Upon hearing this question, Yu Wenye’s brow furrowed instantly, and he turned around to stare intently at Shang Ruyi: "Why are you asking this?"
"Who told you something?"
Shang Ruyi spoke somewhat flustered: "I just, just suddenly thought of it."
"Suddenly thought of it?"
"Well, maybe not suddenly,"
Shang Ruyi’s eyes flickered as she said softly, "I’ve always wanted to know—about our marriage, you know I married you after I refused your elder brother; then you, who did you give up marrying, to marry me?"
Or perhaps the question should be, because of her, whom did he miss out on?
Yu Wenye’s expression grew peculiar. He stared at her for a while, furrowing his brow before speaking in a low voice: "That matter has passed. You need not mind it nor should you ask again, after all—"
For some reason, Shang Ruyi feared he would voice something embarrassing like "our marriage is merely a transaction," so she hurriedly interrupted: "I understand."
"I... I shouldn’t have asked."
Seeing her face full of embarrassment, Yu Wenye frowned again, thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I still say this, you are the young madam of the Yuwen family, you can do what you think is right, but there are some things you should not involve yourself in, and don’t ask too many questions. This, for you, for me, is beneficial."
His tone, and even his words, were indeed much softer compared to his previously harsh, almost threatening ones.
Shang Ruyi also felt a bit silly; what was the point of asking that all of a sudden?
So she gently nodded: "Alright."
After saying these words, Yu Wenye lay down on the bed, preparing to sleep.
But after lying down for a moment, he smelled a strong scent of milk. Upon opening his eyes, he saw Shang Ruyi bringing a steaming bowl of milk to his side: "Drink it, then sleep."
Yu Wenye glanced at her, said nothing, and took the bowl.
The milk was evidently freshly warmed, neither too cold nor too hot, the temperature just right. As he drank it, the rich milky aroma and gentle warmth enveloped him softly.
Yu Wenye suddenly felt a slight softness in his chest, a kind of softness that made him very uncomfortable.
He finished the milk in a few gulps, handed the empty bowl back to her. Shang Ruyi took the bowl with a smile: "Keep drinking it for a while, you see, you definitely won’t have cramps anymore, I’m not lying to you."
After speaking, she carried the empty bowl away.
Yu Wenye watched her back and instinctively felt his chest with his hand, the soft spot seemed to have grown slightly.
The days that followed were unexpectedly peaceful.
Since the contest with Huang Gongyi, Yu Wenye’s attitude had undergone some subtle changes. Although they were not as intimate as true husband and wife, when they were alone together, the atmosphere was no longer as cold and awkward as before, and sometimes it was even somewhat harmonious.
Although Shang Ruyi had been secluded for years, her travels in her youth had given her a broader perspective than most women. Whenever she talked about her experiences in Turkic lands, Yu Wenye listened with great attention;
And he would share some of his military affairs with her during his leisure time, and Shang Ruyi, unlike other women who were clueless about military matters, could even discuss a couple of points with him occasionally.
As for the household, everything remained the same.
Guan Yunmu still spared her from the morning and evening greetings, and as the new daughter-in-law, Shang Ruyi was neither in charge of household affairs nor troubled by her mother-in-law. Except for some indifference, there were no major upheavals in her life.
Just like that, in the blink of an eye, it was already August.
That day, Yu Wenye came home earlier than usual. The weather was hot, and the blazing sun left him sweating profusely. As soon as he entered the room, Wo Xue and the others immediately helped him take off his outer clothes and set up ice plates in the center of the room to cool him down. Shang Ruyi personally poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him, then instructed Wo Xue to hang up his clothes before leaving.
During this time, they had fully accustomed themselves to each other and to their interactions.
As long as there was an outsider present, they appeared to be a flawless couple in love.
Only today, Yu Wenye’s face seemed a bit somber.
Shang Ruyi asked, "Did something happen?"
Yu Wenye responded heavily, "A message came from the Eastern Capital, the Emperor plans to campaign against Liaodong!"