Destined

Fu Baoyuan, following Gu Jiusi's words, clasped his hands in front of him and said with a smile, "Sir Gu, you're putting me in a difficult position. As for the matter of funds, how could a lowly county magistrate like myself know such details?"

Seeing Fu Baoyuan evade the question, Gu Jiusi understood he wasn't willing to speak frankly.

The ten million taels had been carefully calculated by the Ministry of Works. If that amount wasn't sufficient, it was clear that much of the money hadn't been spent on river repairs. Gu Jiusi's question was merely to test Fu Baoyuan's stance and gauge the situation in Yongzhou. But Fu Baoyuan obviously didn't trust him either. Gu Jiusi smiled wryly and said, "Then I'll have to ask others. However, the river repairs cannot be delayed. Gather all relevant personnel this afternoon, and we'll commence work tomorrow."

"At your command, sir."

Fu Baoyuan took Jiusi for lunch before notifying the construction supervisors to come for detailed discussions in the afternoon. That afternoon, a large crowd arrived—so many that the County Government Office's reception hall couldn't contain them all, with several people standing outside. Seeing such numbers, Gu Jiusi remained completely unflustered. Before coming, he had thoroughly studied the entire Yellow River repair process. He immediately assigned tasks on the spot, demanding that the first phase of reinforcing existing embankments be completed within one month to prepare for the major flood season in August.

Everyone listening wore troubled expressions. Gu Jiusi looked up at the crowd and finally said, "If any of you have difficulties, feel free to speak up."

No one spoke. Gu Jiusi straightened up and said, "If there are no objections—"

Before he could finish, a hesitant voice emerged from the crowd: "Sir."

Gu Jiusi looked over and saw a merchant specializing in sandbag filling. His surname was Li, called Li San. Judging by his attire, he was someone who worked continuously at the construction site. He had come to see Gu Jiusi with mud still on his shoes, clearly having rushed over directly from the worksite.

Gu Jiusi softened his expression and said as gently as possible, "If you have any issues, you may speak freely."

"Sir," Li San, encouraged by Gu Jiusi's attitude, mustered his courage and said, "The funds... might not be sufficient..."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi frowned. Once Li San spoke up, others chimed in one after another—insufficient funds, insufficient manpower, insufficient time...

They all clamored to extend the deadline to October.

Listening to their lengthy discussions, Gu Jiusi's frown deepened. He simply said, "If we delay until October to finish, what will we do during the major flood season in August?"

"Sir Gu, we understand your concerns," Fu Baoyuan said with an apologetic smile, "but some things simply can't be done. Sir, perhaps we should postpone the timeline?"

Gu Jiusi remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "You claim there's not enough money? Then account for every single tael. I'm listening."

At these words, everyone exchanged glances, but no one dared to step forward. Gu Jiusi pointed at Li San and said, "You speak. I'm listening."

Li San hesitated for a moment before slowly explaining, "Sir Gu, for example, you allocated two hundred taels to me. But if we're adding sandbags and need to finish within a month, two hundred laborers won't be enough. According to Xingyang's market rates, one laborer costs two taels and fifty coins per month..."

"Wait," Gu Jiusi raised his hand to stop him, "Two hundred laborers? Two taels and fifty coins? Before I came, I inquired—for this length, only one hundred laborers should be needed..."Upon hearing this, a low chuckle came from the side. Gu Jiusi turned his head and saw Fu Baoyuan wearing an expression that seemed to say, "It wasn't intentional—I just couldn't help but laugh."

Gu Jiusi furrowed his brow, and Fu Baoyuan immediately cleared his throat lightly, speaking earnestly, "Lord Gu, you've risen swiftly to the position of Minister at such a young age, a talent concerned with the affairs of the realm. But while matters of the world can be learned from books, the affairs of the common people cannot. You should listen to the opinions of those who work on the ground."

"After all," Fu Baoyuan added with a barely perceptible hint of disdain in his smile, "you are still young."

Gu Jiusi remained silent.

He was well aware that Fu Baoyuan's apparent praise of him as an important minister and a capable man was, in reality, a veiled mockery of his youth and inexperience.

