Destined

When Gu Jiusi asked this, Liu Yuru smiled and continued, "Let's eat. You've been shelling them for a while now."

Gu Jiusi finally picked up his chopsticks to eat while continuing his conversation with Luo Zishang and Shen Ming. After the meal, the steward came up to arrange accommodations for everyone. Once Gu Jiusi and Liu Yuru entered their room, he began inspecting the surroundings.

"What are you doing?" Liu Yuru asked, puzzled. Gu Jiusi checked the walls and windows as he replied, "Looking for hidden compartments or peepholes. We need to be careful since we're staying here."

Liu Yuru sat on the edge of the bed, watching Gu Jiusi busy himself while fanning herself. "What do you think of Fu Baoyuan?"

"Slick customer," Gu Jiusi said without hesitation. "Might be difficult to deal with."

"What do you plan to do then?" Liu Yuru asked curiously. "Start with reforms, or..."

"We need to observe more before making reforms," Gu Jiusi pondered. "We don't know much about Xingyang yet. First, we'll lower their guard and understand their background before deciding."

Liu Yuru nodded thoughtfully. After a moment, she said, "I won't attend the banquet tonight." Turning to look at the sunlight outside, she added, "Later I'll take some people to survey the area. You focus on repairing the Yellow River while I handle business." She turned back with a smile, "We'll complement each other perfectly."

After chatting a while longer and resting briefly, Liu Yuru led her people out.

Her main purpose was to scout locations - inspecting potential warehouse sites, storefronts, and ships suitable for this waterway.

That afternoon, she first wandered around casually to understand local prices and customs.

Though Xingyang served as the prefectural capital of Yongzhou, having grown accustomed to the Eastern Capital, she didn't find it particularly bustling. The shops were ordinary, neither remarkable nor innovative. Goods were cheap, and rents were even cheaper.

Sitting in a time-honored restaurant, Liu Yuru listened to the conversations around her. In the adjacent room, several wealthy young ladies were chattering about how boring Xingyang was compared to the Eastern Capital and Yangzhou. The storyteller in the teahouse spoke in the local Xingyang dialect, dutifully recounting tales of soldiers serving their country on the battlefield.

From her position on the long corridor, Liu Yuru watched the street activity. A sedan chair slowly approached, escorted by guards who cleared the way with gongs. The common people quickly moved aside, revealing this was an official procession.

Midway, a woman suddenly rushed out and knelt before the sedan, kowtowing. The sedan stopped at a distance neither far nor near from Liu Yuru. She could hear the woman crying out, but the local dialect made it difficult to understand. She only caught fragments: "The only male heir in the family..."

The crowd buzzed with discussion as soldiers quickly arrived to drag the woman away. Her piercing screams echoed: "Lord Qin! Lord Qin!"

Just as Liu Yuru felt compelled to intervene, a calm male voice came from the sedan: "Wait."

The voice spoke in the standard Da Rong official language, carrying a barely detectable Yangzhou accent that suggested years away from home - unnoticeable unless one listened carefully.Liu Yuru couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity as she watched the official sedan's curtain lift, revealing a man in his early forties stepping out. Dressed in a scarlet official robe—a color reserved for officials of the fifth rank or higher in Great Xia—he was clearly a high-ranking figure in Xingyang. Even Fu Baoyuan only wore blue. Liu Yuru studied him: he had refined features, an air of steady composure, and an indescribable, chilling severity that hushed the crowd the moment he emerged.

He approached the woman, and the surrounding soldiers hesitated. "Lord Qin..." one ventured.

"Release her."

His cold command made the soldiers immediately let go. The woman scrambled forward on her knees, kowtowing tearfully. "Lord Qin, I beg you—only you can grant me justice."

"Madam," the man replied calmly, "this matter falls outside my jurisdiction. I cannot intervene. Do not linger here—it will only bring you trouble. Return home." His voice dropped, and Liu Yuru could no longer hear him, but she saw the woman eventually rise in tears and step aside.

The official returned to his sedan, and the procession moved on.

Watching from the sidelines, Liu Yuru seized the chance when a waiter approached. "Who was that official who just passed?" she asked.

"That was Prefect Qin Nan, Lord Qin," the waiter replied cheerfully, refilling her tea. "Lord Qin is known for his integrity—common folk often seek his help with grievances."

Liu Yuru nodded, then pressed, "Why not take issues to the county magistrate instead?"

