Chapter 279 Whether you catch up or not, it's not good.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Lu's expression changed, and he quickly reached out to stop Shang Ruyi from continuing inside, saying softly, "Oh dear, why has the Imperial Brother-in-law suddenly entered the palace? This—Madam, let's wait a moment."
Shang Ruyi nodded, but her heart skipped a beat.
The Emperor's brother-in-law?
So, Empress Jiang's brother?
I heard that Empress Jiang lost her parents at a young age and had no siblings. This "Imperial Brother-in-Law" is—
Just as he was thinking this, the voice of the "Imperial Brother-in-Law" came from inside again, his tone now tinged with displeasure: "Because of your illness, the journey has to be delayed, and you can't go to Jiangdu with His Majesty. Not only have you left the Princess and Prince Zhao behind, but you've also forced me to stay by your side. Everyone knows that those who stay by His Majesty's side are the true confidants. Aren't you... dragging your younger brother into this mess?"
Shang Ruyi's brows furrowed even more.
Empress Jiang is unable to travel with the Emperor due to illness? Even Princess Xinyue and Prince Zhao, Chu Chengfei, stayed behind to accompany her?
A soft cough came from inside. Empress Jiang's voice was very weak. After coughing for a while, she slowly said, "Chong'en, I don't want to delay your future. However, many officials are following you south this time, so there's little chance for you to stand out. You staying in Luoyang might open up a whole new world for you."
Jiang Chongen immediately sneered, "A completely different world? Who doesn't know that Liang Shide is about to attack, and he even has the Lei family father and daughter helping him! Lei Yi was once the Left Imperial Guard General, how well does he know about the defenses of Luoyang! Would you be happy if I were to die here?"
"..."
Empress Jiang did not speak again, but coughed incessantly, though the sound of her cough was much more subdued than before.
Shang Ruyi's brows furrowed into a knot, and she almost couldn't help but go in and yell at someone!
Regardless of what Jiang Chongen thought, the Empress was still the Empress. Not only did he show no respect in his tone, but he also showed no pity or consideration for his ailing sister. He was utterly cold-hearted!
However, she still managed to control herself.
This is, after all, Empress Jiang's family matter. It's already inappropriate for them to be listening in, let alone interrupting.
When Empress Jiang's coughing finally subsided, she said softly, panting, "Chong'en, you will eventually understand my good intentions. Now, you should go back first. I have guests here, and they will arrive soon."
Jiang Chongen snorted and turned to walk out.
As soon as he walked over, he bumped into Shang Ruyi and Eunuch Lu. Only then did Shang Ruyi see clearly that Jiang Chongen was probably in his thirties. He was quite handsome, and his eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to those of Empress Jiang. However, he had an indifferent expression and his eyes habitually rolled upwards, giving people a feeling of being cold-hearted and ungrateful.
Of course, it might not be a feeling.
He saw Shang Ruyi, but didn't say anything, just rolled his eyes and left.
As soon as he left, Eunuch Lu went in to report, and then Empress Jiang's gentle voice rang out from inside: "Ruyi has arrived. Come in."
Shang Ruyi roused herself and hurried inside.
This was her first time entering the inner palace of the Empress's Eastern Palace. The interior was simpler than the exterior, with only a dressing table, a low table, and a bed against a screen. Only the few layers of gauze curtains hanging from the beams added a sense of indistinct complexity to the empty inner palace.
Shang Ruyi walked in step by step and finally saw the thin, pale figure on the bed.
Empress Jiang was sitting on the bed, smiling as she looked at her.
She was wearing a pale yellow long gown. The room was warm enough, and the gown wasn't very thick, which made her look even thinner and more frail. Her lips were pale, but even so, the gentle aura she exuded made her seem as gentle and beautiful as spring water. In particular, her cheeks were flushed with a sickly blush from the violent coughing, which at this moment gave her a unique kind of beauty.
This was the first time Shang Ruyi felt that Empress Jiang not only possessed the dignified beauty of an empress, but also the beauty of a woman.
It's the kind of beauty that's impossible not to be captivated by!
She stared in disbelief for a moment, while Empress Jiang smiled and said to her, "Ruyi, you've arrived."
"……yes."
Shang Ruyi then came to her senses and hurriedly stepped forward to bow. Empress Jiang raised her hand slightly and said, "At this time, there is no need for such formalities. Come, sit down."
She actually reached out and patted the edge of the bed.
Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment. Although they were close, there was still a difference in their social status, and she was still a little uneasy. On the contrary, Empress Jiang smiled and said, "I have summoned you even when I was ill, which is not being a guest. If you treat me like a guest, then you will be letting me down."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi hurriedly apologized and sat down at an angle.
Empress Jiang then smiled and nodded.
Seeing the strange expression on Shang Ruyi's face, she thought for a moment and said with a faint smile, "I apologize for making you laugh just now."
Shang Ruyi hurriedly replied, "How could Ruyi dare?"
