Gu Jiusi's high fever had subsided, and the most critical period had passed. In the following days, Liu Yu Ru prepared soup for him while Ye Shi'an returned to Yangzhou City to gather information on his behalf.
After half a month, Gu Jiusi's injuries had mostly healed. During this time, they overheard passersby mentioning that Prince Liang had rebelled.
Liu Yu Ru went out daily to gather news and purchase medicine for Gu Jiusi. Due to Prince Liang's rebellion, prices began to soar. On the day the grain shops raised their prices, Liu Yu Ru rushed to buy provisions. The crowd was packed tightly, everyone frantically pushing forward. Being petite, Liu Yu Ru was jostled until her hairpin came loose, yet she couldn't force her way in.
After much effort, she finally squeezed inside, only to be told that everything had been sold out.
Knowing that if she failed to secure supplies today, it would only become harder later, she hurried to a second shop. Casting aside all restraint, she pushed and shoved with others until she managed to enter. An elderly woman cursed at her, but she pretended not to hear. Clutching her silver, she said to the young man selling the grain, "I want ten dou of rice, or flour will do!"
"Ah, madam, my apologies," the young man said with a laugh. "Currently, each person can only buy one dou at most."
"Then one dou it is!"
Liu Yu Ru replied decisively. After obtaining the rice and flour, she ran to every grain merchant in the city that day and finally managed to acquire three dou of flour.
When she returned, her clothes were disheveled from the crowding. Gu Jiusi frowned at her appearance and asked, "What happened?"
"Nothing."
Liu Yu Ru smoothed her hair and said lightly, "It's fine. The grain merchants raised prices today, so I went to compete with others for supplies."
As she spoke, she lifted the bags in her hand and cheerfully added, "I managed to get three bags of grain. Pretty impressive, right?"
Gu Jiusi was taken aback for a moment before sighing. "It seems Prince Liang is already approaching Huainan."
"He won't cross Huainan," Liu Yu Ru stated directly. "His target is the Eastern Capital. He'll head straight there from his fiefdom. Huainan won't suffer."
"But the common people will," Gu Jiusi said with concern. "When the people suffer, large numbers of refugees will naturally flee to areas without conflict, and Huainan will be their first choice."
Liu Yu Ru fell silent. Growing impatient, Gu Jiusi said, "I've recovered quite a bit now. If Ye Shi'an doesn't return with news tomorrow, I'll go to Yangzhou City myself to gather information."
Knowing she couldn't stop him, Liu Yu Ru sighed and nodded. "When the time comes, I'll go with you."
They had just made their plans when that very evening, Ye Shi'an returned from Yangzhou City. He brought many supplies and looked exhausted.
Ye Shi'an appeared weary, his complexion pale. After entering, he closed the gate, set the items on the table, and said to Liu Yu Ru and Gu Jiusi, "Is Gu Jiusi better? If so, we should set off immediately."
"My father—"
Before Gu Jiusi could finish, Ye Shi'an raised a hand to stop him. He looked at him calmly and said quietly, "I've inquired. On the day you left, the Gu Family's money house caught fire. Later, a body was carried out. Based on the items on the person and the coroner's findings..."
Ye Shi'an paused before continuing, "It should be your father."
Hearing this, Gu Jiusi swayed slightly. Liu Yu Ru quickly steadied him and exclaimed, "Are you certain?!""He was burned beyond recognition." Ye Shi'an shook his head, "I can only relay what I heard, not elaborate further."
"The secret passage..."
Gu Jiusi's voice was hoarse: "The exit of the secret passage... was at the money house..."
And that day, Wang Shanquan had already sent people to search all of the Gu family's properties.
No one could speak. Gu Jiusi trembled all over, clutching Liu Yu Ru tightly, struggling not to sob aloud.
"Then," Liu Yu Ru forced herself to stay calm, "where are the remains now?"
"I sent someone to inquire at the charity burial ground... they were already cremated."
