Seeing Gu Chusheng’s resolute attitude, Chu Shan didn’t try to persuade him further. He only said, “I will convey your words to the General. However, regarding the General’s gift…”
“I have no merit or virtue, and would feel ashamed to accept it,” Gu Chusheng glanced at the box and firmly said, “I will handle the matters in Kunyang myself.”
In his previous life, Chu Jianchang had been angered by Chu Yu’s elopement and hadn’t spoken to them for three years. At that time, he had managed on his own. Now, with the memories of his previous life, he was even less afraid or worried.
Chu Jianchang had given him this money out of consideration for Chu Jin. But since he no longer intended to marry Chu Jin, he naturally couldn’t take this money and let Chu Jianchang look down on him.
Chu Shan understood Gu Chusheng’s thoughts. After pondering for a moment, he sighed and said, “Very well then. I’ll return and report to the General. If I’m late, the General might even set your wedding date.”
Gu Chusheng also knew it was better to let Chu Jianchang know about such important matters as soon as possible. He didn’t try to keep Chu Shan but saw him off as he left Kunyang. Looking at the distant mountain ranges, he folded his hands into his sleeves and asked a servant, “What day is it today?”
“My Lord, it’s the seventh day of the month.”
“The seventh day of the ninth month…” Gu Chusheng murmured the date, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, “Only two days left…”
While Chu Shan was delivering the message to Gu Chusheng, Chu Yu was in the Wei mansion, nearly finished checking the accounts.
Over the years, Madam Liang had taken advantage of Liu Xueyang and Wei Zhong’s trust to line her own pockets, indeed taking quite a few good things. Chu Yu carefully copied the accounts onto paper, thinking about how to broach this matter with Liu Xueyang.
Chu Yu thought it unlikely that Liu Xueyang knew nothing about such long-term embezzlement. Even if Liu Xueyang didn’t know, Wei Zhong or Wei Jun, someone in the Wei family must have known something. But why had no one said anything for so long?
If the Wei family didn’t mind Madam Liang taking some things, bringing out these accounts rashly might displease Liu Xueyang.
Not fully understanding the Wei family, she pondered for a moment before writing a letter to Wei Yun, inquiring about the household’s attitude towards Madam Liang.
Through their correspondence these days, she had become quite familiar with Wei Yun. He was someone who loved to hear gossip, knew all the news in the family, and was talkative and disorganized, speaking very childishly. Getting information from him was all too easy.
However, Chu Yu also knew this was because Wei Yun was considering Wei Jun’s feelings.
Wei Jun must have instructed Wei Yun about something, causing Wei Yun to have no guard against her.
Although this young man didn’t write often, he was very punctual, sending a letter every seven days without fail. He reported daily life as if reporting military affairs, and that was all.
His handwriting was very beautiful. Looking at it, Chu Yu could faintly see traces of the Wei Yun from her previous life.
It was the same handwriting as Wei Yun from her previous life, but compared to that, Wei Yun’s writing was more severe and sharp, while Wei Jun’s writing revealed a kind of gentle nobility.
Communication between the frontlines and Huajing took a day and a night if the weather was good, and two days at most if the weather was poor. After sending the letter, Chu Yu went to sleep, planning to test the waters with Liu Xueyang tomorrow and make further plans after combining that with Wei Yun’s information.
However, that night, Chu Yu didn’t know why, but she suddenly started dreaming.
In the dream, it was her previous life, when she had just followed Gu Chusheng to Kunyang. At that time, Gu Chusheng didn’t like her much, but couldn’t drive her away either. She found a side room in Gu Chusheng’s county office to sleep in, using money to arrange Gu Chusheng’s life.
That day was the Double Ninth Festival. She had prepared flower cakes and chrysanthemum wine, intending to celebrate with Gu Chusheng. Just as she reached the door of the study, she heard Gu Chusheng’s shocked voice: “Seventy thousand people completely wiped out in Baidi Valley?! How is that possible?!”
Then the scene changed. She was in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. The valley was filled with the sounds of killing, screams, and clashing swords.
The fire had broken out everywhere. In the rolling smoke, she couldn’t see clearly, but she heard Wei Jun shouting: “Father! Run quickly!”
She recognized this voice.
When that young man had handed her the red silk, stuttering as he called her “Miss Chu,” she had committed that voice to memory.
So she instantly knew where this was.
Baidi Valley.
Seventy thousand troops were annihilated.
She ran desperately towards him, pushing through the crowd, trying to save him. She screamed his name: “Wei Jun! Wei Jun!”
But he couldn’t hear her. She only saw dozens of arrows piercing his chest. He was still holding his long spear, turning back with difficulty.
In the firelight, his handsome face was stained with blood. This time his voice was still stuttering, but it was trembling with pain as he called out her name, “Miss… Miss Chu.”
She ran forward with all her might, but by the time she reached him, the fire had dissipated. The white mist began to rise around them. He was buried in a pile of bodies. Corpses were everywhere.
A young man holding a blood-stained spear, wearing broken armor, called out in a hoarse voice, choked with tears: “Father… Big Brother… Where are you?”
Chu Yu didn’t dare move.
She slowly turned her head and saw Wei Yun.
He had a red band tied around his head. Because he was not yet of age, young men going to war all wore this red band as encouragement.
His face was stained with blood, his eyes filled with fear and bewilderment. He turned over one corpse after another, calling out their names.
“Third Brother…”
“Fifth Brother…”
“Sixth Brother…”
“Fourth Brother…”
“Second Brother…”
“Father…”
Finally, he found Wei Jun. As he turned over the body of the young general from the pile of dead, he could no longer hold back. The accumulated tears burst forth, and he tightly hugged Wei Jun.
“Big Brother!”
He wailed, his cries echoing throughout the valley.
“Sister-in-law is still waiting for you!”
“You promised to come home, Big Brother, wake up! I’ll die in your place, don’t leave Little Seven behind!”