The King of Wei was the only non-imperial surname king in Great Chu. Their ancestors and the founding emperor of Great Chu were brothers who grew up supporting each other. During the reign of Emperor Gaozu, he promised the Wei family that any land they conquered beyond the southern Mingxiu City would be theirs. Thus, the Wei family seized half of Huizhou, and Emperor Gaozu granted them that territory, enfeoffing them as kings of a different surname, a title that has been hereditary to this day.
The Wei family had never been particularly close to the imperial court, but they were always extremely respectful. Their annual tributes were never short, and they handled every aspect impeccably. Moreover, due to their formidable southern defenses and strong military, while Great Chu had been turbulent for many years, only the Wei family's fief remained consistently peaceful.
This time, the King of Wei had traveled thousands of miles to the north, breaking precedent, which could be seen as a statement. Chu Yu couldn't quite discern the King of Wei's intentions. Her gaze lingered briefly on Wei Qingping's name before she remained silent, her expression unchanged as she continued reading.
After scanning the entire guest list, Chu Yu suddenly spotted a name—Gu Zichu.
She frowned. Zichu was Gu Chusheng's courtesy name, given to him by his father. Later, his teacher bestowed upon him the name "Guiping," symbolizing the hope that he would bring peace to the world. He had always used "Guiping" publicly, so why was "Zichu" appearing now...
Chu Yu looked up at Wei Xia and asked, "Who is this Gu Zichu?"
"He is from the family of Grand Scholar Gu in Huajing," Wei Xia replied softly.
After Wei Yun left the capital, Gu Chusheng had joined the Grand Secretariat and was now publicly known as Grand Scholar Gu.
Chu Yu lowered her eyes, already piecing things together. It was likely that Gu Chusheng had come in person.
But why had Gu Chusheng come?
She was puzzled.
Still, preparations had to be made. After reviewing the guest list and going over the ceremony's procedures, she found no major issues and dismissed the attendants.
A few days later, the guests arrived one after another. Chu Linyang, Song Shilan, and the King of Wei all arrived on the same afternoon. After reporting these important figures to Wei Yun, he glanced at the ceremonial list and unexpectedly remarked, "Princess Qingping is also coming?"
Chu Yu's expression remained neutral as she nodded. "She came with her father."
Wei Yun acknowledged this, then after a moment of thought, said, "I'll go to receive her personally."
Hearing this, Chu Yu unconsciously clenched her fists. Yet her face betrayed nothing as she calmly replied, "I'll make the arrangements."
Wei Yun looked up at her, his voice gentle. "Don't overexert yourself."
"It's my duty," Chu Yu said flatly. Then she raised her eyes to meet his. "You too—don't push yourself too hard."
Hearing her words of comfort, the slight unease in his heart dissipated. Wei Yun smiled and nodded. "As you say."
Chu Yu nodded in return. "Then I'll take my leave."
Watching her retreating figure, Wei Yun frowned. But with so many matters at hand, he had no time to dwell on it. Only when night fell and he was by her side did he softly ask, "You've seemed unsettled lately. Won't you tell me what's troubling you?"
Chu Yu sighed lightly. "Perhaps I'm just tired. It'll pass after this period."
Wei Yun thought for a moment before pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry for putting you through this," he murmured.
Chu Yu, her back to him, replied with the same calm detachment. "It's my duty."Wei Yun didn't speak. He just held this person in his arms. Somehow, he felt all her enthusiasm had suddenly cooled down. His heart ached slightly, yet he thought with so many things happening, she must indeed be exhausted. After some consideration, he raised his hand to massage her head and whispered, "Does this feel better?"
Chu Yu felt his cautious attempts to please her and sighed helplessly.
In truth, what was weighing on her heart had nothing to do with him. Regardless of Wei Wang's special status—even if he were an ordinary person—since Wei Yun and Lady Wei Qingping were old friends, what was wrong with him going to receive an old friend? Moreover, her brother and Song Shilan would also arrive tomorrow. By all accounts, Wei Yun fetching them was perfectly reasonable.
If she hadn't known that Lady Wei Qingping would later become his wife and they would have a son together, she probably wouldn't have reacted this way. But was this Wei Yun's fault?
No.
The fault lay with her.
Wei Yun was such an excellent man, and Lady Wei Qingping such a fine woman—they were truly a perfect match in social status and personal qualities. Perhaps they had even been deeply in love in the past, yet she had wedged herself between them, usurping another's place.
Chu Yu unconsciously tightened her grip on the quilt, feeling waves of bitterness, regret, and guilt surging within her.
She turned over, pressing her forehead against his chest. Wei Yun chuckled, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said with a nasal tone. "I just think you're too good, and I'm not worthy."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Wei Yun laughed, reaching to turn her face toward him. "Let me see—have you cried yourself into a little kitten?"
Chu Yu struggled to keep him from looking. After a moment of serious thought, Wei Yun asked, "Tell me, why are you suddenly thinking this way?"
