Fight For Love

Chu Yu frowned as she watched Gu Chusheng slowly open the box in his hands.

Inside lay a small wooden pendant, strung with a red thread. Upon closer inspection, one could see it was a tiny carving of Chu Yu herself.

This was the pendant she had sent to Gu Chusheng years ago along with a letter. She had spent three years carving it—from the age of twelve to fifteen. Back then, her affection for him had been cautious and restrained, knowing he was her younger sister’s betrothed. She had dared not speak, dared not confess, burying all her longing and emotions into this pendant. Whenever she missed him, she would carve a little more.

Now, as she looked at it, an indescribable emotion welled up within her. It was as though, after so many years, she had suddenly caught a glimpse of her younger self.

“I thought I made myself very clear the last time we spoke.”

Chu Yu’s expression remained calm as she lifted her gaze from the pendant to the man before her. “What exactly are you trying to accomplish by showing me this now?”

“Nothing,” Gu Chusheng replied with a hoarse chuckle. “I just wanted you to see how much you once loved me. I was afraid you might have forgotten.”

Hearing this, Chu Yu couldn’t help but scoff. “Oh? So Lord Gu has come to salvage his wounded pride? If that’s the case—”

“I’m here to propose a deal.”

Gu Chusheng cut her off, his voice stripped of emotion, cool and composed—finally resembling the man she had known in her past life.

Chu Yu steadied herself and met his eyes. “What kind of deal?”

Closing the wooden box, Gu Chusheng rose and returned to his seat, kneeling formally. “I’ve come to ask for your hand in marriage, Madam Wei. This time, it’s no jest.”

Chu Yu’s brows furrowed. Gu Chusheng ran his fingers over the box and continued calmly, “If you marry me, from this day forward, I, Gu Chusheng, will serve the Wei family at your command. What do you think?”

Chu Yu couldn’t suppress a laugh. “Why go to such lengths, Lord Gu? You are now the Minister of Rites, a favored confidant of His Majesty—”

“I am the Minister of Rites now, and in time, I will join the Grand Secretariat. Given enough time, I will become the Chief Grand Secretary. In this court, whether it’s provisions, troops, or official ranks—Wei Yun will need someone to manage these affairs. Surely he’ll need an ally, won’t he?”

Gu Chusheng lifted his gaze. “Especially when he intends to rebel.”

Chu Yu fell silent at those words.

The moment “rebel” left his lips, she understood that Gu Chusheng had come prepared to stake everything. After a pause, she gave a light laugh. “And if I refuse? What then?”

“Wang He has declared himself the King of Anlan in Lanzhou. His Majesty wishes to send Wei Yun to suppress him.”

“Your idea, no doubt,” Chu Yu stated firmly.

Gu Chusheng toyed with the pendant box, smiling as he looked up. “Indeed, it was. But Young Master Wei should be thanking me.”

“Oh?”

“Lanzhou borders Jingzhou. This gives the young lord the perfect opportunity to station his troops right at the capital’s doorstep. Shouldn’t he be grateful?”

Chu Yu said nothing. She knew Gu Chusheng’s scheme couldn’t be that simple.

Lowering his eyes, Gu Chusheng tapped the table lightly. “He can demand troops and supplies from His Majesty to seize Lanzhou. But for that to happen, His Majesty must grant him the resources and the opportunity to expand. I can secure Wei Yun the chance to quell Lanzhou—but I know exactly what he wants. I can give him all of this…”With that, Gu Chusheng looked up at her. Though his words remained unspoken, Chu Yu understood his meaning all too clearly.

What he could give, he could naturally take back—and not just take back. He would go to great lengths to make Wei Yun's path difficult.

Chu Yu watched him quietly for a long moment before she suddenly laughed softly. "After all these years, you haven't changed at all."

Gu Chusheng clenched his fists abruptly. He knew what she meant.

