The night passed heavily like this.
The next morning, although Shang Ruyi woke up early, she didn’t expect that Yu Wenye got up even earlier than her. When she opened her eyes, the bed beside her was already empty.
Shang Ruyi’s hand lay softly there, her fingertips lightly touching, seemingly able to feel the lingering warmth.
She was dazed for a mont, then imdiately awoke and prepared to get out of bed. At that mont, Yu Wenye, fully dressed, walked in from outside.
Seeing him, Shang Ruyi was montarily taken aback.
He was also wearing a dark blue long robe, with a jade-colored belt tightly binding his narrow waist, making him appear graceful and poised, yet at this mont, he carried an unobtrusive sense of pressure.
Shang Ruyi instinctively said, "Why did you—"
Yu Wenye looked at her, his gaze flickering slightly, "What?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi hesitated for a mont, then swallowed the rest of her words and said lightly, "It’s nothing."
Yu Wenye looked at her for a mont and didn’t press further; he just smiled and said, "It’s good you’re up. I thought of letting you sleep more to gather your energy, so I didn’t wake you. But now, it’s about ti, so go wash up quickly."
Shang Ruyi nodded, hurriedly got up, and walked out.
Tushere and Chang Wan had already prepared warm water and towels. After washing up, Shang Ruyi sat in front of the dressing mirror, letting Tushere put on the jewelry selected last night, and then put on the dark blue long dress.
As soon as she wore the dress, she noticed Tushere’s uncontrollable smile at the corners of her eyes and lips.
Chang Wan, standing nearby, seed to smile too.
In fact, even without turning around, just by seeing the reflection in the copper mirror, Shang Ruyi knew that she and Yu Wenye looked almost like reflections in water, appearing as a pair to anyone’s eyes today.
She didn’t know why he chose this outfit.
Was it because of her, or because—
Shang Ruyi’s thoughts montarily scattered, but she imdiately collected herself, knowing she had to stay clear-minded today, without any confusion!
So, she took a deep breath, cald herself, gathered her thoughts, then turned to Yu Wenye and said, "Today, let’s have Cheng Qiao accompany us."
Yu Wenye replied, "I just sent him ahead to Dayan Temple."
"..."
Shang Ruyi glanced at him, lowered her head montarily, then said softly, "Oh."
Yu Wenye walked up to her, looked down, and said, "These matters, you can leave them to ."
"..."
"I said, I’ll handle it."
Shang Ruyi was silent for a while, then looked up at him, gently smiling, "I know, but there are things one still has to face oneself."
Yu Wenye’s eyes faintly glimred.
Just then, soone reported that the carriage was ready outside, asking them to head out imdiately.
Yu Wenye waved the person away, then turned back to Shang Ruyi, "Let’s go."
"Mm."
Shang Ruyi nodded and followed him out.
As they reached the gate, the carriage team had been waiting for so ti. As soon as they arrived, Yu Wenquan also stepped out.
He wore a loose long robe; such attire was evidently too thick for this weather. However, it made him appear more robust and imposing, yet his steps were composed and calm.
Upon seeing him, the two imdiately approached to greet him.
Seeing his son and daughter-in-law, Yu Wenquan’s face showed a hint of complex emotion. He looked them over and then said, "You two today—"
"Father,"
Yu Wenye said, "We know what to do."
Yu Wenquan slightly furrowed his brow, seemingly dissatisfied with his son’s repeated interruptions since last night. However, after a brief pause, he did not express this.
He simply said, "As long as you know what to do."
Then he waved his hand, "Get on the carriage."
He boarded his spacious carriage, and Yu Wenye, supporting Shang Ruyi, got on the one behind. Imdiately, two teams of cavalry joined from both sides to guard the two carriages in the center, while two teams of flag-bearing guards led the way. The large entourage then left Duke Mansion, heading mightily towards Dayan Temple.
The road along the way was smooth, without any hindrance.
anwhile, unlike her past self, who would peek out of the carriage to view the scenery at new locations, Shang Ruyi sat quietly, listening to the monotonous sound of the wheels rolling over the hardened stone path below as if a hand was strumming a misplaced string.
The string in her heart was being continuously tightened.
Finally, when the string was almost fully taut, the carriage stopped, and the scent of sandalwood in the air told them they had reached Dayan Temple.
The sound of flags flapping in the wind seed louder than before.
Like the urge of battle on the field.
Shang Ruyi’s hand, resting on her knee, instinctively clenched, grabbing the fabric tightly, and imdiately, a warm large hand reached over, covering her hand.
