Legend of the Female General

Chapter 168: Confrontation

All her trusted aides wiped out?

For a moment, He Yan’s mind went blank, followed by overwhelming grief and fury.

This was no accident—it was murder! He Rufei had done this deliberately. He must have exposed his flaws during the Battle of Huayuan, and even before anyone noticed, he had already decided to eliminate all traces. If the He family could cold-bloodedly kill their own flesh and blood like her, He Rufei could just as easily use the same method on unrelated “trusted aides.”

Rage chilled her to the bone, making her tremble slightly. Her eyes reddened in an instant. Her hand gripping the branch tightened unconsciously, snapping it in two. The sound startled the speakers. Lin Shuanghe and Shen Han turned to see He Yan. Lin Shuanghe asked in surprise, “Brother He, what are you doing here?” He stepped forward, but He Yan retreated a step. Knowing she couldn’t possibly speak calmly with Lin Shuanghe now—and risk exposing herself—she hurriedly said, “I have matters to attend to. I must go.” With that, she turned and left.

Lin Shuanghe stood still for a moment before turning back to Shen Han. “…Did you hear Brother He’s voice just now? It sounded like he was about to cry.”

Shen Han: “…Perhaps Young Master Lin misheard.”

Had he misheard? Lin Shuanghe carefully recalled the moment. No matter how he thought about it, He Yan’s voice had sounded strange, as if she were on the verge of tears.

Just then, Xiao Jue and Fei Nu entered from outside. Seeing Shen Han and Lin Shuanghe standing in the courtyard, Xiao Jue frowned slightly. “What are you doing standing here?”

“We came to discuss something with you,” Lin Shuanghe replied. “Did you see my Brother He when you came in just now?”

“He Yan?” Xiao Jue said indifferently, “No.” As he spoke, he entered the room.

Shen Han cupped his hands toward Lin Shuanghe. He still had to go to the Martial Arts Field. Lin Shuanghe followed Xiao Jue into the room, with Fei Nu standing to the side. Closing the door behind him, Lin Shuanghe turned to Xiao Jue, who was removing his cloak, and said, “Huai Jin, are you still giving my Sister He the cold shoulder?”

Xiao Jue glanced at him. “I’m not as idle as you.”

“Then why did Sister He look like she was about to cry just now?” Lin Shuanghe muttered to himself before turning to Xiao Jue. “Be a little kinder to my Sister He these days. I don’t know what happened between her and Chu Zilan, but I’ve noticed she’s been quite down lately. Deep down, my Sister He is exceptionally insecure. She already loves Chu Zilan but can’t have him. If you keep speaking coldly to her, she’s still a young girl after all—it’s only natural she’d be hurt.” Lin Shuanghe winked at Fei Nu, signaling him to chime in. “Right, Fei Nu?”

Fei Nu stood ramrod straight, pretending not to hear him. Inwardly, he thought, He Yan, insecure? In Liangzhou Guard, there’s no one more arrogant and conceited than He Yan. The word ‘insecure’ couldn’t be further from her. I don’t know how Lin Shuanghe came to that conclusion.

Hearing this, Xiao Jue’s expression grew even colder, a trace of mockery curling at the corner of his mouth. “That’s Chu Zilan’s business.”

Lin Shuanghe thought to himself, Why are they both so stubborn? Thinking about it, it’s no wonder He Yan refuses to believe Xiao Jue has feelings for her. With Xiao Jue’s cold and indifferent attitude, even I would have doubts. This doesn’t look like affection—it’s more like animosity.

“If you have nothing else to say, leave first,” Xiao Jue said. “I have something to discuss with Fei Nu.”He was about to attend to serious matters. Lin Shuanghe dared not disturb him and said, "Alright then, you two talk. I'll step out first and come find you later."

After Lin Shuanghe left, Fei Nu locked the door and approached Xiao Jue. "Commander, regarding the Battle of Huayuan..."

"A repeat of the Battle of Ming River," Xiao Jue interrupted him.

Fei Nu fell silent for a moment. "On the surface, there seem to be no issues, but it cannot withstand scrutiny. The Flying Goose General led one hundred and fifty thousand troops. Given his past military achievements, he should not have suffered such a devastating defeat."

"Not only that," the young man leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly. His hands, extremely pale, rested on the teacup before him as he spoke calmly, "All of his trusted deputy generals perished. There are no such coincidences in this world."

