Destined

Upon hearing this, Gu Jiusi quickly processed Qin Nan's words in his mind, quietly contemplating all the matters.

Jiang He, gently fanning himself with a small fan, calmly watched Qin Nan, who met his gaze without flinching.

Fan Yu glanced at Jiang He, then at Qin Nan, cleared his throat lightly, and said, "This is no small matter. Do you have evidence?"

"Your Majesty," Ye Qingwen spoke up at this moment, interrupting Fan Yu, "I believe such a major case should not be tried in court. It should be handed over to the Censorate for investigation. Evidence should be collected, and a public trial should only be held after the results are obtained."

"Oh, then—"

"Your Majesty!" Qin Nan knelt on the ground and declared loudly, "Lord Jiang is a high-ranking official of the court, with countless ties to the Censorate. If the trial is not held immediately, I fear my evidence will disappear."

At these words, Ye Qingwen's expression turned rather unpleasant. Fan Yu nodded and said, "I think you make a valid point. What is your evidence?"

"I am willing to testify for Lord Qin."

As soon as Fan Yu finished his question, Luo Zishang knelt on the ground and said respectfully, "I am the sole survivor of the Luo family. When the incident occurred, I was present, but due to my youth, I was frightened. Now, seeing Lord Jiang again, I am reminded of the past."

"Then why didn't you speak up earlier?"

Ye Qingwen frowned. Luo Zishang lowered his voice and said, "I did not dare. It was only after encountering Lord Qin by the Yellow River and being encouraged by my elders that I finally decided to step forward and seek justice for the Luo family. With Lord Jiang's overwhelming power, how could I dare to accuse him so recklessly?"

"Then, on what grounds does Lord Luo make such accusations?" Gu Jiusi slowly spoke, a playful smile on his lips. "Eldest Young Master Luo?"

Luo Zishang fell silent.

Both Gu Jiusi and Luo Zishang knew perfectly well that he was not the eldest son of the Luo family. He was merely a beggar from the streets, an impostor claiming to seek justice for the Luo family—a complete joke.

Luo Zishang raised his eyes to look at Gu Jiusi. After a moment, he said, "Shall we verify it, then?"

As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeve with a determined expression. "In ancient times, blood was used to confirm kinship. The eldest son of the Qin family was born to the Luo family's young lady. As I carry the Luo family's bloodline, my blood should naturally blend with his. The eldest son of the Qin family is now outside the hall. If Lord Gu has doubts, why not test it?"

"You—"

Just as Gu Jiusi was about to speak, Jiang He pressed a hand on his arm to stop him. Gu Jiusi turned to look at Jiang He in surprise. Luo Zishang was indeed of Luo blood, but he was not the eldest son of the Luo family—he was the son of Luo Yishui.

Gu Jiusi had long been clear about this in his heart. Today, if Luo Zishang wanted to verify it, he would let him do so thoroughly. He refused to believe that after the verification, Luo Zishang could still stand there and spout nonsense with such composure.

But Jiang He stopped him. After a moment of shock, Gu Jiusi fell silent. Jiang He looked at Qin Nan and continued, "Is there any other evidence?"

"Everything is here."

Qin Nan presented the memorial and said respectfully, "Eleven years ago, my wife, Luo Yishui, passed away due to illness. Less than a year after her death, Jiang He went to the Luo family for the imperial seal, slaughtering the entire household. After obtaining the seal, Jiang He handed it over to Prince Liang. This emboldened Prince Liang, who then meticulously planned and raised an army three years ago, leading to the collapse of the Great Rong dynasty, endless warfare, and the displacement of the common people.""Today, the surviving orphan of the Luo family has come forward as a witness. Moreover, after reviewing the official records from eleven years ago in the Eastern Capital, I found that during the time of the Luo family massacre, Lord Jiang was on sick leave for a full month. Furthermore, through extensive investigation, I located a former attendant of Prince Liang who can confirm that the imperial seal was indeed handed over to Prince Liang by Lord Jiang. With all these pieces of evidence laid out, is it not sufficient to prove that the Luo family tragedy was orchestrated by Jiang He?"

"Jiang He's annihilation of the Luo family was not merely the killing of over a hundred people. Later, he incited Prince Liang to rebel—how can such actions be described merely as those of a treacherous official? Yet this very villain—" Qin Nan's eyes brimmed with tears as he straightened up and pointed at the figure seated high above, shouting vehemently, "today sits in the highest hall of power, second only to the emperor, with even the Son of Heaven daring not to oppose him. How can the clear and just world of Great Xia tolerate such rampant treachery?!"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi felt his heart sink gradually. The entire court of civil and military officials remained silent, not daring to speak. Gu Jiusi quietly watched Qin Nan kneeling on the ground, his gaze fixed intently upon him.

In that moment, it was as if he had returned to the banks of the Yellow River, witnessing the gazes of the common people fixed upon him.

"Lord Gu," Qin Nan lowered his voice, restraining his tears, "you were able to uphold justice for the people of the Yellow River, you dared to risk your life to seek fairness for Yingyang. Yet here in the Eastern Capital's high court, have you bent your spine because he is your uncle, because he is the Right Chancellor Jiang He?"

