Wei Yun spoke these words as if they were the most natural thing in the world, but Chu Yu was taken aback. Wei Yun stood up and began searching for clothes for her, saying as he looked, “Let’s get up and have a meal first. Gu Chusheng has already told me about the situation in the city. He said you have a way to make others contribute grain as well. What’s your plan?”
“Me?” Chu Yu lazily got up. Wei Yun draped an outer garment over her shoulders. She spread her arms, allowing Wei Yun to dress her without any hesitation, and said directly, “I’m not as clever as you all. If they don’t give it to me, I’ll just take it by force.”
“I thought you had some brilliant idea,” Wei Yun tied her sash, smiling helplessly. “With so many people, can you take from them all?”
“We don’t need to take from everyone,” Chu Yu said. “You, along with my brother and Song Shilan, should issue a document demanding that everyone send grain. Make it clear, naming names, and specifying how much each person should send. Don’t ask for too much grain; it should be just enough to ward off disaster without making them feel too much pain. Divide it into four rounds of delivery. For each round, attach a list specifying which people’s grain should be sent. Then set a rule: any lord who is the last to deliver or fails to deliver in their round, we’ll send troops to punish such unjust behavior. Don’t include too many people in the first round. I’ll take care of raiding those in the first round, and that should be enough.”
This wasn’t exactly a clever plan.
However, after some thought, Wei Yun realized it was probably the most direct and effective approach.
Among the current lords, he, Chu Lingyang, and Song Shilan had the most troops and provisions. If they joined forces, it would be a catastrophe for any other lord. They were like a sword hanging over these people’s heads. If they contributed grain, the sword wouldn’t fall; if they didn’t, although the sword couldn’t eliminate them all, most people wouldn’t dare to take that gamble. If they asked for too much grain, some might still take the risk, but if the amount was reasonable, more people would choose to pay to avoid trouble.
It was a game of strategy. In an individual’s game, there might be wins and losses, but in a group game, each person would choose the option most beneficial to themselves, ultimately resulting in the worst collective outcome.
As Wei Yun pondered Chu Yu’s words, she finished washing up and stood before him, saying somewhat embarrassedly, “Ahem, how long will we stay in Yuan City?”
“Not long,” Wei Yun reached out, naturally taking her hand, and turned to lead her slowly outside, his voice calm. “After settling things in Yuan City, we’ll prepare to attack Jiu City next. We also need to prepare for what’s to come. If we get the grain, Zhao Yue probably won’t give up so easily.”
“But Gu Chusheng said…”
“He’s already here now,” Wei Yun shook his head. “From the moment he hijacked the grain and came to Yuan City, he became a disposable piece for Zhao Yue.”
“It’s just that he still needs to use him,” Wei Yun chuckled lightly. “Right now, Hua Jing is full of Zhao Yue’s people. Zhao Yue doesn’t dare let Gu Chusheng leave freely. If there’s even the slightest chance of winning Gu Chusheng over, Zhao Yue won’t let it go.”
“So how do we handle Gu Chusheng now?” Chu Yu furrowed her brow. “He surrendered Yuan City, we can’t just let him return to the capital like this…”
“This morning during the attack, Gu Chusheng and I put on a show. Gu Chusheng didn’t surrender; instead, he had a subordinate open the city gates. He acted righteously, saying he would live and die with Yuan City. Now he’s being held as a prisoner by me. I’ll write a letter to Zhao Yue soon, asking him to exchange grain for this ‘loyal minister’.”
“How could Zhao Yue possibly make that exchange?” Chu Yu laughed. Wei Yun smiled lightly, “Gu Chusheng himself wrote a letter too, a heart-wrenching loyal minister’s blood letter that would move anyone to tears. If Zhao Yue doesn’t rescue him, it’ll be another stain on his reputation. Even if he can’t get the grain, at least he’ll be criticized.”
“You two are really…” Chu Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She suddenly felt that Wei Yun and Gu Chusheng were indeed the most difficult to deal with. She might just use weapons, but these people could turn words into knives, stripping away layers before piercing through with their white horses and silver spears.
Hand in hand, they arrived at the main hall where Gu Chusheng was handling official business while waiting for them. When he looked up and saw their joined hands, he paused for a moment, pressing his lips together. After a while, he lowered his head and continued looking at his documents.
The papers listed the medicines in short supply. He had visited Wei Qingping earlier that morning and seen people crying and wailing. These words on paper represented real lives. At the sight of these characters, any jealousy or resentment was suppressed, and he quickly calmed down, discussing with his subordinates what needed to be done.
Wei Yun led Chu Yu to sit down and respectfully called out, “Lord Gu.”
Gu Chusheng gave his subordinate a final instruction, put down the scroll, looked up, and nodded slightly to Wei Yun, “Prince Wei.”
“I just discussed the matter of borrowing grain with Miss Chu, and we might need Lord Gu’s help with some things,” Wei Yun said, quickly explaining Chu Yu’s idea before continuing, “I’d like to consult with Lord Gu about how to determine how much and what type of grain to borrow from each place, given their different grain production capabilities?”
