Chapter 325: Chapter 296: Jiangdu, Are You Still Safe?
In just a moment, the palace fell silent.
Shang Ruyi clearly saw Chu Yang’s face slowly turning grim. Especially the icy light flickering in those slender phoenix eyes was countless times more severe than before. When they looked at her, it felt as if her blood was being frozen by that extreme cold in his gaze.
She could only grasp her hands tightly under the covers, trying not to tremble too much.
After a while, Chu Yang suddenly let out a light laugh.
He said, "I know."
Shang Ruyi was caught somewhat off guard as she saw his expression become relaxed and cheerful. He stood up, walked to the side, and opened the window. A breeze carrying a fresh fragrance and warmth blew into the hall, dispelling the nearly freezing air that had filled the space just moments before.
Then Chu Yang said, "Who has taken over the Eastern Capital? Liang Shide? Or that bunch of rabble from Wanggang Village?"
"It’s both of them together."
"Together?"
Chu Yang sneered, "I sent Yu Wenye to attack Wanggang Village, but he returned without success, did he?"
"...!"
Hearing that name unexpectedly, Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat uncontrollably.
She found it a bit laughable.
Now, wasn’t she already thousands of miles away from him? Yet why did hearing his name still make her chest ache?
While her face remained pale and she kept silent, Chu Yang seemed to sense something and turned to look at her.
Under his sharp gaze, Shang Ruyi could only lower her head and softly said, "Before he set out, Wanggang Village had already sent people into the city to act as insiders. When Your Majesty left the Eastern Capital, and the troops departed, leaving the city’s defenses empty, Liang Shide’s army besieged the city, combining forces inside and out, leading to the fall of the Eastern Capital."
Chu Yang’s face adopted a ghastly expression.
That expression was as if someone had sliced a piece of flesh from his heart with a knife, and he could only watch, unable to do anything.
He turned around and looked out the window again.
And Shang Ruyi, looking at his back, softly said, "Your Majesty—"
"Shang Ruyi,"
His words were abruptly interrupted by Chu Yang’s cold voice, "Are you really like this, knowing what to say to please me, yet choosing to say what displeases me instead, is that it?"
"...No, it isn’t."
"Then do you know what you should say now?"
"..."
"Do you know what I want to hear now?"
"..."
After pondering in silence for a long time, Shang Ruyi then raised her head and softly said, "The Princess and Prince Zhao, they are both safe."
Upon hearing these words, Chu Yang’s shoulders twitched slightly, and he turned his head to look at her, his eyes finally regaining some warmth and vitality.
He said, "As long as they are safe, that’s good."
Shang Ruyi could tell he wasn’t surprised by this news, obviously, Wo Xue had already reported it earlier.
She continued, "The Empress is also safe."
Chu Yang’s eyes flickered slightly.
After a moment of silence, a faintly mocking, vaguely warm-and-cold expression appeared on his incredibly handsome face: "She too, has fulfilled her wishes, accomplishing her desires."
Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up at him.
Chu Yang said, "What, you still haven’t realized?"
"..."
"Although she is the Empress of the Da Ye Dynasty, she never stood by my side. To this day, the only thing in her eyes is her two children. Otherwise—"
He sneered at Shang Ruyi, "How would she have been so eager to draw you in?"
"..."
"She’s always wanted Xinyue to marry Yu Wenye, even though he’s already married to you. To make her daughter a concubine, she was willing to go that far, even hoping you two could get along well in the future..."
"..."
"I don’t understand why she values the Yuwen Family so much, Yu Wenquan, Yu Wenye, even Yu Wenqian, it seems to her they’re all pillars of the court,"
Saying this, a glint of cold light sparked in his eyes, "But I have never trusted them."
Shang Ruyi’s heart felt a slight heaviness as she looked at Chu Yang with difficulty and said, "I, I’m also a part of the Yuwen Family, does Your Majesty also not trust me?"
Chu Yang said, "You’re not."
"I—"
"You’re the one I chose and decided on. Now, aren’t you by my side?"
Shang Ruyi’s heart involuntarily quivered slightly.
At this moment, Chu Yang seemed to sense her silence as well. He turned and slowly walked over, looking at her vacant eyes. After a brief silence, he said, "What are you thinking?"
Shang Ruyi gently shook her head: "Nothing."
Chu Yang frowned, "Are you thinking about Yu Wenye?"
"..."
"You’re still thinking about him?"
In her heart, Shang Ruyi found it a bit funny. How could she possibly be thinking about him? Instead of spending energy thinking about him, it would be better to think about how to break her current predicament. So, she slowly looked up at him and, with a somewhat hoarse voice, said: "Your Majesty, do you still want to return to the Eastern Capital?"
Chu Yang’s gaze flickered for a moment.
He immediately said, "Of course, it’s not that I want to, but I will definitely return."
