Legend of the Female General

Chapter 114: Lin Shuanghe

He Yan had slept for an unusually long time.

She even had a dream—a dream of her fighting against Rida Muji. The chieftain was brutal and savage, and as she pointed her sword at his head, he suddenly lifted his face, revealing the features of He Rufei.

He Yan’s sword clattered to the ground.

She opened her eyes, her gaze falling upon the soft canopy of the tent. The bedding beneath her was warm, and as she looked down, she found herself lying safely on the bed.

He Yan still remembered that before she lost consciousness, she had been on the Martial Arts Field, where Xiao Jue and Rida Muzi had clashed, and reinforcements from the Southern Garrison Troops had arrived in the distance. What was the situation now? Had it all ended?

She propped herself up slowly, but as she moved, the wound on her waist flared with pain, making her grimace. After pausing for a moment, she steadied herself by holding onto the headboard.

Her wounds had already been bandaged. She had returned to her own room—the one next to Xiao Jue’s. There was no one in the room, and she couldn’t even call out to ask about the current situation.

Just as she was thinking this, the door opened, and a young man walked in carrying medicine. He closed the door, approached He Yan’s bedside with the medicine, and seeing that she was already sitting up, smiled. “Awake? It seems you’re recovering well.”

This was an unfamiliar face—one He Yan had never seen in the Liangzhou Guard before. But judging by his attire, he was definitely not a new recruit. He Yan stared at his face, her mind blank for a moment before she suddenly snapped back to reality, almost blurting out his name.

Fortunately, she caught herself in time, swallowing the words before they could escape. The man smiled at her and said, “My name is Lin Shuanghe. I’m a physician and a friend of Xiao Huaijin. I was the one who treated your injuries.”

Seeing He Yan only staring at him without speaking, Lin Shuanghe thought for a moment and added, “Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t undress you—Xiao Huaijin did. I only handled the medical examination. Ahem… I also know your true identity.” He lowered his voice and leaned closer to He Yan. “Little sister, I truly admire you.”

He Yan: “…”

She nodded with difficulty and thanked him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Lin Shuanghe replied with a smile, handing her the medicine. “Drink it. It’s already cooled down.”

He Yan took the bowl and slowly drank the medicine, unable to hide her shock.

Lin Shuanghe—Lin Shuanghe had actually come to the Liangzhou Guard!

He Yan was no stranger to Lin Shuanghe. In fact, he had also been her classmate. Among the youths who had studied together at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, He Yan felt that she was actually more familiar with Lin Shuanghe than with Xiao Jue.

The reason was simple: in every examination, the person competing with He Yan for the last place was, eight times out of ten, this very gentleman.

Yes, Lin Shuanghe looked intelligent, but in reality, he was just as terrible in both literary and martial arts. However, he was different from He Yan. While He Yan worked hard and still ended up last, Lin Shuanghe simply never made any effort. He was very close to Xiao Jue, following him like a shadow every day. He copied his friend’s homework, and when the teacher assigned calligraphy practice, he paid others to do it for him.

The youths at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy all came from wealthy or noble families, and none of them lacked money. However, this gentleman Lin Shuanghe always offered rare treasures as payment, and there were always those who coveted them. Even He Yan had once succumbed to temptation, staying up all night copying books for Lin Shuanghe in exchange for a jade cricket.Lin Shuanghe was extremely wealthy.

The Lin family had practiced medicine for generations, with their ancestors serving in the Imperial Hospital of the palace. Currently, Lin Shuanghe's grandfather, Lin Qingtan, held the position of Chief Imperial Physician in the Imperial Medical Bureau. Lin Qingtan's youngest son, Lin Mu, was an Imperial Physician renowned for his exceptional skill in women's medicine, earning great favor from the palace consorts. Lin Mu also enjoyed developing beauty secrets, which pleased the Empress Dowager, Empress, and consorts, often resulting in rewards. These rewards were then passed on to Lin Shuanghe.

Lin Mu had only one son, Lin Shuanghe, whom he doted on excessively. Relying on his family's wealth, Lin Shuanghe idled away his days at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy.

