Legend of the Female General

Chapter 128: The Fake Couple

"Do you like me?" His voice seemed to possess a soul-hooking ability, rooting He Yan to the spot, unable to move even half a step. She couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Xiao Jue frowned slightly. "He Yan?"

"I..." He Yan instinctively curled her fingers, digging her nails into her palms.

When he was usually lazy and weary, it wasn’t noticeable, but when he leaned in close, even his breath became exceptionally dangerous. He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth curling as he asked again, almost like a temptation, "Do you like me?"

"N-no... I don’t." He Yan instinctively curled her fingers tighter, the pain from her nails digging into her palms clearing her mind for a moment, preventing her from saying something outrageous in a daze.

Looking over at Lin Shuanghe, he was already dumbfounded.

Hearing this, Xiao Jue didn’t get angry. Instead, he seemed to let out a slight sigh of relief, straightened up, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Good, it’s you."

"Me?" The ambiguous atmosphere vanished in an instant. Seizing the opportunity, He Yan took a step back and couldn’t help but look at him. "What do you mean, it’s me?"

"Lady Qiao."

"Lady... Qiao?" He Yan was utterly confused.

On the other hand, Lin Shuanghe seemed to have suddenly understood. He walked over and said, "You finally listened to me and think my sister He is the best candidate, right?"

He Yan was even more confused.

"It’s a long story."

"Then take your time explaining." He Yan went to fetch stools for them.

Xiao Jue glanced at her, turned his head away, and reminded her calmly, "Put your clothes on properly first."

He Yan looked down. When Lin Shuanghe knocked on the door, she had casually thrown on a robe without properly fastening it. Now, as she bent over to move the stools, the robe slipped off her shoulders.

Lin Shuanghe said, "I didn’t see anything!"

He Yan felt Xiao Jue was making a big deal out of nothing. She was still wearing her inner garments underneath, and everything that needed to be covered was properly covered. Second Young Master Xiao was being overly gentlemanly. But since he had mentioned it, she tidied herself up.

Once she was properly dressed, Xiao Jue briefly explained the important parts of the matter to her.

"So, Commander, you mean you want me to pretend to be your wife and go to Jiyang with you?" He Yan slapped the table. "How can that be? This would ruin my reputation!"

Pretending to be his nephew was just calling Xiao Jue "uncle," but pretending to be his wife meant calling him "husband"! Just thinking about herself calling Xiao Jue "husband," He Yan couldn’t bear to imagine it.

"Ruin your reputation?" Xiao Jue narrowed his beautiful eyes and sneered slightly. "Are you the one feeling wronged here?"

He Yan: "..."

That was true. From others’ perspectives, the one whose reputation would be ruined was probably Xiao Jue.

But... letting him have his way like this would make her lose face, wouldn’t it?

Rarely did Xiao Jue need her help. He Yan raised her head high, ready to drive a hard bargain and extort something from him, when she heard him say nonchalantly, "If you succeed in this, you can join the Southern Garrison Troops."

He Yan: "Deal!"

"I say," Lin Shuanghe said with a headache, "Sister He, you’re a lady. You should be a bit more reserved."

"You probably overestimate her," Xiao Jue mocked. "How could she possibly have something like that?"

"Reserve is worthless in matters like this." He Yan grinned. "Commander, don’t worry. I can definitely play the role of a good wife, bring you honor, and make others envy you, praising you for having such good fortune that took lifetimes to cultivate."Xiao Jue restrained himself and calmly said, "Qiao Huanqing's wife is a renowned talented woman of Great Wei."

He Yan's self-praise came to an abrupt halt.

"Proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting," he glanced at He Yan, with a hint of pity in his eyes, "obedient, sensible, and understanding—which of these sixteen characters has anything to do with you?"

"Human form," He Yan answered honestly.

"Pfft." Lin Shuanghe couldn't help but laugh, then seemed to think it inappropriate and said, "Nonsense, Xiao Huaijin, you're talking nonsense again. How is Sister He not obedient, sensible, and understanding? As for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting..." He looked at He Yan, "Can you do them?"

He Yan: "Not really."

Xiao Jue scoffed.

Lin Shuanghe immediately said, "That's fine, I can! You'll be with me, and we still have a few days before we depart. Before we leave, I guarantee I'll teach you. I won't claim you'll be an expert, but it'll definitely be enough to fool those rough men. Xiao Huaijin, leave Sister He to me. In less than five days, I'll return to you a refined and graceful lady."

