Legend of the Female General

Chapter 107: The Qiang People

Winter had set in, and the weather was bitterly cold. The winters in Liang Province were even colder than in the capital. During the day, it was still bearable—training could warm the body enough to stave off the worst of it. But at night, the chill became piercing. The meager firewood burning in the basin was far from enough.

Fewer soldiers now went to bathe in the Five Deer River, opting instead to heat water themselves for washing. He Yan was no exception. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Jue had been gone for over half a month.

She estimated that by this time, Xiao Jue had likely reached Zhangtai. However, the instructors never spoke of the matter, leaving He Yan with no way to learn about the situation there. She continued training with the new recruits every day, though due to her incomplete recovery, she couldn’t adhere to the "triple daily training" regimen Xiao Jue had prescribed.

One day, He Yan was practicing formation drills with the new recruits on the Martial Arts Field. As evening approached and the training dispersed, she chatted with Hong Shan and the others.

Hong Shan rubbed his hands together, blowing warm air into his palms. "Brother He, don’t you think it’s been especially cold these past few days?"

"It’s not too bad," He Yan replied. During her time in the Pacify Yue Army, she had fought by the river in winter, with their camp pitched right on the shore. At night, the river winds were biting, and there was no firewood to burn. Soldiers huddled together for warmth while sleeping—that was what true bitter cold felt like.

"Young people really can endure the cold," Hong Shan sighed, gazing toward White Moon Mountain. "Why does it snow every day in Liang Province? It goes on all night long."

He Yan followed his gaze. In winter, White Moon Mountain lacked the lush greenery of summer. Instead, it was blanketed in white, with heavy snow sealing off the peaks. Every few days, the new recruits went up the mountain to gather firewood, but they couldn’t venture beyond the halfway point. The higher they went, the thicker the snow, making it too dangerous.

"Actually, this weather is perfect for hunting," Xiao Mai chimed in. "Back when my brother and I were around, we’d soak food in wine during the day and leave it near caves. In winter, when food is scarce, rabbits and foxes would eat it. At night, we’d go out and collect the prey—the ground would be littered with them. It’s effortless and simple. White Moon Mountain is so vast, there must be plenty of rabbits and foxes." He licked his lips.

"Stop right there," He Yan warned. "I think you should drop that idea. The mountain terrain is treacherous, and the snow is deep. Don’t end up becoming the prey before you even catch a rabbit."

"Brother He really underestimates me," Xiao Mai grumbled.

Just then, a group of new recruits descended from the horse path leading to White Moon Mountain at the edge of the Martial Arts Field. Walking in the center was the medical woman Shen Muxue, dressed in a padded skirt.

She wore a moon-white padded skirt, draped in an apricot-colored embroidered plum blossom cloak, with plain white hair ribbons. As she emerged from the snowy landscape, her ethereal beauty and graceful bearing stood out even more, like a celestial being.

Hong Shan stared, mesmerized. "How can there be such a woman in this world? Exquisitely beautiful, yet with a heart of gold. In such cold weather, a delicate woman climbs the mountain to gather herbs for the sick and wounded. Only a fairy could possess such compassion." He then turned to He Yan and asked, "Don’t you think so?"

He Yan replied, "Indeed."The new recruits took turns going up the mountain every few days to chop firewood, and Shen Muxue would often accompany them. Some medicinal herbs could still be found on the mountain even in winter. The guard station was short on medicinal supplies, especially during the cold season when soldiers caught chills and took a long time to recover. Shen Muxue would have people brew warming herbal decoctions, filling wooden buckets so each person could have a bowl. After drinking it, they would break into a sweat, which was excellent for the body.

She didn’t look as sturdy as He Yan, appearing delicate and frail. Yet she could follow the new recruits up the mountain in such cold weather, which was truly commendable.

“Who is that new recruit behind her carrying?” Shitou frowned and asked.

Everyone looked and saw a new recruit following Shen Muxue, with someone slumped on his back. This person wasn’t wearing the standard uniform, clearly not a new recruit of Liangzhou Guard. Before they could say anything, curious new recruits had already crowded over to find out what was going on.

Soon, some who had inquired returned and explained the situation to their companions. He Yan listened closely and heard someone say, “That person is a hunter from the other side of the mountain. His family is so poor they can’t even afford food, so he risked coming up the mountain to hunt but got trapped in the heavy snow. When Miss Shen and the others encountered him on the road, half his body was buried in the snow. They dug him out, barely saving his life.”

