Chu Yu’s sudden display of affection startled Chu Jianchang greatly. His first thought was whether his child had damaged her knees from kneeling for too long.

After all, Chu Yu had grown up practicing martial arts with him since childhood, different from ordinary young ladies. She had never been so tearful and coy before.

When she liked Gu Chusheng, she gave him everything good. When the Gu family fell from grace due to the rebellious Prince Qin’s words, everyone else avoided them. Yet she managed to send money and messages to Gu Chusheng just before her wedding, even planning to elope with him to the border.

Her boldness knew no bounds.

Fortunately, her maid informed Chu Jianchang about this matter. He intercepted Chu Yu just before she was about to run away, preventing her from making a grave mistake.

Thinking of this, Chu Jianchang’s face hardened again. He said coldly, “Have you thought it through? If not, continue kneeling.”

“I’ve thought it through!”

Chu Yu knew what Chu Jianchang was asking about.

She sorted through her memories. It should be when she was fifteen years old.

In September of her fifteenth year, the Emperor had arranged her marriage to Wei Jun, the heir of the Marquis Zhenguo’s household. The marriage was settled, and the six etiquettes were completed. They were about to be wed. However, at this time, Prince Qin, who had been plotting rebellion for half a year, was finally captured and imprisoned. Gu Chusheng’s father, who had once received kindness from Prince Qin’s wife, spoke a few words in favor of Prince Qin’s family members, incurring the Emperor’s wrath. Gu Chusheng’s father was beheaded, and Gu Chusheng, who had just entered the imperial court, was also implicated. He was demoted from a Hanlin Academy Scholar to a ninth-rank county magistrate at the border.

When she learned of this, her heart was anxious. Coincidentally, Jun Jin came to cry to her, unwilling to accompany Gu Chusheng to suffer at the border. So the two sisters hatched a plan: Chu Yu would elope with Gu Chusheng first. Once Chu Yu had run away, the Jun family would have no choice but to let Jun Jin take her place and marry into the Marquis Zhenguo’s household.

Jun Jin was also the daughter of the main wife, just not the eldest. Unlike Chu Yu, who was always practicing martial arts, Jun Jin studied poetry and composition with Xie Yun. With her beautiful appearance, she was the ideal wife candidate for many young masters in Huajing. If Jun Jin were to marry into the Wei family, given the relationship between the Wei and Jun families, the Wei family probably wouldn’t say anything.

The two calculated well, so they sent a servant to inform Gu Chusheng, telling him to wait outside the city gate on the day of his departure. Just as the time was approaching, Chu Yu was caught red-handed by Chu Jianchang while climbing over the wall.

Back then, after she was caught, she knelt for a whole night. It was Jun Jin who persuaded Xie Yun to take her back to her room, and then secretly helped her escape. Only then did she have the chance to chase after Gu Chusheng, who had already left, riding day and night.

This time, however, Chu Yu was determined not to run away. So she decisively told Chu Jianchang, “I won’t run away. I’ll wait properly to marry Young Master Wei!”

Chu Jianchang looked at Chu Yu suspiciously, not understanding how she had suddenly changed her mind. He wondered if she was trying to deceive him.

However, his daughter had always been straightforward, never deceiving her own family. Thinking for a moment, looking at Chu Yu’s bright eyes and pale face, Chu Jianchang felt a pang of sympathy. He waved his hand and said, “Alright, alright, go and rest first. You’re getting married in two days, don’t think of any more foolish ideas. Anyway, that Gu Chusheng has already left, you should give up on him.”

“Mm.” Chu Yu nodded. Jun Jin came over to support her. Chu Yu trembled slightly, instinctively wanting to withdraw her hand, but she controlled herself and didn’t move.

Chu Jianchang saw Chu Yu lowering her head and thought she was upset. He sighed, patted her shoulder, and said, “Young Master Wei is better than Gu Chusheng. You’ll understand when you meet him. Feelings develop after getting to know each other, don’t resist. Father won’t harm you.”

“I know.”

Chu Yu nodded, this time sincerely.

Young Master Wei Jun, as well as the entire Wei family, were all upright men who protected the country. How could Gu Chusheng, who played with power, compare?

She also wanted to cultivate some feelings with Wei Jun, but she probably wouldn’t have the chance.

Chu Yu thought of the Wei family’s fate and felt somewhat regretful.

