Destined

The wine seemed to carry the warmth of the morning light, slowly flowing into the hearts of the two.

His blood-stained robes resembled a wedding gown, making his entire being strikingly radiant. They set down their wine cups and gradually broke into smiles.

Just then, cheers erupted from below the city tower—Shen Ming had captured Prince Liang alive.

Prince Liang's battle standard had fallen, marking the decisive victory in the entire battle. Ye Shi'an rushed up the tower and exclaimed joyfully, "Brother Gu, we've won! Shen Ming is bringing Prince Liang into the city!"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi finally released Liu Yu Ru. He looked at her and smiled gently, saying warmly, "Wait for me to return."

Liu Yu Ru nodded. Gu Jiusi quickly turned and followed Ye Shi'an down the tower.

By then, Zhou Ye and Shen Ming had led the troops into the city. Nearby civilians were carrying the wounded to the treatment area. Gu Jiusi hurried toward Zhou Ye, rushed up to him, and embraced him tightly, exclaiming happily, "Good brother."

Zhou Ye was momentarily stunned. A woman beside them laughed brightly and said, "You really ought to thank him. When he heard Wangdu was besieged, he knelt before his father-in-law all night, begging and pleading until he secured twenty thousand troops to return."

Gu Jiusi's throat moved, but no words came out. In the end, he could only murmur softly, "I understand."

How could he not understand?

The moment Zhou Ye appeared, he knew clearly: given Fan Xuan and Zhou Gaolang's plans, how could they possibly withdraw troops from the Eastern Capital at such a time? Zhou Ye must have sacrificed something to obtain them.

Zhou Ye, hearing the woman's teasing, gave her a disapproving look and sighed. "Jiusi, don't take this to heart. Wangdu is my hometown—how could I stand by and watch it in peril? Besides, the Eastern Capital is merely a shell now; twenty thousand troops more or less make little difference. My father only agreed after careful consideration."

"I understand," Gu Jiusi took a deep breath. He knew Zhou Ye was downplaying it to ease his mind. Releasing Zhou Ye, he looked at him earnestly and said, "Brother Zhou's kindness, I will remember. From now on, I shall regard you as my own brother. I would go through fire and water for you without hesitation."

Then he turned to Ye Shi'an, whose clothes were stained with blood. In the end, he too had fought fiercely on the battlefield—a scholar accustomed to holding a brush, forced to wield a sword. Seeing Gu Jiusi's gaze, Ye Shi'an smiled. He raised his hands, clasping them in his sleeves, and Gu Jiusi did the same. They faced each other and bowed deeply in mutual respect and gratitude. Straightening up, Gu Jiusi said to Ye Shi'an, "We grew up together, and now we've shared life and death. We should be as brothers."

Ye Shi'an smiled gently at this. "We were always meant to be good brothers."

"Oh, so you're forming bonds here?"

Shen Ming, who had been waiting nearby, spoke up discontentedly. "Leaving me out in the cold like this? After all I've risked for you, Gu Jiusi, is this how you treat me?"

"You're a brother too," Gu Jiusi laughed heartily, reaching out to ruffle Shen Ming's hair. "You're like my own younger brother, how about that?"

"I'm your uncle!"

Shen Ming rolled his eyes, though he was clearly pleased.

"Let's save the talk for later," Zhou Ye said with a smile. "There's much to attend to. Let's give the orders first and share a drink tonight."Gu Jiusi responded, and it was only then that he remembered to look at the woman standing beside Zhou Ye.

She was clad in battle armor, holding a long sword in her hand. Gu Jiusi chuckled and said, "I never imagined my sister-in-law was also a heroine. Jiusi admires you."

Qin Wan Zhi smiled faintly, seemingly a little embarrassed. "I merely followed my husband here. I don’t deserve the title of heroine. You flatter me, Lord Gu."

"No, no, no," Shen Ming quickly interjected with heartfelt praise. "You’re the most formidable woman I’ve ever seen. Far more capable than Ye Shi’an."

"Shen Ming," Ye Shi’an remarked calmly from the side, "I’ve noticed you’re particularly eloquent when speaking to women. How is it that you’ve remained unmarried to this day?"

"Because I’m poor," Huzi, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. Hearing this, Shen Ming immediately made a move to grab Huzi. Having spent years roaming the streets and fighting with beggars, Huzi was nimble and slippery, dodging and weaving through the crowd. Everyone laughed. Gu Jiusi waved his hand, stopping them, then discussed with Zhou Ye the arrangements for the upcoming battles and assigned tasks to each person before they dispersed.

Everyone went about their respective duties. Gu Jiusi personally interrogated Prince Liang and Qin Si and learned that their betrayal was due to Qian San and Wang Mei. Shen Ming was so enraged he wanted to kill someone, but since Wang Mei and Qian San were already dead, there was nothing he could do. In the end, he vented his anger by giving Prince Liang and Qin Si a severe beating in prison before finally calming down.

Clearing the battlefield, arranging care for the wounded, managing prisoners of war, counting the dead and preparing compensations...

After delegating these tasks, by nightfall, Gu Jiusi had reserved the entire restaurant in Hope Capital City to reward the soldiers.

He carried no airs, first mingling with the troops and toasting with all the soldiers. Gu Jiusi had been the main commander in this battle, staying with them on the city walls until the very end, earning immense respect throughout the military camp. The soldiers took turns toasting him, and after drinking until he was half-drunk, Gu Jiusi retained just enough sobriety to have Shen Ming and Huzi cover for him with the drinks. He then went upstairs to find Zhou Ye.

Zhou Ye was sitting alone in a private room. Gu Jiusi stood at the door to sober up a bit before entering.

