Destined

These words left Ye Yun momentarily stunned.

Jiang He lowered his head. After placing his piece, he captured a large group of her stones. As he began picking up the captured pieces, he said slowly, "Marriage cannot guarantee these things. So rather than thinking about how to make your marriage more valuable, it's better to focus on making yourself a valuable person, and then marry someone you truly love."

As he spoke, Jiang He smiled—a smile that carried the clarity of one who had seen through worldly affairs. "Don't trade the most important things in your life for what could be more easily obtained through other means. You're still young."

Ye Yun remained silent. In that moment, she genuinely felt that she was indeed still young.

Before her stood an elder, guiding her as she fumbled forward in the darkness.

Ye Yun stayed quiet for a long while before finally speaking slowly, "But... I don't know if I'll ever be able to love someone. Does everyone have someone they love in their lifetime?"

"Not necessarily," Jiang He thought for a moment. "But if you firmly believe you'll never love anyone, you might truly never experience it."

"Lord Jiang," Ye Yun hesitated, "have you... ever loved someone before?"

The question caught Jiang He off guard. Something flickered in his eyes—this was the first time Ye Yun had seen something in Jiang He's gaze that seemed beyond his control. Yet the emotion vanished as quickly as it appeared. Jiang He smiled and said slowly, "I suppose I have."

"Why didn't you end up together?"

Ye Yun sounded puzzled. Jiang He smiled bitterly. "Does every affection have to lead to being together?"

"Ye Yun," Jiang He sighed and stood up, "in one's lifetime, meeting someone who reciprocates your feelings and with whom you can actually be together is incredibly rare. You're still young—love often develops gradually. You need to give others a chance, which is also giving yourself a chance."

Ye Yun didn't respond. She watched as Jiang He lifted his head to gaze at the stars in the night sky.

"I no longer have that chance," he said softly.

This made Ye Yun turn to look at him. She couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

Jiang He didn't answer. He quietly watched the sky for a long time before finally speaking: "Because there's already someone in my heart." As he said this, a touch of nostalgia entered his eyes. "None of you have met her. If you had, you'd understand—when you love someone like that, wanting to love anyone else becomes too difficult."

Ye Yun was taken aback. Jiang He seemed to feel he had been too candid. He chuckled softly, opened his small fan, waved it dismissively, and said with feigned nonchalance, "Alright, niece Ye Yun, try to see things more optimistically. I'll take my leave now—no need to see me out."

Ye Yun quietly watched him depart. After he had gone, she sat at the stone table, thinking for a long, long time. Eventually, she drew a note from her sleeve.

It was a note wrapped around a stone, bearing Shen Ming's clumsy handwriting.

"...Working as a river laborer with Ninth Brother. Sleeping on the riverbank at night—the wind is too cold. This stone is beautiful, so I'm giving it to you. Don't think it's worthless. Pretty jade can be bought with money, but a stone this beautiful can only be found by chance. But if you prefer jade, that's fine too—I'll save up to buy some for you..."

Ye Yun quietly read the words. The late July breeze carried the lingering heat of summer as it gently brushed past. She continued staring at the handwriting.

Her heart felt like an ancient well frozen over. She lay beneath the ice, looking up at all the passion and beauty in the world. Someone was stubbornly striking the ice with stones, and she could hear the "thump, thump, thump" against the frozen surface.She let out a soft sigh, slowly folded the paper, and tucked it away.

He was still too foolish.

Ye Yun thought.

When Gu Jiusi woke the next day, he received a letter from Jiang He. His high fever had just broken, and he took the letter from Jiang He from Liu Yu Ru's hands.

Jiang He briefly described the situation at court and ended with two key messages:

Shen Ming may do as he pleases;

Qin Nan, now acquainted.

Gu Jiusi stared at these two lines. Liu Yu Ru took the letter from his hand and asked curiously, "What does this mean?"

Gu Jiusi thought for a moment before replying, "Uncle means that Shen Ming's comings and goings are up to Shen Ming himself to decide. As for Qin Nan, he didn't know him before, but now that Qin Nan has impeached me, he's become acquainted."

"Why did Uncle mention Qin Nan?"

Liu Yu Ru found this strange. Gu Jiusi lowered his head, pondering, and said, "In my last letter, I mentioned Lord Qin to him and asked if he knew him."

Liu Yu Ru nodded without saying more. Gu Jiusi leaned back against the bed, lost in thought for a while before he couldn't help but ask, "Why do you think Qin Nan impeached me?"

