Destined

The sudden roar left everyone stunned.

Munan's mind echoed with a single thought: "It's over, it's over, it's over!" Meanwhile, Liu Yu Ru stood atop the city wall, clutching her sleeves tightly, her voice trembling as she said, "What... what is he doing?!"

Down below, after the shout, Prince Liang's army hesitated. Following the drum commands, they halted at a distance, facing Gu Jiusi. Moments later, the soldiers parted, and a man rode forward. He appeared to be in his early forties, clad in battle armor with an imposing presence. Standing among the crowd, he locked eyes with Gu Jiusi from afar and called out clearly, "Who is the brat blocking the way ahead?"

"Magistrate of Hope Capital City, Gu Jiusi!"

Gu Jiusi also rode forward, answering loudly.

After sizing up Gu Jiusi for a moment, Prince Liang nodded. "This prince remembers you."

With that, Prince Liang lifted his gaze, scanning the people behind Gu Jiusi, and sneered, "You brought only this handful to face me? Open your eyes wide and see clearly—behind me are a hundred thousand troops. Crushing Hope Capital City would be as easy as stepping on flat ground. I advise you not to resist. Surrender early, and I might spare your lives."

"Traitorous scum!" Gu Jiusi spat contemptuously. "Dare you speak of sparing me? Look at yourselves—worse than pigs or dogs! Beaten to a pulp by Lord Fan, you don't dare face him head-on, so you resort to such despicable tricks to save your own skins, and now you talk of sparing us? Wake up! Has the sand from your five-hundred-li journey blinded you, or has the water from the Eastern Capital's moat flooded your brains? A pack of rebellious dogs, telling an imperial official you'll grant them mercy?!"

"You!" Prince Liang stepped forward in rage, but a man in blue robes quickly stopped him, whispering, "Your Highness, do not be provoked. This youngster is trying to anger you."

Hearing this, Prince Liang paused. Seeing him hesitate, Gu Jiusi seemed to fear he wasn't angry enough and hurriedly added, "Why so silent? Silence means guilt, doesn't it? It must not have been easy fleeing all the way from the Eastern Capital, was it? Are you hungry? Our Hope Capital City has always been generous to refugees. Lay down your weapons, and you can still be human. Turn from your evil ways sooner—stop thinking that following beasts makes you beasts too!"

These insults stirred unrest among Prince Liang's followers. Earlier, he had insulted the prince alone, but now he was cursing them all!

Hot-tempered soldiers couldn't hold back their fury and began shouting back at Gu Jiusi, "What nonsense are you spouting, you pretty boy?!"

"Pretty boys talk nonsense, but pig-faced fools like you don't?"

Gu Jiusi's sharp ears caught the insult, and he retorted without hesitation, trading barbs with anyone who challenged him. In no time, one man was hurling insults against many, and the two armies buzzed with chaos.

While the enemy hurled vulgar abuse, Gu Jiusi refrained from crude language yet managed to out-insult them all. Amid the verbal battle, Ye Shi'an wasted no time and quickly coordinated with Registrar Yang and others to account for the remaining troops, weapons, and provisions.

The city now held ten thousand soldiers. A batch of newly forged weapons, originally destined for the battlefield but not yet delivered, remained within the walls. Thus, though they were short on troops, they had ample weaponry.Ye Shi'an immediately ordered people to retrieve and distribute the weapons, then sent others door-to-door to collect all available oil and prepare firewood and other supplies. He arranged the city's defense with 2,500 troops each at the northern and southern gates, 1,000 at the western gate, and 4,000 at the eastern gate.

While Ye Shi'an was busy with these preparations, Gu Jiusi and Prince Liang's army were engaged in a heated exchange. Prince Liang's troops continued to arrive in succession from behind. The man in blue robes beside Prince Liang observed Gu Jiusi and said, "Your Highness, this man set up formations here early in the morning, clearly having known of our arrival in advance. Yet he brought so few men and actively provoked us. I fear there is a trick."

Hearing this, Prince Liang fell silent for a moment, feeling uneasy. He looked up at Gu Jiusi, who was still arguing with others, and murmured, "But we have already reached Wangdu. No matter what, we must take this city!"

