As the sound faded, Wei Yun swiftly withdrew his long spear. His opponent coughed up blood and slumped against the tree.
Wei Yun hadn’t come alone. By the time he finished dealing with the young man, the situation was under control. Holding his spear, Wei Yun turned and hurried to Chu Yu, asking urgently, “Are you alright?”
“Hm?” Chu Yu sheathed her sword and looked back, somewhat puzzled. “I wasn’t injured. Why wouldn’t I be alright?”
Hearing this, Wei Yun finally relaxed. Someone helped Gu Chusheng walk over, and Wei Yun turned to examine him.
Gu Chusheng wore a water-blue robe, now stained with dirt and blood. The jade crown in his hair had fallen during the fight, leaving him looking somewhat disheveled. However, his face remained composed, his eyes clear. As he approached Wei Yun, he carried himself with an air that Wei Yun had only seen in seasoned politicians like Grand Tutor Xie, who had spent years navigating the imperial court.
From this first encounter, Wei Yun felt cautious.
Gu Chusheng was also sizing up Wei Yun.
He remembered meeting Wei Yun in his previous life, though it should have been a bit earlier than now. In that life, without Chu Yu, Wei Yun had gone straight to the battlefield after leaving the imperial prison. By then, Bai City had fallen, and he was holding Kunyang alone. The young man had arrived with troops in the night, riding up to the city gate. Looking up at him on the city wall, Wei Yun had said coldly, “Wei Yun of the Wei family, here by order to defend the city.”
The intensity of the young man’s aura had been so strong that even after thirty years, the memory remained vivid.
Yet the Wei Yun before him now was entirely different.
Wei Yun’s features hadn’t changed much, but the fierce aura from his past life was completely gone. Standing beside Chu Yu, in white clothes with his silver spear, he was as straight as a pine or bamboo, his smile as bright as the moon and as refreshing as the wind.
He bowed to Gu Chusheng, saying sincerely, “Lord Gu, you’ve had a difficult journey. I apologize for arriving late and causing you alarm.”
Given their current positions, this was considered quite courteous. Gu Chusheng hurriedly returned the bow, saying respectfully, “Young Marquis, you flatter me. I was pursued and attacked, yet I’ve involved you in this matter. It’s my fault.”
“This Marquis understands the situation clearly,” Wei Yun said, glancing around with a composed expression. “However, we shouldn’t linger here. Please mount your horse, Lord Gu. We’ll discuss the details further once we reach Huajing.”
Hearing this, Gu Chusheng didn’t hesitate. After nodding, the three of them quickly mounted their horses and rode towards Huajing.
Wei Yun entrusted Gu Chusheng to Wei Qiu and others to look after, while he and Chu Yu led the group at the front.
Wei Yun rode close to Chu Yu, examining her once more. He asked again, “Sister-in-law, are you truly unharmed?”
“I’m fine,” Chu Yu smiled. “You arrived before the real fight even started. I didn’t even break a sweat.”
Hearing this, a faint smile appeared in Wei Yun’s eyes. “Sister-in-law, you’re being overconfident. The one who came today was Zhang Cheng, the Golden Blade from the Northern Desert. If you had faced him, you might have been at a disadvantage.”
Wei Yun was being honest, and Chu Yu understood. Against someone with such innate strength, she indeed wouldn’t have much of a chance. She glanced at Wei Yun, somewhat puzzled, and asked, “I had just sent someone to report. How did you arrive so quickly?”
“Two days ago, when sister-in-law said you had reached Tianshou Pass, I started counting the days. I calculated that you should be around here today, so I came to check.”
Wei Yun spoke casually, but his simple words were full of concern.
To have been counting the days from two days ago, he must have been worried for quite some time.
However, Wei Yun also knew that his clear knowledge of Chu Yu’s whereabouts wasn’t just out of concern. Since Chu Yu had been gone for over ten days, he realized he hadn’t been apart from her for so long since returning to Huajing.
Walking in the courtyard’s long corridor, he kept expecting to hear the soft sounds of Chu Yu teaching the young master martial arts. In the study, he found himself waiting to hear Wei Xia report that Chu Yu had arrived. Even during meals, he felt that Chu Yu should be sitting across from him, chatting cheerfully with Jiang Chun.
People say habits form over time. He had thought that after Chu Yu was gone for a few days, he would get used to it.
Instead, the longer Chu Yu was away, the more he thought about her. He even dreamed of her at night, seeing her in plain clothes, with a desolate expression, kneeling in a carriage and calmly calling out, “Lord Wei.”
