Chapter 1236 - 912: I Would Have Assumed You Were Never Coming Back
After this person left, Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi remained seated in the private room, calmly drinking wine and eating food. The waiter outside cautiously circled around twice but didn’t dare to approach and ask anything, while the boss and others downstairs became even quieter.
However, Shang Ruyi could still hear the sound of carriages and horses coming from the slightly ajar window.
After the person ran away, those guards were dejected for a while, but they knew they had to face the consequences. So, the group, still shaken, drove the empty carriage back to the palace to confess their guilt.
They also took the dazed and pale Su Qinglan with them.
Although she had just warned these people in the midst of danger, considering she witnessed everything, she was involved and needed to enter the palace to explain to the Emperor.
When Shang Ruyi got up and walked to the window, she happened to see Su Qinglan calmly nodding and leaving with the guards.
It wasn’t until the carriage disappeared into the distance that Shang Ruyi pushed the window open a little more.
Compared to the earlier chaos, the noise on the street was gradually subsiding, though it wasn’t completely quiet. She looked down and saw some people still standing by the street, gathering in small groups, discussing the recent events in fear.
The bodies on the ground had apparently been dealt with by those people earlier, but there was still blood everywhere, the glaring red reminding everyone of the recent events.
Before long, someone came over with buckets to wash the ground.
Watching as the water on the long street stirred up waves of blood, the scent of blood was somewhat pungent even in the cold air. Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but furrow her brows, turning her head slightly, only to see Yu Wenye also getting up to stand beside her, looking down with a heavy expression.
The two of them had been silent till now.
But this silence carried a hint of complex emotions. Shang Ruyi pondered for a while and finally said, "When I told the Crown Princess Consort those things, it was just to make her continue acting as before. The more she causes chaos, the more the Crown Prince’s plans will become disrupted."
"..."
"However, I never expected that she actually dared——"
After all, previously to erase the merits of the Lou Family father and daughter, she merely asked Yu Dingxing to investigate the people from Jiang Xian’s village and used a bitter trick in front of Yu Wenquan. Even knowing she had ulterior motives, it couldn’t be explicitly stated.
But laying a hand on Pei Xingyuan is not something that can be compared to a bitter trick.
If it’s investigated, severe punishment will follow!
She knew Yu Mingyue was bold and reckless, but she hadn’t expected her to be so daring, risking both life and family all for favor and power?
Upon hearing her words, Yu Wenye’s brows furrowed slightly.
His gaze slowly moved from the blood on the street that was being washed away to Shang Ruyi’s somewhat pale cheek. He reached out, placing his hand on her icy hand resting on the window frame, gripping it tightly, and said solemnly, "This matter reeks of something strange. I hadn’t expected that someone would actually lay hands directly on Pei Xingyuan."
"..."
"Even if they really intended to kill, it was too crude."
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s brows also knit together.
She suddenly remembered that from the very beginning, this matter was Yu Wenqian’s retaliation against them after the battle of Longmen Crossing, consolidating power and causing harm in a single blow. But with Su Qinglan’s release, the case couldn’t be investigated further. Could it be that he would, out of spite or fearing Pei Xingyuan being saved by them, directly resorted to murder to silence him?
However, as Yu Wenye said—it was too crude.
So she said softly, "Could it be the Crown Prince..."
Yu Wenye looked at her but didn’t say anything.
In truth, without concrete evidence, saying anything was pointless. Besides, there was too much oddity enveloping this matter. Even though the result might not be bad, they truly needed to provide a reasonable explanation for the process; otherwise—
Yu Wenye was silent for a while, then looked back at the food and wine on the table, and said, "Before returning to the palace, let’s eat a bit more and fill our stomachs."
"..."
"Later, we’ll all have to handle things properly."
Shang Ruyi said, "Okay."
The two of them unhurriedly returned to the table, sitting down to continue eating and drinking. Meanwhile, the city gates had been closed, and soon several teams of Imperial Guards appeared within the city, searching through the various markets, causing a state of fear and anxiety throughout Chang An.
After finishing their meal, Yu Wenye took Shang Ruyi back to the palace.
Just as they entered Suzhang Gate, they saw Eunuch Yu leading a group of little eunuchs hurrying over, each with a serious expression, some of them full of panic, clearly still recovering from a scolding.
Eunuch Yu approached them, gave a simple bow, and said, "Prince Qin, Princess, you’ve finally returned. The Emperor requests your presence."
Yu Wenye calmly replied, "Lead the way."
Eunuch Yu didn’t speak much, turning to lead them inside, but not towards Liangyi Hall, instead to Xuanzheng Hall. Just as they reached the door, they heard a loud "boom" from inside, as if something heavy had crashed to the ground, shaking the entire hall.
Eunuch Yu’s hand froze on the door, and he quickly stood still. After a moment, hearing no other sounds from inside, he cautiously said, "Your Majesty."
Inside, there were a few breathy sounds like a tiger’s growl.
After a while, the breathing calmed down, and they heard Yu Wenquan’s low voice say, "Come in!"
Eunuch Yu quickly opened the door, leading Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi inside. They saw Yu Wenquan sitting at the front of Xuanzheng Hall, and on one side of the vast hall stood Chief Yan Shaoxuan, with an Assistant Minister and a Chief behind him. Su Qinglan knelt on the other side, all of them with heads bowed and hands down, not even daring to make a sound.
On the floor lay a fallen bronze incense burner, with ashes scattered everywhere.
The two of them walked over, immediately stepping onto the incense ash, leaving footprints one after another as they walked to the center of the hall. Yu Wenye led Shang Ruyi in kneeling, saying, "Your son greets Father Emperor."
Yu Wenquan sat slightly turned on the seat above, not even looking at them, but one hand gripped the imperial desk tightly, the joints crackling audibly.
He spoke, but not to them, instead addressing the others, "Leave us."
Yan Shaoxuan and the others dared not delay, hurriedly retreating, Su Qinglan slowly got up as well, her face pale, eyes red, glanced briefly at Shang Ruyi, then followed them out of Xuanzheng Hall, Eunuch Yu being the last to leave, closing the door behind him.
Suddenly, it was just the three of them in the hall, so empty that the sound of breathing was amplified, nearly deafening.
Shang Ruyi instinctively held her breath.
Then, they heard Yu Wenquan coldly say, "You finally returned."
"..."
"If you hadn’t returned, I would have thought you left as well and wouldn’t come back."