CHAPTER 474: CHAPTER 409: YOU, SHANG RUYI, ABANDONED ME, YU WENQIAN!

"..."

Upon hearing his words, Shang Ruyi suddenly froze.

However, she did not turn around immediately; instead, she was silent for a moment before slowly turning back. In the moonlight, that handsome face seemed even more profound than it did during the day, more elegant and graceful, even his gaze deeper.

What he said was indeed true.

He has now officially returned to the Yuwen Family as the Heir of the Duke, and they will have many opportunities to meet in the future. If every encounter is like today—while it may be bearable for him, for Shang Ruyi, as the daughter-in-law of the Duke Mansion, it would be like living through years in a day.

But she understood more clearly in her heart that even if the reasoning was correct, many things might not be as simple as the logic suggests.

She thought for a moment, turned around, and said calmly, "Then, elder brother, what is it that you want to say?"

Yu Wenqian smiled slightly and walked towards her.

The closer he got, the heavier Shang Ruyi’s breathing became. Even for an ordinary relationship between a senior and a junior, it wasn’t appropriate for them to be too close in such an environment, let alone in their case.

Moreover—

Looking at the leisurely smile in his eyes, Shang Ruyi more keenly realized that their encounter seemed not as simple as her "getting lost."

Since the meal had already been prepared in the dining hall, Yu Wenqian should have gone there, instead of being here watching the moon.

It seemed he was here waiting for her deliberately.

Upon this realization, Shang Ruyi’s eyes suddenly darkened, and she immediately took a step back.

Yu Wenqian also stopped immediately.

There was a perfect two-step distance between them.

Not too close, not too far, they could just see the expressions on each other’s faces, the emotions in their eyes. To see more clearly, to understand better, they would each have to take one more step forward—but both knew neither of them would take that step.

Maintaining this not-too-near, not-too-far distance, Yu Wenqian looked down at Shang Ruyi’s cautious expression and said with a smile, "It seems you are quite aware of your situation and where you should stand."

Shang Ruyi did not respond to his remark.

She merely spoke softly, "I wonder what elder brother wants to say to make our future interactions less awkward, less embarrassing—"

Upon hearing this, the smile in Yu Wenqian’s eyes deepened.

He spoke calmly, "In fact, with your intelligence, you should understand that no matter what we say or do tonight, it cannot change the relationship between you and me."

"..."

"In the eyes of the world, you, Shang Ruyi, abandoned me, Yu Wenqian!"

As he spoke this, perhaps due to the sudden quickening of Shang Ruyi’s heartbeat, the words echoed in her ears as if they were suddenly several times heavier.

Shang Ruyi instinctively raised her head, but still met those calm eyes; in the moonlight, they appeared even more cold and serene. But his lips remained unchanging, as if the heavy, thunderous sound just now was merely her own illusion.

Yu Wenqian continued to smile, "Therefore, we can never be as close as ordinary relatives, and in the future, no matter whom I, Yu Wenqian, marry, as long as she surpasses you even slightly, it would be a disaster for you, Shang Ruyi. And should Feng Chen encounter any difficulty, it would become an excuse for the world to criticize you."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi’s breath hitched, her eyes instantly dimmed.

She hadn’t anticipated that Yu Wenqian was so perceptive, able even to see through people’s hearts.

When she chose one and abandoned another, the merits and faults, strengths and weaknesses of these two men were no longer their own issues but rather reflected her wisdom or foolishness, success or failure as Shang Ruyi.

Previously, when Yu Wenqian was still traveling abroad, this situation wasn’t as apparent. But now, with Yu Wenquan’s dominance at court, standing just a step away from the highest position, these two men are nearly at the pinnacle in the eyes of the world. Everyone watches them, and through them, sees her.

She, Shang Ruyi, was destined to become the standard by which everyone judged these two men.

Thinking of this, the warmth left in her body from the earlier entanglement was thoroughly carried away by the cold night, and Shang Ruyi only felt a chill rise from her heart, causing her to shiver suddenly.

She was silent for a while, then spoke softly, "Since so, why did elder brother keep me here? What else is there to say?"

Yu Wenqian smiled, "But all opinions are matters of outsiders."

"..."

"I have no hostility towards you."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi’s eyes flickered; she instinctively looked up at him.

Yu Wenqian smiled faintly again, turned and walked back to the pond’s edge. The night breeze gently blew, so light it couldn’t even lift his leisurely robe, yet it stirred faint ripples on the water and caused the moonlight to flicker continuously. Reflected in those green-gray eyes, it seemed to hold countless emotions, shimmering unsteadily.

Shang Ruyi said, "You mean—"

Yu Wenqian said, "I mean, I have no hostility towards you."

"..."

"Not only do I harbor no hostility, but I also don’t want any estrangement to arise between us due to unresolved matters."

"..."

