Destined

After Gu Jiusi's transfer order came through, Registrar Yang was promoted to the new county magistrate. Gu Jiusi completed the handover with Registrar Yang, while Liu Yu Ru gave Yun Yun instructions regarding Floral Visage. Once these matters were settled, the family packed their belongings and set off for the Eastern Capital.

Zhou Ye, Ye Shi'an, and others accompanied them on the journey to the Eastern Capital. Although Zhou Ye's official appointment document had not yet arrived, and everyone knew where he would be assigned, formalities still had to be observed. He would need to enter the Eastern Capital to congratulate Fan Xuan before being appointed elsewhere.

The group jostled along the road for nearly a month before finally arriving at the Eastern Capital.

Back in Yangzhou, if there was one place Yangzhou people held in high regard, it was the Eastern Capital.

It was said to be a land of wealth and luxury, the very core of power in the realm. In the Eastern Capital, even a brick falling from the sky could strike a fifth-rank official.

The noblewomen of the Eastern Capital valued etiquette, emphasized rules, and maintained clear distinctions between ranks and orderly conduct.

They spoke the most standard official language of Darong without the slightest accent and adhered to the highest standards of etiquette without any flaw.

The day before reaching the Eastern Capital, the entire party stopped to rest, instinctively tidying their appearances and changing into their finest clothes. Liu Yu Ru had prepared two exquisite outfits back in Youzhou, specifically for their arrival in the Eastern Capital. The next morning, as she helped Gu Jiusi into his clothes, he sighed and said, "Being so cautious makes us seem like country bumpkins entering the city."

Liu Yu Ru pursed her lips into a smile and glanced up at him. "Isn't that exactly what we are, visiting the capital for the first time?"

"How can you say that?" Gu Jiusi replied with pride. "Yangzhou is the epitome of elegance. How can these northern barbarians compare?"

Yet, as it turned out, they could.

When Gu Jiusi's party entered the Eastern Capital, everyone realized it.

The city walls of the Eastern Capital were taller than those of ordinary cities, and the moat was much wider. The streets were bustling with people, with no refugees in sight, and the roads were impeccably clean. Despite the recent turmoil of war, the women wore the latest fashionable dresses, and the men were clad in long robes, holding folding fans as they walked past with smiles, seemingly unaffected by the conflict.

The streets were lively and crowded. Curious, Liu Yu Ru lifted the curtain and saw all sorts of people, even blue-eyed foreigners passing by frequently, yet no one seemed to find it unusual.

Liu Yu Ru found everything in the Eastern Capital utterly fascinating. Gu Jiusi, leaning against the carriage with his chin propped on his hand and eating fruit from a plate, grumbled discontentedly, "Is it really that interesting?"

"Come and see!" Liu Yu Ru exclaimed happily. "That person over there can breathe fire!"

"Yangzhou had that before too."

Gu Jiusi clapped his hands and sat up straight. Resting his chin on Liu Yu Ru's shoulder, he gazed at the scenery outside and remarked slowly, "Hmm, it's livelier than when I last visited."

"You've been here before?" Liu Yu Ru asked in surprise.

Gu Jiusi frowned, seemingly displeased, and snorted lightly. "My uncle brought me here once."

Seeing the lack of joy on his face, Liu Yu Ru asked cautiously, "Did someone bully you when you came?"

"People in the Eastern Capital," Gu Jiusi poured himself some tea and sighed, "are nothing but splendid exteriors with filthy souls. Once we settle here, let's just close our gates and pay no mind to the outside world. You should avoid dealing with them as much as possible too."Liu Yuru had an intuition that Gu Jiusi had some unpleasant experiences in the Eastern Capital, but she didn't ask. Instead, she said, "Since we're new here and not very familiar with the Eastern Capital, I didn't buy a house right away. I just sent someone ahead to rent one. The cost of living in the Eastern Capital is really high—this house alone costs ten taels of silver per month in rent. I need to find some work soon, or we really won't be able to support the household."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi felt a bit embarrassed. He cleared his throat lightly and said to Liu Yuru, "About housing, I'll ask my colleagues how they've handled it."

Liu Yuru smiled softly and replied, "It's fine. I've already taken care of it. We can just move in."

As they spoke, they arrived at the house Liu Yuru had rented.

The location was good, close to the Imperial City, which meant Gu Jiusi could sleep in a bit later in the mornings. Liu Yuru had spent a lot of money to accommodate him.

Ten taels of silver per month was almost equivalent to Gu Jiusi's monthly salary. Liu Yuru thought that, for such a price, the house couldn't possibly be bad. But when the group stopped in front of the house, they were all stunned.

The house wasn't particularly small, but the door looked like two planks of wood slapped together, the walls were dark and stained, and weeds grew along the top, making it seem as if no one had lived there for a long time.

Standing in front of the dilapidated house, everyone was speechless. Gu Jiusi was the first to react. He glanced at Liu Yuru, worried she might be upset, and quickly said, "This place... is nice."

Beside him, Ye Shi'an also snapped out of it, cleared his throat, and added, "A secluded home along a small path has its own unique charm."

Ye Yun quickly nodded in agreement. At a loss for words, she could only say, "It's good. I think it's quite nice."

Liu Yuru's face darkened, and she remained silent for a moment. Then, she looked down at the address again, gritted her teeth, and went up to knock on the door.

The servant Liu Yuru had sent to rent the house opened the door. Seeing her furious expression, the servant immediately said, "Madam! I can explain!"

