“What’s the situation between the Princess Royal and Zhao Yue?”
Yu Ru frowned, “If you want us to find her, you should at least give us some background.”
“Do you two know that thirty years ago, before the Great Ancestor ascended to the throne, the Prince of Qin and the Great Ancestor were close friends? Later, the Prince of Qin was demoted and sent away from the capital. Coincidentally, Zhao Yue was born at that time, so from birth, he lived in the Li family. The Princess Royal was only five years old then and took great care of him. It can be said that Zhao Yue was raised by the Princess Royal.”
Wei Yun and Yu Ru nodded. These past events weren’t secrets, and they had heard most of it before.
“Later, during the power struggle, Zhao Yue lost his position as the Crown Prince. The Princess Royal went to a Taoist temple to avoid being pressured into marriage. Zhao Yue, in a fit of anger, left Tai’an, and his whereabouts became unknown. But in fact, he didn’t go far. He went to the Taoist temple to find the Princess Royal and stayed by her side under the guise of a servant.”
“He stayed until the Great Ancestor ascended the throne and the Princess Royal became a princess. To stabilize various factions, the Princess Royal married Mei Hanxue, the eldest son of the Mei family. At that time, Zhao Yue was only twelve years old. On the night of the Princess Royal’s wedding, he returned to Tai’an.”
“After returning to Tai’an, with the help of the Li family, he regained his position as the Crown Prince of Qin. Shortly after, just as the Princess had become pregnant, Mei Hanxue died on the battlefield. From then on, the Princess remained a widow, while the Prince of Qin cut off contact with Huajing.”
“Later, the Prince of Qin plotted a rebellion, and Zhao Yue was implicated. The Princess came to my father for help. With the Princess Royal’s assistance, the Gu family risked everything to protect Zhao Yue. Zhao Yue changed his identity and stayed by the Princess’s side as a male companion, changing his name to Xue Hanmei.”
“Zhao Yue was naturally gentle and indifferent to worldly affairs, and he didn’t have strong feelings for the Prince of Qin. So the Princess always thought that this matter had ended there, and the grudge between the Zhao and Li families had stopped with them. Who knew that Zhao Yue had been actively contacting the Wang and Xie families, and during the national turmoil, he seized the opportunity, reclaimed Yao Yong, and invaded Huajing while you were guarding Tian Shou Pass.
Emperor Chunde committed suicide when he entered the city, and the Princess Royal was imprisoned in the harem by him. After he ascended the throne, the Princess Royal was given the title of Imperial Concubine Mei, becoming the only concubine in the harem. To stabilize Yao Yong, Zhao Yue also discussed marriage with him, but Zhao Yue told me that Yao Yong must die, and only Imperial Concubine Mei could obtain the position of Empress.”
“So, what does this have to do with us finding the Princess Royal?”
Wei Yun was sorting out the relationship between Zhao Yue and the Princess Royal. Although Gu Chusheng only stated the objective facts that had already happened, the love and hatred entangled within were not difficult to guess.
Zhao Yue’s unattainable desire for the Princess Royal, starting from his youth, when one yearns for something for too long, becomes an obsession.
“The Princess Royal is a person who loves and hates clearly,” Gu Chusheng lowered his eyes. “She won’t simply let go of the grudge of her brother’s murder. If you find her, she will surely help you. And her bond with Zhao Yue is too deep. Zhao Yue is rational and calm. If you want him to agree to something he doesn’t intend to, no one but the Princess Royal can accomplish it.”
After Gu Chusheng finished speaking, all three fell silent. Wei Yun tapped the table slowly and said, “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What position do you hold in all this?” Wei Yun stared at him. “When Zhao Yue attacked Huajing, I once asked you to guard Huajing, but you went to Fengling City instead. Was it because you knew Zhao Yue was going to make a move? At that time, were you on Zhao Yue’s side?”
Gu Chusheng didn’t speak. Wei Yun continued, “And now you come to tell us all this, are you telling us to go against Zhao Yue? What do you mean?”
The night was very quiet. You could hear the cicadas chirping outside. The cool breeze carried the fragrance of flowers into the room. Gu Chusheng looked up and fixed his gaze on Yu Ru. “The Gu family has always followed the bloodline of Emperor Yuan, which is the orthodox imperial lineage. That’s why my father risked his life to protect Zhao Yue back then, and I inherited my father’s will to save Zhao Yue.”
“But I never thought that Zhao Yue would have thoughts of revenge. When I met him at the Princess Royal’s mansion, he left the mansion to discuss matters with the Wang and Xie families, which I noticed. The Princess Royal almost discovered it that night, but I helped him cover it up. Therefore… the Princess Royal couldn’t detect his plan in time.”
