Destined

Liu Yu Ru listened to such words without speaking. She reached out, wrapped her arms around his neck, nestled into the crook of his shoulder, and said hoarsely, "I will be good to you."

"Really, I will be exceptionally, exceptionally good to you."

"I will stay with you for the rest of my life. If you treat me well, I will give you my heart and my life. Even if you don't treat me well, I will still stay with you."

She spoke with utmost sincerity.

She would not promise what she could not deliver.

Matters of liking or disliking felt too sentimental to her. She could only pledge what she was capable of giving. Gu Jiusi might desire wholehearted devotion without reservation—something she might not fully provide—but her wealth, her life, her care, her time... whatever she possessed, she was willing to offer him.

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi laughed softly. He took a deep breath, suddenly feeling a pang of sorrow—not for himself, but out of heartache for the person before him.

Holding her close, he inhaled deeply and said helplessly, "Silly girl."

She always believed she hadn't done enough or given enough. If others gave her five parts, she would return ten. She feared others might suffer the slightest loss, worrying they might be disadvantaged, yet never once did she calculate how much she had sacrificed.

He had seen countless girls raised in pampered luxury, loudly proclaiming love and kindness, yet always keeping track of having cooked a meal today or brewed a bowl of soup tomorrow.

She never remembered what she had done, only ever thinking that she hadn't done well enough or given enough.

He held her tighter, suddenly feeling a wave of self-reproach. His heart ached with sorrow as he murmured hoarsely, "It's my fault. I thought too little and failed to understand your difficulties. I've been too frivolous and not steady enough. I haven't provided the stability you need. When you're tired, I still argue with you. When you're afraid, I still push you to respond."

As he spoke, he released her, looked up at her, and said with a bitter smile, "As a husband, I've been truly disgraceful."

"You've already been very good," Liu Yu Ru said, gazing at him before lowering her head to take his hand, her voice gentle. "It's my fault. I trusted you too much, relied on you too much, and ended up neglecting you. It's my mistake."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi didn't argue with her. Softly, he replied, "It's alright. From now on, we'll both work on improving. What couple remains harmonious all the time? We're still young. In the future, if I'm unhappy, I'll tell you. If you're afraid of anything, you tell me. You know, Yu Ru," he lifted his eyes to look at her and chuckled, "I don't know why, but even though I was upset and hurt earlier, now I feel inexplicably happy, truly delighted. Seeing you cry for me, hearing you speak from your heart—it’s only then that I genuinely feel our life together has truly begun."

"I used to think you were floating in the sky, beyond my reach. I wanted to be good to you but always felt it wasn't enough. Now I finally understand how I can be good to you," Gu Jiusi said, holding her hand, his expression filled with joy. "I finally realize that my Yu Ru can cry, get tired, be weak, and feel sorrow. In those moments, I can be your support, your refuge. If you want to soar in the sky, I'll watch over you. If you need to land, I'll catch you. I can finally do something for you, and my heart feels at ease."

"You've always been very good to me," Liu Yu Ru gradually calmed down, lowering her head as she murmured softly, "Very, very good."Gu Jiusi chuckled, "You've been praising me back and forth, but it's always just 'good,' 'very good,' or 'excellent.'"

Liu Yu Ru blushed at his teasing. Gu Jiusi stood up, took her hand, and said, "Alright, neither of us has eaten yet. Let's wash up, have a meal, and then discuss serious matters."

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru nodded. She seemed about to say something but swallowed her words when she looked up at Gu Jiusi, instead offering a smile. Gu Jiusi gave her a puzzled glance, "What are you smiling about?"

"There's some good news," Liu Yu Ru waved her hand, "Let's wash up first. We'll talk after the meal."

Though curious, Gu Jiusi suppressed his questions and went with Liu Yu Ru to freshen up before having the meal served.

Having eaten nothing from the previous night until noon, the kitchen prepared light dishes and rice porridge. After finishing their meal, they sat by the table, sipping tea and resting.

Holding his tea, Gu Jiusi finally asked, "You mentioned good news earlier—what is it?"

Liu Yu Ru looked at him with a smile, "When I tell you, you must stay calm."