The Flying Goose General's trusted deputies were all those who had fought alongside him through blood and fire, emerging from mountains of corpses and seas of blood. They were not new to the battlefield. While the theory of a traitor existed, it might fool others, but deceiving them was rather difficult. Moreover, with the Battle of Ming River as a precedent, looking back at the Battle of Huayuan now, it seemed full of holes.

"Young Master believes..."

"Rather than an accident, it seems more like silencing witnesses," Xiao Jue replied coolly.

Fei Nu remained silent. If it were indeed silencing witnesses, what was the reason? In the Battle of Ming River, Xiao Zhongwu and his trusted men had all perished, but now He Rufei was still alive—He Rufei was not among those silenced. So, it must be that He Rufei wanted to conceal some secret, which led him to kill all his trusted deputies.

What secret was He Rufei trying to hide?

Xiao Jue lowered his gaze. After a while, he looked up at Fei Nu. "Go inform Luan Ying. I want to know every detail about the Battle of Huayuan, from beginning to end."

Fei Nu accepted the order and left.

Xiao Jue leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on the swaying branches outside the window. He had once studied alongside He Rufei for a year. He Rufei was... extremely stubborn, simple-minded to the point of foolishness, and persistent. He was not surprised that He Rufei later became the Flying Goose General. If someone was exceptionally persistent in one matter, they would succeed in anything they did. However, Xiao Jue still doubted that He Rufei would personally kill the deputies who had followed him for years, all for the sake of some secret.

This did not resemble the He Rufei of the past.

But... nothing in life is absolute. People's hearts are fickle, and perhaps... He Rufei had long since changed.

...

He Yan had been sitting by the Five Deer River all along.

The night was already deep. Ever since she learned from Lin Shuanghe about the Battle of Huayuan and the news that He Rufei's trusted deputies had all perished, she had left the crowd. No one was by the Five Deer River, so she could sit there and freely vent her emotions.

The trusted deputies from her time as "He Rufei" were brothers who had survived the battlefield alongside her, step by step. They had shared life and death, forging a bond deeper than any other. He Yan had originally thought that even if He Rufei feared his identity being exposed, at most he would stop leading troops into battle or claim illness to avoid meeting old acquaintances. But He Rufei was even more ruthless than she had imagined—he went all the way and eliminated all those deputy generals.

What were they thinking before they died? Perhaps some had noticed something amiss with He Rufei, while others had not yet realized. Maybe when they died, they never expected to perish at the hands of the general they trusted. They did not die under the enemy's blades on the battlefield but in the ugly, treacherous strife among their own people. How absurd, how utterly unreasonable!With a sharp crack, the whip struck heavily against the massive rock before her, shattering a corner of the stone. He Yan lashed out fiercely with the long whip in her hand, as if to vent all the grief and indignation in her heart, the sound echoing far across the desolate riverbank.

She didn’t know how long it had been until the whip struck the rock once more, and the colorful tassel hanging from the wooden handle was flung away by the force of the blow. He Yan stopped to catch her breath, looking at her hands. While venting her emotions, she hadn’t noticed, but now she saw red welts crisscrossing her palms, and exhaustion finally washed over her.

She coiled the long whip at her waist and walked over to the tassel that had been flung aside. Half of it was soaked in river water, while the other end lay among the stones. He Yan bent down to pick it up and saw that the small pomegranate flower had broken in two.

He Yan stared blankly at the shattered pomegranate flower. In an instant, memories of celebrating victories with her brothers in the military camp, laughing and smiling, surfaced in her mind. Overwhelmed by sorrow, she slumped to the ground, burying her head in her arms, unable to suppress the low, choked sobs.

She rarely shed tears for herself, but now she couldn’t pretend nothing had happened. Though she hadn’t killed them herself, they had died because of her. For a moment, guilt, self-blame, sorrow, and anger intertwined, leaving no room for anything but painful sobs.

In the wilderness, only the low whisper of the wind could be heard, a chill colder than the snow of the desert.

Footsteps approached.

At first, they were faint, but soon they stopped just a few steps away from her. A cool voice, almost blending into the night, called her name.

“He Yan.”

Before He Yan could wipe away her tears, she instinctively looked up and turned around. A young man stood there, dressed in fine robes and black boots, his graceful demeanor and deep, dark eyes fixed on her, his expression indifferent.

