Legend of the Female General

Chapter 179: Yan He

His eyes were like shattered stars and jade, his voice calm, yet in an instant, it transported He Yan back to that afternoon at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy. His voice overlapped with the youthful, slightly awkward tone of that boy from years ago, making it impossible to distinguish who was speaking in this moment.

From outside came the excited and joyful shouts of a soldier: "Sir! Sir! Reinforcements have arrived! Reinforcements are here!"

Reinforcements?

He Yan looked at Xiao Jue's back. Had he brought the Southern Garrison Troops? How was that possible? Just as she thought this, she saw Li Kuang push through the crowd blocking his way and rush out of the room. He Yan glanced at Xiao Jue and followed him out.

Deafening battle cries echoed from outside the city walls. He Yan climbed to a high point on the city tower and, following Li Kuang's gaze, looked down. On the plains below, the Wutuo People were locked in combat with the Great Wei army. On the battle flag, the character "Yan" was written. At the forefront, a young man sat atop a horse, his hair tied high, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. Clad in silver-white armor and wielding a Square Sky Halberd, he looked exceptionally spirited as he led his troops into the fray.

Yan He.

A smile surfaced in He Yan's eyes. Li Kuang, who had just arrived, was also stirred by the sight and immediately ordered the troops within the city: "Follow me out to battle the Wutuo People!"

…

Neither Li Kuang nor Huyate had anticipated the sudden arrival of reinforcements. The day before they had decided to attack the city, they were caught off guard by the troops led by Guide Central General Yan He. Li Kuang joined the battle with the Rundu forces, and the Wutuo army retreated step by step. Their leader, Huyate, abandoned his troops and fled, leaving the remaining Wutuo soldiers scattered like loose sand. Some were captured by Li Kuang, while others retreated south of Rundu with Huyate.

"Don't pursue a fleeing enemy," Yan He stopped Li Kuang from giving chase. He wiped the splattered blood of the Wutuo People from his armor and casually tossed the handkerchief to a nearby attendant, scoffing, "With just this handful of Wutuo soldiers, you were too scared to even leave the city? How cowardly."

His words were harsh, especially coming from someone so much younger than himself, but Li Kuang wasn't angered. After all, if Yan He hadn't brought reinforcements, the Wutuo People wouldn't have retreated so quickly. He genuinely felt immense gratitude toward Yan He—this was entirely unexpected. Who would have thought that instead of the long-awaited Flying Goose General, they would receive aid from the Guide Central General?

"On behalf of all the citizens of the city, I, Li, thank General Yan for your timely assistance. The kindness of sending help in a time of need will never be forgotten by Rundu. However," he hesitated, "how did General Yan come to be in Rundu?"

He had never written to Yan He requesting aid.

Yan He chuckled, slung the Square Sky Halberd over his shoulder, and walked forward nonchalantly. "Let's talk inside."

The soldiers spent the entire night cleaning up the battlefield. The great victory was celebrated with cheers all around. Moreover, Yan He hadn't just brought reinforcements—he had also brought provisions. The soldiers set up large cauldrons in the city and used the grain to cook porridge. The surviving households of Rundu came out with bowls to receive the porridge, weeping with gratitude. The aroma of rice lingered over Rundu for a long time.

Inside the room, Zhao Shiming nervously rubbed his hands together as he looked at the two men seated before him.One was the Right Army Commander Xiao Huaijin, the other was the Guide Central General Yan He. As a mere magistrate of Rundu, what virtue or ability did he possess in this lifetime to meet such great figures? It could be considered a stroke of extraordinary fortune, yet these two—one cold and aloof, the other haughty and proud—seemed neither particularly approachable. Apart from repeatedly expressing his gratitude and thanking them for saving the tens of thousands of people in Rundu, Zhao Shiming hardly knew what else to say.

At this moment, Zhao Shiming sighed inwardly. If only Qiluo were still here. A clever and beautiful woman would surely be far more effective in handling such situations than these withered old men. In the past, it had always been Qiluo who smoothed things over.

Li Kuang likely thought the same, his expression stiffening slightly.

