xymnovel Chapter 997 - 727: Each Person Has Their Own Destiny
Chapter 997 - 727: Each Person Has Their Own Destiny
Shen Wuzheng was silent for a moment and said, "I can take her back."Shang Ruyi immediately showed a delighted expression, but after thinking about it, she worried about whether Shen Shiyan would accept, so she said, "Should I send someone to tell my uncle and aunt?"
Shen Wuzheng shook his head and said, "That decision, I can still make."
After speaking, he turned around, and Lu Xiao, with her lithe, alluring figure, walked up to him, smiling charmingly. Shen Wuzheng said, "These days, Miss Lu Xiao must have been greatly wronged."
"Not at all,"
Lu Xiao smiled and said, "I’m afraid it’s Young Master Shen’s reputation that’s been tarnished."
Shen Wuzheng looked at her silently and didn’t say much.
Seeing Shen Tu Tai leading Shantong’er and others away, the troops from the Ministry of War also slowly departed, with the bustle in front of Suzhang Gate receding like the ebbing tide. Yu Wenye specially arranged a carriage to send Shen Wuzheng and Lu Xiao back to Shen Mansion. After settling everything, he was prepared to take Shang Ruyi into the palace.
Just as they were about to turn into the palace gates, they noticed Yu Wenqian had stopped.
The two instinctively turned back.
Eunuch Yu approached Yu Mingyue’s side, bowed to her, and respectfully said, "Lord Yu, tonight’s celebration banquet at Bai Fu Hall includes you among the invited. Your Majesty instructs that after you return home, you rest well, and at 5 PM, the palace will send someone to fetch you."
"Oh!"
Yu Mingyue’s eyes brightened immediately.
She lifted her head to glance at Yu Wenqian, her eyes full of joy, and Yu Wenqian looked at her, his expression was complex for a moment, but he nodded to her gently after a brief silence.
Yu Mingyue promptly said to Eunuch Yu, "Thank you, Eunuch, I will attend the banquet on time."
Only then did Eunuch Yu smile and turn to leave.
At this time, the carriage from Yu Mansion had arrived, and Yu Mingyue boarded and departed swiftly into the distance, watching that carriage gradually vanish at the far end of Vermilion Bird Street, Yu Wenqian stood in silence for a long time before finally letting out a sigh and turned to continue walking towards the palace.
Yu Wenye took Shang Ruyi and a group of people to proceed together.
As they walked, Yu Wenye said, "It seems, elder brother’s good fortune is near."
Yu Wenqian walked silently for a while, as if finally coming to a realization. He then looked at Yu Wenye and then at Shang Ruyi beside him, his gaze complex as if filled with countless tangled thoughts.
After a long pause, he spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, softly saying, "Fortune in human world is all yours; the lovebirds cultivate into sovereign immortals."
"..."
"Second brother, what you have gained is not less than what I have gained today."
Yu Wenye raised an eyebrow slightly, seeming to glance at Shang Ruyi beside him. She appeared thoughtful, paying no attention, so he said, "Elder brother, I heard that Buddhists speak of karma."
Yu Wenqian seemed a bit surprised, staring at him with wide eyes.
Yu Wenye said, "Everyone has their karma, and your gain may well be what others fervently hope for, so why make it a comparison?"
"..."
Yu Wenqian probably hadn’t expected that his brother, formidable on the battlefield, was also sharp with words, but he didn’t seem inclined to say much more, managing a slight smile and continued walking.
Although Chengqian Hall and Qianqiu Palace are in the same area, the two groups ended up taking separate paths.
Shang Ruyi walked silently alongside Yu Wenye without speaking, until after passing Suzhang Gate, where it was quiet all around, Wo Xue led a few palace maids carrying luggage behind. She turned her head to give Yu Wenye a deep look.
Yu Wenye, not looking at her, simply said, "Why are you looking at me again?"
"Hm?"
"You’ve looked at me several times on this trip."
"..."
"What, don’t recognize me anymore?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "I’m really starting to not recognize you. If I hadn’t been with you all this way, I would’ve thought you were someone who borrowed a body to come back."
Upon hearing this, Yu Wenye immediately turned to glare at her, "Mind your words!"
Shang Ruyi pursed her lips, glanced around, thankfully there was no one nearby, Wo Xue and the others hadn’t heard their conversation, so she shrank her neck and smiled.
She and Yu Wenye had already cleared up these matters, and having been outside the palace earlier, inevitably acted more freely; but caution was still necessary, as the Royal Family has its dignity. If it got around that Princess Qin was "borrowed a body to come back," it could easily stain her reputation, possibly bringing misfortune.
Yu Wenye said, "Be careful in the future!"
"Got it."
The two walked a couple more steps, Yu Wenye turned to her and asked, "You said just now—don’t recognize me, what do you mean?"
Shang Ruyi immediately replied, "Didn’t you not believe in God Buddha?"
