Fateful Choice

Zhu Cihui stood up and walked briskly to Wei Lan, his broad sleeves of his dark-colored dragon-patterned robe brushing over her shoulder. “Even if the sky falls, we must first fill our stomachs,” he said, his hands firmly grasping her shoulders, gently guiding her to sit on the round stool.

Wei Lan was slightly stiffened by his touch but did not resist.

Zhu Cihui’s gaze fell on her. “Are you satisfied with this kind of life? Clothes are delivered to you, meals are served, you don’t need to show your face or work for a living.”

Wei Lan paused slightly and thought, What is the intention of Prince Ji? She recalled the coarse cloth skirt that had been taken from her without reason. A chill ran through her heart, and she suddenly realized that the eyes of the royal family had probably gathered every detail about her. She dared not easily trust Prince Ji’s sudden “kindness” but couldn’t understand his true intentions.

Wei Lan lowered her head slightly, “Your Highness’s generosity, Wei Lan is grateful. However, debts must be repaid, and favors are even heavier.” She lightly dipped her fingers in the tea and traced a few shallow lines on the table. “The moonlit skirt Your Highness gave today is worth at least twenty taels, and this meal alone must be worth fifty taels, not to mention…”

“Not to mention saving your life?” Zhu Cihui suddenly leaned closer, the fragrance of dragon’s blood incense enveloping her. His tone carried a hint of teasing. “Miss Wei, are you treating me as a moneylender?”

Wei Lan was startled by his closeness. She quickly stepped aside and crouched, kneeling to the floor with a soft thud. Fortunately, the thick carpet cushioned her fall.

The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. In this large royal residence, Prince Ji had conveniently appeared just as she had fallen into the water and had even saved her personally. It felt like too much of a coincidence. She vaguely suspected that this might be a well-directed play by Prince Ji.

She calmed herself and performed a standard kneeling salute. “Your Highness, your life-saving grace, Wei Lan will repay it in the next life by working like an ox or horse, and returning the favor with all my strength! But…” She paused, her tone turning serious. “I have other matters today.”

Zhu Cihui did not wait for her to continue and spoke first, “I agree to your terms.”

Wei Lan was taken aback. “Huh? I haven’t even said anything yet.”

Zhu Cihui, mimicking the tone Wei Lan used to negotiate at the Changsha government office, spoke slowly, “However, I have one condition. You stay here. Whatever size school you want to build, I will support it. You can also take charge of the rice cultivation project.” He raised an eyebrow, a smile on his lips, but his eyes were fixed on her reaction. “How about it?”

Wei Lan hesitated for a moment. She had already walked a thorny path and now someone was laying down a shortcut for her. If she could use this opportunity to fulfill her dreams, it seemed there was no reason to refuse. However, a voice deep in her heart questioned: Should she really become just another person in the Ming Dynasty, one of Prince Ji’s many women, fighting for favor and recognition every day?

This was not what she wanted.

She was about to refuse directly when Zhu Cihui interrupted, “Take your time to think. I’m not in a hurry for your answer.”

Wei Lan stayed kneeling, her mind racing. She looked up at Prince Ji and said, “Your Highness, building schools and promoting rice cultivation would bring both fame and fortune to you, and be a lifeline to the common people. If you are willing to implement this, you will accumulate merit for the Ming Dynasty.”

Zhu Cihui was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed, clearly not convinced by her argument. After a while, he slapped his palm and laughed mockingly, “Do you think my money comes from the wind? I don’t engage in losing ventures.”

Wei Lan, sensing his change in mood, tried to continue persuading him, “Your Highness…”

Zhu Cihui’s expression darkened, his tone grew colder, but he remained composed, “I have my own ideas. You can leave now and think carefully about what I just said.”

It was the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, with the change of dynasties imminent, and the Ming Dynasty’s end was near. What would Prince Ji do then? Wei Lan took a deep breath and slowly said, “Your Highness knows the situation of the world. If chaos truly comes…”

Zhu Cihui’s eyes flashed with anger. He suddenly reached out, gripping her chin and lifting her from the ground, scolding, “Such rebellious words!” However, when his eyes met her calm and fearless gaze, his anger seemed to dissipate a little.

He loosened his grip, took the hairpin from her hair, and let her black hair cascade down like a waterfall. He coldly said, “If that day really comes…” He pressed the sharp end of the hairpin against her throat but lightly touched her skin, a mischievous smile forming on his lips, “Before I go to the underworld, I will take you with me.”

Wei Lan did not flinch, staring into his eyes, “Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people will win the world. I dare to advise Your Highness to prepare early, to avoid disaster.”

When Wei Lan returned home, it was already late at night. The courtyard was quiet, and the moonlight shone on the stables, where Bai Yun and Wu Yun were napping, emitting soft breathing sounds. The light from the study’s window cast a warm yellow glow. Wei Lan subconsciously smiled slightly and pushed open the door, causing the candlelight to flicker in the breeze.

Liu Mingyi heard the door and quickly closed the blank blue-covered book. He looked up, just as Wei Lan’s long hair was lifted by the night wind.