"So many guests are coming," Chu Yu avoided mentioning Wei Qingping, sniffing as she spoke. "All noble ladies, young and beautiful, well-matched with you in status, gentle and charming. I've been married before, I'm older, and my temper isn't great..."
"Stop, stop, stop," Wei Yun raised his hand to cut her off, feeling a headache coming on. Rubbing his temples, he pleaded, "My dear lady, who's been filling your head with such nonsense?"
Chu Yu buried her face. "I thought of it myself."
"Oh? You—a great lady who single-handedly guarded Phoenix Mausoleum Pass, a First-rank imperial title holder who charged thousands of miles straight into Northern Di territory—your mind is full of these thoughts?"
Hearing this, Chu Yu instantly flared up. She jerked her head up to glare at him. "So you do think I'm not gentle or proper enough!"
Wei Yun: "..."
This was truly impossible to respond to. They stared at each other wide-eyed until Wei Yun, unable to bear the sight of her tear-filled, round eyes, awkwardly turned away. "You've... never been particularly gentle or proper to begin with... This isn't exactly new..."
Chu Yu: "..."
Yet with this interruption, Chu Yu also realized she was being somewhat unreasonable.
She said nothing, turning over to face away from Wei Yun and muttering, "Going to sleep."
"Alright, alright," Wei Yun tugged at her. "Don't be angry. None of what you said matters—young and beautiful, well-matched, gentle and charming—none of it matters.""A Yu," Wei Yun embraced her from behind, his voice softening. "Everything you mentioned, I've seen it all in the four years you were gone. But A Yu, there's no one else who could accompany me through the toughest times of my life. Everyone in this world is wonderful—it just depends on whether you meet them at the right time. I've given you all the love I have in this lifetime; there's none left for anyone else."
"And you're not as flawed as you claim. If you were truly so lacking, why would Gu Chusheng cling to you so stubbornly all these years?"
Mentioning this made Wei Yun slightly uncomfortable, but being an open-hearted man, he admitted, "Gu Chusheng is one of the most outstanding young talents in Hua Jing. Though I spoke harshly when I deliberately humiliated him, he excels in every way. If you were truly unworthy, do you think we'd all be blind?"
Chu Yu felt dazed upon hearing this.
"That's not it..." she sighed softly but then fell silent, unable to continue.
How could she explain to Wei Yun that Gu Chusheng didn't truly love her? His persistence stemmed only from not being able to have her.
Back when he had her effortlessly, where was this so-called persistence? He had despised her then, avoiding her at all costs.
In her entire life, no one had loved her except Wei Yun. And even his affection might be mixed with many things—gratitude, habit, even desire. There was too much that could dilute such feelings.
Suppressing her wandering thoughts, Chu Yu said no more. Wei Yun tightened his arms around her and whispered, "Truly, I'm not lying to you."
"You're extraordinary, worthy of anyone's love."
Such words were merely comforting. Chu Yu kept her emotions in check, not wanting to burden Wei Yun further. She murmured a soft "Mm" and stayed silent.
The next day, Chu Yu led a group to welcome guests at the city gates. The Bestowal of Kingship Ceremony was the day after, and distinguished visitors were arriving one after another. To show proper etiquette, Chu Yu began receiving them right at the entrance.
By noon, the sun had risen high. Though the autumn sun wasn't harsh, standing for so long left Chu Yu feeling dizzy. A carriage from Hua Jing stopped at the gate. The passenger, accompanied by few attendants, extended a hand to pass her an invitation.
Her mind numb, Chu Yu took the invitation with a smile and opened it mechanically, preparing to recite the usual formalities when suddenly, her vision darkened, and she felt lightheaded.
As she swayed slightly, a familiar voice called out, "Careful!"
When her sight cleared, Chu Yu looked up to see Gu Chusheng standing atop the carriage, dressed in elegant blue-green robes, his expression anxious as he gripped her wrist to steady her.
The surrounding onlookers—mostly high-ranking officials—turned their attention to them. A few sharp-eyed ones who had visited Hua Jing recognized him instantly. Their gazes lingered on Chu Yu's wrist, as if understanding something unspoken.
Regaining her composure, Chu Yu withdrew her hand gracefully and said with a smile, "Magistrate Gu, Wei Manor is honored by your long journey here. Your accommodations are prepared—please follow the servants. With so many guests today, we apologize in advance for any oversights."
Gu Chusheng retracted his hand, his demeanor calm once more. He nodded politely. "Thank you, Madam."Chu Yu smiled and took a step back, raising her hand in a gesture of invitation. "Please."
Gu Chusheng glanced at her, pressed his lips together, and finally said, "If you're tired, rest for a while. There's no need for you to..."
No need to go this far for the Wei family, or for anyone else.
But recalling how she had always been like this back in the Gu residence—ensuring everything was perfect—he stopped himself and sighed. Retreating into the carriage, he let the curtain fall and said, "Let's go."
As the carriage clattered toward the city gates, Gu Chusheng couldn't resist lifting the curtain to look back.
The woman stood composed under the sunlight, just as she had years ago when she greeted guests at the entrance of the Gu residence during banquets.