"Maybe he disapproves of you colluding with people like Fu Baoyuan?"

Liu Yu Ru spoke carefully. Gu Jiusi frowned, "Then why didn't he impeach Fu Baoyuan?"

This question stumped Liu Yu Ru. After a moment's thought, she ventured, "So... is he in league with Fu Baoyuan and his crowd?"

This would explain why, for so long, despite Wang Siyuan's tyranny in Yingyang, the court had received no news whatsoever.

But simultaneously, both their minds conjured the image of Qin Nan's straight-backed figure. Especially Liu Yu Ru, who couldn't help recalling the kneeling woman from when they first arrived in Yingyang. She murmured, "But... Lord Qin seems..."

"I know."

Gu Jiusi said this while looking out the window.

Shen Ming was rushing over in a panic. Seeing his flustered expression, Gu Jiusi frowned and asked, "Did you cause trouble yesterday?"

"Brother, listen to me," Shen Ming approached and knelt by Gu Jiusi's bedside, saying earnestly, "Lord Qin coughed up blood."

"You beat him until he coughed blood?!"

Gu Jiusi exclaimed in shock. Shen Ming quickly clarified, "No, no," he said hastily, "listen to me. Yesterday when I passed by, I originally intended to hit him."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi and Liu Yu Ru exchanged glances. Shen Ming, oblivious to their silent communication, continued, "Unexpectedly, before I could hit him, I happened upon him being pursued by assassins. So I stepped in to save him. When I pulled him up, I got a bit... excited... and his old illness flared up..."

Shen Ming added somewhat guiltily, "So... he coughed up blood."

"How... exactly were you excited?"

Liu Yu Ru asked tentatively. Shen Ming smiled sheepishly and gestured, "Well... grabbing him by the collar, slamming... slamming him against the wall, pressing my hand against his chest..."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi said slowly, "That really is excited..."

"Where is he now?" Liu Yu Ru frowned. Shen Ming replied sheepishly, "Still... still lying down."

"Lying down alive, or...?"

Gu Jiusi asked ominously. Shen Ming quickly assured, "Alive! Definitely alive! I watched over him all night. The physician said he'll be fine as long as he continues to rest properly."Gu Jiusi fell silent for a moment. Shen Ming cautiously said, "Brother, they say that once Qin Nan wakes up, he’s going to report me, claiming that assaulting an official is a crime. I’m not afraid of breaking the law, but I’m worried—if I get impeached, will it cause trouble for you?"

"Aren’t you afraid of being impeached?" Gu Jiusi turned to look at him. Shen Ming nodded vigorously. "Brother, my only concern is for your sake."

Gu Jiusi thought it over, and something suddenly flashed in his mind. He abruptly said, "Quick, I’ll help you write a letter back home. Resign from your post."

"Huh?"

Shen Ming was bewildered. Gu Jiusi continued, "I’ll write it now. Say that while rescuing Lord Qin, you accidentally triggered his old illness. To make amends, you’ve decided to resign and stay in Yingyang to take good care of him."

"I understand." Upon hearing this, Shen Ming immediately replied, "That way, I can continue staying in Yingyang. And since we’ve addressed the matter in advance, let him report me if he wants. If I’ve already resigned for his sake, what can anyone else say?"

"Exactly." Gu Jiusi nodded. "And in the next few days, I want you to keep a close watch on him."

"What for?"

"To find out why he’s trying to impeach me."

Gu Jiusi spoke in a low voice. Hearing this, Shen Ming promptly nodded. "Don’t worry, leave it to me."

Shen Ming thumped his chest confidently and went to see Qin Nan that afternoon.

Qin Nan had just woken up when Shen Ming barged in, announcing boldly, "Lord Qin."

Qin Nan looked up at him, frowned, and showed a hint of wariness in his eyes. Shen Ming, carrying his broadsword, said earnestly, "Lord Qin, I’ve come to apologize."

Hearing this, Qin Nan relaxed slightly and replied slowly, "It’s nothing. It’s an old ailment. You saved me, so I should be thanking you."

"I was too reckless." Shen Ming appeared somewhat awkward, stealing a glance at Qin Nan before saying slowly, "Um, Lord Qin, you’re not in the best condition lately. How about I take care of you?"

"I have other servants." Qin Nan’s expression remained calm. "No need to trouble yourself, Lord Shen."

"But you still need someone to protect you, right?"

