Destined

Liu Yu Ru was jolted awake by the crowing of a rooster.

When she opened her eyes, it was already morning. The sun had just risen, its gentle light spilling into the room. The maid Yin Hong, holding freshly picked balsam flowers from the courtyard, placed them in a vase and smiled at Liu Yu Ru. "You're awake, Miss?"

Liu Yu Ru breathed lightly, offering no reply. Her mind was filled with those desperate, pained eyes. Yin Hong frowned, stepping closer to her. "Did you have a nightmare, Miss?"

Yin Hong's words slowly brought Liu Yu Ru back to her senses. As she came to, she lightly patted her forehead and sighed. "It was indeed a nightmare."

Not just a nightmare—it was also utterly absurd.

She had not only dreamed of Gu Jiusi, a man she had never met, but also of Prince Liang staging a rebellion and plunging the world into chaos.

Everyone knew Prince Liang was a loyal and devoted prince of a different surname in the southwest. He commanded a powerful army and had repeatedly rescued the emperor in times of crisis. To reassure the emperor, he had even sent his entire family to the Eastern Capital as hostages to quell speculation. If he were to rebel, he would have done so long ago—why wait until now?

As for the military governor of Youzhou, although his exact identity was unknown, it was known that his surname was Zhao—certainly not the Fan Xuan from her dream.

And Gu Jiusi and Wang Rong...

Their families had always been on good terms. Though little was heard of Wang Rong and Gu Jiusi interacting, their relationship was likely amicable. How could there be talk of him breaking Wang Rong's leg?

After careful consideration, Liu Yu Ru found it laughable that she had been frightened by such a dream.

Why would she dream of Gu Jiusi?

She couldn't help but wonder, feeling it was all too strange.

She and Gu Jiusi were worlds apart. Gu Jiusi was the legitimate son of the wealthiest and most influential family in Yangzhou, while she was merely the unloved legitimate daughter of a small cloth merchant. The only reason she knew of Gu Jiusi was because this young master was constantly making a scene in Yangzhou, his exploits heard everywhere.

One day, it was said he spent a fortune at the Brothel to win a smile from the courtesan; the next, it was rumored he gambled away ten thousand taels of silver in a single night at the gambling den. Occasionally, when she went to the market, she would encounter Gu Jiusi. The young man was hard to miss—often dressed in white, holding a folding fan, carrying a birdcage, his handsome face beaming with pride, his eyes and brows radiating arrogance and disdain.

With such striking looks and such flamboyant behavior, it was impossible not to recognize him.

She didn't know if Gu Jiusi recognized her, but she thought he might. After all, she had some reputation in Yangzhou, though it was nothing to celebrate. The reason was simple: her reputation was one of "notorious hardship."

Her family in Yangzhou barely ranked among the wealthy merchants, making a living from silk and cloth. Her father, Liu Xuan, was a philanderer, while her mother, Su Wan, had been married to him through a matchmaker. Though she was the legal wife, she was unloved and, due to poor health, had only given birth to Liu Yu Ru, a daughter. In contrast, the concubine Zhang Yue'er had borne two sons and a daughter.

In this era, having no sons was a woman's greatest fault. Thus, although Su Wan was the legal wife, it was Zhang Yue'er who managed the household affairs. With a title but no real power, Su Wan naturally lived a difficult life. As a result, the entire city of Yangzhou knew that Liu Xuan favored his concubine over his wife, and many pitied Su Wan and Liu Yu Ru.Living in such an environment, Liu Yu Ru learned to always abide by rules, understand current affairs, know when to advance or retreat, maintain good relations with everyone, and never overstep boundaries. She became a perfectly standard young lady from a respectable family, aiming to find a reliable man, marry decently, and live a peaceful and stable life—this was her lifelong plan.

She was a person with clear goals and strong execution. To ensure she lived this life well, she decided early on that she wanted to marry the eldest son of the Ye Family, Ye Shi'an.

The Ye Family was different from merchant families like hers; they were of scholarly descent. The Ye Family had previously lived across from the Liu Family, making them well-matched in social status. Liu Yu Ru was close friends with the Ye Family's eldest daughter, Ye Yun, and often visited their home. She had long observed that the Ye Family upheld proper values, did not look down on the poor or fawn over the rich, and the elderly lady of the house was fond of her. As for Ye Shi'an, she had seen him a few times before he left for Egret Academy. Though they were young then and his appearance was not fully discernible, he was decent-looking. Although not particularly talkative, he was diligent and reliable. Even as a child, he had been the top student among his peers, and it was possible he would achieve scholarly honors in the future. Ye Shi'an was a good person, and the Ye Family was respectable. Marrying into such a family would fulfill her goal of living a "peaceful and stable" life.

To marry Ye Shi'an, she often visited the Ye Family to see Ye Yun and would accompany her in taking care of the elderly Lady Ye, cheering her up. This care continued for seven or eight years, and Lady Ye grew genuinely fond of her. Rather than letting her grandson marry a woman of unknown background, it would be better to marry Liu Yu Ru, whom she knew well and found considerate.

So, on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony two days prior, Lady Ye personally attended as a guest and privately told her, "In a few days, I will come alone to speak with your parents."

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru understood Lady Ye's intention and had been waiting ever since.

When she woke today, washing her face to clear her mind from a nightmare, Yin Hong joyfully announced, "Miss, Lady Ye is here!"

At these words, Liu Yu Ru's heart raced.