"Ten taels of silver," Liu Yuru said through clenched teeth, "and this is what you found for me?!"

"Madam," the servant pleaded with a pained expression, "housing in the Eastern Capital is just too expensive. I really couldn't find anything better!"

"You..."

Just as Liu Yuru was about to lose her temper, Gu Jiusi quickly stepped forward, wrapped an arm around her, and coaxed, "It's fine, it's not bad. I think it's quite acceptable." Gu Jiusi shot the servant a meaningful look and added, "Let's hear the details first, and then you can scold him if needed, alright?"

Liu Yuru knew this made sense, but having lost face in front of so many people, she found it hard to control her emotions.

After stiffly nodding, the group finally entered.

The courtyard was quite spacious, but the entire house was dark and gloomy, with overgrown weeds in the yard, making it look desolate and devoid of any liveliness.

The servant led Liu Yuru and the others into the dining room first. The meal was already prepared, and the servant had cleaned the rooms in advance, making the eerie house at least appear somewhat tidy.

Liu Yuru ate with a heavy atmosphere, her mood clearly low. After the meal, she called the servant aside and said expressionlessly, "I'll give you a chance to explain."

"Madam!"The servant immediately knelt down. "The rent is truly too expensive, we simply can't afford it. You wanted a place near the Imperial City, and there isn't a single residence here that costs less than twenty taels per month. You also required a large one to accommodate so many people in the household. A house that's spacious, in a prime location, with excellent layout and fine decoration—everything top-notch—is bound to be expensive."

Liu Yu Ru frowned upon hearing the servant's words. "Are houses in the Eastern Capital really this expensive?"

"It's not just the houses," the servant sighed, "everything is expensive here."

Liu Yu Ru pressed her lips together and didn't pursue the matter further.

Seeing her displeasure, Gu Jiusi didn't dare disturb her and led Ye Shi'an to settle their belongings. By the time they finished, it was already evening. Noticing Liu Yu Ru clicking away on her abacus, Gu Jiusi cautiously approached to persuade her. "Yu Ru, stop worrying and get some rest first?"

Liu Yu Ru sighed and looked up. "Husband, I feel I need to work harder."

"You're already working very hard!" Gu Jiusi hurriedly reassured her. "Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"No, I'm not under too much pressure," Liu Yu Ru shook her head, her eyes gleaming. "I just think the people in the Eastern Capital are too wealthy. Husband, are you going to the palace tomorrow?"

The sudden question caught Gu Jiusi off guard. He nodded blankly, and Liu Yu Ru cheerfully said, "That's perfect! I'll go shopping on the streets then."

Watching Liu Yu Ru's delighted expression, Gu Jiusi couldn't tell whether she was genuinely happy or just driven mad by frustration.

Exhausted from their journey, they slept soundly that night. The next day, Gu Jiusi changed into his official robes and entered the palace with Shen Ming and Ye Shi'an.

For the Battle of Wangdu, Gu Jiusi had previously submitted a memorial reporting the events. Both Shen Ming and Ye Shi'an had contributed and were to receive rewards alongside him.

Shen Ming, who rarely wore formal attire, had put on a proper Wide Sleeve robe and jade crown. Together with Ye Shi'an and Gu Jiusi, they stood respectfully at the entrance of the grand hall, awaiting summons.

This was the first time any of them had entered the palace court. The polished marble floors reflected like mirrors, towering pillars reached toward the ceiling, and eunuchs stood rigidly at attention—all contributing to an atmosphere of solemn tension.

Though Gu Jiusi was nervous inside, having been born into wealth and having visited the palace as a child, he maintained outward composure. Ye Shi'an, accustomed to dealing with officials since youth, had prepared extensively for this day and remained relatively composed. Only Shen Ming—who had always aspired to be a bandit—found the situation overwhelming. He lasted less than fifteen minutes before leaning toward Gu Jiusi to whisper, "Why hasn't His Majesty summoned us yet?"

"Just wait quietly," Gu Jiusi murmured through barely moving lips, holding his memorial tablet and gazing straight ahead. "Talk too much and you might lose your head."

In the Eastern Capital, one could lose their head at any moment—this was something Shen Ming had been thoroughly warned about before coming.

Shen Ming immediately fell silent, and the hall returned to stillness. After what felt like an eternity, ceremonial announcements echoed from within, and the three were finally summoned inside.The hall was now filled with both old and new nobles, as well as court officials, all gazing intently at the three men who had just entered. Everyone knew that among them was the political rising star whom the new emperor praised incessantly—the imperial favorite, the nation's youngest Vice Minister of Revenue, and the most likely future head of the Ministry of Revenue.

Gu Jiusi felt the weight of everyone's gazes. As he stepped upon the red carpet, it was as if he were treading upon the pinnacle of power. He watched Fan Xuan seated on the golden throne, smiling at him, and in that moment, Gu Jiusi suddenly understood why people always strive to climb higher.

It wasn't just for wealth, fame, or power alone—but also for the recognition and expectations that came with them.

Gu Jiusi lifted the hem of his robe, knelt respectfully, and kowtowed before Fan Xuan, declaring clearly: "Your subject, Gu Jiusi, pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years."

Ye Shi'an and Shen Ming followed him in kneeling and paying their respects. Fan Xuan smiled slightly and raised his hand, saying, "Vice Minister Gu, you may rise."