"Hmm?" Gu Jiusi was perplexed. Seeing his expression, Liu Yu Ru said seriously, "Father-in-law is alive."

At these words, the teacup in Gu Jiusi's hand fell straight down. He stared blankly at Liu Yu Ru for a long moment before suddenly snapping back to reality. He rushed forward, grabbed her hands, and asked urgently, "He's alive? Where is he now? Is he injured? Why... why didn't he notify me?"

As he spoke, Gu Jiusi stood up and said hastily, "I'll send someone right away. I'll go find him myself—I must go in person—"

"Jiusi," Liu Yu Ru, seeing him completely lose his composure, quickly stood and grabbed his sleeve, smiling, "I've already brought him back."

Gu Jiusi turned around, disbelief in his eyes, "Brought... brought him back?"

"Yes," Liu Yu Ru replied cheerfully, "Sit down first, and I'll explain everything slowly. Father-in-law is safe and sound. I had him escorted directly to Youzhou by water. Young Master Ye and I acted as decoys to draw Luo Zishang's attention, so no one knows of his existence. By the time you return, he should already be in Wangdu."

"Luo Zishang?" Gu Jiusi frowned, "Who is that?"

Liu Yu Ru sighed helplessly and said gently, "Sit down first. It's a long story, so don't rush."

She pulled him back to his seat and began recounting everything from her arrival in Yangzhou—who Luo Zishang was, how she speculated on grain prices, how she was detected and maneuvered by Luo Zishang, her encounter with Ye Shi'an, learning that Gu Lang Hua was alive, their narrow escape, and finally reuniting with her.

Gu Jiusi listened quietly without saying a word. After Liu Yu Ru finished, she took a sip of tea and looked up at him, "Why so quiet? Don't you have any questions?"

"He..." Gu Jiusi murmured, "Is he alright?"

"His leg was injured, but once we return to Youzhou, we can properly nurse him back to health. He should be fine."

Gu Jiusi nodded without further comment. Noticing his unusual demeanor, Liu Yu Ru asked cautiously, "Jiusi?"

"It's nothing," Gu Jiusi took a deep breath and shook his head, "I just feel a bit upset."

"Father-in-law has returned," Liu Yu Ru said earnestly, "You should be happy. Why are you upset?""Yu Ru," Gu Jiusi looked up at her, "I truly haven't done well enough. As a child, I failed to properly protect my father. When I was young and foolish, I always argued with him and made him angry. Back then, I constantly felt he treated me poorly, but upon careful reflection, how could his kindness toward me be measured in words? Fortunately, he's still alive," Gu Jiusi's voice choked slightly, "otherwise I wouldn't know how I could ever make up for it in this lifetime."

Liu Yu Ru listened to his words and chuckled softly, "Since he's returned alive, you can properly make it up to him. I'll join you in taking care of the elderly gentleman - isn't that the way?"

Gu Jiusi didn't respond. He gazed quietly at her, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

He simply reached out and took her hand.

Her hands, once smooth and delicate, were now calloused, with broken skin and covered in wounds.

Gu Jiusi held her palm, staring at it silently for a long time before finally saying, "And you."

Liu Yu Ru was taken aback. Gu Jiusi said hoarsely, "You've suffered."

She had endured so much hardship, yet he hadn't been considerate, hadn't provided timely comfort and companionship when she needed it most, all while she remained unaware. Perhaps this was her greatest suffering.

Hearing Gu Jiusi's words, Liu Yu Ru didn't fully understand, but seeing the guilt in his eyes made her heart feel heavy. She couldn't bear to see Gu Jiusi unhappy, so she leaned forward with a smile, teasing him, "Yes, I've suffered," she moved closer, propping her chin and smiling brightly, "so how will you compensate me?"

Gu Jiusi knew she was changing the subject to distract him from his sorrow. Not wanting to reject her kindness, he silently stored this kindness in his heart, pursing his lips into a smile: "How would you like to be compensated?""

This question stumped Liu Yu Ru. She frowned, thinking seriously. Watching her expression, Gu Jiusi couldn't resist leaning over to give her a kiss, then asked, "Is that enough?"

Liu Yu Ru laughed at his kiss, both amused and exasperated, "Is this compensating you or me?"