"Short, foolish, and lacking any talent or skill—that really will be hard work for you," Xiao Jue said casually, standing up and walking over to He Yan, his gaze fixed directly on her.

He Yan felt uneasy under his stare. He leaned in slightly, tilting his head closer, and smiled faintly, "But it's hard to say. After all, our Miss He is most skilled at deception."

He Yan: "..."

Xiao Jue always managed to turn praise into an insult.

"As for the good wife who will make others envy me..." His eyes deepened, his smile faint, "I'll wait and see."

He left.

The middle door closed, and the sound of a lock clicking came from the other side. He Yan breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the couch. Lin Shuanghe also stood up and said with a smile, "It's getting late, so I'll take my leave now. Sister He, I'll come find you tomorrow. Let's start by familiarizing ourselves with music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."

He Yan nodded. Lin Shuanghe seemed hesitant to speak further, so He Yan asked, "Is there something else, Doctor Lin?"

He gave He Yan a complicated look and said, "Nothing." Then, fanning himself, he walked out the door.

Once the door closed behind him, Lin Shuanghe let out a sigh and pressed a hand to his chest.

He had boasted to Xiao Jue that He Yan didn't like him, which was why they could get along so comfortably. That wasn't false—after all, in their previous conversations, he hadn't detected even a hint of admiration for Xiao Jue. But just now, when Xiao Jue leaned in close to He Yan, Lin Shuanghe clearly saw her nervousness and unease.

Something seemed off!

This didn't seem like someone completely indifferent to Xiao Jue!

What was going on? Lin Shuanghe grew anxious. If He Yan actually liked Xiao Jue, wouldn't traveling together cause trouble?

No, no, no. It must just be because Xiao Jue was too handsome. Any woman would be momentarily swayed by his looks. After seeing him a few more times, the feeling would fade. He comforted himself—it had to be that.

Inside the room, He Yan sat on the couch.

Xiao Jue actually wanted her to pose as his wife to go to Jiyang. This was simply unbelievable. Never mind her own situation—just the idea of Xiao Jue pretending to be married to someone would make anyone doubt their own ears.Now that she knew the origins of the Nine Banners Battalion, He Yan no longer held any hope of truly entering it. Those who could join the Nine Banners Battalion were Xiao Jue’s sworn brothers, heroes who had stepped forward with the determination to face death. This had nothing to do with ability. It seemed the Nine Banners Battalion would not easily recruit new members in the future. Joining the Southern Garrison Troops was also a good option. In Great Wei, the Southern Garrison Troops were renowned for their prestige.

However, He Yan readily agreed to Xiao Jue’s proposal. Even without these conditions, she would have eventually compromised, simply because of the place Xiao Jue mentioned—Jiyang.

He Yan’s master, the passerby who had saved her from a pile of corpses during the battle of Mo County in her previous life when she joined the army, and who later taught her military strategies, swordsmanship, archery, and horsemanship—that extraordinary person was named Liu Buwang.

When they parted ways back then, she had asked Liu Buwang, "Master, if one day I want to find you, where should I go?"

"If fate wills it, we will meet again," Liu Buwang smiled. "But if you insist on seeking me out for something important, go outside the city of Jiyang. I will eventually arrive there."

She kept this in her heart.

Now that "He Rufei" was dead, she had unexpectedly received this strange mission. But if she truly made it to Jiyang, she might be able to see Liu Buwang. In her previous life, aside from the He family, only Liu Buwang knew her true identity.

She really wanted to see her master.

"Jiyang..." He Yan sighed softly, feeling a sudden hesitation in her heart.

She didn’t know if she could see him, nor did she know if Liu Buwang would still recognize her if they met.

She was filled with anxiety.

...

Early the next morning, after having breakfast, He Yan was about to head to the Martial Arts Field for daily training. Just as she reached the entrance, someone outside the courtyard grabbed her arm. "Brother He!"

Turning around, she saw it was Lin Shuanghe.

He Yan asked, "Brother Lin, what are you doing here?"

Judging by his appearance, he must have arrived long ago. Lin Shuanghe waved his fan. "I’ve been waiting for you here." He looked He Yan up and down in her black martial attire and asked, "Where are you off to?"