Gu Jiusi's face turned deathly pale. Seeing his distress, Ye Shi'an pressed his lips together and said slowly, "Brother Gu, now is not the time for grief. Prince Liang has rebelled, and Wang Shanquan has begun targeting wealthy families in the city. Everyone must donate grain and money according to set proportions, and all heads of households are being detained at the Wang residence. Families listed in the Wang family's register must report all comings and goings. I only managed to leave under the pretext of checking on business. My father is still in Yangzhou City, and I must return soon. If you're going to Youzhou, you must leave quickly. The longer you delay as the situation worsens, the harder it will be to escape."
"I understand." Liu Yu Ru took a deep breath, her voice raspy, "Brother Ye, thank you. We'll leave tomorrow."
"What about Yang Wenchang? And Chen Xun?"
Gu Jiusi suddenly spoke up, as if afraid to ask yet compelled to. He looked at Ye Shi'an with hope in his eyes.
"On the night the Gu family met with disaster, the Yang and Chen families fled overnight. Chen Xun's entire family escaped, but only Yang Wenchang managed to flee with his mother from the Yang family. Wang Shanquan is demanding that the Yang family surrender Yang Wenchang."
"Surrender him..." Gu Jiusi's voice was strained, "for what?"
"They claim Yang Wenchang was too closely involved with the Gu family and that fleeing overnight makes him a rebel." Ye Shi'an lowered his gaze. Liu Yu Ru exclaimed angrily, "Since when do they get to decide who's a rebel? Do they have no regard for the law?!"
"What law do they care about?" Ye Shi'an smiled bitterly, "They just want to make an example of him, to show the rest of us the consequences of fleeing."
"Then he," Gu Jiusi hesitated to ask but did anyway, "where is he now?"
Ye Shi'an fell silent. Gu Jiusi slowly looked up, gripping Liu Yu Ru tightly, tears welling in his eyes: "Where is he now?"
"Wang Shanquan used the entire Yang family to threaten him. He came back."
Ye Shi'an spoke with difficulty: "He'll be executed at the market square tomorrow at noon."
Gu Jiusi's face paled. He nodded, merely saying, "I see..."
As he spoke, he turned away, struggling to say, "You two talk. I'm a bit tired. I need to rest for a while."
He seemed truly exhausted.
As he walked back, the usually spirited man was hunched over, moving with great difficulty. He even stumbled on the two-step courtyard stairs. Liu Yu Ru rushed to support him, but he waved her away.
With his back to her, he controlled his voice: "It's nothing..."
"I'm fine..." He didn't know if he was speaking to himself or to Liu Yu Ru, "I can handle this. I'm fine."
Saying this, he steadied himself and stood up again, then entered his room.Ye Shi'an looked at Gu Jiusi, then glanced at Liu Yu Ru, pursed his lips and said, "Yu Ru, I know all this is hard to accept, but you don't have time to think about it anymore. You should persuade him properly and leave quickly tomorrow. The longer you delay, the more uncertainties arise."
"What about you?" Liu Yu Ru looked up at him with concern. Ye Shi'an smiled faintly: "Wang Shanquan needs people now. He sent someone to win over the Ye Family—what choice do I have?"
"In these turbulent times, we're like duckweeds floating on water, merely seeking shelter to survive. Being able to stay alive is already fortunate enough."
"Brother Shi An..." Hearing these words, Liu Yu Ru felt an unexpected sting in her nose for some reason, as if she had returned to her childhood, standing before this young man. With a hoarse voice, she bowed respectfully and said raspily, "Take good care of yourself."
"I understand." Ye Shi'an smiled gently, gazing at Liu Yu Ru for a long moment before speaking softly, "Actually, I always thought I would marry you. But now I realize—this life is probably just fate."
Liu Yu Ru froze in surprise. Ye Shi'an took a step back, straightened his sleeves, and bowed solemnly: "Sister Yu Ru, may we meet again if fate allows."
