Without Wei Yun's interference by her side, Chu Yu's thoughts became much clearer as she sat in the carriage.
In truth, this "Gongsun Lan" had understood her too well from the very beginning. Initially, he claimed Wei Yun had informed him, but after so many instances, it was hard to believe Wei Yun would have shared so much.
After much deliberation, Chu Yu realized that among all possible answers, the most plausible one might simply be that he liked her.
This realization made her feel somewhat awkward when she stepped out of the carriage. Yet, beneath his mask, Wei Yun appeared composed and unruffled, showing no trace of bashfulness.
Steadying herself, Chu Yu refrained from bringing up the topic again. Wei Yun, too, said nothing more, respectfully helping her dismount and escorting her to her room before turning back.
However, as soon as Wei Yun returned to his quarters, Chu Yu immediately picked up a brush and wrote him a letter, inquiring in detail about "Gongsun Lan." She hastily sent the letter by carrier pigeon to the Northern Border.
The next morning, after sending the letter, Chu Yu awoke to the announcement that "Gongsun Lan" had come to pay his respects. She had a screen set up and received him from behind it. Sitting on the other side, he respectfully reported all relevant information for the day. His demeanor was so gentle and courteous that Chu Yu began to doubt whether his previous words had ever been spoken at all.
Gradually, her guard lowered, and she engaged in casual conversation with Wei Yun. Though she spoke of trivial matters, he effortlessly kept up with her. Time flew by, and before she knew it, it was already afternoon. When she finally realized how much time had passed, she felt a pang of annoyance—this man had a way of making her let her guard down far too easily.
The following day, Chu Yu resolved to stay vigilant, but once their official business concluded, she found herself forgetting her caution once again.
After several days of this, Chu Yu began to feel reluctant about conversing with Wei Yun.
It was then that she finally received a reply from Wei Yun at the frontlines. In his lengthy letter, he assured her that Gongsun Lan was trustworthy and could be relied upon completely. Frowning, Chu Yu studied the letter for a long while before looking up and asking Wanyue, "How long does it usually take for the Marquis to reply to letters?"
"At most, three days."
"And this time?"
"Nearly eight days."
Chu Yu fell silent. She tapped the table, flipped through the paper, and then bent down to sniff it lightly.
The paper carried a faint floral scent. The Northern Border was known for its simplicity—paper was just paper. Only in places like Hua Jing, with its refined tastes, would paper merchants deliberately infuse their products with unique fragrances to distinguish their origins.
A sense of unease crept over her. She handed the paper to Changyue and said, "Find out which papermaker produces this scent."
As Changyue left to carry out her orders, Chu Yu reclined on the long chair, resting her chin on her hand. Slowly, she murmured, "Wanyue, don’t you think there’s something strange about all this?"
"What does the Madam find strange?"
Wanyue massaged Chu Yu’s shoulders as the latter frowned in thought. "This Gongsun Lan... don’t you think he’s a bit too odd?"
"What about him strikes the Madam as odd?"
"Well..."
Chu Yu opened her mouth, suddenly recalling his smiling words from days before: "What if I said I like you—and meant it?" The words caught in her throat, and she pressed her lips together, ultimately keeping them unspoken.
She felt as though she had returned to her twelve-year-old self, harboring a secret in her heart for the first time. Like a young girl, she carried emotions she couldn’t voice aloud.Back then, her heart had been set on Gu Chusheng, but now it seemed she had encountered someone as fiery as flames.
She turned to look out the window when she heard an announcement outside—Wei Yun had arrived punctually as he did every day. He carried a bouquet of flowers and bowed respectfully to Chu Yu. From behind the screen, Chu Yu acknowledged him and watched as he stood up and walked to an empty corner of the room, placing the fresh flowers in a vacant vase.
"These flowers were blooming so beautifully along the way that I thought of you," he said.
Then he turned, his face obscured by the screen, yet she could almost sense his gentle smile as he added, "You'll see them properly later."
The words to send him away died on her lips. As she observed his tall figure outside, she felt it would be too harsh to dismiss him after he had brought flowers.
Lately, Wei Yun visited daily, always bringing a fresh bouquet along with little trinkets he had spotted during the day and decided to buy for her.
None of these gifts were extravagant—just small things he picked up on a whim. Though Chu Yu had refused them many times, Wei Yun always found a way to make her accept them.
The room gradually filled with these little keepsakes, and even Jiang Chun had caught wind of it. Occasionally, when she visited, she would tease, "Had I known Gongsun Mr. had such intentions, I wouldn’t have mentioned Gu Chusheng to him."
"What difference would it make?"
Chu Yu chuckled. "You and Mother-in-law overthink things. I’m perfectly content at Wei Manor—why trouble yourselves?"
"A Yu," Jiang Chun took her hand and sighed. "You’re still young. You don’t yet understand what it means to have a child. Being a mother—it’s its own kind of happiness."
Chu Yu fell silent, her gaze dropping to Jiang Chun’s hand clasping hers.
The feeling of motherhood?
She knew it.
