Fight For Love

Hearing this, Wei Yun lifted his gaze, his eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Chu Linyang spoke calmly: "Yao Yong is incompetent, yet a treacherous villain deeply favored by Your Majesty. If he remains the commander in this war, once our national strength is depleted, we may lose all ability to resist. The new emperor of Northern Di has already sworn an oath at the altar—their cavalry will not withdraw until they enter Hua Jing. This shows Northern Di's unwavering determination; there is no possibility for peace talks. Thus, I’ve come to seek Your Lordship’s assistance, hoping to join forces to swiftly eliminate Yao Yong."

Wei Yun remained silent, lightly tapping the table. Chu Linyang waited patiently. After a moment, Wei Yun chuckled softly: "I’m merely a youth. How does the heir believe I possess such capability?"

"My trust lies not in Your Lordship, but in the Wei family."

Chu Linyang met Wei Yun’s gaze: "A centipede dies but never falls. I refuse to believe the Wei family has no remaining influence in the military."

A family that has produced three dukes over four generations—its foundation is beyond comparison to ordinary houses. Had the Wei family not been utterly loyal and refrained from excessive political maneuvering in Hua Jing, would Wei Yun have been reduced to this state?

Wei Yun studied Chu Linyang, who took a sip of tea, his demeanor composed and refined.

"Then, how does the heir intend to assist me?"

Wei Yun’s gaze remained fixed on Chu Linyang, who smiled faintly: "Currently, the Southern Yue Kingdom shows signs of unrest. My father and I will soon depart for the southwest. At the critical moment, we hope for Your Lordship’s guidance."

Hearing this, Wei Yun’s pupils contracted sharply.

Chu Linyang’s words were tantamount to handing him complete control over the southwestern army at the decisive moment!

Wei Yun’s heart raced, yet his expression remained unchanged as he simply said, "I understand."

Chu Linyang raised his hands in a respectful salute, smiling: "We await good news."

Wei Yun nodded. He understood what Chu Linyang wanted and said earnestly, "Rest assured, I will overthrow Yao Yong as soon as possible."

Chu Linyang smiled in acknowledgment and took his leave.

The conversation had not been lengthy. Chu Yu had only waited briefly at the entrance when she saw Chu Linyang emerge. She hurried forward and asked, "Finished?"

"Yes." Chu Linyang nodded and walked with Chu Yu toward the dining hall. After chatting briefly about her daily life at Wei Manor, they entered the main hall.

The meal was already laid out, with everyone waiting for them. The moment they entered, Chu Linxi eagerly grabbed Chu Yu’s sleeve and whined, "Little sister, you’re finally here! Second Brother is starving."

"With that behavior, how are you the second brother?"

Chu Linyang laughed: "Clearly, you’re the youngest."

"Fine, fine, I’m the youngest," Chu Linxi said playfully. "The youngest invites his elder brother and sister to dine, alright?"

Chu Linxi’s teasing lightened the mood. Chu Jin sat silently to the side, eating without a word.

The family chatted and laughed over the meal. When night fell, Chu Jianchang prepared to leave with Xie Yun. Xie Yun repeatedly urged Chu Yu to return home, but seeing her efforts were in vain, she departed with tears in her eyes.

Chu Yu saw her family off to the carriage. Chu Linyang stood beside her—he was the last to leave. Once everyone had boarded, he turned and said, "I’ll soon depart for the southwest. Take care of yourself at home."Hearing this, Chu Yu was momentarily stunned. Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, but in the end, she only said, "Stay safe in the southwest. Write to me often about how you're doing. Don’t disappear without a word once you’re there."

She had wanted to warn Chu Linyang about many things—like not going to Phoenix Tomb City, not standing up for the Song Family, not leaving the southwest...

But before she could speak, she suddenly remembered the fate of the Wei family.

Persuasion was often ineffective. Sometimes, you didn’t even know the full story. So the only thing you could do was act directly.

Instead of telling Chu Linyang not to go to Phoenix Tomb City, it would be better to deal with Song Wenchang before he got trapped. If Song Wenchang had no chance to be rescued, then Chu Linyang wouldn’t have to step in.

Rather than giving endless warnings, it was better to have Chu Linyang write her more letters so she could keep track of his situation.

Chu Linyang hadn’t expected Chu Yu to say these things. When she was young, she had been very close to him, but as she grew older, her emotions became more reserved. After a brief pause, he slowly smiled and replied gently, "Alright, don’t worry."