Yan He—the Guide Central General—was only in his early twenties, still very young. He was quite handsome, yet his gaze always carried a hint of provocation, and his chin was slightly raised, as if he looked down on others. His hair was tied high, a ponytail falling behind his head, exuding the spirited arrogance of youth.

In contrast, the Right Army Commander Xiao Jue, seated beside him, was as calm as autumn water. Without his armor, he looked more like a noble young master seated in a high-class wine house in Shuojing City. Unlike Yan He, whose pride was outwardly displayed, Xiao Jue’s indifferent and composed demeanor radiated an air of keeping others at a distance.

Faced with two deities he dared not offend, Zhao Shiming wiped his sweat. What should he say next?

Before he could decide on his next words, Li Kuang spoke first. Hesitating for a moment, Li Kuang asked Yan He, “General Yan… why did you suddenly come to aid our Rundu?”

Yan He chuckled softly, straightening his posture. “I should be asking you,” he said. “Is there someone named He Yan in your city of Rundu?”

At these words, the expressions of everyone in the room shifted subtly. Xiao Jue’s eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent.

“It seems there is,” Yan He remarked. “Magistrate Li, bring that person here. I wish to see them.”

He Yan was waiting outside the room. Sure enough, before long, someone emerged and said, “Little He Lady, General Yan requests your presence inside.”

Wang Ba was taken aback. “What’s going on? Why are you the only one being called in? Could this be a reckoning after the fact?”

“Should we accompany you?” Jiang Jiao also hesitated. “If Commander Xiao punishes you for leaving Liangzhou Guard without orders…”

“It’s not about that.” He Yan glanced at the door and shook her head. “Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

She patted Jiang Jiao’s shoulder and turned to enter Li Kuang’s room alone.

As He Yan entered, the gazes of everyone in the room fell upon her.

The young man in silver-white armor looked at He Yan, his eyes scrutinizing her for a moment. “So you are He Yan?”

“That’s right.”

Yan He rose from his chair, looking down at He Yan from his superior height. He was a head taller than her and gestured with his hand above her head, letting out a soft “tsk” before turning to Xiao Jue with a serious expression. “Do military camps still have people this short nowadays?”

He Yan: “…”

He withdrew his hand, stroking his chin as he examined He Yan. “Not tall, but quite bold. Was it you who wrote the plea for aid that brought me to Rundu?”

At these words, Li Kuang looked at He Yan, and Xiao Jue’s gaze also settled on her. He Yan remained composed, calmly accepting the varied expressions of those around her. “It was indeed me.”"Then you truly have excellent judgment," Yan He said dismissively. "Instead of asking that useless He Rufei who's right at hand, you specifically requested my support for Rundu. It seems you understand clearly that this general is more reliable than He Rufei."

He Yan remained silent. How could she respond? Agreeing with him would mean disparaging herself, while denying his words... He Yan actually quite enjoyed hearing someone curse He Rufei like this.

That day, after her unpleasant parting with Li Kuang and realizing Rundu's dire situation, she borrowed a few men from Zhao Shiming and went to seek reinforcements from Yan He in Lingjun. She remembered Yan He was stationed with troops in Lingjun, not as close as Huayuan. In fact, Yan He's reputation wasn't as prominent as He Rufei's. If ordinary people sought reinforcements, they would think of He Rufei first, not Yan He. But He Yan knew well that He Rufei simply wouldn't come, so she settled for the second best.

The troops from Jinling couldn't be easily mobilized, while Yan He was relatively freer to act. Still, Yan He might not necessarily come either, so in that letter, besides describing Rundu's current critical situation, she also wrote extensively about He Rufei's despicable behavior of refusing to help those in distress.

"The way you cursed He Rufei in your letter pleased this general greatly," Yan He looked at He Yan. "You truly understand this general's heart."

He Yan thought to herself, how could she not understand? As classmates during their years at Virtuous Prosperity Academy, the person before her had bullied her relentlessly. Led by Yan He, several young men would cause trouble for her every few days—either playing pranks or bullying her. Seeing this person almost brought back memories of those dark days at Virtuous Prosperity Academy.

Yan He had disliked her ever since they were classmates at the academy. After all these years, he remained just as persistently hateful. To cater to his preferences, He Yan had written plenty of bad things about He Rufei in the letter. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Now it seemed this was indeed true. Because of He Yan's insults toward He Rufei, Yan He naturally considered He Yan part of his own camp.