The waiter's smile stiffened. "The magistrate is... busy. And Lord Qin is handsome—people enjoy seeing him more." The excuse was flimsy, but Liu Yuru understood his reluctance to elaborate. She changed the subject, inquiring about local land prices instead. The waiter answered cautiously, breaking into a cold sweat after a few words. Seeing his fear, Liu Yuru dismissed him. Alone in the private room with Yin Hong, she mused, "Why are these people so guarded?"

"With the young master here to inspect the Yellow River," Yin Hong chuckled, "the local officials must have warned the commoners to watch their tongues."

Liu Yuru frowned at this, then quickly said, "Send someone to follow that woman from earlier. Keep an eye on her recently—if the authorities trouble her, report it immediately."

As Liu Yuru dined at the tavern, Gu Jiusi, having changed clothes, headed with Luo Zishang and Shen Ming to Fu Baoyuan's banquet, guided by Fu's men.

The banquet was held at the Wang family's estate. Gu Jiusi learned en route that the Wangs were the region's wealthiest merchants, with extensive influence—most officials in Xingyang were either Wang clansmen, related by marriage, or at least their associates.

The current head, Wang Houchun, was in his fifties. Upon hearing of Gu Jiusi's arrival, he promptly offered a courtyard for Gu Jiusi and his companions to stay.

The coachman driving Gu Jiusi praised Wang Houchun effusively along the way. Gu Jiusi listened neutrally, neither commending nor objecting.Upon arriving at the Wang family residence, Gu Jiusi led Luo Zishang and Shen Ming out of the carriage. They saw Fu Baoyuan waiting at the entrance with several others, who immediately approached when they spotted Gu Jiusi. Fu Baoyuan introduced them, saying, "Lord Gu, this is the esteemed philanthropist and merchant, Wang Houchun."

Gu Jiusi looked over and saw a man nearing fifty with a kindly appearance and a warm smile. Wang Houchun bowed respectfully and greeted, "Lord Gu."

"Master Wang," Gu Jiusi replied with a smile in return.

Seeing that Gu Jiusi showed no displeasure, Fu Baoyuan felt relieved and ushered the group inside.

The Wang family's villa was exceptionally spacious. It took a full quarter-hour to walk from the gate to the banquet courtyard. The garden featured small bridges and flowing water, evoking the charm of southern-style landscapes. Wang Houchun seized the opportunity to converse with Gu Jiusi, remarking, "I heard Lord Gu is from Yangzhou. I greatly admire Yangzhou's scenery and specially hired craftsmen from there to design this garden. What do you think of it?"

"Quite impressive," Gu Jiusi nodded. Encouraged by this praise, Wang Houchun continued chatting with him. The group entered the courtyard amid lighthearted laughter. Gu Jiusi quickly scanned the room and noted that the attendees were either in official robes or luxurious attire—likely local officials and wealthy merchants of prominence, all presumably invited by Fu Baoyuan.

Among them, one man stood out conspicuously. Dressed in a crimson official robe, he sat alone in an elevated seat. His position was close to the host's seat, and judging by his placement and attire, his rank was likely high. Yet he interacted with no one, sitting by himself while looking down and reading something.

He appeared to be around forty but remained strikingly handsome. His posture was dignified, carrying an indescribable grace and solemnity in his subtle details—the kind of bearing unique to those from prestigious aristocratic families, reminding Gu Jiusi of young masters from noble clans like Ye Shi'an.

As Gu Jiusi's gaze lingered on the man, Wang Houchun promptly explained, "That is Inspector Qin Nan."

"Inspector Qin?" Gu Jiusi repeated, already understanding the situation.

As an oversight official appointed by the court, an inspector naturally held a high rank but was inevitably unpopular—much like how no one in the Eastern Capital would idly chat with officials from the Censorate. Gu Jiusi knew that such a position was often unwelcome. Yet, for a supervisory official to appear at such an inappropriate banquet instead of refusing and reporting it immediately suggested that this Inspector Qin had reached some compromise with the local officials.

While inquiring about each person's name and background, Gu Jiusi began forming his own plans. After everyone was seated, the guests took turns toasting Gu Jiusi, Luo Zishang, and Shen Ming—all except Qin Nan, who remained motionless. Noticing this, Fu Baoyuan hurried over and whispered something to him. Qin Nan frowned, and after a long pause, he finally stood up. However, he first walked toward Luo Zishang, raised his cup, and said, "A toast to Vice Minister Luo."Gu Jiusi felt somewhat puzzled, not understanding why Qin Nan had toasted Luo Zishang first. Luo Zishang's expression remained unchanged, as if he had anticipated it. He even deliberately lowered his cup slightly, adopting the demeanor of a junior to toast Qin Nan, then respectfully said, "Lord Qin, you are too kind."