Gu Jiusi's hand trembled slightly. Jiang He turned to look at him, his expression carrying a hint of mocking amusement.

"If there were no justice in the court of Great Xia," Gu Jiusi spoke with difficulty, "how could you, Lord Qin, be standing here speaking in such a manner?"

The moment he spoke, all eyes turned toward him.

No one dared to speak at this moment. To speak in support of Jiang He would be utterly unreasonable with evidence presented and Qin Nan making such public accusations—no one could violate such principles. Yet to support Qin Nan—how could one man like Qin Nan possibly overthrow a minister of Jiang He's stature? If Jiang He held a grudge in the future, no one would escape unscathed.

At this time, only Gu Jiusi—both Jiang He's nephew and a fellow minister of state—could speak up.

And Gu Jiusi's words made his stance clear. With calm composure he stated: "Great Xia will not let anyone disrupt its laws. Lord Qin, if you are not satisfied with entrusting this case to the Censorate, how about handing it over to Minister of Justice Lord Li?"

Li Yuchang was renowned for his fairness and integrity. Qin Nan, already familiar with Li Yuchang, responded respectfully: "This official has no objections."

Gu Jiusi stood up and bowed respectfully to Fan Yu: "Your Majesty, does this arrangement seem appropriate?"

Fan Yu propped his chin and smiled: "Appropriate indeed. You all decide everything. I find it quite appropriate."

Pretending not to detect the sarcasm in Fan Yu's voice, Gu Jiusi had Li Yuchang step forward to accept the case. Then he turned to Jiang He and said calmly: "Does Lord Jiang have anything else to say?"

Jiang He shrugged: "Nothing. Let them investigate."

Gu Jiusi extended his hand in a gesture of invitation and said: "Then please remove your official headdress, Lord Jiang."

Hearing this, Jiang He smiled bitterly but did not make things difficult for Gu Jiusi. He removed his headdress and followed the soldiers out with composed dignity.

After completing these procedures, Gu Jiusi turned to Qin Nan and asked calmly: "So, is Lord Qin satisfied with this arrangement?"Qin Nan knelt on the ground, his voice low and hoarse as he said, "This humble official thanks Your Majesty and all the lords."

After dealing with Jiang He's matter, Fan Yu lost interest in continuing the court session. He yawned and announced the adjournment.

Following the court session, Gu Jiusi descended from the high platform and walked over to Qin Nan. Qin Nan silently watched him, and the two stood in wordless silence for a long while. Finally, Gu Jiusi managed a strained smile and said, "You told me you were staying in Xingyang, then suddenly announced your return to the Eastern Capital. I wondered what it was about—turns out it was for this matter."

Qin Nan lowered his head and spoke in a raspy voice, "I'm sorry."

"Did Luo Zishang tell you?"

Qin Nan remained silent. Gu Jiusi lowered his gaze and asked, "Aren't you afraid he might be deceiving you?"

"Whether he's deceiving me or not," Qin Nan smiled bitterly, "do you think I can't tell?"

Gu Jiusi said nothing. After a moment of silence, he heard Qin Nan ask, "If Lord Li's investigation confirms it was indeed your uncle, what will you do?"

"What can I do?" Gu Jiusi let out a bitter laugh at these words.

He turned to look outside the hall and sighed, "Lord Qin, I won't see you off. Take care."

With that, he turned and left the hall, walking away.

As soon as he stepped outside, Ye Shi'an grabbed him and pulled him aside, speaking with agitation, "Why didn't you expose Luo Zishang today?"

"Expose what?"

Knowing Ye Shi'an was furious, Gu Jiusi allowed himself to be dragged along, his expression calm. "Expose that he's not the eldest son of the Luo family?"

"Yes," Ye Shi'an immediately responded. "It must have been his scheme to frame Lord Jiang—can't you see? When you challenged him to summon Qin Nan, he was just bluffing everyone. Do you think he'd dare to verify it?!"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi only smiled bitterly without replying.

He suddenly felt a pang of envy for Ye Shi'an. Ye Shi'an knew nothing—in his heart, his friends and family were all good people, while Luo Zishang was the villain. He didn't need to overthink things; he only needed to stand unconditionally by Gu Jiusi's side.

Gu Jiusi couldn't bear to shatter Ye Shi'an's innocence. He could only raise his hand, pat Ye Shi'an's shoulder gently, and say, "I have my reasons, Shi An. You should go back first. I need to check on my uncle."

Ye Shi'an pressed his lips together, seeming dissatisfied. After a moment's thought, Gu Jiusi added, "When everything becomes clear, I'll naturally tell you."

"Jiu Si," Ye Shi'an looked at him, his expression shifting slightly, "you've changed."

Gu Jiusi was taken aback. After a pause, he smiled wearily and said, "Perhaps I have."

With those words, Gu Jiusi turned and headed toward the imperial prison. As he walked, he methodically pieced together numerous matters in his mind.

Luo Zishang's background, the case of the Luo family's massacre, the peculiarity of Luo Zishang's first meeting with Jiang He, the scene of Jiang He's first encounter with Qin Nan, the reason Jiang He obtained the imperial edict...

