This oppressive mood entangled in Shang Ruyi’s heart and dreams all night long, as if responding to her emotions, the next day, it began to rain on the grassland.
As a result, the hunting competition originally scheduled for the next day was naturally postponed, and everyone hid inside the tents.
With nothing to do, idle chatter was inevitable.
Everyone wrapped themselves in blankets, gathered around the fire pit, listening to the crackling above their heads, as if the rain would never stop. The restless mood intensified with the sound of the rain, and everyone discussed the inappropriate aspects of this trip, causing the dissatisfaction to rise.
Meanwhile, Shang Ruyi stood at the tent entrance, listening to the distant and nearby discussions, her expression becoming increasingly solemn.
She sighed, looked up around her, and noticed that the rain on the grassland was different from elsewhere. Usually, the rain would gently fall on the body, but here, once it started raining, it felt like the entire grassland was enveloped in an endless gray curtain of rain, making even breathing instinctively difficult.
At that moment, a garment was draped over her shoulders.
She turned back and met Tushere’s concerned gaze, who softly said, "Miss, don’t stand at the door in the wind; come and warm up by the fire. How can it be so cold in just October?"
Shang Ruyi smiled faintly, put down the curtain, and walked over to sit by the fire pit in the center of the tent.
As soon as she sat down, Mu Xian entered with a bowl of hot porridge, smilingly said, "Please forgive me, Young Madam; it was hard to get the fire going, and the porridge isn’t well-cooked, but please drink a little."
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "I’m not that picky."
Accepting it, indeed, the porridge was very clear, with distinct grains, obviously not cooked long enough. But without complaint, she drank a couple of mouthfuls, the fragrant rice still warming her considerably.
She asked, "How is it over at the King’s Tent?"
Mu Xian sighed and softly said, "I heard that a few officials went to petition the Emperor, asking him to revoke the order and quickly return to Luoyang."
"And what did Your Majesty say?"
"He said nothing, just dealt with a few people."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi furrowed her brows.
But regarding the Emperor’s matters, she couldn’t say much, so she thought for a moment and asked, "By the way, any news from Liaodong?"
Mu Xian shook his head, "No news at the moment."
"Didn’t I send a letter to my parents?"
"Young Madam’s letter was sent over a month ago, and even if the Duke received it and replied, it would be sent to Luoyang first, then forwarded here. The journey is much longer, probably even later than Young Master."
At the mention of Yu Wenye, Shang Ruyi’s gaze dimmed immediately, and even as she looked at the porridge bowl in her hand, she suddenly felt suffocated in her chest.
Mu Xian also regretted his slip of the tongue and quickly shut his mouth.
Tushere couldn’t help but roll her eyes beside them.
Seeing them , Shang Ruyi smiled faintly, pretended to be unconcerned, and placed the bowl aside, saying, "It’s fine, just wait a little longer."
Mu Xian quickly said, "Then, would Young Madam drink a couple more mouthfuls of porridge?"
Shang Ruyi shook her head, "No, I’m not hungry."
In the following time, she just waited, sitting in the tent guarding the burning fire pit, feeling the warmth yet always carrying a small chill in her heart. Unconsciously, the sound of rain gradually subsided, but when she went out of the tent, it was almost dark.
The day passed just like that.
As the rain finally stopped, even though the sunset slanted low, everyone emerged from the tent where they had been nestled all day to stretch their limbs. Tushere immediately instructed people to light a bonfire, wanting to make something for Shang Ruyi to whet her appetite. Watching them busying, Shang Ruyi just smiled and said, "Don’t make too much fuss, I have no appetite, just a couple of small dishes will do."
Tushere said, "How can that be? Miss’s appetite isn’t good; more dishes should be made so you can have a taste of each."
Shang Ruyi shook her head helplessly.
Watching everyone attend to their duties, she felt somewhat out of place with nothing to do and avoided everyone, carefully steering clear of water puddles on the ground as she slowly walked away from the campsite.
Walking forward, she heard the sound of flapping flags and realized she had unknowingly wandered to the edge of the camp where they rested last night.
Looking up, under the sturdy flagpole, a familiar figure was leaning there.
He was wearing a thick wind cloak, wrapping himself tightly with only the corner of a goose-yellow garment peeping from underneath, even the hem embroidered delicately with a wintry flower, though such refined attire was rather inappropriate on the grassland, stained with a fair amount of mud.
But Yang Suyi seemed not to care at all.
He just leaned against the flagpole, his head tilted back, revealing a prominent Adam’s apple, his face expressionless, his eyes holding a misty gaze.
Perhaps hearing the approaching footsteps, he turned his head, his extraordinarily handsome face gaining a shadowy depth under the last lingering rays of sunset, adding weight to the already heavy feeling in Shang Ruyi’s heart.
Even her steps hesitated for a moment.
But immediately, he smiled, "Young Madam, here again?"
Shang Ruyi said, "I didn’t expect Young Master Yang to come here again."
As she spoke, she stepped forward one step at a time, towards the sunset leaving just a trace on the horizon, her alabaster face glowing warmly, even her eyes seeming like translucent glass, giving her an unrefined gentleness. Yang Suyi looked at her face, a bit distracted, until she stopped in front of the opposite flagpole, and he smiled slightly.
He said, "Why can’t I come here again?"
Shang Ruyi looked at him and said, "I thought after last night’s incident—Young Master Yang would stay by His Majesty’s side."
At the mention of last night’s incident, Yang Suyi’s face instantly darkened.
This was also the last thing they discussed here before parting last night; their disputing words seemed still in the air, but the outcome was already vividly apparent.
Yang Suyi’s eyes twisted with anger and restraint, he remained silent for a long time, not mentioning it again, instead looking at Shang Ruyi with a teasing smile, "What, does the Young Madam think I am a person by His Majesty’s side?"
Shang Ruyi looked at him calmly, "Isn’t Young Master Yang someone who serves by His Majesty’s side?"
"Last night, when there was trouble at the King’s Tent, didn’t Young Master Yang go over immediately?"
Yang Suyi’s eyes flickered, watching her with a playful smile, "What, does the Young Madam think I am a palace—the eunuch?"