Wei Yun arrived at Gu Chusheng's room with Wei Qiu and Wei Xia. Gu Chusheng was kneeling at the table, eating porridge. His wounds had already been bandaged—though not deep, merely flesh wounds, they were of little consequence. Always a man of propriety, and with Chu Yu absent, there was no need to feign illness, so he sat upright while eating. Hearing Wei Yun enter, Gu Chusheng quickly rose to his feet. Wei Yun strode forward and steadied him as he attempted to bow. "Magistrate Gu, there's no need for formalities. You're injured—spare yourself the trouble."
Gu Chusheng coughed lightly, his words interspersed with coughs. "When meeting the Marquis, proper etiquette must be observed."
Though his speech was fragmented, his sincerity was unmistakable. Wei Yun sighed and helped him sit back down. "Your sincerity is clear, Magistrate. Please don't strain yourself further. Think of your future."
At this, Gu Chusheng sighed. "I've troubled the Marquis."
Wei Yun shook his head. Once Gu Chusheng was settled, Wei Yun took a seat at a smaller table opposite him, waiting quietly for the magistrate to steady his breathing. After a moment, it was Gu Chusheng who broke the silence. "Has the Marquis come to ask about my affairs in Kunyang?"
"I've heard some things about Magistrate Gu," Wei Yun admitted frankly. "But hearsay is no substitute for your own account. Understanding what you've endured will help in planning our next steps."
Wei Yun spoke calmly. Gu Chusheng nodded, having long prepared for this. He began slowly, "This matter traces back to half a month before the Wei family's tragedy."
At the mention of the "Wei family's tragedy," Wei Yun's gaze turned icy, though his expression remained unchanged. He gestured for him to continue. "I am listening."
"I was then the Kunyang Magistrate, responsible for overseeing grain transport from Kunyang to White City during the war. Half a month before the Wei family's tragedy, the volume of supplies I escorted increased sharply. Based on the quantities, I deduced there must have been nearly two hundred thousand soldiers stationed in White City at the time."
The actual forces on the battlefield numbered nineteen thousand—Gu Chusheng's estimate was not far off.
Yao Yong had arrived secretly, without public announcement, and the ninety thousand troops he brought were likewise undisclosed.
That Gu Chusheng could infer the true numbers from grain shipments alone spoke to his sharp mind.
"After the Battle of White Emperor Valley, I heard the Wei family had lost seventy thousand men, and Yao Yong temporarily assumed command. Sensing something amiss, I rushed to White Emperor Valley overnight to investigate. There, on the mountain, I found hoofprints left by Qing Province's forces."
Gu Chusheng's voice carried a note of sorrow. Wei Yun's fists clenched slowly. Meeting his gaze, Gu Chusheng continued, "I knew then things were dire. Though the specifics eluded me, I’ve always prepared for the worst. If Yao Yong and Lord Wei had clashed, the blame for White Emperor Valley would fall entirely on the Wei family, and Yao Yong would seek to exhaust their remaining forces. But if the Wei family bore the blame, once the Young Marquis was imprisoned, their remaining soldiers would never yield quietly. They wouldn’t meekly serve as pawns—they’d do something to provoke the Emperor’s wrath."
Wei Yun remained silent.At that time, White City was garrisoned by 100,000 troops of the Wei family. Seventy thousand perished, leaving thirty thousand. After his imprisonment, he lost contact with them. Upon his release, the first order he issued to the Wei family's garrison was to cherish and preserve their lives, biding their time and hiding their strength.
Gu Chusheng had accurately guessed the thoughts of everyone in this situation, earning Wei Yun's silent admiration.
Sitting up straight, Wei Yun took a sip of tea and continued, "The Wei family has been loyal for generations, and I will not let it become a nest of traitors under my watch."
Gu Chusheng remained silent, merely smiling as he observed the cold-faced young man before him, choosing not to respond.
In his past life, had Wei Yun ever shown even a hint of loyalty? The emperor spoke lightly of deposing and appointing officials. If not for Gu Chusheng holding the line, Wei Yun would have been no different from Cao Aman.
