Gu Chusheng's words caused a stir across the battlefield. After days of relentless warfare, encountering such a romantic interlude lifted everyone's spirits. Even Chu Jin turned to look at Chu Yu with a teasing smile.
However, as Chu Yu gazed at the man below the city wall, she couldn't help but clench her fists.
The way Gu Chusheng looked at her, his seemingly heartfelt confession, inevitably brought back memories of her past life.
Though those bygone days seemed to be fading into the distance, twelve years were not so easily erased. She could forgive everyone else without hesitation—except Gu Chusheng.
Fortunately, she was facing the Gu Chusheng who had done nothing wrong in this lifetime, allowing her to keep her emotions in check. Lowering her eyes, she spoke calmly, "I am the Wei family's first lady, with no relation to Lord Gu. I must ask you to choose your words carefully."
At her words, the jesting crowd immediately fell silent, an awkward tension settling over them.
Chu Yu raised her hand and commanded, "Open the gates," before turning to leave.
Gu Chusheng had anticipated this outcome and wasn't angered. With a sigh, he entered Phoenix Tomb City.
Once inside, Changyue approached and escorted Gu Chusheng to Chu Yu's residence. After freshening up, Gu Chusheng waited in the main hall to be summoned.
Having composed herself, Chu Yu had someone bring Gu Chusheng to her.
Gu Chusheng had changed into a moonlit-colored robe and bowed respectfully to Chu Yu.
Given their current statuses, it was proper for him to bow to her as the Wei family's first lady. His movements were formal, yet he couldn't resist stealing a glance through his fingers as he cupped his hands, like a young boy peeking at the woman seated upright on the dais.
She wore a fitted outfit with her sleeves tied back by cords, her hair tied high with a ribbon—dressed as if ready to don armor and return to the battlefield at any moment.
This attire made Gu Chusheng's throat tighten with bitterness.
Back when Chu Yu had married him, during the raging fires of war in Great Chu, she had fought as a vanguard in the army under his name.
She had dressed just like this then. Even in another lifetime, she remained unchanged.
Unaware of Gu Chusheng's inner turmoil, Chu Yu gestured for him to rise and take a seat before cutting straight to the point. "Why have you come? With you here, who is managing the rear?"
Understanding her concern for the frontlines, Gu Chusheng held nothing back, detailing the current situation at Heaven's Guard Pass and Hua Jing.
At first, Chu Yu was stunned. But as she listened, a cold glint slowly entered her eyes.
"You're saying..." Her hand trembled slightly around the teacup. "Xiao Qi took just five thousand men to attack the Northern Di imperial capital?"
Gu Chusheng nodded, unable to hide his own admiration.
In both this life and the last, Wei Yun was the most extraordinary hero he had ever known.
Chu Yu fell silent, her eyelids fluttering incessantly. Gu Chusheng knew she was deeply loyal and had spent considerable time with the Wei family. Given how protective Wei Yun was of her, their bond must be strong. He sighed. "Don't worry. Since the young lord dared to do this, he must have his reasons."
Chu Yu listened to Gu Chusheng's words, forcing down the storm of emotions within her.
How could she not understand Wei Yun's intentions?Wei Yun could have ignored her and taken his time with the war. Given his previous arrangements and the resources he had taken from Phoenix Tomb City, defeating the Northern Di was only a matter of time. Yet now, he was taking such risks—all to save her.
The biggest difference between him and Gu Chusheng was that he never forced her.
She could do whatever she wished, and he would simply follow behind, bending down to gently lift the hem of her dress. When she turned back in surprise, he would smile and say, "Sister-in-law, I was afraid you'd dirty your skirt."
Had it been Gu Chusheng who came to Phoenix Tomb City to rescue her, unwilling to let her guard the mausoleum, he would have tried every means to take her away.
Chu Yu understood Wei Yun’s tenderness, though she couldn’t quite name the emotions stirring within her. Suppressing them all, she asked numbly, "Then what are you doing here?"
Gu Chusheng was momentarily stunned. Chu Yu lifted her gaze to him. "The Marquis ordered you to guard the imperial capital, yet you found an excuse to come here. You might fool him, but don’t try to fool me."
"How am I fooling you?" Gu Chusheng gave a bitter laugh. Chu Yu stared at him intently. "You’ve always been the most cautious person. Given the current situation in Hua Jing, someone like you—if you truly cared for him—would never leave the capital. So why are you here?"