He walked and pondered, and by the time he had sorted everything out, he felt strangely calm.

Entering the prison, he saw Jiang He sitting inside, surrounded by a pile of memorials. The place seemed no different from his official office.

Gu Jiusi stood at the entrance. Jiang He noticed him and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you standing there staring at me? Shouldn't you go home?"

"Go home?" Gu Jiusi smiled bitterly. "My mother would beat me to death.""You weren't afraid of being beaten to death by your mother when you handed me over to Li Yuchang, and now you come with crocodile tears?" Jiang He sat cross-legged in the prison cell, propping his chin as he looked at him. "You're here to question me, aren't you? If there's anything you want to ask, go ahead."

"If I ask, will you answer?"

Jiang He replied casually, "That depends on my mood."

Gu Jiusi smiled but said nothing.

After a moment of silence, Jiang He finally spoke, "You've grown so cunning now, it frightens me."

"The one who should be afraid isn't you, Uncle," Gu Jiusi brushed off the dust on the ground and slowly sat down, looking up at Jiang He calmly. "The one who should be afraid is me."

"What are you afraid of?"

"The more I understand you, understand all of you, the more afraid I become." Gu Jiusi spoke wearily. "I used to believe that good was good, evil was evil, and my sword would always point at the enemy. But now I'm slowly realizing that perhaps I'm the only one still clinging to this so-called distinction between good and evil."

Jiang He remained silent. Gu Jiusi raised his eyes to look at him. "Why didn't you let me speak today?"

Hearing this, Jiang He lowered his head and smiled, opening and closing the small fan in his hand as if somewhat embarrassed. "Don't you already know?"

"I don't," Gu Jiusi immediately responded. "I don't know why you refuse to take the path to survival when it's right there. Didn't you promise me before that nothing would affect you?"

When he had hinted at the relationship between Jiang He and Luo Zishang, Jiang He had firmly told him that he would always remember he was a member of the Jiang family.

Hearing this, Jiang He lowered his gaze without speaking. Gu Jiusi leaned against the wall nearby, sounding exhausted as he said, "It was you who killed the Luo family, wasn't it?"

Jiang He didn't answer. Gu Jiusi looked up at the sky visible through the gaps in the prison corridor.

Jiang He's cell had been specially chosen - no one around, just an empty, long corridor. Though Gu Jiusi's words were soft, they remained clearly audible.

"Not going to speak?" Gu Jiusi turned to look at him. "Should I say it for you?"

Hearing this, Jiang He smiled bitterly. "Why bother?"

He looked at Gu Jiusi, his eyes filled with bitterness. "Wouldn't it be better if you just pretended not to know anything?"

"I wish I could," Gu Jiusi's voice was full of helplessness. "But Uncle, I can't keep pretending. Now that I know, I know. I've been playing deaf and dumb for too long. I originally thought this was your business, your past, and had nothing to do with me. But now others have placed all this right before me - I can't continue to turn a blind eye."

"So what?" Jiang He leaned against the wall. "What do you know, and what do you want to learn from me?"

"Twenty-two years ago, I killed the Luo family, I took the imperial seal, gave it to Prince Liang, and urged Prince Liang to rebel. So what?"

Jiang He looked at Gu Jiusi. "Are you planning to have Li Yuchang execute me?"

"You haven't told the whole story." Gu Jiusi stared intently into Jiang He's eyes. "Shall I complete it for you?"

"Twenty-two years ago, you came to Yangzhou and secretly pledged yourself to Luo Yishui. Then you impersonated my father's name, making Luo Yishui believe the man she loved already had a wife. Unwilling to become a concubine, Luo Yishui broke off the relationship with you, and you left Yangzhou. But what you didn't expect was that Luo Yishui was already pregnant with your child at that time."Jiang He finally lost his usual composure upon hearing this name. He quietly listened as Gu Jiusi spoke: "You returned to the palace and continued your power struggles. Meanwhile, Luo Yishui ultimately decided to give birth to the child, but the Luo family was unwilling. When Luo Yishui went into labor, they forcibly took the child away and abandoned it at the City God Temple. Believing the child had died, Luo Yishui married Qin Nan, who took her away from Yangzhou, and she vowed never to return to Yangzhou in this lifetime."

"Twelve years later, when the child was twelve, you returned to the Luo family for the imperial seal. The child told you to exterminate the entire Luo family and revealed the location of the seal. You agreed, wiped out the Luo family, and the child narrowly escaped death, assuming the identity of the Luo family's eldest son to study under Zhang Huai Li. Yet you showed no concern for him."

"Six years later, you incited Prince Liang to rebel. Another year passed, and you collaborated with Fan Xuan from within and without, helping him capture the Eastern Capital."

"From the very beginning, you were Fan Xuan's man. You obtained the imperial seal for Fan Xuan, you incited Prince Liang's rebellion for Fan Xuan—all so that the blame for plunging the world into chaos would fall on Prince Liang rather than Fan Xuan. Only this way could Prince Liang first engage in a melee with the other feudal lords, depleting their strength, allowing Fan Xuan, a mere military governor, to break through and emerge victorious."

