Chapter 342: Chapter 311: Affection, It’s Simply Not Worth Mentioning
In that moment, Shang Ruyi felt a void in her entire being.
She could neither see the person before her nor hear the words spoken by his thin lips. She couldn’t even feel the tender warmth of spring surrounding her. It was as if she found herself in a realm of nothingness, with everything vanished.
But it was only for an instant.
The next moment, she was pulled back from that void by a violent pain in her chest, her face turning ashen as paper, and she couldn’t help but open her mouth and spat out blood!
"Ruyi!"
Chu Yang was saying something when he saw her change color, and he was taken aback, hastily reaching out to support her falling body. He heard her "wa" sound, and a mouthful of blood sprayed onto his body, instantly staining his white robe red!
"Shang Ruyi!"
Chu Yang shouted, tightly hugging her.
But Shang Ruyi could no longer respond to him.
At this moment, she only felt the intense pain in her chest spreading, spreading to her limbs and bones like a thousand knives flaying her body in a second. She endured this tearing pain alive, feeling even her soul nearly shredding apart.
So painful!
Such pain!
She never knew there was such a torture in this world, needing no blades, no bloodshed, and from a thousand miles away, could make one wish for death.
She thought she had healed over these days, her heart’s wounds had faded away.
But it turned out—
She was defeated by a mere sentence, and that sentence didn’t even need to be spoken by the person himself.
Duke Sheng, along with his son, raised an army in Taiyuan...
This sentence pierced her, not because of Duke Sheng, nor because of his uprising in Taiyuan since she had long been prepared and understood this day would come; nor because that loving and kind Duke never thought to send someone to find her.
What pierced her were the words "and his son."
Yu Wenye...
He did not die, he was unharmed.
The three arrows hadn’t claimed his life, and the condition he had of excessive bleeding when she left had already healed.
Therefore, he followed his father and raised an army.
And perhaps knowing well that she had already fallen into the Emperor’s hands, he still insisted on raising an army—before certain major matters, sentiments were truly insignificant and not worth mentioning.
Moreover, perhaps there were no sentiments between him and herself at all.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but feel her stomach twist, and after a while, she realized she was laughing.
Laughing so that her body went tense, and her heart seemed like it was tearing open.
"Ruyi!"
Hearing that anxious, caring voice again, Shang Ruyi finally slowly lifted her head to look at the person holding her. Although just now he had a mocking look on his face, as if waiting to see her reaction or a joke, right now, holding her as he dropped to the ground, he appeared also quite awkward, yet so amusing.
Shang Ruyi gave him another smile.
Chu Yang was momentarily dazed, not understanding her thoughts. Clearly, she seemed shattered and even spat blood just now, yet after a moment of distraction, she inexplicably started laughing again.
He said, "Are you okay?"
Shang Ruyi just opened her mouth to say something when she tasted a metallic sweetness on her tongue. Looking at his chest, she remembered she seemed to have spat blood, surely with bloodied mouth appearing quite a mess.
Then, she lifted her somewhat weak hand, using the silk handkerchief to wipe her lips.
The handkerchief was stained red, immediately concealing that alarming, somewhat glaring scar.
Afterwards, she looked up at Chu Yang and revealed a calm smile: "Ruyi is fine. Thank you, Your Majesty."
Chu Yang still seemed a bit frightened, but he didn’t say much, only looked down, deeply into those smiling eyes, which compared to their past brightness now held no life. After a long silence, he said: "So long as you’re fine."
He still held her tightly, even at this moment, seeing that Shang Ruyi seemed as if nothing had happened at all, smiling and speaking. In the past, if he got closer or acted too much, she’d be tense and wary, but at this moment, lying in his arms, she showed no resistance, as if it didn’t matter.
She even used the handkerchief in her hand to carefully wipe her lips one more time.
At this point, Eunuch Yu and others gathered around.
They had just seen Shang Ruyi nearly faint to the ground and had run over in fright. At this point, gathering around, Eunuch Yu nervously asked: "Your Majesty, does the Madam—need an Imperial Physician summoned?"
Looking down at her, Chu Yang noticed Shang Ruyi taking a deep breath, then slowly freeing herself from his embrace and steadily standing on her feet. She smiled and said, "There’s no need."
"..."
"It was just because the news was somewhat—urgent."
"..."
"Ruyi’s health is not in serious trouble; there’s no need to bother the Imperial Physician."
"..." Chu Yang looked at her for a moment, then waved his hand: "No need to summon the Imperial Physician. All of you, leave."
"Yes."