Shang Ruyi silently looked at him, her eyes filled with exploration, and a trace of disbelief.

Is this man a Buddha?

Honestly speaking, even if the situation were reversed, and she had been rejected by him before marriage, even if they had never met and there were no emotions involved, dissatisfaction and resentment would still arise. And even though men and women are different, and a man rejected in marriage might not suffer as much ridicule from others, potentially affecting future marriages, how could there be no trace of malice in a human heart?

Such a state, wouldn’t it be that of a Buddha?

Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi suddenly recalled the verse Master Xinzeng gave him when he left Dayan Temple during the day: ’Few become Buddhas, many chant Buddha, over time they become demons.’

What exactly is he—

Yu Wenqian slowly turned his head, meeting Shang Ruyi’s probing and puzzled gaze, and smiled slightly, saying, "You don’t trust me?"

Shang Ruyi was silent for a while and said, "Are these the things elder brother wanted to tell me tonight?"

"..."

"From now on, regardless of how outsiders view us, there should be no more estrangement, nor should we harbor grudges or hostility because of past events, right?"

Yu Wenqian smiled and said, "Indeed, those are the words I want to tell you."

"..."

"But these are just the beginning."

"Oh?"

Shang Ruyi raised an eyebrow slightly, her eyes flickering.

Indeed, she understood in her heart that Yu Wenqian suddenly waiting for her here tonight couldn’t just be to say such an open statement — ’I have no hostility towards you.’

But if this is just the beginning, what will he say next?

Shang Ruyi said, "So, what will elder brother say next, Ruyi is all ears."

Yu Wenqian, with his hands behind his back, slowly walked towards her again, stopping two steps away. By now, the sky had grown darker, yet his grayish transparent eyes, under the cold moonlight, appeared unusually grave, as if they had absorbed some of the deep night. He said, "Sister-in-law must have heard, Xue Xian is leading three hundred thousand troops eastward, aiming at Daxing City, and now, is about to take Fufeng."

"...?"

Shang Ruyi was stunned for a moment.

She thought Yu Wenqian would continue discussing matters between him and her, or between him and Yu Wenye, but he unexpectedly turned to Xue Xian.

Why bring up Xue Xian at this time?

While Shang Ruyi was a bit surprised, Yu Wenqian continued, "Fufeng is only a hundred or so miles from Daxing City. If he truly takes Fufeng, then Daxing City will have no barrier before him. Thus, we must send troops to confront Xue Xian."

Shang Ruyi said, "Then, what of it?"

Yu Wenqian looked at her, smiling, and said word by word, "I hope sister-in-law can find a way to persuade Feng Chen to give up this campaign against Fufeng."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi’s pupils shook abruptly.

He wants her to persuade Yu Wenye?

This—

In ordinary times, upon hearing such a notion, Shang Ruyi might just laugh; but at this moment, facing him, upon hearing this almost outlandishly fantastical statement, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

He actually wants her to persuade Yu Wenye not to go to war?!

Everyone knows that this time Xue Xian’s aim at Daxing City presents the greatest crisis for the newly established court, and after he took Daxing City effortlessly, it would be the greatest military accomplishment, whoever achieves it will stand out among others.

Even being a woman, Shang Ruyi understands that such a military merit cannot be handed over to others.

So, just now, Yu Wenye bluntly told her in the room, he wanted to go.

And Yu Wenqian, actually—

Shang Ruyi held back and held back, but finally couldn’t suppress a light sigh.

Yu Wenqian raised his eyes, those clear bright eyes fixed on her, seemingly trying to discern how much laughter that light sigh contained, but Shang Ruyi immediately straightened her expression, calmly saying, "Elder brother spoke, of course Ruyi cannot disobey. But this matter is of great importance, and it truly concerns national military affairs, which Ruyi fears she cannot easily intervene in."

"..."

"Moreover,"

She said, her eyes flickering, looking at Yu Wenqian: "How does elder brother even know, Feng Chen certainly wants to lead the troops to war?"

Yu Wenqian smiled and said, "I just know."

"..."

Shang Ruyi’s heart sank again.

Yu Wenqian smiled again and said, "Actually, sister-in-law, you need not underestimate yourself. I have heard before that when the second brother was attacking the Xingluo Granary, you were already involved in the entire battle and did a lot for him. You two working together made me, as the elder brother, both gratified and envious."

"..."

"That is why I came to you."

"..."

"This time, responding to Xue Xian will not only be a tough battle, but also — an unprecedentedly fierce battle. I do not want my own brother to be caught in danger."

"..."

Shang Ruyi said nothing, just quietly looked at him, her clear and bright eyes suddenly contracting at this moment, as if stunned by something.

Yu Wenqian also looked at her quietly.

For a while, Shang Ruyi suddenly said, "How does elder brother know this will be, an unprecedentedly fierce battle?"