Gu Jiusi stared fixedly at him: "You never actually needed my rescue back then. Even in prison, you were just waiting for the right moment."

Jiang He listened without refuting. After a long silence, he said languidly, "Since you already know, why bother asking further?"

"Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Gu Jiusi's voice grew hoarse. He staggered to his feet, looked at Jiang He, placed his hands on the prison bars, gripping them tightly as he struggled to control his emotions. In a trembling voice, he said, "I once thought Fan Xuan was a good emperor."

"I once believed Fan Xuan was wholly dedicated to the nation and its people..."

His voice trembled even more: "I once thought that despite your reckless ways, you still had principles..."

"I thought you were all good people, that there were many upright individuals like you in this world! But how are you any different from Luo Zishang or those self-serving schemers?! To the victor go the spoils, to the vanquished the blame—is that it? Are the common people just pawns in your eyes?"

"To claim the throne, Fan Xuan had you stir up chaos across the land. And you, for the sake of power, cast aside all principles and lost your sanity!"

After his furious outburst, Gu Jiusi gradually grew despondent.

Jiang He watched him calmly and said with equanimity, "So what?"

Gu Jiusi fell silent. He stared into Jiang He's eyes as Jiang He continued, "What do you plan to do? Execute me to seek justice for the Luo family and the world?"

"I don't understand," Gu Jiusi said, his eyes reddening. "You always said you were a member of the Jiang family, that you remembered your kin. But when you did all this," Gu Jiusi softened his voice and spoke slowly, "did you ever think of the Gu Family? Did you think of me, or of your sister?"

"Of course I did."

Jiang He responded: "I sent people to assist you, but they encountered others on the way and were intercepted."

"Jiusi," Jiang He sounded weary, "every struggle is a gamble with our lives. I'm not a god—I'm just a gambler. The situation back then was far more dire than you imagine. Whether it was Prince Liang or Emperor Hui, they weren't fools just because they lost.""I sent people to assist you back then, but they were intercepted by Emperor Hui's men. I never expected Luo Zishang would go support Wang Shanquan," Jiang He rubbed his forehead and said quietly, "I underestimated him back then."

Emperor Hui was the last emperor of Darong who had once highly appreciated Jiang He. Gu Jiusi looked at Jiang He, having calmed down considerably, before speaking: "You had already risen to Minister of Personnel back then. If it was just for power, why would you go this far?"

"Power?"

Jiang He chuckled softly. He turned his head away, his gaze becoming distant. After a long while, he said: "Let me tell you some stories from the past."

Gu Jiusi responded with a low hum. Jiang He looked at the moon and spoke calmly: "Many years ago, Emperor Hui wasn't the emperor yet - he was the third prince. There was still a Crown Prince residing in the Eastern Palace."

"The Crown Prince was virtuous but lacked maternal clan support, so the third prince was determined to replace him. At that time, my elder brother - your uncle Jiang Ran - served as Vice Minister of Revenue in the court. Like you, he was upright and honest, never practicing favoritism. The third prince colluded with officials in the Revenue Ministry to embezzle treasury silver, planning to frame the Crown Prince. Because Jiang Ran had no background and took no sides, the Revenue Ministry pushed him out to become a pawn in framing the Crown Prince."

"They wanted him to confess against the Crown Prince, saying this would spare his life. But being such a just man, he would rather die than implicate the innocent. Fortunately, the Crown Prince was grateful to him. Through our father's negotiations with the Crown Prince, he wasn't sentenced to death but was ultimately exiled."

Gu Jiusi listened and said regretfully: "I heard Uncle died on the exile journey."

"No," Jiang He cut him off decisively. Gu Jiusi looked puzzled as Jiang He continued: "Father originally planned to find a way to bring him back after some years in exile. But after waiting several years, when Father and I went to the exile location, we discovered the person there wasn't him at all. I searched for Elder Brother for many years before finally learning the whereabouts of his remains from a eunuch serving Emperor Hui."

"How did he die?" Gu Jiusi asked, quite shocked. Jiang He smiled bitterly: "The third prince used him to frame the Crown Prince but failed. Enraged, the prince had him secretly brought back to the Eastern Capital during exile and tortured to death."

"Father and I went to the mass graves to search for his remains, but too many years had passed - we couldn't find them."

Jiang He's tone was light, his voice slightly hoarse: "He was a very good, gentle person. Your name was given by him while he was still alive. He said 'a gentleman has nine considerations, and with nine considerations one becomes a gentleman.' Your mother wasn't married yet at that time."

Jiang He smiled, his eyes filled with nostalgia: "Back then, I never imagined I would become an official someday."

Gu Jiusi fell silent. After a long while, he asked in a hoarse voice: "So this is why you wanted to overthrow Emperor Hui?"

"Father and I couldn't find his remains in the mass graves - we only received his belongings from that eunuch. After returning, I wanted revenge, but Father stopped me. He said Emperor Hui was the ruler of a nation, that I couldn't kill him, couldn't drag the common people into our Jiang family's personal vendetta. That would bring shame to the Jiang family and make my brother die with everlasting regret.""To be honest, I don't really distinguish between good and evil. It's just that I believe since he died upholding his principles, I cannot trample upon what he sacrificed his life to protect. So if it were only my brother's death, perhaps I could have let it go. But what happened afterward?"

