Finally, she heard the words she had been waiting for. Shang Ruyi still struggled to calm the violent beating of her heart and kept a composed face, although at this mont, she could almost hear the thunderous beating of her heart and the rushing sound of blood in her veins.
She said, "Princess, do you not believe?"
Chu Ruoyan lifted her chin, her defiance tinged with stubbornness, "I do not believe."
Shang Ruyi replied, "If a disaster does indeed descend, what should the Princess do?"
"..."
Chu Ruoyan was at a loss for words.
She had originally wanted to end the topic in a domineering manner, completely unprepared for Shang Ruyi’s words that were gentle yet firm, guiding her here with such precision, leaving her montarily without a response. And just as she was at a loss, Shang Ruyi continued, "If a disaster truly cos, then the prophecy of the cot appearance and the arising misfortune is not false."
"..."
"Then, the solution that my uncle braved death to present is not deceiving the emperor but sincerely considered for His Majesty."
"..."
"In that case, Your Majesty need not kill him, right?"
When she spoke these words, she completely disregarded the decorum of ruler and subject, directly eting Chu Chengfei’s eyes. The young emperor, who already lacked enough authority and courage, was now intimidated by Shang Ruyi’s pressing attitude, and couldn’t help but feel a flash of fear, subconsciously uttering an "uh."
Shang Ruyi imdiately said, "Good!"
And before the person opposite could react, she continued, "If there’s no need to kill him, then there’s no need for a pardon, so His Majesty doesn’t need to dispel the court’s ill-on by granting a wedding, right?"
Chu Ruoyan’s brows furrowed tighter the more she listened.
After a mont, she finally figured out the train of thought, and imdiately laughed coldly, looking at Shang Ruyi, "Interesting, do you hope to place all your hopes on the occurrence of a disaster?"
"..."
"Just for yourself, you’d actually hope for a disaster to occur?"
This accusation caused Shang Ruyi’s breath to catch, and Chu Chengfei imdiately furrowed his brows, glaring at her angrily.
Shang Ruyi calmly considered and shook her head, "I dare not hope for such things."
"..."
"My hope is for the world to have no more conflicts, and for the people to have no more suffering. Therefore, I will not ignore the presence of disaster but will face the possibility of disaster. If it cannot be prevented, efforts must be made to guide and resolve it."
"..."
"I firmly believe that in this court, no one wishes to harm His Majesty, they all have the country’s future at heart."
"..."
"But if His Majesty and the Princess disregard it solely for a wedding, it will surely chill the hearts of the court officials."
Chu Ruoyan tightened her brows.
She originally intended to accuse Shang Ruyi, making it much easier to force her to comply; however, unexpectedly, Shang Ruyi spoke with such bravery and eloquence about no more conflicts and suffering in the world, leaving her with no room to argue.
At this mont, Chu Ruoyan no longer had the leisure to continue tangling with her.
Thus, the Eldest Princess took a deep breath, her gaze steadily fixed on Shang Ruyi, said, "Alright, Madam Shang. This Princess doesn’t know where you get your confidence from, but since you wish to place your hopes on a disaster to absolve your uncle’s sin — such a malicious thought, this Princess will not let you succeed."
"..."
"Then let us make a wager!"
"..."
"The cot appearance and arising disaster, this prophecy is utterly unreliable!"
Shang Ruyi’s eyes reddened as she stared at her, smiling faintly, "If a disaster indeed occurs, what should His Majesty and the Princess do?"
Chu Ruoyan replied, "Then, pardon your uncle!"
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s eyes brightened further, but she did not agree imdiately. Instead, she pondered for a mont, then solemnly said, "No, not a pardon!"
Chu Ruoyan was stunned.
Chu Chengfei was also dumbfounded — had not Shang Ruyi been fighting all this ti for her uncle’s life?
Why, then, reject even a pardon?
While the two were left gaping, they saw Shang Ruyi calmly say, "A pardon implies the person was guilty, but His Majesty rcifully grants them clency; yet if a disaster truly occurs, the solution my uncle presented at the risk of his life was purely for the sake of His Majesty’s country. That is not a cri, but a rit."
"..."
"So, at that ti, I request His Majesty, before all the civil and military officials, to declare my uncle innocent—"
She originally intended to add that "the solution he offered was also correct," but at that mont, she swallowed those words after a brief consideration, while Chu Chengfei was already bewildered by the twists and turns, blankly looking towards his fully trusted sister.
Chu Ruoyan, frowning like the tips of spring willow, pondered for a mont before finally nodding gently to him.
Chu Chengfei said, "Very well!"
"However,"
Chu Ruoyan imdiately added, "Natural disasters and human calamities are inevitable. We must set a ti limit; we can’t attribute disasters occurring decades later to this astrological phenonon."
Shang Ruyi smiled faintly, "Of course."