Shen Ming pressed on, "My martial arts are exceptional—far better than your sedan carriers."

Qin Nan glanced at Shen Ming, somewhat puzzled. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Ah, well," Shen Ming finally admitted, "Everyone’s saying I beat you up. Give me a chance to make it right."

"Aren’t you being transferred away from Yingyang?"

"That’s not a problem," Shen Ming said cheerfully, brushing it off. "I’ve resigned."

Qin Nan was taken aback. After a moment, he seemed to understand and resumed his usual aloof, distant coldness, saying indifferently, "In that case, do as you please, Lord Shen."

"Then starting today, I’ll protect you." Shen Ming declared immediately. "Lord Qin, feel free to carry on as usual."

Qin Nan didn’t respond—neither refusing nor accepting. The next day, when Shen Ming went to the Qin residence, they wouldn’t let him in.

But that didn’t stop Shen Ming. He scaled the wall, climbed into Qin Nan’s courtyard, and announced cheerfully, "Lord Qin, I’m here."

Qin Nan: "..."

With his mission to monitor Qin Nan, Shen Ming visited him daily. He had initially assumed that an official who would impeach him and Gu Jiusi must be a corrupt official with a lavish lifestyle. But after following Qin Nan for several days, Shen Ming discovered that Qin Nan’s life was remarkably simple: every day, he went to the County Government Office to work and then returned home.He seemed to hold considerable prestige among the common people, who often sought him out for matters both big and small, and indeed, he handled most of them.

The duties of a Regional Inspector were not overly burdensome. Given his high rank, he was entitled to one day of rest every seven days. On these days off, he would leave the Magistrate Office and do nothing else but go to the neighboring village to teach the children and distribute some food.

The village was sparsely populated, mostly consisting of the elderly and the young. Shen Ming followed Qin Nan to the village, helping the villagers repair houses and teach. He couldn't help but feel puzzled: "Where are the men of this village?"

"Gone."

Qin Nan replied calmly. Shen Ming was taken aback and asked in surprise, "How did they disappear?"

"There was originally no village here."

Qin Nan hammered nails as he explained to Shen Ming: "Later, some people in the city lost their men, leaving only the elderly and children behind. They couldn't stay in the city, so I eventually had them all settled here. There's some barren land here—those who can work farm a little, and I also provide assistance."

"This entire village," Shen Ming said in astonishment, "is supported by you?"

Qin Nan nodded. Shen Ming couldn't help but glance back and ask, "Do you have that much money?"

Hearing this, Qin Nan frowned and said seriously, "My monthly salary is twenty taels of silver, fifty dan of grain, twenty bolts of silk per year, and one hundred bolts of cotton cloth. This village has fifty people in total. Combined with their own resources, it's more than sufficient."

"You... you're quite well-off, huh."

Sensing Qin Nan's irritation, Shen Ming laughed awkwardly. Qin Nan stared at Shen Ming for a long while but ultimately said nothing.

While Shen Ming followed Qin Nan day by day, the reinforcement of the Yellow River embankments was nearing completion.

In August, it rained heavily for seven or eight consecutive days, and the flood predicted by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau arrived as scheduled.

During those days, Gu Jiusi slept poorly. Every time the Yellow River experienced heavy rain, there was some degree of disaster. Although Gu Jiusi had completed the reinforcements on time this year, he was still uncertain of the outcome. This flood had accumulated more water than in previous years, and even Liu Yuru found the sound of the rain unsettling as she tried to sleep at night.

Every evening, Gu Jiusi and Liu Yuru dared not sleep too soundly. Gu Jiusi was waiting for emergency reports, fearing that disaster might strike somewhere so he could rush over promptly.

Gu Jiusi had already ordered the evacuation of areas along the Yellow River that were at risk of breaching. After the heavy rains subsided, disaster reports came in from various regions. Although there were some breaches in the Yellow River that year, thanks to the early evacuations, no casualties occurred. This was the first instance in nearly a century where the Yellow River had flooded without any loss of life. When Gu Jiusi received the final report, his legs gave way beneath him, and it was only with Liu Yuru's support that he steadied himself. Letting out a sigh of relief, he quickly said, "I must report this to His Majesty at once."

While Gu Jiusi was busy drafting the memorial, Fu Baoyuan sat in his study, staring blankly at the memorial before him without uttering a word.

The Chen family entered and, looking at Fu Baoyuan, said with a smile, "Thank heavens the Yellow River is finally safe this year."