He had even dared to berate the emperor in the imperial study: "The Wei family is loyal to the common people, protecting the safety of the land. What right does the Son of Heaven have?" Now, hearing him speak of "loyalty and righteousness," Gu Chusheng found it rather laughable.
But he kept his thoughts to himself and continued, "The conflict between the Wei and Yao factions will inevitably harm the people. Afterward, I personally escorted provisions and kept a close eye on White City's situation. Before the city fell, I went to observe the battle. It was then I realized that, given the state of the Wei and Yao forces within the city, White City would likely not hold. That night, I visited General Qin's residence and explained my intentions, asking him to leave two thousand troops under my command when the city fell, to set up ambushes at key points. I had already coordinated with the civilians, preparing them to resist the enemy at any moment."
The General Qin Gu Chusheng mentioned was Qin Shiyue, the current leader of the thirty thousand Wei troops stationed in White City and the Left General.
Qin Shiyue was a retainer of the Wei family, yet Gu Chusheng had not informed Wei Yun of his dealings with him.
Wei Yun frowned, and Gu Chusheng added, "I asked General Qin not to inform Lord Wei beforehand. I do not act without certainty. It would not be too late to inform you once the net was cast."
Wei Yun looked up at him. Gu Chusheng's expression was calm, as if he were merely setting a trap for fish, and he continued evenly, "At dawn, when I sought out General Qin, the two armies refused to resist the city's fall. So I led the two thousand Wei troops and the civilians in organizing resistance and evacuation. Since the Guardian Army was dressed in civilian clothes, everyone assumed I alone had organized the evacuation."
With this, the situation became clear. Wei Yun roughly understood Gu Chusheng's plan and gestured for him to continue.
"Such a great achievement—Yao Yong would never grant it to me," Gu Chusheng said, noting his gesture. "I guessed he would claim all the credit. After taking the credit, he would have two options regarding me: either I submit and join him, or he would try to eliminate me. The former would be ideal, as I could infiltrate his ranks and gather more evidence before acting. If it were the latter, it wouldn’t matter—there was always a second plan waiting for him."Gu Chusheng spoke with an unconscious sparkle in his eyes. He took a sip of tea, his demeanor elegant and composed, showing no trace of someone who had just been hunted down. He continued, "So first, I arranged for the witnesses to be sent to another location. If anything happened to me, someone would escort them to Hua Jing. At the same time, I sent gifts to Gongsun Mr., an advisor under Yao Yong, to test Yao Yong's intentions. From Gongsun's attitude, I deduced that Yao Yong intended to kill me. I just didn’t expect him to act so quickly. I had no choice but to have Zhang Deng take the evidence and leave first. Then, I pretended to comply and followed Gongsun Mr. to Yao Yong, only to ambush him midway, jump into the river, and hide in a secluded spot. I waited in the water for a full day before leaving markers and swimming upstream."
Hearing this, Wei Yun’s expression turned slightly peculiar. "I heard you were already injured when you fell into the river?"
"Yes," Gu Chusheng admitted frankly, not denying it. "This official’s martial skills are lacking. I was struck by a stray arrow when I fell in."
"And you still stayed in the river for a whole day?!"
Wei Yun was genuinely shocked. The temperature of the river in December was unbearable for ordinary people. Even for those trained in martial arts, it wouldn’t be fatal, but it was far from pleasant. Gu Chusheng sighed helplessly. "Yao Yong had many men searching both upstream and downstream—it was his best chance to capture me. If I hadn’t stayed in the river for a day, leaving at any other time would’ve been like a turtle caught in a jar. I had to wait until they finished their search before emerging. Once I got out, it would be much harder for them to find me."
Gu Chusheng spoke as if it were nothing, but Wei Qiu and the others couldn’t help but shudder inwardly, thinking this man was truly ruthless to himself.
"Lord Gu is indeed a man of extraordinary courage," Wei Yun remarked with admiration. Gu Chusheng knew what he meant and could only smile wryly.
He wasn’t the one who was truly ruthless—that title likely belonged to Chu Linyang.