At this point, Gu Chusheng’s eyes couldn’t help but show some emotion.
When Zhao Yue unexpectedly died of illness years ago, he had also been suspicious. After entering the Princess Royal’s mansion in this life, he knew that Zhao Yue didn’t die of illness by accident back then. It was clearly because the Princess Royal had detected Zhao Yue’s plot in advance and killed him swiftly, then claimed he died of illness.
Because of his intervention, Zhao Yue didn’t die.
“He could endure for so many years, he’s no ordinary person. If you oppose him, it will be difficult,” Gu Chusheng looked up at Wei Yun. ” I don’t care what happens to you. If you die, I would regret it, regret that our Great Chu lost a famous general, but it would only be regret and nothing more. But I can’t stand to see the Wei family fall.”
Gu Chusheng didn’t say the rest, but everyone present understood his meaning.
If the Wei family fell, it would implicate Yu Ru. As long as Yu Ru didn’t leave the Wei family, Gu Chusheng wouldn’t watch the Wei family fall.
It should have been good intentions, but hearing these words, Wei Yun felt a deep sense of humiliation. He coldly looked at Gu Chusheng, who met his gaze. After a long while, Wei Yun stood up, “Lord Gu, let’s discuss the rest outside.”
“That was my intention.”
Gu Chusheng also stood up and left with Wei Yun. Yu Ru watched their receding figures, slightly frowning, but remained silent as she turned her head and took a sip of tea.
Gu Chusheng wasn’t a reckless person, and Wei Yun only appeared rash.
After finishing her tea, she stood up, got into bed, and covered herself with the blanket, closing her eyes.
On the other side, as soon as Gu Chusheng and Wei Yun entered Wei Yun’s room, Wei Yun suddenly turned around and stared fiercely at Gu Chusheng.
Seeing his gaze, Gu Chusheng smiled lightly.
“What is the young Marquis angry about?”
“In the future,” he began coldly, “stay away from my sister-in-law.”
Hearing these words, coldness flashed in Gu Chusheng’s eyes, though his face still wore a smile.
“Shouldn’t you be saying those words to yourself?”
“Late at night, a man and a woman alone together, in a compromising situation. She’s always been casual about male-female boundaries. Hasn’t the century-old noble Wei family taught you propriety and shame?!”
“Has the Gu family taught you that?!”
Wei Yun sneered, “Gu Chusheng, you know your despicable tactics better than I do. My sister-in-law is the Wei family’s main madam. Even if she were to remarry, it would be through proper matchmaking and a formal wedding. How dare you, a mere Director of the Ministry of Revenue, entangle her like this?”
“Remarry?” Gu Chusheng’s voice was full of meaning, “Would you let her remarry?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. He looked at Gu Chusheng, whose gaze was too sharp, like a knife or sword, piercing straight into his heart.
He mocked, he sneered, and although he didn’t speak, Wei Yun felt that every look of his was full of contempt.
“Wei Yun,” he slowly opened his mouth, his expression cold, “Can you face your brother?”
Wei Yun slowly clenched his fists. Gu Chusheng walked towards him, “She’s your sister-in-law. Aren’t your thoughts about her despicable?”
As he spoke, Gu Chusheng stopped in front of him.
He was very close to him, face to face, within arm’s reach. Neither of them yielded or retreated.
Gu Chusheng was about the same height as him. His beautiful eyes curved slightly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes, “When you think about it yourself, don’t you feel disgusted?”
“Why should I feel disgusted?”
Wei Yun met his gaze, speaking slowly and clearly, “I like her. Why should I feel disgusted?”
“You dare to say it!”
“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Wei Yun looked at him, Yu Ru’s image flashing through his mind. He felt as if he had found some kind of strength. He slowly calmed down and looked at Gu Chusheng seriously.
He had never said these words to anyone before, but now that he said them out loud, he found that it wasn’t… so terrifying after all.
He repeated seriously, “I like her. I like her very much.”
“I haven’t done anything against heaven or earth. I haven’t hurt anyone. I like someone, I keep her in my heart. What’s wrong with that?”
“But she’s your sister-in-law.”
“So what?!” Wei Yun raised his voice, “My brother is gone. One day she will like someone else too. If she’s destined to like someone, why can’t that person be me?”
“It won’t be you!”
Gu Chusheng felt a taste of blood rising. He spoke decisively, but looking at the clear eyes of the young man in front of him, he felt afraid.
He wasn’t that certain.
He had always known Wei Yun was outstanding, or rather, the Wei family people, with their noble character, were all beings that Yu Ru admired.
Wei Jun from his previous life was a thorn in his heart. He would always wonder if Wei Jun hadn’t died back then, if Yu Ru had married Wei Jun, would she still like him?
