Just now, hearing people call him Brother Hua, Zi Ying, it seems he’s the one known in Wanggang Village as "Little Li Guang," Hua Ziyang.
This Hua Ziyang looked up and glanced at her, his eyes flickering momentarily, then clasped his hands in a salute, saying, "Madam, if you are ready, please follow me."
After saying this, he raised his hand, signaling for her to proceed. Shang Ruyi didn’t say anything and just walked with him.
This Xingluo Warehouse City was built by the court and was evidently different from an ordinary mountain fortress, with much higher standards and layout. Along the way, there were even some impressive sights. However, presently, the guards at each pass were no longer the court’s men, but these people from Wanggang Village. Their gazes were filled with hostility. Along the way, being watched by hundreds and thousands of eyes, she felt as if countless sharp blades and swords were brushing past her.
Having just taken a bath, Shang Ruyi already broke out in a cold sweat.
"Madam, please don’t worry."
Walking ahead, Hua Ziyang suddenly spoke, startling Shang Ruyi. She hastily looked up but saw that he didn’t turn back, continuing to walk slowly while saying, "Our people indeed have no good feelings towards the court, but since you are a woman, we from Wanggang Village will not trouble a woman."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and deliberately dragged her voice, saying, "Not trouble a woman?"
Hua Ziyang seemed to hear the sarcasm in her voice. He stopped, turned to look at her, and saw her staring at the quiver and longbow on his back.
Hua Ziyang was not foolish. He immediately understood that she was referring to the arrow he shot last night to make her stop.
So he said, "Madam, please rest assured, when I dare to shoot an arrow at you, I am a hundred percent confident that I will not harm you."
"Isn’t Madam unharmed right now?"
That was true; no amount of explanation could surpass the facts laid before her.
Shang Ruyi was silent for a moment, nodded, and said, "Your archery skills are quite good."
Hua Ziyang looked at her, the light in his hawk-like eyes flaring up: "I wonder, compared to Young Master Yu Wen, who shot back a hundred thousand Turkic soldiers with one arrow at Yanmen County, how do I measure up?"
Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat.
Since last night, upon realizing in the dark that the person shooting arrows was a Divine Archer, she couldn’t help but compare this person to Yu Wenye. Even she would think this way, so it’s inevitable that Hua Ziyang himself would think this way.
After all, competitiveness is a man’s instinct.
Especially when one is nearly at the pinnacle of a skill, it’s almost impossible to resist comparing oneself to other masters to prove one is at the peak.
Although Hua Ziyang seemed mature and steady, he was, after all, a man, and a young man at that.
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you want to compete with him?"
Hua Ziyang took a deep breath, a look of expectation and even a bit of eagerness showing on his handsome face, saying, "If that day ever comes, I would really look forward to it."
"Do you think that day will come?"
"If we find him, that day may come soon."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s heart jumped again.
Hua Ziyang turned back and continued walking forward, saying as he walked, "I suppose you know that your husband has gone missing, taking his troops and suddenly disappearing in the Luo River Basin."
"You were mobilized last night to actually find him?"
"We haven’t found his whereabouts yet,"
Hua Ziyang said, his pace faltering a bit, continued, "but perhaps, he will show up."
Shang Ruyi frowned upon hearing this but soon figured it out, stating, "Is this why you captured me? You believe if you capture me, he will appear?"
Hua Ziyang said, "Aren’t you his wife?"
At this, Shang Ruyi fell silent.
It wasn’t that she had nothing to say, but she felt it quite amusing in her heart.
It seems that Yu Wenye’s sharpness, where he suitably played a dutiful husband in front of everyone, has led to this—fortunate reputation? Or perhaps, unfortunate consequence?
Even people who had only seen them once assumed they had deep marital affection, believing that capturing her would lead Yu Wenye to appear.
But would he really appear for her?
This question, Shang Ruyi didn’t even want to dwell on to find the answer.
Yet for some reason, even without delving into it, the question itself lingered and brought a dull pain to her heart, quietly rising and seemingly drowning her like a tide. She found it hard to breathe, subconsciously taking a deep breath. Just then, Hua Ziyang, who was walking in the front, stopped.
Shang Ruyi immediately halted as well.
Looking up, she found they had reached the most central and largest assembly hall in this Warehouse City.
The large door was open, with a few braziers inside. Yet, as the space was vast, with not many braziers or torches, the lighting remained dim. To Shang Ruyi, this place appeared more like a dark cave, not knowing what awaited her within.
Hua Ziyang stopped at the door, saying, "Please."
Shang Ruyi glanced at him, steadied herself, then stepped over the tall threshold and walked inside, as Hua Ziyang silently stepped back.
Upon entering this assembly hall, her first impression was darkness.
Although she stood near the doorway, where sunlight could still reach, upon looking up, the place at the front of the assembly hall, connected by several steps leading to a height, appeared enveloped in gloom. One could barely make out a large table placed there, with someone sitting behind it, attentively studying a map spread across the entire table.
It wasn’t until she heard her footsteps that this person slowly lifted their head.
In the dim light, those already very familiar, sparkling eyes once again looked at her.
Within those eyes, there was even a trace of a delighted smile.
"Young Madam, long time no see."
Shang Ruyi also took a deep breath and said to those eyes, "Young Master Xiao, it’s been a while."