The blue-robed man hesitated before whispering, "You could test them."

Upon hearing this, Prince Liang narrowed his eyes, turned around, and raised his hand to signal the flag bearer.

Seeing Prince Liang's gesture, Gu Jiusi knew the attack was imminent. He tensed up and quickly turned to Munan, saying, "When I say 'retreat,' retreat immediately!"

Munan was momentarily stunned, then saw the flag bearer in Prince Liang's army suddenly wave the banner vigorously. The enemy troops surged forward with a deafening roar. Gritting his teeth, Gu Jiusi spurred his horse and charged ahead! Liu Yu Ru watched from the city wall, her heart pounding with terror. With so many enemy soldiers, even if each took just one bite, they could devour Gu Jiusi alive!

She stared as Gu Jiusi charged forward, her heart racing wildly. She dared not make a sound, afraid of losing composure, and could only repeat to herself:

Trust him.

Trust him!

Just like during the high-stakes gamble in Yangzhou, like every time before—she had to trust him!

She watched as Gu Jiusi, spear in hand, galloped on his steed toward the thousands of enemy troops, roaring, "Attack!"

The thousand soldiers behind him, also on horseback, charged forward with their eyes shut. Gu Jiusi led the charge, swinging his spear as the two sides clashed. But almost immediately, he suddenly bellowed, "We can't win! Run!!"

As soon as he shouted, everyone saw Gu Jiusi turn his horse around and sprint toward the city gate, yelling, "Open the gates!!!"

In truth, everyone had been waiting for Gu Jiusi's command to "run." Those who hadn't charged forward turned their horses and raced toward the city, while those who had—mounted on faster horses—fled without hesitation.

Prince Liang's army, exhausted from their hundred-mile forced march, couldn't catch up with Gu Jiusi's thousand riders. The battlefield witnessed these men swift as the wind: one moment fiercely shouting "Charge!" and the next desperately crying "Run! Run for your lives!" as they fled back to the city.

This maneuver not only stunned Prince Liang but also shocked everyone on the city walls. Liu Yu Ru was the first to react, urgently exclaiming, "Open the gates! Quickly!"

Wangdu was a large city surrounded by thick, curved walls with two gates for entry and exit. Beyond the walls protecting the gates lay a moat; the drawbridges at the northern and southern gates had to be lowered to allow passage.Gu Jiusi sprinted frantically toward the city gate. Liu Yu Ru had never seen him run so fast before, leaving her both amused and exasperated. Just as Gu Jiusi reached the moat, the city gate slammed shut. He urged his horse through the narrowing gap, and the moment he entered the city, he leaped from the saddle and charged up the tower.

By the time he reached the top, the defenses had just been set. Soldiers had only just arrived, their bows drawn and arrows nocked, awaiting orders. Ye Shi’an watched the battlefield, his fists clenched tightly in tension. Gu Jiusi burst onto the scene and shouted, “Hold! Don’t shoot!”

Everyone was bewildered. Registrar Yang couldn’t help protesting, “Sir, if we don’t shoot now, they’ll be right at our gates.”

“Hold your fire,” Gu Jiusi replied calmly, his eyes fixed on the battlefield. “Wait a little longer.”

Prince Liang’s forces drew closer. More and more soldiers rushed back to their posts, but with Gu Jiusi refusing to give the order, no one dared move. Yet, as they watched the swarming enemy approach, their hands trembled uncontrollably. Ye Shi’an, gauging the distance, urgently reminded him, “Jiusi, they’re only two li away now.”

“One more li.”

Gu Jiusi’s heart raced, but he insisted, “If they advance further, then shoot!”

Registrar Yang grew frantic. “If we wait until the last li, it’ll be too late!”

But at that very moment, a horn blared from Prince Liang’s camp!

Everyone was stunned—yet Prince Liang’s soldiers actually halted. Seizing the moment of retreat, the last soldier slipped into the city. Only then did Gu Jiusi raise his hand and command, his gaze still locked on the battlefield, “Close the gates.”