With that, Chu Linyang boarded the carriage. Chu Yu watched as the carriage swayed into the distance before she finally turned and headed back into the estate.

She hadn’t walked far when she saw Wei Yun standing under the corridor, holding a lantern as he waited for her. Chu Yu was surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to accompany you to see General Chu off, but it seems I was a little late."

"Oh, it’s fine," Chu Yu said with a smile as she walked over. "I could handle it myself. My family isn’t particular about these things."

"Wei Xia mentioned you seemed to have had some conflict with your family?"

Wei Yun’s question made Chu Yu raise an eyebrow. "Who’s been gossiping like that?"

"It’s out of concern," Wei Yun said calmly, holding the lantern. "I just wanted to ask if there’s anything I can do to help."

"It’s nothing," Chu Yu instinctively replied. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She sighed. "Xiao Qi, if someone always says 'it’s nothing,' do others start believing there’s really nothing?"

"That depends on who’s listening—whether they truly care or not."

Wei Yun didn’t turn to look at her. His gaze remained fixed ahead, his voice steady and composed. "You’ve told me 'it’s nothing.' My second sister-in-law has told me 'it’s nothing.' My mother has told me 'it’s nothing.' But I’ve never believed any of you truly meant it. Everyone has a heart of flesh—it’s just that people force themselves to stand strong. Who really has 'nothing' to worry about?"

Hearing Wei Yun’s words, the earlier restlessness in Chu Yu’s heart gradually faded. She turned to look at him. Over this period, he seemed to have grown a little taller. When they first met, they had been about the same height, but now Wei Yun was noticeably taller. Remembering the man he would become in the future, she teased, "Xiao Qi, you should grow up quickly so you can take good care of your sister-in-law later."

Wei Yun glanced at her sideways, a faint smile in his slightly curved eyes.

"Sure," he nodded. "When the time comes, I’ll gather ginseng, deer antlers, and cordyceps for you to feast on. I, Wei Yun, have always been filial to my elders. You mustn’t hold back then."

Chu Yu understood—he was mocking her for becoming an old woman in the future. She snatched the lantern from his hand and lightly tapped his fingers with it. Wei Yun immediately let out an exaggerated cry, clutching his hand in mock pain. "Oh no, it’s broken!"

Chu Yu gave him a sidelong glance and dryly remarked, "Too dramatic."

Wei Yun sighed. "Sister-in-law, you don’t even feel sorry for me.""I feel for you," Chu Yu smiled faintly. "Without you, how could I ever treat ginseng and deer antlers as daily meals again?"

The two of them playfully made their way back, and for a moment, Chu Yu completely forgot all those troubling, annoying, and uneasy emotions she had felt earlier.

It wasn't until Wei Yun escorted her back to her room and took his leave that she suddenly realized something and called out to him, "Did you come to wait for me specifically to comfort me?"

Hearing this, Wei Yun looked slightly embarrassed. He rubbed his nose sheepishly and said, "I saw that sister-in-law was unhappy but didn't know how to console you. Then I remembered how you used to comfort me by asking me to talk about landscapes and stories—when I spoke to you, I wouldn’t dwell on painful things. So I thought, since I’m here in the residence, I might as well keep you company and chat."

Chu Yu didn’t respond. She just looked at him.

The young man’s way of showing kindness was clumsy and simple, entirely unlike the composed demeanor of the young marquis he displayed to the outside world. Her gaze softened as she watched him for a long while before finally saying, "Thank you. I feel much better now."

Wei Yun smiled brightly. "That’s good to hear."

Chu Yu waved her hand. "You may go now."

Wei Yun bowed and took his leave.

By the time Chu Yu retired for the night, the Chu family had finally returned to the residence. Xie Yun was berating Chu Jianchang, displeased. "Look at how you’ve raised our child—what has she become? Is there even a trace of a proper lady in her? Back then, I told you to let me raise her, but you insisted on taking her to the southwest. Now look at her! Does she even understand what it means to observe widowhood for three years? What if she can’t marry well after three years? What then?"

"Mother," Chu Linyang interjected from behind, "my sister is no ordinary woman. Please don’t measure her by the standards of ordinary ladies. Instead of criticizing A Yu, perhaps you should ask yourself how you raised A Jin to become such a scheming girl?"

