In a somewhat narrow room, steam was steaming and water was gurgling.
In the heat that continued to spread, a middle-aged woman walked in from behind the screen, holding a set of coarse cloth clothes in her hands and placing them on the low stool beside the bathtub. She said politely: "The clothes are just here, you can wear them yourself." .”
After saying that, he turned around and walked out muttering.
As soon as the door closed, only Shang Ruyi was left in the bathtub in the room. She slowly raised her head, her eyes full of vigilance and solemnity.
Last night, after several battles of life and death, she finally failed to escape the pursuit of the group of people in the darkness, and was captured and taken away by them.
But fortunately, these people were quite polite to her. Not only did they not harm her, they imprisoned her. When they saw that she was covered in blood, they even prepared a hot water bath for her and a change of clothes. After these days of long journeys and last night's life-and-death fight, she really needed to clean up, and even more needed the time to relax at this moment - but even so, she didn't dare to completely relax.
This is Xingluocang City after all!
Thinking of this, even though he was a little tired from the warm bath water, Shang Ruyi shook his head vigorously to wake himself up.
At this time, there was a sound of conversation outside the door——
"Sister-in-law, is that general's wife in the room?"
"That's right."
"That's weird, isn't the person who is fighting with us a lackey of the imperial court? Why don't you kill her and bring her back?"
"Who knows? This is what the big shopkeeper ordered."
"If you ask me, I shouldn't have gone to such trouble. Her man has been causing trouble for us these days. Well, until now, Brother Lu and others are still looking for him outside."
…
Shang Ruyi couldn't listen to what he said next.
Looking for him?
The people in Xingluocang are also looking for Yu Wenye?
She felt uneasy and the bath water was a little cold, so she hurriedly got out of the bathtub. There was no one around to serve her, so she could only take a dry handkerchief to wipe off the water on her body, and then reached for the clothes the woman had given her.
As soon as he stretched out his hand, he discovered that there was a pair of earrings on the clothes.
It was strange. These people were already very polite to give her a change of clothes. Why, they also gave her dressing things? But even if you dress up, what can a pair of earrings add to your look?
Besides, she didn't have that intention at this time.
So she put the pair of earrings aside and put on clothes - just an ordinary blue cloth dress, and it was washed white. It was obviously worn by someone else, but she had nothing to fault at this time and tidied it up carefully. A good neckline and waistband and you're ready to step out.
However, when he just walked to the door, he heard footsteps coming from outside.
There was no sound of footsteps, it was very steady, and it was different from ordinary people upon hearing it.
Shang Ruyi subconsciously stopped inside the door and listened with bated breath. He only heard a young man's voice: "Are you okay here?"
A middle-aged woman smiled and said: "Brother Hua, why did you come here in person? It's almost done. It's almost done. Hmm, that official wife is troublesome. She's still lingering after taking a bath. I'll go and hurry her up."
"No need."
“Zi Ying, why don’t you lock this woman up?”….
"Yeah, we don't have time to take care of the court's lackeys."
"Go tell the big shopkeeper and kill her."
When he heard that he was going to kill himself, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but tremble in his heart, but the next moment, he heard the young man's calm voice saying: "Although we have come out of Wanggang Village, do you still remember the village rules? No Kill the old and the weak, don’t kill women and children, this is an iron rule! From now on, don’t let me hear such words again!”
Although he was young, he had a decisive bearing as soon as he opened his mouth, and the people around him immediately did not dare to say anything else.
At this time, the voice said to the closed door: "Madam, if you are ready, come out."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat again.
Didn't think about it
Wow, although this person was talking to people outside, her ears were very good. She probably heard that she was standing at the door. She took a deep breath, opened the door and walked out.
Standing outside the door were two guards guarding the door, as well as a middle-aged woman who had just come in to give him clothes.
Then there's that young man.
He was wearing a blue suit, carrying a quiver and a long bow on his back. He had a handsome appearance, tall and capable, and looked to be only in his twenties, but his temperament was very calm. He was obviously the man who shot arrows hard last night. The sharpshooter who rescued her from Kou Yunliang's military camp and drove her closer to Xingluocang with one arrow after another.
Just now, I heard someone call him Brother Hua, Ziying. It seems that he is Hua Ziying who is known as "Xiao Li Guang" in Wanggang Village.
Hua Ziying looked up and saw her, his eyes flickered, and he immediately bowed his hands and said, "Madam, if you are ready, come with me."
After saying that, he raised his hand to make a gesture of invitation. Shang Ruyi didn't say anything and just left.
After all, this Xingluocang City was built by the imperial court. It is obviously different from ordinary cottages. The specifications and layout are much higher. You can even see some impressive scenery along the way. But now, the people guarding each pass are no longer the people of the imperial court, but the people of Wanggang Village. Their eyes are full of hostility. As I walked along the way, I was watched by hundreds of thousands of eyes, and I felt a kind of rolling around. The illusion of passing countless blades.