As the gates slowly shut, Prince Liang and a man in blue robes stared up at Gu Jiusi on the tower. Gu Jiusi wore a mocking expression and roared, “You old scoundrel! Too scared to come in? Go ahead, attack the city! There’s hardly anyone inside—just the old, weak, and sick. Hurry up! If you don’t, you’re my grandson! I’ll count to three. If you don’t attack, get the hell away from my city! I can’t stand having a grandson so close! Three… two… one… Hah!” Gu Jiusi cheered. “Grandson!”

Gu Jiusi danced and ranted wildly on the tower, but Prince Liang remained unmoved. Instead, he ordered his troops to retreat, setting up camp five li away to surround Hope Capital City and regroup.

Seeing them withdraw, Gu Jiusi continued his taunts: “Leaving already? So obedient, are you?”

Only when Prince Liang had fully retreated and entered his tent did Gu Jiusi suddenly seem to deflate. He staggered back a few steps and collapsed heavily.

Liu Yu Ru rushed to catch him but ended up tumbling down with him under his weight—his armor alone weighed dozens of pounds, far more than she could support. Seeing her sprawled beside him in full view of everyone, he leaned against the wall and suddenly broke into a carefree grin.

Liu Yu Ru stared at his shameless smile, fear and fury surging within her. Unable to hold back, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

The slap left Gu Jiusi momentarily stunned. He was about to retort and call her petty when he saw her tears falling like rain. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing and crying out, “You reckless fool! Why must you be so reckless!”Gu Jiusi finally snapped back to reality. Everyone was gathered around them, their expressions a mix of amusement and exasperation. He had no idea where Liu Yu Ru's usual composure had vanished to, but seeing the two of them sitting on the ground, clinging to each other and weeping while surrounded by so many onlookers, even his typically thick skin couldn't withstand the teasing glances of his colleagues.

He cleared his throat softly, patted Liu Yu Ru's back, and whispered, "Yu Ru, I'm fine. You should get up now."

The moment he spoke, Liu Yu Ru detected the hoarseness in his voice. After shouting for so long, his vocal cords were strained and aching now that the tension had subsided.

Liu Yu Ru quickly lifted her head from his embrace, only then realizing how many people were around. Pretending as if nothing had happened, she rose from Gu Jiusi's arms and wiped away her tears.

Gu Jiusi was helped to his feet by Ye Shi'an. Liu Yu Ru went to pour him a cup of water, which he used to soothe his throat before addressing everyone, "Everyone, follow me inside first."

The crowd trailed Gu Jiusi into the meeting hall. Once seated, he turned to Ye Shi'an beside him and said, "First, tell me what's going on."

Ye Shi'an nodded and relayed all the data and defense arrangements. Gu Jiusi listened attentively. Noticing Gu Jiusi's calm demeanor, the nearby Registrar Yang grew anxious and asked, "Sir, what should we do now?"

"Stall them," Gu Jiusi replied hoarsely. "I've exhausted every means to seek reinforcements. Lord Fan will send troops to rescue us. Until then, we must hold out as long as possible."

"But there are so many of them," one person cautiously interjected.

Gu Jiusi looked up, remained silent for a moment, and then responded, "Do you have any other ideas?"

"Let's abandon the city," the man suggested. "Or surrender."

"Lin Feng, this is the first time you've said this, and since we're usually like brothers, I'll let it slide," Gu Jiusi said calmly, his voice still raspy but carrying an uncharacteristic seriousness. "But let me make this clear: from now on, anyone who mentions surrender or abandoning the city will be dragged out and executed!"

His words sent a chill through the room. Gu Jiusi picked up his tea, took a sip, and continued, "Don't blame me. I'm doing this for everyone's good. Think carefully—why have they marched all this way? It's because Lord Fan has beaten them into retreat! If we surrender today and Lord Fan retakes Youdu later, every one of us will face execution and the destruction of our families!"

He scanned the room with a stern gaze. "We have no choice now. If we surrender, none of us will escape when Lord Fan returns. If we abandon the city, it's still a death sentence. Our only option is to stand firm here and wait for Lord Fan's reinforcements."