"Although you're a bit short and thin, you seem quite clever," Yan He said the next moment, placing his hand on He Yan's shoulder. "Why don't you follow me from now on?"

"Yan Nanguang," Xiao Jue's gaze fell on his hand as he reminded, "She is from Liangzhou Guard."

"Liangzhou Guard?" Yan He withdrew his hand and looked at He Yan in confusion. "Aren't you from Rundu?"

"Reporting to General Yan," He Yan said, "This humble one was previously in the new recruit camp of Liangzhou Guard. Later, His Majesty personally conferred upon me the title of Wu Anlang. Hearing of Rundu's plight, I came specifically to aid the city."

She emphasized the words "Wu Anlang" heavily. Although Xiao Jue had classified her as part of Liangzhou Guard, to avoid implicating him, it was best to draw clear boundaries.

"You're from Liangzhou Guard, yet you came to Rundu on your own?" Yan He glanced at Xiao Jue, then at He Yan. The relationship here was probably too complicated for him to figure out, so he simply returned to his seat, leaned back in his chair, and snorted. "Forget it, I don't want to know about your intricate internal affairs. But this He... He what was it again?"

He Yan was already accustomed to this guy's arrogant nature and reminded him, "He Yan."

"He Yan, I didn't come because of your request for reinforcements. Even if I were to come, it wouldn't have been this quickly."

Zhao Shiming cautiously asked, "Then may I ask, General Yan, why did you..."Yan He laughed, then looked provocatively at Xiao Jue. "Our esteemed Right Army Commander personally invited me to assist. In all my years, this is the first time he has ever asked me for help. As a general of such magnanimity, of course I had to come and lend a hand. Isn't that right, Commander Xiao?"

Xiao Jue's expression remained indifferent, and he did not respond to his words.

He Yan was inwardly surprised. Did Yan He mean... that Xiao Jue had also requested Yan He's assistance? That made sense. He hadn't brought the Southern Garrison Troops with him. After all, Liang Province wasn't as close as Lingjun. She and Xiao Jue had actually thought alike. In that case, even if she hadn't written that plea for aid, Yan He would have arrived on schedule.

Rundu was not meant to fall.

"Magistrate Li, Magistrate Zhao," Yan He toyed with his hair, "although it was this He... He Yan and Commander Xiao who requested my aid this time, it was I, Yan He, who led the troops here. You know very well where the credit for this victory lies."

"This great victory at Rundu is entirely thanks to General Yan," Zhao Shiming quickly chimed in. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized there was another person in the room and immediately glanced at Xiao Jue. Seeing the young man's calm expression, without a trace of displeasure, he felt relieved. It was fortunate this one didn't care about credit. If both of them were fighting for recognition, his small Rundu city couldn't possibly accommodate two great figures battling for glory.

He Yan had long heard of Yan He's fondness for claiming credit. However, the fact that Rundu had been defended this time was entirely due to his help. It was only natural for him to want the credit.

Yan He stretched lazily and yawned. "I've been traveling for days, and as soon as I arrived, I had to fight the Wutuo people. I haven't had a proper rest. I need to recuperate. Please prepare a room and hot water for me. As for meals, there's no need. I heard the people here are so hungry they're almost resorting to cannibalism. I have no taste for such things."

Zhao Shiming repeatedly agreed and hurriedly ordered his subordinates to make arrangements for Yan He.

Yan He stood up and was about to leave. As he passed by Xiao Jue, he paused and looked at him, his tone brimming with arrogance. "Whether you admit it or not, Xiao Huaijin, this time, I have bested you."

Having said this, he seemed in high spirits. With his hands behind his head, he swaggered out.

He Yan stared at his retreating figure, somewhat puzzled. To be honest, back in the day, Yan He had disliked Xiao Jue and constantly opposed him, simply because Xiao Jue always outperformed him in both literary and martial pursuits. Having been second for so long, he wanted to taste what it was like to be first, but that top spot just wouldn't budge. It was indeed rather annoying. But He Yan couldn't understand why Yan He had also constantly picked on her, who was at the very bottom. What had she ever done to him? It was Lin Shuanghe, not Yan He, who competed with her for last place. Why did Yan He harbor such deep resentment toward her? And this resentment had persisted for so many years.