Empress Jiang sighed and said, "Chong En is my cousin. I lost my father at a young age and grew up in my uncle's house. I watched Chong En grow up. This child is inevitably a bit arrogant. I often advise him not to be so ambitious, but he just won't listen."
Shang Ruyi's heart trembled slightly.
It turns out that the Empress also lost both her parents at a young age and was raised by an elder relative.
Her background is so similar to mine...
Shang Ruyi composed herself and said softly, "Honest advice is hard to hear, and not everyone can understand Your Majesty's good intentions."
"Yes, honest advice is hard to swallow..."
These four words seemed to stir up some unspoken thoughts in Empress Jiang, and the smile on her face became even more bitter. However, she seemed unwilling to wallow in this bitter emotion, and looked up at Shang Ruyi again, saying softly, "I heard that the Duke took your third son away as well. Now, you are the only one left in your household."
Shang Ruyi nodded.
Empress Jiang asked, "Is everything going smoothly?"
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "Everything is fine. However, the manor outside the city was left to me by my father. If I really have to accompany His Majesty on his tour of Jiangdu this time, it will be difficult to return for a while. I would like to go and take a look and settle the people there."
Empress Jiang said, "That makes sense. Then, you should go tomorrow and come back as soon as possible."
Shang Ruyi's eyes lit up and she immediately said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Empress Jiang smiled, then suddenly coughed twice, covering her mouth. Shang Ruyi quickly reached out to support her, noticing how thin she had become. She boldly stroked her bony back and whispered, "Your Majesty, you must take good care of your health."
"rest assured,"
Despite her frail breath, Empress Jiang possessed an unwavering resolve that seemed to run deep within her bones. She said, "I do not wish to remain ill for too long."
"..."
Shang Ruyi glanced at her with a flicker in her eyes.
Empress Jiang slowly leaned back, and Shang Ruyi hurriedly grabbed a cushion from the side to support her. She took a few breaths and finally calmed down, then smiled and said, "Speaking of which, your family's Grand General has been on campaign for several days now. I wonder where he is now."
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "If we hurry, we should be in Yuanwu by now. However—"
"But what?"
"However, he said he needed to go to Xingluo Granary to retrieve the provisions for this expedition, so I'm afraid we'll be delayed there for a day or two."
Empress Jiang laughed and said, "He even tells you this?"
Shang Ruyi lowered her head and said with a hint of embarrassment, "Feng Chen only cares about important matters like leading troops into battle. I am also willing to listen, so he will talk about it when he has nothing to do."
"oh."
Upon hearing this, Empress Jiang's eyes, which were as gentle as spring water, seemed to ripple with emotion, as if touched by something.
And those ripples were gentle, smiling.
She smiled at Shang Ruyi, and after a while, said softly, "It seems that your relationship is even better than before."
"ah?"
Shang Ruyi was stunned for a moment, then thought about it again—she was talking about herself and Yuwen Ye.
After thinking about it for a while, she came to her senses. It seemed that she had always called Yuwen Ye "Second Brother" in front of everyone. This was just a casual way of addressing him, and she only found out later that it overlapped with how Princess Xinyue addressed him. It sounded intimate, but she still felt a little uncomfortable.
Now, she has started calling him Feng Chen because that night, he clearly told her that at times like this, she could call him Feng Chen.
Thinking of that night, Shang Ruyi's face suddenly flushed.
She immediately felt that she shouldn't be thinking about such things at this time, and her face instantly turned cold. The alternation between hot and cold caused her face to turn red and white, and she wondered if others noticed.
Empress Jiang looked at her quietly for a while, then said gently, "Seeing that you two have a harmonious relationship, I am relieved."
"..."
"Feng Chen, this child, has been like this since he was little—"
She paused for a moment, thought for a moment, and then smiled and said, "It's nothing."
"..."
For some reason, even though the words sounded reassuring and even relaxing, Shang Ruyi felt as if a feather had landed on her heart. They were insignificant, yet they seemed to weigh her down subtly.
Empress Jiang smiled and said, "Actually, I should have asked Xinyue to come and meet you as well, but she went to the temple to pray for me today and didn't have time to meet you."
Shang Ruyi said, "With Your Highness's filial piety, you will surely move the gods and Buddhas, and Your Majesty will recover soon."
Empress Jiang smiled and said, "I hope so."
After that, the two of them chatted for a while, but didn't say anything important.
About half an hour later, seeing that Empress Jiang was not in good spirits and was a little tired, Shang Ruyi got up to take her leave. Empress Jiang asked Eunuch Lu to come and see her out of the palace, and repeatedly instructed him to take her back to the Yuwen residence.
Shang Ruyi said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."
Empress Jiang leaned against the headboard and said gently, "Ruyi, you must make sure you know when you leave the city to go to that manor. His Majesty will depart in six days. You must not miscalculate the date and come back—it's not good if you don't make it in time."
Shang Ruyi looked at her and said softly, "Ruyi understands."
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