“He’s really lucky. White Moon Mountain is incredibly cold. If he had stayed there much longer, even a god might not have been able to save him.”

“Exactly!”

Xiao Mai muttered, “Going up the mountain in this weather is really risking your life.”

“What can you do? The lives of the poor aren’t worth much. When your family has no money for food, you can’t worry about anything else,” Hong Shan sighed.

After watching a while longer, everyone dispersed.

But the matter didn’t end there. That evening, Cheng Li Su returned, saying he wanted to stay in Xiao Jue’s room. He Yan asked curiously, “Didn’t you refuse to move back?”

Cheng Li Su said with a troubled expression, “Today, the person Miss Shen rescued is staying in our room, so I got kicked out. I can’t let him stay in Uncle’s room—if Uncle comes back, he’ll definitely beat me to death. Anyway, I’ll reluctantly stay here for a few days. Once he leaves, I’ll move back. Brother He, can you come with me tomorrow to get my trunks? I can’t carry them alone.”

“Of course, but you’ll probably be staying here not for a few days, but for quite a long time,” He Yan shook his head.

“Why?”

He Yan smiled but didn’t answer. However, Cheng Li Su soon found out why He Yan had said that.

The next day, after the daily training, He Yan accompanied Cheng Li Su to retrieve the trunks left in the communal sleeping quarters. They happened to run into Shen Muxue, who was going to apply medicine to the hunter rescued the day before.

He Yan glanced at what she was carrying: besides some tonic soup and ointment for frostbite, there were also some external wound medicines. He Yan asked, “Miss Shen, is that person injured?”

“There are wild beasts in the forest. He encountered a bear, was attacked, and fell off a cliff while trying to escape, which is why he got buried in the snow. He does have some external injuries.”

Cheng Li Su asked, “So his injuries are serious? Does that mean he’ll have to stay at Liangzhou Guard for a long time? Will it be a while before I can move back?”"Young Master Cheng," Shen Muxue said helplessly, "Even if his injuries heal, he cannot leave Liangzhou Guard for now. He came from the other side of the mountain. White Moon Mountain is currently blocked by heavy snow. I'm afraid he'll have to wait until the snow melts or for several consecutive sunny days before he can head up. If we send him back now, he'll just freeze to death on the mountain again."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Li Su nearly jumped up. "Does that mean we have to wait all winter?"

"Perhaps when Second Young Master returns, there will be another way," Shen Muxue comforted him.

He Yan noticed that when Shen Muxue spoke of Xiao Jue, she did not refer to him as "Commander" but as "Second Young Master." It didn't sound like a master-servant relationship but rather as if they were quite familiar. Lost in thought, the group had already arrived in front of the room.

There was no one else in the room at the moment. After training on the Martial Arts Field, everyone had gone to eat and rest. On the bed by the wall where He Yan had once lain, there now lay another person. He wore thin, simple clothing and had wrapped the blanket tightly around himself, as if he were very cold. Shen Muxue placed the medicine tray on the table and turned to call him, "Hu Yuanzhong?"

The person on the bed stirred slightly under the blanket. After a moment, he propped himself up with both hands on the bed and slowly sat up.

This was a man around thirty years old, with dark skin and dry, cracked lips that were peeling slightly. He appeared somewhat frail. He pushed aside the blanket and spoke to Shen Muxue with some urgency, "M-Medical Officer Shen."

"It's time to change your dressing," Shen Muxue said. "Sit on the edge of the bed and roll up your pant leg."

The man named Hu Yuanzhong seemed even more nervous. He rubbed his hands together and mumbled, "How could I trouble the medical officer? I'll do it myself." He bent over, but as soon as he moved, he hissed in pain.

Seeing this, Shen Muxue crouched down in front of Hu Yuanzhong and rolled up his pant leg for him. Indeed, his leg was covered in deep and shallow scars, likely from sharp rocks and branches on the mountain.

"It hasn't healed yet," Shen Muxue said. "I'll apply more medicine today."

Hu Yuanzhong nodded blankly.

"Let me do it," He Yan's voice interjected at that moment. Before Shen Muxue could react, she reached out and took the medicine from Shen Muxue's hand, crouching down. "Miss Shen, please stand up first."

