Chapter 144: Chapter 144: You, waiting for me?
Shang Ruyi’s breath instinctively tightened.
She slowly lifted her head and saw a familiar, graceful figure like the wind walking in from the courtyard gate. On that incomparably handsome face, there was a trace of fatigue, but upon seeing her standing in the courtyard, a smile emerged from his phoenix eyes.
"Are you waiting for Me?"
At this moment, Shang Ruyi’s breath was stifled.
The man who walked in, referring to himself as "Me," was the current Emperor, and also the man who, in recent times, had conversed with her less than joyfully, yet each time left her thoughts in turmoil—
Yang Suyi!
No, at this time, he could no longer be called Yang Suyi, this name really had been nothing more than "a miraculous coincidence."
Yang Suyi was the current Emperor, Chu Yang!
At this moment, he was dressed in a magnificent robe. No longer did he exude the leisurely and ethereal air he did every time they met in the past; instead, there was a compelling aura sweeping forward, the cold fragrance on his body becoming more invasive.
Shang Ruyi’s hands were icy, yet she immediately raised her skirt and knelt down.
"This humble wife greets Your Majesty—"
Before she could finish speaking, she heard footsteps rushing towards her, and a hand immediately supported her arm, pulling her up.
"No need for formalities."
Shang Ruyi’s heart sank, yet she dared not raise her head, maintaining her bowing posture: "Your Majesty, this—does not conform with reason."
A cold voice came from above her: "What I say is reason."
"..."
At this, she had nothing more to say.
Thus, Shang Ruyi rose slowly under the pull of that hand, but once she stood up, she immediately took a step back, discreetly withdrawing her arm from that hand.
Chu Yang’s hand paused in the air for a moment.
He gently lowered it, his phoenix eyes still holding a faint smile, saying: "You don’t seem very surprised."
Shang Ruyi mumbled an "mm."
"When did you realize My identity?"
"I didn’t really know, just vaguely guessed."
"Why did you guess?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi glanced at him without speaking, while Chu Yang contemplated briefly, then said with a faint smile: "I suppose these past two meetings in the Northern Border made you start to suspect My identity."
"...Yes."
Chu Yang chuckled softly: "It seems I was too rash."
Saying this, he looked at Shang Ruyi with a flicker in his eyes: "However, I did want to see you, to talk with you. Listening to you speak is quite interesting."
Shang Ruyi said softly: "I only hope that my foolish words have not offended Your Majesty."
"..."
Chu Yang stepped forward again, lowered his head to look into her eyes, and in a voice not loud enough for anyone but the two of them to hear, said: "Do you know, if anyone else said those things, they would have been dragged out and beheaded."
The night breeze blew, and the cold sweat on Shang Ruyi dried instantly.
She cleared her throat and just managed to articulate: "Thank Your Majesty for sparing my life."
"..."
"I, I will certainly be cautious with my words and actions in the future, and never again—"
"No need,"
Chu Yang interrupted her with a light laugh, saying: "I think it’s better if you remain true to yourself. I want to see you as you are and hear what you want to say."
As he spoke, a gleam flashed in his high-angled phoenix eyes.
"You better not lie in front of Me."
"..."
"I already know what kind of person you are. If you lie, I will see through it."
"..."
"So, whether now or in the future, in front of Me, you must be the Shang Ruyi of before, understand?"
Under his intense gaze, Shang Ruyi’s heart was in disarray. She remained silent for a long time, before hoarsely saying: "Thank Your Majesty... for accommodating."
Hearing the words "accommodating," a nearly smug smile surfaced on Chu Yang’s face.
Yet it was not the smugness of someone obeying his orders, but rather—like watching sand molded into clay, creating a puppet he desired.
Shang Ruyi dared not look at his smile. Focusing on the situation outside, she cautiously spoke: "Your Majesty, may I boldly ask, outside—"
Before she could finish speaking, she heard Chu Yang say: "The way you address yourself is truly jarring."
"What?"
"I don’t want to hear you refer to yourself as ’this humble wife’ anymore."
Chu Yang crossed his arms, looking at her with a slight, cold smile: "Since I permit you to speak the truth before Me, to be yourself, you should call yourself Ruyi. I allow you to call yourself Ruyi."
Shang Ruyi hesitated: "This, how could I dare—"
Chu Yang’s expression immediately darkened.
The Emperor is the Emperor; the anger of the True Dragon Emperor is such that corpses fill the land, blood flows like a river. Even though he was not enraged, merely showed slight anger, Shang Ruyi instantly felt the air around her chill, as if the whole tranquil courtyard was shrouded by an invisible, murderous net.
She hurriedly said: "Ru—Ruyi, thanks Your Majesty for the grace."
Once again, a smug smile appeared on Chu Yang’s face.
Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. She was usually a focused person, but it seemed like each time she interacted with him, she would unconsciously be led by him. In the past, she found him mysterious, now she naturally understood, this truly was the art of the Emperor’s mind.
He would not allow himself to be led by anyone else.
Shang Ruyi steadied herself, once again cautiously speaking: "Your Majesty, outside—"
"Ah yes,"
Chu Yang once again interrupted her, said: "Today, the Empress told Me, you have something to say to Me?"
"Ah?"
"It’s the strategy proposed by Wang Shaoji. You seem to have other thoughts. I am here, so go ahead, tell me."
"..."
Shang Ruyi was suddenly dumbfounded.
She couldn’t have imagined that the words she spoke to Empress Jiang would be relayed to the Emperor—such words, if spoken by some generals, would be fine, but she was just a minor Young Madam of the Duke Mansion, and yet she commented on matters of war. Wasn’t this thrusting her into the spotlight?
Shang Ruyi hurriedly said: "I—Ruyi dares not."
Chu Yang’s gaze flickered as he looked at her: "What did I just say?"
Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment, softly said: "Your Majesty just said, for Ruyi, to be the Shang Ruyi of before."
"So, what you said to the Empress, I want to hear it exactly as it was."
"..."
"Otherwise, you are deceiving the Emperor!"
These last two words, made Shang Ruyi’s blood run cold.
And just then, the words Empress Jiang spoke during the day suddenly echoed in her ears—
"Only, the Emperor does not usually like to listen to people’s words, even if he hears them, they don’t register... so, the key is, who can get the Emperor to listen to their words."
Could it be, she is using my words, to advise the Emperor?