“…Commander.” He Yan reached up, hastily wiping the tears from her face, and said as if nothing were wrong, “What brings you here?”

He didn’t speak, his gaze falling on He Yan’s palm. She was still clutching the tassel from earlier, half of it visible in her hand.

After a moment, Xiao Jue shifted his gaze and asked, “What are you crying about?”

He Yan’s heart tightened. She had wanted to find a secluded place to vent her emotions, never expecting Xiao Jue to come here. What was this? She couldn’t tell him the truth, but the tassel in her hand gave her an idea. After a moment’s thought, He Yan said, “I… my tassel broke, and I was upset.” Afraid Xiao Jue wouldn’t believe her, she opened her palm to show him the shattered jade pomegranate. “Look, it broke in two. I’m afraid it can’t be fixed.”

She was still dressed as a young man, her eyes red and swollen. The last time he had seen her like this was when Liu Buwang passed away. And He Yan was certainly not someone who would cry over a broken tassel. For a moment, Lin Shuanghe’s earlier words echoed in Xiao Jue’s ears.

“My sister He Yan is deeply insecure inside. She already loves Chu Zilan but cannot have him. If you speak coldly to her on top of that, she’s still a young woman after all—it’s only natural she’d be hurt.”

Love but cannot have?

Indeed, ever since Chu Zilan stood her up on White Moon Mountain last time, he had already seen He Yan utterly dejected.He Yan saw the young man before her walk up to her, bending down to look at her. His features were extremely handsome, and he was very close, yet it inexplicably made He Yan somewhat afraid. His voice, however, remained calm as he spoke: "Do you like it that much? So much that even if it breaks your heart, you still insist on holding on?"

He Yan's eyes widened slightly.

What... did he mean by that?

He stared at her silently, his gaze like the night sky in the city—deep and shallow, clear and faint.

After an unknown length of time, Xiao Jue straightened up, turned his back to her, and said softly, "You being here will disturb the Southern Garrison Troops resting nearby."

"Go back."

After saying this, he left without looking back. After he was gone, He Yan wiped her face with her sleeve, stood up as well, and glanced back at the distant river.

She couldn't let He Rufei continue like this.

He Rufei had already lost his senses, and from now on, things would only get worse. There wasn’t much time left for her, and staying in the Liangzhou Guard indefinitely probably wouldn’t work either.

She had to return to Shuojing as soon as possible.

...

This was what He Yan thought, but before she could figure out how to return to Shuojing, someone else was leaving ahead of her—Chu Zhao.

On this day, after the daily training on the Martial Arts Field ended, He Yan finished her meal and headed back to her room. These days, because of the Battle of Huayuan, she had been feeling down, looking preoccupied every day, and no one understood what was truly going on with her. He Yan wanted to continue gathering information about He Rufei, but news about He Rufei always reached Xiao Jue first, then the instructors, and finally the new recruits. Moreover, the Flying Goose General was far away in Huayuan, and with the rigorous daily training, she couldn’t afford to focus solely on distant matters.

As she walked back to her courtyard, she saw someone sitting at the stone table in front of her door. At first, He Yan thought it was Xiao Jue, but these days, Xiao Jue left early and returned late, making it difficult for her to even catch a glimpse of him. Only when she got closer did she realize it wasn’t Xiao Jue—it was Chu Zhao.

The weather was growing increasingly hot, and his clothes were made of extremely light fabric. With his slender frame and wide sleeves of blue, sitting in the courtyard, even this simple yard seemed to take on an ethereal air. He Yan approached and greeted him, "Brother Chu."

"Brother He," Chu Zhao stood up, smiling. "I came looking for you, but you weren’t here, so I waited. I thought you wouldn’t return until late at night, but fortunately, you came back early."

"Why wait outside?" He Yan sat down on the stone stool. "In summer, this place is full of mosquitoes. You’re already thin—if you feed the mosquitoes, there’ll be nothing left of you."

Chu Zhao was taken aback for a moment, then laughed at her words, shaking his head as he pulled a small sachet from his sleeve. "Thank you for your concern, Brother He, but this contains mosquito-repelling herbs. Carrying it keeps the insects away."

A young master from a wealthy family was indeed a young master—so meticulous in everything he did. No wonder he never had a moment of disarray.

