Nan Yin was drunk and couldn't ride a horse, so Gu Yin had to take her back. Drunk, Nan Yin was well-behaved, sitting there quietly, neither speaking nor causing trouble.
Nan Yin's status was special. Gu Yin was careful not to be seen by anyone when he took her back. Nan Yin sat with her in his arms, covered by a cloak, to preserve her reputation.
The horse did not stop at the General's mansion, Gu Yin took her in from the back. He held her in his arms; Nan Yin had already fallen asleep against him on the way back.
Nan Yin had a characteristic when she drank: if she got drunk, she would absolutely not remember anything the next day.
Gu Yin sighed, looking at the person in his arms. If she could remember, would the outcome be different? Could the events of the past life be changed in this life?
"Yin'er, will you look at me this time?" Gu Yin whispered to the sleeping woman. But it was obvious Nan Yin could not answer him. Gu Yin carried her back to Nan Yin's chambers.
"Gu Yin," a voice called him.
Gu Yin looked over to see a man about his age.
"Why are you here?" Gu Yin frowned slightly.
"I came to find sister Nan Yin," he replied.
"She went riding this afternoon and got drunk, so I brought her back," Gu Yin explained.
"Gu Yin, do you like sister Nan Yin?" the man asked him.
Gu Yin, who was about to carry Nan Yin into the room, heard this and paused.
"I can tell you like sister Nan Yin," he continued.
"And... Gu Yin, have you known sister Nan Yin for a very long time? I feel like you know her very well, as if you've known each other for many lifetimes, that even with just a glance, you know what she wants," he looked at Gu Yin and asked.
Many lifetimes? But it was true, they had met long ago... so long ago that he himself was starting to feel confused.
"Gu Yin, don't you know everything? Do you know that after her coming-of-age ceremony, Nan Yin will enter the palace?" the man continued.
Enter the palace? These two words struck Gu Yin's heart. How could he not know? But Nan Yin never listened to him. Were those things not within his control? The Heavenly Way... could not be defied, otherwise, not only Nan Yin, but he himself would pay the price.
"Nan Su, if I told you that you would regret it if you became the great general of Yuan Kingdom in the future, someone like General Nan, would you believe me?" Gu Yin asked. Yes, that person was Nan Su.
"Why would I regret it? Protecting the country and the peace of Yuan Kingdom's people, what is there to regret? At worst, I'll die on the battlefield. What does a true man fear more than death? Sacrificing oneself for the nation in times of crisis is only natural!" Nan Su spoke with great spirit and passion.
Gu Yin smiled. "So, that's how you think. Yin'er thinks the same way. You think facing battle without fear is natural, and Yin'er also thinks entering the palace is inevitable." Gu Yin continued.
Nan Su fell silent. He didn't know what to say, but he felt that what he had said should have been correct. Gu Yin didn't pay him any more attention, and carried Nan Yin back into the room.
Gu Yin placed Nan Yin on the bed. Nan Yin slept soundly, her small face flushed. Looking at her, Gu Yin's heart swelled with an unspeakable emotion.
"Yin'er... please don't enter the palace, okay?" Gu Yin held Nan Yin's hand, but this question was destined to go unanswered.
On Nan Yin's coming-of-age day, almost all the nobility sent representatives to the General's mansion, as the General's mansion was at its peak, the most powerful family in Yuan Kingdom.
When Nan Yin appeared, her fiery red dress stirred ripples in Gu Yin's eyes. She was always so radiant and captivating. On this day, in addition to the nobility, various dignitaries from the palace also sent gifts, including the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.
Everyone had already made their plans. After the coming-of-age ceremony, Nan Yin, exhausted, collapsed in her room. She was so tired.
"Miss, young master Gu is here," An Xin walked in.
"Gu Yin?" Nan Yin sat up immediately and went out to meet him.
Gu Yin stood in the courtyard, his back to Nan Yin. There was a peach tree in Nan Yin's courtyard, but its blossoms had all fallen. Gu Yin, dressed in white, attracted Nan Yin's attention the moment she opened the door.
"Gu Yin..." Nan Yin spoke. Perhaps it was her coming-of-age, or perhaps something else had changed, but Nan Yin seemed to have become more composed.
Gu Yin turned around slowly. His hair was half-loose, the other half tied up with a white jade hairpin. He was dressed in snow-white robes, like an ethereal immortal.
"Yin'er," he called her name, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze, warm and soft.
"Why did you suddenly come here?" Nan Yin walked slowly towards him.
"To give you your birthday gift," Gu Yin took out a sandalwood box from his sleeve.