He stayed quiet, his inner anger gradually intensifying. Yet he suppressed his temper and said nothing. After a long while, he forced a smile and said, "Forget it, it's late today. Let's discuss this another time."

Gu Jiusi bid farewell to everyone, stood up, and led Munan out the door. As he reached the entrance, he overheard suppressed laughter from inside.

His ears were sharp, but at that moment, he wished they weren't so keen.

Clenching his fists, he strode back home.

It was already night, and Liu Yu Ru was still in the room calculating the various costs of building a warehouse. Gu Jiusi pushed the door open abruptly, threw himself onto the bed, and lay there panting heavily without saying a word.

Liu Yu Ru rushed over in alarm, thinking he was ill. But as she drew closer, she noticed he was fuming, clearly enraged.

Standing by his side, she asked cautiously, "What's wrong? Who made you so angry?"

"Fu Baoyuan, Fu Baoyuan!" Gu Jiusi sprang up from the bed like a carp leaping out of water and roared, "I curse his ancestors!"

"Calm down," Liu Yu Ru said gently, handing him a cup of water. "What did he do? Tell me about it."

Gu Jiusi stiffened his neck and remained silent. Liu Yu Ru softly patted his back. For some reason, her gentle presence made him suddenly feel an indescribable sense of grievance.

But he also felt that showing this grievance would make him seem too childish. He took a deep breath, steadied his emotions, and finally said, "I told him to start work tomorrow and complete the repairs on the embankments across the regions by August. He agreed, but then brought in a large group of people. One said there wasn't enough money, another said there weren't enough workers. They even called me a bookworm who only knows how to theorize on paper. Even if I am a bookworm, I know that their constant excuses are simply because I haven't offered them any benefits."

"Many officials' wives came today," Liu Yu Ru said, sitting beside Gu Jiusi and massaging his temples. Gu Jiusi leaned against her, relaxing slightly. "What did they come for?"

"They wanted to curry favor with me, hoping I could whisper in your ear and hand the tasks over to them."

This was within Gu Jiusi's expectations. He closed his eyes and asked, "Did they offer money?"

"They asked whether I preferred silver or valuables. I thought that accepting valuables would involve too many complications. If you take the money, you'll have to report it to the Emperor as evidence of their bribery. If it's valuables, it might cause trouble later."

"You asked for silver?!" Gu Jiusi exclaimed abruptly.

Startled by his reaction, Liu Yu Ru instinctively sensed she had done something wrong and immediately asked, "Was that not right?""These old foxes!"

Gu Jiusi patiently explained: "If she intended to give gifts, she would have prepared them properly. What does the color of the items have to do with anything? This is clearly a probe. As a third-rank Minister of Revenue, if I were to accept money, would I so blatantly have silver carried into my home? The money must be laundered repeatedly, made completely clean and untraceable before it reaches my hands."

Upon hearing his words, Liu Yuru immediately understood. She quickly said, "Then I'll go back and change my statement..."

"No need." Gu Jiusi shook his head. "This time they came specifically to test you. If you change your story now, they won't believe you anyway."

Liu Yuru fell silent. Gu Jiusi looked up and saw her sitting nervously on the bed. He was momentarily stunned, then sighed, walked over, and embraced her gently. "Don't blame yourself. They're all old eels who've been wallowing in the mud for decades, while we're still too young."

"I didn't think enough about this," Liu Yuru lowered her eyes. "The responsibility should be mine."

"How could that be?" Gu Jiusi released her, looked at her face, and smiled. "By your reasoning, the responsibility should be mine instead. I'm the one managing you, you're the one handling affairs. I should know your temperament, know whether you might be deceived. I was only thinking about how to play my own role and failed to consider your situation or manage you properly. Don't you think that's my problem?"

Listening to his sophistry, Liu Yuru managed a faint smile. "You don't need to comfort me like this."

"Yuru," Gu Jiusi sighed, holding her hand gently. "Everyone makes mistakes. Besides, this isn't even really a mistake. I'll make mistakes too in the future, act foolishly sometimes. When that happens, you'll have to be tolerant of me too, right?"

