Legend of the Female General

Chapter 140: Recognition

“Ah He?”

He Yan stood frozen in place, momentarily unsure what to be more shocked about—encountering Liu Buwang here, or the fact that Liu Buwang could recognize her at a glance despite her changed appearance.

Liu Buwang released the acupoint on the little girl, who coughed a few times and looked at them without speaking.

He Yan couldn’t hold back any longer and asked Liu Buwang, “Master… how… did you recognize me?”

Apart from a few members of the He family, only Liu Buwang had seen He Yan’s face beneath the mask. During the battle at Mo County years ago, all her comrades had fallen in battle. If Liu Buwang hadn’t pulled her from the pile of corpses, He Yan didn’t know where she would be now. Liu Buwang knew she was a woman and had seen her face, but now her face was no longer that of the former “Madam Xu.”

He smiled faintly. “Your swordsmanship is unique, blended with my own techniques. It’s recognizable at a glance. What, have you disguised yourself?”

He Yan couldn’t explain everything in a short time and only vaguely replied, “It’s a long story. I’ll have to tell you later. But Master, why are you here?”

“There were suspicious people in Jiyang City. I suspected they were Wutuo People and tracked them all the way here.” He glanced at the old woman’s body on the ground. “I heard fighting nearby and came to investigate. What happened? Do you know this little girl?”

He Yan shook her head. “No, I was… passing by with a friend, eating at a noodle shop. I saw this woman with the little girl acting suspiciously and thought she might be a kidnapper. I never expected there would be assassins nearby. I suspect they’re not ordinary criminals.”

As they spoke, the sound of hoofbeats approached from behind. The two turned to see Xiao Jue riding toward them. He reined in his horse a short distance away, dismounted, and walked to He Yan’s side, frowning as he asked, “Who is this?”

“He’s one of us, one of us,” He Yan hurriedly explained. “This is my… master.”

“Master?” Xiao Jue asked incredulously. “What master?”

“I told you before, my skills didn’t come from nowhere—I had guidance from a master. This is that master of mine. We haven’t seen each other for years, and I’m just as surprised to meet him here today. If he hadn’t helped earlier, this little girl would have lost her life.”

Liu Buwang looked at Xiao Jue and smiled slightly. “I am Liu Buwang. And you are…”

“Qiao Huanqing,” he replied.

“Young Master, what about those people from earlier?” He Yan asked.

“They fled when they couldn’t win,” Xiao Jue replied dismissively. “But you, why did you run over here to catch up?”

“We can talk about that later,” He Yan changed the subject. “These people went to such lengths just to kidnap a little girl. Something’s not right, is it? Little girl, what’s your name? Where do you live? Whose child are you?” She bent down to look at the child.

The little girl was exceptionally pretty. Though still young, it was clear she would grow into a beauty. She seemed somewhat frightened, her gaze wary as she stared at everyone, her lips pressed tightly together without speaking. He Yan asked several times, but she gave no answer. In the end, she simply turned her face away.

“Is she really mute?” He Yan wondered aloud.

“You’re the mute!” the little girl retorted angrily.

“So you can talk! Then why didn’t you answer the questions earlier?” He Yan asked.

The little girl ignored her again."Perhaps she's just been through a harrowing experience and doesn't trust others yet. It's fine, she'll come around in time," Liu Buwang said with a smile.

He Yan sighed, feeling momentarily helpless, and turned to Xiao Jue. "Young Master, why don't we take this child back first and let Lord Cui decide? If she really is a young lady from a prominent family, Lord Cui will surely recognize her."

Xiao Jue nodded.

When the little girl heard the words "Lord Cui," her gaze flickered briefly before she lowered her head again, concealing the strange look in her eyes.

Liu Buwang smiled. "In that case, let's part ways here."

He Yan was taken aback. Liu Buwang was always like this. Ever since she had known him, she felt as though he had no attachments and went with the flow in all matters. She had never seen Liu Buwang form close friendships or have much interaction with others. He never seemed to feel lonely, nor did he show much sorrow at partings. When He Yan had bid him farewell years ago, she had felt reluctant, but Liu Buwang had been magnanimous, saying only, "All gatherings must come to an end, Ah He. You must grow up."