Still, Yan He's temperament was exactly the same as it had been back then—competitive, stubborn, and wearing all his emotions plainly on his face.

As she was lost in thought, Xiao Jue, who had been standing beside her, had already risen and was heading out. As he passed by her, he coldly tossed out a command: "Come with me."

He Yan: "..."

She sighed inwardly. She had known this day would come eventually, but she never expected it to arrive so soon. Then again, who could have predicted that Xiao Jue would follow Yan He to Rundu?Outside the room, Jiang Jiao and the others had waited anxiously for He Yan to emerge. Seeing her follow Xiao Jue out again, their expressions turned grave. The situation looked as though a private reckoning was about to take place. Hong Shan gestured to her, asking if they should accompany her to plead on her behalf. He Yan shook her head slightly at them.

This was not something that could be brushed aside with a few words of apology.

...

The room darkened, with only the lamplight on the table casting shadows of figures on the wall.

The quarters Zhao Shiming had arranged for Xiao Jue were almost extravagantly luxurious. He Yan followed him inside, head bowed, pondering how to explain the situation when, unexpectedly, the man in front stopped and turned around, causing her to bump into Xiao Jue's chest.

He Yan took two steps back to steady herself and looked up. The man before her gazed down calmly, his eyes resting on her. Though he said nothing, his silence felt intimidating.

The stillness in the air made even the summer night feel cold. He Yan paused, cleared her throat softly, and said, "Commander..."

His eyes fell on the sword in He Yan's hand.

It was the sword she had seized from the guard at Li Kuang's door in the heat of the moment to rescue the captive women, and she had forgotten to return it to Li Kuang. He Yan’s heart tightened, and she instinctively placed the sword on a nearby table, explaining, "This belongs to someone else."

Xiao Jue took a step forward. He Yan held her breath, expecting him to demand an explanation. Instead, the next moment, her arm was grasped, and her palm was turned upward.

There was a shallow cut on her palm. Though not deep, the blood had clotted from being clenched, making it look more serious than it was. She must have injured her hand during the scuffle with Li Kuang’s guards. In the urgency of the moment, she hadn’t noticed, and even now, she wouldn’t have realized it if Xiao Jue hadn’t drawn her attention to it.

Without a word, he turned and walked to the side. He Yan stood there, unsure what to do, when she heard him say, "Come here."

A handkerchief soaked in clean, warm water was pressed against her palm. It stung slightly, but more than that, it itched—like a colorful butterfly alighting on her palm, crawling slowly and leaving a tingling sensation in its wake.

He bent his head, carefully sprinkling golden wound powder onto the cut on He Yan’s palm. His expression was focused and serene. He Yan watched him, noticing the young man’s thick, long eyelashes and his handsome profile, like a painting under the lamplight.

Silent, gentle, and calm.

There was no anticipated interrogation or sarcasm.

He Yan felt an inexplicable sense of guilt, as though she had committed an unforgivable wrong and deeply wronged Xiao Jue. She stammered, "Commander, actually, I... didn’t come to Rundu with Chu Fourth Young Master."

Chu Zhao’s presence here was a coincidence, but in Xiao Jue’s eyes, it might not seem that way. Though she had resolved to stay away from Xiao Jue to avoid causing him trouble, she didn’t want him to misunderstand and think she had sided with Chu Zhao.

"I know," he replied, his voice cool and unruffled.

For a moment, He Yan didn’t know what else to say.

His movements were gentle, even gentler than when she tended to her own wounds. Because of his height, he had to lean slightly to apply the medicine. He Yan had been following his gaze to her palm, but gradually, her eyes drifted to Xiao Jue’s face.

Elegant and refined—no matter how many praises were heaped upon him, they always seemed insufficient.

Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly met his gaze as he looked up. His dark eyes were deep and clear, like autumn waters, pure and profound.Caught red-handed, her ears flushed slightly, but she forced a calm expression, pointing to her palm and saying, "...It's done."

