Chapter 520 The Regent
"No need for formalities, please rise."
A figure in pomegranate-red robes fluttered into Shang Ruyi's sight. She looked up and saw Chu Ruoyan standing before her in a magnificent feather-silk dress, her hair adorned with jewels, her makeup exquisite, and her bright red dress making her face look like a peach blossom and her eyes like spring water.
Just now, I felt that Taiji Hall was like a heavenly palace in the clouds, and she was just like a fairy princess in the heavenly palace.
Almost as if witnessing the envy that rose in Shang Ruyi's eyes subside in an instant, Chu Ruoyan's smile deepened—today, she had indeed deliberately dressed up to make everyone understand that the only one in this world worthy of Yuwen Ye was herself!
Shang Ruyi seemed to see through the pride and stubbornness in her eyes.
She said, "I didn't expect that Her Highness the Princess would be here."
Chu Ruoyan smiled and said, "Today, I, like you, am here waiting for His Majesty to summon me."
Shang Ruyi said, "But what I am waiting for and what the princess is waiting for are probably not the same things."
Chu Ruoyan smiled and said, "Of course. What I am waiting for is peace in the world and the emperor's bestowal of marriage, while you—" As she spoke, a hint of coldness and even disdain appeared in her eyes: "What I am waiting for is a disaster."
"..."
Shang Ruyi was speechless for a moment.
Thinking about it, it seems like I'm really not a good person.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the side hall. The officials, both civil and military, were ascending the steps leading to the main hall via the side passages, and then marching in formation. A moment later, a deep, resounding shout of "Long live the Emperor!" echoed from within the main hall.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
After a moment of silence, a palace attendant beside the emperor announced, "Speak if you have something to say, otherwise the court is adjourned!"
Immediately, someone shouted, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
Shang Ruyi subconsciously held her breath and listened intently. It turned out that two counties in Guanzhong had suffered from poor irrigation, affecting their harvests, and officials were requesting the allocation of grain and funds for relief. Immediately, the matter was handed over to the Minister of Revenue, who prepared to allocate 100,000 shi of grain to temporarily alleviate the urgent crisis.
Shang Ruyi thought the matter was over, but Yuwen Yuan took over the conversation and discussed the follow-up matters. It turned out that the reason for the problem was that the dam in the area was damaged and could not supply water, which made irrigation difficult during the dry season. He immediately requested that the Ministry of Works send capable officials to the area to repair the dam. The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works would discuss the approximate cost the next day.
After a few arguments, the matter was finally resolved.
Shang Ruyi couldn't help but sigh softly—she thought that providing relief to the people was just a matter of sending grain over, but she didn't expect things to be so complicated. She was also somewhat surprised by Yuwen Yuan's thoughtfulness and thoroughness; he seemed like such a rough and rugged person, yet he was so meticulous.
Just then, Chu Ruoyan's impatient voice rang in her ears—
"snort!"
Shang Ruyi subconsciously turned her head and saw her sitting down to the side with an unhappy expression, saying angrily, "Why are you saying all this nonsense? Don't you know that I, the princess, am waiting here?"
Shang Ruyi glanced at her. Although she knew that it would be useless to talk to her at this time, she still couldn't help but say softly, "Your Highness, it is the land of the Daye Dynasty that is suffering from drought, and it is the people of the Daye Dynasty who are suffering from disaster."
Chu Ruoyan said, "What's wrong with talking about these things later?"
"..."
"How can my marriage, a matter of great importance, be relegated to the sidelines of such trivial matters?"
Shang Ruyi couldn't help but frown.
But she didn't want to say anything more, so she silently turned her head and continued to listen attentively to the reports from the officials in the hall. Some of them were indeed minor matters, and before the emperor could even order the eunuchs to speak, Yuwen Yuan stood up and directly rejected them. Other matters, such as the severe drought in Guanzhong and the number of rebel groups that had emerged in various places, required careful handling. Moreover, Shang Ruyi also noticed that Yuwen Yuan was always on the front line, meticulously and clearly dividing all responsibilities.
He not only devoted himself wholeheartedly to the court and the entire world, but was also determined to win.
Looking back at Chu Ruoyan's displeased expression, Shang Ruyi felt a strange mix of emotions. At this moment, she couldn't help but recall that unrestrained, graceful figure in the Jiangdu Palace. He was intelligent, a chosen one, with lofty ambitions and aspirations that surpassed everyone else. But he was also terribly wrong.
In this world, there are some people and things that cannot be simply defined as good or bad, but their outcome is unpredictable.
Shang Ruyi sighed softly.
Hearing the sigh, Chu Ruoyan assumed she was worried, then sneered, looked at the gloomy sky outside the window, and said, "What, are you still worried that the disaster you've been hoping for hasn't happened?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi glanced at her but didn't say anything.
After listening for a while longer, and with several matters to be reported resolved, a brief but unusually somber silence followed, then the eunuch's shrill voice rang out once more—
"Does anyone else want to submit a memorial?"