She longed to go to the front hall and listen to what Lady Ye had to say, but as a junior, it was improper to go uninvited. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, someone finally came to summon Liu Yu Ru to the front hall. Having already freshened up, she took a deep breath and followed the maid to the front hall.

Three people were seated in the hall: Lady Ye sat in the chair on the left side of the upper seat, Liu Xuan sat on the right, and Zhang Yue'er, with a beaming smile, sat in the chair closest to Liu Xuan, chatting with Lady Ye.

Liu Yu Ru was momentarily taken aback but quickly lowered her head to conceal her flicker of displeasure.

Seeing her enter, Lady Ye cheerfully said, "Come, Yu Ru, sit here and talk."

Liu Yu Ru looked up and smiled at Lady Ye but still respectfully bowed first. Only after receiving Liu Xuan's permission did she go to sit beside Lady Ye. Lady Ye held her hand and said with a smile, "Yu Ru, you are truly the most well-mannered and polite girl I have ever seen. I've always thought, the Liu Family's upbringing is so excellent, raising such a fine young lady. If only this girl were my granddaughter, that would be wonderful.""Madam, you are too kind," Liu Xuan poured tea for Old Lady Ye and said with a smile, "Yu Ru has only learned such grace from being constantly by your side. The Ye family's scholarly heritage has naturally imbued our Yu Ru with some literary refinement."

After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Xuan finally broached the main subject with Liu Yu Ru. Clearing his throat lightly, he said, "Yu Ru, Madam has come today to discuss your marriage prospects. She hopes you may form a union with the Ye family's eldest son. We called you here to ask your thoughts on this matter."

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru suppressed her initial reaction and responded gently, "Yu Ru will follow her parents' wishes."

Everyone chuckled at her response. Liu Xuan declared, "Then it's settled. However, the eldest son appears to be currently taking the provincial examinations. I wonder when the marriage proposal can be made?"

Seeming somewhat concerned, Liu Xuan continued, "I've heard that the Gu family's eldest son has also come of age, and his mother has been looking for suitable matches everywhere. They recently visited the Liu family. Madam," he turned to Old Lady Ye, "we should act quickly."

Everyone present understood Liu Xuan's implication. Gu Jiusi was famously unruly in Yangzhou, but with the Gu family's considerable influence, his parents naturally wanted him to marry the finest young lady in the city. However, all the respectable young women in Yangzhou looked down on him. The concern was that he might settle for someone like Liu Yu Ru - an outstanding girl from a modest family background - and use his family's influence to force a marriage that couldn't be refused.

Since Gu Jiusi had already visited the Liu family, he probably wouldn't come to the Liu family, as Liu Yusi's family background was superior to Liu Yu Ru's. Liu Xuan's mention of this was merely to enhance Liu Yu Ru's standing.

When Liu Yu Ru heard "Liu family," she instinctively looked up, feeling somewhat uneasy. Liu Yusi was her close childhood friend, their bond deep and sincere. Had Gu Jiusi really visited her home?

Lowering her gaze in contemplation, she decided she must visit Liu Yusi later.

Old Lady Ye didn't ponder Liu Xuan's words too deeply, simply responding, "Rest assured, once the provincial examinations conclude, I'll immediately have my son bring Shi An to formally propose."

"Would it be possible for Master Ye to come propose first?" Zhang Yue'er interjected at the opportune moment. "This matter ultimately rests with the elders. Whether the young master returns or not shouldn't hinder the arrangement. Settling it early would prevent any future complications."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Old Lady Ye shook her head. "My son has gone to congratulate a friend who has been appointed as the military governor of Youzhou and hasn't returned yet."

Hearing "military governor of Youzhou," Liu Yu Ru instinctively asked, "Is his surname Fan?"

Everyone turned to look at her. Liu Yu Ru herself was startled, not understanding why she had suddenly asked such a question.

Perhaps her morning dream had left her somewhat disoriented. But since the words were already spoken and it wasn't a significant matter, she deliberately softened her voice, feigning innocence as she asked, "The newly appointed military governor of Youzhou - is his name Fan Xuan?"

"How did you know?" Old Lady Ye expressed surprise. Liu Yu Ru's heart jolted violently, as if struck by a sudden blow, though she showed no outward sign. She merely said, "I heard it mentioned by a friend. I didn't believe it at first - how could such an important position as military governor change so easily?""So that's how it is," Old Lady Ye laughed. "You're right, but this Fan Xuan has been serving in Youzhou for thirteen years with deep roots. The previous military governor fell ill and passed away, recommending him on his deathbed, which is how he became military governor."

Hearing this, Liu Xuan nodded and sighed with emotion: "The twists and turns of fate..."

With the marriage matter nearly settled, Old Lady Ye chatted for a while longer before rising to leave.

After Old Lady Ye departed, Liu Yu Ru returned to her room, dismissed Yin Hong, and grew increasingly agitated.

She went to her desk and began frantically writing down all the information from her dream.

"Youzhou military governor, Fan Xuan."

"Gu Jiusi, Wang Rong"

"Prince Liang"

...

She wrote down everything from her dream. Looking at the words on the paper, Gu Jiusi's eyes surfaced in her mind.

"Save me..."

She slowly closed her eyes.

Fan Xuan... was it merely coincidence, or foresight?

Perhaps it was just coincidence?

Liu Yu Ru desperately tried to convince herself - maybe she had heard this news before but forgotten it...

She searched for countless explanations. Yet after a long while, she still couldn't resist standing up and saying: "Go inform Aunt Yue for me - I need to visit the Liu family and request her permission."