The Lin family likely had low expectations for Lin Shuanghe, never expecting him to excel in both literary and martial arts or pursue an official career. They paid little attention to his studies, as long as he didn't bring shame to the family's doorstep. With no pressure at home, the only people he needed to appease were the teachers at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy. Thus, Lin Shuanghe's student life was filled with the ease and leisure of chasing cats and teasing dogs.

It was one thing for the spoiled young master Lin Shuanghe to waste his own life, but seeing He Yan work so hard left him utterly baffled. Once, while He Yan was busy memorizing texts, Lin Shuanghe sidled up to him and asked, "Brother He, tell me, what's the point of working so hard every day when you always end up last in class?"

He Yan ignored him and continued huffing and puffing as he recited. Lin Shuanghe, finding no amusement, wandered off on his own.

A few days later, when He Yan moved from last place to second-to-last in an examination, Lin Shuanghe approached him again, saying, "Brother He, let's make a deal. For this exam, could you please take last place again and let me be second-to-last?"

He Yan: "...Why?"

"The teacher complained to my grandfather, who scolded my father. My father ordered me to improve in the next exam, or he'll cut off my allowance. I'm currently last in class. If you take last place, won't I have improved?"

He Yan: "..."

"Brother He, I beg you," the young man pleaded. "If you help me this time, I'll give you the phoenix-head gold hairpin that Consort Shu rewarded me."

"No," He Yan refused. "I'm not a woman. What would I do with a gold hairpin?"

"You could give it to your mother!" Lin Shuanghe fanned himself with a folding fan and continued negotiating. "Or tell me what you like, and I'll give it to you. Just help me this once."

"Sorry," young He Yan shook his head. "I really can't help. Brother Lin, why don't you ask Huai... Brother Huaijun to tutor you? He's so good at his studies. If he gives you a few pointers, you're sure to improve."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shuanghe rolled his eyes dramatically. "Spare me! Who wants his pointers? He sleeps all day and has no patience. Asking him for help is worse than studying on my own." He sighed again. "How can someone who sleeps all day still come first in class? He must be a monster!"

He Yan glanced at Xiao Jue, who was sleeping with his head on the desk, and wholeheartedly agreed with Lin Shuanghe's words.

The heavens must be Xiao Jue's own father, to favor him so greatly.

Lin Shuanghe hung his head dejectedly, looking utterly pitiful. He Yan watched him and felt a twinge of sympathy. He said, "Actually, you don't need to lose heart. I review my lessons every day. If you don't mind, you can join me. You can take the notes I've organized. It's fine." Then, he added somewhat uneasily, "But... my notes aren't very good either..."Lin Shuanghe stared at her, making He Yan feel uneasy. The young man finally snapped his fan shut and said, "Alright!"

"What?"

"Studying together it is. I'll give it a try too, see what it feels like to hang my hair from the beam or jab my thigh with an awl."

In truth, Lin Shuanghe was far more popular at Virtuous Prosperity Academy than He Yan. He didn’t wear a mask or act eccentric. He carried himself with grace, was generous with his wealth, never put on airs, and handled situations with tact. He often treated everyone to delicious food. Moreover, every young man had mothers or sisters who might fall ill and need Imperial Physician Lin’s help. Additionally, his grandfather was well-connected with the nobility in the palace, so no one dared to offend him. As a result, Lin Shuanghe was well-liked by all the young men.

However, liking him was one thing; studying with him was another. Logically, if Lin Shuanghe sought help, countless people would be willing to assist. But his foundation was simply too weak, and most of the young men at Virtuous Prosperity Academy were exceptionally talented, lacking the patience and time to tutor him from the basics. Over time, no one was willing to take on this thankless task.

He Yan, on the other hand, was different. They were equally matched, neither better than the other.

Thus, before the next assessment, He Yan spent her days studying with Lin Shuanghe.

Lin Shuanghe was hopeless at martial subjects and had given up on them entirely. His studies with He Yan focused mostly on literary subjects. Regardless of what others said, they made a decent effort. When classes ended in the evening and everyone went to eat, the two remained in the classroom, reciting passages to each other.

However, this recitation usually involved Lin Shuanghe lounging lazily with a book while He Yan recited with rising and falling intonation.