She had once given her life to bear a child, had once seen him as her light. But later, she realized—no one in this world could truly be your light except yourself.
Not a husband. Not a child.
Only dreams and passion could endure through life.
Yet Jiang Chun’s words stirred something within her. She recalled the days when she carried Gu Yanqing, filled with hope—she had been happy then.
Her lashes lowered as something quietly shifted in her heart. In her past life, she had been blind and miserable. But in this life… if she found the right person, could she live as an ordinary woman, bearing children and raising a family?
"You’re not wrong…" she said hesitantly. "Just… not with Gu Chusheng."
After all, she had already spent a lifetime trying with him.
Seeing Chu Yu’s resistance, Jiang Chun considered carefully before suggesting, "Then… what about Gongsun Lan?"
Chu Yu didn’t respond. Taking her silence as a lack of refusal, Jiang Chun pressed on, "Gongsun Lan’s status may be humble, but his character is upright, and with Xiao Qi’s support in the future—"
"Let’s talk about it later." Chu Yu’s thoughts drifted to that letter bearing the scent of Hua Jing, stirring a faint unease in her.
"It’s your life, after all," Jiang Chun sighed, then remembered something else. "Lately, Gu Chusheng has been insisting on seeing you—"
"Refuse him."
"Gongsun Mr. already has."
At this, Jiang Chun laughed. "Well, that suits your wishes perfectly."In this dazed state, several more days passed. Zhao Yue had confined the Wang Family in the capital and issued a nationwide warrant for Wang He and Wang Zhi. The Northern Border was still in a standoff with Sucha, who once again sent envoys via official channels to deliver a peace proposal to Hua Jing.
Around this time, The Eldest Princess in the palace had also recovered significantly. Coinciding with her birthday, Zhao Yue organized a small palace banquet and invited Chu Yu and others.
Wei Yun, uneasy about Chu Yu entering the palace alone, had his informants deliver a message to The Eldest Princess, securing a separate invitation for himself. That night, Wei Yun and Chu Yu arrived at the palace in separate carriages, one after the other.
The banquet was modest, attended only by those familiar with The Eldest Princess. Zhao Yue and The Eldest Princess sat at the head of the hall, while Chu Yu and Wei Yun were seated to the left. Directly opposite them on the right sat Gu Chusheng.
Dressed in red robes, Gu Chusheng knelt quietly in his place, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Chu Yu from the moment he took his seat. He appeared much thinner, his expression weary. Chu Yu, noticing his state, was momentarily taken aback before turning away to sip her wine. Gu Chusheng smiled faintly but remained silent.
Shortly after the banquet began, Zhao Yue encouraged everyone to enjoy themselves. Gu Chusheng picked up his wine cup and stood, only to see Chu Yu summoned by The Eldest Princess. Holding his cup, he hesitated, then sat back down.
Zhao Yue descended from the dais and approached Gu Chusheng. "Minister Gu seems rather downcast?"
"Your Majesty jests," Gu Chusheng replied calmly. "I’ve merely been resting poorly of late."
"Is that so?" Zhao Yue nodded, eyeing him before sighing. "Chusheng, we are brothers. Why stand on ceremony?"
Gu Chusheng looked up at him. Zhao Yue glanced toward Chu Yu and chuckled. "Is it truly so difficult to speak a few words with Madam Wei?"
"Your Majesty," Gu Chusheng said evenly, "this is my own affair."
Zhao Yue said nothing, merely patting Gu Chusheng’s shoulder before rising. Gu Chusheng remained seated as familiar ministers took turns toasting him. Without hesitation, he downed each cup in one go, his manner bold and unrestrained.
After an indeterminate number of drinks, a sudden shriek drew everyone’s attention. A palace maid was seen kneeling beside Chu Yu, kowtowing repeatedly.
Chu Yu looked down at the wine spilled on her clothes and smiled helplessly. She gestured for the maid to rise. "Don’t be afraid. It’s nothing serious."
With that, she stood and excused herself to The Eldest Princess, heading out to change in a side chamber. Gu Chusheng gripped his cup, took a deep breath, and finally stood to follow. The moment he rose, Zhao Yue approached Wei Yun.
"Gongsun Mr.," Zhao Yue raised his cup. "I have many questions about the border."
Wei Yun was momentarily taken aback by Zhao Yue’s sudden appearance but nodded. "I shall answer all I know."
Accompanied by attendants, Chu Yu went to the side chamber. When she emerged after changing, she found the waiting maids had vanished.
Frowning, she called out, "Is anyone there?"
No response came. Instinctively, Chu Yu slid a dagger into her sleeve, scanning her surroundings warily. She took a step forward and heard the crunch of leaves from the bamboo grove beyond the corridor.
Whirling around, she raised her voice. "Who’s there?!"No sooner had the words left her lips than she spotted the approaching figure.
The man made no attempt to conceal himself, standing boldly amidst the bamboo grove. Perched on a bamboo stalk with arms crossed, his wide crimson robes draped at his sides while the golden crown atop his head shimmered under the moonlight.