"Elder Brother!" Chu Jin cried out tearfully, about to say something, but Chu Linyang turned to her with a smile. "Don’t speak."

At that smile, Chu Jin trembled violently.

Chu Linyang pointed toward the ancestral hall and said gently, "Go kneel there, hmm?"

"Linyang..." Xie Yun sounded uneasy. "This is too—"

"Too what? Unfair? Mother, do you know what true unfairness looks like?" Chu Linyang’s eyes were icy. "If I were truly unfair, do you think Chu Jin would still be standing here, merely kneeling in the ancestral hall? For the disgraceful things she’s done, I’d have married her off to Pig-Feed Alley long ago!"

"How can you be so sure she did it deliberately..." Xie Yun tried to defend herself, but Chu Linyang scoffed coldly. "Because Chu Yu is my sister, and so is she. I know their characters well. Whether I’m biased or you’re unjust, Mother, you know the answer yourself. A Yu is capable and may not care, but don’t always expect her to endure when things go wrong."

With that, Chu Linyang glanced coldly at Chu Jin, who stood to the side, and ordered sharply, "Go kneel!"

Chu Jin said nothing. She glared coldly at Chu Linyang before turning and leaving.After Chu Jin left, Chu Linyang turned to Xie Yun and spoke gently, "Mother, since I treat A Jin well, you should also be less biased and show more kindness to A Yu. If A Yu suffers, I will make sure A Jin suffers too. How about that?"

"You... you..." Xie Yun gasped out, "How could I have given birth to such an unfilial son!"

Chu Linyang remained silent, his calm gaze chilling Xie Yun to the bone. All words died on her lips. Seeing she had quieted, he turned gracefully and slowly walked toward the ancestral hall.

Once inside, Chu Jin knelt down on her own. Before long, Chu Linyang stood behind her. The moonlight elongated his shadow, intertwining with hers. Chu Jin trembled slightly as Chu Linyang sighed softly, "Why must you provoke A Yu like this?"

Chu Jin said nothing, her fists slowly clenching.

Looking at her back, Chu Linyang's expression remained gentle. "Do you remember what I told you when you were twelve?"

"I remember..." Chu Jin's voice quivered as if trapped in a nightmare. Chu Linyang stepped closer, his warmth intensifying her trembling. He crouched beside her, smiling as he studied her profile. "Repeat it for me again?"

"Don't... provoke sister. Don't... scheme against sister. Don't... harbor malice toward sister... Tolerate her, accommodate her, love her."

"Was I wrong?" Chu Linyang's voice was soft as water. Tears slowly rolled down Chu Jin's cheeks as she whispered hoarsely, "No."

"Then can you give me a reason for today's actions?"

Chu Jin dared not speak, biting her lower lip in silence. Chu Linyang watched her with amusement. "If A Yu hadn't spoken up today, I wouldn't have known you had such audacity. Encouraging her to elope, plotting to ruin her reputation—A Jin, have I been too good to you all these years?"

Still, Chu Jin said nothing. Chu Linyang suddenly raised his voice, "Speak!"

"What do you want me to say?!" Chu Jin turned around, weeping uncontrollably. "What do you want me to say?! You ask for my reasons, but I should be asking you! We're both your sisters—why do you treat me like this?! Why?!"

"Yes, when I was twelve, I schemed to push her into the well. But you avenged her! I trusted you so much—when you told me to go down the well, I did. And what happened? You trapped me down there, in the dark and cold, lying to me for three days! She had a three-day fever as revenge, and you locked me in that well for three days. Wasn't that enough?! Why must I endure her, yield to her, give her everything she wants?!"

"You ask for my reasons?" Chu Jin laughed wildly, as if she had nothing left to lose. "Fine, I'll tell you! I want to be better than her! I want you to see clearly—you blind fool—that I'm a thousand, no, a million times better than her! I'll marry better, have a better reputation, be better in every way! You, as my brother, were wrong! You misjudged!"

"You were the one who said back then—"

Chu Jin sobbed uncontrollably. Normally, her tears were delicate and pitiful, like pear blossoms in the rain. But today, she wept without restraint, tears and snot mingling, her dignity completely abandoned.She crouched at Chu Linyang's feet like a child, crying out in anguish, "You said I would never measure up to her in this lifetime, that if I did, you would treat me the same—"

"And now you ask me for a reason? What reason could I possibly have!"

What reason could there be?

