Chapter 1167 - 847: Encroaching Closeness
Shang Ruyi instinctively felt she had made a mistake.
Thinking this, she even took a step forward, wanting to see more clearly, subconsciously trying to correct this "illusion"—how could the groom who had just entered the bridal chamber with the bride be here at this moment?
It must be a mistake.
So she took that step.
But as soon as she took that step, she stopped, because that figure also turned back to look at her in an instant, walking towards her, and the shade of the willow could no longer hide those eyes, which were constantly trembling under the shimmering water light. The trembling stopped completely as he approached her and saw her clearly.
Shang Ruyi abruptly suffocated, standing before her was indeed the groom in red!
Crown Prince, Yu Wenqian!
How could he be...
At this moment, more doubts and confusion surged forth but could not capture her mind. Shang Ruyi instinctively took a deep breath to calm herself down—the step she took was already wrong, she couldn’t make any more mistakes when Yu Wenqian had already stepped closer, until he stood before her, looking down at her, his eyes which seemed frozen with frost just moments ago now melted into ice and snow, evoking a gentle smile.
Shang Ruyi also put on a full-faced smile, pretending to be surprised, yet struggled to calm herself, speaking: "Imperial Brother."
"..."
Yu Wenqian’s footsteps seemed to pause for a moment, but the smile on his face remained.
He kept walking until he was directly in front of Shang Ruyi, even close enough that despite the dark night, even though the moonlight reflected on the lake couldn’t illuminate Yu Wenqian’s face, Shang Ruyi could clearly see the eyes brimming with a smile, looking down at her.
This scene seemed somewhat familiar.
And this Crown Prince remained as gentle and kind as always.
This gentleness seemed as if there were no life-and-death struggles between them, those conflicts were merely things stirred up by outsiders like Dong Bizheng, Yu Dingxing, Yu Mingyue.
Only, he said: "Ruyi."
Shang Ruyi’s brow furrowed slightly.
In fact, just a moment ago, she suddenly understood where this familiar feeling in her heart came from—their first formal, private meeting was in the Yuwen Mansion in Luoyang, in a similar night, by the water, facing his gentle and kind smile.
Yet at that time, he clearly called her "Sister-in-law."
Shang Ruyi instinctively felt he might be drunk, but immediately realized that today he hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, even if the newlyweds had entered the bridal chamber and perhaps shared the wedding cup, it couldn’t make him this drunk. Moreover, the two were so close now, Shang Ruyi could almost smell a faint scent emanating from him, distinctly different from the sandalwood that used to envelop him, a peculiar aroma akin to cosmetics—yet there was no hint of alcohol.
He was sober.
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath, then smiled and said: "Sorry to disturb Imperial Brother, I’m here to find Yuanyuan. Is Imperial Brother cooling here, have you seen my maid coming here with your nephew?"
Actually, under normal circumstances, Shang Ruyi would never have blurted out such a cascade of cumbersome words, full of flaws.
Who would be "cooling" here in such weather, such a night?
But she said so, certain that the groom was cooling here, because she really didn’t care to know why the groom, who should be enjoying the intimacy and affection with his bride on their wedding night, was here.
"Yuanyuan,"
Shang Ruyi rattled off a bunch of words, but Yu Wenqian seemed to only hear those two words, the smile in his eyes deepening as he said: "It seems Father has indeed changed a lot over the years."
This sentence surprised Shang Ruyi, she instinctively asked: "Father... changed how?"
Yu Wenqian said: "Do you know the childhood names of the three brothers?"
Each word he said was almost unexpected for Shang Ruyi, but at this point, she couldn’t just turn around and leave. She had to take a deep breath, barely appearing calm and collected, then said: "Feng Chen’s childhood name is Phoenix, Imperial Brother...I only know your courtesy name, as for the third brother’s, I still don’t know."
"He Xin is the name I took after leaving home. As for my childhood name,"
Yu Wenqian said, suddenly letting out a soft chuckle, slowly sauntering past Shang Ruyi, because they were close to begin with, his shoulder lightly brushed against Shang Ruyi’s shoulder, which made Shang Ruyi’s brow furrow again.
She rarely got so close to anyone, except for her uncle and aunt, and Yu Wenye.
And Yu Wenqian, originally a gentleman of poise, furthermore, due to their special relationship, they couldn’t be like ordinary harmonious relatives, but that little distance just now had already surpassed any previous boundaries they should have maintained, indeed, it wasn’t just close.
But "invading" close.
