Yang Suyi’s face changed, and he immediately walked towards the direction of the King’s Tent. After taking two steps, he stopped, turned back, and looked at Shang Ruyi with a complex expression: "Young Madam, you should hurry back. If there’s any danger, someone can protect you."
Shang Ruyi nodded: "Thank you."
After speaking, Yang Suyi had already walked away.
Watching his figure disappear into the night, Shang Ruyi hurried back to the camp. Along the way, she saw the Imperial Guard mobilizing, the accompanying guards were all tense, and the people in the camp were like startled birds, some even running out without properly wearing their clothes.
Yet, no one knew what had happened.
As soon as Shang Ruyi returned to her tent, Tushere came up: "Miss, are you okay?"
Shang Ruyi shook her head: "I’m fine. What happened over there?"
Mu Xian also walked forward: "I have sent someone to the King’s Tent to find out the news."
Tushere said: "Could it be, an assassin?"
"Don’t talk nonsense."
Tushere stuck out her tongue and didn’t dare to speak frivolously again, only supported her back to the bonfire and sat down. Seeing her fingertips reddened from the cold, she hurriedly held Shang Ruyi’s hands and rubbed them: "It’s so cold outside, Miss, you should quickly return to the tent and sleep."
Looking at the frightened faces of the people around her, Shang Ruyi said: "I, how can I sleep? At least, I need to find out what happened."
Tushere pouted: "Such matters should be left for the men to handle."
"If brother-in-law were here, you wouldn’t have to be so tired."
Mu Xian, hearing this at the side, awkwardly turned his face away.
Shang Ruyi’s heart sank slightly, and under the flickering firelight, her expression darkened.
But she immediately smiled and said: "Talking nonsense again, isn’t he on his way now."
Saying this, she looked up at Mu Xian and said softly: "By the way, have you checked where the second group has reached? Are they arriving soon?"
Mu Xian quickly said: "I’ve heard, they are on their way."
Hearing this perfunctory answer, Shang Ruyi also understood that she probably wouldn’t see Yu Wenye anytime soon.
She couldn’t help but look around again. Besides the noise and the faces filled with uneasy expressions, further in the distance was the endlessly dark grassland, beyond what could be seen. No one knew how many dangers were hidden in the unseen places, in the deep night.
Moreover, she had always felt that this expedition wouldn’t end peacefully and happily.
But all of this, now, she had to face alone.
Although she knew in her heart that many things in life must be overcome by oneself, sometimes, especially at moments , she still hoped for someone to stand by her side, even if just to stand there.
Just then, the person Mu Xian had sent out ran back gasping for breath.
Upon seeing Shang Ruyi, he immediately stepped forward and bowed: "Young Madam."
Shang Ruyi quickly gathered herself and waved her hand: "No need for formalities. What happened over there?"
The person softly said: "The King’s Tent was overturned by the wind."
Shang Ruyi widened her eyes in surprise, and the people around seemed to have heard the news as well, showing expressions of astonishment.
Tushere said incredulously: "How could it, how could it be overturned by the wind?"
The person whispered: "When setting up the tent during the day, they used the old iron stakes and wooden pegs from before. They looked intact, but it was just discovered that the buried parts had long decayed. It was fine until the wind blew, and the whole thing couldn’t hold up."
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, then quickly asked: "What about the people? Are they alright?"
The person said: "I heard a few of the imperial guard surrounding the King’s Tent were injured, but His Majesty seemed to have just stepped out, so it could be considered—escaping a calamity."
Tushere immediately sighed in relief: "That’s good."
If His Majesty the Emperor were injured during the expedition, it would be a serious matter, likely to cause an immediate upheaval in the court.
She turned back to Shang Ruyi and said: "Miss, now you don’t have to worry, hurry back to rest, it’s already so late."
Shang Ruyi remained silent, nodding after a moment, and let herself be guided back into her tent.
Because of the burning brazier, the tent was very warm, but as Shang Ruyi took off the blanket wrapped around her, she inexplicably shivered. Tushere noticed her lost expression and said softly: "Miss, what’s wrong? Why do you look even worse than before?"
Shang Ruyi’s expression was heavy and she said gloomily: "I always feel that something big is going to happen."
"Something big? What big thing?"
"I can’t explain it, it’s just an ominous premonition."
"Miss, are you saying the strong wind overturning the King’s Tent is ominous?"
They had just arrived in Shuo Bei, and on the first day after setting up camp, the King’s Tent was overturned by the wind. Even though she anticipated such a result when she learned they used old iron stakes and wooden pegs, now faced with the result, she didn’t feel the slightest relief of "I knew it," but instead became even more uneasy.
Tushere thought for a moment and said: "Miss, you shouldn’t worry too much. Aren’t there imperial guard? No matter how big the issue, it can’t be that severe, can it?"
Saying this, she was again a bit discontented: "It’s all brother-in-law’s fault, still no sign of him."
"If he were here, he would be the one worrying about these things, and Miss, you wouldn’t have to be so anxious."
Shang Ruyi glanced at her and couldn’t help but smile wryly.
Placing one’s safety, or rather peace of mind, on someone else—she now realized how unwise that was.
So she waved her hand lightly: "Alright, don’t say these pointless things, you go out, I’d like to sleep."
Tushere then exited the tent.
Shang Ruyi lay on the bed, staring blankly at the tent’s top. After looking for a while, she closed her eyes.
The tent was so quiet, only her breathing remained.
Only... her breathing...
Shang Ruyi instinctively opened her eyes and looked to the opposite side, but where she was used to waking and seeing a figure on the couch, it was empty.
This was not the Yuwen Mansion; Yu Wenye was not in front of her.
This thought arose like wild grasses growing uncontrollably in her heart. She knew clearly that under these circumstances, she could only rely on herself, yet—she still hoped for someone by her side, even if just to talk, even if just to share with her a bit of the unease.
She curled up and buried her face into the blanket.
In a haze, she softly murmured: "Come quickly, won’t you..."