"..."
"I heard the old ministers in the court talk about the cot that appeared back then. It took two days to find a way to resolve it, but it was never used. Two days later, Emperor Wen passed away. In total, it was just four days. And now we——"
Chu Ruoyan said coldly, "It’s already the third day."
"..."
"Which ans, if there’s no calamity by tomorrow, Madam Shang——"
"I concede."
"Then, this docunt in your hand——"
Shang Ruyi slightly furrowed her brows, looked down at the still-unwritten marriage decree. Although her fingertips trembled slightly, she instinctively tightened her grip on the docunt, as if this action gave her a bit of strength.
Victory is sought amidst danger.
Moreover, what they sought was not an ordinary victory, not even a grand triumph like defeating Xue Xian’s army in Fufeng County, but a true result that might decide the fate of the kingdom.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi steadied her mind and looked up at His Majesty the Emperor, who was still sowhat dazed, and the Eldest Princess, who seed to have wagered everything, looking like a mad gambler. She said solemnly, "If I lose, tomorrow at court, Your Majesty can have the decree read."
"Alright, it’s a deal!"
"It’s a deal!"
As she finished speaking, Shang Ruyi felt as if a muffled thunder rolled through the thick clouds above her head. But when she looked at those before her, it seed no one else heard the soul-shaking rumble. Not until she left Liangyi Hall, exited the Imperial Palace, and walked outside Hanguang Gate did she barely regain her senses from that rumbling.
But as she looked up, her mind buzzed again.
The carriage that brought her was still parked outside Hanguang Gate.
Outside the carriage, a familiar, tall and upright figure leaned against the carriage. The wind blew across his drooping eyelashes, but his expression was as cold as a thousand-year-old ice standing in the wind, with no trace of tremor or even a ripple of emotion.
Until he looked up, eting the slowly approaching Shang Ruyi, and those cold and calm eyes were finally stirred by a ripple in the wind.
Shang Ruyi was sowhat surprised, "You’re still here?"
"..."
Yu Wenye did not speak imdiately, just looked down at her slightly pale face, which had not yet returned to normal, and after a while, he said, "Let’s go."
After speaking, he turned and opened the carriage door.
"...?"
Shang Ruyi was taken aback, thinking that since Yu Wenye had been waiting there, he would definitely ask her, even if it was just one sentence.
But unexpectedly, he didn’t say a single word.
Shang Ruyi didn’t say much either, just glanced at him, then obediently followed him into the carriage. Soon, the carriage carrying the two silent people returned to Yuwen Mansion.
By that ti, it was already late.
But back at the mansion, before the two had ti to return to their rooms, Xue Daotong, who had been waiting for them, ca forward, saying that Duke Sheng was waiting for them in the study to discuss matters. Shang Ruyi knew they had to face this hurdle, so she followed the stern-faced Yu Wenye inside.
Upon entering the study, they saw Yu Wenquan sitting upright, and seeing his grim expression, they knew he must have already learned about their visit to the Ministry of Justice prison and their audience with the Emperor.
Shang Ruyi stepped forward quickly to pay her respects, "Father."
Yu Wenquan did not speak imdiately, just frowned deeply at her. At that mont, his sunken eyes were hidden under his high brow, making it difficult to read his gaze, only feeling an intimidating aura pervading around him.
Shang Ruyi instinctively felt her heart beat faster.
After a while, she heard him say, "Today, you had an audience with the Emperor."
Shang Ruyi hurriedly replied, "Yes, it was the eunuch from the palace who summoned ."
Yu Wenquan looked at her quietly for a mont. Shang Ruyi thought he would ask more, but after a long ti, she only heard him let out a heavy sigh.
Then, he turned to look at Yu Wenye, who hadn’t spoken a word on the way back.
Yu Wenquan said, "And you, have you made your decision?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi’s heart beat even more violently, and she carefully looked at him.
After an unknown silence, Yu Wenye finally slowly lifted his head. Those cold eyes remained calm without a trace of fluctuation, and he said solemnly, "Not yet."
"...?!"
"...?!"
Not only Shang Ruyi, but Yu Wenquan also showed a surprised expression. Both of them widened their eyes at him, and after a while, Yu Wenquan slowly said in a deep voice, "You haven’t made your decision yet?"
"..."
"How are you so indecisive?"
Although Shang Ruyi guessed that Yu Wenquan, being the Grand Chancellor, would surely have his spies in the palace and know everything she did and said before she even returned ho, she was still sowhat surprised.
More surprising was Yu Wenye’s "indecision."
Yet he showed no sha, instead, his expression beca even calr and sterner.
He said, "Perhaps because I am never the good son of Duke Sheng——"
Yu Wenquan frowned, but before he could speak, Yu Wenye added lightly, "However, there is already the best daughter-in-law in the Duke Mansion."
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