Jiang He chuckled lowly. "I've witnessed too many absurdities in this palace. Do you know why I became the Minister of Personnel? Because I'm absurd enough. This Great Rong dynasty was already crumbling and full of holes from the start. Yangzhou may be prosperous, but what about other regions?" Jiang He looked up at him, his tone growing urgent. "Prince Liang's rebellion wasn't triggered by just an Imperial Jade Seal. Did you know that before his uprising, Cangzhou suffered three years of drought, Youzhou's soldiers had no winter clothing, Yongzhou's floods never ceased, and Yizhou's corrupt officials were endless? No nation ever falls because of one person, one incident, or one jade seal! You ask why I instigated Prince Liang's rebellion? Because if Prince Liang hadn't rebelled, Cangzhou's granaries would never have opened, Youzhou's soldiers would forever be attacked from both front and rear, and you, Gu Jiusi, would never have reached Yongzhou to repair that Yellow River!"

"Do you think you've been able to walk so openly and honorably all this way by chance?" Jiang He moved closer. "Do you think Luo Zishang was born evil? Or that all those families like the Wang family in Yongzhou were born as bad seeds? The environment shapes the person. It's because of the filth that is Great Rong that these monsters have emerged! People like me, Fan Xuan, Zhou Gaolang—even Qin Nan and Fu Baoyuan, we're spending our entire lives scraping away this filth. Cutting away this rot, so that people like you," Jiang He stared fixedly at him, tears welling in his eyes but never falling, his fists clenched as he looked at Gu Jiusi, as if seeing someone distant through him, "people like you, people like Li Yuchang, people like my elder brother, people like Luo Yishui... you people can live well in this world."

Gu Jiusi stared blankly at Jiang He. It took a long time before he gathered his thoughts and murmured, "Since... you say Luo Yishui was so good, why... did you treat her and the Luo family that way?"

Hearing that name, Jiang He's eyes grew distant. After a long while, he finally said, "I didn't want to."

"Actually, between her and me," Jiang He lowered his gaze, "we shouldn't have started in the first place."

"The Luo family was involved in the matter of the crown prince's maternal uncle, weren't they?"

Leaning against the wall, Gu Jiusi spoke as Jiang He said quietly, "The one who advised Emperor Hui to deal with the Crown Prince back then was Imperial Tutor Luo. Later, the one who helped Emperor Hui ascend the throne was also him."

"After Emperor Hui ascended the throne, I went to Yangzhou originally to cause trouble for their family, to probe their depths."

"And then you met Luo Yishui."

Gu Jiusi stated with certainty. Jiang He didn't respond, his mind slowly recalling his first meeting with Luo Yishui. During the Lantern Festival, everyone was jostling and crowding, people pressed against people, with screams all around.

And that woman in pure white robes stood atop the city gate tower, rhythmically beating a drum to guide the flow of the crowd.

The sixteen-year-old him looked up from the crowd, as if seeing a fairy descending under the moonlight.

"Actually, I didn't know who she was," Jiang He said slowly. "And she didn't know who I was either. She dressed as a man and swaggered about everywhere, even challenged me to competitions over a dozen times, never winning once."Jiang He spoke of the past, slowly smiling: "It was my first time meeting such a girl—utterly unrestrained. She always thought she was different, believed she could control her own life. We spent every day together, and later, after getting drunk once, we secretly pledged ourselves to each other. I was overjoyed at the time. I came back and told everyone I had fallen for a girl and was going to propose. I asked your mother to prepare the betrothal gifts for me, ready to go to her family and ask for her hand. That was when I learned her real name—Luo Yishui."

"I couldn't marry her." Jiang He leaned against the wall, somewhat dazed. "I didn't want to drag her into these matters either. I couldn't forgive her father, Luo Taifu—I was determined to kill him. In the end, I left her."

"You lied to her, saying you were my father."

"I didn't," Jiang He said calmly. "I just left Yangzhou."

"She couldn't find me and asked around everywhere. I had been using the surname Gu as an alias outside, so she assumed I was your father. And when I left Yangzhou, I told myself that as long as she lived, I would tolerate the Luo family for one more day. But I never expected that she was pregnant with a child at the time. I didn't know until much later. All I knew was that she left Yangzhou and married Qin Nan. Later, when she was on her deathbed, Qin Nan sent someone to the Gu family to find your father. Your father saw the token was mine and came to ask me, so I went to see her."

"She told me that back then, she thought I was your father and was furious for a long time. Later, she realized I was Jiang He. She said she knew everything, understood it all. She only begged me to spare her family."

"I had already spared the Luo family for too long," Jiang He said flatly. "I couldn't bear to make her suffer in her illness, so I agreed."

"After she died, Fan Xuan wanted the imperial seal, so I went to the Luo family to retrieve it for him. That day, I encountered Luo Zishang. I could tell at a glance that he looked like Yishui. But he was nothing like Yishui—he was like me," Jiang He chuckled lowly. "He was only twelve at the time, yet he already knew how to use the imperial seal to demand I kill someone. He even schemed, delaying until Zhang Huai Li arrived, then jumped into a well to escape."

