Destined

Never to set foot in Yangzhou again.

What depth of hatred, what magnitude of resentment, what profound regret could drive someone to swear such a bitter oath against their birthplace?

Liu Yuru and Gu Jiusi listened quietly, their hearts filled with confusion. Luo Zishang took a sip of wine and slowly asked, "Why never enter Yangzhou?"

"There were people she loved too deeply, and people she hated too intensely. Whether it's excessive love or excessive hatred, both are enough to make someone leave."

Luo Zishang remained silent, holding his wine cup for a long time before slowly releasing it. He turned to look at Luo Yishui's grave and said softly, "Enough, it's all in the past. Things of the past hold no meaning, Uncle." He turned to Qin Nan with a strained smile, "Both you and I should move forward."

"I cannot look forward."

Qin Nan shook his head, standing up and walking to Luo Yishui's grave. His voice was calm: "I will always remember her goodness. Zishang, I'm telling you this in hopes that you won't forget either."

"You don't know how much your mother sacrificed for you." He traced Luo Yishui's name with his finger, his voice tinged with regret. "She truly loved you deeply."

"I don't believe it."

Luo Zishang's cold voice cut through the air. Qin Nan paused his movement as Luo Zishang slowly stood up, clenching his fists, his voice dripping with coldness: "If she really loved me," he stared at the tombstone, "she shouldn't have brought me into this world only to neglect me! She shouldn't have given birth to me for her own selfish reasons, then acted as if I didn't exist."

Qin Nan, with his back to him, began to speak: "Zi..."

"Lord Qin," Luo Zishang interrupted him, "I understand why you called me here. I know the principles you want to impart to me. But I must also tell you, Lord Qin."

Luo Zishang spoke with utmost seriousness: "Having not come for the first twenty years, there's no need to tell me anything else now. I've lived perfectly well."

"I, Luo Zishang," he tightened his grip on the folding fan in his hand, staring at the characters on the tombstone, enunciating each word clearly, "have lived perfectly well on my own."

Qin Nan said nothing. Despite being a governor, he displayed an unusual clumsiness in matters of speech. Luo Zishang regained his composure, bowed respectfully, and took his leave.

Qin Nan stood alone before the tombstone for a long time before sighing and saying slowly, "I cannot persuade him, nor do I wish to say more."

"Yishui," he chuckled softly, "I ultimately still have selfish motives. I thought if he acknowledged you, you would be happy. But in the end, I hope that he, or that person, would never appear again."

"We've lived well in Xingyang." Qin Nan sat on the ground, leaning gently against the tombstone, speaking softly. "The past cannot be chased after. It's over, so don't dwell on it anymore, alright?"

"Look at this child - he's lived much better than I imagined. Since he's unwilling, let's not hold him back."

Having said this, Qin Nan leaned against the tombstone and didn't move again.

He seemed to have fallen asleep. Liu Yuru and Gu Jiusi lay prone on the ground, with Liu Yuru holding a small sapling and whispering, "Has he fallen asleep?"

Gu Jiusi thought for a moment and threw a small stone from nearby.

Qin Nan paid no attention. Gu Jiusi signaled to Liu Yuru with his eyes, and the two crawled backward to a distance before jumping up and quickly running away.

After running far enough, they began brushing the dirt and leaves off each other's clothes.After dusting off, Liu Yuru brushed the dirt off Gu Jiusi's clothes while whispering, "What do you think Qin Nan meant with all those strange things he said today?"

"Quite obvious," Gu Jiusi raised his sleeve to wipe Liu Yuru's face. She quickly protested, "Be gentle."

Gu Jiusi softened his touch and continued, "Qin Nan has seen through that Luo Zishang is an imposter."

"He figured it out already?" Liu Yuru paused in surprise. "Won't he question it?"

"Not only did he recognize this isn't the real Luo Zishang, but he also knows Luo Zishang was born to Luo Yishui. Given his feelings for Luo Yishui, why would he do anything to harm Luo Zishang?"

This explanation made things clear to Liu Yuru. She frowned, "How did Qin Nan come to know all this?"

"Old foxes who've lived long always have methods unknown to us."

After patting the dust off his clothes, Gu Jiusi tugged at Liu Yuru, "Come on, let's go look at the land with you."

"So urgent?"

Liu Yuru found it strange. Gu Jiusi raised an eyebrow, "The sun's still out. We still have some time."