In the dream, Chu Yu’s expression was lifeless, like a traveler who had reached a dead end after a long journey.
Seeing Chu Yu like this in the dream, his heart ached. He wanted to ask, “Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?” But then he would suddenly wake up to daylight.
As a result, he grew more anxious as he waited. When he learned that Chu Yu had reached Tianshou Pass, he came to meet her personally.
He wouldn’t mention these things, but even from these few words, Chu Yu felt warmth in her heart. She said gratefully, “It’s fortunate you came to meet me today. Otherwise, we might not have made it back before dawn.”
Wei Yun didn’t respond. He held the reins, looking ahead.
Chu Yu was a bit puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
“I was just thinking,” Wei Yun’s voice was somewhat stiff, “what if something had happened to sister-in-law today?”
“For such an unimportant matter to put sister-in-law at risk,” Wei Yun said rigidly, “how could I ever forgive myself?”
Chu Yu was slightly taken aback. She had insisted on coming, and she hadn’t handled it well. It was normal for Wei Yun to be upset.
She pressed her lips together and said, “I won’t be so reckless in the future. We should have gone straight to the capital today. It was my fault for not…”
Chu Yu’s voice trailed off. Wei Yun’s expression hadn’t changed, and Chu Yu realized that what Wei Yun cared about wasn’t whether she had handled this matter well or not, but the fact that she had been in danger, and that it could happen again.
Chu Yu couldn’t promise that she would never encounter danger again in this life. Born on the battlefield, who could guarantee anyone’s life or death?
They rode towards Huajing in silence, arriving at the Wei mansion early the next morning.
As soon as they entered the compound, Jiang Chun came to greet them with others, saying anxiously, “What happened? I received a message on the way saying to prepare a doctor…”
Saying this, Jiang Chun walked up to Chu Yu, holding her hand and looking her up and down with concern. “Are you alright?”
“It’s nothing,” Chu Yu waved her hand awkwardly. “We just encountered an ambush. I wasn’t injured.”
“Have a doctor examine Lord Gu,” Wei Yun said, handing his outer coat to a servant and taking off his shoes as he walked onto the long corridor. He ordered, “Also, find a female doctor to thoroughly examine the Madam.”
Hearing this, Chu Yu’s face showed some helplessness. Jiang Chun looked up at Chu Yu with some confusion. Chu Yu sighed, “Let him have his way. Just do as he says.”
Wei Yun paused for a moment, but finally went inside with a stern face.
Gu Chusheng was sent to the guest room. His injuries were more severe, so the best doctor in the Wei household was sent to attend to him.
After confirming that Chu Yu wasn’t really injured, Jiang Chun let her go to rest.
Chu Yu had been traveling for several days and felt quite tired. She returned to her room and fell asleep on the large bed without even bathing.
She slept until the afternoon. After waking up slowly, she asked for water to bathe. As she was washing herself in the water, she heard Wei Yun’s voice from outside: “Where is sister-in-law?”
“The Madam is still bathing,” Chang Yue respectfully replied from outside. “Please wait a moment, Young Marquis.”
Wei Yun didn’t respond immediately, seeming to be stunned. After a moment, Chu Yu heard him say, trying to sound composed but unable to hide his fluster, “Then I’ll wait for sister-in-law in the front hall.”
With that, he quickly turned and left.
The sound of his almost fleeing footsteps made Chu Yu laugh out loud.
She turned to look at Wan Yue, who was helping her wash, and said with a smile, “Am I that scary?”
“The Young Marquis is still young after all,” Wan Yue poured water over her, saying somewhat helplessly. “It’s only natural for him to be shy.”
“You know,” Chu Yu turned over, leaning on the edge of the bathtub, remembering the scene from Wei Jun’s wedding day, her eyes filled with warmth, “the men of the Wei family seem to get embarrassed easily. When Little Seven gets married in the future, will he also stammer, unable to say a word?”
“That’s a matter for the future,” Wan Yue sighed, pouring water over Chu Yu. “When the Young Marquis marries, you’ll have to make plans for yourself too. There can only be one Madam in the Wei household, after all. By then, you won’t be young anymore, and you should find your own path.”
“What path should I find for myself?” Chu Yu pretended not to understand Wan Yue’s words.
Wan Yue looked up at her. “You surely can’t spend your whole life alone. No matter what, you should at least have a child, right?”
Chu Yu didn’t respond.
The martial arts she practiced leaned towards the yin side. For normal people, this wouldn’t be an issue, but in her previous life, she had been injured several times. Combined with practicing the wrong techniques, her constitution had become extremely cold, making it difficult for her to conceive.
