Destined

Liu Yu Ru was momentarily stunned by these words.

Gu Jiusi helped her up gently and said, "Don't just stand there in a daze. Look, you've gotten mud all over yourself from that hug. I'll accompany you back to get cleaned up."

As he spoke, he assisted Liu Yu Ru into the carriage. Before boarding himself, Gu Jiusi turned back and saw Luo Zishang sitting inside the carriage, quietly watching them.

When Luo Zishang noticed Gu Jiusi looking back, he nodded toward them without saying anything more.

Gu Jiusi raised his hand in a respectful gesture and said, "Thank you."

After speaking, he entered the carriage. Instead of taking a seat, he sat on the floor, resting his hands on the seat and his chin on his hands, looking up at Liu Yu Ru. "Yu Ru," he said, "I've noticed you really do cry a lot."

Liu Yu Ru wiped her eyes and shot him a look that was both annoyed and angry. "Get up," she scolded. "Don't sit on the floor."

"You'll dirty the cushion."

Gu Jiusi grinned somewhat foolishly. "The floor and the seat are the same. Besides, looking at you from this angle makes you even more beautiful. What do they call this? 'Falling at the hem of your pomegranate skirt'?"

Liu Yu Ru knew he was teasing her. She gazed at him quietly, sighed, and reached out to gently touch his face. "You really worry me," she said softly.

"I know," Gu Jiusi replied, covering her hand with his. "I'll handle it properly. Don't worry."

Liu Yu Ru didn't say more. They returned together, and Gu Jiusi went to bathe.

He hadn't noticed it earlier in the carriage, but now that he was completely relaxed, an indescribable exhaustion washed over him, and his entire body ached.

He was injured, and the bathwater turned red with blood. He washed hastily and stood up. As soon as he put on a thin robe, blood seeped through. Liu Yu Ru muttered under her breath, "You're being reckless!"

She quickly sent for a physician and sat beside him to apply medicine herself.

"Why didn't you say you were injured?" Liu Yu Ru said discontentedly. "And you went to bathe? Aren't you afraid the wound will get infected?"

"I was covered in mud," Gu Jiusi explained. "I was too embarrassed to touch you. It's just a minor injury—I needed to wash up."

Liu Yu Ru glared at him, about to say something, when Shen Ming hurried in. "Ninth Brother," he said loudly, "something's happened—"

He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Liu Yu Ru sitting nearby. Shen Ming hesitated for a moment, but Liu Yu Ru, while bandaging the wound, said directly, "Speak."

Shen Ming glanced at Gu Jiusi, and after confirming it was alright, finally said, "Ninth Brother, they're gone."

"What do you mean, gone?" Gu Jiusi frowned. Shen Ming quickly explained, "On the way back, a few commoners broke free from their chains and ran. Once they escaped, chaos broke out, and another group of assassins showed up and took the ones we had captured."

"Not a single one left?"

Gu Jiusi was surprised. Shen Ming shook his head. "One remained, but he was shot dead in the street."

Gu Jiusi fell silent. Liu Yu Ru, somewhat displeased, immediately said, "A few commoners—it's not like they're Hercules. How could they break iron chains and run? Clearly, someone deliberately let them go. What about those bailiffs?"

"They've been dealt with," Shen Ming replied promptly. "Lord Fu said they neglected their duties and dismissed them."

"Just like that?!"

Liu Yu Ru was shocked. Gu Jiusi acknowledged with a sound. "There's no solid evidence to prove they let them go, so that's all that can be done.""Aren't we going to investigate further?!"

Liu Yuru stood up, looking incredulous. "Fu Baoyuan isn't conducting a thorough investigation?"

"He said he already looked into it."

Shen Ming's face was cold, while Gu Jiusi chuckled lightly. "Everyone from top to bottom is one of their people. What's there to investigate?"

Liu Yuru fell silent, clenching her fists. Gu Jiusi patted her hand and said to Shen Ming, "Send a letter to His Majesty. Have him prepare a troop in Sizhou, ready at all times. Yingyang might descend into chaos."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of many footsteps echoed from outside. Gu Jiusi frowned, glancing at Shen Ming with a questioning look. Shen Ming was equally puzzled, but before long, Wang Siyuan's voice rang out: "Lord Gu!"