After the two finished their drinks, Qin Nan nodded without further words, turned, walked up to Gu Jiusi, offered a proper toast, and then stepped down.

This move left everyone somewhat bewildered. Seeing Gu Jiusi staring at Qin Nan, Fu Baoyuan seemed afraid Gu Jiusi might take offense and hurried over to explain, "Lord Qin is related to Vice Minister Luo. He has a naturally shy temperament, so he drank with Vice Minister Luo first to steady his nerves. Please don’t mind it."

"Related?" Gu Jiusi was confused. It was said that the entire Luo family had perished years ago—where did this relative come from?

Fu Baoyuan quickly replied, "He was the husband of the eldest Luo daughter, making him Vice Minister Luo’s uncle by marriage. Not long after marrying the eldest Luo daughter, she passed away. Less than two years after her death, the Luo family..."

Fu Baoyuan glanced at Qin Nan, who appeared unaffected and likely couldn’t hear, then crouched beside Gu Jiusi and continued in a low voice, "I heard he was originally fostered by the Luo family. The eldest Luo daughter eloped with him to Xingyang, so they never returned to Yangzhou. Since she died young, she left him with only a son. He never remarried. Now the child has grown up, earned an official rank, and been appointed as a registrar in Liangzhou. So he lives alone in Xingyang, caring for his elderly mother. After all these years alone, his temperament has become a bit peculiar. Finally meeting a relative, he might act without proper restraint—please don’t take it to heart."

Gu Jiusi listened quietly, unsure whether Fu Baoyuan’s words were meant to defend Qin Nan or subtly criticize him. He kept his emotions hidden and merely asked, "All these years, and he never remarried?"

"No," Fu Baoyuan sighed. "Governor Qin is deeply devoted to his late wife. He’s even prepared a joint burial plot—it seems he has no intention of finding another."

Gu Jiusi nodded upon hearing this and was about to speak when an announcement came from outside: "Lord Wang has arrived!"

At these words, everyone present brightened and hurriedly stood up. Wang Houchun even leaped from his seat and rushed eagerly toward the door. Gu Jiusi turned to see a gray-haired elder enter. Dressed in a crimson official robe, he chatted cheerfully with others. Wang Houchun approached him, beaming, and said, "Uncle, you’ve come."

"Some matters delayed me at home."

After exchanging a word with Wang Houchun, the man walked over to Gu Jiusi, smiled, and bowed. "This humble official, Wang Siyuan, Prefect of Yongzhou, pays respects to Lord Gu. I apologize for my late arrival due to family affairs."Though he addressed himself as "this humble official," there was not the slightest hint of deference in his demeanor. The position of prefect was the highest authority in a province. After Fan Xuan ascended the throne, he drew from the Great Rong's experience and separated military and administrative governance, dividing provincial management between the prefect and the military governor. Except for Youzhou, which was under Zhou Ye's unified control, all other provinces had their military and administrative affairs separated. With no ongoing warfare, Wang Siyuan was the local overlord of Yongzhou. Though his official rank was lower than Gu Jiusi's, his actual authority was no less substantial. After a brief consideration, Gu Jiusi understood the reason for Wang Siyuan's deliberate lateness.

While Fu Baoyuan and others played the "good cop" role, Wang Siyuan took on the "bad cop" part—simultaneously trying to win him over while reminding him to know his place. After all, Yongzhou remained Wang Siyuan's territory.

Pretending ignorance, Gu Jiusi decided to test how turbulent the waters of Yingyang truly were. He quickly rose and deliberately feigned flattery: "Lord Wang, you speak too modestly! You are my elder, and I your junior. If you had household matters to attend to, you should have sent word so I could visit you another day. Your presence here already honors me greatly."

With that, Gu Jiusi offered Wang Siyuan the seat of honor and gestured respectfully: "Please take the upper seat."

Hearing this, Wang Siyuan's eyes immediately lit up with approval. He smiled and declined, but Gu Jiusi insisted, pulling him toward the honored position. After a round of mutual praise and feigned reluctance, they exchanged seats—Wang Siyuan taking the elevated position while Gu Jiusi sat beside him to accompany the drinking.

The other officials watched their interaction closely. Once Wang Siyuan was seated, the atmosphere shifted noticeably. All formality vanished, and they began regarding Gu Jiusi as one of their own.