"All these years" wasn't just referring to the time from age twelve to twenty in this lifetime. It encompassed the previous life and this one—all the time combined.

In her heart, he had always been despicable and shameless.

But so what?

He stared at her and slowly said, "You forced me into this."

"I forced you?" Chu Yu laughed mockingly. "What did I force you to do? Not wanting to marry you, not wanting to like you—is that forcing you?"

"Then you shouldn't have liked someone else either!"

Gu Chusheng slammed his palm on the table, his voice thick with anger. "I held you up, cherished you, guarded you. You could dislike me—I'd wait a lifetime if you asked. But you and Gongsun Lan—"

"What does that have to do with you?"

Chu Yu's voice was icy. "Who I marry is none of your concern. Who are you to meddle? What relationship do we have that gives you the right to speak like this?"

"You're right," Gu Chusheng said, oddly calmed by her scolding. He fixed his gaze on her and spoke evenly. "I can't control it. I have no right to interfere. That's why I'm here today—to ask for that right. Chu Yu," he continued steadily, "it doesn't matter who you marry. Do you really think you'll find someone in this lifetime who'll treat you as an equal? Do you truly love Gongsun Lan? I know what you're like when you love someone—you don't love him. If you marry him, it's only because he's a retainer of the Wei family, someone who can aid them. Marrying him would let you stay with the Weis forever. But I can do that too."

Chu Yu was momentarily stunned by his words. Gu Chusheng stared at her intently and said earnestly, "If you're willing to marry me, I can become a live-in son-in-law. I'll pledge allegiance to Wei Yun and serve as a retainer of the Wei family."

"A Yu," his voice carried a trace of bitterness, "you could try liking me again. I'm different now, truly. I was young and foolish before—I hurt you. But I can make it up to you, little by little. You've seen how I've been all these years. I'll agree to anything except letting you go."

"Look," Gu Chusheng held up the wooden pendant, his voice hoarse. "How delicate and beautiful this pendant is."

Just like her feelings—once poured out with all their warmth and beauty, so dazzling he could never forget them.

Listening to him, Chu Yu suddenly felt exhausted.

Had it not been for her past life, she might not have refused this version of Gu Chusheng.

She had no one she loved. Marrying anyone would do. And if it could benefit Wei Yun now, that would be the best outcome.For some reason, the dream from last night suddenly flashed through her mind. She pinched her palm hard, using the pain to clear her thoughts. Gu Chusheng watched her unsettled expression and continued, "Don't overthink this marriage between us. It's not about feelings—just an exchange. Wei Yun and I are joining forces. I'll help him overthrow Zhao Yue. In the future, I'll stabilize the court and manage the people's welfare for him, while he focuses on protecting the people of Great Chu and achieving unparalleled merits. In my household, there will be no one else but you. I won't force you into anything you don't want. We can even sleep separately. Just think of it as marrying someone casually, all for the sake of the Wei family. If you agree, I can give you a welcoming gift tonight."

Hearing this, Chu Yu slowly raised her eyes to look at him. The young man smiled in the dim light.

"Sucha's men are with me. Whether he enters the palace or comes to Wei Manor tonight," Gu Chusheng lowered his voice, "depends on the First Madam's decision."

Chu Yu remained silent. Gu Chusheng met her gaze calmly. "A Yu, I know your temper. Once you give up on someone, you won't look back—even if they've become everything you once hoped for, your best choice. But people grow constantly. Our whole lives are spent trying to make the best choices. Whether the current me is your best choice, you know better than I do."

"You've liked me once," Gu Chusheng's voice was hoarse. "If you're willing, you can like me a second time."

Chu Yu's heart wavered.

Truthfully, Gu Chusheng wasn't wrong. The current him was indeed her best choice.

She needed to marry now.

If she stayed at Wei Manor any longer, she didn't know what might happen. Wei Yun was young, but she was his elder. She'd seen too much of such youthful affections. Marrying sooner would sever Wei Yun's thoughts earlier and rid herself of those messy notions too.

