Destined

"Alright, alright," Gu Jiusi, noticing the curious glances from those around them, felt somewhat awkward. He patted Shen Ming's back and said, "Hold back your tears for now. We'll talk in detail once we're in the carriage."

"Can I get on the carriage first?" Shen Ming released Gu Jiusi and asked between sobs. Gu Jiusi waved his hand dismissively. "Go ahead, quickly. You're making a scene."

Without another word, Shen Ming turned and leaped onto the largest carriage.

Gu Jiusi raised an eyebrow. "He sure knows how to pick."

"Are the documents and official seals all packed?" Liu Yu Ru approached and asked. Gu Jiusi thought for a moment and confirmed, "They're all packed."

"And the Son of Heaven's Sword bestowed by His Majesty?"

Before their departure, Fan Xuan had gifted Gu Jiusi the Son of Heaven's Sword. With this sword, it was as if the emperor himself were present, making Gu Jiusi's tasks much easier.

Gu Jiusi nodded. "I've already had Munan store it safely."

Liu Yu Ru acknowledged with a hum. "I've checked everything. We can set off now."

The two went inside to bid farewell to their parents, ensuring all arrangements were in order, then boarded the carriage.

Once inside, they sat opposite Shen Ming, who had mostly stopped crying and had calmed down considerably. As the convoy began moving, Gu Jiusi stirred the tea leaves and asked, "So, why were you crying like that?"

"If you ask like that, I won't tell you."

Shen Ming immediately bristled at the question, turning his head away. "Figure it out yourself."

Gu Jiusi chuckled lightly. "With the state you're in, do I even need to guess?"

"Then go ahead and guess," Shen Ming retorted arrogantly, raising an eyebrow. Gu Jiusi poured water from the side, steeping the tea leaves, and said slowly, "You went to deliver rouge to Ye Yun, didn't you?"

Shen Ming's expression remained unchanged. "You told me to go, so I went."

"And she didn't want it, did she?"

Shen Ming's face twitched slightly. Gu Jiusi set down the water pot, covered the teacup, and smiled at Shen Ming. "You couldn't help but confess your feelings to her, right?"

Shen Ming's expression shifted completely. Gu Jiusi's smile widened. "And you probably didn't even finish before she rejected you?"

"Gu Jiusi!" Shen Ming roared angrily. "You had someone follow me!"

"Follow you?"

Gu Jiusi scoffed, full of disdain. "What a waste of manpower. The little games between you and Ye Yun—I don't even need to think to figure them out."

Shen Ming's face flushed red, frustration boiling inside him. He breathed heavily and said, "Then... then why did you make me go and embarrass myself like that?"

"Embarrass yourself?" Gu Jiusi said matter-of-factly. "Chasing after a girl and getting rejected—that's called romance, not embarrassment! If you like her, you have to say it. If you don't, she'll never know. If she doesn't like you back, isn't that normal? Who's born liking someone? If she doesn't like you, then you pursue her! Treat her well, chase her properly, coax her, charm her, give her gifts and money, ask after her well-being, and say nice things. Do you even know how to say nice things?"

Seeing Shen Ming stunned by his scolding, Gu Jiusi felt pleased. "You don't know how, do you? I'm telling you, you need to suffer a little. Getting rejected once will teach you what's important. Let me tell you, if you hadn't cried today, that mouth of yours would keep spouting nonsense. If Ye Yun ever ends up being called Shen Ye Shi, I'll start calling you 'brother' from now on.""Alright, he's feeling upset right now, you should say less." Liu Yu Ru saw that Gu Jiusi had spoken too harshly and secretly shot him a glare. Gu Jiusi coughed lightly, immediately restrained himself, and fell silent, lowering his head to drink tea. Liu Yu Ru looked at Shen Ming and comforted him, "Don’t be too upset. Yun’er has unresolved feelings in her heart and won’t easily accept someone else for a while. It’s not directed at you. If you go over and speak rashly, she definitely won’t agree. There’s still a long road ahead, take it slow."

Hearing this, Shen Ming felt much steadier. He sighed, "Sister-in-law, when you say take it slow, how exactly should I do that?"

"Just think more about how to be good to her."