"I could have destroyed him then," Jiang He said lightly. "But in the end, I let him go."

"Why?"

Gu Jiusi was somewhat puzzled. Jiang He remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Perhaps because he looked like Yishui. And he was already in Zhang Huai Li's hands, so it wasn't easy to act. There was no need for me to go to such lengths to trouble a child."

"I thought he would be fine under Zhang Huai Li's care," Jiang He gazed at the ceiling. "Zhang Huai Li is a decent man. But who could have known?"

Jiang He laughed aloud: "Maybe I'm just rotten to the core."

"He's nothing like Yishui," Jiang He turned to look at Gu Jiusi, speaking earnestly. "Really, not at all like her."

Gu Jiusi remained silent. After a long while, he said, "If you had taken him in back then and raised him properly, perhaps he wouldn't have turned out this way.""It's impossible." Jiang He sighed softly. "Jiusi, I'm actually quite cowardly. Back then, I didn't dare to face how much Yishui had done for me. After meeting Luo Zishang in the Eastern Capital, I knew I couldn't just ignore him. I investigated him and confirmed his identity. Having reached this point, I've never taught him anything or treated him well. In the future, I might even kill him. So it's best if he doesn't know who he is or who I am."

"There shouldn't have been any connection to begin with."

Jiang He spoke lightly: "Why say it out loud and hurt people?"

"Is this your reason for refusing to speak today?"

Gu Jiusi said calmly: "If you had revealed today that he isn't the real Luo Zishang, he would have immediately demanded a blood test for kinship. To prove he isn't the real Luo Zishang, you would have had to reveal what happened back then and acknowledge him as your own."

Jiang He fell silent, gazing quietly at the wall: "Yishui is already gone. Why should I tarnish her reputation? I didn't marry her back then, later I slaughtered her clansmen, and now I would disturb her peace again. Why should I?"

"Anyway, I've done what needed to be done. My life now is just waiting for death. Whether I go earlier or later makes no difference."

After these words, a long silence fell. Gu Jiusi looked at Jiang He for a long time before saying: "Mother is probably still waiting for us to return for dinner. I'll go back first."

As he spoke, Gu Jiusi stood up. Jiang He kept his eyes lowered, listening to the sound of Gu Jiusi's footsteps walking away.

After Gu Jiusi had taken a few steps, Jiang He called out to him: "Jiusi."

Gu Jiusi didn't respond. Jiang He said slowly: "I really wish your eldest uncle had been born in this era. If he were alive now, he should be just like you."

"Whether it's me, Fan Xuan, or Luo Zishang - we're all from the past. In your time, an official should be upright and advance through achievements and ability." Jiang He paused, then continued slowly: "I hope you can live differently."

Gu Jiusi closed his eyes. After a long while, he took a deep breath and finally said: "I'm going back."

With that, he walked toward the door. When he reached the entrance, he saw Li Yuchang standing there.

Gu Jiusi stopped, then after a moment smiled: "What are you doing here?"

Li Yuchang didn't speak. He turned around and said somewhat stiffly: "I'll see you off."

Gu Jiusi nodded.

Li Yuchang carried a lantern and led the way. After they had walked some distance, Li Yuchang said: "I... won't show favoritism."

"I know."

"Sorry."

"It's fine," Gu Jiusi shook his head. "The law won't change just because he's my uncle. I understand. Investigate as you must."

Gu Jiusi then boarded the carriage. Li Yuchang saw him onto the carriage, and Gu Jiusi sat inside with his head bowed, remaining silent the entire time.

When he returned home, the whole family was noisily eating dinner. As Gu Jiusi entered, Jiang Rou looked up and asked with a smile: "Where's your uncle?"

Gu Jiusi hesitated for a moment before saying: "He has some matters to attend to. He won't be back for some time."

Jiang Rou was stunned. She exchanged a look with Gu Langhua. Liu Yuru, holding their child, seemed to understand everything. She said peacefully: "Let's eat first."Gu Jiusi nodded. Having little appetite, he quickly finished his meal and stood up, saying, "I'll go rest first."

Seeing this, Su Wan hesitated and asked, "What's wrong with Jiusi?"

"I'll go check on him." Liu Yuru handed the child to Su Wan, bid farewell to Jiang Rou and Gu Langhua, then stood up and returned to their room.

Inside, Gu Jiusi had set up a chessboard and was playing against himself.

He normally disliked such activities, yet now he sat quietly gazing at the board, his disheveled hair obscuring his face. As Liu Yuru entered, Gu Jiusi spoke without looking up: "Pack tonight and take the family away."

Liu Yuru froze momentarily before understanding dawned. Though panic stirred in her heart, she maintained composure and asked calmly, "What happened?"

"Today Qin Nan accused my uncle of being the murderer who wiped out the Luo family. He's already been taken into custody." Gu Jiusi placed a chess piece calmly. "This case alone can't bring my uncle down, and Luo Zishang must know that. Imprisoning my uncle is just part of his larger scheme. We need to prepare early."