Having served as the Minister of Revenue for many years and long managed matters related to people’s livelihoods, Gu Chusheng was most familiar with the tax and grain production capabilities of various regions. He nodded and said, “I will compile the information as soon as possible. However, who should lead the troops for this matter?”
They needed someone who could borrow troops from Song Shilan and Chu Lingyang while being able to move around flexibly…
As everyone was thinking, they heard the soft sound of a cup being set down. Chu Yu smiled and said, “Me.”
The two men fell silent. After a moment, Gu Chusheng hesitantly said, “It’s a rather laborious task after all…”
“Lord Gu’s words are not quite appropriate,” Chu Yu smiled. “In life, with great power comes great responsibility. How can there be gains without labor? Wanting freedom, power, and respect without being willing to put in effort – how could there be such a good thing?”
“I’m happy to do what I can,” Chu Yu said gently, her hand unconsciously touching the dagger at her waist. “I feel that this way, I’m not wasting this life.”
Gu Chusheng didn’t speak. He just quietly looked at her.
He observed the scattered light on Chu Yu, feeling something intangible surrounding him. Wei Yun quietly sipped his tea and slowly said, “I’ll write to Brother Chu and Brother Shilan right away. I’ll have the grain requisition document ready today. When can Lord Gu have the numbers calculated?”
Gu Chusheng narrowed his eyes, “By noon tomorrow.”
Wei Yun nodded and cupped his hands, “Huai Yu will respectfully await.”
Hearing this name, Gu Chusheng paused slightly. He opened his mouth, but after a long while, he said nothing more and lowered his head, “If there’s nothing else, Your Highness should go attend to matters. Yuan City is still in chaos, I’m afraid you have much to busy yourself with.”
Wei Yun acknowledged, bid farewell to Gu Chusheng, and stood up. Turning to Chu Yu, he asked, “How does Miss Chu plan to arrange her schedule today?”
“I’ll stay and help Lord Gu,” Chu Yu hesitated for a moment. Wei Yun lowered his eyes but didn’t say much, just nodding, “Then I’ll go attend to matters first.”
With that, he turned and left. Chu Yu went to Gu Chusheng’s side and patted his shoulder, saying, “I’m staying to help you, isn’t that loyal of me?”
Gu Chusheng looked up at her. He stared silently for a moment before finally saying, “Alright, bring over the scroll from the third row, the fourth column on the side…”
They worked on calculating grain amounts until late into the night without realizing it. When Chu Yu returned to her room, the lamps were lit, and Wei Yun was sitting inside, seriously writing something. Chu Yu walked behind him and saw the characters, each stroke filled with spirit and integrity.
He was writing the “Grain Requisition Document,” beginning with grand principles for the world, stirring one’s blood. It was hard to tell if this was his natural passion flowing onto the paper or if he was truly skilled in rhetoric.
Chu Yu stood quietly for a while before Wei Yun raised his hand to dip the brush in ink, noticing the shadow on the paper. His brush paused above the inkstone, and then he looked up, smiling, “You’re back?”
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Chu Yu sat down and began grinding ink for Wei Yun, looking at his writing, “My Huai Yu’s handwriting is truly beautiful.”
Wei Yun lowered his head and smiled, “I can’t still write like a child’s scrawl when meeting people.”
Hearing his words, Chu Yu looked up at him. The young man’s features were like brush strokes, their edges softened by the gentle lamplight, blending with the light, both gentle and bright. He noticed her gaze and looked up, saying, “Go to sleep. With you watching me like this, I can’t write anymore.”
“Then I won’t look at you,” Chu Yu quickly averted her gaze and stood up, taking a small book from the side. She leaned against Wei Yun’s leg, holding up the book, saying, “I’ll read and wait for you.”
Wei Yun hesitated for a moment, pressed his lips together, and said with suppressed amusement, “Alright.”
Chu Yu was tired too. After flipping through just a few pages, the book fell on her face with a “thud,” and she closed her eyes, falling asleep.
Wei Yun helplessly took the book away. The lamplight fell on Chu Yu’s face, making her frown uncomfortably. Wei Yun raised his hand to cover her eyes.
The warmth of his hand and the darkness calmed her down. Wei Yun continued writing the “Grain Requisition Document” while shielding her eyes. By the time he finished, who knows how much time had passed. Wei Yun looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms and finally couldn’t resist kissing her forehead. Then he carefully picked her up and carried her to the bed.
He tucked her in, lowered the bed curtains, and was about to leave when Chu Yu suddenly grabbed his sleeve, mumbling drowsily, “Sleep.”
Wei Yun hesitated for a moment but finally came back and properly got into bed. He lay flat beside her, and Chu Yu snuggled up to him, hanging onto him and muttering, “Why aren’t you hugging me?”
Wei Yun smiled helplessly, turned to his side, and pulled her into his arms, whispering, “Sleep.”
