Chapter 338: Chapter 308 Step One
"Your Majesty—"
As Shang Ruyi was about to speak, Chu Yang wouldn’t allow her to utter a word and continued, "What is it? Hearing that I declare myself blameless, would you still fabricate faults against me?!"
"..."
"I know what you want to say. You think I don’t know how you gossip about me behind my back? Saying that I’m overly ambitious and wasting resources, but which of my deeds wasn’t for the sake of this Dynasty?"
"..."
"The late Emperor established the capital in the Western Capital, but that place has long been controlled by the Gate Valve Aristocratic Family from Dingchuan. These people rely on their military and achievements, holding their positions but neglecting their duties, so my decrees cannot be executed. That’s why I built the Eastern Capital, shifting the focus of governance to Luoyang. Only this way can these people not hinder my great enterprise."
"..."
"Regarding the Canal, I know you claim it exhausted the people’s strength, but once completed, the transportation of goods between the south and north becomes smooth—isn’t this a good thing? This time, Wo Xue was able to take you straight from Luoyang to Jiangdu in just over ten days. If it were in the past, when there was no Canal, do you know how long you would have walked on the road?"
"..."
"Also, I have indeed lost some men in three campaigns against Gouli Country, but what of it? Soldiers should be prepared to die in battle. If everyone feared death, who would defend my borders?"
"..."
"Moreover, was my campaign against Gouli Country in vain? Mou Zifeng harbors wolf-like ambitions, refusing to submit and pay tribute for years. Recently, he even secretly colludes with Ashina Shali. If they were allowed to grow strong together, they would become two blades hanging over the Da Ye Dynasty. When that time comes, it would be truly irreparable!"
...
The more he spoke, the further his breaths quickened and his eyes reddened.
Yet Shang Ruyi fell into silence.
She remembered these words from not long after their acquaintance, and now, as he repeated them, it wasn’t because he forgot he had said them before, but because he needed to say them anew.
He needed an outlet for his frustration.
As he finished the last word, he panted heavily, as if he had just been through a struggle of life and death, tense as a bow drawn to its limit, on the verge of breaking. Shang Ruyi could feel his hands slowly resting on her shoulders, his palms cold and wet, his fingers clenched tightly, as if holding onto the last lifeline.
This feeling was suffocating.
He asked her, "Where have I gone wrong?"
Chu Yang lowered his head to look at her, at this small woman trapped against the heavy palace door, completely unable to escape at this moment. Yet in comparison, he, with his pale face and disordered breath, seemed more like a cornered beast on the brink of collapse.
He kept asking, "Where have I gone wrong?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi no longer spoke, merely gazing quietly at the handsome face before her.
After a long struggle, she finally said, "Your Majesty did nothing wrong."
"...!"
At that moment, like a person who had long wandered in darkness suddenly seeing a beam of light, Chu Yang shuddered, and when he raised his head to look into Shang Ruyi’s eyes again, those long Phoenix-like eyes were filled with overwhelming joy, nearly swallowing the person before him.
He said deeply, "You say—I was not wrong!"
"..."
"I truly am not wrong, am I?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi gazed at him quietly, though her body was also cold, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably under his trembling hands, and even her voice carried faint traces of a tremor.
Her throat caught slightly, as she said, "Your Majesty did nothing wrong."
Chu Yang’s face was already wreathed in an ecstatic smile, he lifted his head and took a deep breath, his face seemingly glowing. But when he was about to say more, Shang Ruyi added, "It’s just, too fast."
Chu Yang furrowed his brows, "What?"
Shang Ruyi slowly said, "Your Majesty, you’ve moved too quickly. Your citizens, your subjects, cannot keep up—"
Chu Yang’s expression instantly darkened.
"What did you say?"
At this moment, Shang Ruyi had almost anticipated his reaction, she even wanted to tell him directly—that’s right, your subjects, this realm cannot keep up with you, not only are they lagging behind, but they’re also nearly being dragged to exhaustion!
But facing Chu Yang’s reddened eyes, his pale face, she couldn’t speak.
She understood that his fierce demeanor, his twisted and contorted expression, was merely a mask to hide his vulnerable heart, and if it was torn away at this moment, he’d be left with nothing.
How could she bear to treat a man so favored by the heavens in this way?
After struggling for a long time, Shang Ruyi finally sighed and softly said, "Your Majesty should look at the red steps outside the hall, no matter how familiar you are with them, even if you’re anxious when attending court, don’t you still have to take those steps one at a time?"
"..."
"Even roads must be traversed step by step; how can your vision for this realm reach the heavens in an instant or be achieved overnight?"
Chu Yang fell silent.