Once inside, Zhou Ye poured him tea and said with a smile, "I won’t force any more alcohol on you. Have some tea, and let’s chat as brothers."

Gu Jiusi acknowledged and sat down opposite Zhou Ye. They first exchanged casual remarks about their lives. Zhou Ye, who had accompanied the army south to conquer the Eastern Capital, shared some trivial battlefield stories.

"Uncle Fan is both strategically brilliant and magnanimous. After entering the Eastern Capital, it’s only a matter of time before he ascends the throne."

"If he becomes emperor, will Young Master Fan be the crown prince?"

Gu Jiusi casually asked while eating peanuts. Zhou Ye fell silent. Gu Jiusi paused mid-bite, stunned for a moment before breaking into a laugh. "Really?"

"Uncle Fan has no other choice," Zhou Ye sighed. "He only has one son. He’d like to groom others, but where would he find another son?"

Gu Jiusi said nothing. Fan Xuan had an extremely close relationship with his wife. After her early passing, he never remarried and raised Fan Yu on his own. However, being too busy, he neglected discipline during the upbringing, and Fan Yu developed a spoiled and willful temperament.Gu Jiusi traced the rim of his teacup, recalling his brief encounter with Fan Yu in Yangzhou. Though their meeting had been short, the impression Fan Yu left was far from favorable. To think such a person would one day ascend the throne...

Gu Jiusi sighed softly before saying, "These are matters for the future, not something we should trouble ourselves with. Let's talk about our own affairs." After a moment of silence, he finally asked, "You borrowed twenty thousand troops this time—it must have come at a cost, didn't it?"

Zhou Ye didn't respond immediately. He lowered his head, and after a long pause, he gave a bitter smile. "I couldn't hide it from you."

He sighed and continued, "My foster father said..." His voice faltered, and he paused for a long while, as if struggling to control his emotions. Finally, he managed to say, "He hopes that I will remain in Wangdu in the future."

Gu Jiusi was taken aback.

Now that Fan Xuan had captured the Eastern Capital, declaring himself emperor was the next logical step. After his ascension, rewarding those who had aided him with titles and positions would be natural. The Eastern Capital was the heart of Da Rong's power. Keeping Zhou Ye in Wangdu was a clear message—he was not to climb any higher.

"You agreed?"

"How could I refuse?" Zhou Ye smiled bitterly. "I used to think Father treated me as his own son, and it was only my mother who had reservations about me. But now I understand—I was never truly his biological son."

He sighed again. "Actually, I do understand. I'm much older than my younger brother, and everything in the Zhou family will ultimately belong to him. If I appear too ambitious, none of them would feel at ease. I know what Father is thinking, but..."

Zhou Ye took a deep breath, turned his head away, and raised his cup, seemingly in distress. Gu Jiusi sighed softly, clinked his cup against Zhou Ye's, and comforted him, "Life is full of disappointments—don't take it to heart. Even if family ties aren't smooth, you have us, your brothers. And," Gu Jiusi added with a hint of teasing, "you and your wife seem to be getting along well?"

At these words, a smile finally appeared in Zhou Ye's eyes. His expression carried a touch of shyness, and the usually steady man in his twenties lost his composure, looking like an awkward young lad. He replied somewhat sheepishly, "She is truly wonderful."

"People always need time to understand each other," Gu Jiusi said with a laugh. "Once you do, you'll realize how remarkable they are."

"Yes," Zhou Ye chuckled wryly. "I thought she had a gentle temperament, but it turns out she has a fiery temper and impressive martial skills—no wonder she traveled alone to Youzhou to fulfill the marriage arrangement with my family. But she's straightforward, decisive in her actions, and always considers my well-being. The more you get to know her," Zhou Ye mused, his eyes sparkling with amusement, "the more you realize how truly good she is."

"That's what matters," Gu Jiusi said, taking a sip of tea before turning to gaze softly beyond the corridor. "If she is good to you, then you have a home."

Hearing this, Zhou Ye thought of the woman in his household, and the heaviness in his heart suddenly lifted.

He had a home.

He realized it clearly.The two men chatted, sharing stories from their lives. As the night deepened and the gathering dispersed, Gu Jiusi and Zhou Ye went their separate ways. Emerging from the tavern, Gu Jiusi was surprised to see the Gu family carriage waiting at the entrance. He hurried forward, noticing the coachman asleep against the carriage. Before the coachman could greet him, Gu Jiusi abruptly lifted the curtain.

Inside the carriage, a young woman sat by a softly glowing lamp, her fingers tapping rhythmically on an abacus. The light cast a warm glow on her face, causing the pearl earrings at her ears to sway gently. The cold draft from the lifted curtain startled her, and she looked up with a flicker of alarm in her eyes. Recognizing Gu Jiusi, her expression quickly settled into calm.

"Come up," she said, extending a hand toward him. Gu Jiusi took her hand and leaped into the carriage.

"How much did you drink?" Liu Yuru asked softly, retrieving a food box from beside her. She took out the hangover soup from the bottom layer and added, "I made this for you. Drink it first."

Gu Jiusi didn’t respond. Sitting opposite her, he crossed his legs, propped his chin on his hand, and watched her with an amused smile. "Were you waiting for me all this time?"

"Yes," Liu Yuru replied casually as she ladled the soup into a bowl and closed the food box. "I was worried you’d had too much to drink, so I came to pick you up."

"Little liar," Gu Jiusi murmured under his breath. Liu Yuru looked at him, puzzled, before he continued in a serious tone, "You weren’t worried about me—you just missed me."

"You..." she began to protest, but Gu Jiusi gently pressed a finger to her lips. Smiling, he crouched down to meet her gaze and said earnestly, "Just like I missed you."

A day apart feels like three years.