The next morning, Shang Ruyi got up as usual, only to find that there was a familiar figure among the maids who came to serve her, it was Wuxue.

She didn't say anything immediately. After they finished washing and dressing her up and sitting down to have breakfast, she asked, "Are you healed?"

Wuxue was serving a bowl of hot soup to her. When she heard this, her hand paused.

But she immediately returned to her normal expression and said softly: "Thank you for your concern, young lady. My slave, it's okay."

Having said that, Shang Ruyi still saw that her face was a little pale, and when she was doing things, her movements were slower than before, but she didn't say much, just nodded, took the bowl and prepared to eat.

He lowered his head and looked at the dishes on the table, but couldn't help but frown.

Her appetite these days is not very good and she doesn't eat much, but the food delivered from the kitchen every day is enough for several people. For this breakfast alone, the table is full, including two kinds of porridge.

Four kinds of medicinal soups and rice, seven or eight kinds of dishes, as well as refreshing fruits and pastries, she couldn't finish them all by herself.

Shang Ruyi said: "Let me tell the kitchen next time. I eat alone and can't use so much food."

Wuxue said softly: "Your Majesty personally told you this."

The implication cannot be changed.

Having known each other for such a long time, Shang Ruyi also knew that Chu Yang was stubborn not only in matters of national importance, but also in these small matters. He would not listen to anyone's advice at all, so he could only sigh.

After thinking for a while, he added: "Then you should eat some too."

A look of horror appeared on Wuxue's face, and she shook her head hastily: "I don't dare, this slave."

Shang Ruyi said: "No one knows, I let you eat it."

Wuxue still shook his head.

Shang Ruyi thought for a while and said, "I have no appetite when eating alone. If you stay with me, I can eat two more bites."

"..."

Wuxue looked at her and was silent for a while. Finally, he lowered his head and said softly: "Yes."

So she excused herself and sat across from Shang Ruyi, eating with her.

Although she came from the palace and obeyed the emperor's orders, she had never eaten such rich and exquisite dishes. In addition, these were nourishing and medicinal things specially prepared for Shang Ruyi. Eating them was very beneficial to her body.

Big benefit.

Wuxue swallowed a mouthful of warm soup and felt the heat coming out of her eyes again, moistening her eyes for a while.

The meal was finished in silence. Although Wuxue was with him and he ate a lot more than usual, there was still a lot left. Shang Ruyi thought that all these things would be thrown away after taking them down. He was so distressed that his teeth ached, but there was nothing he could do.

I could only watch helplessly as Wuxue and the other two maids collected the dishes.

After everything was cleaned up, Wuxue asked: "What are you going to do today, Madam?"

Shang Ruyi shook his head.

Speaking of which, during the days she came to Jiangdu Palace, she spent most of her time lying on the bed to recuperate, and then she regained her strength and practiced walking. She really didn't do anything else, and she found it a bit boring.

Wuxue said: "Your Majesty has asked people to prepare a variety of opera artists, as well as singers and dancers. If the young lady is bored, you can send them over at any time to relieve the young lady's boredom."

"..."

When Shang Ruyi heard this, he still shook his head.

She had never been very interested in singing, dancing, and opera, not to mention that at this time, she was not in such a leisurely mood. After thinking about it, she said: "I have been here for so long and I haven't gone out for a walk. Will you go out with me?"

"

Wuxue said: "Young madam, we can't leave the palace."

Shang Ruyi said: "Then, just take a walk in the palace? I want to see what Jiangdu Palace looks like."

"yes."

So, the two of them went out together.

In fact, he already went to the inner palace yesterday and saw some scenery, but today Shang Ruyi didn't want to go there anymore, so he went out and walked in the opposite direction, left the palace, and walked along a corridor for a while.

After exiting a door, you stepped onto a long corridor.

Walk forward along this corridor, then turn a corner and go down the steps, and you will enter the huge square in front of the main hall.

We arrived at the emperor's location.

Therefore, there were many more guards here than in the previous places. There was a tall and mighty guard standing every few steps on the corridor in front of her. When those people saw her, they all had surprised looks on their faces.

Shang Ruyi's pace was also a little slow.

It seemed that it was not easy to go any further.

Just when she was hesitating, a very soft man's voice suddenly sounded next to her: "Yuwen... Young Madam?"

Shang Ruyi turned around and saw a patrol team passing by. The leader of the group, a young man in his twenties, of medium build, looked at her with shining eyes.

It's an unfamiliar face.

Shang Ruyi said: "Yes. You are -"

There was a look of surprise on the man's face, and he turned around and waved to the group of people behind him. These people continued to walk forward without looking away, while he walked up to Shang Ruyi in a few steps and held his hands in front of her.

He bowed and said, "At Chengqiao, the deputy commander of Zuogong Army."

The guards of Jiangdu Palace are divided into two teams: the left palace army and the right palace army, each in charge of the palace gates and guards on the east and west sides. There are also two supreme commanders, the left and right palace army generals, and the two deputy commanders.

The second in command of the team.

This was the first time for Shang Ruyi to meet the commander of Suwei Jiangdu Palace.