"Thank you," Nan Yin looked at the box and took it.
"Open it and see," Gu Yin told her. Nan Yin glanced at Gu Yin, then replied, "Okay," and opened the box. Inside was a blood jade hairpin, adorned with red plum blossoms, sparkling and exquisite.
"It's so beautiful..." Nan Yin was truly amazed.
"I carved it myself. Do you like it?" Gu Yin felt a surge of warmth seeing Nan Yin's expression.
"I do, thank you. I didn't know you could do this," Nan Yin picked up the hairpin, unable to put it down. It was truly beautiful...
"I couldn't before..." Gu Yin said, but his voice was so quiet that Nan Yin didn't hear him clearly.
"What?" she asked.
"It's nothing. As long as you like it," Gu Yin smiled faintly. Nan Yin smiled back. Under the peach tree, a man and a woman looked at each other and smiled. A talented man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven.
This hairpin... it was worth giving, Gu Yin concealed his emotions. He had carved it for several lifetimes. This life, he had finally given it to her. If Nan Yin had seen it earlier, she would have seen the scars on his well-defined hands when he carved it in the first life. If she had seen it earlier, she would have seen him unable to hold a teacup steady because he was carving a satisfactory hairpin. If she had seen it earlier, she would have seen his hands trembling slightly hidden in his sleeves for days.
Nan Yin... if one day she knew what he had done, would she look at him? Would she ask herself what place Gu Yin occupied in her heart?
Mid-July.
An imperial decree arrived at the Zhenguo General's mansion.
Nan Yin, daughter of Zhenguo General Nan Xiaoming, blessed with intelligence and grace, a jewel of a noble family, is hereby granted the title of Consort.
Gu Yin stood in his study. On the table was a portrait of Nan Yin. In the painting, Nan Yin was galloping on horseback, unrestrained and free, her fiery red dress the most striking vermilion.
"Young Master, people from the palace are here to escort the young lady into the palace," a servant entered and informed him.
Gu Yin looked outside. Why couldn't it be changed?
"Mm," Gu Yin only responded softly. Just "Mm"? He made no other move.
"Young Master, the carriage is about to leave," the servant said.
"If I go out, it will be troublesome..." Gu Yin said.
But... not going out? He... couldn't do it! Why? Why couldn't he change anything no matter what he did?! He wanted to be selfish! For the first time, Gu Yin lost his composure. He ran outside. Just to see her one last time, okay?
By the time Gu Yin reached the entrance, Nan Yin was just about to board the carriage. A white figure then entered her vision.
Nan Yin stared blankly at the man who was slightly out of breath. He was like an immortal, as clean and pure as moonlight, yet he was gentle.
Gu Yin walked up to Nan Yin. He noticed... Nan Yin was wearing the hairpin he had given her today.
"The hairpin is very beautiful," Gu Yin said.
"Yes, it's very beautiful," Nan Yin was composed. She had finally grown into a woman.
"Yin'er..." Gu Yin called her. Nan Yin looked at him, but Gu Yin's words, "Can you not go?" were stuck in his throat, unable to be spoken.
"I have to go, Gu Yin," Nan Yin's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Gu Yin wanted to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. He could only watch her. Nan Yin didn't have much time. She was helped into the carriage by An Xin. Gu Yin didn't know what he was thinking. He reached out and grabbed Nan Yin's hand.
Perhaps the movement was too sudden, Nan Yin lost her balance slightly, and the hairpin on her head fell, shattering on the ground...
Both of them looked at the broken hairpin, silent for a long time. Finally, Nan Yin broke free from Gu Yin's grasp and said, "I'm leaving. Let it be this way." Nan Yin said, then entered the carriage.
Gu Yin stood there muttering, looking at the broken hairpin on the ground. He felt like a child who had made a mistake. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
But how could it shatter? How could it...?
The carriage slowly drove away. Gu Yin stood in the same spot, then crouched down and picked up the broken hairpin.
Night.
A faint candlelight burned in Gu Yin's study. He sat at his desk, holding the broken red jade hairpin. He wanted to repair it, but why, when pieced together, were there still missing pieces? Why couldn't it be reassembled?
Gu Yin's eyes slowly turned red. Why couldn't it be fixed?
Looking at the hairpin, Gu Yin stopped his movements. It couldn't be fixed. Some parts were shattered, and no matter how he put them together, it would be incomplete. So, some things truly couldn't be changed? Gu Yin's emotions suddenly became uncontrollable. He suddenly swept everything off the table. He couldn't hold back anymore.
I'm sorry...