Just after taking a shower, Shang Ruyi was already breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Don't worry, madam."
Hua Ziying, who was walking in front, suddenly spoke. Shang Ruyi was startled and looked up hurriedly, only to see that he did not look back. He was still walking forward slowly. As he walked, he said: "Our people do not have a good impression of the imperial court, but you It’s a woman, and we people in Wanggang Village will not make it difficult for a woman to have an abortion.”
"oh?"
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said in a long voice, "Don't you want to embarrass women?"
Hua Ziying seemed to have heard the sarcasm in her mouth. He stopped and looked back at her, only to see Shang Ruyi staring at the tube of arrows and the long bow on his back.
Hua Ziying was not stupid, and immediately understood that she was referring to the arrow that forced her to stop last night.
Then he said: "Madam, you can rest assured. If I dare to shoot my arrow at you, I am 100% sure that I will not hurt you."
"Yeah?"
"Isn't Madam unharmed now?"
"..."
This is true, no matter how many explanations are given, they are not as good as the facts before them. ….
Shang Ruyi was silent for a moment, nodded and said, "Your archery skills are very good."
Hua Ziying looked at her, his hawk-like eyes bursting with light: "I don't know, how does it compare to Mr. Yuwen who was able to shoot back a hundred thousand Turkic troops in Yanmen County with one arrow?"
"...!"
Shang Ruyi's heart moved.
From last night, the moment she realized that the man who shot the arrow in the dark was a sharpshooter, she unconsciously compared this man with Yu Wenye. Even she would think so, and Hua Ziying himself would inevitably think so. .
After all, it is a man's instinct to be competitive.
Especially when you are extremely proficient in a certain skill and have almost reached its peak, you can't help but compare yourself with other masters to prove that you are the top.
Although Hua Ziying looks mature and stable, he is a man after all, and a young man at that.
Shang Ruyi thought for a while and said, "Do you want to compete with him?"
Hua Ziying took a deep breath, and his handsome face showed a little expectation, even a look of preparation, and said: "If this day comes, I will look forward to it very much."
"Do you think this day will come to pass?"
"If we find him, maybe this day will come soon."
"find him?"
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat again.
Hua Ziying turned around and continued walking forward, saying as he walked: "I guess you also know that your husband is missing, and he suddenly disappeared in the Luo River Basin with his soldiers and horses."
"You guys went out last night
Are you moving, actually to find him? "
"good."
"That--"
"His whereabouts have not been found yet,"
Hua Ziying said, his steps also stagnated, and said: "But maybe, he will appear."
Shang Ruyi frowned when he heard this, but after thinking about it again, he understood and said, "Is this why you caught me back? Do you think he will show up if you catch me?"
Hua Ziying said: "Aren't you his wife?"
"..."
This time, Shang Ruyi didn't speak again.
It’s not that I have nothing to say, but I feel a little funny in my heart.
It seems that this is why Yu Wenye is so sober and plays the role of a competent husband appropriately in front of everyone - a blessing? Or rather, the consequences?
Even people who have only met them once will assume that they are deeply in love as a couple and feel that as long as they catch her, Yu Wenye will appear.
But, will he appear because of himself?
Shang Ruyi didn't even want to think about the answer to this question.
But for some reason, even if she didn't think about it, this problem was just before her eyes, but there was still a dull pain in her heart, as if rising water gradually submerged her. She had some difficulty breathing, and subconsciously took a deep breath. At this moment, Hua Ziying, who was walking in front, stopped.
Shang Ruyi also stopped immediately.
When they looked up, they found that they had reached the door of the most central and largest meeting hall in Cang City.
The door was open, and there were several braziers inside, but because the place was too big, there were not many braziers and torches, and the light was still not that bright. To Shang Ruyi, it looked like a dark cave. He didn't know what was waiting inside. Hold yourself.
Hua Ziying stopped at the door and said, "Please."
Shang Ruyi glanced at him, composed himself, stepped over the high threshold and walked in, while Hua Ziying behind him had already retreated without saying a word.
As soon as I walked into this council hall, my first impression was that it was dark.
Although she was standing near the door, the sunlight outside could still shine on her, but when she looked up, directly in front of the meeting hall, where several stairs led to the high place, it was actually dark, and she could only barely see. There was a large table above. A man sat behind the table and looked at a map that covered the entire table.
It wasn't until he heard her footsteps that the man slowly raised his head.
Under the dim light, those very familiar, shining eyes looked at her again.
There was even a hint of joyful smile in his eyes.
"Madam, long time no see."
Shang Ruyi also took a deep breath and said into those eyes: "Mr. Xiao, it's been a long time."
Leng Qingshan