Since Gu Jiusi insisted on viewing the land, Liu Yuru didn't refuse further. They boarded the carriage and she led him to several plots she had planned to inspect.

Sitting in the carriage, Liu Yuru pondered, "So what do you really think happened with Luo Zishang's situation?"

She analyzed slowly, "According to Qin Nan's account, the Luo young lady was famous throughout Yangzhou back then. He was just her childhood admirer. Later she met someone, became pregnant before marriage and gave birth to Luo Zishang, then followed Qin Nan to Xingyang, completely cutting ties with her family. Combined with our investigations, this means twenty-one years ago, the Luo young lady met someone, fell in love at first sight, became pregnant before marriage, only to discover the man already had a wife. Unwilling to be a concubine, Luo Yishui gave birth to the child and ordered family servants to kill it. But the servants couldn't bear to kill an infant, so they abandoned the child near the City God Temple where a beggar adopted him. Afterwards, Luo Yishui married Qin Nan and left for Xingyang. Is that correct?"

Gu Jiusi remained silent, watching the crowds outside the window. Liu Yuru continued, "Qin Nan said Luo Yishui deeply loved her child, so the child must have been forcibly abandoned by Luo Yishui's father. This was why she broke with her family and decided never to return to Yangzhou. But who was that man back then?"

Liu Yuru frowned. Noticing Gu Jiusi's continued silence, she called, "Jiusi?"

"Hmm?"

Gu Jiusi turned to see Liu Yuru waiting for his response. He smiled, "Don't dwell on this. Think about your business instead."

"Jiusi," Liu Yuru stared at him, "Do you know who Luo Zishang's father is?"

"This matter," Gu Jiusi said calmly, "I'll tell you after I've figured it out clearly."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru understood the situation might involve other complications. She asked no further questions.

They arrived at the land Liu Yuru intended to purchase. Gu Jiusi followed behind her, watching her inquire about prices everywhere. She examined each plot meticulously, inspecting every detail. Gu Jiusi remained quiet throughout, simply listening to her negotiations and haggling with people.They arrived as the sun was setting in the west, and it was already deep into the night when Liu Yuru and Gu Jiusi made their way back together. Hand in hand, their shadows intertwined on the road. Gu Jiusi held her hand, using his fingers to cast shadow puppets and putting on a playful performance. Liu Yuru watched him chirp and sing, laughing uncontrollably.

Pursing her lips, she watched as he gestured with his hands to form little figures, pitching his voice high as he exclaimed, "Luo Zishang, you little shrew, just you wait—I'll beat you to a pulp! Take this! And this!"

"Fu Baoyuan, you old scoundrel, you're next! Take that!"

"And you, Li San! Don't you dare run!"

Liu Yuru noticed he was getting more and more carried away with his antics. As they approached home, she softly reminded him, "Keep your voice down. Don't let anyone hear you."

"Let them hear," Gu Jiusi shrugged. "They all know I want to give them a beating anyway, don't they?"

No sooner had he spoken than Fu Baoyuan's voice rang out, "Ah, Lord Gu!"

Gu Jiusi: "..."

In an instant, Gu Jiusi straightened his posture, transforming into a dignified manner, and cupped his hands in salute toward Fu Baoyuan. "Ah, Lord Fu! What brings you to our doorstep? Won't you come in and sit?"

"I've just finished discussing matters with Lord Luo," Fu Baoyuan replied, seemingly unaware of the earlier remarks. Gu Jiusi breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a few pleasantries with Fu Baoyuan before seeing him off.

"Discussing matters so late at night," Gu Jiusi muttered with lingering unease. "What could be so urgent?"

Liu Yuru linked her arm with his and said with a smile, "See what happens when you talk behind people's backs?"

This time, Gu Jiusi didn't retort. He merely snorted softly and entered the house with Liu Yuru.

After they returned home and Liu Yuru had gone to bed, he thought for a moment, then took out paper and wrote a letter to Jiang He.

He first summarized the situation in Yingyang. At the end of the letter, he finally added:

I happened to meet Qin Nan, the husband of Luo Yishui, who is from Yangzhou. I wonder if you are acquainted with him, Uncle?

Gu Jiusi sent the letter that night. Watching the messenger depart, he couldn't help but sigh.

The day after the letter was sent, Gu Jiusi set out early, intending to inspect the river embankment in person.

Liu Yuru couldn't help but laugh at his attire of coarse cloth. "What's with this outfit? Are you planning to work on the construction site yourself?"