Meeting an old friend again, only to part before they could even catch up, He Yan felt a pang of sadness. She grabbed Liu Buwang's sleeve. "Master! I... I'm staying at a friend's house now. His home is very large. Why don't you come back with us? There are so many things I want to ask you!"

Xiao Jue's gaze fell on her fingers clutching Liu Buwang's sleeve, and he raised an eyebrow imperceptibly.

Liu Buwang laughed helplessly. "Ah He, you're still acting like a child."

"It's been so long since I last saw you, Master... I thought I'd never see you again..." He Yan refused to let go. "Besides, didn't you just mention the Wutuo People? Since it involves the Wutuo People, we must inform Princess Meng Ji of Jiyang City. Come back with me. The official I know grew up with the Princess and is very close to her. We can report this matter to her."

Liu Buwang paused slightly. "The Princess?"

Seeing his reaction, He Yan nodded eagerly. "Yes, Master. Think about it—the sudden appearance of the Wutuo People in Jiyang is unusual in itself. Travel to and from Jiyang has always been difficult. Not just the Wutuo People, even people from the Central Plains of Great Wei have to go through many hardships to get here. Yet the Wutuo People managed to hide in Jiyang City. What does that mean? In short, there are many suspicious points in this matter. We should go together."

Liu Buwang still hesitated.

Xiao Jue, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, curled his lips lazily and said, "Indeed, Master Liu, why not come back with us and have a good chat with your dear disciple?"

After a moment of silence, Liu Buwang smiled. "Very well, then. I'll go back with you. I only hope I won't be a burden."

He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Although keeping Liu Buwang by her side wouldn't accomplish much, having reunited with her former teacher, she couldn't bear to part ways after just a few words.

After all, there were very few people left who remembered "He Yan."

"Let's head back to the post station first and hire a carriage to return to the Cui residence," He Yan said to Xiao Jue. Then she sighed again. "We didn't return all last night. I wonder if Lord Cui and the others are worried."

Liu Buwang's gaze shifted between Xiao Jue and He Yan, lost in thought.The little girl rescued from the old woman had been drugged, her body limp and unable to walk steadily. Each step she took was unsteady and wobbly. He Yan thought for a moment, then crouched down in front of her and said, "Little girl, climb on."

Xiao Jue asked, "What are you doing?"

"She can't walk. I'll carry her to the inn," He Yan replied. "Otherwise, there's no other way."

She really didn’t know her period had come. Xiao Jue was silent for a moment before saying, "I'll carry her."

"Huh?" He Yan was taken aback.

The little girl, however, was displeased and protested, "I'm a woman, and you're a man. How can you carry me? I want her to carry me!"

"Little brat," Xiao Jue said indifferently, "If you say one more word, I'll leave you here."

The stubborn little brat met the unyielding governor and, knowing she was outmatched, dared not say another word, fearing Xiao Jue would abandon her. He Yan watched as Xiao Jue picked up the little girl and carried her all the way back to the inn.

Upon reaching the inn, no one was in the mood to continue breakfast. They simply hired a carriage and instructed the driver to return to the Cui residence.

Sitting in the carriage as it swayed forward, He Yan and Xiao Jue sat on one side, while the little girl and Liu Buwang sat on the other. The group remained silent until Xiao Jue suddenly asked, "Is Master Liu He Yan’s teacher?"

Liu Buwang smiled. "Indeed."

"Then Master Liu’s skills must be exceptional."

"I dare not claim to be 'exceptional.'"

Xiao Jue chuckled softly. "What made you decide to take He Yan as your disciple? After all, this one..." He paused, his tone tinged with mockery. "Aside from being short and clumsy, doesn’t seem to possess any other talents."

