.
"Um?"
Shang Ruyi was stunned. Before she could react, he pulled her backward and she fell into his arms. His arms, which were like red-hot iron clamps, wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.
Shang Ruyi was stunned: "What are you doing?"
"..."
The person behind her didn't speak, but hugged her even tighter, as if trying to embed her slender body into their own.
Only then can it prove anything.
Although Shang Ruyi didn't know what he wanted to prove, the two of them had been living a life of quiet contemplation these past few days, even sharing a bed and sleeping in each other's arms, only to catch up on sleep and recharge their energy for the problems ahead. But at this moment, this sudden intimacy made Shang Ruyi feel as if she were in a molten lava furnace, her blood rushing through her veins. While she felt somewhat bewildered, it also seemed to ignite a flame within her.
An indescribable emotion also surged within her.
She seemed to realize something.
Her body, which had been trembling from the burning heat, trembled even more violently now because of another temperature surging from the depths of her heart, and when she spoke again, her hoarse voice trembled slightly.
"Feng Chen..."
These two words made Yuwen Ye's aura even heavier.
The moment Shang Ruyi uttered those two words, her cheeks flushed bright red. She was held so tightly that she could hardly breathe, but she no longer struggled or resisted. She simply leaned softly against that burning hot embrace.
He said softly again, "Feng Chen."
These two words seemed to ignite something completely. A low, growling breath was heard in her ear, and then, she felt dizzy as she was lifted up by those strong arms and carried into the inner room in just a few steps. Her burning body fell onto the soft bed.
An even hotter body pressed down on it.
At this moment, Shang Ruyi forgot to breathe, and forgot to move at all. She only felt a burning sensation and a chilling sensation on her body, like ice and fire intertwining.
The burning sensation was from the hands that roamed over her body, forcefully tearing at her already thin clothes; the coolness was from the sensation of her skin trembling slightly in the cool air as pieces of her clothes fluttered and danced like butterflies before her eyes.
Then, a hand pinched her chin.
In the dim light, his hot breath, carrying his own scent, brushed against her face, like flames patrolling their territory. A pair of eyes, burning with the same flames, stared intently at her, unblinking, as if they wanted to incinerate her body in this moment, leaving only her soul.
Only in this way can two souls be truly open and honest with each other.
Only then can you understand what she's thinking.
Yuwen Ye said, "As you wish."
"……Um?"
Shang Ruyi opened her eyes wide, and what she saw in her pupils were those deep eyes that were so close to hers that they could almost steal her attention. Almost instinctively, she placed her hands on his chest, but at this moment, she had no intention of resisting at all. Her fingers were slightly interlocked, as if she was obediently clinging to his shoulders. The way she let him do as he pleased made the flames in his eyes burn even more fiercely.
He then said, "Shang Ruyi!"
"..."
At this moment, Shang Ruyi was unable to answer.
His lips were almost touching hers; the slight tremor of his breath nearly brought them together.
She gazed at him cautiously, and even more so at her own reflection in his dark eyes—a helpless, submissive figure at his mercy. Their breaths mingled, their heartbeats synchronized; everything seemed to merge into one. Yet, in Yuwen Ye's eyes, within that raging flame, there was still an indescribable feeling, as if she were being tormented by her own cold, piercing needles, which were stabbing into his heart.
As if in retaliation, he lowered his head and bit her hard—
"Ugh—!"
A soft moan immediately came from deep within her nostrils, as if she was in great pain. Shang Ruyi subconsciously struggled, but her slender body was no match for that mountain-like body. Even if she struggled, it was only as if she was yielding. Only her tightly clenched fingertips unconsciously gripped his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin.
But that slight pain brought tears to his eyes.
At this moment, Yuwen Ye no longer held back. All his anger and emotions poured out like a flood, instantly overwhelming her. Shang Ruyi felt as if she had fallen into raging lava. The heat and pain were like two venomous snakes, coiling around her and burning her from the inside out to an unbearable degree.
"ah……"
A low gasp, filled with unspeakable struggle and trembling, rang out with a chilling sound.
But Yuwen Ye wouldn't allow her to speak, or even breathe. All her tears, breath, and heartbeat were forgotten in that instant. Shang Ruyi felt as if her entire body was being torn apart by the heat and pain of that moment, and she drifted into nothingness.
Even so, she still held the person in front of her tightly.
He was her only support in this chaotic world, and also in the desolate realm of her heart.
She choked back tears and whispered, "Feng Chen—"
Upon hearing those two words, Yuwen Ye's body trembled, and a glimmer of clarity suddenly flashed in his eyes, which were almost burning red; just then, a very soft sound suddenly arose outside, so soft it seemed to be merely the sound of the night breeze—
"Second Young Master, someone from the palace has arrived!"
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