Chapter 1186 I Want to Go Back
In the blink of an eye, the light and shadow coming in from the window shifted from Yuwen Ye's left foot to his right foot.
He slept in his armor, sitting almost upright, and when he opened his eyes again, the bloodshot eyes hadn't faded, but the weariness had subsided considerably, and his gaze was clearer and sharper.
Looking down, he saw Shang Ruyi leaning against him, neither leaving nor asleep.
Just lean against it like that.
He said, "Are you just going to sit like this?"
Upon hearing his voice, Shang Ruyi immediately looked up: "You're awake? I saw you weren't covered with a blanket, and I was afraid you'd be cold, but I was also afraid that my movements would wake you, so I could only lean against you."
No wonder I felt warm all over when I was in a light sleep.
Yuwen Ye smiled, lowered his head and kissed her forehead, then gently stroked her cheek with his chin. His chin was covered in stubble from the past two sleepless nights; it tickled and stung his cheek. Shang Ruyi instinctively tried to pull away, but he reached out and pulled her close, holding her in his arms to receive his "caresses."
Shang Ruyi couldn't help but let out a soft moan as he harassed her, saying, "What are you doing!"
As she spoke, she pushed against his chest with both hands to distance herself, but as soon as her palms touched his chest, she felt something hard: "What is this?"
Yuwen Ye smiled without saying a word, and reached into his pocket to take it out.
It is an official jade plaque.
He said, "Guan Chiying has been very busy these past two days and hasn't had time to come over, so she gave this to me to return to you. She also said, 'Thank you for your trust.'"
Upon seeing the jade pendant, Shang Ruyi's face immediately lit up with a smile. Recalling the trepidation and unease she felt when she made the purchase, and looking at the warm and peaceful scene before her, she suddenly felt that the experience wasn't so terrible after all. She laughed and said, "I was also desperate at that time, and I never expected to meet him, so I decided to take a gamble."
"..."
"I should thank him, though, for letting me win the bet."
As he spoke, he reached out to take it, but before he could touch it, Yuwen Ye withdrew his hand and took it away.
Shang Ruyi looked up at him: "What are you doing?"
Yuwen Ye held up the jade tablet halfway: "Who is Sun Xianyue?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat. She thought the matter had been forgotten, but she didn't expect that after being busy for most of the day and taking a nap, he still remembered it.
That's too much of a stubbornness.
Shang Ruyi's eyes flickered, and she subconsciously wanted to escape, but her body was held in someone else's hands. Seeing her evasive behavior, Yuwen Ye tightened his grip on her waist: "Speak."
Seeing that she couldn't avoid it any longer, Shang Ruyi could only sigh and tell the story of what had happened in the palace.
As he listened, Yuwen Ye's brows furrowed, and his expression grew increasingly grim. Especially when he heard Shang Ruyi say that she had been slandered and that Han Yuhui had taken the opportunity to poison Yuan Gan with clove powder, his face became frighteningly dark, and the intense killing intent emanating from him was even stronger than when he fought a bloody battle in front of Hulao Pass.
He wished he could tear Han Yuhui to pieces!
Although Shang Ruyi had wanted to tear this vicious woman to pieces at the time, she calmed down after the incident: "After my father imprisoned her, the Crown Prince came to see me several times, but I always claimed to be ill and refused to see him. In the end, Han Yuhui committed suicide in the Dali Temple prison."
"..."
"It can be considered that she left herself some dignity."
"..."
"Actually, even if you hadn't asked me, I would have found an opportunity to explain this to you. But the situation in Luoyang isn't resolved yet, and I didn't want to distract you. I took it upon myself to force Han Yuhui to her death; the Crown Prince truly hates me this time, and I'm afraid Father Emperor will too—"
Yuwen Ye said, "It's alright."
"..."
"If you don't do it, then I'll go back and do it myself, and the result will be the same."
"..."
"Then it's not that she doesn't respect herself, but that she doesn't respect the Crown Prince, the Emperor, or anyone else."
Shang Ruyi nodded slightly.
"Besides,"
Yuwen Ye's cold eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of arrogance and disdain flashing across them: "This matter is just like the treasury catching fire. Even if they are dissatisfied, what can they do?"
Shang Ruyi blinked and realized that her actions of forcing Han Yuhui to her death were almost identical to Yuwen Ye's actions of seizing the treasury. The only difference was that she relied on the grievances she suffered as the Princess Consort of Qin, while Yuwen Ye relied on his outstanding military achievements. However, they made almost the same choice at different times and under different circumstances.
Yuwen Ye let out a deep breath and then asked, "By the way, how is Yuan Gan's health?"
Shang Ruyi hurriedly said, "Don't worry, I won't leave his side even if he does anything wrong. Besides, with Han Yuhui dead, the palace will be quiet for a while. Father Emperor still loves this grandson and will never let such a thing happen again."
Yuwen Ye's expression softened slightly.
After thinking for a while, he looked down at Shang Ruyi and said with a half-smile, "Aren't you afraid?"
