Legend of the Female General

Chapter 163: Miss Shen

After helping Chu Zhao split the stones, He Yan returned to her room.

When she entered, she noticed the middle door she had left open earlier was still wide open, offering a clear view into Xiao Jue’s room. Xiao Jue sat at his desk, no longer reviewing military records. Under the lamplight, he had his eyes closed, fingers pressed against his temples as if resting.

He Yan thought to herself, poor thing—he hasn’t had a moment to rest since returning. She walked over to Xiao Jue and bent down to look at him. The dim lamplight fell on his face, making his handsome features appear even more ethereal. His eyelashes were thick and long, like tiny fans, tempting her to reach out and touch them.

Just as her fingertip was about to brush the tips of his lashes, a voice spoke: “What are you doing?”

He Yan jerked her hand back. He had opened his eyes, his gaze cool and indifferent as it swept over her face.

“Nothing,” He Yan said nonchalantly, straightening up. “There was a bug on your face. I shooed it away.”

Xiao Jue couldn’t be bothered to respond.

“It’s so late,” He Yan remarked. “Commander, you should sleep. You’ve been reading those records for half the day. Aren’t you planning to rest?”

Xiao Jue rubbed his wrist, a hint of weariness in his expression. Back in Jiyang, they had shared a room without even a middle door for privacy. But aside from the last few days, there hadn’t been much to do then. They would extinguish the lamps early and rest. Now that they were back in Jiyang, there was much more to attend to.

“I’ll sleep after I finish,” he replied.

“Will I start training with the Southern Garrison Troops tomorrow?” He Yan asked. “Do I need to inform Instructor Liang?”

Xiao Jue: “No need. I’ve already spoken to Liang Ping.”

He Yan nodded.

“You don’t seem worried?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Why should I be?”

“The daily training intensity of the Southern Garrison Troops is no less than that of the Liangzhou Guard, if not more.”

“I already knew that,” He Yan sighed. “One must strive for higher goals. It’s only right.” She wasn’t worried about training—it was just a matter of enduring hardship. Suffering in the Southern Garrison Troops was at least more promising than suffering in the Liangzhou Guard.

As she spoke, her gaze fell on a food basket placed on a small side table. The table had previously been piled high with local products Cui Yuezhi had gifted them, but it had since been cleared, making the basket stand out. He Yan asked, “Commander, haven’t you eaten?”

“Why?”

“You can’t go without food,” He Yan said, helping him open the basket. Inside, the dishes were exceptionally lavish—meat, vegetables, and pastries. He Yan let out an admiring “Wow” and exclaimed, “Has the Liangzhou Guard’s food improved this much?” But she quickly corrected herself, “No, this must be your personal meal, right? Being a commander sure has its perks—even your personal meals are so exquisite. Among all the generals in Great Wei, you eat the best.”

Xiao Jue remained silent: “Have you seen?”

He Yan thought to herself that she had indeed seen. During her years as the Flying Goose General, her meals weren’t even half as good as Xiao Jue’s. Forget pastries—having meat was already a luxury. Perhaps it was because Xiao Jue was the Second Young Master Xiao, while her own military background was that of an “ordinary person.” Even generals were ranked, but the Liangzhou Guard’s chefs were truly skilled—the pastries were carved into beautiful flower shapes.

He Yan urged him: “Commander, come eat quickly. It’s almost cold.”Xiao Jue glanced at her, finding her enthusiastic demeanor reminiscent of an innkeeper, which seemed somewhat amusing. However, his expression quickly returned to calm as he walked over and sat down at the table.

In Jiyang, the two of them had often shared meals, and it had become a habit. He Yan instinctively handed him a pair of chopsticks and took a pair for herself. She had already eaten in the evening—the familiar dry biscuits of Liangzhou Guard. With her naturally large appetite, she momentarily forgot that she was no longer in Jiyang and was no longer "Wen Yuyan." Happily, she reached out and picked up a piece of sweet cake.

As soon as she had it in her chopsticks, He Yan realized her mistake and looked up at the person across from her. The young man watched her leisurely, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"I'll just have a little," He Yan said. "Surely the Commander isn't that stingy?" Her courage had grown considerably in front of Xiao Jue. When she first entered Liangzhou Guard, He Yan would never have imagined she would one day act so boldly and unrestrainedly in his presence.