"Yes."
"Then how do you know the Buddhist saying, that every person has their own fate?"
"..."
Upon hearing this, Yu Wenye fell silent himself. After a while, he slowly said, "A few days ago on the road, I heard Shantong’er mention it a few times, so I remembered it."
"Oh?"
Shang Ruyi slightly widened her eyes—though Shantong’er had been in the monastery for many years, he was clearly not a monk of high cultivation. Even now, his mind was only focused on eating and helping those close to him. However, some simple Buddhist philosophies he might be unfamiliar with, he had heard enough times to naturally speak of them.
For instance, the idea of fate.
But why would Yu Wenye consciously remember this?
Seeing the doubt deepen in Shang Ruyi’s eyes, Yu Wenye smiled faintly and said, "I just think that life, with all its helplessness, is also interesting."
"How so?"
"I don’t believe in the God Buddha, but my wife, you, have had such experiences; I once thought the most perfect woman in my heart was Empress Dowager Jiang, but now, I can only choose you..."
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
When she looked back at Yu Wenye, he seemed to think he had spoken too directly, appearing a bit awkward as he covered his mouth and lightly coughed twice. Shang Ruyi pursed her lips and smiled, "And then?"
Seeing her smug look, Yu Wenye instead got a bit annoyed and said, "Why are you so happy? What I mean is, you can be quite annoying at times."
"Mm-hmm. And then?"
"..."
Seeing her even more pleased, Yu Wenye glared at her again, but after glaring, he couldn’t help but smile too. After a while, he said, "I previously heard in Taiyuan, Yu Mingyue scolding someone, calling them a—’diode.’
"Di-o-de?"
This unfamiliar term left Shang Ruyi quite surprised, "What is that?"
Yu Wenye said, "Who knows. But from the tone, it seemed to mean someone who doesn’t know how to adapt."
Shang Ruyi frowned and said, "Isn’t that just being ’stubborn’, why call it a diode?"
Yu Wenye smiled faintly and said, "Exactly, just stubborn. Once your mind’s fixed on an idea, you disregard everything else, persistently clinging until the end. It sounds noble, not changing one’s original intention, but if the fixation is wrong, then it’s wrong till death and laughably so."
"..."
"Later, I thought about how in life, it’s impossible to walk a single path to the end."
"..."
"Listening to all sides enlightens the mind."
As he spoke, he lifted his hand, seemingly wanting to poke Shang Ruyi’s forehead, but mindful of people behind them, he held back, only letting out a light snort and said, "You, if you don’t understand flexibility yourself, don’t assume everyone else doesn’t either."
Shang Ruyi pouted, "Who says I don’t."
As the two chatted, they walked a bit further, passing by Bai Fu Hall where tonight’s banquet was being prepared. As expected, many Palace Attendants were busily sweeping the grand hall until it was spotless, lanterns hung everywhere, inside and out, promising a splendidly lit scene tonight. Shang Ruyi didn’t even need to think to understand Yu Wenquan specifically had Eunuch Yu tell Yu Mingyue those words, and arranged for a palace carriage to fetch her, with a clear intention.
However, this was something they had known long ago, not affecting the standoff between the two sides.
So, they didn’t even stop for more than a glance, directly turning right along the path, gradually nearing the Hundred Blessings Gate. Shang Ruyi then asked again, "So, do you now believe in the God Buddha?"
Yu Wenye looked ahead and said leisurely, "I still only believe in myself."
"..."
"But, I will listen to people who believe in the God Buddha."
Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but laugh, "That’s even more effective than believing in the God Buddha."
Yu Wenye smiled at her, and just as the two exchanged smiles and passed through the tall Hundred Blessings Gate, Shang Ruyi suddenly felt the breeze carry a faint, subtle fragrance, and a gaze filled with joy yet tinged with some resentment fell upon them.
It was as if she understood something. Looking up, she saw at the door of the Jinyu Garden, a familiar, slender figure standing there, eagerly looking forward.
At once seeing them, all the longing over these days was answered.
On her charming and lively face, a joyful smile immediately surfaced.
It was, Chu Ruoyan.
"...!"
Shang Ruyi instinctively held her breath and suddenly realized that along the way back, she had only prepared to face the Emperor’s reproach, the officials’ disloyalty, the situation in Chang An City, and the changes in the court, but had completely forgotten to prepare for Chu Ruoyan.
And Chu Ruoyan appeared so eagerly and unexpectedly.
At this moment, she stood at the door of Jinyu Garden, already a slender and graceful beauty, thinner than before they had left, her chin sharp. Who knows how long she had been waiting there, how long she had hoped. Suddenly seeing Yu Wenye appear, the slightest resentment in her eyes disappeared, the tears welling up with full joy, brimming in her eyes, happily watching him.
Yu Wenye’s steps seemed to also grow heavy.