After speaking, Ye Shi'an turned decisively and left through the main gate, mounting his horse and riding away.
Liu Yu Ru stood in the courtyard for a while, calming her emotions before finally turning and entering the room.
No lamp was lit in the room. She couldn't see Gu Jiusi but could hear his breathing. Moving forward by moonlight, she finally saw him.
Gu Jiusi was sitting by the bed, curled up, hugging himself, biting his lip and trembling uncontrollably without uttering a word.
He was crying messily, tears and mucus mixing together, yet he made no sound at all.
As Liu Yu Ru approached him, Gu Jiusi remained curled up holding himself. He seemed to know what she intended to say. Sniffling, his teeth chattering, he said: "I'm fine, you don't need to say anything. I'm fine, really fine..."
"We'll go to Youzhou tomorrow without delay. My mother is still waiting for me, and I still need to escort you back. I'm fine, really fine..."
Liu Yu Ru didn't speak. She stood in the darkness, quietly watching this person. After a long while, she knelt down, opened her arms, and gently embraced him.
Gu Jiusi stiffened slightly in her arms, then heard her say: "Go ahead and cry."
Gu Jiusi remained silent. Liu Yu Ru held him tighter and whispered: "I'm here. I won't laugh at you."
Gu Jiusi stayed quiet. Liu Yu Ru simply held him quietly, feeling his tears soak through her clothes onto her shoulder.
"I always called him that wretched old man..."
"Mhm."
"I never properly called him father even once."
"I know."
"I always thought he was bad. I thought he beat me, that he didn't care about me, that he didn't understand me. I hated so many things about him. I kept making him angry, kept opposing him..."
"But I regret it now..."
Gu Jiusi broke into sobs: "I regret it. I should have treated him better. I shouldn't have always made him angry."
"He always wanted me to study and earn an official rank, always wanted me to make something of myself. He meant well—he was just afraid that one day, one day I'd end up in this kind of situation..."Gu Jiusi gasped for breath, leaning into her embrace as he broke into loud sobs. "What use am I? What am I even good for?! I can't protect anyone—not him, not Yang Wenchang, not my father, not my brothers! I'm useless to everyone!"
"I thought so highly of myself, believed I was the only sober one in a drunken world. But now the storm has come, and it's just Wang Shanquan—a mere military governor!" Gu Jiusi panted, cursing and raging. "A petty military governor who tramples the law, humiliates me, ruins me, forces my family to flee, robs me of my father and my right-hand man, reduces me to this wretched state!"
In agony, Gu Jiusi shut his eyes and collapsed into Liu Yu Ru's arms. She said nothing, only held him tightly, resting her head against his neck, listening silently to his heart-wrenching cries.
"It's my fault he died..." Gu Jiusi wailed. "It's my fault..."
"No, Jiusi," Liu Yu Ru spoke up, clutching him fiercely, her teeth gritted. "It wasn't you. It was Wang Shanquan, the Emperor, Prince Liang—this chaotic era. It's those who sacrifice innocent lives for their own power, treating people like ants."
"You did nothing wrong."
She sniffled. "They are the ones at fault. They deserve punishment. Don't bear their sins yourself. Punishing yourself solves nothing."
Gu Jiusi wouldn't listen. He clutched his head, slumping to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. Liu Yu Ru sniffed again, trying to lift him, her voice hoarse. "Jiusi, get up."
He didn't move. She pulled at him, but he seemed oblivious, lost in his own torment—curled up, head in hands, looking weak and disheveled.
When had Liu Yu Ru ever seen him like this?
The Gu Jiusi in her memory was always bright and proud, but reality had worn him down, battered him, tried to break him.
She watched helplessly as that jewel-like youth had fallen to this state.
Her heart aching, Liu Yu Ru turned away, unable to look at him, and rasped, "Get up."
Still, he didn't move. Finally, at her limit, she spun around and shouted angrily, "Get up!"
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