"Don’t talk while eating," Second Young Master Xiao said coldly.

He Yan’s mouth was stuffed full of sweet cake as she watched the elegant eating manners of the person opposite her. Mumbling indistinctly, she said, "Commander, this huzi is so kaoxin."

"What are you saying?"

He Yan swallowed the food in her mouth. "I said, this chuzi is so kexin. The food he makes is all your favorites. Of course, I love it too."

Xiao Jue curled his lip slightly. "Is there anything you don’t eat?"

He habitually criticized others, but He Yan no longer took it to heart. At that moment, she accidentally noticed a palm-sized wooden box on the table and picked it up. Seeing that the box was carved with an image of the Jiyang City Water God Festival, she paused. "Was this a gift from Magistrate Cui?"

Xiao Jue replied, "Yes."

He Yan opened it and found what seemed to be a hand cream. She brought it closer to smell it, detecting a faint floral fragrance. She couldn’t help but praise, "Things from Jiyang City are truly exquisite. Magistrate Cui looks tall and imposing, but who would have thought he’s so thoughtful? He even prepared this for you."

Xiao Jue scoffed. "I have no use for it."

"Why?" He Yan asked, puzzled. "Isn’t it quite nice?"

"It’s pungent."

He Yan: "..."

Being the young master of a wealthy family truly meant having high standards. Such a light and pleasant fragrance was described by him as pungent. He Yan asked, "It was given with good intentions. Isn’t it a pity if you don’t use it?"

"If you like it, take it," Xiao Jue said impatiently.

He Yan: "Really?" Seeing that Xiao Jue didn’t object, she knew he wasn’t joking. She immediately put the box of grease oil away. Though small, the box reminded her of another matter she had forgotten.

Back at the Cui residence in Jiyang, during the battle with the Wutuo People, He Yan had been injured. Lin Shuanghe had given her a box of "scar-removing and flesh-regenerating" medicine, identical to the one Shen Muxue had given her earlier. However, Lin Shuanghe had said that only Xiao Jue possessed this medicine. After a moment of thought, she looked at Xiao Jue and tentatively asked, "Commander, did you once have Miss Shen give me a box of scar-removing medicine?"

Xiao Jue paused with his chopsticks and only asked, "Don’t you want it?"

"So it really was from you?" He Yan hesitated for a moment. "Do you... also believe that scars on a woman’s body are a shame and a flaw, something not to be spoken of?"Xu Zhiheng back then was exactly like that. Though she hadn't said anything, some things lingered in her heart, ultimately unable to dissipate. This situation felt familiar—if all men in the world thought this way, she wouldn't be surprised. But if it were Xiao Jue... He Yan thought she would probably feel somewhat disappointed.

Even though this disappointment was unreasonable.

Xiao Jue glanced at her indifferently: "You're overthinking it."

He Yan was taken aback.

The young man's voice was very calm, "Just scars. Everyone has them. You don't need to be nervous or care about them. If they can be treated, treat them; if not, let it be. You also don't need to be so harsh on yourself."

No need to be so harsh on herself?

He Yan lowered her head, saying nothing, but her hand clenched the wooden box containing the grease oil tightly. After a moment, she whispered softly, "It seems I was narrow-minded."

Perhaps she really didn't need to be so harsh on herself.

...

Early the next morning, He Yan went to the Southern Garrison Troops to join their daily training.

The Southern Garrison Troops were different from the Liangzhou Guard. When He Yan first arrived at the Liangzhou Guard, it was filled with new recruits. The new soldiers were lively and spirited, always boisterous and mingling together, occasionally finding moments to laugh and joke during training. The Southern Garrison Troops, however, were all seasoned veterans. During daily training, they were incredibly serious. No one spoke, and the atmosphere was so tense it felt like they were about to head to the battlefield at any moment.