Shang Ruyi said seriously, "I'm innocent and have nothing to fear. Besides, you have plenty of military achievements, what do I have to be afraid of?"
Yuwen Ye couldn't help but laugh and stuffed the jade pendant back into her hand.
The jade pendant he took from his pocket still retained his body heat, making the already lustrous jade even smoother and more delicate. Shang Ruyi stroked the mutton-fat jade with her fingertips and then said, "By the way, what did you say Guan Chiying was busy with?"
Yuwen Ye said, "Those so-called civil and military officials in Luoyang are all a bunch of rabble who followed Liang Shide in raising an army. Those with any sense either died remonstrating with him in the last few months or left him. Of those who remained, less than one in ten survived. I will imprison them all for now, and if they are useful, I will pardon them in the future. There are many things in the city that need to be addressed and resolved. I can only ask Your Majesty and a few other families to do more for now."
Shang Ruyi nodded. The imperial family and several other families had initially opposed Chu Yang's southward march to Jiangdu, but after these years of turmoil, their correctness had been proven. Having them help govern Luoyang was naturally the best option.
Yuwen Ye continued, "Guan Chiying has been helping Guan Ao handle some matters these past two days."
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and asked, "He, can he be considered to have made a name for himself?"
Yuwen Ye glanced at her, seeing her expectant look, and only slightly curled the corners of his lips, saying, "The merit of taking Luoyang is enough for him to make a name for himself, but he still has a long way to go to make a name for himself in officialdom. He is very smart, but he can't be too hasty in everything."
Shang Ruyi said, "It's good that the official is willing to take him along."
After speaking, she moved closer to Yuwen Ye. Feeling her warm, fragrant body against him, Yuwen Ye's heart fluttered, but he instinctively embraced her. Shang Ruyi asked, "Then, how much longer will we stay in Luoyang?"
Yuwen Ye asked, "What, you want to go back to Chang'an?"
"Yeah, it's fine if you don't mention the child, but once you do, I miss him."
"I miss him too."
"When can we go back?"
"Not yet,"
Yuwen Ye sighed with some regret, then said seriously, "We have only taken Luoyang City, controlled a few city gates, those passes and fortresses, and the Ziwei Palace. But to completely occupy this place will not be so easy."
Shang Ruyi sighed inwardly.
She understood to some extent that Luoyang had been occupied by Liang Shide for many years. Even if he eventually caused widespread suffering, it wouldn't be easy to completely erase the traces he left behind. Moreover, Yuwen Ye didn't invade; he took over the city without bloodshed. Naturally, more hidden threats and hostility would slowly emerge later.
He must quell any signs of rebellion before he can leave in peace.
Shang Ruyi leaned against his chest and mumbled, "Then you should do your job well and get things sorted out here as soon as possible. I want to go back soon."
Yuwen Ye suppressed a laugh and gently stroked her forehead with his chin: "Okay—"
He embraced her soft, fragrant body with his armored, hard chest. Although his embrace was cold and hard, the room was filled with tenderness and affection. Outside, Wo Xue kept a watchful eye on everything around her. When she saw two maids approaching, seemingly to serve the Prince of Qin, she stopped them with her hand: "Your Highness and the Princess Consort do not need to be served."
The two maids had no choice but to leave.
Wo Xue glanced back at the window, a satisfied smile spreading across her calm and pretty face.
Having "heeded" Shang Ruyi's words, Yuwen Ye only stayed at the official residence for a short while. As soon as the sun set, he dressed neatly and left with a troop of soldiers. The quiet city of Luoyang might seem to others as already his for the taking, but only he knew that this for the taking was not so easy to secure. Therefore, he dared not relax at all and personally led his men to patrol the city all night, checking all the checkpoints and key roads, and only returned at dawn.
At the same time, a group of young officials, including Guan Ao and Guan Chiying, completely replaced the group of people that Liang Shide had brought into the city, and established a temporary Dongdu Prefecture, with Guan Ao temporarily in charge of the prefecture.
The entire East City endured two days of quiet, turbulent undercurrents under an invisible, intense pressure.
Finally, on the morning of the third day, this silence was broken.
That day, Shang Ruyi got up early, washed up, and sat at the table, waiting for Yuwen Ye, who had been patrolling all night, to return so they could have breakfast together. But after waiting for a while, he didn't come back. Instead, a commotion suddenly broke out outside. Even deep within the official residence, the excited screams could be heard.
I just couldn't hear what those people were shouting.
Recalling Yuwen Ye's words, Shang Ruyi became worried, fearing that something might have happened in the city. She said to Wo Xue, "Go out and see what's going on outside."
"yes."
Wo Xue accepted the order and immediately turned to leave, but she ran back a moment later, her pretty face beaming with joy, and she couldn't stop laughing, "Your Highness, Your Highness!"
Shang Ruyi asked, "What's wrong?"
Wo Xue's eyes crinkled with joy: "Your Highness, the grain has been delivered!"
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