She recited, "The way of great learning lies in manifesting virtue, in renewing the people, and in resting in the highest good. Knowing where to rest brings stability; stability brings tranquility; tranquility brings peace... Those in ancient times who wished to manifest virtue throughout the world first... first..."

At this point, she forgot what came next and looked at Lin Shuanghe.

Lin Shuanghe didn’t prompt her. Instead, he nibbled on dried fruit and teased her deliberately, "First what?"

He Yan’s face flushed red with frustration, but she couldn’t recall what came next.

Lin Shuanghe kept pressing her, "First what? Hurry up and say it."

"First down, then up!" He Yan blurted out randomly.

"Cough, cough—" Someone behind them choked on their tea. The two turned to see Xiao Jue lazily propping himself up from a table in the shadows.

"Huai Jin, you haven’t left yet?" Lin Shuanghe asked in surprise. "I thought you’d left long ago."

The young man stood up from the table. He seemed to have just woken up, still a bit drowsy. Walking over to He Yan and Lin Shuanghe, he casually asked Lin Shuanghe, "What are you doing?"

"I’m studying!" Lin Shuanghe slung an arm over He Yan’s shoulder as if they were close friends. "I’ve decided to improve alongside Brother He."

"Studying?" Xiao Jue asked.

"Yes, Brother He even shared his notes with me. Brother He is truly generous," Lin Shuanghe said.

Xiao Jue glanced at He Yan, then reached for the notes on the table. Before He Yan could stop him, he had already flipped them open. The notes contained summaries of what the teacher had taught in class, which He Yan had compiled privately. The one Xiao Jue picked up was likely on mathematics.

He was very tall, forcing He Yan to crane her neck to look at him. The young man casually flipped to a page, paused, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

He Yan grew nervous.A moment later, Xiao Jue placed the notebook back on the table and said expressionlessly, "Out of five questions on one page, you got three wrong."

He Yan: "Huh?"

Lin Shuanghe was also at a loss.

Xiao Jue glanced at the two of them, curled his lips, and said with no small amount of sarcasm, "Progressing together?"

Lin Shuanghe: "..."

He turned and left. Beneath the mask, He Yan's face flushed bright red.

She still clearly remembered the final result of that assessment: she and Lin Shuanghe tied for last place. She had no idea how Lin Shuanghe had managed to explain himself afterward, nor whether it counted as progress or not. No one knew.

Now, many years later, she never expected to encounter Lin Shuanghe again in such a scene. Far from Shuojing, thousands of miles away in Liangzhou Guard, it wasn't a classroom filled with the sound of reading but a battlefield that had just witnessed slaughter. They were no longer unfortunate classmates studying together—one was a new recruit, the other a physician. How mysterious fate could be.

He Yan finished the medicine in the bowl, set it aside, and sized up the person before her.

Compared to many years ago, Lin Shuanghe's features had matured considerably. He had lost much of the youthful innocence of his boyhood and appeared more composed. When silent, he was the epitome of an elegant gentleman, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his demeanor crumbled. Leaning closer to He Yan, he grinned and said, "Little sister, be honest with me—did you come to Liangzhou Guard for Xiao Huaijin?"

He Yan: "What?"

"You like him? So you chased him all the way to Liangzhou Guard?" he marveled. "Admirable courage."

He Yan was speechless for a moment before explaining, "That's not it at all. It's just that I ran into some trouble in the capital and couldn't stay. With no other options, I joined the army."

Xiao Jue and Lin Shuanghe had always been close. Since Lin Shuanghe now knew she was a woman, He Yan assumed Xiao Jue had mentioned these matters to him.

"Then how did he discover you're a woman?" Lin Shuanghe didn't believe her. "From what I see, your relationship isn't exactly ordinary either."

"He discovered my identity because Commander Xiao is incredibly resourceful and harbored suspicions about me, so he sent someone to the capital to verify my background. Physician Lin," He Yan spoke patiently with him, "may I ask you a favor?"

Lin Shuanghe straightened up. "Please, go ahead."

"While in Liangzhou Guard, could you please not call me 'little sister'? There are many people here, and gossip spreads easily. If my identity were exposed, it would also cause trouble for the commander. In daily interactions, just call me 'Brother He.'"