Marrying now, with Gu Chusheng's temperament, he'd never let things proceed smoothly. As Minister of Rites and Zhao Yue's favored official, few would dare oppose him to marry her.

Setting aside past grievances, the current Gu Chusheng treated her exceptionally well, even promising mutual respect after marriage. Though somewhat cold-hearted, he valued his commitments. She could marry him and live her own life behind closed doors.

Most importantly, marrying him would give Wei Yun a steadfast ally. If Gu Chusheng sided with Wei Yun, Great Chu's future would be as impregnable as in her past life.

By any measure—for herself, the Wei family, or Wei Yun—marrying Gu Chusheng seemed an excellent choice.

Yet an inexplicable reluctance lingered. She lowered her eyes without speaking.

Gu Chusheng waited quietly. After a long silence, she finally spoke: "Lord Gu, even if I marry you, I might never like you in this lifetime."

Hearing this, Gu Chusheng smiled bitterly. "That's alright."

He looked up at her. "I can wait."

"I might live separately from you."

"That's fine."

"You're free to take concubines."

"I won't."

"I'll continue supporting both the Wei and Chu families."

"I know."At this point, Chu Yu had nothing more to say. After a long silence, she lowered her eyes and asked, "How did you find Sucha's people?"

"I noticed their suspicious behavior at the city gates the day you entered the city and had them captured."

Chu Yu nodded in understanding.

Gu Chusheng had already apprehended Sucha's men, which was why neither he nor Wei Yun had made any progress in their investigation. Yet Gu Chusheng had deliberately withheld them from her—likely preparing for today's coercion the moment he saw "Gongsun Lan."

Chu Yu chuckled darkly, thinking what a scheming man he was, professing affection while setting traps all along.

"Fine," she said, standing up. "Deliver them to me tomorrow. Once the young marquis truly captures Lanzhou," she lifted her gaze to meet his, her voice calm, "you may choose a day to propose."

With that, she turned to leave, her tone icy. "See him out."

Gu Chusheng watched her enter the house, smiling faintly before leading his men away.

Chu Yu stepped outside, wrapping her outer robe around herself as she headed toward her quarters. After a moment, she suddenly remembered, "Is Gongsun Mr. asleep yet?"

At this question, Changyue hesitated, her expression uneasy. Reading her face, Chu Yu frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Gongsun Mr. probably isn't asleep yet. Earlier... he was standing outside the main hall..."

Chu Yu's face paled. "Why didn't you stop him if he was outside?!"

"He... he's the young marquis," Changyue stammered. "He forbade me from saying anything..."

"Useless!" Chu Yu snapped, causing Changyue to drop to her knees in fright. Without another word, Chu Yu turned to Wanyue. "Go find the young marquis immediately!"

"Yes."

Wanyue hurried off to search. After a tense wait, Changyue remained kneeling, not daring to speak. Eventually, Wanyue rushed back in, her voice urgent. "Before Gu Chusheng left the manor, the young marquis took Wei Qian and over a dozen guards and left!"

With Wei Qian and a dozen guards—Chu Yu knew exactly what Wei Yun intended to do.

She immediately turned on her heel, gritting her teeth. "Gather men and follow me to find Gu Chusheng!"

Sword in hand, she led the charge out. Before leaving, she glared at Changyue. "You stay kneeling!"

Meanwhile, Gu Chusheng had left Chu Manor and boarded his carriage, entering a narrow alley.

In unusually high spirits—rare since his rebirth—he hadn't traveled far when his guard burst into the carriage, whispering urgently, "My lord, we're being followed by a group of highly skilled fighters."

Gu Chusheng opened his eyes calmly. "How many? Can we hold them off?"

"At least fifteen, matching our numbers."

"Turn around," Gu Chusheng ordered. "Escort me out immediately. Fire a signal flare and head toward the palace!"