The deputy commander of the Southern Garrison Troops' daily training was Tian Lang. He Yan had seen this man once before—when she returned Xiao Jue's jade pendant, he was the burly man who had been harshly scolded by Xiao Jue. This man's temperament was as cold and rigid as Xiao Jue's. For a moment, He Yan deeply missed Liang Ping's chatter or Ma Damei's kindness. Even Shen Han, who sometimes showed excessive concern, became someone she longed for.

Tian Lang was also keeping an eye on He Yan.

It had been a long time since the Southern Garrison Troops had taken in new recruits. Even if they were to recruit new soldiers, it wouldn't be someone who had just come from the Liangzhou Guard. But this young man named He Yan was different—he was quite famous in the Liangzhou Guard. It was said that he had once held his own against Rida Muzi and later went to Jiyang with Xiao Jue to fight against the Wutuo People. For Xiao Jue, this was already a sign of great trust in the young man.

The young man looked frail and weak, and Tian Lang had thought he wouldn't be able to keep up with the Southern Garrison Troops' daily training. Unexpectedly, he completed it quite well, showing no signs of struggle. Only then did Tian Lang feel slightly relieved. He Yan was someone Xiao Jue had personally assigned to the Southern Garrison Troops. If he couldn't handle the daily training, Xiao Jue probably wouldn't be too pleased. Tian Lang had always been fearful of this young superior.

He Yan had no idea that, because of Xiao Jue, she had become the number one person of interest in the deputy commander's eyes. The happiest thing for her was probably that, in the evening after all the day's training was over, she could go to the neighboring Martial Arts Field to find Hong Shan and the others.

As soon as she walked in, she heard Xiao Mai's excited voice: "Brother He, how was it? Are the people in the Southern Garrison Troops strong? Did you have any matches?"

"...No." The soldiers in the Southern Garrison Troops had been tempered for many years and didn't have much of a competitive spirit. Perhaps in their eyes, He Yan was just one of countless ordinary soldiers, not worth a second glance.

"Brother He, why not show them what you can do? That way, you can establish yourself in the Southern Garrison Troops," Hong Shan teased with a laugh."Got taught a lesson, huh." Wang Ba snorted. "There's always someone better out there. The people in the Southern Garrison Troops aren't like the Liangzhou Guard—just a bunch of useless trash!"

He Yan smiled as she looked at him. "Brother Wang, you're insulting all of us, including yourself. Is that really appropriate?"

"I'm already part of the Vanguard Battalion," he said arrogantly. "I don't belong to the Liangzhou Guard."

Jiang Jiao sighed. "It's still the Liangzhou Guard's Vanguard Battalion."

While they were talking, He Yan leaped onto the railing beside the Martial Arts Stage. She liked sitting there, swinging her legs back and forth as if on a swing. But as soon as she jumped up, something tumbled out of her arms and rolled to Shitou's feet.

Shitou bent down to pick it up. Xiao Mai asked, "What's this? Can you eat it?"

"Isn't this hand cream?" Huang Xiong asked. "I've seen my little sister use something like this. What's drawn on it?"

"It's the pattern from the Jiyang City Water God Festival," He Yan said. "That's all there is."

"What's wrong with you?" Wang Ba turned away in disgust. "Hand cream? Isn't this stuff for women? You're a grown man using things like this? How disgusting!"

He Yan retorted, "Why can't men use hand cream? I'm just refined! You bandits wouldn't understand such things."

"How dare you look down on bandits?" Wang Ba fumed. "Even among bandits, there are different ranks!"

Seeing another argument brewing, Jiang Jiao quickly stepped in to mediate. "Alright, enough arguing. But Brother He, we're swinging swords and wielding clubs on the Martial Arts Field every day. Using this... isn't it pointless?"

It was likely that any moisture added today would be undone by cuts tomorrow. The speed of moisturizing couldn't keep up with the rate of injuries, especially since everyone training daily on the Martial Arts Field had hands covered in scars. Imagine coating your hands with fragrant grease oil one moment, then lifting and tossing heavy stone locks the next—others would probably think she was insane.

He Yan mumbled, "It's just a token of goodwill from someone in Jiyang. No point wasting it." As she spoke, she reached out to take the grease oil box from Shitou's hand.

Her hand was only halfway there when a gentle woman's voice spoke up. "What is this?"

