Hearing these words, Chu Yu was stunned for a moment. Wei Yun was also clearly surprised, especially since they had just been arguing about Gu Chusheng, and now they heard this news.
Wei Yun instinctively glanced at Chu Yu, but she quickly composed herself after hearing the news.
In her previous life, Gu Chusheng had risen from being the son of a criminal to the position of Chancellor, which required real ability. Thinking about it, the person Gu Chusheng had wronged the most in his life might have been her. To the common people, Gu Chusheng was like a living embodiment of justice; to the emperor, Gu Chusheng was a pillar of the state, indispensable to the ministries of revenue, personnel, rites, military, and works. Without Gu Chusheng, it would be like the sky falling. To his subordinates, Gu Chusheng was a fair superior who rewarded and punished justly; to his allies, Gu Chusheng was a sharp-minded and trustworthy gentleman who kept his word.
Gu Chusheng was good to everyone, except Chu Yu.
Sometimes Chu Yu would wonder why it was only her, why such a perfect person would show the worst of human nature only to her.
But she had thought about it for a lifetime without finding an answer, so in this life, she was unwilling to think about it anymore.
Song Shilan knew about the relationship between Gu Chusheng and Chu Yu, but he pretended not to know and continued, “Kunyang is a key point for grain and fodder transportation. Gu Chusheng personally escorted supplies to Baicheng, just in time to encounter Yao Yong abandoning the city. Gu Chusheng organized the remaining soldiers and civilians for a round of resistance, buying time to evacuate the people. He led the people back to Kunyang.”
“Then how is Kunyang now?” Wei Yun frowned.
Song Shilan shrugged, “That I don’t know. It depends on how Gu Chusheng and Yao Yong argue. Maybe, after a while, Kunyang will be lost too.”
Kunyang was a strategic location. If Kunyang fell, it would become extremely difficult to launch a counterattack.
Wei Yun clenched his fist tightly, lowering his eyes without speaking. The three had already reached the door. Song Shilan looked up at the entrance and said with a smile, “In the current situation, His Majesty probably hopes the young Marquis will join the war. It’s a pity the young Marquis is unwell. But His Majesty should have considered asking the young Marquis to recommend someone, right?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. Chu Yu pushed him out the door and saw that the carriage was already waiting outside. Jiang Chun lifted the curtain and said with a smile, “Why are you only coming now?”
Chu Yu, standing behind Wei Yun, looked at Jiang Chun and said with a smile, “Little Seven was chatting with the Second Young Master Song.”
Song Shilan looked up at Jiang Chun and smiled gently. Jiang Chun, suddenly seeing an unfamiliar man, felt a bit shy but pretended to be calm, nodded slightly, and then lowered the curtain.
Song Shilan first helped Wei Yun into the carriage along with Wei Xia. As Wei Yun was about to bend down, he suddenly made a decision. He raised his head, looked at Song Shilan, and said calmly, “If I help the Second Young Master, I hope the Second Young Master will remember this favor.”
“Of course,” Song Shilan smiled, his gaze deep, and bowed, “I will never forget it.”
Wei Yun nodded and bent down to enter the carriage.
Song Shilan turned around, extended his hand towards Chu Yu, and said with a smile, “First Madam, please?”
Chu Yu, imitating Wei Yun’s dignified manner, nodded in thanks but didn’t place her hand on his. She lifted her skirt and stepped onto the carriage step. A handkerchief fell, and Song Shilan bent to pick it up, raising his hand to pass it over. Chu Yu took the handkerchief, but heard Song Shilan say with a light laugh, “The Madam’s osmanthus hair oil smells quite nice.”
Chu Yu suddenly looked up, her gaze sharp as a knife.
Earlier, in front of everyone, she had pretended it was medicine for Wei Yun to smell, but it was the osmanthus hair oil she had accidentally worn today. Song Shilan mentioning this was nothing more than telling her that he was aware of Wei Yun’s feigned illness.
But what did he mean by this?
Was it a warning, or did he have other intentions?
As Chu Yu pondered for a moment, she saw the man in front of her smile lightly and wave his fan, saying, “I won’t scare you anymore. I just thought earlier that Madam Wei’s eyes were so big, it must be interesting to frighten you.”
Big eyes so it’s interesting to scare?
Chu Yu was stunned by this peculiar person’s train of thought. She pressed her lips together, not knowing how to respond. Then she saw the man in front of her bow with his sleeves, smiling and saying, “Sending off the Marquis, First Madam, and Second Madam. Have a safe journey.”
Since he had already bid farewell, Chu Yu didn’t linger. She glanced at Song Shilan, then turned around and entered the carriage.
