Chapter 1424: So, You Came for Her

It’s also because of you.

Upon hearing these words, Shang Ruyi’s brows furrowed slightly, and the earring felt suddenly hot in her hand. She wanted to throw it away, but ultimately clutched it in her palm, gripping tightly.

Watching the veins slightly protrude on the back of her hand, Xiao Yuansui said, “Did I offend you by saying this?”

Shang Ruyi replied, “Yes.”

Xiao Yuansui instead chuckled lightly, “I thought women wouldn’t resist others’ admiration.”

Shang Ruyi said sternly, “Not every woman takes pride in being admired by men, thinking the more men who admire her, the more honored she is. At least, I’m not like that.”

As she said this, her expression was so serious it carried a hint of anger.

Xiao Yuansui finally grew serious, pondered for a moment, and said, “I know you are a person of integrity.”

“…”

“So, before today, I didn’t think of definitely needing your response, or needing to have you.”

Shang Ruyi asked, “Today? What’s different about today?”

Xiao Yuansui thought for a moment and said, “Actually, there’s nothing different. It’s just that you finally came to my side, and I wanted it. That’s all.”

Shang Ruyi slowly let out a breath.

She exhaled so lightly that it could easily have passed unnoticed like a breath of wind at night, leaving no trace. But in this almost enclosed tent, in the two-person space, Xiao Yuansui could easily sense any change in her, including this sigh. He smiled faintly and said, “You can rest assured.”

Shang Ruyi said, “Hm?”

Xiao Yuansui said, “I won’t do anything to you. Although in the eyes of some, I’m already a villain beyond redemption, I’ve never troubled a woman, let alone forced one.”

Shang Ruyi glanced at him, “You are a gentleman.”

“…”

“Unfortunately, Wang Shaoji and those people are not.”

“….!?”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuansui was initially stunned, then his eyes burned with anger, but upon further thought, he immediately understood something. The anger in his eyes faded, leaving a subtle, almost undetectable disdain and disappointment.

He said, “So you came for her.”

Shang Ruyi’s eyes immediately reddened, glaring at him, “Why do you want Lu Xiao dead?”

Xiao Yuansui let out a long breath, slowly turned around, walked back to the desk, and sat down, saying, “I didn’t want her dead. I didn’t give that order, nor can I command her. I just wrote her a couple of lines of poetry.”

Shang Ruyi stepped forward, “Don’t you know that alone could cost her life?”

“…”

“Do you know how she’s lived all these years, what she’s endured? Yet no matter how terrible or unbearable the pain, she endured it all just to see you again.”

“…”

“But you didn’t even meet her, and you want her dead!”

Xiao Yuansui’s expression grew colder, “I originally didn’t have to do this as long as she didn’t come looking for me.”

“…”

“She shouldn’t have come looking for me at all.”

“…”

“She should have gone to find another man who could shelter her, protect her, give her some affection, allowing her to live peacefully for the rest of her life. A lot of men can do that kind of thing.”

“…”

“As long as she’s still young and beautiful.”

“…”

“But for everything else, it depends on whether she has the ability to make that man endure and make sacrifices for her.”

“…”

“At least, I won’t.”

Even though his expression was cold while saying this, Shang Ruyi noticed the disdain in his eyes, and beneath that disdain, a tinge of concealed pain. This pain even seemed to lower the candle flames on the desk in front of him, as if they might be snuffed out at any moment.

Shang Ruyi’s expression also darkened, and she said, “In the end, you just look down on her.”

“…”

“You look down on her for staying with other people while away from you.”

Xiao Yuansui maintained his serious expression but suddenly let out a cold laugh, “Actually, I don’t blame her. She is just that kind of person.”

“…”

“Liu Ying is meant to perch on one branch after another, moving from one man to the next.”

Shang Ruyi also kept her serious expression, “Liu Ying is Liu Ying, she is herself. No branch forces a Liu Ying to stay by its side, not letting it fly, breaking its wings if it dares to fly away, making it fall into the mire.”

“…”

“When Wang Shaoji was hunting you down, did you not imagine what would happen if you fell into his hands?”

“…”

“You escaped, Lu Xiao didn’t. That’s your luck, but not her fault.”

“…”

“Is it a crime for her to want to survive, to live and return to your side?”

By this point, she noticed the icy look in Xiao Yuansui’s eyes grow stronger, clearly showing no sympathy for or understanding of Lu Xiao’s painful experience with Wang Shaoji, only disdain and contempt. Shang Ruyi was also afraid that he might say something even more cold-hearted, which could resolve Lu Xiao to death even though she couldn’t hear it, so she quickly continued, “If tonight I agreed with you, would I be just like a Liu Ying in your eyes, perching branch after branch, going to one man after another?”

Hearing this, Xiao Yuansui’s face immediately changed, hurriedly saying, “Of course not.”

“…”

“You and her are not the same.”

“…”

“Back then at Xingluo Granary, although caught by me, you didn’t grovel; and later I heard you were captured by Emperor Yang at Jiangdu, yet you didn’t humble yourself before him; even when caught by Ashina Zhuxie at the Turkic Yatai, I knew he didn’t take advantage of you at all.”

Shang Ruyi let out a cold laugh, “That’s because I was lucky enough.”

“…”

“When you captured me into Xingluo Granary, you were a gentleman; and then…” Although just a long-buried past, something made Shang Ruyi’s throat choke up, she suppressed the sudden surge of bitterness in her heart, and said, “I was taken to Jiangdu Palace because he was at the end of his road, just wanting company, without any other intentions; and Ashina Zhuxie didn’t trouble me because his heart was set on Lei Yu, so naturally, I wasn’t of interest to him.”

“…”

After speaking, Shang Ruyi’s gaze bore into Xiao Yuansui, continuing, “Of course, I managed to return from the Western Turks whole, not just because of my luck, or because Lei Yu was by my side; but also because those who protected me were strong enough.”