The wound was sprinkled with medicinal powder and no longer looked as frightening as before. He Yan withdrew her hand, feeling somewhat uneasy.

This didn't seem like Xiao Jue's usual style. Ordinarily, he would have started questioning her immediately. Today, however, he remained unusually silent, leaving He Yan with a head full of prepared explanations but no idea where to begin.

Why had his demeanor changed? He Yan couldn't understand.

But since Xiao Jue didn't ask, she didn't know how to bring it up.

After tending to He Yan's wound, he sat down in a chair in the room, neither dismissing her nor showing any intention to question her. After a while, it was He Yan who couldn't hold back and asked, "Commander, why aren't you asking me why I left Liangzhou Guard without permission and came to Rundu?"

"You are the Wu Anlang personally appointed by His Majesty, with official seals and attire. You may come and go as you please without consulting me," Xiao Jue replied calmly. "The decision is yours."

This was exactly the explanation He Yan had prepared for herself, but Xiao Jue had spoken it first, leaving her with nothing more to say.

"Wang Ba and the others came with me because I forced them. Please do not punish them, Commander. I alone will bear the responsibility. I had no ill intentions—I was truly worried that Rundu might fall and came to aid the city, even if it was beyond my capabilities."

Well, since Xiao Jue refused to speak, she would take responsibility first and show a good attitude in admitting her mistake.

"Why do you think," Xiao Jue asked, "that He Rufei would not send reinforcements to Rundu?"

So he would ask this question after all. He Yan sighed inwardly and looked at him. "If I said that He Rufei is not a good person, would you believe me, Commander?"

Xiao Jue glanced at her indifferently, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Evidence."

"I have no evidence and cannot convince you, Commander. However, in my view, He Rufei is not the hero people say he is." She used "He Rufei" instead of "Flying Goose General."

"Commander," He Yan said slowly, looking at him, "if one day, He Rufei and I find ourselves on opposing sides and draw swords against each other, which side would you stand on?"

This was a question she had long wanted to ask. She and He Rufei would inevitably face such a day one day. The He Rufei Xiao Jue knew was the "He Rufei" from the Virtuous Prosperity Academy back then, while the He Yan Xiao Jue knew was the present "He Yan." Both were actually her, but which would Xiao Jue choose?

He Yan wasn't entirely sure herself. It seemed that every version of her had a good relationship with Xiao Jue, yet not close enough to be considered a confidant. What image did she hold in Xiao Jue's heart, and what weight did she carry? Whether in the past or now, He Yan didn't understand.

Xiao Jue watched her quietly for a moment before saying, "It's late today. You may leave."

He didn't answer He Yan's question.

In He Yan's heart, she didn't know whether to feel disappointment or relief. She was disappointed that Xiao Jue hadn't given her a direct answer, yet relieved that he hadn't given her a negative one.

She nodded. "Yes."

He Yan withdrew from the room, and silence settled in once more.

The young man's gaze fell on the golden wound medicine on the table, his beautiful eyes lowered, lost in thought.

A moment later, someone entered the room—it was Fei Nu. He walked to Xiao Jue's side and whispered, "Young Master, Luan Ying's message has returned. For now, no issues have been found with He Sui.""She has no issues," Xiao Jue cut him off.

Fei Nu was taken aback. There were numerous suspicious points about He Yan, from the beginning until now. A few days ago, without informing anyone, she had taken several new recruits from the Liangzhou Guard and come to Rundu. No matter how one looked at it, no one could provide a reasonable explanation. What’s more, she had left just before Chu Zhao, and now in Rundu, they had indeed seen Chu Zhao again. Both Chi Wu and Fei Nu couldn’t help but suspect that He Yan might be one of Chu Zhao’s people. Yet they also felt that if she were truly Chu Zhao’s agent, such actions would be too brazen and undisguised.

The young man stood up, his shadow stretching long under the lamplight. He gazed thoughtfully at the flickering flame on the corner of the table, then after a brief moment, spoke softly: "Tell Luan Ying not to investigate He Yan anymore. Investigate He Rufei."

Actually, the one online now isn't Commander Xiao anymore—it's Player Xiao o(*≧▽≦)ツ┏━┓

(End of Chapter)