He seemingly was no longer angry, but not entirely calm either, as he looked deeply at Shang Ruyi, just as she finished speaking, leaning against the heavy door, her slight frame still trembling slightly, when he suddenly extended his hand and forcibly pushed open that heavy palace door.
"Ah!"
Shang Ruyi was caught off guard, nearly falling backward.
But as Chu Yang reached out, he wrapped her slender waist and pulled her entirely into his arms.
For a moment, Shang Ruyi was too stunned to react, forgetting to struggle. However, she didn’t fall; instead, outside the door, Eunuch Yu let out a yelp, as he was knocked by the door and fell to the ground. Looking up, he saw Chu Yang walk briskly out of the hall, and he was so frightened he knelt down, kowtowed repeatedly.
The little eunuchs outside didn’t dare to even lift their heads.
Shang Ruyi blushed, hastily pulling away from his embrace.
Chu Yang didn’t insist, only giving her a heavy glance, then reaching out to grab her wrist, pulling her out of the main hall, walking down the red steps, and looking off into the distance.
Although the Bright Hall was not as grand and majestic as the Imperial Palace in Daxing City, nor as solemn and magnificent as the main hall of the Ziwei Palace in the Eastern Capital Luoyang, it was after all the main hall of the old palace of the Chen Dynasty. The platform was over three zhang high, the red steps were wide and long, standing atop was like a staircase extending from the Heavenly Palace to the mortal world.
Even to take one step down was impossible, let alone to walk up from below.
In this world, there was no such thing as ascending to the heavens in one step; no matter what, it was impossible.
Seeing the gleam in his eyes, Shang Ruyi sighed, turning around and saying: "Your Majesty, still—"
But before she finished her sentence, Chu Yang suddenly grabbed her wrist again, striding downward.
Though one couldn’t achieve it in one step, descending such a pathway wasn’t too difficult either; in no time, the two of them reached the bottom of the red steps, and when they looked back up at the hall, it already seemed like a Heavenly Palace soaring into the clouds.
In this view, it was even harder.
Chu Yang suddenly said, "You say it’s impossible for a person to walk this path in one step, right?"
Shang Ruyi frowned: "...Of course."
"Good,"
Chu Yang let out a cold laugh and suddenly waved his hand: "Come!"
Eunuch Yu, who was standing there dumbfounded, was startled and quickly came down with his men, bowing his head as he reached Chu Yang’s side, saying softly: "What orders does Your Majesty have?"
Chu Yang said, "Carry me up!"
"Ah!"
Everyone was taken aback, Eunuch Yu turned pale with fright, hurriedly saying: "Your Majesty, the red steps cannot be crossed with sedan chairs or horses, otherwise, it will be greatly ominous!"
Chu Yang said coldly, "Who asked you to carry a sedan chair? Just you few, carry me up!"
The pointed little eunuchs came to their senses only then, hurriedly stepping forward and forming a human chair with their hands, and Chu Yang sat upon it grandly, then said: "Go!"
The small eunuchs carried him, step by step, up the stairs.
Actually, carrying one person up the stairs wasn’t particularly laborious for a few people, but when the person being carried was the Emperor, it was entirely different; everyone feared a single misstep would lead to his fall, a crime punishable by the elimination of nine generations. Thus, they moved cautiously, as if treading on thin ice, in weather not all that hot, yet breaking into a sweat.
Finally, when everyone’s strength was nearly exhausted, they were close to reaching the main hall.
But just as they were nearing the last step, Chu Yang said: "Stop!"
"...!?"
Everyone was taken aback, hastily stopping, carefully watching him.
Chu Yang said coldly, "Put me down."
No one knew what he intended to do, but who dared to disobey the Emperor’s command? So, everyone carefully knelt down, using their nearly exhausted, trembling hands to gently lower him, and Chu Yang landed on his feet, stood steadily, then took a step up.
This time, he had completely ascended the main hall.
Then, he slowly turned around, looking at Shang Ruyi standing below the hall, with a face of shock, seemingly unable to collect herself, and smiled proudly, saying: "Did you see it?"
"..."
"I only used one step to come up."
"..."
"Therefore, nothing is impossible, and nothing is undeserved. I am the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, and I can do what no one else can, and dare to do what no one else dares to think."
"..."
"If you still think I am wrong—"
Saying this, his expression darkened, and he slowly said: "Then, it can only be said that I misjudged you."
"..."
At this moment, Shang Ruyi was completely speechless.
She couldn’t have imagined, not even in her dreams, that Chu Yang would respond to her words in such a manner.
And at this moment, standing on the hall, he still had an imperious face, that rampant arrogance shining brightly in the sunlight, so much so that even the sun couldn’t steal his light.
Looking at the surrounding eunuchs who were panting heavily, both tired and scared, unable to catch their breath, Shang Ruyi felt a lump in her throat.
After a long time, she let out a long sigh.