Seeing that Chu Yu had little energy, Chu Jianchang waved his hand, letting Xie Yun and Jun Jin support her back.

Xie Yun spoke words of dissuasion all the way, essentially telling her to give up her thoughts of Gu Chusheng. As parents, they always hope for their daughter to have a better life. Chu Yu didn’t speak, just quietly listening.

This mother, although she later did some foolish things and favored Jun Jin a bit more, was truly sincere towards her.

It’s just that one can’t love both sides equally.

She remained silent, allowing Jun Jin to support her to her bedroom. After the servants helped her wash up, she lay down on the bed, preparing to sleep.

Too many things had happened today. She needed to conserve her energy and then plan how to proceed in the future.

She had always thought that her path was simply to follow Gu Chusheng. Now, suddenly faced with a brand new choice, she felt somewhat at a loss.

She had barely closed her eyes when she heard Jun Jin’s voice.

Jun Jin entered carrying medicine, dismissed the servants, and then came to Chu Yu’s side. She put down the medicine bowl, sat on the edge of the bed, and said gently, “Sister.”

Chu Yu slowly opened her eyes and saw Jun Jin’s worried expression. “Sister, are you alright?”

That expression didn’t seem feigned. Chu Yu’s mind wavered, and she couldn’t help but think that perhaps the fifteen-year-old Jun Jin still had some warmth towards her sister.

Seeing Chu Yu not responding, Jun Jin leaned closer and whispered, “Sister, Eldest Brother Gu sent a message saying he’s waiting for you.”

Hearing this, Chu Yu suddenly raised her head, looking at Jun Jin in disbelief.

Gu Chusheng was waiting for her?

Impossible.

Back then, Gu Chusheng didn’t care about her at all. After receiving the letter, he even left Huajing half a day early, riding day and night. How could he be waiting for her?

Where had things gone wrong?

She stared at Jun Jin, pondering for a moment before understanding.

Gu Chusheng would never say such things. Jun Jin wanted her to leave to free up the position of Young Madam Wei for herself. So she deliberately said these words, giving Chu Yu hope, and making her leave quickly.

In her previous life, Jun Jin didn’t say this because the Chu Yu of that life didn’t need Jun Jin to give her hope; she chose to leave without looking back.

But in this life, she had clearly expressed to Chu Jianchang that she would marry into the Wei family.

Chu Yu wanted to laugh. Her sister had always prioritized her interests.

However, she held back the smile that had reached her lips, put on a stern face, furrowed her brows, and said, “Don’t say such things to me again.”

“Sister?” Jun Jin was somewhat surprised, a flash of panic crossing her eyes. Chu Yu said calmly, “I’ve thought it through. My marriage to the Marquis Zhenguo’s household was bestowed by the Emperor himself. If I were to run away from the marriage, even if the Wei family doesn’t say anything out of respect for the Jun family, and the Emperor doesn’t speak, it’s still deceiving the Emperor and breaking the law. The Wei family would harbor resentment in their hearts.”

The later downfall of the Jun family was not unrelated to this.

Although the Wei family soon after lost all their young men on the battlefield, they left behind a war god, Wei Yun.

That youth commanded the battlefield at fourteen and annihilated the Northern Di to avenge his father and brothers at sixteen.

Later, the court was almost entirely dominated by the literary Gu and the military Wei. Wei Yun was a person who remembered every slight and clearly distinguished between gratitude and grudges. He repaid with flowing springs those who had been kind to him, and he wouldn’t let go of even the slightest offense against him.

The Jun family’s bait-and-switch of having Jun Jin marry Wei Jun, Jun Jin’s abandonment of the Wei family when they fell, and the dispute she had with Old Madam Wei when leaving, which angered the old lady into a serious illness – Wei Yun remembered all these things. After his meteoric rise, he took revenge on Chu Jianchang for all of them.

If it weren’t for Gu Chusheng still looking after the Jun family to some extent, how could Chu Jianchang have peacefully retired to his hometown?

Thinking of Wei Yun’s methods, Jun Jin couldn’t help but feel a chill. She pressed her right hand with her left, looked up at Chu Yu with eyes full of worry, and said, “Sister, we can’t disregard our family for our happiness.”

Jun Jin was rendered speechless by Chu Yu’s words. After a long silence, she forced a smile and said, “Sister is right. I was just thinking, this is a matter that affects my sister’s entire life. Using my sister’s happiness in exchange for the family’s benefit, I feel it’s too painful. If I could take sister’s place in suffering, I think that would be best.”

