CHAPTER 469: CHAPTER 406: DO YOU REGRET IT?

Shang Ruyi shook her head, looking at him: "What are you thinking?"

Seeing her not answering but asking back, Yu Wenye merely smiled faintly and then said, "Guess what I’m thinking."

"..."

Shang Ruyi tilted her head and looked at him for a while, then said, "A person like you certainly wouldn’t be thinking about me at a time like this..."

A hint of a smile appeared in Yu Wenye’s eyes.

But his expression remained stern, only watching Shang Ruyi, who seriously pondered and then said, "What would make you so focused at a time like this must be a major issue at hand — either internal troubles or external threats."

Yu Wenye slightly raised an eyebrow: "Then tell me, what are the internal troubles and external threats at hand?"

"Internal troubles—"

Shang Ruyi blinked and said, "Father’s biggest internal trouble right now must be those in Daxing City who refuse to submit to him, and the means by which these people can attack Father is nothing more than my presence in Jiangdu Palace—"

At this point, her throat involuntarily tightened again.

The light in Yu Wenye’s eyes also darkened.

But Shang Ruyi quickly calmed herself down, cleared her throat with a light cough, and then said, "But this matter has been resolved today, so for now, in front of Father, before us, there are no significant internal troubles. Then there are the external threats."

Saying this, she became a bit more serious, even lowered her head, and began to count on her fingers, speaking softly: "The matter of Wanggang Village is temporarily settled, Xiao Yuansui even if he wants to retaliate, cannot spare the effort; Regarding Luoyang, since Liang Shide did not bother us on the road, his attitude towards Daxing City is still open to discussion; As for Wang Shaoji, him leaving Jiangdu to head north is not an easy matter, especially today’s news will quickly spread throughout the land, revealing him as the true regicide! And then there is..."

Yu Wenye originally maintained a stern expression, but for some reason, hearing her mumbling like this, he instead revealed a slight smile.

He said, "You’ve calculated so much, have you figured it out?"

Shang Ruyi suddenly pressed her fingers together, resulting in a crisp crack from her knuckles. She turned her head to look at Yu Wenye, and said in a deep voice: "Xue Xian?!"

"..."

"Previously, when I was at Jiangdu Palace, I heard that he had raised troops in rebellion and even defeated General Huangfu Ding, occupying the land of Longxi."

"..."

"Occupying Longxi, it’s not far from the Central Pass."

"..."

"If it were someone else occupying Longxi, perhaps they would rest contented there, but Xue Xian is ambitious and adept in commanding troops, surely he wouldn’t be satisfied with just being a regional power in Longxi, he’d definitely want to advance eastward, right?"

"...!"

Yu Wenye looked at her without speaking, but a glint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

After a brief silence, he nodded lightly, glanced at Shang Ruyi again, and with a hint of a smile said, "Nowadays, the whole world seems to be within your calculation."

Hearing that, Shang Ruyi knew he was teasing her, so she only glared at him and didn’t respond.

She thought for a while, then looked at Yu Wenye again, and said softly, "But, why are you still thinking about Xue Xian at this time?"

"..."

Yu Wenye met her sparkling gaze and understood what she meant.

No matter how big the internal troubles and external threats, today, right now, the only thing truly unsettling them both is one matter—it’s Yu Wenqian.

And those words that seem to hover incessantly in the air over the Duke Mansion.

"The Princely Heir Returns!"

At this moment, why didn’t Yu Wenye think about him but instead thought of that distant Xue Xian?

Seeing Shang Ruyi’s puzzled expression, Yu Wenye sighed softly, then said, "I indeed thought about this just now—but it wasn’t without reason, an urgent military report arrived while you were bathing."

"Urgent military report?"

These four words startled Shang Ruyi, and she hurriedly asked, "What military report?"

Yu Wenye said seriously, "Xue Xian is leading an army of 300,000 eastward, nearly reaching Fufeng."

"What?!"

Fufeng County is less than a hundred miles from Daxing City; if Xue Xian takes Fufeng, then Daxing City is right before him!

Shang Ruyi never dreamed that today she had just removed a knife that had been hanging over her head for a long time, only to be confronted with Yu Wenqian’s return; and after she just went for a bath, it seemed as though the sky had changed when she returned.

Xue Xian really intends to point his army at Daxing!

Then they—

Thinking of this, the chaos in her mind suddenly quieted, as if the dust swirling in the air by a fierce wind suddenly stopped when the wind ceased, all the dust instantly settling in the air and then falling wearily.

Clarity came over her heart, and she immediately looked up at Yu Wenye.

"Do you want to lead troops into battle?"

"Hmm,"

Yu Wenye did not hide it from her, yet he also said, "But, it is just an idea."

Just an idea... only?

This statement caused a slight sinking in Shang Ruyi’s heart.

She immediately understood Yu Wenye’s meaning—if it were in the past, encountering such warfare, as the second son of the Duke Mansion, appointed Assistant General by the court, it would be his duty and inescapable obligation; even now, he has the same responsibility to go quell the rebellion.