Liu Yu Ru sighed, "She’s suffered, as you know. Because of that suffering, she feels uneasy deep down, afraid to hope for the future or place too much expectation in marriage. Yun’er is probably just waiting for the Ye Family to arrange things for her now—whatever they decide, she’ll accept. If you truly like her, do your work well on this Yellow River trip, earn a promotion when you return. Never mind whether she likes you or not, at least make the Ye Family respect you first."

Shen Ming was taken aback; he had never thought this deeply before. Seeing his dazed expression, Liu Yu Ru realized he didn’t understand these matters and explained more carefully, "No matter what, the Ye Family is a scholarly household. With Ye Yun’s status, she ought to marry into a prominent family. But given her past experiences, the Ye Family likely won’t find her a very favorable match—either she’ll become a concubine to a high official or marry down to a declining noble family as a wife. Of course, the best scenario would be to marry an older high official as a second wife. But even if she marries that way, others will still look down on her to some extent. And for Ye Yun herself, she’ll always feel that what happened in the past truly ruined her. If you really care for her, at least gain the Ye Family’s approval first, so Yun’er feels that even now, she’s no different from before—she doesn’t have to marry beneath her."

"This is about giving her dignity and healing her wounds. Only when the wounds in her heart heal can she learn to love someone."

As Liu Yu Ru spoke, Shen Ming grew quiet. He listened intently, and after a long while, he asked, "Was she a very proud girl in the past?"

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru smiled, "Extremely proud. She used to say the person she married had to be handsome and dashing, accomplished in both literature and martial arts, hold a high position with ample wealth, and be an upright hero."

These words sounded somewhat childish now. Shen Ming listened earnestly, and after a long silence, he said, "I understand."

Just as Liu Yu Ru was about to say more, the carriage came to a halt. Gu Jiusi lifted the curtain and saw they had reached the city gate. The guards checked their official travel documents and gradually let them pass through the gate. Outside the city, Gu Jiusi spotted the Ministry of Rites officials waiting with their entourage, and Luo Zishang’s convoy was already parked at the entrance.

Luo Zishang seemed to have been waiting there for some time. When Gu Jiusi arrived, he and the Ministry of Rites officials approached the carriage. Gu Jiusi led Shen Ming out of the carriage and exchanged greetings with the officials and Luo Zishang.The Ministry of Rites officials handed the name list to Gu Jiusi and briefly introduced the personnel assigned by the court for this journey. These individuals were ultimately all managed by Shen Ming, who acknowledged the instruction before stepping aside to familiarize himself with the team through conversation. After exchanging pleasantries with the Ministry of Rites representatives, Gu Jiusi saw them off. Once they had departed, he turned his gaze to Luo Zishang.

Luo Zishang was dressed in casual attire. When he noticed Gu Jiusi looking at him, his face broke into a smile as gentle as a spring breeze, devoid of any shadow. No one could have imagined that the assassination attempt the previous night had been orchestrated by this very man.

Before Gu Jiusi could speak, Luo Zishang addressed him first, speaking with utmost respect, "I hope Lord Gu will look after me during this journey."

Gu Jiusi smiled back at Luo Zishang and returned the courtesy, "It is I who should rely on Lord Luo's care."

"On this journey, Lord Gu is in charge. Everything shall follow your arrangements. How could I possibly take care of you?" Luo Zishang replied with a smile, his polite and respectful demeanor making it difficult for anyone to harbor ill feelings toward him. Gu Jiusi chuckled lightly and said, "I won't stand on ceremony then. Since it's getting late, let us set off."

After the formal greetings, Gu Jiusi assigned Shen Ming to lead the way, guiding the two groups eastward. According to Luo Zishang's plan, their primary task in repairing the Yellow River would begin at Xingyang. Xingyang was the diversion point of the Yellow River, connected to the Bian Canal. During the previous Great Rong dynasty, several attempts to repair the Yellow River had been abandoned midway. The endeavor was both labor-intensive and costly; no matter how much funding was initially allocated, it always fell short. Yet, repairing the Yellow River required substantial expenditure, while neglecting it would lead to floods in the surrounding grain-producing regions, resulting in even greater costs. Ultimately, the court's attitude toward the Yellow River had become one of procrastination—each official hoped the problem wouldn't arise during their tenure, leaving it for their successors to handle.