It was nothing more than unwillingness, nothing more than a desire to compete. Not for wealth or status, but for that unique affection he bestowed upon one alone.

She too longed to be cherished by someone, held dear in their heart like Chu Yu.

Chu Linyang's irrational, resolute, and frenzied protectiveness was something she craved, envied, and resented with equal madness.

She wept and laughed hysterically, while Chu Linyang watched in silence.

Finally, when her tears were spent, she lay at his feet, softly sobbing. Chu Linyang gazed at her, his eyes filled with pity.

"I'm sorry. I never imagined the events of our childhood would trouble you so deeply."

His voice was gentle. Chu Jin slowly lifted her head, hope flickering in her eyes. Chu Linyang took out a handkerchief and handed it to her.

Staring at the handkerchief, Chu Jin was momentarily stunned.

This man was tender—a steady, meticulous kind of tenderness.

Since childhood, she had adored this elder brother most. Every year during festivals, he would return, and she would wait by the door, clutching the cloth doll he had given her the previous year.

Each year, he brought back a different doll, always her favorite.

But when she was twelve, he returned not just with a doll, but also with her sister—the one who had grown up in the southwest and only stopped getting motion sickness at twelve.

Meeting Chu Yu made her realize that the dolls he gave her were but the smallest fraction of his kindness. Envy took root in her young heart. She threw a kitten into a well, coaxing Chu Yu to rescue it, hoping to hurt her and vent her own discontent.

When Chu Linyang learned of this, he didn't scold her. Instead, he told the family he would take her on an outing. How overjoyed she had been, thinking that without Chu Yu, her brother would belong to her alone. But that night, he lured her to a dry well.

The brother she had adored most betrayed her, leaving her trapped in the well as he watched indifferently from above.

She begged him through tears to let her out, but he simply observed her calmly. "You'll come out when A Yu's fever breaks."

"What if she dies?"

Chu Linyang smiled—a gentle, chilling smile that trembled under the moonlight.

He asked her softly, "If she dies, why should you live? Shouldn't you repay her with your life?"

In that moment, despair and resentment surged through her as she faced his composed expression.

"Why?" she sobbed. "What's so special about her? I'm your sister too—why treat me like this?"

Chu Linyang regarded her coldly. "She surpasses you in every way. You will never match her in temperament."

"Never? How could I not surpass her? Chu Linyang, what if I do?"

"You?" His smile widened, as if amused. "Then you may have whatever you desire."

You may have whatever you desire.

How many years had those words sustained her?She studied, learned to read, mastered poetry and prose, and excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She achieved everything expected of the finest women of her time. What could Chu Yu do? Aside from wielding spears and staffs, she was good for nothing.

Yet in his heart, Chu Yu remained that one-of-a-kind, beloved little sister.

If it had started as nothing more than ordinary sibling jealousy, over time, it festered into deep-seated hatred.

Chu Jin struggled to close her eyes, unable to make another sound. Chu Linyang watched her silently before finally speaking after a long pause:

"I was young back then and didn’t know how to handle things better. That was my fault. But what’s done is done—I’ve apologized to you. I want harmony in this family. I want you to understand me. So from now on, don’t cause trouble for A Yu. Treat her properly as your elder sister, alright?"

"And if I refuse?" Chu Jin’s voice was hoarse.

Chu Linyang sighed helplessly. "You’ve always known my temper. You’re my sister—of course, I wouldn’t have the heart to kill you. So we’ll have to take things case by case."

"If you slander her reputation again, I’ll cut out your tongue."

"If you lay a hand on her and hurt her, I’ll break your limbs."

"If you interfere with her marriage, I’ll find you a more ‘suitable’ match—one you’ll regret for the rest of your life."

"And if you kill her—" Chu Linyang’s eyes filled with pity. "A Jin, I’ll make sure you learn what it means to wish for death."

Chu Jin stared at him in disbelief, slowly lifting her head. Chu Linyang crouched down, meeting her gaze.

"A Jin, people grow up. If I hadn’t stopped A Yu today, the next time you scheme against her, you might end up dead."

"Locking you in a well—such childish methods—your brother won’t do that anymore. Do you understand?"

The gentleness in his eyes terrified her. Chu Jin trembled uncontrollably.

Chu Linyang removed his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders with care. He looked down at her, concern filling his gaze.

"The night is cold, and the dew is heavy. Kneel properly."