But now, things are different.

That is Yu Wenqian, his elder brother, the Heir of the Duke, has already returned.

So many things that in the past seemed to be his duty, without room for consideration, maybe now, all might be different.

Moreover, with Xue Xian’s three hundred thousand troops aiming at Daxing, for Daxing City, for the newly crowned emperor, and for civil and military officials, thousands of subjects, this is a moment of dire survival, a hard battle; if they can triumph, it would also be an immense achievement!

So, those who want to achieve merit are definitely not only him.

Shang Ruyi softly said, "Are you worried—"

Her words weren’t finished, Yu Wenye had already said solemnly, "This time, elder brother capturing Daxing City indeed won beautifully, but dealing with someone like Xue Xian, one cannot win without a hard battle; he’s been wandering and meditating these years, if he really goes to battle, I worry he won’t be able to keep up."

"..."

Shang Ruyi couldn’t help frowning slightly.

She only now understood, what Yu Wenye is thinking is not unrelated to Yu Wenqian, quite the opposite, it has much to do with Yu Wenqian.

Only she didn’t expect, what Yu Wenye is thinking is this.

Even today, she already saw the brotherly bond between Yu Wenye and Yu Wenqian, which is completely different from her previous assumptions, even though Yu Wenquan shows such preference towards the eldest son, to the point of somewhat ignoring the second son who has long been devoted to the Yuwen Family, building achievements, yet Yu Wenye still plans for his elder brother.

But she, she cannot do it.

Not because of hostility towards Yu Wenqian, but because she clearly understands some things are destined.

She thought for a moment and said, "Do you want to compete?"

Yu Wenye was silent for a moment, said, "For... I must compete as well."

Shang Ruyi looked into his eyes and said, "Then, what about your elder brother?"

"..."

"You want to compete, wouldn’t he also want to?"

"..."

"Feng Chen, if he wants to compete too—"

She didn’t finish her words, firstly because she had already made similar remarks that might cause a rift between brothers today, saying it again would be really inconsiderate, and secondly, she truly couldn’t say it.

Yet even though she didn’t say it, she knew, Yu Wenye understood what she meant.

What to use to compete with him?

If this were in Luoyang, within the court ruled by Chu Yang, then this matter might be worth deliberating, but now within Daxing City, Yu Wenquan supports the new emperor and holds great power, though the one sitting on the Dragon Chair is Chu Chengfei, just from today outside Dayan Temple, who doesn’t know whose attitude civil and military officials hold towards Yu Wenquan, who the real powerholder is.

Deciding who to send to fight, who to keep, is his command.

And who he favors is already self-evident.

Previously Yu Wenqian captured Daxing City bloodlessly, allowing Yu Wenquan smoothly to gain the merit of support, in today’s terms, everything of the Yuwen Family is his merit—immense merit; even simultaneously Yu Wenye and Shen Wuzheng schemed and split Wanggang Village, capturing this considerable rebel force, in front of such merit, everything is overshadowed.

If next, Yu Wenqian defends against Xue Xian’s eastward advance under the watchful eyes—

Then Yu Wenquan’s words would truly come true.

Under the heavens, what is there he cannot achieve?

At this moment, in Shang Ruyi’s heart surged an indescribable tremor, though she clearly sat there, leaning by Yu Wenye’s side, stable, yet inexplicably felt a sense of heaven falling and earth sinking.

She suddenly doubted—did she get it wrong?

Is it possible, would Yu Wenqian not...?

In her heart’s myriad turns, as her mind fluctuated, sitting beside her, Yu Wenye lowered his head, not saying a word, but in this close proximity, skin-to-skin connection, he clearly saw Shang Ruyi’s eyes trembling intensely, as if something in her heart was pulsing, vibrating.

Yu Wenye’s expression suddenly turned cold and sharp.

What to use to compete with him?

These words he had thought before, yet unwilling to dwell on, and though the little girl before him didn’t say them, the unsaid rang even louder in his ears, deafeningly.

What to use to compete with him?!

What do I have?

Thinking here, he suddenly stood up, Shang Ruyi only felt a chill beside her, looking up, Yu Wenye was already standing and walked out, seemingly preparing to bathe.

Why leave before finishing the conversation?

She was still somewhat dazed, but when Yu Wenye reached the door, he suddenly stopped, without turning back, he solemnly said, "Actually, there’s one thing you said wrong."

"Hmm?"

Shang Ruyi was startled, looking up at his back, only to find for the first time that Yu Wenye’s broad and tall back appeared somewhat frail.

He said, "I was just thinking about you."

"...?"

Shang Ruyi widened her eyes at him, not knowing why, a sense of inexplicable oppression surged within her.

She held her breath, solemnly said, "Thinking about—what?"

Yu Wenye slowly turned back to look at her, his pitch-black, deep eyes void of light and waves.

He said, "Do you regret it?"