Strangely, the unknown had made her anxious, but knowing the truth brought clarity. She responded steadily, "I understand. I'll send the family away tonight. Since I'm often seen outside, my sudden departure might draw attention. I'll stay in the city with you. The secret passage from the flower garden is ready - if things go wrong, we'll escape through there."

Gu Jiusi acknowledged with a sound but said nothing more. Liu Yuru knew his worries ran deeper. She approached and sat opposite him, picking up the other set of chess pieces.

Gu Jiusi looked up at her. Without speaking, she placed a piece on the board and said peacefully, "Let me play a game with you."

Gu Jiusi remained silent, studying her intently. After a long while, a slow smile spread across his face.

"Yuru," he said gently, "you truly haven't changed at all."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru also smiled.

"Who in this world remains completely unchanged? It's just that our natures differ." She lowered her head, watching Gu Jiusi make his move. "I keep my joys and sorrows within, while yours are written on your face."

"That's not what I meant." Gu Jiusi shook his head, his gaze fixed on her as he raised his hand to cup her cheek.

His eyes shimmered slightly as they held hers. After a long moment, he smiled slowly. "No matter what we experience, you'll always be my Liu Yuru."

At these words, Liu Yuru lowered her eyes as if embarrassed. Watching the chessboard, she made her move and murmured, "Your turn."

As they played, Munan's announcement came from outside. He entered and reported respectfully, "Young master, someone from the palace has come requesting your presence."

Gu Jiusi acknowledged him and stood, asking Liu Yuru to fetch his official robes. "What business could the palace have with me so late?"

"They said it's regarding Minister Jiang's matter." Munan's explanation seemed reasonable. Gu Jiusi nodded, then couldn't help adding, "So urgent? It's already this late..."

After speaking, he suddenly grew uneasy.

Back in Yangzhou, they had delayed for various reasons until disaster struck. Now that Luo Zishang was clearly making moves, he couldn't risk keeping his family here any longer.Gu Jiusi thought for a moment and immediately said to Liu Yuru, "Take everyone and leave the city at once."

Liu Yuru was momentarily stunned, then quickly responded, "I understand. What about the Ye Family..."

"I'll send someone to notify both the Ye and Zhou residences."

Gu Jiusi lowered his voice, "You all hurry out through the back door first. Take the secret passage and go directly."

"You..."

As soon as Liu Yuru spoke, Gu Jiusi knew what she was going to ask. He embraced her tightly, gave her a firm kiss, and then said, "Don't worry, I'll come back."

Liu Yuru acknowledged without further questions.

Gu Jiusi changed into his official robes and headed out. As he walked, he instructed Munan, "Send someone to damage the carriage wheels first, then have people immediately notify the other three auxiliary ministers to be cautious. Also, inform the Ye Family to leave quickly. Then, use my orders to deploy the Fifth and Seventh Armies of the Southern City to guard the city gates. Finally, lead a team to the Luo Residence—if I send a signal, burn it down!"

The commanders of the Fifth and Seventh Armies of the Southern City were both people he had promoted in the past. Though Munan didn't fully understand the situation, he knew things seemed unusual.

"What about the Zhou Family?" Munan asked doubtfully.

Gu Jiusi pursed his lips and replied, "According to the law, they are not allowed to leave the Eastern Capital, so they cannot act recklessly. Send someone over. If I give the signal tonight, they must break out of the Eastern Capital at all costs. If I don't, then let it be."

Munan accepted the orders. After giving his instructions, Gu Jiusi stepped out. The one who had come to inform him was a young eunuch, who smiled and asked, "Is Lord Gu ready?"

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, sir."

Gu Jiusi spoke respectfully.

Meanwhile, Liu Yuru had already taken a headcount of the household. She selected several people with similar builds to Gu Langhua, Jiang Rou, Su Wan, and herself, forming three groups. After Gu Jiusi left, she had these people put on their clothes and, under the cover of night, escorted by guards, they boarded carriages from the back door.

She then sent two groups out through the front gate, while she, Gu Langhua, Jiang Rou, and Su Wan, carrying Gu Jin and dressed in servant's clothing, blended into one of the groups.

Shortly after the three groups set out, they were immediately stopped.

"By the Emperor's decree," the leading soldier shouted, "there is a curfew tonight. No one is allowed to leave their residences. Violators will be executed for treason."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru yelled, "Run!"

With that, the Gu Family members scattered in all directions. Liu Yuru, holding Gu Jin and leading the others, dashed toward the flower garden amidst the chaos.

While the Gu Family fled in panic, Gu Jiusi was on his way. Sitting in the carriage, he asked the eunuch across from him, "Sir, may I ask why His Majesty is in such a hurry tonight?"

"It's about Lord Jiang's matter," the eunuch replied with a smile. "Given Lord Jiang's status, what happened at the morning court has troubled His Majesty greatly. If we handle it, we naturally cannot, but if we don't, what then?"

"Could this matter not be discussed tomorrow?" Gu Jiusi said with a smile. "Look how late it is already. When I left, my daughter was reluctant to see me go.""This is an unavoidable matter," the eunuch sighed. "His Majesty has declared that even if we have to carry you, we must bring you back tonight."