"Little sis... Brother He, that's a small matter, of course I can." Lin Shuanghe looked at her, shaking his head with a sigh. "A delicate beauty like you, not staying comfortably indoors but running to a place like this to suffer—how heartbreaking."

He Yan: "..."

Here we go again. Truth be told, in this regard, Lin Shuanghe really hadn't changed at all.

Unlike Xiao Jue, who in his youth had admirers lining up from the east to the west of the city, yet never spared a second glance at any of them, Lin Shuanghe was the opposite extreme. As long as it was a girl—no, as long as it was female, whether human or animal, he could respond with boundless patience and tenderness.He called young ladies not properly by their names, but all as "sisters," intimate and gentle, as if his family truly had so many siblings. In their youth, many young ladies approached Lin Shuanghe with the intention of getting close to Xiao Jue. Unlike Xiao Jue, who was aloof and unapproachable, Lin Shuanghe was friendly and amiable. He never grew angry over such matters; instead, he was quite willing to run errands. One day, he would help this sister deliver a floral note, and the next, he would help that sister carry a tray of pastries. He was already quite handsome, and over time, some of the young ladies who had initially aimed to get close to Xiao Jue shifted their affections and turned their attention to Lin Shuanghe.

Of course, Lin Shuanghe was also a man of principle. Whether they liked him or not, they were all "sisters."

In his youth, he had called He Yan "Brother He" with righteous and resounding vigor. Now, with a gentle tone, he affectionately called her "sister," which He Yan found utterly unbearable, instantly sending shivers down her spine.

"Your old injuries haven't fully healed, and now you've added new ones, especially that deep knife wound. I treated you, but it won't heal in just a day or two. These days, you need to rest in bed and avoid daily training or anything strenuous," Lin Shuanghe looked at her. "As for the scars, don't worry too much. Our Lin family has always had effective remedies for scar removal and skin regeneration. Although it won't fully restore your skin to its former state, it can recover about seventy to eighty percent, so it won't be too glaring."

He Yan nodded. "Thank you, Doctor Lin."

"No need to thank me. Among all the women I've treated, you have the most severe injuries and the highest pain tolerance. You've truly broadened my horizons. Since you're Huaijin's friend, you can also consider me a friend from now on. If you ever face difficulties, just let me know."

At this point, He Yan remembered something and asked, "Doctor Lin... is the Commander here? I have something important to tell him."

"He's outside. Wait a moment." Lin Shuanghe stood up, opened the door, and called out to the person in the courtyard, "Xiao Huaijin, He Yan is looking for you."

Xiao Jue was speaking with Shen Han and nodded upon hearing this, indicating he understood. A moment later, Shen Han left, and Xiao Jue walked over. Lin Shuanghe waited at the door and tried to follow him inside when he entered.

Xiao Jue stopped and looked at him.

Lin Shuanghe was puzzled. "What?"

"Wait outside."

"Why?" Lin Shuanghe said. "Is there something I can't hear?"

Xiao Jue glanced at him and replied indifferently, "Military secrets." He closed the door in Lin Shuanghe's face.

He Yan: "..."

Well, if Lin Shuanghe were here, there were indeed some things she couldn't let him know. Even though they were former classmates, given the current situation in Liangzhou Guard, even she had become as jumpy as a startled bird.

Xiao Jue walked over.

He Yan looked up at him. It had only been half a month since they last met, but it felt like much longer. He was as cold and languid as ever, as if the recent fierce battle had never happened. His clothes were still clean and pristine, as clear as autumn water.

He Yan was momentarily dazed before snapping back to reality and saying, "Commander, Lei Hou is in the dungeon."

"I know," he replied, sitting down on the chair by the bed and looking at He Yan nonchalantly. "I've already posted guards."

He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. With guards posted, there was no need to worry that Lei Hou might attempt suicide midway. Xiao Jue likely understood this better than she did.In truth, ever since her encounter with Lei Hou during the flag competition, He Yan had vaguely sensed something amiss. The feeling was faint, and she couldn't quite grasp it—until she was thrown into the dungeon. He Yan was certain there was a traitor within Liangzhou Guard colluding with Hu Yuanzhong. As she went through the people she knew one by one, suspicion once again fell on Lei Hou.

