Chapter 241 The Best Protection for a Person
When Wang Shaoji and Zhai Ying left Nuanwu, the drizzling rain and snow finally stopped, but the weather remained gloomy, and even in the tall palace, the light was dimmer than before.
The dim lighting made Chu Yang's unpredictable face even more gloomy.
The gloom seemed to shroud the entire palace in a layer of dark clouds, making it hard to breathe. Shang Ruyi felt a heavy weight in her chest and didn't dare to exhale for a long time.
At that moment, Empress Jiang's gentle voice rang in my ears—
"His Majesty."
Each time her voice rang out, it was like a warm spring breeze blowing through the gloomy atmosphere, instantly lifting everyone's spirits. Shang Ruyi immediately caught her breath and turned to look at her. She saw her gently say to Chu Yang, "If Your Majesty has nothing else, I will take my leave. I have some things I want to say to her. The palace gates will be closing soon."
Chu Yang looked up at her.
Then he looked at Shang Ruyi beside him.
Although his face was gloomy, there was something strange in his eyes, as if it didn't belong to the temperature of this weather. After a moment of silence, he said, "It's so cold outside, did the Empress walk here?"
"No, Your Majesty, I have had eaves prepared."
"Then, Your Majesty, please go out and wait for a moment. I have two more words to say to her."
Empress Jiang hesitated for a moment, then looked at Shang Ruyi, and finally nodded and said, "Yes."
After saying that, he turned and walked out.
Once she left, only two people remained in the vast palace.
Shang Ruyi wasn't particularly nervous, after all, this wasn't the first time she'd faced such a situation. Moreover, compared to when she was being interrogated just now, this was a more relaxed situation for her.
But the next moment, Chu Yang stood up and walked towards her step by step.
She instinctively wanted to back away, but she knew that she had nowhere to retreat in this place. After thinking for a moment, she stood still and watched Chu Yang walk up to her. His leisurely and cool fragrance wafted over once again, like a banished immortal descending to earth under the moonlight.
Shang Ruyi unconsciously held her breath.
Chu Yang looked down at her for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Does it hurt?"
"...?"
She had expected to be asked about the details of the Battle of Xingluocang again, or that old stories would be brought up again. Shang Ruyi was practically covered in goosebumps. But she never expected that these two words would shatter all her defenses.
Her heart sank suddenly, and the wound that had long since healed and scabbed over seemed to tingle slightly at this moment. She subconsciously moved that shoulder and looked up at him, only to see a hint of pity in his slender phoenix eyes as his gaze slowly moved from her face to her trembling shoulder.
Shang Ruyi immediately lowered her head: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
Chu Yang asked, "Does it hurt?"
"No, it doesn't hurt anymore."
Why don't you say?
"..."
Shang Ruyi remained silent for a while before finally saying softly, "Your Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state and should not trouble yourself with such trivial matters."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Chu Yang suddenly reach out to her shoulder, trying to pull down her clothes! Shang Ruyi was startled and quickly took a step back, grabbing her clothes tightly.
"His Majesty!"
Chu Yang's hand froze in mid-air.
A hint of pity flickered across his face, followed by a touch of annoyance at being rejected, and other emotions seemed to be churning within him. As these emotions intertwined, and he looked at Shang Ruyi's wary expression, he seemed to recall the first time she came here, when her silk shoes fell off and her delicate feet landed in his hands, and she looked aggrieved and tearful.
After a moment of inner turmoil, he finally suppressed his anger and sighed.
Then he laughed and said, "I have offended you again."
Shang Ruyi lowered her head and said softly, "I wouldn't dare."
"..."
Chu Yang stared at her in silence for a while, then finally sighed as if helpless, turned around, and said indifferently, "You can go now."
These words were like a pardon to Shang Ruyi, but when she was about to turn around and take a step, she hesitated and looked back again. The last time she left from here, she did not go back. She only saw this warm house standing in the magnificent Ziwei Palace, looking lonely and desolate. But now, looking at his back, she realized that the warm house's temperament was only because of its owner.
His silhouette was more lonely and desolate than any other lonely place in the world.
Shang Ruyi ultimately said nothing and turned to leave.
Just as she left, a long sigh echoed through the empty palace.
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After leaving Nuanwu, Shang Ruyi was somewhat dazed, especially after sitting on the eaves and swaying for a while, and then being swept away by the biting cold of the rain and snow. When she finally arrived at the Empress's East Palace, she felt like an inanimate ice sculpture.
Fortunately, the ground heating was very strong, and Empress Jiang immediately had braziers and hand warmers brought over.
It took her a while to finally come to her senses.