Every time he thought about it, he needed Yu Ru to prove it once.
Facing the Wei family, facing Wei Yun, he had that bit of inferiority in his bones.
He didn’t have this person’s upright and open-minded nature, nor his generous tolerance. He knew clearly what he had and didn’t have, and he also knew clearly what kind of person Yu Ru was.
If the Wei Yun from his previous life had been half-ruined by the world, then the young man standing in front of him now, with his resolute and clear expression, was the existence that he knew Yu Ru wanted most.
But he couldn’t say it. He looked at Wei Yun’s gaze, clenched his fists, and forced himself, “She likes me, since that year when she was twelve…”
“And it ended when she was fifteen.”
Wei Yun spoke calmly, “Gu Chusheng, she doesn’t like you anymore. She has started a new life. If you truly love her, if you want to be good to her, let her go.”
“So it’s convenient for you, is that it?”
Gu Chusheng spoke mockingly. Wei Yun was silent for a moment, and finally said, “Gu Chusheng, being loved by you is painful.”
Gu Chusheng was slightly stunned. Wei Yun put his hand on his heart, “I like her, I keep her in my heart, I protect her, I pursue her. But I don’t force her.”
“I hope she lives well, lives happily. If a world without me is better for her,” Wei Yun felt that saying these words made his heart ache sharply, but he still spoke hoarsely, “then I can let go. Love is tolerance, it’s sacrifice, it’s letting go, it’s understanding. It’s not that you like her, so no matter what, she should belong to you.”
“What do you understand?” Gu Chusheng spoke tremblingly. He could no longer control himself. These words seemed like knives and axes chopping at his heart. Even his voice carried a tremor, “How long have you liked her? How much have you done for her? Wei Yun, let me tell you, your love isn’t worth much. Do you know why you like her? It’s not because she’s so good, it’s because you’re young.”
“Have you seen the outside world? How many women have you seen? How many people have been good to you? You’re just, at a time when you have nothing, you happen to meet someone who is wholeheartedly good to you, so you desperately want to hold onto her. How can you love this person? What you love is that softness in your heart, what you love is that she just happens to fill that softness in your heart.”
As Gu Chusheng spoke, what echoed in his mind was his younger self.
Which love isn’t mixed with all kinds of emotions? He was talking about Wei Yun, but wasn’t he, back then, also falling in love from the moment the woman’s sword lifted the carriage curtain in the night rain?
But he didn’t understand, he didn’t know, so he was jealous. How could this person understand so much earlier than himself back then?
So he grabbed his weak point and said coldly, “Wei Yun, do you believe that if you just separate from her for five years, if you just meet a few more women who are good to you, you’ll find that this feeling of yours is just the thrill of youthful infatuation. For her, you have respect, gratitude, even youthful desire, and pity, but this isn’t love.”
“Feelings that aren’t love, this is an insult.”
These words made Wei Yun slightly stunned. Gu Chusheng saw his daze and slowly said in a hoarse voice, “Young Marquis Wei…”
His voice carried a plea, “I’ve liked this person for too many years.”
A full thirty-two years.
He spent twelve years liking her, and twenty years knowing that he liked her.
“I’ve met many people, I’ve walked many paths and finally determined that I truly love her. How can feelings be so simple? You’re still so young, how do you know that you truly like her?”
“She has always been a timid and weak person, but when she decides to like someone, she’ll give him everything, wholeheartedly devoted. If she gives her all, and you only then realize that this was just your youthful impulse, could you bear it?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. After a long while, he reminded him, “Gu Chusheng, you’re only two years older than me.”
Gu Chusheng didn’t speak. His face was full of tears.
Wei Yun’s gaze made him slowly come to his senses. He laughed, “Yes, so I don’t know, and neither do you.”
“Wei Yun,” he spoke calmly, “Let’s agree.”
Wei Yun remained silent and calm. Gu Chusheng slowly said, “I know you’re going to the northern border, and I also know that you’re going to plan the Wei family’s way out there. During your time at the northern border, I won’t pursue her. I’ll only do my duty, risking my life in Huajing to keep her safe.”
“And you, just do your duty too.”
Wei Yun looked at the man in front of him without speaking. He picked up his wine cup and calmly said, “Alright.”
“The northern border is not peaceful, the country is not stable. I’m just your ally, Gu Chusheng.”
Gu Chusheng poured himself a drink and raised his cup towards Wei Yun. “When you return to the south, let us rely on our abilities. May we achieve a prosperous and peaceful era…”
Wei Yun understood Gu Chusheng’s intention. She clinked her cup against his, meeting his gaze, her voice like pearls striking porcelain. “I pledge my heart and the promise of a great land.”
With that, the two raised their cups and drained their drinks in unison.