“You’re back?” Liu Mingyi asked.

“You’re still awake?” Wei Lan spoke almost at the same time.

They exchanged a glance, paused for a moment, and then both smiled unconsciously.

Wei Lan took off her embroidered shoes and curled up on the bamboo couch. Liu Mingyi stood up and placed the warm ginger tea by her side. They sat side by side, each lost in thought, but neither could sleep.

Seeing her exhausted expression, Liu Mingyi softly asked, “What did Prince Ji say to you?”

Wei Lan hugged her knees, her gaze resting on the candlelight as she slowly said, “I advised him to build a medical school and promote rice cultivation, but he refused. He gave me two choices: either wear my old coarse cloth gown, or wear the beautiful moonlit skirt.”

Liu Mingyi immediately understood the deeper meaning behind her words. His heart, which had been tense, eased somewhat. He said with relief, “You chose to wear your own gown.”

Wei Lan nodded, but there was no joy on her face. After a moment of silence, she spoke softly, “Mingyi, I feel a chill, as if the cold has reached my heart.”

Liu Mingyi’s heart tightened. He cautiously asked, “Do you regret it?”

Wei Lan buried her face in her knees, her voice hoarse, “It’s not regret. I’ve been calculating all along. A meal at the royal residence could buy three carts of medicinal herbs. That skirt could save twenty mothers in childbirth.” Her voice grew heavy, “We can’t save people fast enough to keep up with their waste of money.”

Liu Mingyi sighed lightly and comforted her, “This world is like this; things are never perfect.”

Wei Lan lifted her head, her eyes full of helplessness. “The people outside Prince Ji’s residence are still in deep suffering, but he spends his days in pleasure, as if he lives in a different world. Even I, when I was there, temporarily forgot about the suffering outside. I feel… it’s so unfair.”

Liu Mingyi remained silent for a long while before speaking softly, “There is no absolute fairness in this world. Everyone has their own fate and role to play, and that’s how the world works. You’ve seen life and death; at least… before death, everyone is equal.”

Wei Lan gave a bitter smile. She had worked so hard to save others, and yet, in the end, her efforts seemed less valuable than a single word from Prince Ji. She could say that the flood had shattered her faith.

She murmured, “I feel so lost inside, with no clear path ahead. I don’t know whether tomorrow or the end of the world will come first. And I don’t know whether what I’m doing now has any meaning at all.”

Liu Mingyi looked at her, his heart aching. In his mind, Wei Lan had always been positive and optimistic, finding a way through any difficulty. But tonight, she seemed so helpless.

“Do you want to know your future?” Liu Mingyi asked, pulling three copper coins from his sleeve and gently spreading them in his palm.

Wei Lan was momentarily stunned and then looked up, her voice filled with hesitation, “I want to… but can you really know?”

Liu Mingyi smiled slightly, his tone calm, “Do you know why so many people believe in fortune-telling?”

Wei Lan shook her head, confused. “Why are you suddenly talking about fortune-telling?”

Liu Mingyi explained, “Earlier, when we investigated the cause of the diarrhea, we marked the addresses of the cases on the map and used statistical analysis to find the truth. The Book of Changes works in the same way. It encompasses all things, all things change, and the essence of it is ‘change.’ Everything has a pattern of transformation. By knowing a person’s birth date, you can deduce key points in their life.”

He lightly tossed the copper coins and caught them again. “So, if you tell me your birth date, I can calculate your future.”

Wei Lan was lost in thought, her heart stirred. She never expected Liu Mingyi to talk about fortune-telling. However, she whispered, “Even if I tell you my birth date, you might not be able to predict it. Because… I don’t know if I have changed the course of my life, nor do I know whether this life is the original one, or one I changed.”

She stared at the faded “Tong Bao” characters on the copper coin and felt a chill in her heart. This coin shouldn’t be connected to her—it shouldn’t even belong to someone from Changsha in the 13th year of Chongzhen. She picked up a coin. “What if I say… my fate isn’t under this starry sky?”

She didn’t know her original self’s birth chart, nor could she reveal her true birth date. This contradiction made her feel even more lost.

Liu Mingyi’s fingers tightened around the coins, his voice almost a sigh, “Xiao Lan, at this point, you still won’t tell me the truth?”

Wei Lan lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting her sleeve, her heart full of mixed emotions.

After a long while, she softly sighed, “Mingyi, the Ming Dynasty is likely going to fall, maybe within these few years. But looking at the situation now, it seems no one has noticed. The common people think life is hard, the government treats it as just another natural disaster. Prefect Lei and Prince Ji even believe that the Ming Dynasty has weathered many storms and will survive this one too. But who has thought, if one day the Ming Dynasty truly falls, what should we do?”

The change of dynasties was a done deal, but she had never wanted to think about it. She had focused on her, perhaps subconsciously trying to secure a position for herself in the chaotic world. Although she was always aware of potential dangers, even a flood had left her mentally exhausted. She couldn’t imagine how to face the coming turmoil.