"You flatter me, Marquis. It was merely a matter of necessity," Gu Chusheng replied with a light chuckle before continuing. "After coming ashore, I hid in a cave. Since I was always prepared to flee, I had some dry rations with me. Drinking from the stagnant water in the cave, I managed to avoid starvation. Then, I waited until the madam arrived with her men. Now, all the evidence is ready, and the witnesses I organized to evacuate—along with the Guardian Army—are on their way to Hua Jing. At your command, Marquis, I will immediately expose this matter and strike a blow against Yao Yong."
Wei Yun remained silent, carefully weighing Gu Chusheng’s words.
If what Gu Chusheng said was true, his actions weren’t just about helping Wei Yun bring down Yao Yong—he was also aiding the Wei family and earning himself a good reputation in the process.
The thought sent a chill down Wei Yun’s spine. He lifted his gaze to Gu Chusheng and said calmly, "Lord Gu, I am deeply grateful for what you’ve done, but there are a few questions I must ask."
"Please, go ahead."
Gu Chusheng seemed to have anticipated Wei Yun’s inquiries, his expression unperturbed. Wei Yun cut straight to the point. "Everything you’ve done has been for the benefit of my Wei family. Yet, our families are neither old friends nor allies. Why would you sacrifice your own future for this?"
Gu Chusheng took another sip of tea but didn’t answer the question. Instead, he smiled faintly and asked, "What else?""From start to finish, your actions seemed entirely unafraid of Yao Yong. Even after jumping into the river, you were confident someone would come to your rescue, leaving markers to guide the way. Who did you expect to save you? And weren't you afraid those traces might be discovered by others?"
Hearing these words, Gu Chusheng gave a light chuckle.
"To be frank, there are three reasons why this humble official risked life and career to act this way."
"First, a petty man like Yao Yong is unworthy of collaboration. With the Northern Di's fierce invasion this time, indulging such a person would likely lead to the complete ruin of Great Chu's lands. No matter how base my thoughts may be, I am still a son of Great Chu. If the nation falls, what home can remain? Thus, I wished to join forces with Your Lordship to suppress Yao Yong, daring to serve as Your Lordship's pawn."
Wei Yun remained silent. Such lofty words were never the crux of the matter.
Gu Chusheng knew Wei Yun wasn't interested in this and continued, "Second, as the son of a disgraced official, steady promotions would never return me from my current post as a ninth-rank magistrate to my former position as a Hanlin scholar. Only a risky move could achieve that. I hope when Your Lordship rises to greatness, you won't forget my sincerity today."
"You needn't worry about that." Wei Yun nodded, idly spinning his teacup as he gazed at the candlelight, his voice calm. "This marquis has always been fair in rewards and punishments. I never shortchange those who serve me well."
"However, the first two reasons are merely preludes. What truly made me resolve to take such a risk is that I wish to ask the young marquis for one person."
At these words, Wei Yun stopped turning his cup and slowly looked up.
Under Wei Yun's piercing gaze, Gu Chusheng remained composed. "Your Lordship asked why I dared leave markers. It's because I guessed the one who would come to my rescue would inevitably be Madam Wei. The markers I left were created together with her in our childhood—only the two of us would understand them."
As he spoke, everyone present felt the temperature in the room plummet. Gu Chusheng took a step back, spreading his sleeves as he clasped his hands and bowed deeply toward Wei Yun, his voice resolute.
"I am willing to pay any price to seek Madam Wei's hand in marriage!"
Wei Yun said nothing, but everyone sensed a murderous aura emanating from him. Holding his teacup, his expression remained calm while Gu Chusheng knelt motionless before him.
After a long silence, Wei Yun let out a light laugh.
"A mere ninth-rank magistrate, the son of a disgraced official, seeking the hand of my Wei Manor's madam—"
"Gu Chusheng," Wei Yun tilted his head slightly, his eyes filled with disdain, "are you worthy?"
[Author's Note: Mini Theater]
Wei Yun: A ninth-rank magistrate wants to marry my sister-in-law? Are you worthy?
Gu Chusheng (pondering): I understand.
(Five years later)
Gu Chusheng: Your Highness, I'm now a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. Am I worthy now?
Wei Yun: Get lost. My sister-in-law is mine!
Gu Chusheng: ...Changing the rules on a whim—have you no principles?!
Wei Yun: In matters of love, principles mean nothing.
Gu Chusheng: ...
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