At this moment, He Yan didn’t even mind Xiao Jue calling her short and clumsy. She was more worried that Liu Buwang might slip up, so she quickly began rambling on her own: "Who says so! Back in Shuojing, I was just out for a casual stroll when I happened to come across my master recruiting disciples. It was fate—out of thousands of people, my master immediately recognized my innate intelligence and potential for greatness. So, he took me as his disciple and taught me martial arts. But my master is a free spirit, detached from worldly affairs. After teaching me for three years, he parted ways to travel the world. This is the first time I’ve seen him since we separated!"

She felt she had explained everything clearly and hoped Xiao Jue wouldn’t probe further.

Xiao Jue looked at Liu Buwang and asked, "Is that so?"

Liu Buwang glanced at He Yan and replied, "Yes."

"I see." The young man nodded and said nothing more.

He Yan felt a weight lift from her heart. Just then, she heard Liu Buwang look at her and ask curiously, "Ahe, what is your relationship with Young Master Qiao?"

Well, that was a difficult question to answer. Currently, she was "Wen Yuyan," and Xiao Jue was "Qiao Huanqing." In terms of their relationship, they were naturally husband and wife. But... Liu Buwang knew her true identity, and there was also the little girl of unknown background. If the little girl knew Cui Yuezhi, they couldn’t risk exposing themselves.

She glanced at Xiao Jue, who was leaning against the carriage seat, watching her with a faint, amused smile, waiting for her answer.

"Young Master Qiao... is my husband." He Yan had no choice but to grit her teeth and force the words out with great difficulty.

Liu Buwang looked surprised. "Ahe, it’s only been a few years, and you’re already married?"

"Y-yes, that’s right." He Yan forced a smile."Very well," Liu Buwang gave a slight nod. "With someone accompanying you, I can rest assured."

He Yan: "..."

Having told so many lies, this was the first time He Yan understood what it meant to lift a stone only to drop it on one's own foot.

This was exactly that moment.

...

Upon returning to the Cui residence, only a few concubines were present. Aunt Wei, seeing them return safely, finally breathed a sigh of relief, patting her chest as she said, "Last night, Young Master Huanqing sent word that you'd return this morning. The kitchen prepared breakfast, but when we didn't see anyone, I began to worry something had happened. Now I can finally relax." Her gaze then fell upon the little girl and Liu Buwang behind them, and she asked curiously, "And these two are..."

"This is an old acquaintance of mine. I never expected to meet them here in Jiyang," He Yan replied with a smile. "Where is Uncle Cui?"

"The master went to the Prince's residence early this morning. The Princess summoned him, and we don't know when he'll return."

He Yan and Xiao Jue exchanged a glance. With Cui Yuezhi absent, they would have to settle the little girl first.

"Have Miss Yu Yan and Young Master Huanqing had breakfast yet? Shall I have the kitchen reheat it?"

"My husband and I have already eaten," He Yan smiled. "But this little sister and the gentleman haven't. Could you please have it sent to my room? Also, prepare some hot water for the little sister to bathe and freshen up."

Aunt Wei quickly agreed.

He Yan then led the little girl back to her room, handing her over to Cui Jiao and Hong Qiao with instructions to bathe her thoroughly.

Just as she finished giving orders, Lin Shuanghe's voice came from outside. "You've been gone all night, an entire night! Finally back! So, how were the fireflies? I should have gone with you last night. Thinking about it now, I regret it—missing such a beautiful sight is truly a pity." He stepped into the inner room and saw Liu Buwang standing there. Pausing in surprise, he asked, "And this is..."

"My master," He Yan said. "His surname is Liu, given name Buwang."

"Master Liu," Lin Shuanghe quickly clasped his hands in greeting. Then, curiously, he added, "How is Master Liu here? Did you inform him in advance before coming to Jiyang, sister?"

His words were pointed, making it sound as if she had conspired with outsiders. He Yan hurriedly clarified, "No, no, absolutely not!"

"Young master misunderstands," Liu Buwang said with a smile. "I am originally from Jiyang. I met my disciple in the Central Plains years ago. We haven't seen each other for many years, and I never expected to run into her here in Jiyang."

"So that's how it is," Lin Shuanghe also smiled. "Master Liu clearly isn't an ordinary person, to have taught such an outstanding disciple."