"Compensating me," Gu Jiusi quickly replied, "Compensating me for this deep longing that occupies my thoughts day and night."

"Gu Jiusi," Liu Yu Ru raised her hand to push him, "how can you be so shameless?"

"Because you like me," Gu Jiusi nuzzled closer, leaning against her shoulder and acting spoiled, "and I like you too. If it were anyone else, not only would I not be shameless, I wouldn't even give them the time of day."

"Stop being mischievous," Liu Yu Ru tried to suppress her laughter. Only when this man was acting playfully shameless beside her did her anxious heart finally settle. She struggled to support the man who was leaning entirely on her, attempting to be serious: "We're discussing important matters, be proper."

"Can't be proper anymore," Gu Jiusi seemed to have lost all his bones, persistently leaning on Liu Yu Ru, "I need to lean on my wife to discuss serious matters. If my wife won't let me lean, I can't speak."

"Gu Jiusi," Liu Yu Ru said helplessly, "are you spineless?"Yes," Gu Jiusi replied with complete calmness, "how did you know, wife? I live off you, so naturally my bones are soft."

"Get up," Liu Yu Ru hurriedly said upon hearing his nonsense, "stop talking rubbish."

"Won't get up, can't get up." Gu Jiusi leaned against her, wrapping his arms around her, and said seriously, "I need my wife's kiss to feel better."

"Gu..."

"Young master, madam..."Munan's voice suddenly came from outside, startling Liu Yuru so much that she abruptly stood up. Gu Jiusi stumbled backward but, thanks to his quick reflexes, managed to steady himself in time. In an instant, he transformed his posture into one reminiscent of a "drunken concubine" pose.

Thus, when Munan entered the room, he saw Liu Yuru standing somewhat flustered to the side, while Gu Jiusi maintained the drunken concubine stance, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Munan froze for a moment before cautiously asking, "Young master, what are you...?"

"Ahem," Gu Jiusi cleared his throat lightly, fist pressed to his lips, then replied, "I'm just resting."

"Why not rest on the bed?" Munan asked, confused.

Gu Jiusi frowned, "Just say what you need to say. Why all the questions?"

"Oh," Munan quickly responded, "Young Master Ye and Miss Ye are at the door. They wish to personally express their gratitude to you and Madam."

"They're still injured," Liu Yuru immediately interjected upon hearing this, "We should be the ones going to them."

"The fact that they came despite their injuries shows their sincerity," Gu Jiusi analyzed Ye Shi'an's intentions for Liu Yuru before saying, "Since they're already here, show them in."

Munan acknowledged the order. Liu Yuru hurried to support Gu Jiusi, whispering, "Stop fooling around."

Just as Gu Jiusi was about to respond, Munan led the Ye siblings into the room.

Ye Yun was supporting Ye Shi'an. Ye Yun appeared much better, but Ye Shi'an was still injured and looked quite pale. Ye Shi'an approached Gu Jiusi with Ye Yun and began to kneel before him and Liu Yuru.

Seeing this, Gu Jiusi rushed forward to stop Ye Shi'an before he could kneel, urgently saying, "Brother Ye, there's no need for this. You've saved the Gu family multiple times. If we stand on such ceremony, I'm afraid I wouldn't know how many kowtows to return."

Ye Shi'an paused, then sighed, "I have nothing left now. For you and your wife to save me, I have no way to repay this kindness."

"Brother Ye, you're too polite," Gu Jiusi personally helped Ye Shi'an inside, lowering his gaze as he said, "My wife has already told me about what happened during your journey. That you risked sheltering my father is an enormous favor to the Gu family. We should be thanking you - saving you was only natural. Your actions now leave me at a loss."

Gu Jiusi helped Ye Shi'an to a seat and poured him tea. Liu Yuru went to take Ye Yun's hand, but Ye Yun politely bowed instead. Liu Yuru's movement stiffened slightly, though she understood this distance between them. Pressing her lips together, she didn't force familiarity and simply guided Ye Yun to sit down.

