Chapter 331: Chapter 301: A Plate of Green Vegetables
Shang Ruyi originally wanted to flee from that name, but when she heard those words, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Cheng Qiao said, please be careful?
From what she just said at the end, even if Cheng Qiao really cared about her, he should have said ’take care,’ so why did he say ’be careful’?
’Be careful’ and ’take care,’ though they sound similar, have a world of difference in this place and time.
Shang Ruyi turned back to look at Cheng Qiao, initially intending to ask, but after glancing around, she changed her question to: "By the way, yesterday a lot of deaths and injuries occurred in the fight between the imperial guards and your people. Do you know about this incident?"
Cheng Qiao’s face darkened, and he replied softly, "Of course."
"His Majesty is having people investigate this matter. Do you know why they started fighting?"
"..."
Cheng Qiao seemed like he wanted to say something but held back, hesitating for a long time before slowly replying, "Over a plate of greens."
"What?"
Shang Ruyi thought she heard wrong, and Cheng Qiao repeated with a wry smile: "Just a plate of greens."
Shang Ruyi was bewildered — over a plate of greens?
How could that be?!
Even Cheng Qiao, who knew the truth, seemed to find it ridiculous; he chuckled bitterly and said: "Young Madam, there’s no need to doubt. When the incident occurred, we actually asked the details. Our men went to the inn in the south of the city first for dinner yesterday, and among the dishes they ordered was a plate of greens. Later, the Imperial Guard came and ordered the same dish, but the inn only had a little left. The Imperial Guard wanted our men to give up the dish, and naturally, our men refused. They argued, and then it turned into a fight."
"..."
"And so, that’s it."
Shang Ruyi still couldn’t speak, although Eunuch Yu mentioned there was longstanding hostility between the two sides, making the quarrel somewhat understandable, but thinking the cause was a plate of greens still seemed inconceivable.
After a while, she said, "How could it be over a bit of greens?"
Cheng Qiao glanced at her again, hesitated several times, and finally said: "Although just a little greens, its value is considerable."
"What?"
Shang Ruyi immediately sensed something wrong and promptly asked, "Why do you say that?"
Cheng Qiao said: "This time His Majesty’s tour at Jiangdu Palace brought over four hundred thousand people, and providing for these people is a problem."
Shang Ruyi quickly replied: "But I heard His Majesty the Emperor brought food supplies."
"Some food supplies were indeed brought, but the consumption for four hundred thousand people is enormous, and we still need to take some from the commoners. What’s more, fresh vegetables, poultry, and eggs can’t be brought along; they need to be supplied by the local people."
"..."
"Currently, it’s the season between harvests, and the commoners are struggling to feed themselves, suddenly having to cater to over four hundred thousand more mouths. Young Madam, you might not know, eggs now cost three silver coins each."
"What?"
This was perhaps the umpteenth time Shang Ruyi couldn’t believe her ears. She looked at Cheng Qiao with wide eyes, then glanced back at Wo Xue, seeing Wo Xue with a troubled expression, hesitantly nodding her head.
It was indeed true!
Considering this, the plate of greens that caused the riot and casualties was probably —
Cheng Qiao said worriedly: "I’ve heard that people have started dying of starvation outside the city; the situation inside the city probably isn’t optimistic either."
As he spoke, he looked up at Shang Ruyi: "So, Young Madam, please take care, and be cautious."
"..."
Shang Ruyi said no more, only looked at him with a solemn expression, and understood the deeper meaning behind his words "be cautious."
If the common folk can no longer survive, they have only one path left, which is the root cause of rebel armies rising across the country in recent years.
Shang Ruyi bitterly said: "I understand, you also — take care."
With that, she turned and left.
But just after taking a few steps, Cheng Qiao called out to her again. Shang Ruyi turned, uncertain what else he wanted to say, only to see Cheng Qiao hesitate and then softly ask: "Young Madam, the second young master really won’t come?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi’s chest felt like it had been punched hard.
She struggled to maintain calm breathing as she looked at Cheng Qiao for a moment, then lightly smiled: "He, he has his own matters to attend to and people to protect. I think, he won’t be coming."
Finishing, she didn’t pause further and turned away.
All the way back, Shang Ruyi didn’t slow her pace until she approached the palace where she lived. Only then did she stop and manage to catch her breath. Wo Xue quietly came up to support her and softly said: "Young Madam, you must take care of yourself."
Shang Ruyi panted for a while, turned back to look at her: "Wo Xue, is the situation outside really that terrible?"
"..."
Wo Xue didn’t speak but lowered her head, seeming to already confirm it.
Shang Ruyi’s brow furrowed tightly, she panted a couple more times before saying: "Since things have come to this, why is the kitchen still so wasteful?"
Wo Xue still remained silent.
Shang Ruyi furrowed her brows, looking at her, recalling each meeting since she first met Chu Yang. His lifestyle was indeed lavish; even during their first meeting, when he took her to gaze at the scenery, the splendid Feathered Immortal Shoes he wore, just stained with a bit of mud, were casually discarded by the roadside.