"Daily training at the Martial Arts Field! I haven’t done my morning run yet. Doctor Lin, I’ll talk to you later. If I don’t go now, I’ll be late."

"Hey," Lin Shuanghe blocked her path. "If you’re talking about daily training, you can skip it for now. I’ve already spoken to Huaijin and Chief Instructor Shen. You don’t have to go for the next few days."

He Yan asked, "Why?"

"Have you forgotten? In a few days, you’ll be going to Jiyang," Lin Shuanghe said with a smile. "Some matters are more urgent than others. The Martial Arts Field will still be here when you return from Jiyang, and you can train as much as you want then. But now, time is limited, so you should focus on what’s in front of you."

He Yan was puzzled. "What’s in front of me?"

"Look," Lin Shuanghe pointed.

On the stone table in the courtyard, there was now a guqin, a chessboard, several sheets of paper, and an inkstone with brushes. The Liangzhou Guard was originally a place for men to train in martial arts, so seeing such refined items all of a sudden made He Yan momentarily think Chu Zhao had returned.“Since you’re going to impersonate Qiao Huanqing’s ‘wife,’ you’ll need to know a little about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. When Prince Mengji was alive, he greatly admired scholars and literati. In the fiefdom of Jiyang, the common people revere those with exceptional talent. Coincidentally, Qiao Huanqing’s wife, Wen Yuyan, is a renowned talented woman. He… Brother He,” Lin Shuanghe said, “you have an excellent appearance and reliable skills, but you mustn’t slip up in this area. Come, write a character for me to see.”

He Yan: “…”

For a moment, He Yan felt as if she had returned to the Virtuous Prosperity Academy in Shuojing, about to sit down with Lin Shuanghe, who was also ranked last, and recite texts to each other.

Lin Shuanghe was completely unaware of the nightmarish memories his words had evoked and continued to urge, “Come, Brother He, write a character so I can see how you fare.”

This man had nothing better to do all day, and He Yan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She immediately picked up a brush and wrote a character.

“Annoying”!

The character was written with wild, sweeping strokes, almost illegible. Seeing this, Lin Shuanghe paused his fan-waving. Perhaps afraid of hurting He Yan’s feelings, he spoke gently, “Brother He’s calligraphy has a certain grandeur, but perhaps it’s a bit too grand. Don’t you think… a woman’s handwriting should be more delicate?”

He Yan found his statement problematic and immediately retorted, “Who says a woman’s handwriting must be delicate? By your logic, Doctor Lin, does that mean men cannot write in the delicate ‘flower-pin’ style?”

“Yes, yes,” Lin Shuanghe said, “but even if it’s not delicate, it shouldn’t be this messy!”

He Yan had no response.

Lin Shuanghe then said, “It’s fine, it’s fine. How about you try painting? Just paint a picture of plum blossoms against the snow. That should be more than enough to fool the people of Jiyang.”

He Yan spread out the paper, lifted her brush, and painted three flowers and a few scattered dots resembling snow.

Lin Shuanghe looked at it suspiciously and asked, “Brother He, is this a picture of sesame seeds flying off a pan-fried pancake?”

He Yan: “…I only know how to draw maps.”

After repeated failures, Lin Shuanghe began to panic. He asked, “What about chess? Do you know how to play chess?”

“My chess etiquette is terrible, and I love to take back moves. I’m afraid I can’t perform in public. Otherwise, I might lose control and make a fool of myself.”

“What about the qin! Surely you can play the qin!” Desperation flickered in Lin Shuanghe’s eyes. “Nowadays, any family with a daughter starts teaching them the qin from the age of five.”

He Yan spread her hands helplessly. “I know nothing about musical instruments.”

The two stared at each other, the atmosphere awkward and silent.

He Yan felt uncomfortable and aggrieved. She had been raised as a boy since childhood, so why would she learn music, chess, calligraphy, or painting? Later, when she attended the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, she wasn’t particularly adept at academic subjects. Even when she was fortunate enough to receive guidance from a renowned master, with Liu Buwang imparting all his skills to her, it was all about survival on the battlefield. Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting couldn’t help her shed less blood on the battlefield or win more battles. For her, they were simply too extravagant. She lacked the means and, more importantly, the time.

And, of course, most importantly, she lacked the talent.