Gu Jiusi understood inwardly—he had passed the first test.

As he conversed with Wang Siyuan, within a few exchanges, their address shifted to "Brother Wang" and "Brother Gu." Shen Ming watched in silent astonishment, not daring to speak but only drinking steadily.

Seeing Wang Siyuan and Gu Jiusi getting along splendidly, Fu Baoyuan approached with a beaming smile and whispered to Wang Siyuan, "Lord Wang, shall we present the song and dance performance or serve more wine?"

"Both!" Wang Siyuan declared heartily, turning to Gu Jiusi. "Brother Gu comes from the Eastern Capital—a man of vast experience. Our Yongzhou may be a remote place, but our one virtue is warm hospitality. How old are you this year, Brother Gu?"

"Just reached the age of capping," Gu Jiusi replied with a smile. Wang Siyuan clapped his hands loudly. "Excellent! A talented young man—truly the prime of life. Time to experience Yingyang's warmth! Bring them in," he boomed, "bring everyone in!"

Gu Jiusi didn't know what to expect. After hearing Wang Siyuan's repeated calls, he turned to see a flock of glamorous women drifting into the courtyard like colorful songbirds. Clad in sheer veils that revealed more than concealed under the lantern light, they moved with ethereal, cloud-like steps.

Gu Jiusi's smile froze. After a stunned moment, he stiffly averted his gaze, pretending calm while staring into the distance. Shen Ming bowed his head and began frantically eating, not daring to look up again.

Finally seeing his discomfort, Wang Siyuan and the others laughed. Fu Baoyuan standing nearby remarked, "It seems Lord Gu is indeed still young."

"Strict household rules," Gu Jiusi said with a strained smile. "Best not to invite trouble.""Brother Gu, that's not a fair thing to say," Wang Siyuan immediately showed displeasure. "What business can women handle? Are you using women as an excuse to deny us face?"

As he spoke, Wang Siyuan pointed to over a dozen girls and said, "All of you, come over and attend to Lord Gu."

Gu Jiusi's smile began to falter. The dozen girls immediately crowded around, kneeling before him. Wang Siyuan drank his wine and said to Gu Jiusi, "Brother Gu, will you grant us this face or not?"

Gu Jiusi remained silent, watching the trembling girls kneeling on the floor. He heard Wang Houchun remark indifferently, "What use are girls who can't even serve their masters properly? If Lord Gu doesn't fancy you, then you ought to be discarded."

Hearing this, the girls immediately pressed closer to Gu Jiusi. Seeing their reaction, Gu Jiusi understood that to gain Wang Siyuan's trust tonight, he must reveal some weakness. Whether it be lust, greed, or something else, he couldn't keep refusing.

The waters of Yingyang ran deep. If he refused tonight, he would lose his chance to engage with the local officials. He glanced at the nearly tearful girl beside him and sighed, "Alright, alright, Boss Wang, look how frightened you've made them. With so many girls, how am I supposed to choose?"

He put on a helpless act, then pointed to one and said, "You pour the wine. You..." He pointed to another, thought for a moment, then turned to Wang Siyuan and said, "Lord Wang, would you mind if we started a game tonight?"

Everyone around them froze in surprise. Gu Jiusi smiled and said, "To be honest with you, I don't have much interest in women. What I really enjoy is gambling. With wine and women here tonight, why don't we loosen up? Let's roll dice, drink, and bet on the outcomes. How about it?"

Wang Siyuan slowly relaxed upon hearing this. "If that's what Lord Gu enjoys, we can play however you like."

While they were talking, Fu Baoyuan had someone set up a table. Gu Jiusi pulled Shen Ming over to his side and called out to Wang Siyuan, "Come on, Lord Wang, let's split into teams. If I lose, my side drinks. If you lose, you drink."

"Drinking is boring," Wang Houchun said with a laugh. "It'd be more fun if the girls stripped when someone loses. Come on, divide the girls up. Whichever side loses, their girls take off their clothes."

"Then I'll drink," Gu Jiusi immediately countered. "How could I let these beauties suffer?"

"In that case, you drink," Wang Houchun raised his hand, smiling. "But if you lose too much, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it, and you won't be able to protect the beauties either."

This back-and-forth quickly heated up the atmosphere. Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming huddled together, and Shen Ming whispered, "If you want to play, why drag me into it?"

"Keep the girls away from me," Gu Jiusi whispered back. "I'm scared."