His expression was calm, yet carried an indescribable gloom. Seeing Gu Chusheng like this, Chu Yu was abruptly reminded of that man from her past life—the Chief Grand Secretary who had crippled her martial arts and confined her in Qianyang for six years.
Her dagger-holding hand trembled slightly as she mustered the courage to meet Gu Chusheng's gaze steadily, forcing herself to remain composed. "Minister Gu," she said evenly, "what brings you here?"
"What are you afraid of?"
Gu Chusheng chuckled lightly. Unable to bear his direct gaze, Chu Yu averted her eyes and replied calmly, "I don't understand what you mean, Minister Gu."
"You clutch the dagger in your sleeve when frightened, your right shoulder drops slightly lower than your left, and you look away rather than meet the eyes of whoever scares you."
As he spoke, Gu Chusheng emerged from the shadows. Bathed in moonlight, he approached Chu Yu, hands clasped at his chest as he bent slightly forward. His smiling face loomed close as he stared at her. "Madam Wei, what about me frightens you so?"
"Have I ever harmed you? Have I ever wronged you?" His voice was gentle. "I only rejected you once, but haven't I made up for it since? I waited a whole day for you before leaving for Kunyang County, and after arriving, I fought desperately to return for your sake. For whom did I risk Yao Yong's wrath to ally with the Wei family? For whom did I journey alone to Phoenix Mausoleum? And for whom did I maintain neutrality between the Weis and Zhao Yue?" His voice suddenly rose sharply as he slammed his hand against the wall beside Chu Yu. "Madam Wei, why in blazes should you fear me?!"
"Gu Chusheng." The man's proximity made Chu Yu tremble slightly. This nighttime version of Gu Chusheng sent memories flooding back uncontrollably. Suppressing her emotions, she said calmly, "Compose yourself."
"You allied with the Weis because you needed Wei Yun's help to secure your position as Director of the Ministry of Gold."
In her past life he'd done the same, only earlier this time.
"You came to Phoenix Mausoleum to avoid the conflict between Wei Yun and Zhao Yue. While my existence did factor into your decisions, Gu Chusheng, I've made myself perfectly clear—crystal clear—about where we stand."
Chu Yu raised her eyes to meet his, speaking slowly: "Your neutrality between Wei Yun and Zhao Yue wasn't for my sake either. As Zhao Yue's benefactor who also aided the Weis, neither side would pressure you to choose. You've calculated every move precisely, Gu Chusheng. Why pin all your motives on me?"
Gu Chusheng remained silent, breathing heavily as he stared at Chu Yu. "How can you think that way?" he finally rasped.
The stench of alcohol assaulted her senses. Chu Yu wrinkled her nose as she detected tears in his voice: "This is how you see me? After all these years, even a stone heart would have softened. Tell me—where have I failed you? I've waited and watched over you all this time. If you can't love me, fine—but how could you love someone else?!"Chu Yu was momentarily stunned as Gu Chusheng gripped her chin, raising his voice: "What kind of thing is that Gongsun Lan to dare compete with me?! Chu Yu, listen well," he spoke through gritted teeth, enunciating each word: "You are mine. In this life, the last life, the next life—in every lifetime, you are Gu Chusheng’s wife."
"You can’t leave me…" His hand trembled slightly as Chu Yu lifted her gaze to meet his.
"Let go." Her voice was calm. "If we fight here, neither of us will look good."
Gu Chusheng said nothing, slowly smiling instead.
"You’d raise a hand against me? Do you plan to hit me or kill me?" His eyes held a wolf-like madness. Before Chu Yu could react, he seized her chin with one hand, wrapped the other tightly around her, and pressed his lips fiercely against hers.
Chu Yu struggled violently, but Gu Chusheng’s mouth claimed hers, soft and unyielding.
Twenty-five years.
Tears slid down Gu Chusheng’s face. To kiss her like this again—for him, it had been a full twenty-five years.
But before that tenderness could even reach her heart, Gu Chusheng felt a sharp gust of wind beside him. A searing pain exploded across his face as someone grabbed him and slammed him to the ground!
Then a clear, youthful voice roared in fury, carrying a northern accent utterly foreign to Hua Jing—
"Gu Chusheng, I’ll fucking kill you!"
Author’s Note: Revised a few sections:
Changed Wei Yun’s time on the battlefield from 3 to 4 years. He is now 19.
Added a burned human skin mask beneath Wei Yun’s white jade mask, shown to Zhao Yue during their meeting.
Liu Xueyang and Jiang Chun lament Gongsun Lan’s lowly status, continuing to push for Gu Chusheng and Chu Yu’s match and even asking Wei Yun for his opinion—triggering Wei Yun’s jealousy.
Removed Wei Yun’s jealous "domineering CEO" moment, replacing it with Gu Chusheng’s jealous forced kiss and subsequent beating.
Added foreshadowing where Chu Yu senses something off about Gongsun Lan and sends someone to investigate.
Recommend rereading chapters 95–98, but it’s fine to continue after noting these changes.
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