Gu Chusheng remained silent. Chu Yu frowned. "Gu Chusheng, what are you scheming?"
In her past life, Gu Chusheng had served Wei Yun at this time. Chu Yu couldn’t imagine him having another choice. If there was no other option, what was he doing now?
Gu Chusheng met her gaze, his eyes inscrutable. Chu Yu traced the rim of her teacup and smiled faintly. "If you don’t want to say, then forget it—"
"Zhao Yue."
The name slipped from Gu Chusheng’s lips abruptly. Chu Yu froze, lifting her head as she racked her brain to recall who Zhao Yue was.
The founding emperor of Great Chu was originally Zhao Ziming. Emperor Chunde’s father, Emperor Mingcheng, had sworn brotherhood with the founding emperor, Zhao Ziming. However, when the Crown Prince plotted rebellion, he slaughtered all his brothers in Hua Jing, leaving only the Qin Prince, who had long been stationed in Qiongzhou guarding the borders, spared.
At the time, Emperor Mingcheng, then merely the Grand Marshal of the Army, entered the palace to "protect the emperor," rescuing Zhao Ziming. On his deathbed, Zhao Ziming declared his descendants unworthy and abdicated the throne to Emperor Mingcheng.
Anyone with eyes could see the truth—this was the Crown Prince’s rebellion, and Emperor Mingcheng had seized the throne under the guise of protecting the emperor. However, the Qin Prince was too far away and commanded his own forces, leaving Emperor Mingcheng powerless against him. Thus, a stalemate emerged.
The Qin Prince nominally submitted while secretly building his strength, eventually raising an army in rebellion.
And Zhao Yue—he was the Qin Prince’s heir, the very person the Gu family had once risked everything to protect.
The Qin Prince had shown the Gu family great kindness. Gu Chusheng’s father, a scholar who had studied himself into foolishness, had been willing to sacrifice his life to shield Zhao Yue. In the end, it was Gu Chusheng who handed Zhao Yue over, saving the Gu family.
Chu Yu had known all this in her past life. So when Gu Chusheng suddenly mentioned Zhao Yue now, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Why bring him up?
"He isn’t dead."
Gu Chusheng, seeing her confusion, spoke calmly. Chu Yu’s eyes widened before she quickly pieced it together.
If Zhao Yue was alive, how could Gu Chusheng possibly pledge allegiance to Wei Yun?
The entire Gu family had been ruined protecting Zhao Yue. If he was still alive now, it could only mean Gu Chusheng had orchestrated it.
But why had this man never appeared in her past life?If Zhao Yue were alive, Gu Chusheng should have helped him plan in their previous life.
Her shock did not escape Gu Chusheng’s notice. He said calmly, "Back then, the Eldest Princess and I worked together to send a fake heir into the palace, and he became one of her male concubines, staying in the princess’s residence ever since. He was always indifferent to worldly affairs, so I thought he would remain there for life. I never imagined he would harbor ambitions for the throne."
"While in the princess’s residence, I discovered his intentions and covered for him in front of the Eldest Princess."
Gu Chusheng spoke as if it were nothing: "Now that he wants to take Hua Jing, I don’t wish to oppose him, so I came here. I suspect that once Wei Yun leaves Heaven’s Guard Pass, he will attack Hua Jing. By now, he has probably already taken it."
These words carried significant weight. Since Gu Chusheng had done all this, logically, he shouldn’t have told her.
Chu Yu was stunned for a long time before asking, "Why are you telling me this?"
Gu Chusheng pressed his lips together and looked at her earnestly. "Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you."
Meeting his serious gaze, Chu Yu slowly understood his meaning. She lowered her eyes, tracing the rim of her teacup. "You don’t have to do this."
If she had met this version of Gu Chusheng in her past life, she might have been overjoyed. But encountering him now...
Seeing Chu Yu remain silent with her head bowed, Gu Chusheng recognized it as her silent rejection. A bitter ache spread through his chest as he murmured, "This is my choice."
"I won’t accept you." Chu Yu steadied herself and spoke firmly. "Gu Chusheng, everything you do is in vain."
"Why?"
He stared at her, slowly clenching his fists. "In the past, I may have failed in many ways. But what I failed at, I can change. What I did wrong, I can make amends for. There will come a day when the debt is repaid—why must you speak so definitively?"
"I’m not demanding anything now." His voice was hoarse. "In this life, I won’t lie to you, harm you, or bully you. I can wait for you, until the day you turn back."
