As she shed tears, Lei Yu’s own tears welled up, flickering constantly under the nearby torchlight. Her voice was tinged with the dampness and saltiness of tears, and she said, "This is the question I should be asking you."

"..."

"You, shouldn’t you have already returned to Daxing City? Why were you captured and brought here?"

When she mentioned Daxing City, Shang Ruyi seemed to awaken somewhat.

Lei Yu’s understanding of her situation probably remained at the point when Yu Wenye rescued her from Jiangdu Palace and took her north, avoiding Liang Shide’s sphere of influence to return to Daxing City. The events in the Guanzhong Region that happened afterward, they likely did not know, unaware that Daxing City had long been renamed Chang An, and even more unaware that Yu Wenquan had already ascended the throne.

As for her and Yu Wenye, they were nothing like before.

Thinking this through, she felt the bitterness of change, a more intense sourness filling her heart, and tears fell like beads snapped from a string. Lei Yu was also a bit flustered, hurriedly reaching to wipe them away for her. His hands were wet, so he took out a handkerchief from his chest, which was wet only moments later.

Lei Yu anxiously said, "What exactly happened? I just heard that Ashina Zhuxie brought you back, and it gave me quite a scare."

"..."

"Was it Feng Chen who conquered Taiyuan?"

"..."

"Even if it was, why were you acting alone and got captured? Where is Feng Chen?"

"He,"

Shang Ruyi bit her lip, forcefully stopped her tears, and raised her head to look at Lei Yu with a faint smile, "He’s in Taiyuan."

Then, she intermittently recounted the days after they parted, telling Lei Yu about the Jiangdu Palace Rebellion, the burning of Wanggang Village, the Battle of Fufeng, the plague disaster.

Of course, she mentioned Yu Wenquan’s coronation as emperor and this war in Taiyuan.

Deliberately or unintentionally, she omitted the bond between herself and Chu Yang.

Nor did she speak of the discord between herself and Yu Wenye.

Between her and Yu Wenye, whether love or hate, whether gratitude or resentment, it was their own matter. She neither wanted to tell others nor use these emotions to affect others.

After hearing the changes that occurred since they parted, Lei Yu couldn’t help but inhale sharply.

After a while, she said in a deep voice, "Indeed, Uncle Yu Wen——"

She paused here, realizing she should correct the address.

However, because they had been apart for so long, even though she knew she should correct it, she didn’t know how. Shang Ruyi picked up the conversation lightly, "Indeed, Father already ascended the throne in Changa An City on the sixth day—also within the former Daxing City, in the Imperial Palace, declared himself emperor, and changed the nation’s name to ’Sheng’."

"Sheng..."

Lei Yu repeated this country name, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her eyes, "The Sheng of Duke Sheng."

"..."

"Indeed, indeed..."

She seemed somewhat sentimental, the initial astonishment replaced by a cheerful smile, "Father had long said Duke Sheng was ambitious and would not remain under anyone for long. Now it seems, he was right."

"..."

"It’s just a pity——"

Just a pity——

These three words, even without adding anything after them, they conveyed so much helplessness. Moreover, her previous words were similar to Pei Xingyuan’s earlier sentiments, as though everyone knew Yu Wenquan would eventually replace Daye, and even held such hope.

It’s just a pity, a little too late.

Pei Xingyuan and his ilk waited for the clouds to part and the moon to shine.

Yet, Lei Yu and her father, having surrendered to Liang Shide, could only remain adversaries with the Dasheng Dynasty from afar. Worse still, she had married into the Western Turks, adding another layer of "enemy" status.

Indeed a pity... 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Seeing her lamenting appearance, Shang Ruyi immediately recalled Pei Xingyuan’s disheartened state when Lei Yu’s marriage was mentioned, his drunken disarray. She wanted to tell her, but the words caught in her throat.

Even though she and Yu Wenye were already estranged.

But Yu Wenye’s words were not entirely wrong.

If Lei Yu cannot come to like Xing Yuan, if Xing Yuan cannot understand her own feelings, then forcing them together would not bring happiness.

Moreover, now Lei Yu was already married.

Bringing up Pei Xingyuan’s fruitless longing would serve no purpose.

It would only add sorrow.

Thus, she softly pressed her lips together.

Though she remained silent, Lei Yu looked up at her, her gaze flickering again.

She wasn’t foolish, Shang Ruyi mentioned many significant events but notably omitted her and Yu Wenye; and this time being captured was due to Shang Ruyi’s brother meeting disaster in Changchun Palace, prompting her lonely rush out of Qi County to return, disregarding the battle in Taiyuan and her own safety—Shang Ruyi had always been a person of temperament but never one to act rashly.

Evidently, something occurred between her and Yu Wenye, leading her to this "desperate path."