In truth, she hadn't known any of this at first. A woman raised to be a martial artist—what would she know about managing a household?
But after twelve years as his wife and six years overseeing the household, she had learned everything.
Yet now that she had mastered it all, she was no longer his wife. It struck him suddenly—he had polished a rough gem, only to hand it over to someone else. And worse, he had done so willingly.
A dull ache settled in Gu Chusheng's chest. He leaned against the carriage wall and exhaled heavily.
No more of this.
He hadn't come for such thoughts. He couldn't dwell on them.
News of Gu Chusheng's arrival soon reached Wei Manor. Wei Yun was discussing the movements in Hua Jing with Tao Quan when Wei Xia entered and reported, "Master, Gu Chusheng has entered the city."
Wei Yun paused, looking up in surprise. "Why is he here? Does the lady know?"
"Gu Chusheng came under the alias Gu Zichu. The lady previously arranged for this 'Gu Zichu' to stay in the VIP courtyard, so... she must know."
A pang of discomfort shot through Wei Yun's chest. He pressed his lips together, then set down his brush and stood. "I'll go see for myself."
Suddenly, he thought he understood why Chu Yu had been so unsettled.
All these years, wherever Gu Chusheng was, Chu Yu had never found peace.
Wei Yun mounted his horse and galloped through the city. Wei Xia followed, muttering to Wei Qiu, "The man's already in the city, and I heard he even held our lady's hand—took every advantage he could. What's our lord rushing over for now?"
Wei Qiu gave him a sidelong glance. "Probably to wash his eyes."
Wei Xia: "???"
Wei Qiu turned away. "If your eyes are on someone else, I'll squeeze in and wash them clean."
Wei Xia: "..."
After a moment, Wei Xia looked up earnestly. "Wei Qiu, tell me the truth—are you in love?"
Wei Qiu shot him a disdainful look. "You're delusional."
Meanwhile, Wei Yun arrived at the city gates. Chu Yu was resting under a canopy, sipping tea, when she looked up and saw him approaching on horseback.
The corner of her lips curled slightly.
Whether it was the tea or her heart that was bitter, the taste seemed to spread everywhere—on her tongue, in her chest.
As Wei Yun reached her, Chu Yu stood and bowed respectfully. "My lord, you've come too early."
"Not at all," Wei Yun said hastily. "I can wait with you a while longer. It's no trouble."
Chu Yu frowned. "Does my lord have no duties today?"
"Well, it's not that I don't have duties..."
He scratched his head sheepishly. "I just wanted to check on you..."
Her expression remained neutral as she nodded. "Since you're so sincere, then wait here."Wei Yun responded meekly and stood beside Chu Yu. After a moment's thought, he reached out to take her hand, but Chu Yu subtly stepped back. "Marquis," she said, "there are too many eyes around."
A bitter ache filled Wei Yun's heart.
Earlier, Wei Xia had told him—Gu Chusheng had just taken her hand.
Pursing his lips in silence, he stayed by her side, following wherever she went.
After a while, Chu Yu grew irritated. She walked to a secluded spot to rest, and he trailed after her. When she entered the woods, he followed without pause. After some distance, Chu Yu suddenly stopped and looked up, frowning. "What exactly do you want?" she demanded.
Her tone was so cold and distant that Wei Yun could no longer suppress his grievances. He reached out to grab her, but Chu Yu raised her hand to resist. "What are you doing? Let go!"
Wei Yun tightened his grip, refusing to release her no matter how she struggled. When her resistance intensified, he abruptly pinned her against a tree behind her and raised his voice. "I should be the one asking you that! What are you doing?"
His shout stunned Chu Yu. She looked up at him blankly as he clenched her wrist, his anger making him reckless. "You didn’t even tell me Gu Chusheng was coming—what are you afraid I’ll find out? The moment he arrives, you act like this toward me. He can hold your hand, but I can’t? Chu Yu," he ground out through gritted teeth, "do you still have feelings for him? If you do, just say so." Halfway through his tirade, he faltered, unsure how to continue. After a pause, he finally spat, "I’ll go kill him right now!"
Author's Note:
The upcoming plot is roughly as follows:
[Mini Theater]
Chu Yu: Do you like Wei Qingping? ( kills a fierce general )
Wei Yun: Do you like Gu Chusheng? ( captures a city )
Chu Yu: Nonsense! Are you changing your heart now?! ( kills another )
Wei Yun: I knew I should’ve slaughtered Gu Chusheng!
Zhao Yue: Could you two please look at the boss?
Chu Yu & Wei Yun: Piss off!
Zhao Yue: …
Wei Qingping: My heart is exhausted. Keep arguing—I’m off to heal the world…
Gu Chusheng: Always ready to step in.
Wei Yun: GET LOST!! Melodrama and hot-blooded passion go hand in hand.
What kind of bizarre combo is this…
But I can’t let go of mutual jealousy tropes—or my love for tormenting Gu Chusheng.
Hello everyone, I’m Ink·Dogblood·Mary Sue·Shubai.
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