With that, he stood and walked away, slowly closing the door behind him.

Despair and terror surged within her—the same fear she had felt at twelve, waiting for death in that dried-up well.

He knew. After that year, she could never bear to be alone in the dark. Yet he still shut the door.

He was punishing her! He wanted her to understand—Chu Yu was her untouchable deity, a presence she could never defy.

"No!"

She tried to stop the door from closing, wailing, "Eldest Brother, don’t shut the door! I’ll listen to you! Don’t shut it!"

But it was useless.

Just like when he had thrown her into the well at twelve, he had never cared for her pleas.

Chu Jin’s cries echoed through the room. Chu Linyang stood outside the door for a long while before finally walking away.

Author’s Note: First, I’d like to apologize. The main plot has strayed slightly recently. This section wasn’t originally meant to be this long—it was mainly meant to set up the current delicate relationship between Wei Yun and the emperor, the alliance between Song Shilan, Chu Linyang, and Wei Yun, and Wei Yun’s transition from protector to the one being protected. However, because I didn’t balance the pacing well and ended up elaborating more on Chu Jin’s character, the main plot slowed down. I considered revising, but to avoid disrupting the reading experience, I’ve adjusted the outline and will make corrections in later chapters. Rest assured, Chu Jin’s arc is now complete.As for the relationship within the Chu family, I won't depict love or hatred without reason.

You're right—simple sibling jealousy alone wouldn't drive Chu Jin to such extremes. There are deeper reasons behind her actions.

Chu Jianchang and Xie Yun's parenting methods were deeply flawed. From the beginning, it was evident that Chu Jianchang struggled to express emotions. When Chu Yu eloped, his only responses were beatings and scoldings—and this was directed at a girl no less. As for Chu Linyang, the eldest son, Chu Jianchang placed exceedingly high expectations on him, exacerbating the situation. Consequently, the eldest brother developed an extreme personality—ruthless toward others and even more ruthless toward himself, to the point of being twisted. He always wanted to do things right, but he never learned the proper way. He didn’t understand as an adult, much less as a child, which is why he ended up doing such things to Chu Jin.

In the previous chapter, I mentioned liking the eldest brother because I knew the full context of the story… I didn’t expect the misunderstanding to run so deep.

In that chapter, the eldest brother was always smiling warmly, but if you noticed, Chu Jin was lively around everyone except him—she was terrified of him. And when the eldest brother stood up for Chu Yu, she became visibly agitated.

Later, when the eldest brother talked to Chu Yu and urged her to compromise, it was because he knew that Chu Yu’s so-called "three chances" for Chu Jin actually meant that after those three chances, she might do something irreversible and severe to Chu Jin. Many readers kept saying Chu Yu seemed weak when dealing with Chu Jin, but that wasn’t the case. Chu Yu wasn’t someone who engaged in petty inner-household conflicts—she was someone who went up against figures like the Emperor. When she acted, it wasn’t about ruining Chu Jin’s reputation—it would be something far more significant. It’s just that Chu Jin’s current actions were trivial to her. What upset Chu Yu wasn’t Chu Jin herself but the Chu family’s attitude, which was why she didn’t pay much attention and gave her three chances. The eldest brother, however, sensed that Chu Yu might resort to killing, and for the sake of family harmony, he stepped in to stop it. At this point, he was indeed a bit rough and insensitive—that much is true.

Then, after Chu Yu voiced her dissatisfaction, the eldest brother said—"I understand."

For someone of his personality, when the eldest brother said "I understand," it was equivalent to "I’ll handle this for you, don’t worry."

So, the eldest brother truly is a siscon, and Chu Jin is genuinely a brocon. Before Chu Yu got married, she was often stationed at the border, so the eldest brother wasn’t fully aware of the dynamics between the women in the household. Moreover, Chu Jin was an excellent actress (even Chu Yu had been fooled back then), so he always believed the sisterly conflict had been perfectly resolved when they were twelve (yeah, right).

I’ve explained all this to say—

I really didn’t expect the misunderstanding to be this deep. I’m not trying to argue with you or whitewash anything—I’m not being rebellious. This was always part of the plot! I’m not just being contrary for the sake of it!!

Lastly, for many dear readers, such character portrayals might seem extreme. I deliberated for a long time before deciding to write them this way. I can guarantee logical consistency in the story, but I can’t promise to satisfy everyone’s aesthetic preferences.

My apologies.