Destined

Gu Jiusi talked big, but when the merchant fleet was about to return, he obediently handed over a letter.

The letter was quite thick, feeling heavy in hand. When he passed it to the merchant fleet, everyone laughed. Gu Jiusi kept a stern face, having grown accustomed to their meaningful smiles.

Liu Yu Ru received the letter just as she had left Qingzhou's provincial capital and was heading to the next city. Qingzhou was far more prosperous than Cangzhou, and she had already gathered nearly 150,000 dan of the 300,000 dan of grain she needed.

By this time, Cangzhou had only belatedly realized the decrease in grain supply, and prices had suddenly surged. However, no one connected these events. Some astute individuals later sensed that it seemed like a deliberate scheme, but for most people at the time, it was merely a matter of wartime chaos and rising grain prices—nothing more.

Qingzhou, on the other hand, remained completely unaware of these developments. Liu Yu Ru appeared to have merely passed through by chance, coincidentally encountered the fluctuations in grain prices, and then casually moved on.

She was just a business owner looking to open a branch of her rouge shop. No one could have imagined that the dramatic grain price shifts in Qingzhou and Cangzhou had anything to do with this gentle, even somewhat shy, young woman.

Everyone's attention was focused on the conflict between Youzhou and Prince Liang. After Fan Xuan led his troops to attack Prince Liang, Bingzhou and Liangzhou also dispatched small forces to harass the region. However, Prince Liang had long prepared countermeasures, and the assault had not succeeded. Thus, the two sides reached a stalemate. Prince Liang issued an "Order to Suppress the Bandit" against Fan Xuan in the emperor's name, while Fan Xuan responded with a lengthy "Declaration Against the Liang Traitor."

The proclamation was not particularly eloquent, but it was well-structured, grand in tone, and sharply worded—even somewhat caustic. It was said that when Prince Liang read it, he spat blood in his court. Whether out of rage or anxiety remained unclear.

With everyone preoccupied by these events, Liu Yu Ru had ample room to maneuver. She worked tirelessly day and night, immersed in her efforts.

On the day she received the letter, Liu Yu Ru had been traveling all day. Exhausted and her mind buzzing, she thought of nothing else but sitting on her bed to read Gu Jiusi's letter.

This letter was far less frivolous than the previous one, showing much more maturity.

He began by telling her that he had written the "Declaration Against the Liang Traitor" and assured her that he had been studying diligently, so she need not worry.

Then he wrote about matters at home—how Su Wan was doing, how Jiang Rou was faring, updates about her shops, and even mentioned Zhou Ye and Qin Wan Zhi.

He detailed his reforms in Wangdu, describing how he had cracked down on local ruffians and resettled refugees. He spoke of reclaiming vast tracts of wasteland for these refugees to cultivate. Each person could claim a plot of land, paying 70% of their harvest in the first year, with the percentage decreasing annually until the tenth year, when the land would belong to them. The funds for the refugees' food and livelihood in the first year would come from the Youzhou debt, and once they began paying grain the following year, it would become the debt's income. He explained that he had calculated everything, and this way, the interest on the Youzhou debt would be fully covered.

He shared many such details, mostly about his political endeavors. He also mentioned some personal anecdotes, like how he had joined the farmers in reclaiming the land himself, wielding a hoe and being laughed at by everyone.

He described how the mud in the rice paddies contained worms that clung to his feet and even sucked blood, giving him quite a fright.Liu Yu Ru watched quietly, curled up on the bed. As she read his words, she could vividly picture him doing these things in her mind.

She imagined he must have tanned a bit, probably grown taller too, and his speech and actions should have become much more steady.

She could even envision him following the common folk to till the fields. Just thinking about it made this man settle deeper in her heart.

As she read his letter, drowsiness slowly crept over her. Only at the very end did she see his final sentence.

"I've already resolved the interest on the Youzhou debt. Over half of the three hundred thousand dan has been collected, and I can purchase the remainder from Northern Liang. Don't worry, come back soon."

Liu Yu Ru was stunned. In that moment, an utterly absurd thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

Was his frantic efforts to resettle refugees, earn money through Youzhou debt to cover its interest, and even personally trade with Northern Liang all because...