Everyone turned to see Shen Muxue. In the night, she held a lantern in one hand and a basket filled with medicinal herbs in the other. Dressed in pure white, she looked like a celestial being descended to earth. Her gaze fell on the box in Shitou's hand, and she asked hesitantly, "Is this... hand cream?"

"Yes," Hong Shan replied.

"May I take a look?"

No one could refuse the request of the beautiful medic. Shen Muxue took the box and examined it closely. When she recognized the Water God Festival pattern drawn on it, her eyes flickered. After a moment, she looked up at the group and asked, "Whose hand cream is this?"

"Mine," He Yan said.

Shen Muxue turned to her. The night was fading, and only dim torches illuminated the area around the Martial Arts Field. The young man sat on the railing with a casual smile, softening her striking features. Her eyes, in particular, shone with a captivating brightness. If they belonged to a woman, they would undoubtedly be breathtaking.

Shen Muxue was startled by her own absurd thought.He Yan reached out to take the box, but Shen Muxue stepped back, not returning it to her, and asked softly, "This... was it given to you by the Commander?"

Had she seen it earlier? He Yan nodded. "Yes."

Shen Muxue's body stiffened slightly.

He Yan noticed her strange expression and thought for a moment before asking, "Miss Shen, do you like this box? If you really like it, I can give it to you."

In truth, what Jiang Jiao said made sense—using this hand cream on herself was indeed a waste. Her hands were covered in calluses and scars from wielding blades and staffs. If she were to pamper them until they became soft and delicate, she might not even be able to draw a bow.

If she hadn’t said this, it might have been fine, but as soon as the words left her mouth, Shen Muxue suddenly looked up, her usually gentle eyes now tinged with anger. She shoved the box into He Yan’s hands and said coldly, "That won’t be necessary." Then, she turned and walked away, basket in hand.

He Yan didn’t even have time to bid her farewell.

In Liangzhou Guard, although Shen Muxue was known for her aloof temperament, she had never lost her temper or spoken harshly to anyone. This was the first time she had so clearly displayed anger. Xiao Mai tugged at He Yan’s sleeve. "Brother He, Miss Shen seems angry. Why?"

He Yan replied, "How would I know why?" She and Shen Muxue had always kept their distance, and this was the first time they had spoken since He Yan’s return. Shen Muxue’s reaction was truly baffling.

"Is it because she likes you?" Huang Xiong rubbed the prayer beads around his neck. "Did she get angry because you didn’t understand her feelings?"

"Cut it out. Would Shen Muxue ever take a liking to him?" Wang Ba scoffed. "What a daydream."

"Forget it," Jiang Jiao patted He Yan’s shoulder. "Brother He, you should be more mindful of your actions in the future to avoid misunderstandings." He seemed to recall his late fiancée, his gaze turning wistful as he added, "It wouldn’t be good to ruin someone’s life."

He Yan: "..."

Because of Shen Muxue’s outburst, He Yan and the others spent some time discussing why she might have been angry. In the end, they couldn’t reach a conclusion. The final verdict was: perhaps she simply disliked He Yan for no particular reason. After all, women occasionally have days when they find someone irritating for no apparent reason.

After finishing the meal with her friends, the sky had grown completely dark. He Yan headed back to her quarters and, halfway there, spotted Chu Zhao again.

"It’s so late. Why are you still outside, Brother Chu?" He Yan greeted him. "Are you out collecting stones again today?"

Chu Zhao laughed at her words. "The way you say it makes me sound like a fool."

He Yan thought to herself that the hobby of collecting stones in the middle of the night wasn’t far from foolishness in her eyes.

"I noticed the wind picking up tonight, and it might rain tomorrow, so I came to retrieve the books I left outside to dry." Chu Zhao smiled and pointed to the books in his hands.

He Yan replied, "I see."It seemed almost intentional, but the room Chu Zhao lived in was truly quite crude, even more so than the last time. Last time, he had at least brought along a chef he had specially arranged, but this time, coming directly from Jiyang to the Liangzhou Guard, Chu Zhao had no one with him except Ying Xiang and a few attendants. As a result, he lived poorly and ate simply. However, some people could still appear refined and graceful even in the worst environments, and Chu Zhao was likely one of them. Far from seeming pitiful, he instead carried an air of elegance.