In her half-asleep, half-awake state, Chu Yu rested her head on Wei Yun’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, and slowly asked, “Huai Yu, what are you thinking?”
Why did he suddenly become so polite?
Why did he suddenly become so distant?
Chu Yu couldn’t quite understand. This sudden question startled her awake. She looked up at him in the darkness, searching for an answer.
Wei Yun’s hand stroked her hair. He looked down at her and said gently, “The night you left, I slept in your room and thought about many things. A Yu, I think you must have felt very wrong.”
Chu Yu was taken aback. Wei Yun’s expression carried a hint of bitterness, “I always said I wanted to give you the best in the world, but I often overlooked that you’re different from me. After all, you’re a girl. In many things, I was rash, ignorant, and impetuous.”
“Back then, I was always afraid you’d leave,” he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his voice strained. “I wanted to hold onto you so badly, I was too impatient. So I wanted to be connected with you forever, to do everything I could to be with you. I always thought there was nothing I couldn’t do well in this life, but after you left, I realized that you had been shielding me from many storms.”
“I…”
“I should have married you properly,” his voice trembled slightly. “I should have let you leave the Wei household openly, then followed the proper betrothal customs, with a grand wedding procession, and brought you back to my Wei household properly. I shouldn’t have allowed your reputation to be tarnished in the slightest, nor should I have been so ignorant and confused just because you indulged me.”
“I was always afraid that if you left the Wei household, you wouldn’t come back. I kept telling myself the timing wasn’t right. But thinking about it now, what does timing matter?” He raised his head, smiling with difficulty. “It only depends on whether you want to or not in your heart. Now that you’ve left the Wei family and everyone knows, what difference does it make?”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. After a moment, she sighed and hugged him, saying gently, “This path was my own choice. Little Seven, I’m very happy walking this path. I thought it would be more difficult, but I didn’t expect you to be so good. In life, there are gains and losses. I don’t regret liking you, and I’m very happy being with you. When I chose you, I never cared about my reputation. Don’t overthink it,” she kissed him lightly. “You’ve done very well.”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. He closed his eyes, leaning against Chu Yu’s chest. After a long while, he calmly said, “Actually, you, Gu Chusheng, and Second Sister-in-law were all right back then. I was still too young after all.”
He opened his eyes, holding Chu Yu’s hand, and smiled with difficulty, “To be liked by the current me, I feel sorry for you.”
“If you didn’t like me, I would feel sorry for myself,” Chu Yu gripped his hand back, laughing. Wei Yun shook his head and said seriously, “That won’t happen. I’ve liked you since I was fifteen, and I will continue to like you until I’m fifty until I become an old man. I’m not good enough now,” he lowered his eyes, his voice tinged with regret. “If I could grow up a bit more, and understand the ways of the world better before liking you, you probably wouldn’t have suffered so much.”
Hearing this, Chu Yu couldn’t help but laugh.
“If that were the case, why wouldn’t I like Gu Chusheng instead?”
Wei Yun was stunned for a moment. After a while, he said blankly, “That’s true…”
Chu Yu laughed loudly, slapping the bed. Wei Yun was a bit helpless and was about to pull her when suddenly the young woman flipped over and pressed him down, saying, “Prince Wei, to be honest.”
She patted Wei Yun’s face, “With your looks, even if it were just a fleeting romance, I would be extremely happy.”
Wei Yun was stunned for a moment. After a while, he said somewhat embarrassedly, “What nonsense are you talking about…”
Chu Yu held down one of his hands with one of hers, while her other hand deftly began to undo his clothes. She said gently, “People in this world are too strange. They treat a one-night stand as more important than life itself, yet they’re willing to commit to a lifelong marriage based on matching birth charts. But I’m different. If I like someone, I’ll be with them. If I don’t like them, then I don’t.”
“Don’t be reckless…”
Wei Yun raised his hand to grab her, saying anxiously, “I’m doing this for your good.”
Chu Yu stopped her movements and looked up at him, “For my good? Is it for my good if I’m not happy?”
Wei Yun blushed, “You’re not in the Wei household anymore. What if you have a child?”
Chu Yu felt a bit dazed. Would having a child in the Wei household be better for her? Wei Yun seemed to read her thoughts; he pulled her down from him and covered her entirely with a blanket. Chu Yu blinked at him as he sighed. “You’re out running around all over the place, and I’m worried. If you have a child, I want to stay by your side and take good care of you.”
As he spoke, Wei Yun lifted his hand to brush her hair aside. “Stop messing around, okay?”
Chu Yu didn’t reply. After considering their plans, she realized some things would be inconvenient, so she obediently nodded. Wei Yun finally relaxed and lay back down, but as soon as he did, Chu Yu turned over and draped herself across him, nuzzling against him. “Good brother, even if we don’t have a baby, there are still plenty of things we can do together.”
Wei Yun: “…”
With an expressionless face, he pulled her hands away and turned to embrace her tightly, restricting her movements. He spoke in a calm tone, “Time to sleep!”
“You’re being mean to me!”
Wei Yun: “…”