"This..." Hu Yuanzhong was taken aback. "This young brother..."

"My name is He Yan. The bed you're lying on used to be mine. Miss Shen is, after all, a woman, and it's not convenient. Let me apply the medicine for you, Brother Hu. That should be fine, right?" He Yan smiled at Hu Yuanzhong.

Hu Yuanzhong breathed a sigh of relief. "O-Of course. I didn't want to trouble Medical Officer Shen either."

"He Yan, don't be mischievous," Shen Muxue frowned slightly. "In the eyes of a medical practitioner, there is no distinction between men and women. You don't know how to apply the medicine."

"I do know how to apply wound medicine. Medical Officer Shen, there's no need to worry. You should check on Cheng Li Su first. I noticed he was coughing this morning. He might have caught a chill."

Cheng Li Su chimed in, "Yes, Medical Officer Shen, my throat feels a bit dry."

Shen Muxue paused, then said, "Really?" She stood up and said to Cheng Li Su, "Come outside with me. Let me take a look first."

The two of them left, leaving only Hu Yuanzhong and He Yan in the room.

He Yan first cleaned the blood seeping from the wounds on his leg, then applied a thin layer of medicine while asking, "Brother Hu, your injuries are quite severe. Does it hurt a lot?""Not too bad," Hu Yuanzhong replied, "just some external injuries." Despite his words, his voice was gritted through clenched teeth, clearly struggling.

He Yan paused in her movements, applying the medicine a bit too firmly. Hu Yuanzhong cried out in pain, "Ah—"

"Sorry, Brother Hu," He Yan said apologetically, "that was careless of me."

"It's fine, it's fine."

"Medical Officer Shen is much more careful and thorough. I'm just a clumsy man, and I hurt you, Brother Hu. Please don't mind."

Hu Yuanzhong forced a smile. "Not at all."

He Yan smiled and lowered her head to continue applying the medicine, inwardly snorting coldly.

She had seen it clearly earlier. Although this Hu fellow had verbally refused, insisting on applying the medicine himself, he had cried out in pain as soon as he started. When Shen Muxue crouched down beside him, a flicker of delight had flashed in his eyes. Though well concealed, He Yan had caught it. She had always despised those who were swayed by appearances. Shen Muxue had saved Hu Yuanzhong's life, yet he could harbor such improper thoughts toward his savior. What kind of person was he?

When she rolled up his trouser leg, He Yan could clearly see these so-called "serious injuries." They looked messy and severe, but in reality, they were only superficial wounds. As a young woman, He Yan had endured injuries far worse than these without uttering a sound. If this man was so desperate that he risked his life hunting in the mountains, he shouldn't be this delicate. When someone is starving and can't afford food, how could they have the energy to scheme like this?

A few words were enough to reveal this man's character. Shen Muxue was kind and innocent, and as a medical officer, she saw him only as a patient, oblivious to such underhanded intentions. But He Yan, as an observer, saw it all clearly and felt deeply uncomfortable.

"What are your plans after you recover, Brother Hu?" He Yan asked.

Hu Yuanzhong scratched his head. "I... I haven't thought about it yet."

"Why not stay at Liangzhou Guard? As a soldier, you'll have enough to eat and won't go hungry," He Yan teased.

"...That might be good," Hu Yuanzhong replied with a foolish grin.

He actually agreed? He Yan was even more surprised now. She had only been teasing, but Hu Yuanzhong had accepted without hesitation, not even saying something like "that would be too much." This showed, first, that he felt no gratitude, and second, that he had never considered his future plans.

Someone who didn't know what lay ahead should be constantly worrying about their future. How could he be so careless? He Yan grew increasingly displeased. Could it be that he wanted to cling to Liangzhou Guard to take advantage of Shen Muxue?

With this thought, He Yan quickly finished applying the medicine and handed him the medicine bowl nearby. "Brother Hu, drink this first."

Hu Yuanzhong reached out to take it. "Thank you."

He drank the medicine quite readily, tilting his head back and gulping it down before handing the bowl back to He Yan. As she reached out to take it, she noticed that one of his hands, from the base of his thumb to the inside of his wrist, was covered in red rashes.

He Yan paused.

Hu Yuanzhong noticed her hesitation and asked, "What's wrong, Brother He?"

"Brother Hu, should we ask the medical officer to take a look at the rashes on your hand?" He Yan said. "Did you get them in the mountains too?"

