Is Chapter 292 worth it?
Running desperately through the pitch-black night, they finally returned to the village at dawn.
Fortunately, Shang Ruyi had Jiang Kesheng and the others return first to make preparations. So when they returned to the manor, the people there immediately came to meet them and prepared rooms, braziers, and medicine. Soon, this group of people, who seemed to have just come from the underworld, were settled in.
When everything finally settled down and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief, it was already early morning.
Shang Ruyi sat in her room, looking out at the deep darkness. Although there were lights in the distance, their faint glow was not enough to illuminate her room, and she still felt as if she were in an endless night.
Until the door creaked open.
She hurriedly looked up, but the person who came in was Tushe'er, holding a candlestick and carrying a food box. She said softly, "Miss, you're still awake? I've asked the kitchen to prepare some hot soup and food. Eat before you sleep, and we can talk about the rest later."
"……Um."
Shang Ruyi ignored the slight disappointment in her heart, slowly got up and walked to the table. Tu She'er lit the candlesticks in the room and took out the food from the box one by one.
The ingredients were simple, and at this point, it was indeed impossible to prepare a more elaborate meal.
Shang Ruyi had no appetite at all, only staring at the steam rising from the bowl, and then asked, "How are the others being settled?"
Tusheer said, "Everyone is settled in."
"..."
Shang Ruyi was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is anyone injured?"
Tushe'er looked at her through the candlelight, her eyes flickering slightly, and said softly, "Only, only the young master was hit by three arrows in the back."
"..."
"Fortunately, none of them were deep. I heard from Mu Xian that Hua Ziying probably held back on purpose."
"..."
"He might be trying to capture them..."
Shang Ruyi was silent for a while, then asked, "Where is the Empress... Her Majesty?"
Tushe'er's expression became even stranger as she looked at her and said softly, "Your Majesty the Empress is alright."
"Nothing's wrong at all?"
"No."
"..."
Shang Ruyi smiled gently and said, "As expected, as expected..."
At this point, Tushe'er could no longer suppress her doubts. Especially seeing her young mistress deliberately suppressing her emotions, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her and asked, "Miss, why... why is the young master so protective of the Empress?"
Shang Ruyi looked up at her.
Seemingly sensing that Shang Ruyi's gaze was too calm, yet also feeling that she shouldn't be calm at this moment, Tu She'er said somewhat flusteredly, "This servant, this servant knows that these matters concern the Empress, and I shouldn't speak carelessly... But I, I just find it strange, Miss, why is the young master so concerned about the Empress? His wounds have just been bandaged, and he hasn't even had time to take his medicine, yet he's already gone to the Empress's place again."
"..."
Why doesn't he ever come to see you?
"..."
Shang Ruyi's eyes gradually dimmed in the flickering candlelight.
After a long while, she slowly said in a voice almost devoid of warmth, "I also want to know why."
At this moment, as if sensing that her unease was gradually turning into reality, Tushe'er's expression became serious. She frowned and was about to say something when she heard Shang Ruyi say calmly, "Alright, you've been busy for so long, you must be tired. Go and rest."
"Miss……"
"I'm tired and want to be alone for a while."
"..."
Hearing her say that, Tushe'er had no choice but to look at her reluctantly and leave the room.
Shang Ruyi sat quietly at the table, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight. After an unknown amount of time, she picked up the lukewarm soup and rice on the table and slurped a large mouthful, giving herself a little strength and warmth. Then she got up, pushed open the door, and went out.
After a brief period of chaos, the village has quieted down again.
The darkness before dawn is the heaviest, like a black curtain wrapped around people's hearts, making it difficult to breathe and impossible to break free. Shang Ruyi slowly walked along the corridor in such a depressing atmosphere. The surrounding rooms were all dark and quiet, except for a house in the front courtyard where light still shone through the doors and windows.
Shang Ruyi endured the chill and slowly walked over.
Just a few steps away from the door, she suddenly felt that the scene in front of her was somewhat familiar.
Upon further reflection, she remembered that back in Yanmen County, after Yuwen Ye was injured, she went to see him. At that time, she also slowly approached his room alone and saw him sitting on the bed, injured, while Princess Xinyue sat in front of him, heartbroken and crying.
At that time, she was heartbroken by the tenderness he showed her.
But looking back now, what he showed back then was clearly the tenderness of an older brother, kind yet distant. In fact, that has always been his attitude towards Princess Xinyue.
Unfortunately, she didn't understand at the time, and only now does she realize what true tenderness in his heart looks like.
Who is it for?