He didn't want her to worry too much.

He knew she traveled far and wide to collect grain for him, to solve his urgent needs, so he thought of every possible way himself to spare her from concern.

She didn't know whether this thought was her being presumptuous or the actual truth, but looking at the words on paper, she still felt warmth welling up inside.

She couldn't help but press the letter against her chest and take a deep breath.

This was the first person in her life who had treated her so well.

The only person who had been this good to her before was Su Wan. But as her mother, though well-intentioned, Su Wan was too timid by nature and couldn't really help her much. Most of the time, it was Liu Yu Ru who supported Su Wan, standing strong for her.

She was accustomed to being others' support, accustomed to standing tall like a giant tree. But this person was the first who strived to shelter her from wind and rain.

Overwhelmed with emotion, in the darkness of night, she suddenly missed Gu Jiusi terribly.

But separated by vast distances, there was nothing she could do. She could only get up and sit at the table. After hesitating for a long time, she wanted to write something to him, yet feared he might discern her feelings and think her too forward, too frivolous.

So she held the brush, pondering over and over, before finally beginning to write him a letter.

She described everything around her in detail. When finished, she found she had written about every trivial matter and didn't know what else to add.

The next morning, she handed the letter to the merchant fleet returning with the grain. Uncle Zhang took the letter and was startled to find Liu Yu Ru's letter to him was also a hefty stack.

Seeing Uncle Zhang's surprise, Liu Yu Ru blushed.

Feigning composure, she turned away, tucked her hair behind her ear, and lightly coughed. "Uncle Zhang, be careful on the road."

Uncle Zhang snapped out of it and chuckled. "Don't worry, young mistress. The letter will definitely be delivered."

After giving a few more instructions, Liu Yu Ru returned to Wangdu.

Thus the letters went back and forth. Relying on the merchant fleet's travels, they slowly endured through autumn, then through deep winter.

In January, Liu Yu Ru finally arrived in Yangzhou. By this time, she had acquired about two hundred seventy thousand dan of the three hundred thousand dan target, and had even earned an extra five hundred thousand taels of silver.

Starting with eight hundred thousand in principal, in just four months she had earned two hundred seventy thousand dan of grain and five hundred thousand taels of silver. Such capability left the entire merchant fleet in awe.Liu Yu Ru arrived in Yangzhou. Yin Hong gazed at the city gate tower and couldn't help feeling uneasy. She cautiously said, "Young Madam, we have almost enough money and provisions now. Should we stop and go back?"

Liu Yu Ru quietly looked at Yangzhou, the place where she had lived for seventeen years. After staring for a long while, she finally said, "Since we're already here, wouldn't it be a wasted trip if we didn't take something back with us?"

"Besides," Liu Yu Ru smiled gently, "we're still short on grain."

With that, she instructed Shen Ming, "Shen Ming, let's go."

Liu Yu Ru entered the city. This time, she didn't act rashly. Using the fake identity "Liu Xue" on her official travel document, she pretended to have facial scars and wore a veiled hat as she looked around.

The merchants in Yangzhou had clearly been replaced. Except for some unprofitable small businesses, most lucrative enterprises had changed owners. Her family's former shops had also changed hands. She sent Shen Ming to inquire and learned that after the Gu Family fled, the Liu family had been implicated. Liu Xuan had surrendered all family assets to Wang Shanquan to save their lives, then left Yangzhou with the entire family—no one knew where they had gone.

Upon hearing this news, Liu Yu Ru noticed that the person operating the abacus in one shop was still her family's old accountant. After hesitating for a moment, she had Shen Ming buy a pot of wine for the old accountant from across the street before leading Shen Ming away.

As Shen Ming watched Liu Yu Ru wandering through the city, he asked her, "What are you looking for?"

"Wang Shanquan is different from ordinary officials," Liu Yu Ru said calmly. "This man has no bottom line and uses ruthless methods. We need to prepare early. When operating in Yangzhou, the first thing is to plan our escape route."

Speaking thus, Liu Yu Ru stopped in front of San De Gambling House. She tilted her chin toward Shen Ming and said, "Go inside and place one hundred taels of silver on the table, saying you want to gamble with the owner. They'll take you to the backyard. Then tell them your master wants to see him and have him meet me at the tavern next door."