As he spoke, the whistle of arrows sounded outside. The guard leaped out, whipping the horses into a gallop. A signal flare exploded in the sky. Gu Chusheng lifted the carriage curtain, surveying the scene.

Under the bloody moonlight, the assassins wore black night robes embroidered with silver Cloud Patterns, each with a round bead hanging from their waist as they clashed with his men. His brow furrowed—he recognized this attire. These were Wei Manor's people.

Had Chu Yu ordered his assassination?He frowned, then immediately dismissed the thought. If Chu Yu had wanted to kill him, she would have done so back at Wei Manor. Chu Yu was not impulsive—when it came to major matters, she had always been someone willing to make sacrifices.

Now, the Wei family, the Chu family, and the common people were her weaknesses. Between a dead Gu Chusheng and a Gu Chusheng willing to pledge loyalty to Wei Yun, she would know exactly which one to choose.

If it wasn’t Chu Yu, then who in the Wei family could mobilize the Covert Guards to kill him now…?

The carriage raced through the night. Gu Chusheng struggled to steady himself against the violent swaying. Just as the name flashed in his mind, he heard a sharp thud from outside. Blood splattered across the carriage curtains, followed by the agonized scream of a horse. The carriage lurched forward and crashed to the ground.

Gu Chusheng was thrown out as the carriage rolled, slamming hard onto the ground. He clutched his bleeding forehead, panting as he looked up. Under the moonlight, a figure in white robes stood before him, a half-faced jade mask covering his features, watching him in silence.

His attendants lay decapitated nearby. The horse, its legs severed, writhed and shrieked in pain. Gu Chusheng forced himself up, gritting his teeth. "Gongsun Mr., I came prepared. If I don’t return tonight, my men will immediately inform His Majesty that Wei Yun is in Hua Jing—that I pursued him, he escaped, and I was killed by him. The Wei Manor will be surrounded by tonight, and Wei Yun will have no choice but to rebel. Has your lord prepared for that?!"

Wei Yun said nothing. He stepped forward, drawing his sword. The killing intent radiating from him was so thick that Gu Chusheng felt as though he were reliving the moment before Wei Yun had killed him in his past life.

His fists clenched involuntarily, but he forced a cold smile. "What? Is Gongsun Mr. so consumed by jealousy that he’s willing to jeopardize his lord’s grand plans?"

Still silent, Wei Yun advanced. His sword slashed down—but at that moment, Gu Chusheng raised his arm, and thousands of poisoned needles shot from his sleeve toward Wei Yun. Wei Yun swiftly retreated, blocking the needles with his sleeve. Seizing the opportunity, Gu Chusheng turned and fled. By the time Wei Yun shook off the needles and looked again, Gu Chusheng was already far ahead.

Wei Yun’s expression darkened. He hurled his sword toward Gu Chusheng and chased after it. Gu Chusheng heard the whistling wind behind him and barely managed to roll aside. In that instant, the white-robed figure appeared before him, sword raised to strike down.

Gu Chusheng’s pupils constricted sharply—then a voice shouted, "Stop!"

Another sword shot through the air, slamming into Wei Yun’s blade. The deflection sent Wei Yun’s sword plunging into the wall beside Gu Chusheng’s face, the blade’s edge grazing his cheek. Blood trickled down as Gu Chusheng gasped for breath, meeting Wei Yun’s icy gaze.

Chu Yu had already rushed to Wei Yun’s side. She grabbed his arm and said to Gu Chusheng, "Go. Now."

Gu Chusheng scrambled to his feet. Wei Yun’s sword lashed out again, but Chu Yu seized his wrist, furious. "Are you disobeying me now?!"

"He forced you," Wei Yun said coldly, staring at Chu Yu.

Chu Yu shot Gu Chusheng a meaningful look. Panting, he clutched his wound and staggered away.

She turned back to Wei Yun, her voice calm. "Come back with me first. We’ll talk there.""You can't bear to see me kill him now?"