Liu Yuru looked up at him. Gu Jiusi's eyes were gentle and bright, as if filled with light. She gazed at him quietly for a long time before he continued, "Yuru, you're only nineteen. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"Those people have lived for decades, wallowing in the mud for decades. They're old eels. Don't overestimate your own abilities, and don't underestimate others. If you always think you should win, and consider any loss a mistake, that's just arrogance."

"I feel like I've said this before," Liu Yuru couldn't help but laugh. Gu Jiusi thought for a moment but couldn't recall, finally waving his hand. "We influence each other - that's only natural."

"So now that they've probed and gotten their result, what will they do next?"

"Let's wait and see," Gu Jiusi thought for a moment before continuing. "Maybe we're overthinking this. When did you arrange to deliver the silver?"

"Tonight."

"Let's see if the silver arrives tonight."

Gu Jiusi tilted his head. "If it doesn't come, then tomorrow..." As he thought, a coldness entered his eyes. "Tomorrow I won't be polite with them. Since they know I'm not one to mix with them, I might as well deal with a few people. If they still obstruct, I'll deal with all of them! Let's see who dares to keep blocking work."

"Dealing with people isn't really a solution," Liu Yuru contemplated his words. "And you shouldn't completely trust the numbers from the Ministry of Works. Though you don't like to hear it, Fu Baoyuan was right about one thing - you have to walk the road yourself, you can't understand the world just from books. They might be planning to line their own pockets, but what if they're not?"Gu Jiusi listened to Liu Yu Ru's words and gradually calmed down. After a moment, he responded, "You're right."

Speaking calmly, he added, "Tomorrow I'll first urge them to start work without arguing about the construction timeline. In the afternoon, I'll go inspect it myself."

That night, the two waited all night, but as expected, the Chen family did not send the money.

Early the next morning, Gu Jiusi dragged Shen Ming and Luo Zishang out the door. By lunchtime, the three had returned.

As long as the construction period wasn't fixed, Fu Baoyuan had people start work immediately, so matters were settled smoothly.

On the way back, Liu Yu Ru could hear Shen Ming cursing from afar. He kept swearing all the way to the dining table, relentlessly berating Fu Baoyuan.

Gu Jiusi remained silent, while Liu Yu Ru listened with amusement beside him. Shen Ming ate while cursing, and before long, Luo Zishang finished his meal and left the table early. After he departed, Shen Ming asked, "Why did he leave so quickly? Did I disturb his meal?"

"He has matters to attend to today," Gu Jiusi replied on his behalf. "Didn't they say Lord Qin invited him to visit a grave?"

Shen Ming was taken aback, then suddenly remembered, "Right, Qin Nan invited him to sweep the grave."

Leaning closer to Gu Jiusi, he whispered, "Are we going?"

"No."

Gu Jiusi ate his meal calmly and said, "Today you need to set off for Pinghuai to help me oversee the construction. The dam there was reported as damaged last year. Keep a close watch and ensure nothing goes wrong."

"Oh."

Shen Ming seemed somewhat disinterested. After a moment's thought, he couldn't resist trying to persuade him further: "Qin Nan's wife was Luo Yishui. If they're sweeping Luo Yishui's grave, they're bound to talk about the past. We all know Luo Zishang is Luo Yishui's child. Don't you want to know about Luo Zishang's origins? Weren't you the one who specifically asked Shi An to investigate Luo Zishang's father?"

"Finish your meal quickly," Gu Jiusi glared at him. "Leave as soon as you're done, and stop with the nonsense. Instead of talking so much to me, you'd be better off writing a few more letters to Ye Yun in the study."

At the mention of Ye Yun, Shen Ming's expression turned awkward. He coughed lightly, hurriedly finished his meal, and then quickly left.

Gu Jiusi and Liu Yu Ru leisurely finished their meal before heading to their room. There, he changed into coarse everyday clothes and said to Liu Yu Ru, "Weren't you going out today? I'll come with you."

Liu Yu Ru had originally planned to go out to inspect some land. Seeing Gu Jiusi following her, she smiled and agreed.

The two went out together. Gu Jiusi strolled with Liu Yu Ru on the street for a while before pulling her into a small alley. Inside the alley was a carriage. Liu Yu Ru looked puzzled, "What is this?"