Hearing this, Fu Baoyuan slowly smiled, a trace of weariness on his pale, round face. "Why thank the heavens? The one we should thank is Lord Gu."

"Heavens?"

Fu Baoyuan let out a mocking laugh, then shook his head and stood up to leave.The stabilization of the Yellow River embankments had taken effect, and the atmosphere throughout Yongzhou began to feel distinctly different. With the first phase completed, Gu Jiusi was about to embark on his second task—diverting the river and constructing canals.

This was the most time-consuming, challenging, and costly process in the entire Yellow River Renovation. According to Gu Jiusi’s plan, from mid-August this year to March next year, the project would require the participation of 100,000 laborers and 20,000 support personnel, totaling 120,000 people—a monumental undertaking rarely seen in a century.

Such a massive project, if handled carelessly, could become a disaster capable of crippling the nation.

Therefore, Gu Jiusi not only had to maintain control over his subordinates but also constantly reassure Fan Xuan, ensuring him that nothing would go wrong.

As Gu Jiusi contemplated how to proceed, he realized he could no longer afford to be as lax as before, where just anyone dared to attempt an assassination.

After pondering for a moment, Gu Jiusi secretly contacted Fan Xuan, who provided him with 5,000 troops. These soldiers were stationed in Anyang, at the border between Sizhou and Yongzhou.

At this time, the personnel Liu Yu Ru had transferred from the Eastern Capital also arrived in Yingyang. With these reinforcements, Gu Jiusi felt more confident. The day after their arrival, he invited everyone to clarify the plans for the second phase and then said to Wang Siyuan, "Lord Wang, before we proceed, I would like to ask for your help in upholding justice."

Wang Siyuan looked puzzled, "What justice?"

"Some time ago, someone attempted to assassinate me," Gu Jiusi scanned the crowd. "I was too busy to pursue the matter then, but now that the embankments are stable, it’s time to settle old scores."

Wang Siyuan’s expression darkened upon hearing this. "Lord Gu, the investigation into this case has been ongoing."

"I suspect that officials in Yingyang are colluding to protect each other. I intend to have my own people take over the case personally."

Gu Jiusi spoke bluntly, and Wang Siyuan frowned. "Are you implying that the Yingyang government is incompetent?"

"After all this time, you’ve found nothing. Should I be praising you for your excellence?"

Gu Jiusi’s tone was mocking. Having faced off against the entire Censorate in the Eastern Capital without flinching, he was more than a match for Wang Siyuan. With just one remark, he provoked Wang Siyuan to the point of nearly standing up in anger.

Having wielded power in Yongzhou for many years, Wang Siyuan hadn’t been spoken to like this in a long time. Gasping for breath, he laughed in fury. "Fine, fine! Lord Gu, you are impressive. If you want to investigate, then go ahead! Investigate to your heart’s content!"

"Thank you," Gu Jiusi replied indifferently.

After the meeting concluded, Wang Siyuan stepped out and immediately whispered to an aide, "Go and deal with those bailiffs."

Simultaneously, Gu Jiusi also instructed, "Find the bailiffs who escorted the assassins and the commoners and bring them to me."

Both sides rushed to the location of the bailiffs at the same time. Shen Ming followed Qin Nan as they walked out. Noticing Shen Ming trailing him, Qin Nan said coolly, "Shouldn’t you be apprehending people, Lord Shen? Why are you following me?"

"Don’t call me Lord Shen," Shen Ming waved his hand dismissively. "I’ve resigned from my post. Just call me Shen Ming."

Qin Nan remained silent. Shen Ming continued to follow him, muttering, "I mean, Lord Qin, as a Prefect, you must have made a lot of enemies. Aren’t you afraid? You should be grateful that I’m here to protect you. Yet you act so disdainful every day—truly, like the dog that bit Lü Dongbin, unable to recognize a good man’s intentions."Qin Nan boarded the carriage, closing his eyes without a word. Shen Ming sat beside him, chewing on a blade of grass while reading a book.

Seeing that Shen Ming had quieted down, Qin Nan opened his eyes and noticed him reading. He couldn't help but ask, "What book are you reading?"

"Oh," Shen Ming turned his head and replied, "I'm reading the Zuo Zhuan."

"You're reading the Zuo Zhuan?" Qin Nan was somewhat surprised. Shen Ming looked a bit embarrassed. "Everyone thinks I come from a humble background and haven't read much. I figured I should work on improving myself, so I started with the Zuo Zhuan."

