Chapter 29 "How long was that?" ...
But none of that mattered to him anymore; she was the one who said they were getting a divorce.
Shang Xu lowered his eyes, his gaze utterly calm. When the topic of divorce came up again, his heart was as still as a stagnant pool, without a ripple. But when he first heard her mention divorce, his world seemed to collapse, plunging him into darkness.
He thought to himself that he was a cold-blooded person. He liked her, but after learning that his feelings for her could not have a future, he quickly withdrew from her and built a high wall around his heart to prevent himself from overstepping his bounds.
Silence spread. He stood quietly beside Yan Yize, his eyes slightly closed. His demeanor was impeccable. The wind blew, and his flowing black hair tangled together in the air. The hems of his clothes also brushed against each other unintentionally. From a distance, they truly looked like a divine couple. But if you got closer, you could sense the strange and distant atmosphere between them.
Yan Yize sized him up, her gaze deep and carrying an indescribable feeling. As the person involved, she naturally sensed the unusual atmosphere between the two. She wanted to say something to ease the tension, but when she moved her lips, she had nothing to say.
Since her father's death, she once again felt powerless. She tried to change things, but couldn't find a way. Like a lone ant trapped under a high wall, she felt powerless and frustrated. The calm in Yan Yize's eyes was gradually replaced by restlessness.
Yan Yize pursed his lips and called out to him, "Shang Xu."
"His Majesty has arrived." Shang Xu looked behind her, pointed, and said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Yan Yize had no choice but to swallow her words and turn around to greet the person's arrival. As soon as she turned around, she met an unmissable gaze. Those similar eyes held a kindness and joy that only she could see, clearly indicating that the person was very happy to see her.
Yan Yize looked away expressionlessly, her jaw clenched, her hands unconsciously clenching. She still couldn't forgive herself for letting her father be framed and die in the cold palace when she knew he was innocent.
Years of oppression from the Shang family had honed Shang Xu's keen senses. He noticed her unusual behavior immediately and looked in the direction she was avoiding, only to see the majestic and inviolable Empress.
He paused, his whole body stiffening, then quickly lowered his head. The Empress was looking at Yan Yize? How could that be? Wasn't it rumored that the Empress had long since grown tired of him?
Shang Xu frowned, an unbelievable thought flashing through his mind, his heart pounding wildly in response, unless…
He suddenly looked at Yan Yize. Except for the night he took the Chinese medicine, Yan Yize was usually indifferent in his eyes. But now, her reaction was obviously abnormal. She was less indifferent and more out of control.
Based on what he had just discovered, Shang Xu was certain that the relationship between Yan Yize and Her Majesty the Empress was not the one of dislike that was rumored. But if it wasn't dislike, then what was it?
He glanced at Yan Yize, frowned, and fell into deep thought. But he quickly realized what their relationship was and what it had to do with him, since she was going to divorce him after the New Year.
Shang Xu gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile, shook his head, forgot what he had just discovered, and reiterated in his heart once again that her affairs were none of his business, and that all he should do was to fulfill his duty.
——
The carriages rolled once more, slowly heading towards the sacrificial site. Each wheel left a deep mark on the ground, indicating the large number of carriages moving forward.
Inside the carriage, Yan Yize was dozing with her eyes closed. During her appearance earlier, she had seen those who had framed her father, all of them beaming with pride and having clearly forgotten their crimes.
But she remembered them all.
Yan Yize's eyes were firm. She would demand the money back from them one by one on behalf of her father. Thinking of this, her bitter mood improved a little.
In a corner of the carriage, Shang Xu was sitting quietly with his eyes down, but his peripheral vision occasionally swept over her. He kept telling himself not to care and not to think too much, but his mind kept replaying the scene he had just witnessed.
Yan Yize composed herself and remembered what she wanted to say to Shang Xu. The road was long and quiet, a perfect time for a conversation. With that in mind, she steadied herself and looked at the person in the corner.
But she happened to run into his veiled gaze.
Shang Xu was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting her to suddenly look up and be caught peeking. His face flushed, and the tips of his ears turned red with shame. After realizing what had happened, he immediately lowered his head guiltily.
But it was too late.
Yan Yize raised an eyebrow slightly, silently scrutinizing him. The vexation she had felt all morning suddenly eased at this moment, like a dark cloud that had been hanging over her head being blown away by the wind, allowing the warm morning light to shine on her.
"You're spying on me." She raised her voice slightly, speaking with certainty, a hint of pleasure she didn't realize in her tone.
Shang Xu swallowed nervously, his hands on his knees unconsciously gripping the clothes beneath his palms. He had been very careful, but he hadn't expected to be discovered.
Caught red-handed, Shang Xu felt nothing but regret. He shouldn't have been curious. If he hadn't been curious, he wouldn't have secretly looked at her, wouldn't have been caught, and wouldn't have ended up in such an embarrassing situation.
Shang Xu sat on pins and needles, his heart pounding in his chest, but he still forced himself to speak softly, "I...I didn't look for very long."
He was trying to excuse himself, but at the same time, he was indirectly admitting that he had been spying on her.
A smile rippled in Yan Yize's eyes, and the annoyance in her heart was completely swept away. She raised an eyebrow, looked at him teasingly, and repeated his words, "Didn't look for long?"
"Um."
Shang Xu's palms were sweaty. He forced himself to nod stiffly, his heart constantly praying that she would let the matter drop.
Yan Yize seemed to hear his plea, but instead of doing so, he maliciously opposed him, staring at him with his narrow, upturned eyes and asking in a curious tone, "How long is that?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Xu's already flushed face turned bright red. If the previous red was as delicate as a peach blossom, then the current red was as dazzling as a pomegranate flower, so bright that it was impossible to look away.
Shang Xu lowered his eyes in a panic, his eyelashes trembling incessantly, like a frightened fawn. His breathing became rapid, and he nervously clutched his clothes. He bit his bright red lips, trying to hide his guilt with silence.
Yan Yize waited for a long time, but only received silence. Looking at him, she spoke with a rather aggrieved expression, "Are you afraid to look at me because you feel guilty?"
Shang Xu's secret was exposed, how could he dare to admit it? To show that he wasn't guilty, he hurriedly shook his head, gritted his teeth, and forced himself to speak, "No...no."
"Then look at me and say it."
Shang Xu had no choice but to look up, his gaze darting towards her, his guilty conscience almost impossible to hide. He glanced at her quickly and said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm not guilty."
His weak and intimidating tone lacked any authority, making it hard for anyone to believe him.
Yan Yize raised an eyebrow, intending to continue making things difficult for him, when the carriage suddenly stopped. She was surprised; they had arrived so quickly?
She glanced at him regretfully, forced to temporarily abandon her intention to continue making things difficult for him.
The carriage stopped shaking, and Shang Xu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking all the gods in his heart for saving him from his suffering.
A note from the author:
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