After much struggle, she finally managed to have a child, but in the end, that child recognized Chu Jin as their mother. Apart from the brief warmth during the ten months of pregnancy, all other memories of the child were rather unpleasant. Although she knew it wasn’t the child’s fault, she no longer had any expectations regarding children.
“It doesn’t matter,” she sighed. “I’m fine living on my own.”
“You’re speaking like a child,” Wan Yue said, somewhat helplessly. “When you’re older, you’ll understand the value of having children.”
Chu Yu didn’t respond. She vaguely recalled the feeling of watching her belly grow month by month when she was pregnant.
After a long while, she finally said, “If I meet the right person, we’ll see.”
Wan Yue didn’t pursue the topic further. She handed Chu Yu a towel to dry herself, helped her put on her clothes, applied some perfume, and dried her hair. Only then did Chu Yu head to the front hall.
When Chu Yu entered the front hall, Wei Yun was kneeling in his seat, lost in thought. As Chu Yu stepped into the room and called out, “Little Seven?”, he finally looked up, his gaze falling on Chu Yu as he nodded and said, “Sister-in-law.”
The winter wind was cold, and Chu Yu’s hair wasn’t completely dry, so she had come to the front hall with her hair down. Seeing Chu Yu with her hair loose, Wei Yun was momentarily stunned. He quickly ordered more charcoal to be added to the fire and asked Chang Yue to bring a towel. Frowning, he said to her, “Why didn’t you dry your hair before coming? Coming out with wet hair, aren’t you afraid of getting arthritis when you’re older?”
“How could I be so delicate?” Chu Yu smiled. “I knew you must have many questions, so I came to brief you on the situation first. My hair won’t dry quickly, and I still need to eat after this, so I came over first.”
Chu Yu was planning to dine with Jiang Chun and Liu Xueyang, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss these matters in front of them, so she had to speak with Wei Yun first.
Wei Yun had already ordered some snacks to be prepared. He said with some resignation, “I knew you’d want to eat something. Have some snacks to tide you over, and we can talk slowly.”
At this point, Chang Yue brought in a towel and handed it to Wan Yue, who knelt behind Chu Yu and carefully dried her hair.
Chu Yu began her account from her arrival in Kunyang, omitting the part about Gu Chusheng’s confession, and recounting everything that had happened to Wei Yun in detail. After listening to the whole story, Wei Yun tapped the table and said slowly, “It seems you were being watched from the moment you set out. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been so well-prepared.”
Chu Yu nodded in agreement. Wei Yun looked up at her and said, “There’s one more thing, if I may be so bold.”
Chu Yu was a bit puzzled. She looked into Wei Yun’s eyes and saw his calm gaze. “Wei Qiu told me that you and Gu Chusheng were alone in a room discussing important matters. May I ask what these important matters were?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Wei Yun regretted them.
He didn’t know why he had asked this question. It sounded rather unpleasant as if he were doubting Chu Yu. He didn’t doubt her, but not asking left him with an odd feeling nagging at his heart. After much consideration, he attributed this to his concern for Chu Yu. After all, Chu Yu’s marriage was something he needed to worry about; he couldn’t let her be deceived by just anyone.
Chu Yu looked at him quietly, noticing that Wei Yun had averted his gaze. She smiled gently and said, “Is the Marquis doubting me?”
“I’m not,” Wei Yun’s face instantly turned red. He hurriedly explained, somewhat childishly, “I was just asking. If you don’t want to say, that’s fine. I’m not forcing you to tell me anything. If you don’t say anything, what am I supposed to think?”
Seeing Wei Yun’s flushed face, Chu Yu felt relieved. She could guess Wei Yun’s intentions. Given Liu Xueyang’s personality, she must have asked Wei Yun to help find a suitable husband for her. Now that Wei Yun was asking about this, he probably misunderstood the situation between her and Gu Chusheng.
Gu Chusheng was a talented young man, always considered an excellent match by his parents – except for his father. But his father’s reason was that he didn’t think much of Gu Chusheng as a civil official, which had nothing to do with Gu Chusheng’s personal qualities or appearance. Chu Yu knew what kind of person Liu Xueyang wanted to find for her. If Wei Yun knew about Gu Chusheng’s intentions, he would likely tell Liu Xueyang, and when Gu Chusheng eventually rose to power, Liu Xueyang would probably try hard to match them.
Thinking it better to avoid complications, Chu Yu smiled and said, “As long as you’re not doubting me, it’s fine. He was quite suspicious and merely dismissed the servants to ask me about your plans. But you hadn’t told me any plans, so I just said I didn’t know, and that was the end of it.”