Liu Buwang smiled without responding.

He Yan felt inexplicably embarrassed and said, "Young Master, Brother Lin, could you please step into the next room for a moment? I haven't seen my master in years and have much to discuss."

"Why not let us listen too?" Lin Shuanghe chuckled. "I'd also like to know what you were like in the past."

Xiao Jue glanced at him and walked out on his own, saying, "Let's go."

"Don't you want to listen?" Lin Shuanghe still seemed reluctant.

"Listen if you want."

Seeing that Xiao Jue had already left, Lin Shuanghe regretfully closed his fan and said to He Yan, "Well then, sister, I'll step out. You and Master Liu catch up properly."

With that, he followed Xiao Jue out and closed the door behind him.Only He Yan and Liu Buwang remained in the room.

He Yan hurried forward to help unload the qin from Liu Buwang’s back, placing it on a nearby table. She then brought over a chair and said, “Master, please sit first.” After that, she poured Liu Buwang a cup of tea.

Liu Buwang simply watched her with a gentle smile as she busied herself. Only after she finished did he sit down at the table, stopping her from further fussing. “That’s enough, Ah He. Sit down.”

The familiar address of “Ah He” nearly brought tears to He Yan’s eyes.

She sat down at the table as well and softly called out, “Master.” For a moment, it felt as if they had returned to those years long ago when she and Liu Buwang lived deep in the mountains.

During the battle at Mo County, He Yan had been buried under a pile of corpses. The desert was unbearably dry, and she should have died. Unexpectedly, a rain fell that night, allowing her to survive until morning. The next day, a passerby came upon the scene of scattered bodies and dug a long pit nearby, burying the fallen soldiers one by one.

It was then that he discovered He Yan, hidden among the dead, with only a faint breath of life remaining.

The passerby took He Yan back with him and tended to her injuries. When He Yan awoke, she realized the mask on her face was gone. Rising from the bed, she found herself in a thatched hut. Stepping outside, she saw someone sweeping the courtyard.

It was a middle-aged man of extraordinary bearing, dressed in white robes with a white sash tied at the waist. He was slender and graceful, his sleeves fluttering in the breeze, as if he were a transcendent being from another world.

The young He Yan was wary and asked, “Who are you?”

The man in white paused his sweeping, turned to look at her, and smiled. Instead of answering her question, he asked, “Young lady, since you are a woman, how did you end up in the army?”

He Yan was startled, suddenly realizing her identity had been exposed.

Later, she learned that the man in white who had saved her was named Liu Buwang, a wandering scholar who traveled from place to place. At that time, he was living on a desolate mountain near Mo County, supporting himself by selling medicinal herbs he grew.

He Yan once asked him, “Sir, when you rescued me, did you encounter any Western Qiang soldiers along the way?” Western Qiang stragglers often roamed the area near Mo County, and if anyone was discovered rescuing a Great Wei soldier, they would surely face dire consequences.

Liu Buwang pointed to the sword at his waist. “I have my sword. I fear nothing.”

At first, He Yan thought Liu Buwang was bluffing. It wasn’t until later, when she witnessed a Western Qiang soldier fall to Liu Buwang’s sword, that she realized he had spoken the truth.

Liu Buwang was a true master beyond the mundane world.

He Yan had never met anyone so capable. He wielded swords, blades, long whips, and spears with ease, and was also skilled in esoteric arts, planchette writing, and divination.

In her foolish past life, she had at least done one clever thing—seizing the opportunity to ask Liu Buwang to take her as his disciple.

Liu Buwang refused.

But he hadn’t anticipated how persistent He Yan would be. Whenever she wasn’t eating, she spent most of her time pleading with Liu Buwang to accept her as his disciple.

Perhaps Liu Buwang, with his transcendent demeanor, had never encountered someone so shamelessly determined. In the end, he had no choice but to ask her, “If you become my disciple and learn these skills, what use will they be to you?”

“If I learn these skills and rejoin the army, even if I encounter the Western Qiang again as before, I won’t face the same fate of total annihilation. Even if it’s just one more person, I’ll be able to protect them, just as you protected me.”"You still intend to join the military camp?" Liu Buwang expressed slight surprise.