Lei Hou was somewhat strange.

During the flag competition, she had fought him, and he had used a sword. He Yan remembered clearly that he wielded it with his left hand. That in itself wasn't unusual—he might simply be left-handed. But later, after Lei Hou joined the Vanguard Battalion, He Yan had gone to observe their training out of curiosity. At that time, Lei Hou was using a spear, but he held it with his right hand.

If he were truly left-handed, there would be no need to deliberately use his right hand—unless he was trying to hide something. The more He Yan thought about it, the more she recalled how awkward Lei Hou had seemed when using the sword during the flag competition. It appeared as though he was more accustomed to wielding a saber. Using saber techniques to handle a sword would inevitably feel unnatural.

The masked man who had lured her up the mountain that day had been the same.

Later, when Rida Muzi led his troops to attack, Lei Hou attempted to silence her in the dungeon but was instead subdued by He Yan. She finally understood: if Lei Hou was connected to the Qiang people, he likely used a curved saber. Perhaps fearing discovery, he had initially used a sword. But He Yan's keen observation might have made him feel unsafe, so he switched to his right hand, making it even harder to trace his true habits.

However... He Yan still had doubts.

She asked, "Commander, did you return from Zhangtai so quickly?"

Even if everything had gone smoothly in Zhangtai, the round trip shouldn't have brought him back at this time. Moreover, he had brought the Southern Garrison Troops with him.

"I never went to Zhangtai," Xiao Jue replied.

He Yan looked at him.

"The distress message from Zhangtai was fake," he explained. "I went to Qingnan and brought part of the Southern Garrison Troops here."

He Yan fell silent.

She had already considered this possibility when she began suspecting Hu Yuanzhong. It was likely a trap—designed to lure Xiao Jue away so that Rida Muzi could lead the Qiang forces against the new recruits of Liangzhou Guard. Recruits who had only trained for half a year were no match for the Qiang, making victory difficult.

But Rida Muzi never imagined that Xiao Jue had never gone to Zhangtai at all.

He Yan asked, "So, you deliberately placed Lei Hou in the Vanguard Battalion? You suspected him all along?"

Xiao Jue's lips curved slightly. "Yes."

He Yan was inwardly astonished.

During the flag competition, she had been the one to capture all twenty flags, yet Xiao Jue had chosen her defeated opponent, Lei Hou, for the Vanguard Battalion. She had never understood why—until now, when everything suddenly became clear. It seemed Xiao Jue had suspected Lei Hou's identity as a traitor from the start and deliberately set this trap to lure him out.

She hadn't noticed it at all.

This scheme had been laid far earlier than any of them had realized. How could Rida Muzi have known that, from the very beginning, he had stepped into a pit from which there was no turning back?

"Commander, you're truly remarkable," He Yan said sincerely. Though they were both commanders, Xiao Jue possessed skills that one couldn't help but admire.

Xiao Jue glanced at her with a faint, teasing smile. "Not as remarkable as you."

He Yan was taken aback. "Me?"

He crossed his arms and looked at her leisurely. "Are you done asking questions? If so, it's my turn now."This statement was baffling, and He Yan was at a loss, only asking, "What do you mean?"

He chuckled, pulled something from his chest, and tossed it in front of He Yan. He Yan paused, then picked it up to examine.

It was a piece of paper folded in half, crudely drawn with a map and some text. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a rough sketch of the surroundings of Liangzhou Guard, accompanied by annotations.

On the night she was imprisoned in the dungeon, Song Taotao came to visit her. He Yan asked her to help with one thing: to deliver this item into Shen Han's hands. At that time, He Yan had no idea how Shen Han would react upon seeing it, but the situation was critical, and there was no time to consider further. He Yan had prepared for the worst—if she truly couldn't escape or was unable to stop the course of events, this piece of paper would be her final trump card.

Now, the trump card had fallen into Xiao Jue's hands.

"Young Lady He," he tilted his head, looking at He Yan with a faint, ambiguous smile, his voice calm, "care to explain?"

(End of Chapter)