After entering the carriage, Chu Yu saw Wei Yun tapping his fingers on the small table beside him, turning his head to look out the window, seemingly deep in thought. Jiang Chun sat on one side, looking at the account book she hadn’t finished reading.
Chu Yu sat opposite Jiang Chun and said with a smile, “Working so hard? I’m not going to check the accounts, why are you in such a hurry?”
“Just passing the time,” Jiang Chun put down the accounts in her hand and said with some concern, “I heard that earlier in the courtyard, your sister got the better of you?”
“Oh?” Chu Yu was somewhat surprised, “The news spreads so quickly?”
Then Chu Yu laughed, “Indeed, women’s gossip travels faster than military intelligence.”
“Are you alright?” Jiang Chun was quite worried, “I see that sister of yours is no pushover…”
“It’s fine,” Chu Yu leaned against the small table, tilting her body, and said with a smile, “I was a bit angry at first, but later Little Seven helped me vent, so I felt better.”
“Then the things being said outside…” Jiang Chun carefully opened her mouth. Chu Yu looked at her, her eyes calm, “Everyone likes a few people when they’re young, there’s no shame in that.”
Hearing this, Wei Yun raised his eyes to look at Chu Yu.
Chu Yu’s expression was calm, with a kind of composure that comes after weathering many storms, “I liked that person, and for that, I did the best I could, even to the point of life and death. But when that deep love was not reciprocated, I let it go and didn’t look back.”
“But I don’t mind others knowing,” Chu Yu smiled lightly, “What’s done is done, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Jiang Chun didn’t speak. She sighed, sat down next to Chu Yu, held her hand, and said gently, “Ah Yu, you must have suffered a lot.”
Chu Yu was slightly stunned. She looked at Jiang Chun’s sympathetic gaze, and suddenly, countless grievances welled up inside her.
The past twelve years tumbled in her heart. She looked at Jiang Chun, and after a long while, she spoke hoarsely and slowly, “It’s okay, it’s all in the past.”
The future won’t be worse.
The three returned to the Wei mansion and each went to their rooms. Chu Yu and Wei Yun’s rooms were both towards the southeast. When they reached the fork in the path, Chu Yu noticed that Wei Yun was still following her. She was a bit surprised, “Why are you still following me?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. He quietly looked at Chu Yu, seeming to have a lot to say but unable to say it.
After a long while, he finally spoke, “Sister-in-law, from now on, no one will bully you anymore.”
Chu Yu hadn’t expected that after following her for so long, this was all Wei Yun had to say. Wei Yun looked at her, completely without the air of the “young Marquis” he had outside. He had shed all his hard armor, revealing all his softness and gentleness.
His clear black and white eyes reflected her image as he said seriously, “Today, watching you and Chu Jin, I was thinking, she’s so good at talking, so good at crying, you must have been bullied a lot at home.”
“You’ve always been the kind of person who wants to hold up the sky for others, swallowing your tears and blood, never crying out no matter how much it hurts. People are used to thinking you’re strong, that you don’t care about anything, that you’re not afraid of anything, that you won’t be sad or heartbroken. Many times, even I thought so. Then at home, did your parents and siblings think the same?”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. She thought back to the past.
Indeed, as Wei Yun said, the crying child gets the candy. In this family, more or less, Chu Jin received more care.
But now her heart had long since become difficult to recall these small emotions. She had experienced greater sorrows in her life, and what Wei Yun mentioned seemed insignificant in comparison.
But does insignificance mean non-existence?
It lurks silently in the heart over the years.
When exposed, it stirs up countless bitter feelings.
Chu Yu lowered her eyes, listening to the young man slowly say, “But I think you’re about the same age as me. Blood flowing out will hurt, and tears falling will taste bitter, who should bear more than the other? I was wrong, I should have protected you, not relied on you.”
“Second Sister-in-law is right, you must have had a very hard life before.”
Yes, very hard.
Chu Yu dared not look at him, strangely feeling as if her inner self had been laid bare, exposing those ugly, bloody aspects for others to see.
She remained silent, listening to Wei Yun’s voice, gentle with a hint of a smile.
“But it’s good that you’re in the Wei family now. Although Big Brother is gone, I’m still here. From now on, I won’t let you, Second Sister-in-law, Mother, any of you, suffer any hardship.”
“From now on, I’m here,” he raised his hand and placed it on his chest, “Always here.”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. She lowered her head. After a long while, she slowly raised her head. The breeze brushed her long hair, and her eyes held a glimmer of moisture as she looked at Wei Yun with a smile.
“Little Seven, although many things have happened, there’s one thing in this life that I’m especially fortunate about and have no regrets.”
“That is, I married into the Wei family and met all of you.”