Gu Jiusi furrowed his brow as Wang Siyuan entered, sighing with apparent concern. "Lord Gu, I heard you were attacked. I came specifically to check on you. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Gu Jiusi smiled. "Lord Wang is quite well-informed."

Wang Siyuan sighed. "I was already on my way here, but before I could see you, I heard about the assassination attempt."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi couldn't help but frown. "May I ask what brings you here, Lord Wang?"

"Lord Gu," Wang Siyuan sighed again, speaking slowly, "you've been impeached!"

At these words, Gu Jiusi looked up sharply. Wang Siyuan smiled and continued, "But fortunately, Lord Jiang defended you fiercely in court, arguing against all opposition. His Majesty has decided not to punish you, but he feels you've been too overbearing in Yingyang and has decided to transfer Lord Shen away from here."

When Shen Ming heard the last part, anger flashed across his face. He was about to speak when Gu Jiusi shot him a glance. Shen Ming froze, and Gu Jiusi turned back, forcing a smile. "Jiusi is unaware—who impeached me and for what reason?"

"Ah, doesn't Lord Gu know?" Wang Siyuan feigned surprise, then said, "Well, I only received the news today. It was Inspector Qin who impeached you for misconduct in Yingyang—fraternizing with merchants, using your influence to bully local officials—and he also accused Lord Shen of assaulting officials and oppressing the common people. Honestly, this Qin Nan," Wang Siyuan clicked his tongue twice, "is just making things up. None of it is true."

Gu Jiusi was somewhat taken aback to hear Qin Nan's name.

He had assumed the first Yingyang official to impeach him would be Wang Siyuan or Fu Baoyuan. He never expected it to be Qin Nan, who had seemed the most upright of them all.

Was Qin Nan also in league with Wang Siyuan?

Or was Qin Nan actually the biggest corrupt official in Yingyang?

Gu Jiusi's mind was in turmoil. What he couldn't understand was why the emperor would actually decide to punish him—and even transfer Shen Ming away from Yingyang—based on such baseless accusations from Qin Nan.

He couldn't make sense of it and felt a headache coming on. Noticing his expression, Wang Siyuan asked with concern, "What's wrong, Lord Gu?"

Gu Jiusi shook his head, raising a hand. "It's nothing. Thank you for informing me, Lord Wang. After Shen Ming is transferred from Yingyang, what position will he hold? Will he return to the Eastern Capital?"

"Yes," Wang Siyuan smiled. "He'll resume his duties in the Eastern Capital. It's not really a punishment, is it?"

Gu Jiusi smiled faintly. "Indeed."Wang Siyuan glanced at Gu Jiusi, noticing his pallid complexion, and rose to his feet. "Enough," he said. "Since Lord Gu is unwell today, I shall not disturb you further. Please rest well."

Gu Jiusi bowed in acknowledgment and instructed Munan to escort Wang Siyuan out.

As Wang Siyuan reached the entrance and boarded his carriage, he cast a final look back at Gu Jiusi and sneered, "Qin Nan, overestimating your capabilities."

After uttering these words, he summoned an attendant and whispered a few instructions in their ear.

No sooner had Wang Siyuan departed than Shen Ming declared, "I'm going out to clear my head."

"Stop right there!" Gu Jiusi barked angrily. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Just need some air!" Shen Ming retorted before darting out. Gu Jiusi tried to speak but was seized by a fit of violent coughing. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Ming dashed away. When the coughing subsided, Gu Jiusi leaned against the headboard to catch his breath before finally saying, "Send someone to bring him back. He's definitely gone to find Qin Nan."

Liu Yu Ru immediately dispatched people to search for Shen Ming, then turned back to sit beside Gu Jiusi. Taking his hand, she asked worriedly, "Are you running a fever? Your skin feels burning hot."

"Perhaps," Gu Jiusi murmured, lying back with closed eyes. "Don't worry about me. Just make sure Shen Ming is watched closely and doesn't wander off. I need to sleep now. The Emperor's decree has arrived, and my uncle should be sending a reply soon. We'll decide our next steps after his letter comes."

Liu Yu Ru acknowledged his words. Gu Jiusi squeezed her hand and whispered drowsily, "Yu Ru, I'm tired."

"Then sleep," she replied gently. "I'll be here."

