Chapter 144 Are you waiting for me?
Shang Ruyi's breathing tightened unconsciously.
She slowly raised her head and saw a familiar, graceful figure walking slowly into the courtyard. His handsome face showed a hint of fatigue, but when he saw her standing in the courtyard, his phoenix eyes shone with a smile.
"You...were waiting for me?"
At that moment, Shang Ruyi couldn't breathe.
The man who entered, referring to himself as "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I" or "the Emperor"), was the current emperor, yet also the man with whom she hadn't had particularly pleasant conversations these past few days, but who had consistently stirred her thoughts—
Yang Suiyi!
No, at this point, he can no longer be called Yang Suiyi. This name is indeed just a "chance encounter".
Yang Suiyi is none other than the current emperor, Chu Yang!
At this moment, he was dressed in a magnificent robe, no longer the ethereal and leisurely figure he had always appeared with in previous encounters. Instead, he exuded a commanding aura, and even the aloof and cold fragrance emanating from him seemed more aggressive.
Shang Ruyi's hands were ice-cold, but she still immediately lifted her skirt and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects—"
Before she could finish speaking, she heard footsteps approaching rapidly, and a hand immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her up.
No need for formalities.
Shang Ruyi's heart sank, but she dared not raise her head, maintaining her bowing posture: "Your Majesty, this is—illogical."
A cold voice came from above: "My words are law."
"..."
At this point, she had nothing more to say.
So, Shang Ruyi slowly stood up using the strength of that hand, but as soon as she stood still, she immediately took a step back and subtly pulled her arm out of that hand.
Chu Yang's hand paused in mid-air for a moment.
Then, without making a sound, she slowly lowered her head, a faint smile still in her phoenix eyes, and said, "You don't seem too surprised."
Shang Ruyi gave a muffled "hmm".
"When did you learn of my identity?"
"I wouldn't say I know, but I have a vague guess."
How did you guess?
"..."
Shang Ruyi glanced at him but didn't speak. Chu Yang, however, pondered for a moment and smiled faintly, "It must be these two meetings after we arrived in the Northern Frontier that have made you start to doubt my identity."
"……Yes."
Chu Yang chuckled lightly: "It seems I was too hasty."
As he spoke, he looked at Shang Ruyi again, his eyes gleaming, and said, "However, I do want to see you and talk to you. It's very interesting to hear you speak."
Shang Ruyi said softly, "I only hope that my foolish words have not offended Your Majesty."
"..."
Chu Yang took another step forward, lowered his head to look into her eyes, and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, so that only the two of them could hear, "Do you know that if anyone else had said those words, they would have been dragged out and beheaded long ago?"
A night breeze blew, and Shang Ruyi's cold sweat instantly dried.
She cleared her throat and managed to say clearly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life."
"..."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I will certainly be more careful with my words and actions from now on, and will not—"
"No need,"
Chu Yang chuckled and interrupted her, saying, "I think it's better for you to be yourself. I want to see you being yourself, and I want to hear what you want to say."
As he spoke, a glint of shrewdness flashed in his phoenix eyes, which were upturned at the corners.
"You'd better not lie to me."
"..."
"I already know what kind of person you are. If you lie, I will be able to tell."
"..."
"Therefore, whether now or in the future, in front of me, you must always be the same Shang Ruyi you were before, understand?"
Under his almost burning gaze, Shang Ruyi's heart was in turmoil. She remained silent for a long time before saying in a hoarse voice, "Thank you, Your Majesty... for granting my request."
Upon hearing the word "grant," Chu Yang's face broke into an almost smug smile.
But that kind of pride wasn't the pride of someone obeying his orders; it was the pride of watching himself mold sand into clay and create a doll he wanted.
Shang Ruyi, somewhat hesitant to look at his smile and only concerned with the situation outside, cautiously began, "Your Majesty, if I may be so bold as to ask, what is happening outside—"
Before she could finish speaking, Chu Yang said, "Your self-reference is really jarring to me."
"What?"
"I don't want to hear you refer to yourself as 'your subject' anymore."
Chu Yang crossed his arms and looked at her with a cold smile: "Since I allow you to speak the truth and be yourself in front of me, you'd better call yourself Ruyi. I allow you to call yourself Ruyi."
Shang Ruyi hesitated: "This, how could I dare—"
Chu Yang's face immediately darkened.
An emperor is an emperor. The wrath of a true dragon emperor is enough to cause corpses to strewn across the land and rivers of blood to flow. Even though he was not furious at this moment, but only slightly showed his anger, Shang Ruyi immediately felt the air around her turn cold. The entire quiet courtyard seemed to be shrouded in an invisible net full of murderous intent.
She hurriedly said, "As you wish, thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
Chu Yang's face once again revealed a smug smile.
Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. She was a focused person, but it seemed that every time she was with this person, she would be unconsciously led by him. In the past, she just thought this person was mysterious, but now she naturally understood that this was the true art of emperorship.
He will not allow himself to be led astray by others.
Shang Ruyi composed herself and cautiously spoke again, "Your Majesty, outside—"
"Oh, right,"
Chu Yang interrupted her again, saying, "Today, the Empress told me that you have something to say to me?"
"ah?"
"It was a plan proposed by Guan Yu, but you seem to have other ideas. I'm here now, so tell me."
"..."
Shang Ruyi was dumbfounded.
She never imagined that what she said to Empress Jiang would be told to the Emperor. If some generals said these things, it would be understandable, but she was just a young mistress of a duke's mansion. How could she comment on matters of war? Wasn't this putting her in the eye of the storm?
Shang Ruyi hurriedly replied, "This, Your Majesty—I dare not."
Chu Yang looked at her with a flickering gaze: "What did I just say?"
Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "His Majesty just said that he wants Ruyi to be the Shang Ruyi of the past."
"So, I want to hear exactly what you said to the Empress."
"..."
"Otherwise, you would be deceiving the emperor!"
Those last two words chilled Shang Ruyi to the bone.
At that moment, the words Empress Jiang had spoken during the day suddenly echoed in her ears again—
"However, His Majesty has never been a fan of listening to people, and even if he does listen, he doesn't take it to heart... So, the key is, who can make His Majesty listen to what he has to say?"
Could it be that she intends to use her own words to offer advice to the emperor?
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