"But there are so many of them..." Registrar Yang voiced his concern. "What if our resistance provokes them and they slaughter the entire city?""No, they won't." Gu Jiusi said calmly, "Although they have more soldiers, first, Prince Liang is making a desperate move with his defeated army, so their morale is unstable; second, they've traveled a long distance and the troops are exhausted; third, their best opportunity to attack was just now. Since they hesitated and didn't advance, we've already deployed our defenses, making it difficult for them to attack the city again. Moreover," Gu Jiusi tapped the table, "we can't give them time to prepare for another assault—we need to delay them further."

"What do you mean, sir?" Huang Long looked somewhat confused. Gu Jiusi pondered and said, "Do you know who that man in green robes on the battlefield was?"

"He's Prince Liang's strategist," Ye Shi'an answered, "Qin Si. It's said that he's cunning and resourceful, full of wisdom and strategies."

"Cleverness may overreach itself." Gu Jiusi chuckled, then continued, "Now Prince Liang will likely take some time to regroup. Their cavalry probably arrived first, with the infantry still lagging behind. Prince Liang is probably waiting for all his troops to assemble before launching a joint attack. So," Gu Jiusi tapped the table again, "go and gather all the courtesans from the brothels in the city. Have them sing and dance on the city walls tonight, performing some Jingzhou folk songs. Then, every two hours through the night, beat the war drums once."

Everyone understood Gu Jiusi's plan—he intended to prevent the enemy from sleeping. After such a long and exhausting march, who could sleep with all that noise?

After giving instructions to everyone about what needed to be done, Gu Jiusi looked at them and said, "Actually, there's no need to worry too much. I'm not someone who isn't afraid of death. I'm here to stand or fall with all of you, and I won't gamble with my own life. Rest assured, Prince Liang is nothing but a paper tiger. Hope Capital City won't fall—Lord Fan will come to our rescue."

His words were plain and simple, but everyone felt reassured upon hearing them.

Hope rekindled in their eyes, and they went off to attend to their respective tasks.

After everyone had left, Ye Shi'an hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn't ask anything and turned to leave.

Watching Ye Shi'an depart, Gu Jiusi let out a soft laugh. Liu Yu Ru looked at him curiously and couldn't help asking, "What are you laughing at?"

Gu Jiusi shook his head, stood up, and said, "Wait for me to change clothes, then I'll go back with you."

Liu Yu Ru nodded. Gu Jiusi went behind the screen in the meeting hall, removed his armor, and shortly after emerged wearing his usual blue official robe, draped in a fox fur cloak. He said to Liu Yu Ru, "Alright."

Gu Jiusi walked forward, took Liu Yu Ru's hand, and looked down at her. Liu Yu Ru lifted her head in confusion, meeting his gentle smile as he whispered, "Were you scared today?"

Liu Yu Ru remained silent, and Gu Jiusi understood her meaning. "I'm sorry for making you worry," he said, embracing her with a smile. "It's my fault. I won't be so reckless in the future."

"I'm sorry," Liu Yu Ru murmured hoarsely. "I lost control and hit you."

Gu Jiusi smiled. "I know. It's because you were too frightened. It's my fault for making you so afraid. I should have talked to you earlier."

Holding her hand, he chuckled softly and said, "Let's go home."

The words "go home" warmed Liu Yu Ru's heart, making the entire winter feel gentler.

Hand in hand, they walked through the cold, dark night, heading home together.The streets were bustling with people, everyone carrying weapons, and the entire city was enveloped in a solemn and murderous atmosphere. Yet, as Liu Yu Ru held onto this person's hand, she felt an inexplicable sense of peace in her heart.

She was surprised to realize that with him by her side, she felt there was no hardship in life she couldn't overcome.

He was like a towering mountain she could rely on, like a great tree providing her shade. Even though she had never been a delicate flower or fragile glass, he still held her in his palm, treasuring her as if she were a precious gem.

Holding his hand, she clearly sensed how terrified she had been on the battlefield today, the moment she realized she might lose him.