This time, no one spoke immediately.
The oppressive feeling suddenly spread from the Taiji Hall and filled the small side hall. Shang Ruyi and Chu Ruoyan subconsciously perked up. Chu Ruoyan even stood up and took two steps outside, where she heard the eunuch ask again, "Gentlemen, is there anything else you wish to report?"
Still not.
At that moment, Shang Ruyi clearly heard Chu Ruoyan hold her breath.
Then, finally, Chu Chengfei's voice was heard. However, compared to the eunuch's shrill voice and Yuwen Yuan's deep voice, this voice was much weaker. Shang Ruyi had to strain her ears to barely make out what Chengfei was saying: "Since none of my ministers have anything to report, then I have something important to say—"
As soon as he paused, Shang Ruyi heard Chu Ruoyan gasp.
When I turned my head, her face, which was originally as beautiful as a peach blossom, was now flushed red, and her eyes were even slightly red with excitement.
Sensing Shang Ruyi looking at her, she also sneered and looked back at Shang Ruyi—
"Have you arrived yet?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi looked up at the sky outside the window—
No, nothing happened except that the sky became a little more gloomy.
Her expression also darkened, and she said, "It seems that Her Highness the Eldest Princess is the true chosen one of heaven, and even the heavens are on her side."
"snort."
Chu Ruoyan gave a soft snort.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the Taiji Hall. Chu Ruoyan immediately composed herself and looked up at the gate. She saw an eunuch wearing a python robe carrying a whisk in his hands. He hurriedly walked to the entrance of the side hall and bowed to her as soon as he saw her, saying, "Your Highness, Princess, General's Wife, His Majesty has summoned you to the hall."
Chu Ruoyan's eyes lit up immediately.
An undisguised smile of joy appeared on her face, and she immediately took a step to walk out. After taking two steps, she turned back to look at Shang Ruyi: "Let's go."
Shang Ruyi, who had been following behind her, readily agreed upon hearing her words and walked directly to her side, walking alongside her. After leaving the side hall, the two followed the eunuch forward, and soon arrived at the Taiji Hall.
At this moment, the thick cloud layer pressing down on Daxing City seemed to press down even further. Just as Shang Ruyi reached the entrance of the main hall and was about to step inside, a muffled thunderclap came from above the clouds, instantly resounding throughout the entire sky and echoing throughout Daxing City.
The civil and military officials lined up on both sides of the main hall were all startled by the rumble of thunder and couldn't help but turn around to look.
Then, at the entrance of the main hall, two graceful figures slowly entered. One was dignified, the other radiant. The dignified one, though simply made up, exuded an air of nobility, and an aura of authority seemed to emanate from her, accompanied by the rumbling thunder overhead. The radiant one, adorned in silk and brocade, her head adorned with gold and jade, revealed a myriad of charms with her graceful steps. In just one glance, it seemed as if one had witnessed the beauty of all women in the world; some even couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.
Chu Ruoyan had long been accustomed to such admiring gazes and sighs since childhood, so she paid no attention to the stares of those around her. She raised her bright, clear eyes to look at the most handsome and tall figure in the crowd. However, the initial surprise vanished in an instant when she realized that Yuwen Ye was only staring intently at the person next to her.
At this moment, Shang Ruyi trembled slightly amidst the thunder.
Compared to Chu Ruoyan, who had been carried to the court by Chu Yang since childhood and was already adept at handling such situations because her cries could dismiss all officials, Chu Ruoyan, despite her long preparations, still couldn't help but feel a little timid. This was her first time stepping into the court, and the hundreds of eyes of the civil and military officials on both sides were watching her with expressions that were either solemn, frivolous, bewildered, or contemptuous, making each step she took heavier and heavier.
Until she met those deep, calm eyes.
Although she didn't say anything, the moment she saw Yuwen Ye's face, the words he had spoken to her outside Hanguang Gate immediately echoed in her mind—
Today, you can say whatever you want, do whatever you want, no matter what happens, no matter the outcome, I will back you up...
At that moment, she suddenly felt confident.
He took a deep breath and looked up, only to see Emperor Chu Chengfei sitting upright in the court. Although his small figure was sitting so high, the imperial desk had already obscured most of him, and he was not even as eye-catching as the bright yellow imperial edict placed on the desk.
Upon seeing the imperial edict, Shang Ruyi's aura immediately faltered.
At this moment, she and Chu Ruoyan had reached the center of the main hall, and both of them bowed to the emperor, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor."
Upon seeing his elder sister arrive, Chu Chengfei's previously somewhat uneasy expression immediately relaxed, and he smiled, saying, "Sister, you've finally arrived. I'm about to read out your imperial decree!"
At this moment, the entire Taiji Hall fell silent.
In the midst of this almost suffocating silence, a deep voice suddenly rang out, saying solemnly, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
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