Chapter 159 You are all forcing me
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi's expression immediately turned solemn, and even her breathing became somewhat heavy. She took a deep breath and respectfully said to the emperor before her, "Your Majesty, Ruyi's maternal uncle, Shen Shiyan, the former official in charge of rites, was implicated and punished a few days ago because of Lord Pei's advice to Your Majesty to stop the campaign against Liaodong. He has now been exiled to Lingnan."
Chu Yang frowned slightly.
Shang Ruyi said, "Ruyi would like to request Your Majesty to pardon my uncle's crime and allow him to return to Luoyang."
Chu Yang said in a deep voice, "I said I would reward you."
"..."
"No need to mention anyone other than you."
Shang Ruyi said urgently, "But Your Majesty, that is Ruyi's uncle. Ruyi has said that all Ruyi cares about is her own little world and her family. They are the people Ruyi cares about the most."
"..."
"Ruyi will do anything to bring them back!"
Hearing her words, Chu Yang remained motionless, but his expression grew even more somber.
After a long while, he said in a deep voice, "Shang Ruyi, do you remember what I told you? Many things that others would have had their heads chopped off by me long ago, but I can spare you for saying these things."
"……yes."
“This is already a favor from me—otherwise, why do you think only your uncle was exiled to Lingnan alone?”
"...!"
Shang Ruyi gasped.
In fact, when she first learned that only her uncle had been exiled and no one in the family had been implicated, she had a slight doubt in her heart, but the situation was urgent at the time and she didn't have time to think about it. When she arrived in Shuobei and began to associate with "Yang Suiyi" and began to suspect his identity, she also had such a guess in her heart, but she didn't dare to confirm it.
Now, the truth has come to light thanks to the Emperor's words.
"Thank you, Your Majesty..."
Shang Ruyi slowly uttered these words, then remained silent for a long time before finally saying in a hoarse voice, "Since Your Majesty has already forgiven my uncle once, may I humbly ask Your Majesty to forgive him again and allow him to leave Lingnan?"
"..."
"Uncle, together with Lord Pei and the others, their advice to His Majesty is all for the sake of His Majesty's country and its people."
Chu Yang's face immediately darkened.
"So even you think that my attack on Liaodong was a mistake?"
"...This is a major matter, and I dare not speak rashly."
Chu Yang sneered, "Shang Ruyi, you could come up with so many reasons even when I toured the northern frontier this time, but now you dare not speak recklessly?"
"..."
"Do you still remember what I told you? I want you to be a successful businessman, and I want you to tell the truth!"
"There are some things that Ruyi dares not say, nor can she say. Ruyi has only one question to ask Your Majesty—"
"Go ahead and ask."
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath, looked into Chu Yang's eyes, and said seriously, "If Your Majesty believes that attacking Liaodong was not wrong, why was it that when the army was at the gates this time, Your Majesty announced the cessation of the attack on Liaodong, the morale of the army was greatly boosted, and even the people were overjoyed, and in one fell swoop, Yanmen County was able to be safe?"
"..."
"His Majesty once said that His Majesty's words are the truth; but isn't the will of the people also the truth?"
After she finished speaking, perhaps because the cold wind kept blowing in through the open door, her whole body was as cold as ice. Even the fingertips of her two hands, hidden in her sleeves, were icy cold and trembling slightly.
The room was as cold and quiet as an icebox.
Chu Yang remained silent, sitting there quietly, yet he seemed colder than a block of ice.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally spoke, his voice trembling slightly in its coldness, as if struggling: "You, you are all forcing me."
Shang Ruyi's heart trembled: "Your Majesty..."
Chu Yang's face was pale, but his eyes were slightly red, especially when he looked at her: "Do you know why I toured the northern frontier, why I attacked Liaodong, why I built the Grand Canal and the Great Wall, and why I built the Eastern Capital?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi opened her mouth, but didn't say anything.
Chu Yang shook his head with a cold laugh: "Forget it, you don't understand."
"..."
"No one will understand."
At this point, he took a deep breath, stood up, and said, "Tomorrow, I will return to the capital in triumph. Once we are back in Luoyang, I will issue an edict to transfer your uncle back to Luoyang."
Shang Ruyi was overjoyed: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
She thought for a moment, then tentatively said, "Your Majesty, Lord Pei..."
"Shang Ruyi!"
This time, Chu Yang's low growl made her eardrums ring. He said in a deep voice, "I have already done my limit by sparing your uncle!"
Shang Ruyi immediately bit her lower lip and said softly, "Yes. Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
Chu Yang looked at her coldly and said, "This is a reward for your service in protecting the emperor and repelling the Turkic troops, not a gift from me to you..."
With that, he gave a cold laugh, his slender phoenix eyes filled with disappointment and desolation. He turned and left in a huff.
Feeling his robes flutter and a gust of cold wind brush against her face, Shang Ruyi hadn't even had time to savor his words when, when she looked up again, his slender and handsome figure had already disappeared into the cold wind outside the door.
Shang Ruyi stared blankly at the empty gate. After a long while, she unconsciously murmured again, "I... I didn't..."
|
The wind blew exceptionally hard that night.
Amidst the howling wind, Shang Ruyi barely slept. The next morning, as the faint morning light streamed in through the window, Tu She'er pushed open the door and quickly helped her get up and pack her belongings.
But actually, there's not much to tidy up.
Although she brought a lot of things this time, they were all left there when the Turkic army raided the camp and were burned to ashes. The only things she needed to pack were the two sets of clothes that the empress had sent to her while she was unconscious.
As Tushe'er packed her bundle, she said, "Luckily, Miss didn't bring any jewelry with her this time. It would have been a real shame if she had left it on the grassland."
Shang Ruyi recalled the box of jewelry Guan Yunmu had given her and secretly felt fortunate.
She hadn't slept all night, but she wasn't very sleepy. She just felt weak and leaned against the bed watching Tushe'er bustling around. She said softly, "We should travel light on the grasslands. It's such a waste to bring all that jewelry."
Tusheer nodded.
She looked outside again to make sure no one was in the courtyard, then leaned close to Shang Ruyi's ear and whispered, "Miss, do you know that when I woke up this morning I heard that the Emperor executed several eunuchs and palace maids who were with him last night?"
"ah?"
Shang Ruyi was shocked. She recalled that when Chu Yang left last night, although he was not furious, he was clearly offended by her. She never expected that he would kill someone when he returned!
He hurriedly asked, "Why?"
Tushe'er said softly, "I heard that those people gathered together at night to gossip about Miss. I don't know where the Emperor was going back from, but he overheard them and had them dragged away and had their tongues cut out."
"..."
"Those guys went back and howled for most of the night, but they couldn't make it. They all died before dawn..."
Shang Ruyi gasped.
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