Without explaining further, Gu Jiusi dragged her onto the carriage, where they changed clothes before the carriage took them out of the city.

"Where are we going?" Liu Yu Ru asked curiously.

Gu Jiusi didn't hide it from her: "To Luo Yishui's graveside."

"Didn't you say we weren't going?"

"Who knows if Luo Zishang has people in the residence?"

"Then why not bring Shen Ming?"

"He's too reckless," Gu Jiusi said bluntly. "Luo Zishang is very cautious. I wouldn't feel at ease bringing him along."

Understanding Gu Jiusi's plan, Liu Yu Ru followed him out of the city. Guided by Gu Jiusi's men, they approached Luo Yishui's grave from the back of the mountain.

The person leading them was clearly familiar with the route, having evidently scouted the location in advance.Luo Yishui's tomb was situated halfway up the mountainside, where a plot of land had been enclosed and paved with blue stone bricks, forming a leveled garden.

Within this garden stood only Luo Yishui's solitary grave. The tomb itself was simple in design, but the garden was lush with various flowers and plants, and a pavilion had been built nearby. Two rows of orchids, vibrant and green, were planted in front of the grave, and a small stone table stood beside it. Qin Nan knelt by the stone table, which held wine, as if he were sharing a drink with someone—two wine cups were placed on the table.

He was not wearing official robes but a simple blue casual outfit, his hair tied back with a ribbon. He appeared unassuming and refined, like an ordinary middle-aged scholar.

Gu Jiusi and Liu Yuru hid in the bushes. Gu Jiusi pulled Liu Yuru down to crouch and placed a small bush over her head for cover. The two of them lay on the ground, silently waiting for Luo Zishang to arrive.

After a while, Luo Zishang appeared. He wore a plain brocade robe and a jade crown. He stepped forward to greet Qin Nan, and the two exchanged polite formalities, indicating they had almost no prior interaction.

Qin Nan led Luo Zishang to offer incense. Luo Zishang then had a servant bring over wine and said calmly, "I heard my aunt was fond of wine, especially the 'Spring Breeze Smile' from East Street in Yangzhou. I specially brought a jar, hoping she would like it."

As he spoke, he poured half the jar of wine onto the ground.

Qin Nan looked at the jar of Spring Breeze Smile and lowered his gaze. "Did you know you would be visiting her when you came?"

"I have few relatives left," Luo Zishang replied flatly. "Naturally, I made sure to learn about the ones who remain. Knowing I would be coming to Xingyang this time, I planned to pay my respects."

"She would be very happy to know you are so filial."

Luo Zishang remained silent. The two men stood before Luo Yishui's grave for a moment before Qin Nan said, "Let's drink the remaining half of the wine."

Luo Zishang agreed, and they sat together by the stone table. Luo Zishang poured wine for Qin Nan, and the two drank in silence for a long while. Eventually, Qin Nan sighed and remarked, "It's been many years since I've tasted wine from Yangzhou."

"You've been in Xingyang for about twenty years, haven't you?" Luo Zishang asked, slowly swirling his cup.

"Almost," Qin Nan replied with a faint smile. "When I left, Zishang hadn't been born yet. My sister-in-law was still pregnant."

Luo Zishang paused mid-sip. Qin Nan's phrasing was peculiar—incomplete. Normally, one would say, "You hadn't been born yet; my sister-in-law was still pregnant with you." But he had omitted the word "you."

In the shadows, Gu Jiusi and Liu Yuru exchanged a glance as they listened to Qin Nan continue slowly, "You look very much like Yishui, especially your nose and lips. I had heard you were coming. At the banquet the other day, the moment you appeared, I recognized you. No one needed to tell me."

Qin Nan smiled, then turned his head and said slowly, "You should have come to see her sooner."

"I've been too busy these years," Luo Zishang said with a bitter smile. "You know how things have been."

"Yes," Qin Nan sighed, then added, "There's always something going on, but these years have been particularly eventful. Is it difficult to stay in the Eastern Capital?"

As he spoke, he looked up at Luo Zishang, who smiled and replied, "It's alright. Not much different from before."