Chu Zhao placed the sachet on the table and said, "Brother He, I came to bid you farewell once again. Last time, I left in a hurry without saying goodbye. This time, I wanted to do it properly."

"Farewell?" He Yan wasn’t too surprised. Chu Zhao staying in the Liangzhou Guard was never a long-term plan. The people in the Liangzhou Guard trained hard every day, and whether Chu Zhao was a spy or just looking for trouble, staying here day after day yielded no results. This place was harsh and cold, and a pampered young master like him had no reason to suffer here. Sooner or later, he would have to return to Shuojing.Chu Zhao nodded. "Brother He must already know about the Battle of Huayuan?"

He Yan was taken aback that he would bring up Huayuan, but she quickly replied, "Yes."

"The Wutuo People are already planning to move against Great Wei, and the capital cannot be left unattended. Not only me, but I believe Commander Xiao will also return to Shuojing soon. Currently, the Wutuo People are still in Huayuan and have not yet moved north of it. I must set out first. Once the Wutuo People head north, the roads will become difficult to travel, and returning to Shuojing later might not be easy." Chu Zhao smiled. "Moreover, when I stayed at Liangzhou Guard, it was originally with the intention of leaving once the Jiyang matter was resolved. Now that you have been appointed Wu Anlang, I have nothing left to worry about."

His words were cleverly phrased, as if he had stayed at Liangzhou Guard specifically for He Yan. He Yan said, "I am deeply grateful for Brother Chu's kindness. I wish you a smooth journey back to the capital."

The handsome, orchid-like young man smiled gently, his gaze fixed intently on her, saying nothing.

He Yan touched her face. "...Is there something on my face?"

Chu Zhao lowered his head and chuckled softly before looking up again. "Actually, besides bidding farewell to Brother He today, there is one more matter I wish to discuss with you."

He Yan asked, "What is it?"

"Brother He..." he began slowly, "would you be willing to accompany me back to Shuojing?"

Silence fell around them.

After a long pause, He Yan spoke. "Brother Chu, don't joke. How could I leave with you?"

"Although Brother He is still part of Liangzhou Guard, strictly speaking, you are a Wu Anlang appointed by His Majesty. You can be assigned by Commander Xiao, but you are not one of his soldiers. I have an imperial edict from His Majesty, allowing me to select new soldiers from Liangzhou Guard to serve as escorts. If Brother He is willing, you can accompany me without worrying about His Majesty's disapproval."

Before He Yan could respond, he continued, "I know Brother He's concerns, and I also fear Commander Xiao might be displeased. But Brother He, Liang Province is harsh and bitter. For a... young man like you, staying in such a harsh place is undoubtedly difficult. Sooner or later, you will have to return to Shuojing. Since your heart is set on achieving merit and establishing a career, if you accompany me back to Shuojing, I will arrange for you to meet His Majesty. There is more than one path to achieving merit and establishing a career, especially since the path you previously chose is very slow."

Chu Zhao had always been skilled with words, striking directly at people's vulnerabilities. As everyone knew He Yan wanted to achieve merit and establish a career, he presented an exceptionally tempting offer.

But He Yan had no intention of going with Chu Zhao. She did not trust him.

"I have no plans to leave Liangzhou Guard," He Yan replied with a smile, declining his offer. "Nor do I believe I currently have the ability to achieve merit and establish a career."

Chu Zhao stared into her eyes and slowly said, "Your unwillingness to leave Liangzhou Guard is not because of this reason, is it?"

He Yan was taken aback. The other's eyes held a smile, as if seeing through everything. When her thoughts were laid bare, she did not feel the same embarrassment and annoyance as when Lin Shuanghe discovered them, but rather discomfort.

Chu Zhao's sense of boundaries was far too lacking.Actually, He Yan's words were a bit excessive. Chu Zhao had always been gentle and refined, making people feel as if bathed in a spring breeze. If an ordinary woman were teased by him like this, even if she didn't fall deeply in love, she would gradually let down her guard. Unfortunately, Chu Zhao had encountered He Yan from the start. On the surface, He Yan appeared straightforward and loyal, but deep down, she was not someone who easily trusted others. Especially with the recent events involving He Rufei, she had become even more sensitive. Thus, whenever Chu Zhao drew even slightly closer, she would become fully alert.