Chu Yu said nothing. She didn’t know how to explain the reason to this young man.
How could she bring up the mistakes of their past life?
She looked at him, hesitated, then sighed. "Gu Chusheng, if you had treated me this well before, I would have been very happy."
Gu Chusheng froze, but then she continued, "But you must understand—everything depends on timing."
"Once something is missed, it’s missed. No one stays in the same place waiting for you forever."
Hearing this, Gu Chusheng was momentarily stunned before lowering his head with a bitter smile. "Your words still pierce the heart."
Chu Yu didn’t respond. After a long silence, she stood up. "Rest well, Lord Gu."
With that, she rose and returned to her room.
Once inside, she lay on the bed but found herself unable to sleep.
Her thoughts wandered to the snow-capped mountains surrounding Northern Di—how high they were, how cold, how treacherous.
And then, inevitably, she recalled the embrace Wei Yun had given her before leaving.
It was the first time someone had held her so tightly. In her past life, even Gu Chusheng had never offered her such warmth and intensity.
Once the box in her heart was opened, countless emotions came pouring out.She placed her hand on her chest, feeling her heart beat slowly and steadily, thump after thump, mingled with indescribable worry and sorrow.
At this moment, she finally understood what that embrace had meant.
Perhaps Wei Yun had already made this decision at that very moment. Yet at the time, he had told her nothing.
She thought she was trading her own life for the sake of Great Chu, never imagining that someone would silently shield her behind him.
He said nothing. He stopped nothing.
Clearly, he was just a youth. Clearly, he was the one who should have been protected. Yet between him and Chu Yu, it was he who offered unconditional indulgence and support.
But why?
Just because she was his sister-in-law? Just because she had held up the Wei family for him when his father and brothers perished?
Was it worth it?
No, it wasn’t.
"Wei Yun..."
Chu Yu closed her eyes and sighed softly. Even just uttering his name carried endless bitterness.
Meanwhile, Wei Yun was already on his way to Northern Di.
They climbed the snow-capped mountains directly from the Northern Di border and advanced from behind the peaks.
This mountain range stretched continuously from the border, encircling the Northern Di royal capital from behind, forming a natural barrier for the city.
Few had ever crossed it. Marching an army through here was indeed an arduous feat.
Wei Yun led five thousand men, traveling day and night. By the time they reached the rear of the capital, nearly half of his forces had been lost.
With their numbers diminished, Wei Yun divided them into small squads to descend the mountain and hide in the dense forests below. He allowed them a day’s rest while sending Wei Qiu to rendezvous with Shen You.
Shen You had arrived in the capital ahead of time, entering the city under the identity Wei Yun had arranged for him. As planned, he became a gate guard and secretly purchased horses in small batches, hiding them in the outskirts.
Shen You led Wei Yun to a villa in the suburbs, where the soldiers arrived in groups. Wei Yun and Shen You coordinated the attack timing based on Shen You’s duty schedule.
At nightfall, Wei Yun had everyone change into the uniforms of Sucha’s army. At dawn, he led his men, roaring as they charged toward the city!
With the battlefront concentrated in Great Chu and no warning reaching the capital, the Northern Di royal city was nearly defenseless at daybreak. Wei Yun’s several thousand men shouted as they stormed toward the capital. Shen You, already positioned at the city gates, opened them the moment Wei Yun arrived.
From the first beat of the war drums to the shouts of battle and their entry into the city, it took no more than a quarter of an hour!
By the time Wei Yun led his troops into the city and headed straight for the palace, the defenders finally realized what was happening.
"Who is that...?" The guard officer on the wall rushed over with his men, surrounding Shen You in panic. "Zhabar, who did you let in?!"
Zhabar was Shen You’s alias. Smiling, Shen You replied, "Why, our Second Highness, of course."
Only then did the others sense something amiss.
Whose army was this? Where had they come from?
The Great Chu forces were still locked in battle on their own front. Even if an attack were to come, it should have been from the border. Who else could have approached the capital so silently besides Sucha?
And with the banners fluttering in the night and the shouts in the Northern Di tongue...
The guard officer froze for only a moment before turning to flee down the wall. The men still surrounding Shen You exchanged bewildered glances. Shen You chuckled. "Your commander’s already run. Aren’t you going to follow?"The guards exchanged glances, and after a moment, realization dawned on them—Sucha was attacking the city!