"You're scared? What about me?!"

Shen Ming widened his eyes. Gu Jiusi quickly reassured him, "Never mind, never mind. Gambling for money is more fun anyway."

With that, Gu Jiusi led everyone in starting the game.

Betting on dice, guessing numbers, finger-guessing games—there was nothing in the gambling den that Gu Jiusi didn't know how to play. His spirits soared when gambling, and he made the scene lively and bustling. Wang Siyuan couldn't help but let his guard down.Gu Jiusi's gambling skills weren't particularly good, with wins and losses alternating. When the opposite side lost, they made the girls remove their clothes, while when his side lost, they drank alcohol. Before long, both Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming were thoroughly drunk. Luo Zishang, sitting nearby, occasionally drank a couple of cups for them, leisurely watching the spectacle unfold.

While they were causing quite a stir at the prince's residence, Liu Yu Ru had finished touring Xingyang City and was preparing to return to the residence. The sky was already dark at this moment. As Liu Yu Ru passed by a brothel, she noticed it was unusually quiet in front, with almost no women sitting upstairs soliciting customers. Liu Yu Ru couldn't help but pause, feeling somewhat puzzled as she remarked, "The courtesans in Xingyang City—do they not solicit customers?"

"They do solicit customers," the coachman replied unhurriedly upon hearing Liu Yu Ru's question. "But tonight, the slightly better-looking courtesans have all gone to entertain distinguished guests. How could those less attractive dare come out to solicit customers? Wouldn't that ruin their reputation?"

"Distinguished guests?" Liu Yu Ru's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but ask, "What distinguished guests?"

"Just some guests who recently came from the Eastern Capital."

As he spoke, the carriage driver couldn't help showing curiosity: "Judging by your accent, you must be from the Eastern Capital too? Recently the court sent officials, saying they're going to repair the Yellow River. Didn't you know?"

Hearing this, Liu Yuru's heart sank.

She remained silent for a moment. Not hearing her response, the carriage driver grew somewhat uneasy and turned his head: "Madam, why aren't you speaking?"

"Brother, I just remembered something," Liu Yuru suddenly spoke up, "Please let me off here."

Though puzzled, the carriage driver still helped her alight from the carriage. Liu Yuru descended with Yin Hong and the guards, then immediately said: "Find me a carriage. I need to go to the Prince's residence."

Yin Hong promptly replied: "Understood!"

Yin Hong quickly found a carriage. Liu Yuru boarded it, glanced at the sky, and frowned deeply.

Seeing Liu Yuru seemed unhappy, Yin Hong hurriedly comforted her: "Madam, don't worry. The young master is upright by nature. Even if they've called courtesans, he'll definitely remain faithful to you!"

"That's not what I'm worried about."

Liu Yuru shook her head: "Jiusi is currently focused on infiltrating their circle, but they won't let him in so easily. They're bound to try to get leverage over him. With so many courtesans called today, if Jiusi refuses too strongly, it might make future dealings with them difficult. These women need to be turned away, but he shouldn't be the one to do it."

"You're absolutely right."

Yin Hong nodded: "You should go reject them on his behalf."

Liu Yuru acknowledged this. She turned to look at the street and sighed: "To be so brazen about openly summoning prostitutes, without fear of the provincial governor reporting them - these officials in Yingyang City are far too audacious."

As Liu Yuru and Yin Hong conversed, they arrived at the entrance of the Prince's residence. The mansion was brightly lit, and even standing at the gate they could hear the sounds of men and women carousing inside. Hearing these noises, Yin Hong's face immediately changed color. The guards who had accompanied them couldn't help but glance at Liu Yuru, who remained perfectly composed as she told the doorman: "I am the wife of Lord Gu Jiusi. Though it's late, I've come to see my husband. Please open the gate."

Hearing this, the doorman's expression turned uncomfortable, but he quickly replied respectfully: "Please wait a moment."

"You've already announced your identity," Yin Hong said discontentedly, "and they still won't let you in? What are they doing?"

Liu Yuru thought for a moment, then nodded: "You're right. I shouldn't give them time."

Yin Hong didn't quite understand. Before she could react, Liu Yuru turned and ordered the guard: "Give me your blade."

The guard was momentarily stunned, but still handed his sword to Liu Yuru. She approached the gate carrying the weapon, knocked on the door, and as soon as the doorman opened it, she immediately thrust the blade into the door crack and calmly stated: "I am Gu Jiusi's wife, here to bring my husband home."