Suffer in the Wei family?

Who doesn’t know that the Wei family is currently in the Emperor’s favor, at the peak of their power? The Wei family has been loyal and heroic for generations since the founding of the country, one of the highest-ranking noble families. They have proper family education, and every child in the family is as beautiful as orchids and jade trees. Even if Young Master Wei isn’t the most outstanding one, he definitely won’t let Jun Jin suffer.

Thinking about it, this marriage is the Jun family marrying above their station.

Jun Jin really couldn’t say anything to persuade her.

Thinking of the Wei family’s later sacrifices and hearing Jun Jin’s words, Chu Yu felt some discomfort. She said with a serious expression, “The Wei family is full of loyal heroes who shed their blood for the country. Being able to marry Young Master Wei is my good fortune. I was just blinded before, but now I’ve come to my senses. Don’t say such things again. If I hear it again, don’t blame me for getting angry!”

Jun Jin was rendered speechless by Chu Yu’s words. Looking at the righteous expression on her face, Jun Jin wanted to remind her that just last night, she was still planning how to elope with her.

However, she knew that her sister was formidable in martial arts, and simple-minded, and once she set her mind on something, she wouldn’t turn back. If they argued further, she might end up at a disadvantage if it came to blows.

So Jun Jin smiled with difficulty and said, “It’s good that sister can think it through. I see that my sister is also tired. The medicine is placed here, I’ll take my leave first.”

Chu Yu nodded, closed her eyes, and said nothing more.

Jun Jin respectfully retreated, and as she walked to the courtyard, her expression turned cold.

She clenched her fist.

Now that Chu Yu refused to elope, did she have to marry Gu Chusheng?!

No, she absolutely couldn’t marry Gu Chusheng.

If she couldn’t be the Young Madam, she also absolutely couldn’t follow Gu Chusheng to the border. Returning from the border to Huajing, and being promoted from a ninth-rank county magistrate, her most beautiful years would probably be buried in the cold wind of the northern border.

Jun Jin silently calculated in her heart.

At this time, Gu Chusheng was quietly reading the latest court bulletin in his carriage at the city gate.

He had caught a cold and was coughing lightly as he read.

His father had passed away, and he was implicated and demoted. Everyone thought this favored son of heaven would be at a loss after suddenly falling into the dust, but unexpectedly, this young man showed an unusual composure.

He seemed to be quietly waiting for someone, unhurried.

The nearby official soldiers were getting impatient and said, “Young Master Gu, it’s time to leave.”

Gu Chusheng looked up at the city gate and gave his servant a look.

The servant quickly went forward, gave the official soldier two taels of silver, and said with an apologetic smile, “Sir, please wait a little longer. It will be soon.”

“At the latest, wait until sunset,” the soldier frowned, “We can’t delay any longer.”

Hearing this, Gu Chusheng frowned.

Sunset…

He recalled the time Chu Yu caught up with him in his previous life. He… should be able to wait until then.

Thinking of this name, he closed his eyes in some pain.

Others thought he was fearless in the face of everything that had happened to his family, but that wasn’t the case.

As a youth facing all this, he was indeed anxious and self-destructive. It was that girl who came on horseback, raising his carriage curtain with her sword in the night rain, boldly saying, “Don’t be afraid, I’ve come to send you off,” that gave him all his courage.

In his youth, he didn’t understand his own hazy heart. He only thought he disliked her smell of sweat, disliked her lack of restraint, and despised her joking with the camp soldiers.

She pursued, he avoided. He always thought his heart should house a pure and flawless girl like Jun Jin.

Until she died in front of him.

Recalling that moment, Gu Chusheng felt as if his heart was suddenly gripped. He closed his eyes, using slow breaths to calm this pain.

Chu Yu’s death was the beginning of his love for her.

Only after death did he know how difficult life was without someone to ride through the rain to send him off. Only then did he realize that his disgust back then was jealousy, fear of an unnamed emotion, a young man’s counterattack against shyness.

The longer she was dead, the more obsessed and deep his feelings for her became.

Until he died under Wei Yun’s sword, only then did he feel released.

When he woke up, he had returned to his seventeen-year-old self. He was overjoyed.

How wonderful.

He opened his eyes, his eyebrows curving into a smile.

He could see the living, breathing Chu Yu again.

This time…

He would accompany her well.