Gu Jiusi lifted his sleeve and poured tea for Ye Yun as well, then looked up at Ye Shi'an with a smile, "I was just speaking with Yuru earlier, planning to come thank you after our conversation. Whether it's for saving me and Yuru before, or for rescuing my father now - my gratitude comes too late."

"These were all things that should be done," Ye Shi'an smiled, "We've known each other since childhood. Though we may not have been close friends, we were classmates. And Yuru comes from a family long acquainted with mine - how could I stand by when you two were in trouble?""So then," Gu Jiusi continued, "if Brother Ye encounters difficulties, assisting you is something Yu Ru and I should naturally do. Although we may not have seen eye to eye in the past, given how the world has changed..." Gu Jiusi held his teacup, smiled wryly, then looked up at Ye Shi'an and said, "We've endured hardships together and faced life and death. From now on, let's consider each other as brothers and not keep such careful accounts."

"Here," Gu Jiusi raised his cup, "let's use tea instead of wine and drink this cup."

Hearing these words, Ye Shi'an's eyes reddened slightly. Usually reserved, he still raised his cup and drank with Gu Jiusi.

After drinking his tea, Gu Jiusi glanced around and couldn't help but laugh: "No wonder your Ye and Liu families have been close for generations. Every one of you has such quiet temperaments. With the three of you sitting around me, I feel completely surrounded, like a lone army without reinforcements. It's truly intimidating."

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru was amused and lightly patted him, giving him a playful glare: "Always talking nonsense."

Then she turned to Ye Shi'an and said gently, "Brother Ye, don't mind him. Jiusi has always been like this."

"I know," Ye Shi'an replied with a slight smile, "Back in the academy days, this was exactly why he kept getting thrown out by the teacher."

This was something Liu Yu Ru hadn't known. She turned to look at Gu Jiusi, who coughed lightly as if somewhat embarrassed: "Let's not talk about the past. Oh, since Brother Ye is here, let me ask you something," Gu Jiusi frowned, "Do you know anything about that Luo Zishang's background?"

"Luo Zishang," at the mention of this name, Ye Shi'an picked up his cup, took a sip, and said coldly, "I made sure to investigate him. I even specifically had someone deliver information to Yu Ru before. Yu Ru, do you remember?"

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru immediately understood: "That beggar back then - was that you sending someone for Shen Ming to investigate?"

"Exactly."

Ye Shi'an nodded.

"Not long after you entered the city, I noticed the grain prices were abnormal and knew someone must be manipulating them behind the scenes. I investigated secretly and discovered traces of that Young Master Shen. Later, Brother Long came to find me and told me about your arrival in the city. At the time, I didn't know it was you - only that you were closely connected to Brother Gu. I thought you were someone Brother Gu had sent."

"How did you come to know Yang Long Si?" Liu Yu Ru was somewhat puzzled. In her memory, someone like Ye Shi'an would never have any connection with underground figures like Yang Long Si.

Ye Shi'an looked somewhat resigned: "Brother Long is a good person. After the Wang family took control of Yangzhou, Brother Long has been mediating between the Wang family and people like me. He helps wherever he can."

Liu Yu Ru nodded. That Yang Long Si had such chivalrous intentions didn't surprise her.

"Coming back to the topic - shortly after the Gu family fell, when Prince Liang rebelled and Wang Shanquan came to power, this Luo Zishang was pushed to the forefront, becoming a weapon in Wang Shanquan's hands. People call him Young Master Luo, and Wang Shanquan listens to almost everything he says - it's practically absolute obedience. At that time, everyone was investigating who Luo Zishang was. I was looking into it too but had no leads. Then one day, I heard that over a dozen beggars had died overnight at the City God Temple outside the city. I sent people to check, and that's when they encountered the beggar I had sent to Shen Ming. I had him brought back, and that's how I learned about that child named Laifu from the City God Temple.""According to this beggar's account, that child didn't actually go missing at age twelve—he died."

Ye Shi'an spoke, then suddenly added, "Brother Gu, do you recall the murder case that occurred in the outskirts of Yangzhou seven years ago?"

"The Luo family massacre case?" Gu Jiusi thought carefully and immediately remembered.