Qin Nan said nothing more and simply drank quietly with Luo Zishang.His eyes were exceptionally clear, carrying a clarity that seemed to transcend ordinary perception. Yet this very lucidity also held traces of anguish and compassion.

After drinking in silence for a while, Luo Zishang finally spoke: "What kind of person was my aunt?"

Hearing this, Qin Nan smiled: "Haven't you already made inquiries?"

Inquiries had indeed been made.

But regarding this eldest daughter of the Luo family, only rumors circulated. She was once Yangzhou's most distinguished noble lady, a legend of her generation in Yangzhou.

Born into a century-old prestigious family, she could recite poetry at five, compose essays at eight, and by ten, her "Ode to Mountains and Rivers" had astonished the entire Da Rong dynasty.

Not only was she talented, but also incomparably beautiful. During the Yangzhou Lantern Festival at sixteen, when a stampede occurred, she ascended a tower and beat a drum, using the drumbeats to direct the crowd's orderly dispersal. Under the moonlight, her white robes outshone the snow, like an immortal descending to earth. From then on, her beauty became renowned throughout the land, surpassing all in Yangzhou.

At that time, Yangzhou echoed with recitations of her poetry, and young women in their chambers imitated her calligraphy.

She was the Luo family's prodigy, the Luo family's pride.

Everyone believed such a woman might one day even become empress. Yet unexpectedly, at seventeen, she hastily married an ordinary son from a family friend and followed him to Xingyang, vanishing without a trace thereafter.

That person was Qin Nan.

"I heard Aunt never returned to Yangzhou because Grandfather disapproved of your marriage."

Luo Zishang smiled faintly: "Is that true?"

Qin Nan couldn't help but laugh bitterly at these words: "Your grandfather certainly didn't approve of this marriage. Our Qin family was once highly esteemed, but after becoming entangled in factional struggles, my father and grandfather were executed. My mother and I were left with no support, fortunate to be taken in by your grandfather. I was inarticulate, at seventeen merely a jinshi scholar - compared to Yishui, it was like comparing clouds to mud. Your grandfather's disapproval was only natural."

"Forgive my bluntness," Luo Zishang said directly, seeing Qin Nan avoiding the main point, "but aside from you, Uncle, I have no one else to ask. Since you keep emphasizing the vast difference between you and Aunt, how did Grandfather ever consent to your marriage?"

Qin Nan fell silent, gazing steadily at Luo Zishang. Luo Zishang met his gaze unflinchingly. After a long while, Qin Nan slowly said: "Do you think she eloped with me to Xingyang?"

"It's not what I think," Luo Zishang opened and closed his small fan, "but what many people have told me."

Hearing this, Qin Nan remained silent. He took a sip of tea and straightened his back.

Looking intently at Luo Zishang, he spoke word by word: "I let other comments pass. But you must understand this clearly: Luo Yishui was my properly wedded wife, with full ceremonial rites and a grand procession. There was nothing improper between us, not the slightest breach of etiquette. Others may misunderstand her, but you cannot."

"Then why didn't you return to Yangzhou?"

Luo Zishang smiled mockingly. Watching his expression, Qin Nan slowly asked: "Do you resent her?"

"Uncle jests," Luo Zishang lowered his eyes, "I've never met Aunt, only hold filial respect in my heart. How could there be resentment?"

Listening to his words, Qin Nan's eyes showed complete understanding.

He took another sip of tea and said slowly: "The name Luo Zishang was given by her."Luo Zishang paused the hand that had been lightly fanning, listening as Qin Nan said, "At that time, neither she nor your elder brother was married yet. She chose this name, saying that when the first child of the Luo family was born, it would be called this. This is indeed your name."

Cold sweat began to form in Luo Zishang's palm.

Qin Nan continued, "You asked why she never returned to Yangzhou. I'll tell you."

"Although my uncle disapproved of our marriage, he was the one who promised her to me, and she willingly agreed to marry me. When she married me, she had only one condition—"

As he spoke, Qin Nan lifted his head and looked at Luo Zishang, his clear eyes carrying a hint of coldness as they reflected his figure.

"Never set foot in Yangzhou again."