Gu Jiusi remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on the eunuch. After a long pause, he suddenly asked, "Are you acquainted with Chief Eunuch Liu?"

"You mean Liu Shan?" The eunuch grew somewhat uneasy. Gu Jiusi nodded, and the eunuch smiled, "Of course I know him."

"Are you close with him?"

"We have a decent relationship," the eunuch replied with a smile. "Originally, he was supposed to notify you tonight, but he swapped duties with me at the last minute. He said your place was too far and he couldn't be bothered, so he went to summon Lord Zhang instead."

"Oh," Gu Jiusi spun the jade ring on his finger nonchalantly. "Chief Eunuch Liu certainly has quite the temper. When he came to see me last time, I even rewarded him with two gold ingots. Ah, that's right," the eunuch immediately added, "Chief Eunuch Liu said you're extremely generous, that you give everyone two taels and one mace."

"Two taels and one mace?" Gu Jiusi lifted his eyes to study the eunuch opposite him. The eunuch seemed puzzled by his intense gaze. Gu Jiusi smiled, retrieved a purse, and handed it over, saying, "Chief Eunuch Liu underestimates me. I give far more than just two taels and one mace."

The eunuch took the purse, weighed it in his hand, and smiled.

Just then, the carriage creaked to an abrupt halt. The eunuch frowned, leaned out, and asked urgently, "What's going on?"

"The carriage has broken down."

The driver sounded flustered and quickly added, "I'll fix it right away!"

The eunuch seemed displeased by this. Gu Jiusi advised, "If it's broken, then it's broken. Send someone to inform the palace."

The eunuch nodded, leaned out to dispatch a messenger to the palace, and turned back—but before he could react, Gu Jiusi seized his neck. Without a sound, his neck was snapped.

Gu Jiusi swiftly exchanged clothes with him. Taking advantage of the driver still repairing the wheel, he jumped out of the carriage, tossing back a sarcastic, "Answering nature's call," before darting into an alley. Once deep in the alley, he immediately lit a signal flare and then sprinted toward the city gates.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu and Ye Qingwen were making their way into the palace.

They had walked these palace grounds countless times, yet Zhang Yu felt a sudden chill of dread. Walking along, he said uneasily, "His Majesty summoning us so late... do you think it could be..."

"Don't overthink it," Ye Qingwen cut off Zhang Yu's train of thought calmly. "We are senior court officials. Even if they intend to take action, they must have charges against us. They wouldn't act so rashly."

"Moreover," Ye Qingwen lowered his voice, "there's been no news from the palace."

Both had their own informants within the palace; it was impossible for no news to have leaked.

Hearing this, Zhang Yu felt somewhat reassured. They arrived at the imperial study and, before even reaching the entrance, heard music and revelry inside. Frowning, they entered anyway, knelt, and said respectfully, "We pay our respects to Your Majesty."

Fan Yu sat on the elevated throne, one beauty in his arms, another leaning against him, and a third resting at his feet.

The imperial study, originally meant for state affairs, had been completely transformed under his rule into a place of amusement.

Ye Qingwen frowned and couldn't help but remark, "Your Majesty, the nation is still in mourning. Your reckless behavior is highly inappropriate.""National mourning?" Fan Yu turned his head and let out a scornful laugh. "My father is already buried in the earth—what need is there for national mourning? He always wished for me to live well—how could he bear to see me frowning in sorrow, dressed in plain clothes and fasting? You two ministers need not stand on ceremony either. Come, come in and sit."

Ye Qingwen and Zhang Yu remained motionless. Seeing their stance, Fan Yu straightened up and said coldly, "I command you to come in and sit down."

"Your Majesty," Ye Qingwen, with his straightforward temper, declared bluntly, "we are here to discuss official matters, not to indulge in pleasure. If Your Majesty has no wish to discuss matters, then we shall take our leave."

"Ye Qingwen, how dare you put on such airs!"

Fan Yu roared in anger, striding swiftly down from the elevated platform. The dancing girls hastily stepped aside as Fan Yu approached Ye Qingwen and shouted furiously, "I command you to sit down!"

Ye Qingwen let out a cold laugh, turned to leave, but Fan Yu grabbed him by the arm and yanked him backward violently.

Ye Qingwen, nearing fifty, was abruptly yanked by Fan Yu and thrown to the ground. Furious, he rose to his feet only to find Fan Yu’s sword pointed directly at him. Fan Yu stared coldly at Ye Qingwen and said, "I command you to sit down!"

Outside the imperial study, Luo Zishang stood at the foot of the steps, watching the signal flare ascend into the sky.

Ming Yi approached him quietly and whispered, "The Gu family has fled, and we are pursuing them. Gu Jiusi’s carriage broke down halfway. His Majesty grew impatient and has already started causing a scene."

Hearing this, Luo Zishang nodded calmly and said, "Gu Jiusi won’t be coming, but it no longer matters."

Luo Zishang turned and walked into the imperial study, his hands clasped behind his back, a gentle smile on his face as he said softly, "Close the hall doors. Let the banquet begin."