Eunuch Yu gave Shang Ruyi another glance, his face filled with worry but not daring to say anything more, only retreating.
Watching his slightly hunched back, Shang Ruyi finally understood why he had been so panicked and frantic earlier, almost wanting to push her away from the Emperor, but at this moment, she had no time to feel touched, just amused.
Found herself amusing.
But there was no trace of a smile on her face. When she looked up at Chu Yang again, there was an added bitterness as she said, "Since the Duke has done such a thing, how will Your Majesty deal with Ruyi?"
"..."
"Ruyi has no objections."
"..."
Chu Yang said nothing, only frowned and looked down at her.
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and then said, "However, before Your Majesty deals with Ruyi, can you grant Ruyi one wish?"
Fortunately, Eunuch Yu and his men had withdrawn. Otherwise, if they had heard these words, they would have either trembled in fear or laughed until they couldn’t breathe.
The Young Madam of the Yuwen Family, after the Yuwen Family had already raised a rebellion, actually asked the Emperor to grant her a wish.
Reflecting on this later, Shang Ruyi herself found it laughable.
But there was no smile on Chu Yang’s face. Instead, he looked deeply into Shang Ruyi’s somber eyes and said in a low voice, "What do you want?"
Although it was she who brought up the request, when Chu Yang said this, Shang Ruyi did not immediately respond.
She fell into silence, appearing to be deep in thought, wondering what she truly wanted.
But in fact, she was calculating.
She calculated that those dispatched from the manor would travel faster than herself. Based on the days when Shen Wuzheng sent word that they had started their journey, they should have already met up with Mr. and Mrs. Shen.
As long as they met up, then the safety of her uncle and aunt was assured.
Now that Duke Sheng had raised an army in Taiyuan, she had previously instructed those people to head to Daxing City once they connected with her uncle and aunt.
With this, she truly had no more worries.
No more worries...
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi felt completely at ease. She lifted her head and smiled, saying, "I ask Your Majesty to allow Ruyi to accompany you on a leisurely stroll in the garden today."
"..."
"No matter what, Ruyi does not want to waste today’s scenery."
"..."
"After today is over..."
As she spoke to this point, her voice caught, unsure if it was due to the intense metallic taste in her mouth or the suffocating atmosphere around her, but she took a deep breath and still smiled at Chu Yang, saying, "Ruyi can’t worry about what happens after today."
She chose a different life for herself, and it seemed right.
But, it wasn’t entirely right.
Yet, whose life is without regret, without resentment or remorse? At least, she protected the family she cared about and loved the most, ensuring her uncle, aunt, and brother could safely weather the turmoil of these troubled times. To her, that was enough.
Thinking of this, her smile deepened a few degrees.
"..."
Chu Yang looked at her quietly.
Though the two of them, due to their positions, temperament, and even many complex reasons, could not be close even when near, at this moment, he felt as if he finally saw through the woman before him—the confidante he chose, whom he acknowledged. As if, finally, at this moment, he could let down his guard, no longer needing any defenses,
Her eyes, clear as if they were as he desired.
Chu Yang finally smiled.
He said, "Alright."
"..."
Upon hearing this word, Shang Ruyi smiled at him as well, and the silk handkerchief she held in her hand was casually tossed aside, soon carried away by the fragrant breeze to an unknown place...
Meanwhile, at Wang Shaoji’s residence, he stood with arms outstretched in the middle of the room as a pair of fair, delicate hands busily dressed him from head to toe.
Only at this point did he open his eyes.
Right in front of him were Lu Xiao’s enticing eyes that could stir one’s heart. Even though she had accompanied him day and night recently, whenever he faced those eyes, Wang Shaoji still felt his heart flutter.
He couldn’t help but pull her into his arms, teasing her for a while.
"Young Master..."
Lu Xiao softly laughed and panted, gently pushing him away while seeming both to refuse and welcome him, her slender waist moving like a water snake, captivating his gaze. She leaned close to his ear and said, "What is the Young Master doing?"
Wang Shaoji bit her earlobe and said, "I really can’t bear to leave you."
Lu Xiao coquettishly glanced at him, "If the Young Master truly can’t bear to leave me, why are you still going? Today, after all, you don’t have to attend the court."
"I can’t not go,"
Wang Shaoji sighed softly, seeming helpless, "Today, there’s important business to attend to."
"Important business? What important business?"
"..."
Mentioning this, Wang Shaoji couldn’t help feeling a bit smug but couldn’t say more, only reaching out to pinch Lu Xiao’s pointed chin, saying, "This, you women don’t need to worry about."
"Oh..."
"However, after today, whatever you want, you shall have!"