Naturally, it was Yu Wenye.
Even the atmosphere and temperature were almost the sa as last night, except this ti, Shang Ruyi turned her head to look at him. She found him gazing at her gently yet firmly and said in a deep voice, "Don’t worry."
"..."
Shang Ruyi remained silent for a mont, then nodded lightly.
Thus, he took her hand and stepped out of the carriage.
As soon as they stood still, although she tried her best to calm down, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but feel a bit startled.
Before her was naturally the mountain gate of Dayan Temple, and in front of the gate, there was a vast square so large that it seed endless. At this mont, it was filled with civil and military officials. Although they wore ordinary clothes, each stood upright and solemn, uniformly lined up, without a single sound of breathing or coughing to be heard.
It wasn’t until Yu Wenquan slowly ca down from the carriage in front.
Upon seeing him, these people imdiately saluted him, "Greetings, Pri Minister!"
So many people shouted in unison, and the sound echoed across the spacious ground, instantly creating a deafening sensation, making Shang Ruyi montarily stunned.
For a long ti, she finally ca back to her senses—
Yes, Yu Wenquan at this mont was already the Grand Chancellor, second only to one, and above thousands.
Speaking of which, she had only heard about him supporting the new emperor and wielding power across the court before, but it existed only in hearsay and imagination. It was only now, truly seeing civil and military officials so respectful before him, almost worshipping, that it felt real.
Yu Wenquan seed to be getting closer and closer to that position, almost just a step away.
She had indeed chosen correctly!
Thinking of this, it was as if a great stone in Shang Ruyi’s heart had finally settled.
But for so reason, imdiately, a deeper uneasiness arose faintly in her heart—
She instinctively glanced around.
The officials here, as well as the families behind them, so were familiar to her, recognized as those who followed from the Eastern Capital, while others were entirely unfamiliar, perhaps those who stayed behind in Daxing Palace, but amidst such a crowd, the most eye-catching were naturally relatively familiar people.
So, she imdiately saw a tall figure in the crowd—
Duke Shenwu, Dong Bizheng.
At this mont, this Commandery Prince was slightly tilting his head, seemingly speaking to soone beside him, and beside him was a tall and slender middle-aged man, with large and deep-set eyes, sunken cheeks, thin lips, hinting at a sowhat unkind appearance.
Who is this person?
Shang Ruyi carefully identified him; it was a completely unfamiliar face. She could almost conclude that he should be soone from Daxing City, so she had never seen him before.
However, since he was an official from Daxing City, how could he be so close to Duke Shenwu, even closer than so of Dong Bizheng’s old friends and relatives in the Eastern Capital?
More importantly—
Behind that person, there seed to be a shadow.
It flashed by and then disappeared.
Even though it was just a fleeting mont, maybe even a trick of her own eyes, in that instant, Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a pang in her heart, as if a thunderclap suddenly exploded above her head, striking directly upon her, instantly shaking her soul, as if sothing grabbed and forcibly extracted it from her body.
At that mont, Shang Ruyi’s face turned as pale as a sheet, her body swaying, almost fainting.
Just then, a hand suddenly reached over and grasped her wrist.
The warm temperature from that palm rushed straight along her wrist into her heart, hitting her almost heart-stopped heart, prompting it to beat again. Shang Ruyi took a sharp breath in, only to feel her soul seemingly returning, her entire body drenched in cold sweat, soaking her clothes.
She tensed her body and let out a long sigh.
Then slowly lifted her head to look at the person beside her.
Yu Wenye was holding her hand, frowning slightly, looking at her with concern, "What’s wrong?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi couldn’t speak.
If she told Yu Wenye that just a mont ago, if he hadn’t grabbed her, her soul might have been taken away, even Yu Wenye would laugh.
But in that instant, she truly felt that way.
Moreover, this feeling wasn’t the first ti.
Nor was it the second ti.
Seeing Shang Ruyi’s face as pale as paper, Yu Wenye’s expression grew more worried. He lowered his head, speaking softly, "Are you unwell?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi didn’t imdiately answer. She composed herself, cald down, then looked up at him, and asked, "Who is the person beside the Commandery Prince?"
Yu Wenye didn’t expect her not to answer him, but instead asked.
Although he was full of doubt, he still raised his head to take a look, then imdiately lowered it, saying softly, "Yu Dingxing."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s breath caught.
She hoarsely said, "That’s—"
Yu Wenye nodded imperceptibly, a cold glint in his eyes, "That’s the Left Brave General who helped my brother take Daxing City without bloodshed and welco my father into the city, Yu Dingxing."
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