Hearing this and seeing Shen Ming's embarrassed expression, Qin Nan studied him for a moment before slowly saying, "You've taken a liking to a girl, haven't you?"

Shen Ming froze, his expression clearly giving him away. Qin Nan continued, "And this girl is quite learned, so you feel you're not good enough for her?"

"Lord Qin," Shen Ming exclaimed in shock, "Are you a fortune teller?"

Qin Nan chuckled and replied, "We've all been young."

As he spoke, a hint of nostalgia filled his eyes. "I was like that once too."

"You're a successful man," Shen Ming quickly said, "Come on, share some of your experience with me. The girl I like now," Shen Ming said somewhat sheepishly, "well, she comes from a better background than me, she's better-looking than me, and though she has a bit of a temper, she's still better than me in every way—and she's more educated than me too. Honestly, she's just better at everything."

As he spoke, Shen Ming couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. If she was better than him in every way, what could she possibly see in him?

Seeing Shen Ming's distress, Qin Nan waited a moment before asking, "Why do you follow Gu Jiusi?"

Shen Ming found the question a bit odd. "He's my brother, so of course I follow him."

Qin Nan said nothing. After a while, he remarked, "You're a good person."

"Of course," Shen Ming said cheerfully, "Everyone who's spent time with me says so."

But after a moment's thought, Shen Ming added, "But it wasn't always like that. In the past, a lot of people didn't like me. They thought I had a bad temper, was difficult, and a bit cynical. After I started following Brother Jiu, somehow," Shen Ming reflected on the past, speaking slowly, "I felt like a piece of stone being polished, becoming smoother and smoother. Not that it's a bad thing—"

Shen Ming turned to Qin Nan and smiled. "It's just that I don't see the world as all bad like I used to. My temper is much better now, and I'm quite happy."

As Qin Nan listened to Shen Ming talk about himself, he seemed lost in thought. He gazed outside for a long time before finally saying, "At this time of day, the constables are usually out on patrol."

Shen Ming was taken aback. At first, he didn't understand what Qin Nan meant, but then it dawned on him.

The men Gu Jiusi had sent out were unfamiliar with the system in Yingyang. Following the customs of the Eastern Capital, they had assumed this was the constables' rest period and had headed straight for the County Government Office.

"Hurry and go," Qin Nan urged.

Shen Ming snapped out of it, said "Thank you," and quickly rushed out into the street.

He went from person to person, asking around, afraid that the constables might have already fallen victim to foul play.

But after wandering the streets for a short while, he saw the men Gu Jiusi had sent out returning with the constables in custody.

Shen Ming breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over, exclaiming happily, "Weren't you supposed to go to the County Government Office? I just found out that at this time, the constables are out on patrol, not at the office. How did you manage to catch them?""Lucky," the guard said cheerfully. "We were originally heading to the County Government Office, but on the way we ran into a constable. We found it strange that there would still be constables out at this hour. After asking a passerby, we learned that it was actually their patrol time. So we went to the County Government Office, obtained their duty schedule, and rushed over to make the arrests. We moved quickly—not a single one got away."

Hearing "not a single one got away," Shen Ming also smiled.

He turned to look at the captured yamen runners, revealing a kind yet eerie smile as he said, "Good, not a single one missing. Now that you've fallen into our hands, I suggest you confess quickly, otherwise..."

Shen Ming glanced at everyone, chuckled once, and said no more.

These yamen runners were taken back to Gu Jiusi's residence, where Shen Ming and Gu Jiusi interrogated them throughout the night. After finishing the interrogation, they immediately went out to arrest more people.

Upon learning that these yamen runners had been captured, Wang Houchun furiously smashed objects in his home.

"Bastards! Bastards! Bastards!"

Wang Houchun kicked over a chair and roared angrily, "How did they manage to catch them?"

He turned around, grabbed the collar of the person behind him, and shouted furiously, "Didn't I send you? How could you be slower than them?!"

"Master, you can't entirely blame us,"

the guard trembled as he spoke. "Someone tipped them off, and they even went to the County Government Office to get the duty roster. How could we possibly find people faster than them with the roster in hand?"

"Someone tipped them off... duty roster?"

Wang Houchun muttered to himself. After a moment, he released the guard and nodded repeatedly. "Good, very good. The new master has arrived, and now they've learned to bite."

After saying this, he turned and rushed out, saying, "To my uncle's house, quickly!"