Although family lineage had become less important under the impact of the imperial examination system in these times, this clearly didn't apply to the Luo family with their centuries-old cultural heritage. From the previous dynasty to the present, each generation of the Luo family had produced remarkable figures, though they were few in number. The last head of the Luo family was the only son, who resigned from his position as Prime Minister and retired to the outskirts of Yangzhou. Who would have thought that one night, bandits would break into the Luo residence and slaughter everyone, leaving not even a chicken or dog alive.

This case shocked all of Yangzhou. At the time, the Emperor was furious and personally dispatched General Meng Ao south to suppress the bandits, wiping out all thirteen strongholds outside Yangzhou city in one sweep. Almost no one in Yangzhou was unaware of this. Gu Jiusi frowned: "What does this have to do with Luo Zishang?"

"The connection lies in the beggar's claim that when the Luo family was massacred, this little beggar named Laifu was at the Luo residence."

Gu Jiusi was stunned: "What do you mean?"

"The beggar told me that back then, Laifu and his adoptive father were begging on the streets when a Luo family servant rode by on horseback, injuring his adoptive father. His adoptive father became seriously ill but had no money for treatment. To save him, Laifu went to the Luo family's main gate to demand compensation. The Luo family beat him and threw him out. By the time he returned to the temple, his adoptive father had succumbed to his severe illness and passed away."

"Wasn't the Luo family committing murder then?!" Gu Jiusi exclaimed angrily. Liu Yu Ru reached out to hold his hand and said gently, "It's all in the past. Getting angry won't help. Let's hear Brother Ye out."

"This beggar was close to Laifu and had originally intended to adopt him. But that very night, Laifu took all the silver the old beggar had saved, bought a knife, and then ran away. Clearly, Laifu went to seek revenge against the Luo family. However, he didn't succeed and was captured by the Luo family, who imprisoned him in their residence."

"Imprisoned in the Luo residence?" Liu Yu Ru found this strange. "If this child intended to kill, why didn't they report it to the authorities?"

"Because at that time, a very important person was coming to Yangzhou."

Gu Jiusi spoke up. Ye Shi'an looked at Gu Jiusi and nodded: "Exactly. Zhang Huai Li, the renowned scholar and close friend of Prime Minister Luo, was planning to visit his old friend in Yangzhou. The Luo family probably didn't want any scandals or troubles at that time. Who would have thought that on the very night Laifu was captured, the Luo family would be massacred? The official handling this case happened to be acquainted with my family. I heard that the Luo family actually left one child behind. Out of friendship for his old companion and fearing there might be hidden circumstances behind the massacre, Zhang Huai Li secretly took in that child and raised him as his disciple, while having the Yangzhou authorities publicly declare that the entire Luo family had been wiped out."

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru understood: "And this Luo Zishang is rumored to be the sole survivor of the Luo family, Zhang Huai Li's disciple!"

"But he resembles that Laifu from back then."

Gu Jiusi tapped the table, looking up at Ye Shi'an as if understanding his implication. He weighed his words carefully: "The Luo family has always lived in seclusion, disdaining to associate with merchant families like the Gu Family. I wonder if Brother Ye had ever met the young Luo master in the past?""This is the problem."

Ye Shi'an laughed: "Back then, I studied chess at the Luo residence for several months and developed some friendship with the young master Luo. In my memory, the young master Luo's appearance compared to the current Luo Zishang—"

"Differs greatly."

Upon hearing this, everyone present understood.

The current Luo Zishang must be the beggar Laifu from back then.

Yet what exactly happened back then? Why was the Luo Family annihilated? How did Luo Zishang transform from a beggar into the young master of the Luo Family and become taken in as a disciple by Zhang Huaili? And why did he immediately target the Gu Family, harboring such deep hatred for these established Yangzhou aristocratic families like the Gu and Ye Families?

All of this remained unknown.

Liu Yuru pondered briefly before saying, "Then did Master Zhang know he had taken in the wrong disciple?"

"Whether he knew during his lifetime, I cannot say," Ye Shi'an shook his head. "But now, he certainly doesn't know."

Liu Yuru looked puzzled, and Ye Yun promptly reminded her, "Half a month before the incident with the Gu Family, Master Zhang was poisoned to death."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi abruptly looked up.