Shen Ming was stunned: "You came here to gamble?"

Liu Yu Ru sighed with slight exasperation, tapped Shen Ming with her fan, and said discontentedly, "Go."

Shen Ming pouted and went inside.

Liu Yu Ru went to the tavern across the street, reserved a private room, sat by the windowsill, and quietly watched the outside of the gambling house.

Before long, commotion erupted outside the gambling house as a carriage stopped at the entrance. Many people crowded around, calling out "Young Master Luo."

Following the sound, she looked toward the carriage and saw a hand emerge from inside, resting on a servant's hand. Then a remarkably handsome man emerged from the carriage.

He wore a deep blue robe, his features exquisitely refined and handsome. With a smile on his face, he carried a paper fan. Overall, he appeared to be an ordinary scholar, but there was an indescribable wickedness between his brows that prevented anyone from simply associating him with being just a "scholar."

Those around him eagerly attended to him as he lazily walked inside. At the doorway, he paused and looked in Liu Yu Ru's direction.

Liu Yu Ru was startled by his sharp perception, but she didn't hide. Leaning against the railing, she appeared like a young lady from some family casually observing her surroundings.

He gazed at her quietly for a moment before turning away with a stern expression, seemingly somewhat displeased as he entered the gambling house.After the man entered the gambling den, Liu Yu Ru had Yin Hong summon the waiter. She inquired, "Do you know of a certain Young Master Luo in the city?"

The waiter chuckled at this. "Young Master Luo's real name is Luo Zishang. He's an advisor to Lord Wang, the military governor. Half of Yangzhou is under his control now—who doesn't know him?"

Liu Yu Ru was somewhat surprised, but she immediately understood that for someone so young to quietly become Wang Shanquan's top confidant and take charge of half of Yangzhou, he was no ordinary person. She pressed the waiter for details about Luo Zishang.

However, Luo Zishang had appeared suddenly. Everyone only knew that he emerged after the Gu Family's downfall and that he had organized the purge of Yangzhou's merchants on behalf of the Wang family. In Yangzhou, his word was law, and Wang Shanquan almost always followed his advice. Yet, no one knew where Luo Zishang came from, what he had done before, or his origins.

Liu Yu Ru felt a weight in her heart. Her intuition told her that this Luo Zishang might have intricate connections to the Gu Family.

She questioned the waiter further and soon grasped the situation in Yangzhou. At that moment, Shen Ming led Yang Long Si in.

Yang Long Si looked at Liu Yu Ru. The woman before him wore a water-blue gown and a veiled hat, obscuring her face and figure. He could only tell she was of average height and quite slender.

He nodded to her. "Miss Liu."

Liu Yu Ru raised her hand, deliberately lowering her voice, and spoke respectfully, "Please, Mr. Yang."

Yang Long Si sat opposite her and got straight to the point. "May I ask why you've invited me here, Miss?"

"I've heard that in Yangzhou, there are officials by day and gods by night. The government rules by day, and Lord Long rules by night. Is this true?"

"An exaggeration by friends in the underworld," Yang Long Si said calmly. "It's overstated."

"Not entirely," Liu Yu Ru replied. "At the very least, the docks at night fall under your jurisdiction, don't they?"

Hearing this, Yang Long Si understood her purpose. He said directly, "You want to borrow a ship from me?"

"Lord Long," Liu Yu Ru said calmly, "I've heard that in the underworld, you're a man of principles. Once you agree to something, you'll see it through, even at great risk. I admire your reputation for chivalry, which is why I've come specifically to borrow a ship from you. This ship will remain docked, registered under your name, but managed by my people. You need not inquire about when it departs or what it carries."

Yang Long Si laughed at this. "Miss Liu, your request could cost me my fortune and my life if taken to extremes. I wonder, what price are you offering for this?"

"I plan to conduct a business venture in Yangzhou. I can give you thirty percent of the profits from this business."

"If you're talking business, you should at least tell me what kind of business it is."