Gu Jiusi fell silent, lying still with his eyes closed. Liu Yu Ru waited until his breathing steadied before releasing his hand, tucking it under the quilt, and applying an ice pack to his forehead. She then summoned Yin Hong and Munan. To Yin Hong, she instructed, "Notify our people in the Eastern Capital to dispatch all the shadow guards I've trained to Xingyang."

Yin Hong acknowledged the order. Liu Yu Ru then turned to Munan. "Prepare for a second wave of assassins tonight. Don't let anyone catch us off guard."

Munan hesitated momentarily before responding, "Yes, madam."

After issuing her commands, Liu Yu Ru placed a dagger beside Gu Jiusi, then resumed her account books. Having a small table brought over, she began calculating while keeping watch over him.

While Liu Yu Ru guarded Gu Jiusi, Shen Ming had shaken off his pursuers and gone searching for Qin Nan.

Qin Nan had just returned from the Magistrate Office. Spotting his sedan chair in the distance, Shen Ming knew he couldn't abduct Qin Nan in a crowded area—he wasn't that foolish. Instead, he lay in ambush on a rooftop along a narrow alley Qin Nan always passed through. He waited patiently for the sedan chair to enter the alley, but just as it did, Qin Nan suddenly commanded, "Stop."

The bearers halted. Shen Ming wondered why Qin Nan had stopped. After a moment of silence, Qin Nan asked, "Is it too quiet?"

Shen Ming didn't understand the question, but Qin Nan immediately followed with, "Go."

The bearers, sharp-witted, instantly turned and took an alternate route. Shen Ming was stunned. He mentally reviewed his position—surely he was well-hidden. Yet in that very instant, a volley of arrows rained down upon the sedan chair. The bearers cried out in alarm, "My lord!"The moment the arrow rain ceased, several black-clad figures charged out of the alley, heading straight for Qin Nan's sedan chair.

Qin Nan's bearers were no ordinary men. As the assassins lunged, the bearers immediately drew blades from beneath the sedan. Yet the black-clad assailants moved too swiftly—the sedan was kicked over instantly. Just before it toppled, a bearer grabbed Qin Nan and shoved him aside, shouting, "My lord, run!"

Qin Nan fled madly in the opposite direction. Two assassins brandished their swords, closing in to strike him. Unable to stand by, Shen Ming descended from above, kicking them aside one by one. Dusting his hands, he declared, "I'll give you scum a chance to run. Three... two..."

The assassins exchanged glances—clearly recognizing Shen Ming. At the count of "two," they turned and fled. Shen Ming started to pursue, but Qin Nan seized his sleeve, whispering urgently, "Beware of ambushes. Don't chase."

Hearing Qin Nan's voice, Shen Ming recalled his original purpose. He grabbed Qin Nan by the collar, slamming him against the wall and leaning in. "You damned old fossil! At your age, still dabbling in political games? Why not target other corrupt officials instead of messing with me? You accuse me of assaulting officials and oppressing civilians? Believe me, I could really beat you to death!"

Before he finished, Qin Nan's face paled. Pushing against Shen Ming, he stammered, "You... get away..."

"Get away?" Shen Ming laughed coldly. "I came specifically for you today, and you tell me to leave? I refuse! I—"

Mid-sentence, Qin Nan spat a mouthful of blood, splattering Shen Ming's face. Stunned, Shen Ming froze as Qin Nan's head lolled and he lost consciousness.

Shen Ming stared blankly at Qin Nan, still processing what happened, when panicked shouts erupted nearby: "Lord Qin!"

"Release Lord Qin, you villain!"

"What have you done to Lord Qin?"

"Wait—" Shen Ming flustered, forgetting to wipe his face. "I didn't hit him!"

"You're coming with us to the authorities!"

A bearer grabbed Shen Ming, agitated. "I recognize you—you're that guard beside Minister Gu! Assaulting a fifth-rank court official in public? Just wait, I'll fetch your superior!"

"Hold on, this really has nothing to do with me!"

Shen Ming urged, "Save him first—quickly, prioritize saving him! You're all badly injured, right? I'll carry him. Let me atone through merit, alright?"

Under the stares of four pairs of eyes, Shen Ming hoisted Qin Nan onto his back and hurried toward the nearest clinic.

As he ran, he wondered what sin he'd committed to deserve this: first being falsely accused by this man, then getting sprayed with blood after saving him, and now having to carry him to seek medical help??

