Chapter 1232 - 908: Unexpected
Yu Wenye asked, "What’s wrong?"
Shang Ruyi glanced once more at the figure that had just flashed past behind that window, then walked back and sat down opposite him. She picked up the tea Yu Wenye had poured for her and took a sip. "I think...I just saw someone I know."
"Oh..."
Yu Wenye’s brows lifted slightly, and a glint flickered through his eyes.
The two of them said nothing more. They simply sat facing each other in quiet, finishing a cup of tea as time slowly slipped by. A slanting ray of sunlight spilled into the room, like a thin veil laid over the table between them.
Yu Wenye said, "It should be about time—they’ll be here soon."
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi rose and walked to the window to look out. She immediately said, "They’re coming!"
Yu Wenye also stood up and came to her side, pushing open a bit further the other half-closed window. Looking down, he saw at the far end of the long street a light mist hanging in the air, chill and desolate. A carriage was slowly making its way over, swaying along like a big fat man, weak and clumsy.
Only, this "big fat man" was ringed by guards, so that clumsiness carried an added hint of danger.
By now it was already late in the day. But because yesterday had been the Lantern Festival, many people had played through the night and only slowly dispersed at dawn, so at this hour there were not many people on the street. That made the carriage escorted by armed guards all the more conspicuous. Passersby, seeing this, all hastily stepped aside to either side, yet kept their eyes fixed on the carriage, wondering what important person might be sitting inside.
At this moment, that "important person" was leaning by the window, his head bumping constantly against the window frame as the carriage rocked forward.
Though after being locked up so long, anyone stepping out would want to look around outside, ever since getting into the carriage, Pei Xingyuan had not lifted the curtain to look out even once. Yet even with nothing to see, he still felt that after the carriage left the alley outside the Ministry of Justice Prison, it had turned two corners, then entered the main avenue; there were not many travelers or carriages on the road, and the ride was fairly smooth.
He only leaned against the window, listening to the low murmurs of occasional passersby outside, and to the quickened clatter of hooves and rumble of wheels as other carriages went by.
The carriage passed one shop after another, lined up like scales, then one richly painted gate and embroidered household after another. It was just about to roll beneath the restaurant where Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi were, when the waiter—who, having just delivered wine and dishes and finding no more customers needing service, had been dozing lazily against the stone pier by the door—saw the carriage surrounded by guards approaching. Curious, he craned his neck to watch the spectacle.
As the carriage drew closer and closer, Shang Ruyi’s breathing unconsciously grew heavier.
She glanced across the street again. The window that had been only half-closed just now was now pushed open, revealing a familiar slender figure. Though the broad Vermilion Bird Avenue made it hard to make out the features of the person opposite, Shang Ruyi could read her inner urgency from the way she pushed open the window. No doubt at this moment that clear, delicate face was filled with concern and anxiety.
Yu Wenye said, "Doctor Su—she did come after all."
Shang Ruyi let out a sigh. "She’s always felt deeply guilty, believing that she’s the one who dragged Pei Xingyuan down."
Yu Wenye considered this and said, "It’s not wrong to say so. If not for her, Pei Xingyuan would never have known Liang Youying, never gotten entangled with the people of Wanggang Village, and would certainly not have been so plotted against."
Shang Ruyi said, "Don’t talk about her like that. She...was deceived too."
Yu Wenye said, "Precisely because she too was deceived, I swallowed the grievance done to my son to save her. Otherwise, she’d hardly have the chance today to come running out here to watch this ’spectacle’."
Shang Ruyi sighed. She knew Yu Wenye bore no malice toward Su Qinglan; saving her before had even been his idea. But in the end, everything had been set in motion by Su Qinglan. Now, seeing the carriage transporting Pei Xingyuan gradually draw near, her once-calm mood was slowly overtaken by unease.
She gave a bitter smile. "She isn’t here to watch a spectacle."
Yu Wenye snorted lightly through his nose and said nothing.
On the long street, the carriage gradually picked up speed. This section of Vermilion Bird Avenue was one of the livelier stretches, lined on both sides with restaurants and song-and-dance houses. Many who had roamed in revelry through the night were only now heading home, so there were more pedestrians and carriages here than on other parts of the road.
As the carriage came ever closer, Su Qinglan in the restaurant opposite could no longer sit still. Shang Ruyi saw her figure flash once by the window and then vanish. After a moment, she saw her hurry out of the restaurant across the way and stop at the roadside, craning her neck anxiously in expectation.
Shang Ruyi said, "She...wants to see Pei Xingyuan here?"
Yu Wenye’s brows furrowed slightly. He shook his head lightly. "This is sheer nonsense."
As the two spoke, the carriage had already reached the entrance of the restaurant opposite. Su Qinglan hurried forward a few steps into the street. As soon as she drew near, one of the guards marching at the front of the carriage barked, "Who goes there!?"
Su Qinglan said, "I...I am Imperial Doctor Su Qinglan. May I ask, is it Lord Pei who is being transported in this carriage?"
The guard’s brows knit at once. "It has nothing to do with you. Step aside, now."
As he spoke, he had already come up to her, reaching out to shove Su Qinglan aside. She staggered back to the edge of the street and could only call out softly, "Lord Pei, Mr. Pei?"
At once, the curtain of the carriage window was lifted a corner.
Pei Xingyuan revealed half his face and a pair of eyes opened wide and round. Seeing Su Qinglan, he froze for a moment, then the corners of his eyes curved, and he smiled. "Su Qinglan, what are you doing here?"
The guard walking along the side of the carriage immediately snapped, "No talking!"
Turning, he glowered at Su Qinglan. "We are escorting a major criminal. If you keep prattling here, we’ll haul you in as well."
Pei Xingyuan chuckled twice and gave a small wave toward Su Qinglan at the roadside. "Hear that? Best go back quickly."
Seeing him all smiles, with not the slightest hint of blame, and that he was about to lower the curtain after speaking, Su Qinglan bit her lower lip and hurried two steps closer, saying softly toward the carriage window, "Mr. Pei, I’m sorry."
"..."
Pei Xingyuan’s hand stiffened.
The smile on his face froze as well, but after a brief silence he once more curved his eyes and said with an easy smile, "Go back now."
With that, he moved to lower the curtain.
But just as the curtain had barely come down and had yet to fully cover the window, suddenly a flash of cold light shot fiercely from the air. With a sharp "whoosh," it flew straight toward Pei Xingyuan inside the window!
Standing high above, witnessing this, Shang Ruyi’s eyes flew wide at the sight of that cold gleam!
"Watch out!"