The wind blew, causing the branches overhead to sway slightly. A leaf was blown off, drifting down unsteadily until it landed in He Yan's hair.

"Have you really," Chu Zhao still wore a gentle smile at the corner of his lips as he reached out a hand, seemingly to brush the fallen leaf from He Yan's head, his voice equally enticing, "decided whether you're willing to leave Liangzhou Guard or not?"

He Yan: "I..."

Before she could finish, a cold, thin voice cut in: "Didn't you hear her say she's unwilling?"

He Yan turned to look and saw Xiao Jue walking over from behind the courtyard. It was unclear how long he had been standing there or how much he had heard. Amidst the night's darkness filling the courtyard, his figure stood tall and elegant, carrying the chill of the evening as he walked to He Yan's side.

Could this be considered... getting caught red-handed while trying to poach someone? He Yan inwardly groaned in distress. Why was it that lately, every time something like this happened, she would run into Xiao Jue? The misunderstandings were only piling up deeper and deeper. She retreated behind Xiao Jue and cleared her throat lightly: "Commander, Chu Fourth Young Master came to bid me farewell. As for traveling together, it was just a joke. How could I ever leave Liangzhou Guard? Impossible."

Xiao Jue glanced at her expressionlessly, then suddenly reached out as if to strike her head. He Yan was startled, but the next moment, his fingertip landed on the leaf atop her head, flicking it lightly. The leaf drifted leisurely to the ground.

He Yan stared at the fallen leaf on the ground, grumbling inwardly. So he was just helping her brush off the leaf? Even brushing off a leaf carried such a murderous aura. It seemed that whenever Xiao Jue saw her with Chu Zhao, he became particularly angry.

Fortunately, Chu Zhao would soon be leaving Liangzhou Guard. He Yan felt relieved, thinking that from then on, there would be no more misunderstandings like this.

"Go inside," Xiao Jue said. "I have something to say to Chu Fourth Young Master."

He Yan was taken aback and looked at Xiao Jue's expression. Although he was angry, his demeanor remained calm. This man was composed at all times; no matter how angry he was, he probably wouldn't resort to beating Chu Zhao. He Yan wasn't trying to speak up for Chu Zhao, but based on the teachings she had received, for someone like her or Xiao Jue to beat Chu Zhao would be considered bullying the weak.

Bullying the weak was always wrong.

He Yan cautiously said, "Is there something you can't say in front of me? I promise I won't tell anyone."

If Xiao Jue couldn't control himself and lashed out violently, she could at least help hold him back.

Xiao Jue tilted his head and gave her a light, fleeting glance. With that one look, He Yan lost all her words of persuasion. She cleared her throat: "Then I'll go in first. Take your time talking, and please stay calm. Chu Fourth Young Master, I'm leaving."

Chu Zhao didn't seem angry. Instead, he smiled and picked up the sachet from the table, handing it to He Yan: "This is for you, Brother He. I have many more. If you carry it with you, you won't have to worry about mosquitoes bothering you at night."You don't hit a smiling face. Under Xiao Jue's gaze sharp as a blade, He Yan didn't even know where she found the courage to accept it. She thought to herself, forget it, just this once. After all, there wouldn't be another chance like this in the future.

After He Yan left, Xiao Jue sat down on the stone stool she had just occupied.

He didn't speak, only looked calmly at Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao's gentle smile gradually faded as well. After a while, he slowly spoke, "Commander Xiao guards his food quite jealously."

Hearing this, Xiao Jue instead smiled. His expression was lazy, but his dark eyes were sharp as lightning as he spoke casually, "Does Fourth Young Master Chu's remark mean you admit to having intentions of snatching?"

"Why use the word 'snatch'?" For the first time, the softness faded from Chu Zhao's gaze, revealing a beast baring its claws—cold and vicious. "She is your subordinate, not your woman."

"At the very least," the young man curled his lips, "it's 'mine'."

Chu Zhao neither agreed nor disagreed: "It may be now, but how can Commander Xiao guarantee that 'yours' won't become 'mine' in the future?"

"If you're not afraid of losing your life," under the night sky, the young commander's profile was exquisite, a trace of mockery curling at the corner of his mouth as he sneered, "you're welcome to try."

Onlookers: Fight! Fight! Fight!

Everyone, cherish these moments when they're still in the same frame...

(End of chapter)