Upon hearing this, Yu Wencheng’s face turned red and white in turns. He bit his lip, a grim and sneering coldness appearing on his face, and said, "Second Sister-in-law—oh no, Imperial Sister-in-law, you are also here to disgrace me."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi’s eyebrows furrowed instantly.

She had just walked to the entrance of the tent, so naturally, she heard Yu Wenye reprimanding Yu Wencheng. She hesitated whether to mediate a few words—because what Yu Wenye did indeed embarrassed Yu Wencheng, and Shen Tu Tai and the others couldn’t speak up at this moment. Only she, as a wife and the Emperor’s daughter-in-law, should take on this responsibility.

However, when she heard Huang Gongyi’s name, she was startled and forgot.

Now, as she was about to inquire about Huang Gongyi’s situation, it indeed made Yu Wencheng even more embarrassed. It’s no wonder his expression was so ferocious, as if he would erupt in anger at any moment.

Shang Ruyi immediately said, "It’s not like that, Second Brother—"

Before she could finish her words, Yu Wenye suddenly said coldly, "Disgrace you? If you did nothing wrong, who could disgrace you?"

"..."

"Or do you think losing Taiyuan, along with tens of thousands of troops, is less serious than your reputation?"

"...!"

Being spoken to like this made Yu Wencheng’s face even more grim. He just bit his lip and stayed silent.

Shang Ruyi also sighed in relief, but looking at his ashen face, her heart inevitably grew a bit more clouded. However, the most important issue now was Huang Gongyi—he was not only one of Yu Wenquan’s most trusted generals but also someone who had helped them during the epidemic.

She looked at Yu Wenye, just about to ask something, when she noticed he was also looking at her.

In that moment when their eyes met, her mind suddenly went blank, and not a word could come out.

In the next moment, Yu Wenye’s gaze shifted from her, over her shoulder, and he said sternly, "Bring Song Shiyuan in!"

"..."

Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat.

It turned out, he hadn’t been looking at her; it was only when he ordered someone to bring Song Shiyuan that his gaze inadvertently swept past her.

In this moment, she felt a sense of relief, yet there was a faint trace of disappointment, but soon, the heavy footsteps behind her made her suppress that fleeting emotion. Turning around, she saw Song Shiyuan walking in briskly from outside.

Just when he had fought his way out of the valley, his face and body had sustained some injuries, which were now treated. As he walked into the tent, he immediately bowed and saluted Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi.

Yu Wenye asked, "Where is Huang Gongyi?"

Upon hearing this, Song Shiyuan bowed his head even lower. The steadfast expression he had been forcing crumbled like a mask smashed to the ground, revealing cracks.

The cloud in Shang Ruyi’s heart suddenly expanded, as if to engulf her whole being.

She looked at Song Shiyuan and asked again, "Where is Mr. Huang?"

"..."

Song Shiyuan raised his head to glance at her, his eyes instantly reddened. After another glance at Yu Wencheng, he finally said in a choked voice, "To ensure the Third Prince’s safety, we—under Mr. Huang’s orders, escorted the Third Prince out of Taiyuan City; meanwhile, Mr. Huang, firstly to cover our retreat, secondly was unwilling to easily give up Taiyuan. So, so—"

By the end, he was choked up, unable to continue.

Shang Ruyi only felt a severe pain in her chest, and tears welled up instantly.

Yu Wenye also gritted his teeth, especially as his injured hand clenched into a tight fist, the veins bulging on the back, and the wound reopened, blood seeping through the bandage.

Song Shiyuan’s words, although veiled, revealed the clear truth—

It was Yu Wencheng who fled in fear of death, when Wang Shaoji and the Western Turks attacked Taiyuan City from inside and outside. He fled the city, and Huang Gongyi had no choice; he had to protect Yu Wenquan’s son, thus could only spare troops to escort him out of Taiyuan; meanwhile, as the general guarding Taiyuan, he had to continue fighting the enemy.

The outcome was already evident.

If he had won, Taiyuan would not have been lost, nor would Yuan An have led troops to endlessly pursue Yu Wencheng, even reaching Cangbai Mountain.

As for how many troops Yu Wencheng took when he fled, it was now unknown. Judging by how Taiyuan fell so quickly, it was feared that he took a substantial number with him. Throughout his journey of defeat and escape, the soldiers lost confidence and scattered, even possibly defected, which is why only a few thousand remnants remain now.