Gu Jiusi chuckled in response. "Didn't Fu Baoyuan call me a bookworm? Well, I'll go see for myself—the costs, the methods, the materials. If I know more than he does, he won't be able to argue with me."

He then glanced at the sky outside. "The Imperial Astronomical Bureau predicts heavy floods in August or September this year. We must reinforce the embankments before August."

Liu Yuru nodded calmly. "I understand."

"Go attend to your tasks," she said, looking up with a smile. "I have my own work to keep me busy as well."

Liu Yuru wasn't just offering empty comfort.

On the second day of Gu Jiusi's work on the river embankment, Liu Yuru finalized a plot of land and began constructing a warehouse.

The rice in Youzhou would mature in October, so before then, their warehouses and fleets needed to be capable of handling large-scale transportation. Additionally, the supply of Immortal Fragrance had to be maintained. Not only rice but also other grains would need to be transported from Youzhou and Yangzhou. The sooner the warehouses were ready, the better.

Thus, Liu Yuru worked tirelessly day and night. She first hired laborers, then drafted blueprints for the warehouse. At the same time, she coordinated with contacts at several other locations to begin constructing warehouses simultaneously.Liu Yu Ru was so busy she barely had time to catch her breath, while Gu Jiusi hurried ahead to Pinghuai first. Shen Ming was supervising the work in Pinghuai, and since few officials recognized him, Gu Jiusi didn’t notify anyone upon arrival. Instead, he went straight to Shen Ming and said bluntly, "Come with me to work on the riverbank disguised as commoners."

Given his special status, Gu Jiusi feared danger if he went alone. Bringing Shen Ming along meant two skilled fighters, which was safer.

Shen Ming was horrified at the idea and quickly protested, "Ninth Brother, your skin is too delicate for such rough labor."

This remark infuriated Gu Jiusi, who promptly threw Shen Ming over his shoulder in a swift takedown, then retorted, "Who are you calling delicate?"

"No, no," Shen Ming scrambled to his feet, hastily explaining, "Repairing the river isn’t like fighting. If you want to inspect the work, just supervise—why do it yourself?"

Gu Jiusi glared at him. "Enough talk. Either I go alone, or you come with me."

Shen Ming didn’t dare let Gu Jiusi go by himself, so early the next morning, they both changed into coarse clothing, smeared dirt on their faces, and headed to the riverbank to find work.

At the riverbank, a small table was set up for the supervisor. Using false names, Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming signed up for labor at one tael of silver per month. When Gu Jiusi tried to bargain, the supervisor lashed out with a whip. Neither dared fight back, fearing exposure, so they apologized repeatedly and finally secured the jobs.

On their first day, Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming carried a hundred sandbags each—the lightest load among the workers.

As they trudged under the scorching sun with sandbags on their backs, they saw many men with graying hair, bent under the weight, nearly crushed yet hurrying forward.

Their feet sank in the mud, their bodies baked in the heat, sweat dripping in large beads.

By evening, the river workers huddled together for warmth and a meal.

The government provided their food—two steamed buns each. Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming squeezed in among them to eat. Despite their hardships, the workers were cheerful, chatting at night about their monthly wages, dreaming of repairing their homes, buying new clothes for their children, or getting some meat for their families once the Yellow River project was done...

An elderly man next to Gu Jiusi, who loved to talk, had a daughter. Spotting Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming, he asked, "Young men, are you married?"

"Married."

"Not yet."

After their honest replies, the old man eagerly started promoting his daughter to Shen Ming. His descriptions of her kept changing—sometimes plump, sometimes slender. Shen Ming couldn’t help asking, "Uncle, is your daughter plump or thin? You keep switching."

"Well," the old man hesitated, slightly embarrassed, "I’m not sure. Sometimes she’s plump when I go home, other times she’s thin. She should be fifteen this time I return, so probably thin now."

Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming exchanged glances. Shen Ming asked tentatively, "Uncle, how often do you go home?"

The old man chuckled, thinking carefully. "Haven’t been back in two years, I suppose?"As he spoke, the old man seemed somewhat sorrowful: "When I left, my youngest son had just been born. If he could call me 'Father' when I return, that would be wonderful. Don’t laugh at me, but my daughter didn’t even know I was her father until she was eight."

"Why not go back?" Gu Jiusi frowned. The old man smiled bitterly, "No money."