Wei Yun nodded silently, not asking any further questions.
But in his heart, he knew that Chu Yu wasn’t telling him the whole truth. He looked up at Chu Yu again.
It was already nighttime, and lamps had been lit in the room. The charcoal fire had been stoked a bit too much, causing everyone to break out in a light sweat, but Chu Yu still looked as fresh as jade.
In the candlelight, Chu Yu’s skin emitted a jade-like glow, smooth as a freshly peeled boiled egg. Just looking at it, one could imagine how it would feel to touch it.
Even more captivating than her jade-like skin was the graceful curve of her long neck, extending downwards.
A woman with her hair undone carried an air of languid charm, like a cat basking in the afternoon sun, elegant yet relaxed.
Without her usual dignity and distance, the person before him suddenly seemed within reach. All sorts of inexplicable thoughts rushed forth, only to be forcefully suppressed, struggling to overturn the mental barriers and unleash a tempest of emotions.
Wei Yun had only meant to glance casually at Chu Yu, but his gaze became fixed.
Chu Yu calmly drank her tea. Seeing that he hadn’t responded for a while, she frowned slightly, raised her teacup, and asked with confusion, “Little Seven?”
The woman’s soft voice calling his name suddenly jolted Wei Yun back to reality. He quickly composed himself, his back-breaking out in a cold sweat.
However, he maintained his outward composure and said slowly, “I suddenly remembered something else and got distracted.”
Chu Yu nodded, satisfied that Wei Yun was no longer pursuing her matters. She changed the subject: “Now that Gu Chusheng is here, how do you plan to accommodate him?”
“First, let him recover from his injuries,” Wei Yun said, gulping down a mouthful of tea. His eyes were fixed straight ahead at the main door, not daring to look at Chu Yu as he tried to calm himself. “I’ll go see him in a while, first ask about the situation, then make a decision.”
“That sounds good,” Chu Yu nodded. “Have you eaten yet?”
“I have,” Wei Yun said, staring straight ahead at the front hall, just wanting to leave as soon as possible.
He felt that at this moment, the entire atmosphere seemed somewhat off. He had always been sensitive, but today it was particularly acute. He felt that the air was filled with the scent of orchids, the fragrance Chu Yu usually wore. It now swirled around his nose, slowly seeping into his nostrils, making his heart feel restless.
Chu Yu didn’t notice Wei Yun’s discomfort. She nodded and said, “Then I’ll go to the dining hall to have dinner with Mother and Ah Chun. If you need to see Gu Chusheng, you can go ahead. I’ll take my leave now.”
Wei Yun lowered his eyes and let out a soft “Mm” from his nose.
Seeing that he had no other instructions, Chu Yu stood up and left with Chang Yue and Wan Yue.
Long after she had gone, when the sound of her footsteps had completely faded, Wei Yun slowly raised his eyes.
His gaze fell on the doorway as if he could still see her graceful silhouette in the moonlight.
Wei Xia asked with some confusion, “My Lord, what are you looking at?”
Wei Yun didn’t respond.
Wei Xia pressed, “My Lord?”
Wei Yun gathered his thoughts, stood up, and said calmly, “Let’s go see Gu Chusheng.”
Short Scene:
Wei Yun: Doctor, I have a strange illness.
Mo Shubai: Tell me about your symptoms.
Wei Yun: I’ve developed a strong dependence on someone. When I can’t see her, I worry about whether she’s eating well, sleeping well, if anyone is bullying her…
Mo Shubai: Do you also think she’s the most beautiful in the world, that everything she does is excellent, and that even reciting a poem makes her seem incredibly smart?
Wei Yun: Yes, yes, exactly these symptoms.
Mo Shubai: Don’t worry, my mother feels the same way about me.
Wei Yun: So my illness is…
Mo Shubai: The dependence of a loved one! The filter of a loved one! The love of a loved one!
Wei Yun: Oh, I see.
Mo Shubai: Chu Yu, why are you looking at me like that? If you have any objections, speak up.
Chu Yu: Oh, I have the same symptoms. Now that you’ve explained it, I understand. Thank you, doctor!
Mo Shubai: Mm, saving lives is my heavenly duty.
Gu Chusheng: Heh.
Mo Shubai: Gu Chusheng, what are you laughing at?
Gu Chusheng: Keep fooling them. Aren’t you just trying to create opportunities for me?
Mo Shubai: Gu Chusheng, when your delusional narcissism is cured, I’ll let you out. For now, come here and get another acupuncture treatment.