He Yan wasn’t the only one feeling aggrieved; Lin Shuanghe was equally troubled. He had seen so many noble ladies in Shuojing, each skilled in at least three to five arts. Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were things everyone knew—how could He Yan not even manage a semblance of them?

Lin Shuanghe suddenly began to doubt himself. Had he made a mistake by suggesting to Xiao Jue that He Yan impersonate Wen Yuyan?"Doctor Lin?" Seeing him remain silent, He Yan feared Lin Shuanghe had been stunned by her lack of talent and asked with concern.

Lin Shuanghe snapped back to reality and forced a smile. "It's nothing, I was just thinking."

It was so terrible that there was no need to mention any semblance of refinement; she could only manage to learn the most basic skills and put on a show when the time came. Liangzhou Guard did have a ready-made female instructor, Shen Muxue, who was exceptionally talented. However, if Shen Muxue were to discover that He Yan was a woman and had been personally chosen by Xiao Jue to play the role of his wife, complications were sure to arise.

Although Lin Shuanghe had no particular feelings toward Shen Muxue, he was unwilling to see any young lady heartbroken.

Well, if he didn't take on this hellish task, who would? Lin Shuanghe looked at He Yan, his heart bleeding inside, but he gritted his teeth and smiled on the surface. "Brother He, there's no need to panic. With enough effort, an iron rod can be ground into a needle. Where there's a will, there's a way. Dripping water wears through stone. Since you don't know how, let your elder brother teach you. We'll start from the beginning, and I'm sure we can make others look at you with new eyes!"

Seeing this man inexplicably excited, He Yan coughed lightly. "Um... Doctor Lin, do you actually know how?"

If she remembered correctly, Lin Shuanghe had been tied for last place with her back in the day. What qualifications or ability did he have to teach anyone else?

Lin Shuanghe snapped open his folding fan and declared proudly, "This young master may not excel at other things, but I am most adept at poetry and artistry. Watch me."

...

Late at night, sharp zither sounds came from the neighboring room.

Fei Nu was helping Xiao Jue tidy up the documents on the table when the noise made his hand tremble, scattering military papers everywhere. He glanced up at Xiao Jue, who was massaging his temples with a pained expression.

Fei Nu sighed inwardly. He Yan had shone brilliantly on the Martial Arts Field, seemingly proficient in everything, yet she turned out to be so inept at the arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Any young lady in Shuojing City who had studied the zither, even a five-year-old, could play far better than this.

Three days. Three whole days. They would depart in two more days, yet He Yan's zither playing, separated only by a wall, showed no improvement whatsoever. If anything, it seemed to grow worse as her patience wore thin.

Chi Wu, being impatient, had secretly pulled Fei Nu aside several times to complain, "If she can't play, she should just stop! Has the young master gone mad? Choosing a man to play the role of his wife is one thing, but picking someone who knows nothing at all—isn't that just asking for trouble? No matter how short-handed we are, it shouldn't come to this!"

Since he didn't know He Yan was a woman, Fei Nu couldn't say much and only replied, "Speak less, do more."

But tonight, even Fei Nu began to have doubts. Could someone as slow as He Yan truly shoulder such an important task?

Unlikely.

In the neighboring room, Lin Shuanghe waved his hand weakly. "Sister He, enough, enough. You can stop playing now."

He Yan stopped and looked at him, humbly seeking advice. "Brother Lin, did I improve today compared to yesterday?"

Lin Shuanghe choked, unable to respond.

Although he was not particularly outstanding in the arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, he was, after all, an elegant young master from the capital and knew a thing or two about such refined skills. He had thought that with his guidance, she might not become exceptionally skilled in three days, but at least she could put on a decent show.

Seeing He Yan's current state, however, he realized he had overestimated himself.He had never met a woman so impervious to instruction! Over three days, not only had there been no improvement, but each attempt sounded more grating than the last. Lin Shuanghe now realized that there truly existed people in the world who could produce such sounds from a zither? They say one takes on the color of their company—after all, Xiao Jue was both a master of martial and literary arts, unparalleled in elegance. How could He Yan, having spent so much time with Xiao Jue, not have absorbed even a hint of refinement?

Yet this girl still appeared to be putting in great effort. Seeing her so diligent, he couldn’t bring himself to criticize her harshly. It reminded Lin Shuanghe of a classmate from his youth who was just the same—studying day and night, yet always ranking at the bottom.