"I heard Brother He went to the Southern Garrison Troops for daily training today?" Chu Zhao walked side by side with her on the way back. "How was it? Any difficulties adjusting?"

"It was alright," He Yan replied with a smile. "Aside from the Deputy Commander not being much of a talker, everything went well."

Chu Zhao shook his head and chuckled. "With Brother He's remarkable skills, you could adapt anywhere."

He Yan looked at him. This man always spoke with such good temper, gentle and refined. He also knew she was Xiao Jue's person, and their positions were inherently delicate, yet he never asked about military affairs. He handled boundaries perfectly, even in casual conversations, sticking to harmless everyday topics. If she were an ordinary person, an ordinary girl, over time, she would inevitably feel guilty, thinking she had been judging a gentleman with a petty mind. Moreover, with Chu Zhao's striking appearance, that guilt could easily turn into pity, and pity, taken a step further, could become affection.

No wonder he was the number one dream lover for the young ladies of Shuojing City.

However, having spent so much time looking at Xiao Jue's face, she found such gentle smiles somewhat distant, and his slender frame seemed overly frail. He Yan shuddered inwardly, thinking that what Hong Shan and the others said—"women always find a few people irritating every month"—might actually be true. For instance, right now, Chu Zhao hadn't done anything, yet she was nitpicking like this. How unreasonable.

To avoid letting her thoughts wander, He Yan asked Chu Zhao, "Brother Chu, with such a good temper, you probably rarely upset women, right?"

Chu Zhao looked puzzled. "Has Brother He upset some young lady?"

This man was too perceptive. He Yan brushed it off. "It's not exactly upsetting, but today, when Medical Officer Shen saw me, her expression was a bit strange. My friend told me..." Though it was somewhat embarrassing to say, He Yan still spoke up, "Perhaps Medical Officer Shen harbors affection for me?"

Chu Zhao stared at her blankly for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. He was usually very mindful of his demeanor, so this reaction was quite out of character. After laughing for a while, Chu Zhao finally said, "Brother He, although your current appearance is quite dashing..."

He Yan felt puzzled. She wasn't that bad, was she? The way Chu Zhao laughed made it seem as if liking her was something absurd. After all, hadn't Song Taotao liked her back in the day?

"Brother He, rest assured," Chu Zhao cleared his throat gently. "Medical Officer Shen would absolutely never fall for you. There's no need for you to worry or be troubled by this."

He Yan: "...Why?"

"Because Medical Officer Shen has liked Commander Xiao for many years. Her heart belongs only to him. How could anyone else catch her eye?"

He Yan was stunned.

After a long pause, she finally asked, "Medical Officer Shen... likes the Commander?""Brother He, you don't know?" Chu Zhao was also surprised by her reaction. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Well, that makes sense. You're a new recruit in the Liangzhou Guard, so you probably wouldn't know about these things. But actually, all the colleagues in the court know that Physician Shen has liked Commander Xiao for many years."

"The eldest daughter of the Censor's household—if she weren't truly, deeply in love with someone, why would she abandon her status as a young lady and, despite the long and arduous journey, come to such a harsh and desolate place just to serve as a lowly physician?" Chu Zhao smiled faintly. "It's clear she's utterly devoted to Commander Xiao."

He Yan suddenly understood. In that moment, she suddenly remembered why she had felt such a sense of familiarity the first time she saw Shen Muxue. In fact, it wasn't the first time she had seen her. She had caught a glimpse of Shen Muxue once in her youth. Back then, Shen Muxue was even younger than she was now, but she had already blossomed into extraordinary beauty. On the day when the students of the Virtuous Prosperity Academy went hunting in the mountains, the Emperor himself was present, along with many officials from the court. As the youngest daughter of Censor Shen, Shen Muxue had captured the attention of all the young men present at the time.

He Yan was also among those young men, gazing at the graceful girl wrapped in a rabbit-fur cloak, holding a hand warmer, as beautiful as a celestial maiden from the heavens, filled with immense envy.

At that time, Shen Muxue had been watching Xiao Jue all along.

(End of Chapter)