The two of them walked along the road. When they arrived home and entered, Gu Jiusi went to take a hot bath. Afterward, he came out dressed and found Liu Yu Ru making the bed. He quietly watched her back, listening to the soft crackling of the candle flame, feeling the comfortable warmth of the charcoal fire, and breathing in the just right citrus fragrance in the room.

This was a life where everything was just right, and Gu Jiusi knew full well how much effort it took to achieve this "just right." What temperature was suitable, what fragrance was appropriate—all these required careful thought. Yet, since living with Liu Yu Ru, no matter the circumstances, she had a remarkable ability to make life as good as it could be under those conditions.

Others might just muddle through life, but she truly lived it.

After finishing the bed, Liu Yu Ru noticed that Gu Jiusi had finished his bath. She turned around and met his gaze. She was taken aback, pursed her lips, and said somewhat shyly, "Why are you staring at me?"

"Nothing," Gu Jiusi replied softly with a laugh. "I just remembered something my mother once told me. When I was little, she said to me, 'If you marry a good woman, you'll find that no matter what happens in life, you'll always be well off.' I didn't believe it back then, but now I do."

As he spoke, Gu Jiusi beckoned to her and said, "Come here."

Blushing, Liu Yu Ru walked over. Gu Jiusi pulled her into his embrace, seating her on his lap with his arms wrapped around her waist. Leaning against her, he said gently, "Yu Ru, with you here, I feel like everything will be alright."

"Don't talk nonsense," Liu Yu Ru laughed. "I'm not some lucky charm."

"Yu Ru," Gu Jiusi buried his face in her shoulder and whispered, "I'm actually very scared."

Liu Yu Ru was stunned. Gu Jiusi continued slowly, "I lied to them today. Minister Fan won't send reinforcements quickly. He won't come to rescue us until he has taken the Eastern Capital at the earliest."

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru was dumbfounded. She didn't dare move, nor did she dare panic. It took her a long time to slowly calm down before she whispered, "So today, were you just reassuring them?"

"What else could I do?" Gu Jiusi's voice remained steady. "We can't surrender, and we can't abandon the city. Right now, we have to grit our teeth and fight for a way out. The reason Prince Liang is so determined to take Youzhou is likely because he plans to seek help from Northern Liang."

"Northern Liang?" Liu Yu Ru couldn't understand. Gu Jiusi explained calmly, "Northern Liang has always been blocked by the Great Wall. If Prince Liang offers Youzhou in exchange for Northern Liang's troops to attack Fan in the Central Plains, Northern Liang would probably jump at the chance. Prince Liang is so insistent on capturing Youzhou now because he wants to use it as a base to make a comeback. Aside from this method, I can't think of any other reason."

Liu Yu Ru remained silent. Gu Jiusi went on, "We cannot lose Wangdu, and Youzhou must not fall."

"I know."“We have no choice but to hold on.”

“I understand.”

“But I don’t know if I can hold out.” Gu Jiusi unconsciously tightened his grip, his voice low and hoarse. “If I fail, what will become of you? What will happen to Father and Mother?”

“Don’t be afraid,” Liu Yu Ru said gently. “If we can’t hold on, I can still wield a blade.”

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi looked up in confusion. Liu Yu Ru turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling as she said, “When the time comes, killing one won’t be a loss, killing two would be a profit. If our family walks the path to the underworld together, there’s nothing to fear, right?”

Gu Jiusi didn’t respond. He gazed at Liu Yu Ru—the young woman seemed to be acting coquettishly, yet her words were anything but what one would expect from someone in a spoiled mood.

He had always known there was fierceness in her bones, but he never imagined this girl’s courage would always far exceed his expectations.

He took a deep breath and raised his hand to cup her face.

"Don't worry," he said softly, "that day will never come."

"My Jade Haven hasn't become the wealthiest merchant yet," Gu Jiusi chuckled lightly, "how could I bear to let her discuss 'killing one isn't a loss, killing two is a sure profit' with me before she even obtains what she desires? Rest assured," he leaned against her, his voice steady and deep as if taking an oath, "I would fight with my life to prevent them from entering Hope Capital City."