Hu Yuanzhong was taken aback. He rubbed his wrist a few times and smiled. "No need. They should fade in a few days. It's not a serious illness. Let's not trouble the medical officer."

"In that case," He Yan nodded and smiled, "then it's nothing."She stared at Hu Yuanzhong, momentarily silent, making him feel rather uneasy. He touched his own face and asked, "Brother He, is there something on my face?"

"No," He Yan shook her head with a smile. "I'll take the empty bowl out first. Although Miss Shen is a physician, she is still a young lady after all. I have nothing to do these few days, so I'll run errands for Miss Shen. I'll deliver Brother Hu's medicine from now on." With that, she pretended not to notice the disappointment in Hu Yuanzhong's eyes and turned to leave the room.

Once outside, Shen Muxue was examining Cheng Li Su's tongue. Seeing He Yan come out, she asked suspiciously, "So fast?"

"There weren't many wounds to begin with," He Yan replied. "How is Cheng Li Su?"

"I've been eating too much spicy food these past few days, and my throat feels like it's on fire," Cheng Li Su admitted sheepishly. "It's nothing serious."

"Then it's fine, let's go back," He Yan said, returning the medicine tray to Shen Muxue. She then added, "I've already discussed it with Brother Hu. I'll deliver his medicine these next few days. Starting tomorrow, I'll come to your room at this time every day to pick up the medicine and take it to Brother Hu. Miss Shen won't have to make the trip."

Shen Muxue hesitated slightly. "But..."

"It's settled then. Consider it my thanks for the scar-healing ointment you gave me," He Yan said, putting an arm around Cheng Li Su's shoulder. "We'll take our leave now."

She and Cheng Li Su walked away.

On the way, Cheng Li Su asked, "Brother He, what's wrong?"

"What?" He Yan snapped out of her thoughts.

"You haven't said a word since you came out of that Hu Yuanzhong's room. What happened inside? Did you two argue?"

"No," He Yan replied, walking a few steps before stopping to think. She turned to Cheng Li Su and said, "You go back first. I need to find Hong Shan and the others about something."

"But you haven't eaten yet."

"I'll just grab a couple of steamed buns," He Yan waved her hand. "Go back and wait for me. See you later."

...

Hong Shan and Xiao Mai were drinking porridge when He Yan arrived. They made room for her, and Hong Shan said, "Why are you so late today? I thought you weren't coming."

"Something came up on the way," He Yan replied, taking a steamed bun. Unlike her usual ravenous self, she only took a bite before pausing, lost in thought for a long moment. Finally, she said, "Brother Shan, Shitou, I need your help with something."

"Why so serious?" Hong Shan put down his bowl. "What could you possibly need us for?"

"That hunter Hu Yuanzhong, the one Miss Shen rescued from the mountain yesterday—he's staying in your room now, right?" He Yan asked. "These next few days, we have training during the day, but at night, could you keep an eye on him for me?"

Hong Shan and Shitou exchanged puzzled glances. Finally, Hong Shan asked, "What do you mean? What's wrong with Hu Yuanzhong? Why do we need to watch him?"

"...I think there's something off about him."

At this, even Xiao Mai stopped eating. The atmosphere grew tense for a moment before Shitou asked quietly, "What seems off?"

"Maybe I'm overthinking it, and I'm not entirely sure yet. But I suspect that his rescue by Miss Shen on the mountain might not have been a coincidence."

Hearing this, Hong Shan's eyes widened. "A spy?"

"Keep your voice down," He Yan said. "I'm just suspicious, which is why I need your help watching him. See if he does anything unusual at night or makes any strange moves.""No," Hong Shan still found it hard to believe. "You have to tell us first what exactly is wrong with him that makes you suspect he's problematic."

He Yan took a deep breath and only said, "I'll tell you in a few days. For now, I just need your help to keep an eye on him."

"I hope I'm overthinking it," she murmured softly.

...

That night, after parting ways with Hong Shan and the others, He Yan returned to her room. After settling in, she lay down on the bed, her mind too troubled to sleep.

Running into Hu Yuanzhong today had been an accident, but who would have thought it would end up unsettling her so much, leaving her restless and uneasy.

