Free Web NovelChapter 1115: Chapter 803: Love at First Sight
"What’s wrong with you?"
Yu Wenye had been holding Shang Ruyi’s hand, and at this moment, he suddenly felt her hand turn cold. Especially the fingertips, as if all the blood had been drained. He immediately tightened his grip on her hand and frowned, "What did you think of?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi’s lips also turned somewhat pale, they moved slightly twice, and she said, "It’s also me, blame me."
"Hmm?"
"I also have responsibility."
Then she took a deep breath and slowly told Yu Wenye the matter, her tone filled with self-reproach. Yu Wenye’s frown deepened, his expression grew worse compared to before. After hearing the last word, he suddenly said, "Why did you go and meet him again?"
Shang Ruyi blinked and said, "It was all from before. Besides, everyone can go to the Thousand-step Corridor, what’s wrong with encountering someone?"
"..."
"Moreover, it’s not me who wants to meet him, you reminded me to take a walk at the Thousand-step Corridor every day, and by chance, he was there discussing matters with Duke Shenwu. Since we ran into each other, why shouldn’t I exchange a few pleasantries?"
"..."
"Just blame me, what do I gain from saying those niceties?"
Yu Wenye let out a heavy sigh and said, "Since you know they’re just niceties, what does it have to do with you? Don’t take everything upon yourself, what does the battlefield have to do with you?"
"..."
"Afterwards, I also asked those around Father Emperor, he only had the Left Brave General lead troops across the river, and was supposed to scout thoroughly first, not act rashly; so, without asking clearly and acting rashly, the one who initiated this war was Yu Dingxing himself, the one who boarded the ship without orders was Dong Bizheng, all the mistakes were their own, not mine."
As he spoke, he glared at Shang Ruyi: "Let alone you!"
Even though he glared at her, this almost brazen and resolute nature truly dispelled the bit of unease in Shang Ruyi’s heart completely. Shang Ruyi immediately felt relieved, took a deep breath, and nodded, "I understand."
Thinking about it, she added, "Actually, I’m not—I’m not truly feeling guilty."
"Hmm?"
"I saw the way the Crown Prince looked when he entered the city gates just now..."
As she said this, the pair of blood-red eyes flashed in Shang Ruyi’s mind again, even though she was somewhat prepared, she couldn’t help but shiver, softly saying, "I think he will hate you, and he will hate me, even more—"
Yu Wenye looked at her calmly, without a hint of emotion or reaction to her words, not even in his gaze or expression.
Shang Ruyi said, "What’s wrong?"
Yu Wenye said, "Do you think, with or without your words, there would be any difference between you and me?"
"..."
"Or do you think he doesn’t resent me?"
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, quietly saying, "Not really. I know that after the event of conferring the title of Han King, actually, both sides have already—"
Yu Wenye’s corner of the eye slightly twitched.
Although he didn’t say anything, and even that twitch was very subtle, Shang Ruyi still felt something, stopped, and looked at him, especially at his increasingly stern eyes, asking suspiciously, "Isn’t it?"
Yu Wenye looked at her for a while and suddenly said, "I know, you always like good-looking people."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s face heated up, and even her previously cold fingertips warmed up. Of course, she knew the meaning behind Yu Wenye’s words. When she first saw him, she fell in love at first sight, and in that moment decided to marry him, changing her entire future; but at first glance, how can one discern a person’s character and personality? It was merely—acting on impulse.
The love of beauty is common to all, it’s not wrong when you say it.
Still, being told that way, she felt somewhat embarrassed, so she angrily withdrew her hand from his grasp, saying, "Why are you bringing this up at a time like this?"
Yu Wenye pursed his lips and said, "I just want to tell you that from the moment you married me, this habit should be changed."
"..."
"It’s the worst habit for a woman choosing a husband."
"What do you mean?"
"Just seeing a man born well, with good status, and if he’s dressed in white, assuming he must be a gracious and noble person."
At this, he gave a cold smile and said, "Probably, you’ll automatically attribute some qualities that women themselves like to him, such as—kindness, scholarship, gentleness, deep affection, in short, all good attributes found. Once you do, whatever he does doesn’t matter, because there’s already a good impression in your mind, even if he does something wrong, you’ll automatically exclude it."
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi frowned, almost instinctively wanting to retort.
But before she opened her mouth, she stopped herself.
Even though she didn’t know about other women choosing husbands, whether this would be the case, at least Yu Wenye’s words struck her heart—she indeed fell in love with Yu Wenye’s unmatched beauty at first sight, without having time to find out if his temperament suited hers before hastily agreeing to this marriage; and afterwards, she suffered because of Yu Wenye’s feelings for Empress Dowager Jiang. If he hadn’t changed, if she hadn’t endured, it’s hard to say whether she’d regret her choice now.
Even the charming as an Immortal Chu Yang, even though she knows he’s not a good Emperor, she still keeps a piece of pure land for him in her heart.
As for Yu Wenqian...
Thinking back now, it seems that from the first glance of that elegant figure like clouds on the streets of Yanyue City, she had a very good impression of him, and later even at Dayan Temple upon meeting, even though she instinctively opposed this "abandoned" fiancé and opposed this political "rival" of her husband, she still couldn’t see him as too detestable, too unworthy, and even intuitively felt he wasn’t involved in any conspiracies or evildoings.
Yu Wenye’s words indeed pierced her thoughts.
But—
After thinking for a while, Shang Ruyi looked at Yu Wenye again and said, "So, he isn’t a gracious and noble person?"
Speaking of which, although they often talked about the Crown Prince, discussing how to deal with him, how to compete with him for military power, compete for position in the court, it seemed to be the first time they explicitly put Yu Wenqian in a position of good or bad to discuss.
And hearing her question, Yu Wenye’s gaze also became solemn.
He suddenly said, "Do you still remember after the Dharma assembly at Dayan Temple, when we were leaving the mountain gate, what kind of verse, some sort of gatha the old monk Xin Zheng recited?"