But the strange thing is that when most people introduce themselves, they should put their position first, but he said his name first and then his position, as if his identity was more important than his position.

Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi glanced at him again.

Compared with the surrounding sergeants from the south, this man's skin was darker and rougher, his eyes were round and big, his lips were slightly thick, and he seemed to have a very honest temperament, but no matter how you looked at him, he still looked like an unfamiliar face.

Sensing the strangeness in Shang Ruyi's eyes, Cheng Qiao said softly: "I once served in the Taiyuan Army."

Taiyuan? In the army of Duke Sheng?

When Shang Ruyi heard this, he immediately became energetic: "Have you ever been with the Duke?"

Cheng Qiao nodded immediately and looked at Shang Ruyi carefully: "Second Young Master, you never mentioned that I am here?"

"...?!"

Shang Ruyi's breathing sank slightly, and she felt doubts and undue palpitations in her heart. However, she still managed to keep her expression as normal and said: "No."

Cheng Qiao had a lonely look on his face, and then he smiled softly and said, "Second Young Master has always been like this."

Shang Ruyi couldn't help but wonder, is there something wrong with that person?

After Cheng Qiao felt lonely for a while, he raised his head again and looked at Shang Ruyi's doubtful eyes. He immediately smiled and said, "Young madam, don't get me wrong. In fact, I have received a great favor from the second young master, and I have no way to repay it."

Shang Ruyi said: "What's wrong?"

Cheng Qiao then told Shang Ruyi that he had served in the army in Taiyuan and had been with Yu Wenye. However, just a few years ago, the imperial court recruited troops and horses for the second expedition to Liaodong. His brother was forced to go with the army, and later the war

Die in Liaodong.

Shang Ruyi frowned and said, "You two brothers are both in the military? Isn't this illegal?"

"..."

Cheng Qiao glanced at her and said with a wry smile: "Young madam, starting from the second expedition to Liaodong, the rule that brothers cannot serve at the same time has ceased to exist in name only."

Shang Ruyi sighed.

She added: "Then how did you come to Jiangdu Palace?"

Cheng Qiao said: "After my brother was killed in battle, there was no one to take care of the two elders in the family. When the second son found out, he asked me to return to my hometown. Moreover, he specially arranged for me to guard Jiangdu Palace. In this way, I am still in the army.

That means you don’t have to be drafted anymore.”

Shang Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good. Then the elders in your family can be relied upon."

Mentioning this, Cheng Qiao's eyes turned red.

Shang Ruyi immediately felt something and asked, "What's wrong?"

Cheng Qiao said calmly: "Actually, on my way back home, the imperial court has begun to recruit soldiers and horses for the third expedition to Liaodong... My father has been recruited."

"What?!"

Shang Ruyi couldn't believe his ears. No matter how you looked at Cheng Qiao's father, his age should definitely not be included in the conscription! So he said: "Your Majesty, then he -"

As soon as she saw Cheng Qiao's face, she knew there was no need to ask anymore.

The expedition against the Gouli Kingdom was the most brutal of the three conquests. Four hundred thousand people rushed to Liaodong, but in the end less than 80,000 returned to their homeland. Shang Ruyi heard that during the final defeat, the soldiers of the Gouli Kingdom took advantage of the opportunity.

When the soldiers and horses of the Daye Dynasty crossed the river, they chased them from behind and drowned nearly 100,000 soldiers!

One hundred thousand, when I heard about it in the past, I thought it was tragic, but no matter how tragic it is, it is just a number.

But now, among those 100,000 people, there is a very clear figure, perhaps the father of the man in front of him.

Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a heavy pain in his heart and was almost speechless.

Seeing her suddenly pale face, Cheng Qiao also regretted his mistake and said hurriedly: "Hey, I wanted to greet the young madam. Why did I make the young madam unhappy by talking about these things? Please forgive me, young madam."

Shang Ruyi shook his head gently.

Looking at him again, his eyes were a little heavier, but Cheng Qiao had returned to normal, and said: "Although my brother and father are--but my mother and I have settled down now. I have always wanted to repay the second son.

, I heard that this time His Majesty led hundreds of officials and their families to tour Jiangdu Palace. I originally thought there would be a chance, but I also heard that the Second Young Master seems to have been sent to attack Wanggang Village."

Shang Ruyi only felt a dull pain in his heart one after another.

Although Cheng Qiao didn't mention Yu Wenye's name, just mentioning this person seemed to stab her over and over again. She could only pretend to look normal and said softly: "Yeah."

Cheng Qiao sighed a little disappointedly.

But he immediately raised his head and said to Shang Ruyi: "If you need anything, young lady, you can send someone to give me instructions at any time."

"..."

Shang Ruyi looked at him and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Her relationship with Yu Wenye - even if it cannot be said to be broken, at least now, she would feel uncomfortable even hearing his name, and naturally she would not want to get involved with anyone or anything related to him.

What's more, it is to enjoy the repayment of others on his behalf.

So he shook his head lightly and said: "I, I didn't..., in short, you don't have to worry so much... take care of yourself."

After saying that, he turned around and left.
Chapter completed!