Liu Yu Ru and Gu Jiusi were reviewing the historical records of Yellow River flood control, which the emperor had ordered copied for them. After studying them for a while, Liu Yu Ru looked up hesitantly and said, "Why do you think His Majesty has resolved to manage the Yellow River this time?"

"Hmm?" Gu Jiusi glanced up at her. Liu Yu Ru frowned and continued, "Look, back when Great Rong was relatively prosperous, the monarchs still found it challenging to repair the Yellow River multiple times. Now, with Great Xia facing internal and external troubles, Liu Xingzhi's growing ambitions, and Yangzhou's ambiguous stance, isn't His Majesty concerned about undertaking this project now?"

"You're overthinking it," Gu Jiusi said with a laugh, "but you're not entirely wrong. If the Yellow River repairs succeed, it will bring peace and prosperity to the nation. If they fail, it could even lead to the collapse of the state. His Majesty must have his reasons for deciding to repair the Yellow River."

"Tell me what you think," Liu Yu Ru urged, setting aside the scrolls with curiosity.

Gu Jiusi lazily propped his chin on his hand, flipping through the documents as he replied nonchalantly, "Firstly, His Majesty is confident that Liu Xingzhi won't launch an attack now. From what we know, Liu Xingzhi is still dealing with internal strife. Even if that ends, he'll likely need time to recover. Jing and Yi provinces are nothing like Great Xia, which inherited Great Rong's entire foundation. Those two provinces have to rebuild everything from scratch, so it will probably take two or three years before Liu Xingzhi can mobilize his forces. Besides, before we left, His Majesty stated that the Yellow River repairs must be completed by next summer at the latest."

Liu Yu Ru listened, her brow furrowing in thought.Gu Jiusi looked up at her and sighed, "Look at you, worrying as soon as I mention these things. If it makes you so anxious, I won’t say any more."

"If you don’t tell me, that’s when I’ll really worry," Liu Yu Ru quickly replied with a smile, leaning closer. "What’s the second reason?"

"The second reason is that His Majesty believes that since the new dynasty has just been established, now is the perfect time for bold reforms. Once the court becomes stable, it will be much harder to implement changes later. The repeated failures in repairing the Yellow River during the Great Rong era were fundamentally due to the Eastern Capital’s inability to control local officials. Funds allocated were embezzled layer by layer, so naturally, they were never enough. His Majesty, having served as a military governor, understands this all too well. By granting me the Son of Heaven's Sword, His Majesty has made it clear: I am not only to repair the Yellow River but also to discipline these officials, ensuring they are kept in line so that future decrees won’t be confined to the Eastern Capital."

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru felt a weight in her heart. She now understood what Jiang He meant—if this task succeeded, it would be a great achievement, but if it failed… their very lives might be at risk.

Liu Yu Ru sighed, "We have so few people. What if they harbor ill intentions…"

"That’s why I need to find a position for Shen Ming."

Gu Jiusi pondered, while Liu Yu Ru looked puzzled. Gu Jiusi smiled and reassured her, "Don’t worry, I have a plan. Let me explain His Majesty’s third consideration—he is thinking long-term. The Bian Canal is too close to the Eastern Capital. If it were to flood, it would pose a significant threat to the capital. Moreover, the areas around the Yellow River are fertile farmlands, crucial for grain production. If we can repair the river and allow the people to farm and recuperate peacefully, Great Xia’s national strength will flourish. Fixing the Yellow River not only addresses internal threats but also ensures a stable food supply. If we ever go to war with Liu Xingzhi, we’ll have the resources to back us up. Additionally, His Majesty has taken note of your proposal to connect the Bian Canal to the Huai River during the Yellow River repairs. This would secure domestic grain transportation for generations—a foundation for the next hundred years. Most importantly, all these benefits will be funded by Yangzhou. By spending this money, Yangzhou will be unable to raise an army for at least five years, giving His Majesty peace of mind."

Liu Yu Ru nodded thoughtfully. "His Majesty’s foresight is remarkable."

Gu Jiusi hummed in agreement and pulled her into his arms. "Don’t worry too much. Once we reach Xingyang, focus on your tasks, and I’ll handle the rest. Are you planning to build warehouses there?"

"Yes," Liu Yu Ru confirmed. "On one hand, I’ll establish warehouses, and on the other, I’ll explore potential business opportunities in the area."

As they discussed their plans, ten days passed, and they arrived in Xingyang.