And the pearls and jade embedded in those shoes were enough to feed several families for a year.
Thinking of this, she sighed with a bitter smile and said, "What I said is redundant."
After speaking, she shook her head, looked up, and continued to walk forward. After a few steps, she returned to the entrance of the palace hall. Yet, as soon as she pushed the door open, Shang Ruyi’s breathing tightened because she saw Chu Yang sitting inside. His pair of slender phoenix eyes slowly looked at her when they heard the door opening, his gaze impatient.
When did he come? How long has he been waiting?
Shang Ruyi and Wo Xue were both startled and hurriedly knelt on the ground: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Chu Yang slowly got up and walked to her, his robe swaying, and Shang Ruyi once again saw those luxurious and exquisite Feathered Immortal Shoes on his feet. However, seeing them now, the initial awe of their beauty had completely vanished.
She only felt them glaring.
At this moment, Chu Yang’s voice sounded above—
"Where have you been?"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty never forbade me from going out..."
"I asked you, where did you go?"
"Ruyi—I stayed indoors for several days, feeling somewhat suffocated. I wanted to take a walk today, so Wo Xue accompanied me for a short stroll outside."
"..."
Chu Yang looked at her for a moment and said, "Next time, don’t make me wait so long."
Only then did Shang Ruyi breathe a sigh of relief: "Yes."
Immediately, a smile appeared on Chu Yang’s face again. He bent down, grasped Shang Ruyi’s wrist, and helped her up, saying, "Actually, I’ve come to see you. Yesterday, you accompanied me with the Sword Dance, though unfamiliar, you have a talent; it’s beneficial for your body. So, I’ve intended to take you again—"
Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment and said, "But Your Majesty, I just walked for a while and feel a little tired."
Chu Yang said, "Is that so? Then rest immediately."
After speaking, he pulled her hand back to the table to sit, carefully scrutinized her for a while, and then said, "You are tired; your complexion doesn’t look good. In the future, when you go for a walk, don’t go too far."
"..."
Shang Ruyi looked up at him.
At this moment, she couldn’t help but think of the first time the two met. At that time, she was a hundred times more despondent than now, and he only took her to a deserted pavilion to enjoy the scenery—no comforting words.
Unlike now, he even cared about her complexion.
For a moment, she couldn’t help but ponder which face truly belonged to this Venerable Emperor. But immediately, she told herself that actually, both faces were real.
Because the one who, with courtiers’ piercing advice, directly exiled or executed them was him; the one who viewed the people of the Empire harshly as mere grass was him; the one who reduced troops to ashes, burying hundreds of thousands of Da Ye Dynasty soldiers in Gouli Country’s battlefield was him.
Even—the one who disregarded Empress Jiang was him, and the one who cared for her thoroughly was him too.
People are inherently multifaceted.
Thinking this way, isn’t Yu Wenye the same?
It’s just that where their hearts lie differs from her expectations; essentially, there’s no difference.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but smile.
As soon as Chu Yang saw her smile, he immediately said, "What are you laughing at?"
"I—"
Shang Ruyi paused, unsure of how to respond. Just then, Eunuch Yu walked in from outside, bowed to Chu Yang, and said, "Your Majesty."
Chu Yang furrowed his brows: "What is it?"
Eunuch Yu said, "Yesterday, the incident in the city involving the Old Palace Guard and the Imperial Guard fighting has been investigated. I report to Your Majesty."
Shang Ruyi immediately looked at him.
Chu Yang reached out, and Eunuch Yu hurriedly presented the documents. Chu Yang took them, glanced at them a few times, and his face immediately sank.
After a while, he said, "Just for a dish?"
Shang Ruyi’s breath involuntarily sank.
Indeed.
Although she knew Cheng Qiao shouldn’t deceive her, seeing the truth from the investigative papers and hearing it from Chu Yang’s mouth was still absurd and distressing.
Just for a plate of greens.
Chu Yang looked livid, his gaze angry. He read the document again, then slammed it shut, saying, "Since the matter has been clarified, there’s no need to say more. Imperial Guard, the two leading the disturbance, execute them immediately; the remaining thirteen, confiscate their property and exile them. Those involved in the brawl from Jiangdu Palace Guard, seventy military canes each, and dock a year’s salary."
After speaking, he threw the document to the ground.
Eunuch Yu hastily knelt down to pick it up, saying, "This servant will issue the decree at once."
Chu Yang exhaled heavily and, looking up, met Shang Ruyi’s gaze, which seemed to have something unsaid, asking, "What is it? Do you have something to say?"
Shang Ruyi didn’t have any objections to his rewards and punishments.
However, merely killing a few, beating a few, and punishing a few was just treating the symptoms, not the root cause. She thought for a moment and softly said, "Your Majesty, actually, that dish—"
Her words were not finished when Eunuch Yu, stepping over the threshold, suddenly stumbled.
"Oh my!"