"Lord Long," Liu Yu Ru chuckled softly, "when betting on dice, betting on one side always carries the risk of loss. But if you bet on both sides, there's no chance of losing. Don't you agree?"

At these words, Yang Long Si's expression turned serious.

Liu Yu Ru raised her hand and drew a token from her sleeve, inscribed with the character "You."Yang Long Si stared at the token as Liu Yu Ru spoke: "I'm merely a businesswoman. You'll soon learn the nature of this venture—it involves purchasing supplies, though in larger quantities, hence requiring a ship. While the monetary gains are modest, I can promise you a position in either Youzhou or Yangzhou upon its completion."

Yang Long Si examined the token without responding.

After a long silence, he slowly said, "I'm perfectly content in Yangzhou. Why should I gamble on Youzhou?"

"Master Long," Liu Yu Ru countered, "Youzhou has already mobilized troops against Prince Liang and will likely conquer him by early next year. Once Youzhou subdues Prince Liang, quelling the rebellion is inevitable. Should Yangzhou change leadership, the entire landscape will shift. When that happens, do you believe your position will remain secure?"

"The matter I'm entrusting to you includes planning your escape route. Find me a ship registered to outsiders—I'll purchase it using their credentials. Pretend ignorance throughout. Under normal circumstances, I won't encounter trouble. If anything goes awry, you can simply investigate a few scapegoats and plead supervisory negligence."

As Liu Yu Ru outlined the contingency plan, Yang Long Si furrowed his brow. After another prolonged silence, he questioned, "Even if Youzhou suppresses the rebellion, Yangzhou's administration may not change hands."

"If Minister Fan enters the Eastern Capital," Liu Yu Ru stated firmly, "Wang Shanquan will surely lose his head."

"Why?"

Yang Long Si voiced his confusion.

"Are you aware who authored 'The Condemnation of the Liang Traitor' manifesto?" Liu Yu Ru calmly prompted. When Yang Long Si shook his head, she took a sip of tea and said lightly, "Gu Jiusi."

Yang Long Si's eyes widened abruptly as understanding dawned. If Gu Jiusi had written that proclamation, he must have already established significant influence in Youzhou. Given the blood feud between the Gu and Wang families, how could Wang Shanquan possibly survive?

Yang Long Si fell silent. Liu Yu Ru continued drinking her tea, patiently awaiting his decision.

After a moment, Yang Long Si declared, "I'll arrange a ship for you but won't intervene further. Route the payment through gambling losses at the casino. I don't want thirty percent of your profits—give me a flat hundred thousand taels, not a coin less."

"For a hundred thousand taels," Liu Yu Ru negotiated coolly, "you must regularly relay Yangzhou intelligence. I'll establish a rouge shop here—future communications will go through its staff."

"Agreed," Yang Long Si replied evenly. "When you need to contact me, knock three times at the back door of San De Gambling Den, repeating the pattern three times."

Liu Yu Ru nodded. After swiftly finalizing details, Yang Long Si stood to leave. Pausing at the doorway, he suddenly warned, "Beware of Luo Zishang."

"Hmm?" Liu Yu Ru looked up.

"He's a ruthless schemer who stops at nothing to achieve his goals," Yang Long Si explained dispassionately. "He masterminded the Gu family's downfall years ago."

At these words, Liu Yu Ru's eyes flew open. She bit back any reaction, fearing she might act irrationally.

Only after Yang Long Si departed did she spring to her feet. Summoning Shen Ming, she gritted her teeth and ordered, "Investigate someone named Luo Zishang for me. Use any means necessary—uncover his origins, his deeds, and his connection to the Gu family!"

It all made sense now—Wang Rong's harassment that forced Gu Jiusi to intervene, the plotted case intended to overthrow Lord Jiang in the Eastern Capital... Such intricate schemes never seemed like the Wang family's handiwork.Back then she had thought it was Wang Shanquan's cunning schemes, but now it seemed it was likely this Luo Zishang's doing!

Shen Ming, noticing her expression, asked in confusion, "What's wrong with this Luo Zishang?"

"Aren't you fond of killing corrupt officials?" Liu Yu Ru glanced at him coolly. "This time I'll let you see what a true corrupt official really is."