The local officials, having heard of Gu Jiusi’s arrival, had gathered early at the city gates. Gu Jiusi and his party rested at an inn outside the city for the night. The next morning, after donning their official robes and ensuring everything was in order, they proceeded toward Xingyang.

From inside the carriage, Liu Yu Ru lifted the curtain and saw over a hundred people, some in official attire and others in fine robes, standing neatly at the entrance. The scene resembled an imperial procession. She let the curtain fall and turned to Gu Jiusi with a smile. "It looks like over a hundred people have come to welcome you. The Xingyang county magistrate has certainly put in the effort.""The highest-ranking official here is only a sixth-rank, while I hold a third-rank position," Gu Jiusi raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Shouldn't they be trying to curry favor with me? However," he put down his book, brushed off his clothes, and said calmly, "these people's flattery isn't for our sake. If they replaced us with a dog wearing my official robe someday, they'd still kneel respectfully and praise it as a fine dog with glossy fur. Don't take their words to heart, and you mustn't let them affect you."

"I understand."

As Liu Yu Ru responded, the carriage came to a stop at the city gate of Yingyang. The moment it halted, Gu Jiusi heard an enthusiastic and excited call from outside: "Lord Gu!"

Gu Jiusi lifted the carriage curtain with his white jade folding fan and saw a plump, fair-skinned face, appearing around forty or fifty years old, eyes filled with excitement as if meeting a long-admired figure. The man exclaimed joyfully, "Lord Gu, I, Fu Baoyuan, the magistrate of Yingyang County, have been awaiting your arrival for quite some time!"

Gu Jiusi smiled modestly and said, "My apologies for keeping Lord Fu waiting."

As he spoke, Munan rolled up the carriage curtain, and Gu Jiusi leaned out. Just as he did, he saw a pale, outstretched hand. Fu Baoyuan said respectfully, "Lord Gu, allow me to assist you."

Gu Jiusi: "..."

He had just turned twenty—did he really need a man nearly fifty to help him down?

After a brief pause, Fu Baoyuan seemed to instantly guess Gu Jiusi's thoughts and hurriedly added, "Lord Gu is strong and in the prime of youth. This humble official merely wishes to express concern. Please do not take offense."

Gu Jiusi forced a smile. With so many people watching, he couldn't openly reject Fu Baoyuan's gesture. He replied politely, "Lord Fu should be considered my elder. How could I let an elder assist me from the carriage? I appreciate your kindness."

With that, Gu Jiusi stepped down directly from the carriage and then reached his hand back toward the interior.

Only then did everyone notice a woman inside the carriage, dressed in a purple floral brocade robe over a white inner garment, with a white jade hairpin. She placed her hand in Gu Jiusi's, and he looked at her, whispering a reminder, "The step is high, be careful."

The woman murmured in acknowledgment and descended with Gu Jiusi's support. All eyes were fixed on their movements. Fu Baoyuan immediately remarked, "This must be your wife?"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi finally showed a genuine smile. "Yes, this is my wife."

No sooner had he spoken than Fu Baoyuan launched into a torrent of lavish praise for Liu Yu Ru. She was momentarily stunned by the flattery, while Gu Jiusi smiled even more brightly beside her. Sensing that praising Liu Yu Ru was the key to pleasing Gu Jiusi, Fu Baoyuan directed all his compliments toward her. Liu Yu Ru had no idea what Fu Baoyuan had been raised on—his praises were so varied and incessant that one couldn't help but feel a bit lightheaded.

After a few more exchanges, Luo Zishang also descended from the carriage. Fu Baoyuan glanced at Luo Zishang's official robe and promptly said, "This must be Vice Minister Luo?"

Luo Zishang smiled and responded, "Greetings, Lord Fu."

Fu Baoyuan immediately began heaping praises on Luo Zishang as well. Once finished, he led Gu Jiusi and Luo Zishang to turn toward the hundred or so people standing at the gate. As they faced the crowd, Fu Baoyuan waved his hand and commanded, "Louder!"After he finished speaking, red banners suddenly cascaded down from the city gate, with large characters proclaiming:

"The presence of Minister Gu brings radiance to humble Yingyang"

"The people of Yingyang wish the Minister endless good fortune"

Horizontal banner: "Respectfully Welcoming the Minister"

As the red banners unfurled, everyone knelt and shouted in unison: "Respectfully welcome Minister Gu to Yingyang!"