He Yan was puzzled: "Of course."

"Do you realize that as a woman, your identity is inherently special? Now that your entire squad has been wiped out, you could take this chance to return home, and no one would discover your true identity. The original He Rufei is already dead."

He Yan fell silent for a moment before looking up. "I have never considered becoming a deserter."

This statement seemed to move Liu Buwang. Later, he drank the tea offered by He Yan as a gesture of becoming her master and truly began teaching her step by step. However, since He Yan was a girl, some things were not suitable for her, so Liu Buwang focused on teaching her what was appropriate. Even learning just the basics from Liu Buwang was enough for He Yan to gain invaluable insights.

What Liu Buwang taught He Yan most was the art of Qimen Dunjia. Combining Qimen Dunjia with military strategy was enough to shape a female general who could command troops with divine skill and deploy formations with exquisite precision. What did it matter if there were brave generals with extraordinary strength? What did it matter if the Western Qiang were immensely powerful, fierce, and brutal? Warfare had never relied solely on physical might.

"I never expected that, even though my appearance has changed, Master could still recognize me at a glance." He Yan lowered her head and smiled. "How exactly did you recognize me?"

"Your swordsmanship," Liu Buwang chuckled, "is unparalleled in the world."

When He Yan first became Liu Buwang's disciple, she had to reveal her existing skills to him. After observing her, Liu Buwang remained silent for a long time. He likely assumed that as a woman with the confidence to join the military camp, she must possess exceptional abilities. However, after witnessing He Yan's skills with the blade, sword, bow, and horse, Liu Buwang began to doubt whether his decision was correct.

He truly couldn't understand where He Yan's confidence came from.

But he had already accepted the tea, and having taken her as his disciple, he had no choice but to see it through. Liu Buwang felt helpless—he had never taken on a disciple before, and the first one he accepted turned out to be the least talented. It seemed fate had a peculiar sense of humor.

Fortunately, He Yan was not entirely without merit. While she struggled in almost every area, her foundation in swordsmanship was exceptionally solid—so solid that it was somewhat astonishing.

Liu Buwang asked her at the time, "Who taught you this swordsmanship? It's quite decent."

Upon hearing this, He Yan replied with a hint of pride, "A master has been secretly guiding me. I don't know who he is, but I suspect it's one of the instructors at our academy who thought I had some potential and taught me after class."

This was indeed true. When He Yan was young and studying at the academy, her martial arts skills were a complete mess. Even though she practiced swordsmanship in the courtyard every night, she made little progress. Just as she was about to give up, one day, she found a piece of paper on the table in her room.

On the paper was a small figure depicting the weaknesses and mistakes in her swordsmanship during her usual practice sessions, both in and out of class. It also detailed how to overcome these issues, offering precise and meticulous guidance.

He Yan practiced for a few days following the instructions and, to her delight, saw noticeable improvement. She soon discovered that every ten days or so, another such paper would appear on her table, adjusting its guidance as she progressed.

She never found out who the person was, guessing it must have been a kind-hearted instructor at the academy whose swordsmanship surpassed hers and who could instantly identify her shortcomings to offer guidance. However, which instructor it was remained a mystery to He Yan. She once tried hiding in her room, hoping to catch the person in the act when they delivered the paper, but they did not appear that day. From then on, He Yan understood that the master preferred to remain unseen.Yet, driven by curiosity and gratitude, before leaving the academy to rest and return home, she wrote a note and placed it on the table. It read: "Returning to the hall in three days. Meet at the bamboo grove in the backyard at midnight to thank my benefactor in person. Please be sure to come."

"And then?" Liu Buwang asked, "Did you see who that person was?"

He Yan fell silent for a moment, then gently shook her head.

She had just returned to the estate when she got into a fierce argument with He Yuansheng and his brother, was punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall, and within three days, left the estate at night to join the army alone, embarking on a completely different path.

"I broke my promise."

She never saw that person.

(End of Chapter)