He truly must be the world's greatest fool.

While Qin Nan was being rushed to the clinic, far away in the Eastern Capital, Ye Yun had just received a letter from Yingyang.

Shen Ming had been writing to her since leaving the Eastern Capital. His handwriting was atrocious, scrawled like dog tracks, rambling about trivial matters. Ye Yun rarely replied, often burning the letters after reading them.

Before the messenger entered through the main gate, Jiang He and Ye Qingwen were playing chess in the residence, with Ye Shi'an waiting nearby.The two parties were discussing Gu Jiusi's situation. Some time ago, Qin Nan had submitted a memorial from Xingyang, stirring up a storm. The court had long been dissatisfied with Gu Jiusi's rapid promotion, and many took advantage of his absence to kick him while he was down.

No one could clearly discern how many among those joining the fray were motivated by personal dislike for Gu Jiusi, how many were acting under the Crown Prince's orders, and how many had been bribed by local officials in Xingyang.

Fan Xuan wanted to protect Gu Jiusi, but with so many voices raised against him, he had to make some concessions. In the end, Jiang He proposed that since Gu Jiusi was still working on the Yellow River repairs, they should wait until his return to address the matter. While Gu Jiusi was spared, Shen Ming could not be protected. Fan Xuan saw no need to fuss over the fate of a minor sixth-rank official and thus acquiesced to the courtiers' demands to recall Shen Ming for reprimand.

"Their intentions may be unclear to His Majesty, but you and I understand them well."

Ye Qingwen said calmly, "Shen Ming is Master Gu's blade. If you take away his weapon, he will be left defenseless when attacked."

He then expressed some confusion, "Are you just going to let Shen Ming return like this?"

Jiang He chuckled at this. "Brother Ye, do you really think I'm some omnipotent deity? If His Majesty wants Shen Ming back, what can I do?"

"If you wanted to find a way, you certainly could."

Ye Qingwen spoke bluntly. Jiang He let out a laugh, propped his chin on his hand, placed a chess piece, and after a moment of thought, said, "No need to worry. Jiusi is a clever boy."

Ye Qingwen glanced at him, about to say more, when footsteps were heard outside. The three looked up to see a messenger hurrying toward Ye Yun's residence. Jiang He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where is this messenger from?"

Ye Qingwen glanced at the messenger and replied, "Xingyang."

"Ah." Jiang He nodded in understanding. "Then it must be from my nephew's wife."

"You seem quite attentive toward my niece?"

Ye Qingwen kept his head down, studying the chessboard. Ye Shi'an glanced subtly at Jiang He, who paused for a moment before laughing. "Which young lady have I not paid attention to?"

Ye Qingwen said nothing. He placed a piece, took a sip of tea, and then said to Ye Shi'an, "Shi'an, switch to Yushan Spring Tips."

Ye Shi'an understood that Ye Qingwen wanted to speak with Jiang He alone and promptly rose to leave. After he had gone, Ye Qingwen watched Jiang He make his move and said slowly, "I'll be brief. My niece is nearly twenty. You must know something about what happened in Yangzhou. Ultimately, I hope she can find a good match. She is a daughter of the Ye Family, and I don’t want her to be hastily married off because of her past. Though she has her flaws, her character and appearance are both exceptional. You, too, are getting older..."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Jiang He glared at Ye Qingwen. "What do you mean, 'getting older'? Is that any way to speak?"

Ye Qingwen choked back his words and continued, "I'm only a few years older than you, and my son is already twenty-two. Wanshu, you can’t go on alone forever."

Jiang He remained silent, gazing at the chessboard. He picked up his teacup and took a small sip. "To be honest, I think Young Lady Ye Yun is exceptional in every way, except for one flaw." He lifted his eyes to Ye Qingwen, a hint of pity in his smiling gaze. "She was born into your Ye Family."Ye Qingwen furrowed his brow. Jiang He sighed, "Brother Ye, what I'm about to say may be somewhat offensive, but since you brought this up with me today, I feel compelled to speak my mind."

"Ye Yun is still young," Jiang He looked at Ye Qingwen earnestly. "What happened in the past wasn't her fault. Even if she had been willing, I believe why should a woman pursuing love be considered wrong? Since it's not wrong, and she hasn't done anything mistaken, why punish her?"