It was truly pitiful.

Enough, enough. Some simply cannot be taught. Lin Shuanghe stood up and smiled, saying, "Very good, excellent. Sister He, you truly have talent. With just a bit more diligent practice, you’re sure to astonish everyone. Keep practicing these next few days. When we reach Jiyang, let Huaijin personally give you some pointers. I believe you’ll soon be ready to graduate."

He Yan: "Really?"

Lin Shuanghe: "As true as can be." He thought to himself, He Yan was simply too difficult to handle. It was better for him to retreat early from this challenge. Such complex instruction should be left for Xiao Jue to solve himself. After all, He Yan was his person, his "wife"—this was Xiao Jue’s responsibility anyway.

With that thought, freed from the burden, Lin Shuanghe felt a wave of relief. He laughed and said, "Then I won’t be coming for the remaining two days. Sister He, keep practicing, keep practicing."

Unburdened and carefree, he gracefully took his leave.

He Yan was still half-convinced, half-doubting. To her ears, it clearly sounded awful, yet Lin Shuanghe spoke so highly of it. Could it really be that good?

The interests of refined people truly differed from ordinary folk.

...

Over the remaining two days, aside from practicing the zither, He Yan found time to bid farewell to Hong Shan and the others.

Jiyang was not like Liang Province City. With travel and tasks combined, they would likely be away for nearly half a year, unable to return to the Liangzhou Guard. Not seeing her old companions for such a long time made her miss them dearly.

"Are you going on another mission with Commander Xiao?" Hong Shan leaned in and asked, "A He, are you getting promoted?"

"Promoted? What promotion?" Xiao Mai was roasting some bird eggs he had picked up. The eggs had just been pulled from the fire and were still scalding hot. He tossed them between his hands a couple of times. "Who’s having a baby?"

Shitou lightly tapped Xiao Mai’s head and turned to He Yan. "Take care on your journey."

He Yan smiled. "Of course. I haven’t congratulated you all yet on joining the Vanguard Battalion."

After the New Year, another group of recruits was selected for the Vanguard Battalion, with Shitou, Jiang Jiao, Wang Ba, and Huang Xiong among them. Xiao Mai was still young and hadn’t yet excelled in training, while Hong Shan had always been average in all aspects. Fortunately, neither of them minded much—being ordinary soldiers was enough for them.

"Joining the Vanguard Battalion isn’t as cushy as your life," Wang Ba seized the opportunity to mock He Yan. "You get to go out with Commander Xiao every now and then, skipping daily training and currying favor with your superiors. Even immortals don’t have it as good as you."

"Brother Wang, that’s not right," Jiang Jiao interjected, looking at He Yan. "Brother He’s missions with the Commander surely aren’t as easy as we imagine. There might be dangers involved. Be careful in all matters."

He Yan stretched lazily. "I’m always careful."Huang Xiong, seeing this, twisted the prayer beads around his neck and said, "Since you’re so eager for promotion, this is the perfect opportunity. Commander Xiao is willing to take you along, which means he must see something valuable in you. If you can seize this chance and earn military merit, you’ll be one step closer to what you want and can achieve your goals faster."

He Yan thought to herself, Commander Xiao was indeed willing to take her along because he saw something valuable in her—specifically, that she was a woman. Who would have guessed!

"No problem, no problem," she waved her hand. "Don’t worry, everyone. We’re all brothers who fought for the flag together on White Moon Mountain and slept side by side in the same barracks. If I have a bite to eat, you’ll all have a sip of soup. If I really do get promoted, I won’t forget my comrades. But I also believe that even without me, all of you can carve out your own place in Liang Province."

"Well said!" Huang Xiong exclaimed. "Relying on oneself rather than others—that’s what makes a true hero."

He Yan smiled faintly and gazed at the vast sky above Liangzhou Guard.

The distant mountains, blanketed in white snow, would eventually thaw gradually. Winter had passed, and the beautiful scenery of spring would soon arrive. Jiyang was different from Liang Province—with its towering mountains and distant waters, who knew what the future would bring?

She clapped her hands and stood up.

The future could never be grasped by mere thought. It was simply a matter of keeping one’s head down and moving forward, step by step.

End of Volume Three

Volume Three is finished. It feels so boring—can I get a long review? (Desperately hinting)

(End of Chapter)