"The land at home is barren," the old man said expressionlessly as he ate his steamed bun. "Anything we plant might get flooded. It’s better to stay outside, doing odd jobs for others—at least we can survive."

"You should still visit home often," Gu Jiusi continued to persuade. The old man glanced at him, a strange look in his eyes, and said, "Does going home not cost money?"

This left Gu Jiusi speechless.

By nightfall, the old man crouched by the fire, carving a small wooden doll. This doll was meant for his youngest son. Every day, he received two steamed buns from the authorities—he ate one and sold the other to those who didn’t have enough food. With the money he saved, he bought many things for his children. He was waiting for the Yellow River repairs to be completed so he could finally return home.

Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming sat with their backs to the old man, curled up by the fire as if asleep. Shen Ming noticed Gu Jiusi was still awake and leaned over to ask, "Brother, what are you looking at?"

Gu Jiusi didn’t answer. Shen Ming sighed and said, "Brother, do you miss your wife?"

"Hmm," Gu Jiusi replied softly. Shen Ming opened his eyes, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Ah, don’t laugh, but I miss Ye Yun."

"She has a bad temper and is always scolding me," Shen Ming said, picking up a smooth river stone from beside him. It had been polished to a glossy sheen and looked quite beautiful. He tucked it into his chest and continued, "But suddenly, I feel like if she were here to scold me a few times, maybe my heart wouldn’t feel so heavy."

"You can feel heavy-hearted too?" Gu Jiusi chuckled. Shen Ming glared at him, "Seeing the old man like this, how could I not feel sad? I miss them too," Shen Ming stared blankly into the fire, "If my father were still alive, if he hadn’t starved to death, he’d probably be like this too."

Gu Jiusi was momentarily speechless. He looked at Shen Ming for a long while, then patted his shoulder without saying a word.

After working for three days, Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming left Pinghuai.

Before leaving, Gu Jiusi gave the old man ten taels of silver and said, "Send your son to school. If he can earn an official rank, tell him to come to the Eastern Capital and look for Gu Jiusi."

Although the old man didn’t know who Gu Jiusi was, he understood he was someone of importance and repeatedly bowed in gratitude.

Gu Jiusi led Shen Ming back to Yingyang. They returned quietly, blending in among the common folk in Yingyang and staying for several days without drawing attention.

The treatment of river workers in Yingyang was far worse than in Pinghuai. Perhaps because Shen Ming had kept things under control in Pinghuai, Yingyang had no one to manage it. As a result, each worker was supposed to receive one tael of silver, but even that was subject to various deductions.

The food ration was supposed to be two large steamed buns, but in reality, it was just thin, watery porridge. No matter how many bowls one ate, it never filled the stomach.

After staying there for two days, Gu Jiusi finally returned home. When he arrived, the house was full of people. Liu Yu Ru was directing craftsmen, pointing at blueprints to design the construction of a warehouse. Hearing that Gu Jiusi had returned, she was somewhat surprised. When she looked up and saw it was truly him, she realized he was back.She could hardly recognize him. After being away for less than ten days, he had tanned considerably. Though his fair complexion still made him appear fairer and more delicate than others even when sunburned, compared to before, he now looked more rugged and capable. He seemed thinner, with weariness etched between his brows—clearly, he had endured hardships these past few days.

Liu Yu Ru’s heart ached at the sight of him, but Gu Jiusi quickly reassured her, “It’s nothing, just a bit darker. I’ll take a bath and then head out.”

After saying this, Gu Jiusi entered the house. Liu Yu Ru had someone prepare water for his bath. Once he had washed and changed into his official robes, he left for the Magistrate Office. There, he summoned Fu Baoyuan late into the night. Rubbing his eyes and yawning, Fu Baoyuan arrived in the front hall, visibly displeased. He yawned again and said to Gu Jiusi, “Lord Gu, isn’t it rather late to be resting yet?”

“Lord Fu, I’ve come to discuss the matter of reinforcing the embankment with you,” Gu Jiusi replied, unrolling a river map. “I’ve reconsidered, and the previous plan indeed has its flaws. The allocated funds will remain unchanged, but the construction deadline will be moved up to before mid-August. However, with this adjustment, we’ll be short on manpower.”

Gu Jiusi looked up at Fu Baoyuan and continued, “I’ve thought it over. We can allocate three thousand men from the city defense garrison, led by Shen Ming, to assist with the embankment work. With these additional three thousand workers, we can guarantee completion by the third day of August. What do you think?”