Given the nature of the Northern Di, once a city was captured, looting and slaughter were inevitable—even if the city belonged to their own kingdom.
The guards, understanding this, were about to act when Shen You suddenly kicked out, grabbed the city wall, and leaped straight down!
Before anyone could react, they saw Shen You knock a soldier aside, seize his horse, and charge after the attacking army.
The guards on the battlements gritted their teeth and, following their commander’s lead, rushed down the walls, shouting, “The city’s under attack! Run!”
With that cry, everyone gradually stirred, only to be startled by the thunder of hooves and weapons.
Though they didn’t fully grasp the situation, they knew one thing for certain—
War had come.
And when it ended, there would be looting, slaughter—perhaps even the massacre of the entire city!
People began packing their belongings, fleeing in haste. The Northern Di capital descended into chaos. Meanwhile, Wei Yun had already reached the city gates. Leading the charge, he hurled gunpowder at the walls, and with a deafening boom , the explosion rocked the air. Then, swinging a grappling hook from his waist, he anchored it to the battlements and vaulted upward in a single motion.
Shen You followed close behind, scaling the walls after him.
The five thousand elite troops Wei Yun had brought swiftly divided into two groups—one lobbing gunpowder upward to disrupt the archers’ formations, while the other charged the gates, smashing them open with explosives.
A series of earth-shaking booms rattled the battlements.
The Northern Di capital, long accustomed to peace, had never witnessed such an onslaught. The moment the gates were blasted open, panic erupted, and people scattered in all directions.
Sucha enjoyed high prestige among the Northern Di people, and since this was essentially a family dispute within the Su clan, who would truly risk their lives for it?
Moreover, the gunpowder had terrified them. Wei Yun’s assault was too swift—they couldn’t even gauge the size of his forces. In less than an hour, Wei Yun had breached the inner palace.
Su Can had been roused from sleep the moment the attack was reported. Upon hearing that Sucha had arrived, he was both furious and anxious, with a tinge of resentment. “Wasn’t he at the front lines? How did he return? And why didn’t he inform me?!” he roared. “Are the officials along the way all dead? That the Second Prince’s return—such a critical matter—went unreported?!”
As the words left his mouth, a chill ran down Su Can’s spine.
So many officials—and all of them sided with Sucha?!
But before he could dwell on it, news came that Wei Yun’s army had arrived.
Wei Yun swiftly surrounded the inner palace, herding everyone inside before marching into the halls.
Su Can stood in the grand hall, frantically weighing his options.
Sucha had always been fiercely loyal to him. If he was rebelling now, it must have been provoked by the military order Su Can had issued, commanding him to attack Heaven’s Guard Pass. But this wasn’t an irreparable issue—he could simply apologize.
Besides, Sucha would never kill him. Not only did they share a bond forged since childhood, but even without it, Sucha needed legitimacy—he would have to obtain Su Can’s Imperial Decree. What Sucha wanted was the throne, and Su Can could placate him by naming him Crown Prince and heir.Su Can thought about Sucha's temperament—he had always been easy to deceive, brave but lacking in strategy. Most importantly, Sucha was extremely filial, and with the Empress Dowager still in the palace, it was unlikely he would do anything rash.
Su Can felt somewhat relieved. Hearing that the rebel leader had entered, he even reached up to adjust his hair crown before turning around, ready to greet Sucha with a warm smile.
Yet the moment he turned, he saw a young man in a cloak and silver armor stride in.
Su Can frowned, sensing something amiss.
The youth then lifted the hood of his cloak and looked up at Su Can with a bright smile. "Your Majesty, long time no see?"
Su Can's eyes widened in shock.
"You're not Sucha!"
At this, Wei Yun chuckled. "Your Majesty jests. Of course, I'm not the Second Prince."
Su Can instantly realized something was wrong. Staring at Wei Yun and the men behind him, he exclaimed, "How did you get here?"
And not just come—how had he brought so many men to storm the city?!
Wei Yun dusted off his sleeves and slowly walked forward. Under Su Can's stunned gaze, he seated himself on the Golden Throne, reserved only for the Northern Di Emperor. Leaning back, he finally looked up at Su Can.
"How I got here isn't important. What matters is that I've come to ask for Your Majesty's help."
"The Qingming Festival is approaching," Wei Yun said with a smile. "Why not summon the Second Prince back so we can pay respects to our ancestors together?"
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