Chapter 200: Chapter 197: Go Back and Change Your Shoes
Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment and softly said, "Before Miss Lei left Luoyang, she once told me that the possession of the Xingluo Granary is crucial. If you can reclaim the Xingluo Granary, only then does the court have a chance to persist in the Eastern Capital."
"..."
"But—"
At this point, she stopped herself, the conflicting emotions in her eyes almost spreading into the air, even the gently falling snowflakes were blown to pieces by the wind, scattering like dust between their gazes.
Yu Wenye’s cold gaze fixed on her, "So, you hope I—"
"But,"
Shang Ruyi looked up at him again and softly said, "If you lose, there will also be people who won’t spare you."
Yu Wenye’s eye twitched slightly, and his gaze immediately calmed down again.
In fact, even now, he hadn’t asked her clearly about who she met and what happened when she was summoned into the palace by Empress Jiang yesterday. Why did she cry as soon as she saw him at Xuanren Gate? Although later, she gave him that brocade box containing the prescription, now in retrospect, who she met in Ziwei Palace yesterday was definitely more than just Princess Xinyue, and it was not merely a matter of a romantic encounter between a man and a woman.
At this moment, their gazes met, as if there were a thousand words exchanged in an instant.
Yet the entire long street was so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard howling past. Even among a group of several hundred people, there was not a single cough or breath, eerily silent.
After an unknown duration of silence, Yu Wenye suddenly asked, "And you?"
Shang Ruyi said, "Me?"
Yu Wenye looked into her eyes without blinking and said, "Do you want me to win or lose?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi looked up at him, more snowflakes fell on her face, even some bits of snow got into her eyes. That piercing cold was like his gaze at this moment, coldly forcing her.
Shang Ruyi’s breath caught, and she couldn’t speak for a moment.
Yu Wenye’s brow slowly furrowed, a crease forming between his brows.
He said, "Is it that difficult to answer?"
"..."
"Or is it that in your heart, you can’t even distinguish what you truly want? That without calculating, you don’t know what you really desire?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi bit her lower lip and softly said, "I hope you come back safely."
"...!"
Yu Wenye was taken aback.
At the same time, the slender hands clasped over the back of his hand released their grip. Shang Ruyi slowly stepped back, her small face, already reddened by the wind, now clearly showed a blush that gradually overtook her original complexion.
But just as she took a step back, those now-released hands were grabbed again.
Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat. When she looked up, it was Yu Wenye, half bending down, who had clasped her hands with a slight force, his once stern gaze now carrying a bit of warmth and even some heat, staring intently into her eyes.
He asked, "Is this true?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi, held by him, couldn’t break free, and this question felt more like an interrogation.
He leaned in closer, almost about to fall off the horse, and Shang Ruyi dared not retreat further, nor dared to pull her hands back, so she had to reluctantly stand in front of him, allowing him to bend down and look straight into her eyes, ardently asking, "Is this what you want?"
"..."
Although the cold wind pierced through the long street like arrows, cutting across everyone’s face like a knife, at this moment, Shang Ruyi’s face felt more like it was being scorched by fire.
Not only was her face burning, her ears were hot, and her hands, tightly held in his rough hands, felt like they were being roasted by embers.
Her whole body was being warmed up to a feverish heat by this warmth.
She did not dare to look up at him, only gently nodded, with a voice so low it was almost inaudible, she said, "Mm."
Just with that sound, the ice on Yu Wenye’s face seemed to slowly melt away, but before anyone could see clearly the expression beneath his previously cold exterior, he had already straightened up and released Shang Ruyi’s hands.
Shang Ruyi, as if granted amnesty, retreated several steps.
She wanted to look up at Yu Wenye again, but he sat high on the horse, looking down at her. His backlit stance made it impossible to see his facial expression, and she only heard him coldly say, "You should go back now."
Shang Ruyi’s heart suddenly felt empty.
"Oh..."
Just as she silently stepped back, she heard Yu Wenye say again, "Go back and change your shoes."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat, and when she looked up at him again, she saw that Yu Wenye had already turned his head forward, waving his hand, he commanded, "Move out!"