Her heart skipped a beat, but Yu Wenqian seemed unfazed by this improper closeness, leisurely said: "Before I was born, my mother had given me a childhood name, Kunyu."
Kunyu, the jade of Kunshan.
Shang Ruyi silently recited this name in her heart and said in a deep voice, "It’s a good name."
Yu Wenqian had already walked behind her, and at this moment, he turned sideways again and said, "However, after I was born, my father gave me another nickname, Kunyu."
Kunyu...
This name, whether taken apart or combined, is outstanding, no less than Phoenix. Shang Ruyi said softly, "Even better."
"Indeed,"
Yu Wenqian slowly turned around to look at her and continued, "And my third brother’s nickname is Xiaopeng."
"Oh..."
Shang Ruyi slightly raised her eyebrows. This was the first time she fully knew the nicknames of the three brothers. It couldn’t be seen, although Yu Wenquan was born from the military, possessing a powerful presence like a fierce tiger, he had such a delicate side of appreciating the finer things; but upon closer thought, his mind was indeed subtle, otherwise, he couldn’t have maintained his position amid Chu Yang’s suspicions, and further stabilized the situation in the chaotic world where heroes rose up, walking step by step to today.
And the nicknames he gave to his three sons, whether it be Kun, Phoenix, or Peng, held such high hopes.
Yu Wenqian also said, "He hopes we will soar high."
"..."
"And Yuanyuan,"
Speaking of this, he looked up at the sky again, even though at this moment the whole sky seemed to be shrouded by a giant black hand, making it difficult to see anything clearly, he still stared for a long time, then said, "He just hopes Yuanyuan is safe and happy."
"..."
"After all, there’s no need to fly anymore."
Shang Ruyi slightly furrowed her brows but understood what he meant.
Yu Wenquan’s three sons, especially when the first two sons were born, the world was uncertain, his status was unstable, and the entire Yuwen Family was on shaky ground, the nicknames given to these two sons carried expectations of striving to rise. Even when the third son Yu Wencheng was born, his position was already secure, becoming one of Emperor Wen’s most trusted ministers, he still chose such a nickname for his son, perhaps at that time, he had a faint anticipation for the "Daye."
Today, the Daye has been achieved.
And the nickname "Yuanyuan," has nothing to do with ancestral hopes, soaring high, national affairs, or the Daye.
It is because of the love from his grandfather’s generation, and because by this time Yu Wenquan was already above thousands of people, his grandchild no longer needed to soar like Kun, Phoenix, or Peng, being born already among the Nine Heavens.
Saying this way, it does carry the meaning of rising with the wind.
After all, in the early years, it was Yu Wenquan who swept across the battlefield with blood-stained war clothes, later it was Yu Wenye who conquered across the south and north, achieving great military exploits, Yu Wenqian who took Chang An without bloodshed and reclaimed the Dragon Raising Land, even Yu Wencheng, whom Shang Ruyi almost considered useless, had battled fiercely at Bai Bi. And the moment Yuanyuan was born, he had already inherited what they had struggled to gain over decades.
Thinking this way, it’s not just riding the wind, but rather taking advantage of Grandpa and uncle’s efforts.
Shang Ruyi reluctantly smiled and said, "This child is fortunate."
Upon hearing this, Yu Wenqian’s eyes seemed to widen, his gaze flickering as if a stone had shattered the calm lake within his eyes, shining brightly: "Do you believe in fate?"
"Believe, yet not believe."
"How so?"
"For instance, heaven gives a path, whatever struggles or resistances one makes, they must walk it; but how to walk it, is up to oneself."
"Oh..."
Upon hearing this, Yu Wenqian suddenly raised his eyebrow. An expression common in ordinary people, indicating disdain, sarcasm, or even provocation, Shang Ruyi’s acquaintance with him wasn’t long, but after all they frequently met, understanding Yu Wenqian’s former identity as a Cultivator, his face was always gentle and mild, or serene and indifferent, rarely showing such an expression.
And this expression, similar to what was seen at Duke Shenwu’s mourning hall, unfamiliar enough to make one unsettled.
He said, "In the end, you believe in yourself more, right?"
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "I suppose."
By this, her breath was somewhat erratic, not just because of the instinctive sense of "danger," but also because she rationally understood she shouldn’t talk about "fate" here and now, with a groom who was supposed to be in the bridal chamber.
Thus she tried to find an excuse to leave.
But just as she was about to speak, Yu Wenqian suddenly smiled and looked at her saying, "In other words, heaven brought you to marry into the Yuwen Family, and you married; but whom you marry, is what you chose yourself, isn’t it?"