"No one is punishing her," Ye Qingwen retorted with a deep frown, but before he could continue, Jiang He raised his hand in a "stop" gesture and said directly, "No need to explain. Whether you are punishing her or not, I have my own judgment. If you truly didn't think she did anything wrong, why would a fine young lady like her—barely twenty, with both character and looks, from a scholarly family—be proposed to marry an old man like me nearing forty?"

"You..."

"I know I'm handsome, wealthy, intelligent, and witty. My official rank matches your family's status, and I have a nephew who's rising rapidly. My conditions are excellent, but no respectable young lady from a good family would willingly seek marriage with a nearly forty-year-old rake who frequents pleasure quarters and has a daughter with a songstress. No matter how outstanding he is, it's unacceptable. You've discussed this matter with Ye Yun, haven't you?"

Ye Qingwen remained silent, which Jiang He took as acquiescence. After a moment's thought, Jiang He smiled mockingly, "Just look at you all. When she faced difficulties, instead of showing her that life can be better and she can live with dignity, you tell her that someone like me is her best destination. It's utterly absurd. If she hadn't encountered those troubles, would you treat her this way? Since you claim she did nothing wrong, why are you treating her like this?"

Ye Qingwen lowered his gaze to the tea before him. Jiang He sighed, "Brother Ye, if she were my child, I would tell her she did nothing wrong. Not only that—a young girl who managed to navigate dangerous situations to protect her father and brother, ultimately killing their enemy to rescue her brother and friend—such courage and determination deserve praise. A girl like her deserves to be loved. The man she wanted to marry back then should be even better now."

"Wanshu..." Ye Qingwen said bitterly, "Too few people think like you."

"So what if they don't?"

Jiang He fanned himself, "Since we're looking for a good man, naturally they're rare. What's the point of marrying an inferior one? Can't the Ye Family afford to support one young lady?"

Ye Qingwen fell silent again. Jiang He seemed to realize he had spoken too harshly and coughed lightly before saying slowly, "Enough, let's not dwell on this. We're good friends, but don't think you can trick me into lowering my seniority."

As they spoke, Ye Shi'an's voice came from outside, "Uncle, it's time for your medicine."

Ye Qingwen looked up and nodded. Turning to Jiang He, he said, "My apologies, let's end our chess game here. I must take my leave now. I'll have Shi'an see you out."

"No need, I know the way," Jiang He waved his hand. "I'll finish this cup of tea and leave on my own."

Ye Qingwen acknowledged and left with Ye Shi'an. After they had gone some distance, Jiang He called out, "You can come out now."There was no movement nearby. Jiang He glanced in a certain direction and chuckled, "I can't even fail to notice a young lady hiding from me. You're really underestimating me."

Hearing this, Ye Yun reluctantly emerged from around the corner, dragging her feet.

Jiang He calmly fetched a cup from nearby, placed it beside the chessboard, and gestured, "Have a seat."

Without a word, Ye Yun properly approached Jiang He, who poured tea for her.

With a composed expression, Ye Yun remained silent. Jiang He tilted his chin slightly and said, "Your uncle hasn't finished his game. You take over."

Ye Yun acknowledged with a sound and raised her hand to make a move.

The two remained silent, with only the rhythmic clatter of chess pieces breaking the stillness.

Jiang He’s playing style was seasoned, appearing casual and unstructured, yet with each piece placed, he wove an inescapable trap. In contrast, Ye Yun’s approach, though steady, seemed far more naive. Her cautious, step-by-step strategy repeatedly left her unprepared for Jiang He’s decisive moves.

As the board gradually filled with fewer available moves, Ye Yun finally spoke: "When I was young, my mother once told me that the most important thing in marriage is compatibility."

Jiang He remained silent. Ye Yun continued slowly, "In truth, even without love, you and I could still be husband and wife for a lifetime. An alliance between the Ye Family and the Gu Family would be the most advantageous union."

Jiang He paused, his chess piece hovering mid-air. After a moment of thought, he lifted his head and looked at Ye Yun, speaking deliberately, "A young lady like you shouldn’t be thinking about alliances at this age. But if you truly hold such thoughts, remember this one thing I tell you."

Leaning closer, his expression turned earnest: "The most unshakable pact in this world is shared interest. Beyond that, no marital vow can withstand the test."