Actually, I should have realized long ago that true gentleness is not a smiling expression or caring words. Everything else can be faked. But true, unforgettable gentleness is the determination and sacrifice to protect someone with utmost care and not allow them to be hurt in the slightest.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi's steps faltered.
She suddenly realized that she didn't actually need to come.
Just then, a low, mournful sigh echoed from the tightly closed room. Hearing that familiar, gentle tone, Shang Ruyi would usually feel as if she were bathed in a spring breeze, but at this moment, she stood in the cold wind, as if the blood in her body was about to freeze.
She heard Empress Jiang say in a deep voice, "Feng Chen, why are you so stubborn?"
"..."
"If you had just ignored me, you would have been able to leave safely with them. Why did you go through all this trouble and end up getting injured?"
The room remained silent for a long time.
Then, Yuwen Ye said in a low voice, "I cannot ignore the safety of the Empress."
Shang Ruyi's ears rang, and she couldn't hear anything anymore.
The cold wind howled around her, and even large snowballs kept hitting her face, as if someone was constantly slapping her face, but she didn't feel anything.
After a while, she slowly regained consciousness and subconsciously reached out to pinch her fingers.
Then she laughed again.
At that moment, she completely forgot that her little finger had no feeling, and that she shouldn't be pinching it if she wanted to. So, her hands, hanging by her sides, slowly clenched into fists, tighter and tighter, until her not-so-long nails dug into her palms. That subtle, stinging pain finally brought her back to her senses.
Then, she heard Empress Jiang let out a long sigh from inside the room.
"You child..."
The person opposite her must have felt something upon hearing those words, but Shang Ruyi seemed to be able to sense it as well. So, she almost held her breath and remained silent with the person in the room for a long time before she heard him say in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, please rest well."
Immediately afterwards, footsteps sounded from inside, getting closer and closer.
Then, the door opened.
The flickering candlelight in the room clearly outlined his tall and muscular figure, even revealing the gloom on his face and the astonishment in his eyes when he suddenly looked up and met Shang Ruyi's gaze. But he immediately turned around, closed the door, and walked up to Shang Ruyi.
What are you doing here?
Shang Ruyi looked up and saw that his eyes had returned to their usual coldness. She wasn't embarrassed by being caught eavesdropping. Instead, she calmly said, "I heard that you risked your life to rescue the Empress. I've come to see."
"..."
Yuwen Ye frowned.
He glanced at Shang Ruyi, seemingly sensing that "the visitor was up to no good," and said, "If you have something to say, let's talk in my room."
After saying that, he turned to leave.
But Shang Ruyi didn't move, she just looked up at him and asked, "Why can't we say it here?"
Yuwen Ye said, "She's very tired. I want her to get some rest."
"..."
The cold wind, like a sword, pierced through Shang Ruyi's body at the chest.
Although her body was so stiff and cold that she had lost all sensation, she still swayed slightly from the excruciating pain. She looked at Yuwen Ye, swallowed something forcefully, and although there was nothing in her mouth, she seemed to feel a slightly metallic taste in her throat. Once she could finally catch her breath, she said, "Let's go."
So the two of them left the quiet courtyard one after the other and went to Yuwen Ye's room.
There wasn't even a brazier prepared in his room.
A bloody smell filled the air. After lighting the candlesticks on the table, Shang Ruyi saw that the ground was covered with blood-stained gauze and there was a copper basin at his feet. The water in the basin was stained red with blood. It was clear that he had just returned to the manor and treated his arrow wound here as soon as possible.
He was hit by three arrows, and none of them were penetrating wounds.
Pulling out the arrowhead, stitching up the wound, applying medicine, bandaging—this whole process could take half a life, but he didn't rest for even a moment longer before going on to care for others.
When Shang Ruyi turned around again, she saw that although he was wearing a thick fur coat, he was only wearing a close-fitting undergarment underneath, and she could vaguely see the thick gauze wrapped around his body.
His face was pale, and his lips were bloodless.
Shang Ruyi felt a pang of heartache, but at that moment, she didn't know whether she was feeling sorry for him or for herself.
She asked, "Does it still hurt?"
"..."
Yuwen Ye's brow twitched slightly, as if the question had come not only out of nowhere but also unexpectedly. He looked down at Shang Ruyi and said in a tense tone, "It doesn't hurt."
"oh……"
Shang Ruyi nodded slightly.
Then, she looked up at him again, her bright eyes, sharp as knives in the dim candlelight, piercing straight into his heart.
She asked, "Is it worth it?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com