"Then—"
"However, I still have some matters to attend to in Jiangdu. Once I’ve dealt with those, I will naturally lead the army north again, just like when I marched south to destroy Chen with one decisive battle!"
"..."
"The Eastern Capital will certainly be in my hands again!"
Shang Ruyi looked up at him, no matter what was happening around them, no matter how many people had died out of his sight, whether they were rebel soldiers or civilians, even if fiery flames engulfed him or the world was flooded, he always remained so spirited as if he could make everyone bow at his feet with just his will.
Yet, the gentle and wet air of Jiangnan made his words lose some of their sharpness.
"At that time,"
Chu Yang slowly sat back down by the bed, looking at the faintly glistening bright eyes beneath Shang Ruyi’s low-hanging lashes, and said, "You will accompany me back."
"..."
Shang Ruyi suddenly felt very exhausted.
She couldn’t utter any more words, didn’t even know what else she could say, and could only nod lightly.
A slight smile appeared on Chu Yang’s face.
He reached out as if to caress her, but just before his fingertips touched Shang Ruyi’s cheek, her sudden flinch made him stop. His hand stiffened for a moment, then slowly withdrew.
Then he stood up: "You should rest."
"..."
"Take good care of yourself these days, once you recover I’ll come to accompany you again, the scenery here is beautiful, by then, I’ll go see it with you."
Shang Ruyi said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Chu Yang turned and left.
As he departed, a cold fragrance wafted from his raised sleeve, drifting onto Shang Ruyi’s face, tinged with a feeling of sorrow for the first time. Shang Ruyi also saw his hand briefly exposed from the sleeve, seemingly wrapped with a bandage, but it vanished from sight in an instant.
Shang Ruyi sighed deeply, leaning her head back powerlessly.
Jiangnan... Jiangnan of magnolias with double oars, of emerald birds singing in spring, is what’s here truly just good scenery?
|
In the days that followed, Shang Ruyi stayed in this palace to recuperate.
In fact, she had no choice but to recover here, although she hadn’t experienced any bloodshed in this southern journey, or even a scratch, the long-term hunger and medication-induced daze had still caused significant damage to her body and spirit. She had consumed soup for several days, various precious tonics and medicinal herbs were sent to her room as if cost weren’t a concern, and after a few days she was finally able to move freely and eat and drink as usual.
She hadn’t seen Wo Xue during these days.
She was worried that Chu Yang had killed her after all, but upon asking Eunuch Yu, she found out that Wo Xue had been spared at her request, but had still received dozens of blows for her mistake.
A young and delicate girl, enduring dozens of blows could cost her half her life if not kill her.
Seeing Shang Ruyi’s slightly worried expression, Eunuch Yu accompanied his words with a smile and said, "She was spared because Madam pleaded for her; naturally, His Majesty wouldn’t truly take her life. Those dozens of strikes were indeed meant as punishment and a warning to others."
Sighing, he added, "His Majesty is truly concerned about Madam’s affairs."
Concerned...?
These words made Shang Ruyi’s heart ache.
She said bitterly, "Doesn’t Eunuch know my status?"
During these days, Eunuch Yu had frequently come to take care of her, and they’d grown familiar. Shang Ruyi could sense that although Lord Eunuch was prone to scheming, he wasn’t fundamentally bad. Aside from his obedient compliance with orders, he seemed to have a special concern for her, so they occasionally shared some conversation.
Eunuch Yu glanced at her, his expression a bit awkward, then smiled wryly, "Who wouldn’t know?"
"..."
"But, knowing it, what of it?"
"..."
"Since Madam is already at Jiangdu Palace, don’t think of anything else. Nourish your body well and, at leisure—advise His Majesty; perhaps it might benefit you as well."
Advise?
The word seemed to stir something in Shang Ruyi’s heart. She looked at Eunuch Yu and said softly, "Hasn’t His Majesty been absent lately, dealing with state affairs?"
Eunuch Yu glanced at her without speaking.
Feeling a sense of something amiss, Shang Ruyi asked again, "Eunuch Yu, how are things in Jiangdu? Please inform me."
Still, Eunuch Yu said nothing.
Shang Ruyi’s brow furrowed, "Is Jiangdu safe?"
Eunuch Yu remained silent, but the subtle fissure on his perpetually smiling face revealed a trace of unease beneath his facade.
Just then, a little eunuch hurried in, whispering a few words to Eunuch Yu, which made Eunuch Yu’s face change drastically, exclaiming, "How could such a thing happen?!"
Listening nearby, Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat—what had happened?
The little eunuch said, "Eunuch, what should we do?"
"This matter must be immediately reported to His Majesty!"
With that said, Eunuch Yu hesitated, "But, but right now His Majesty—"
Amidst his panic, he suddenly turned and saw Shang Ruyi beside him, his eyes lighting up as if a drowning man had found a lifeline, he grabbed onto her urgently, "Madam, we must rely on you this time."
"What?"
Before Shang Ruyi could react, she was whisked away.