So she said, "Therefore, Ru Yi, you’ve already become Princess Qin of the Dasheng Dynasty."

"..."

Shang Ruyi glanced at her and then lowered her head: "Hm."

Lei Yu observed her quietly for a while, sighed softly, and said, "Now that you are esteemed as Princess Qin, you should not disregard your own safety even more."

"..."

"Do you still remember what I once told you?"

"..."

Shang Ruyi was taken aback but immediately recalled.

It was when Lei Yu was following her father Lei Yi, on an imperial mission to Hebei to quell the rebel army, that he said the last words to her before departure. For a long time afterward, those words stayed in Shang Ruyi’s heart and echoed in her ears, deafening and resounding—

In such chaotic times, the bit of troops at our command is what we rely on for survival.

Even after so much time has passed, looking back, those words still hold true.

This time, regardless of her impulsiveness, without any troops and venturing out of Qi County alone, the outcome is as such; even now, standing on the high platform against the cold wind and gradually calming down, Shang Ruyi also understands that even if she didn’t encounter Ashina Zhuxie or get captured by those guards of Qi County, traveling alone back to Changchun Palace, with such a long journey and chaotic world, could she really reach there safely?

It was herself who was too impulsive.

However, in such a situation, she couldn’t stay rational, no matter what.

Sensing Shang Ruyi’s dim gaze and a multitude of emotions surging in the dim depths, yet unable to utter a single word, Lei Yu remained silent for a moment and softly said, "Did something happen between you and Feng Chen?"

"..."

Shang Ruyi’s expression grew even more sullen.

Seeing her like this, Lei Yu felt even clearer in her heart. She sighed softly to herself, then said, "If you don’t want to say, I won’t ask."

"..."

"Rest assured, although you’ve been taken to the Turks, as long as I’m here, I will protect you for a day."

"..."

"Let’s talk about future matters in the future."

"..."

Her words were simple yet calm, but the emotion contained within and her resoluteness when saying them brought a pang of sorrow to Shang Ruyi’s heart, and hot tears welled up, turning her eyes red.

In truth, there was a fleeting moment, the moment she was captured, when she thought of ending her own life to avoid enduring torture and hardship, wanting to escape life’s struggles.

However, upon hearing that it was the Western Turkic Prince Zhuxie who captured her, she immediately thought of Lei Yu.

The fleeting thought of wanting to meet Lei Yu passed quickly but kept her going.

Now—losing her brother plunged her into a deep abyss, and even now, the pain remains piercing to her heart.

Yet, there are still beautiful emotions and wonderful people waiting for her on the journey of life; her earlier perseverance was not in vain.

Thinking of this, she grasped Lei Yu’s hand with tears in her eyes: "Alright!"

After choking up for a moment, she softly added, "Thank you..."

"Must you say such things between us?"

Lei Yu gave her a slightly scolding look, and Shang Ruyi hurriedly shook her head, not knowing how to explain, but Lei Yu laughed and said, "As long as you understand."

"..."

"Honestly, after marrying into the Turks, I haven’t seen a familiar face; sometimes, I feel like I’m not living in the human world."

"..."

"Though I didn’t want you to come this time—I am still very happy to see you."

Her words were a bit disjointed, but Shang Ruyi understood them nonetheless. She tearfully said, "Alright. Just like you said, as long as I’m here, I’ll spend a day entertaining you."

"..."

"Future matters can wait for the future."

"Hm."

Lei Yu smiled at her with delight.

At this moment, not far from them, the tent door in front of the King’s Tent finally opened.

A tall figure slowly walked out; it was the Western Turkic Crown Prince Ashina Zhuxie, who had just been questioned in the tent by Ashina Shali about the Taiyuan battle.

A trace of faint fatigue still lingered on his face.

Upon seeing him emerge, his few trusted aides and his close maid Zhenzhen, who had been waiting anxiously at the tent entrance, immediately approached him, cautiously whispering, "Prince, are you alright? The Khan didn’t blame you, did he?"

"..."

Ashina Zhuxie shook his head slightly.

He seemed genuinely tired or not in the mood to speak but still lifted his head and, with a glance, saw Shang Ruyi and Lei Yu standing a short distance away from the King’s Tent. At this moment, Lei Yu was tightly holding Shang Ruyi’s hand, and the two of them were smiling at each other.

Ashina Zhuxie’s brow furrowed slightly.

The people around him noticed something and turned to look at the two of them, whose faces were graced with gentle smiles. Zhenzhen was quite surprised and quietly remarked, "This Little Princess has been married to the grassland for so long, staying mostly in her own tent, rarely seen for ten days or half a month, and never smiles even when she is seen. It’s the first time seeing her smile today."