What she had told Hong Shan and the others wasn't made up—she truly suspected Hu Yuanzhong was a spy who had infiltrated the Liangzhou Guard, likely with some ulterior motive. As for how she had noticed something suspicious, it was because when she handed Hu Yuanzhong the medicinal soup today and he returned the bowl, she caught sight of the dense cluster of red rashes on the inner side of his wrist, stretching from the base of his thumb to his forearm.

It reminded her of the Qiang Tribe.

The lands inhabited by the Qiang Tribe were densely forested, with a perpetually damp climate. Qiang soldiers, who often wielded blades, were prone to developing such red rashes on the inner side of their wrists. When He Yan was the Flying Goose General, she had even consulted with military physicians to study this phenomenon. Even if these Qiang people later entered the Central Plains, the rashes wouldn't disappear overnight.

Thus, when she saw the rashes on Hu Yuanzhong's wrist, she immediately thought of the Qiang soldiers, almost without hesitation. Still, she couldn't be entirely certain, as rashes in general often looked similar. They could be caused by the damp climate or by contact with allergens. There was no need to suspect someone based solely on a rash.

But perhaps it was because He Yan, as a commander, had developed a habit of caution, especially when it came to matters involving the Qiang Tribe. Or maybe it was because she had noticed Hu Yuanzhong's subtle interest in Shen Muxue, which had already given her a negative impression of him, making her quick to suspect him now.

Upon closer reflection, there were indeed several suspicious points. For instance, the snow on the mountain was heavy, and the shaded side of White Moon Mountain would have even deeper snow. If even the new recruits on their side found it difficult to cross, how had Hu Yuanzhong managed to traverse it alone from the other side? If he claimed his family was so poor they couldn't even afford food, forcing him to hunt on the mountain out of desperation, why hadn't he chosen a gentler alternative? For example, he could have worked as a porter at the docks or taken on manual labor—at least that would have temporarily staved off hunger and cold. Hunting on White Moon Mountain, at best, meant catching game to relieve immediate needs, but more often than not, it meant dying on the mountain, losing both life and possessions.

Choosing an absurdly difficult path over an easier one wasn't bravery—it was foolishness. Yet, judging by his act of pretending to be in pain to trick Shen Muxue into personally tending to him, he didn't seem like a fool.

The more He Yan thought about it, the more suspicious she became. Unfortunately, Xiao Jue wasn't here now, so she couldn't warn him. But even if he were, she couldn't directly reveal the most critical point of suspicion. The Qiang Tribe was thousands of miles away from Shuojing, and the new recruits of the Liangzhou Guard were unlikely to have ever seen Qiang soldiers. Even Xiao Jue might never have encountered the Qiang Tribe in battle. How could He Yan, who was born in the capital, know about the Qiang Tribe's hidden habits? If she spoke up, the one under suspicion might not be Hu Yuanzhong, but herself.Back when she led the soldiers to quell the Western Qiang rebellion, the Qiang Tribe's leader, Rida Muji, died on the battlefield, and the remaining Qiang people surrendered completely. In the years that followed, peace prevailed, and the Qiang Tribe remained stable, with no reports of unrest. However... that didn’t mean they could truly let their guard down.

If this really was a Qiang person, an ordinary, unarmed civilian, why would they, in such heavy snow, just happen to ascend White Moon Mountain, be found by Shen Muxue, and enter the Liangzhou Guard?

Too many coincidences cease to be coincidences—someone must have orchestrated this deliberately.

Now that Xiao Jue was absent, if there truly was some conspiracy, how could they handle it?

Xiao Jue was absent... Xiao Jue was absent?

In an instant, He Yan sat up, a terrifying thought flashing through her mind.

Why did this person appear precisely when Xiao Jue was absent? Could it be... that the distress calls from Zhangtai were also fabricated? "Claim to attack the east, but actually strike the west"—this tactic, drilled daily in military texts, had she forgotten it?

At some point, the snow had stopped.

He Yan raised her eyes to look out the window. Outside, the wind was silent, and the earth was blanketed in snow, so quiet that even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard clearly.

Yet beneath this tranquility, perhaps a shocking undercurrent lay hidden, waiting only for the right moment to unleash a flood of chaos.

This story is set in a fictional world, with all place names and country names being imaginary. The Qiang Tribe is not the modern-day Qiang ethnic group but merely a fictional creation. I also have friends from the Qiang ethnic group, who are incredibly warm and hospitable. (Truly, no regional prejudice is intended.)

(End of Chapter)