"Come back with me!"

Chu Yu pulled at him, her expression stern. Wei Yun pressed his lips tightly together as she dragged him back toward Wei Manor. Footsteps approached—Gu Chusheng's men had finally arrived. A guard anxiously called out, "My lord..."

Gu Chusheng waved a hand dismissively, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Let's go back."

Once Gu Chusheng had left, Wei Yun finally spoke. "What are you afraid of? Him pushing you like this—does he think I'm dead? Since when do I need his help? I—"

"Wei Yun!"

Chu Yu could no longer hold back. She whirled around, raising her voice. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? He's a third-rank minister, the Minister of Rites! If you kill him just like that, do you think Zhao Yue needs more leverage against you?!"

"I know my limits."

"What limits?" Chu Yu's voice was icy. "If he dared to come here today, if he dared to tell me about Sucha, it means he wasn't afraid I'd act against him. He's always valued his life—he wouldn't have come without certainty. If he doesn't return tonight, Wei Manor will be surrounded immediately. Once they discover you're in Hua Jing, do you think you can still go back?"

"I'll kill him and take all of you away at once."

Wei Yun's voice was calm. Chu Yu laughed bitterly. "Take us away? To where? Rebel like Wang He? Are you prepared? Do you have evidence? Without a solid justification, Wei Yun, do you know what they'll call you? A traitor, a rebel! Just like Wang He—someone everyone has the right to punish! You say you know your limits—this is what you call limits? You're just being childish! Do you care about your family at all? Do you care about Wei Manor? If you had even a shred of concern for us, you wouldn't have done something like this tonight!"

"Then what should I do?" Wei Yun lifted his head. "Should I applaud while he forces you to marry him?!"

At these words, Chu Yu froze slightly. She met the young man's gaze as he continued, "I told you back then—I wouldn't let anyone bully you again. I wasn't lying."

"Back then, I was powerless," he said hoarsely. "But do you think I'm still powerless now?"

"Xiao Qi..."

Chu Yu flustered. "I don't feel bullied at all."

Wei Yun stiffened. After a moment, he forced a bitter smile. "So you still like him after all?"

Chu Yu remained silent. Finally, she pressed her lips together and said, "Xiao Qi, in this world, things aren't just about liking or disliking. Marrying him isn't being forced—I want to marry someone I can respect and live peacefully with. If my marriage can hold some value, even better."

"Then what about me?" Wei Yun's voice trembled. He clenched his fists, tears brimming in his eyes as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "You say I don't care about you, about Wei Manor—but have you ever cared about me?"

"Xiao Qi," she sighed softly. "I'm doing this for your own good."

"What do you mean, for my own good?!"Wei Yun suddenly stepped forward, forcing Chu Yu to retreat a step. As he drew near, she couldn't help but feel flustered, yet Wei Yun paid no heed to her expression. Raising his voice, he demanded, "Exchanging your marriage for an ally is for my sake? Or marrying Gu Chusheng so he can pave my way is for my sake? Who do you think you are? And who do you take me for? What do you imagine my feelings for you are? Let me be clear—I don't see you as my sister-in-law, and even if I did, the Wei family would never stoop to such a thing!"

His words struck like thunder, leaving Chu Yu stunned and speechless. Wei Yun closed the distance, pressing her against the wall as he gazed down at her intently. "Chu Yu, let me tell you something," he said earnestly. "If you truly want what's best for me, there's only one thing you need to do."

"Love me."

His voice was hoarse as he uttered the words: "Love me, stay by my side—that's the greatest good you could do for me. If you can't manage even that, then do this instead—"

"Live well."

He turned his head away, tears welling in his eyes. "Hide behind me, and remain the young mistress of the Chu family for the rest of your life."

Author's Note: Feeling utterly drained lately—zero energy, zero charm.

Need cheering up!!!!!

—Your spirited maiden · Deeply affectionate and dashing Ink Big White