This spectacle left Gu Jiusi utterly stunned. Liu Yu Ru was also speechless for a long while, and Shen Ming stared blankly at the scene, not knowing what to say. Only Luo Zishang, accustomed to such flattery, remained unperturbed, his smile as gentle as the spring breeze.

After a long pause, Fu Baoyuan approached Gu Jiusi and whispered, "My lord, are you satisfied?"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi frowned. "There's no need for such wasteful and futile displays that burden the people."

"No burden, no waste," Fu Baoyuan quickly waved his hand. "Everyone volunteered. When they heard Lord Gu was coming, they were overjoyed. Lord Gu's plan to repair the Yellow River benefits Yingyang, benefits Great Xia, benefits future generations—"

"Lord Fu," Gu Jiusi finally interrupted him, "shall we enter the city first?"

"Ah, yes, into the city," Fu Baoyuan promptly agreed. "Lord Gu must be weary from the journey and should rest properly. Let's go into the city for a meal first."

With that, Fu Baoyuan led Gu Jiusi and his party into the city.

The residence Fu Baoyuan had prepared for Gu Jiusi was in the city's prime location, separated from the main street by a small alley. Though not far, this alley provided just enough distance to make the courtyard exceptionally quiet. The residence was not large, but upon entering, luxury and elegance were evident everywhere. Fu Baoyuan followed behind Gu Jiusi, guiding him inside while explaining, "This residence was lent to the government by the wealthy Liang family. Boss Wang said you may stay as long as you like. If your wife takes a liking to it, you're welcome to reside here permanently."

The implication was clear—the house was being gifted to Gu Jiusi. Hearing this, Gu Jiusi quickly responded, "Lord Fu, you jest. I will pay Boss Liang the market rate for the rental."

"This humble official understands," Fu Baoyuan glanced at Luo Zishang behind Gu Jiusi and smiled. "Lord Gu's integrity is well-known. The lodging expenses should naturally be covered by the local government; there's no need for you to trouble yourself." He then led them to the dining hall, where a meal was already prepared. Fu Baoyuan invited Gu Jiusi and the others to sit and said, "Lord Gu, this humble official and the Yingyang officials will host a banquet tonight to welcome you. For now, please rest. I will send someone to fetch you this evening. How does that sound?"

Gu Jiusi was eager for him to leave and promptly agreed, instructing Shen Ming to see him out.

After Fu Baoyuan departed, everyone sat down. Luo Zishang remarked with a smile, "Lord Fu certainly knows how to handle affairs."

Gu Jiusi glanced at him. "It seems Lord Luo is pleased."

"Lord Fu has been attending to you closely, Lord Gu. What need is there for my involvement?"

As he spoke, Luo Zishang picked up his chopsticks and looked up to address Liu Yu Ru. "We've been hungry all morning. Let's eat."

Without waiting for her response, he lowered his head and began serving himself food.Liu Yu Ru was momentarily stunned. After processing what she heard, she pretended not to have noticed and picked up her chopsticks to serve herself some food. Turning to Gu Jiusi, she said, "Jiusi, it's time to eat."

Gu Jiusi acknowledged with a noncommittal sound, his expression unreadable. Taking a towel from a maid, he cleaned his hands before placing a plate of blanched shrimp in front of himself and began meticulously peeling them.

While peeling, he discussed the evening banquet arrangements with Luo Zishang. After finishing each shrimp, he didn't eat them but directly placed them on a plate.

When Shen Ming returned, he saw the pile of peeled shrimp accumulated before Gu Jiusi and immediately brightened up. Eagerly, he exclaimed, "Ninth Brother, you peeled these waiting for me? Share one with me..."

As he spoke, his chopsticks darted forward. Gu Jiusi swiftly intercepted Shen Ming's chopsticks with his own, then pushed the plate toward Liu Yu Ru. With a tone of disdain, he said, "If you want to eat, peel your own."

Liu Yu Ru stared blankly at the pile of shrimp before her, only then realizing the shrimp had been peeled for her.

"It's been a while since I last had shrimp," Gu Jiusi asked a maid for a hot towel to clean his hands again, then turned to Liu Yu Ru with a smile. "Isn't it more satisfying to eat them piled up like this?"