Looking at Empress Jiang, who was sitting upright above her with gentle eyes, Shang Ruyi said softly, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Empress Jiang said gently, "There's no need for you and me to be so distant."
"..."
"Actually, the reason I summoned you to the palace today was to discuss the case of the Dali Temple with you and see if you could be of any help. But now it seems that it is unnecessary."
Shang Ruyi looked at her: "Does Your Majesty mean—this case can be closed?"
Empress Jiang smiled and said, "I suppose so."
Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat, but upon further thought, she hesitated.
Whether her answers will be able to address what Yuwen Ye said during his interrogation at the Dali Temple remains to be seen. After all, none of them know what Yuwen Ye actually said, nor did they see what was written in the document in Chu Yang's hand.
Is it really possible to close this case?
Seeing that Shang Ruyi still seemed somewhat incredulous, Empress Jiang smiled and said, "Your injuries cannot have been suffered in vain."
"...!"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi subconsciously looked at her shoulder.
She immediately recalled how Chu Yang had reached out and almost touched her wound in the warm dock.
Her face paled, then flushed slightly.
Seeing her complicated expression, Empress Jiang only smiled faintly and did not ask any further questions. She simply said, "By the way, I just heard you answer fluently. Did you make things clear before you returned to the city?"
Shang Ruyi shook her head and said, "No."
Empress Jiang frowned slightly: "Didn't Fengchen agree with you on what to say?"
This statement was actually quite risky, almost as if they had deliberately prepared their answers in advance to prepare for an interrogation by the Dali Temple. However, Shang Ruyi understood that Empress Jiang had no intention of coercing her into confessing, and simply said softly, "My second brother said that fighting is their business, and interrogation is his business, and told me not to ask too many questions, so there was nothing—"
"oh?"
Empress Jiang seemed somewhat surprised, raising her eyebrows slightly.
After pondering for a while, she seemed to have figured something out, and there was a hint of emotion in her eyes. She even sighed softly, and then smiled and said, "He doesn't want you to get involved."
"..."
"The best protection for a person is to make her know nothing when asked."
As she spoke, she seemed to sigh with emotion, looked at Shang Ruyi for a while, and then smiled and said, "He treats you very well."
Hearing these words was like a warm current flowing into Shang Ruyi's heart, even dispelling the chill that had just seeped into her bones. Recalling the night she spent with Yuwen Ye at Luokou Ferry, Shang Ruyi felt a warm sensation spreading through her heart, making her feel warm all over.
She couldn't help but blush.
After a long pause, she lowered her head and said somewhat shyly, "Your Majesty understands him better than I do."
Seeing her flushed cheeks, Empress Jiang smiled.
After laughing, a hint of melancholy seemed to flash across her face as she said softly, "People like them, no matter how well you understand them, it's useless."
"..."
"Because what they have to do is their own business, and it is meaningless for others to care or understand, let alone affect them in the slightest."
Shang Ruyi frowned slightly.
She suddenly realized that Empress Jiang was referring to "them".
With whom?
Seemingly sensing her doubts, Empress Jiang smiled faintly and said, "When I married His Majesty, who was then the Prince of Jin, I was two years younger than you and far less sensible than you."
"..."
Shang Ruyi didn't dare to respond to those words.
Although Jiang Xinyue was just a child when she married Prince Chuyang of Jin, the story of this perfect couple has been passed down for a long time. Even when she grew up, she heard that when the late emperor and empress were choosing a consort for Prince Chuyang, they searched through noble families and noble ladies but none of them were suitable. Only Jiang Xinyue, with her noble character and intelligence, was chosen to be the consort of Prince Chuyang.
And where does this talk of being ignorant come from?
After thinking for a while, Shang Ruyi said softly, "Your Majesty is too modest."
Empress Jiang smiled faintly, but there seemed to be a hint of bitterness in her smile, and said, "No, you don't understand."
"..."
"Although I was not very old at that time, I was two years older than His Majesty. The late emperor chose me as his daughter-in-law because he hoped that I could stay by his side, offer advice and guidance, and correct his mistakes."
"..."
"It's just a pity..."
As she said this, a hint of melancholy appeared in her eyes.
Seeing her like this, Shang Ruyi didn't dare to say another word.
Because the outcome was already clear, Chu Yang was a smart man, one could even say he was a smart man that was hard for most people to match. But because he was too smart, he was also stubborn and self-willed. He couldn't listen to the advice of ordinary people. Empress Jiang's words could only appease him. They could not correct him or influence him in the slightest.
Empress Jiang remained silent for a moment, then looked at Shang Ruyi and said with a smile, "You are luckier than me."
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