Legend of the Female General

Chapter 180: Swordplay

Rundu City gradually regained its vitality.

Yan He’s troops not only drove away the Wutuo People but also brought grain. The rice and provisions sent from Huayuan alleviated Rundu’s urgent needs.

“The Flying Goose General is not in Huayuan?” Li Kuang looked at Yan He across from him with confusion. “He has already returned to Shuojing? How is that possible?”

“Are you doubting my word?” Yan He frowned.

“No,” Li Kuang replied. “It’s just… when Rundu was besieged by the Wutuo People, I immediately sent people to request General He’s aid. Three groups in total—it’s impossible that none of them delivered the message. I thought he didn’t come because the situation in Huayuan was dire, but… how could he have returned to Shuojing?”

“You’ll have to ask him about that,” Yan He replied carelessly, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. “I’m not close with He Rufei.”

Li Kuang fell silent.

As the two remained quiet, someone entered—Zhao Shiming. Zhao Shiming glanced at Yan He first before cautiously addressing Li Kuang, “Commander, today… Miss Qiluo is being buried. Will you…”

Upon hearing this, Li Kuang’s expression darkened. After a long pause, he stood up and said, “Let’s go.”

Qiluo was not originally from Rundu, but her parents had passed away early, and she had no other relatives left. It was summer, and it was impossible to transport her body back to Shuojing, so she had to be buried locally. She was laid to rest in a deep forest within Rundu City, a place of beautiful scenery, not far from vast vineyards. Qiluo had loved grapes in life, and being buried here might bring her some small measure of happiness in death.

When they arrived at the site, they unexpectedly found Xiao Jue and He Yan there as well. Standing beside them was a young man dressed in white, holding a folding fan. Xiao Jue was unremarkable, but seeing He Yan made Li Kuang feel deeply uneasy.

That day, he and He Yan had nearly drawn swords against each other in the hall. Although everything had come to an abrupt halt with Xiao Jue’s arrival, once the dust settled, in the quiet of the night, He Yan’s words lingered in his ears, tormenting him and robbing him of sleep. Beside him on the bed, it seemed as though he could still see Qiluo’s smiling face if he turned, but when daylight streamed through the window and he opened his eyes, there was nothing—nothing to hold onto.

He had not become Zhang Xun, yet he had lost Qiluo forever.

It was a cruel irony, a hurdle he would struggle to overcome for the rest of his life. From now on, whenever he thought of Qiluo, he would be accompanied by endless guilt and pain.

He Yan did not look at Li Kuang; in truth, she had no desire to see him at all. She had fought alongside Li Kuang and knew him to be loyal and upright. But perhaps because she was a woman, in this matter, she always stood on Qiluo’s side, and thus, she felt how innocent the woman had been.

The coffin was lowered into the earth, and everything was settled. He Yan watched as the small tombstone was erected. Ironically, Qiluo had died by Li Kuang’s hand, yet the inscription on the stone still identified her as his concubine.

He Yan lowered her gaze, stepped forward, and placed the small wreath adorned with purple flowers before the tombstone. This girl had once told her that she hoped to remain Li Kuang’s most beloved concubine even ten years later. Life was unpredictable, and before ten years had passed, she was gone from this world. In a way, her wish seemed to have come true—not just for ten years, but for the rest of Li Kuang’s life, he would never forget Qiluo.In her heart, she didn’t know whether it was sorrow or irony that welled up, but the person was already buried, and there was no use saying anything now.

The crowd gradually dispersed. Perhaps Li Kuang couldn’t face He Yan’s gaze, as he didn’t even greet her before hastily leaving. He Yan and the other two walked behind, and Lin Shuanghe stole a glance at her, whispering, “Sister He, don’t be sad.”

He Yan was a woman, and women were, after all, more tender-hearted. Lin Shuanghe also knew that He Yan particularly disliked the world’s unfair treatment of women. Li Kuang’s desire to defend the city was not wrong, but the burden had fallen entirely on his concubine, who paid the ultimate price with her life. In his view, it was too heartless.

He had been busy these days treating wounded soldiers alongside the medical officers in Rundu and hadn’t had the chance to catch up with He Yan. Today was the first time he had seen her since arriving in Rundu, and at first glance, he noticed she had lost a lot of weight. She had always been slender, but now she looked so frail, as if a gust of wind could knock her over. It seemed the city’s lack of food had truly starved her into this state.

He Yan shook her head. “I just feel… somewhat helpless.”

In this world, after all, those who thought like Li Kuang were the majority, while those who thought like her were the minority. Not to mention all the injustices in the world, even now, she couldn’t save a single Qiluo. An individual’s ability was truly insignificant. Changing the world’s views was as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

“However,” He Yan smiled, “I didn’t expect the Commander to stand by my side that day.” She looked at Xiao Jue. “The words the Commander spoke, I still remember them now.”

Xiao Jue said, “I didn’t say them.”

He Yan was taken aback.

Of course, she knew those words weren’t spoken by Xiao Jue. They were her own response to the teacher back when she was at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy. She hadn’t expected Xiao Jue to remember them, let alone for him to utter them in that situation.

“Then… who said them?” she asked tentatively.

Xiao Jue looked ahead without speaking, his mind drifting back to a spring afternoon many years ago at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy in Shuojing.

Back then, he was still young, studying at the academy with his classmates. The spring sun was warm, lulling people into sweet dreams. He was feigning sleep with his eyes closed, half-heartedly listening to the teacher’s lecture. The hero of the previous dynasty had killed his concubine to feed the army, earning a reputation for righteousness. The young men eagerly voiced their opinions, each believing themselves to be a “hero.” He didn’t participate. The world was like a chessboard, and people were like ants. When time stretched long enough, whether “hero” or “beloved concubine,” they were but insignificant drops in the river of history. Whether they could make a splash didn’t really matter.

In the end, everything would pass.

His sweet dream was only halfway through when he heard the teacher say, “He Rufei, do you have a different opinion?”

He Rufei?

Xiao Jue remembered that Young Master He stood out among the talented students at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy—remarkably dull-witted yet incredibly hardworking. If he had recognized his limitations early on, like Lin Shuanghe, it would have been fine, but he was filled with the lofty ambition to “defy fate.” Such a person might seem laughable in the mundane world, but this pure passion of youth wasn’t unpleasant.

To be called upon by the teacher, he was likely to give some vague, agreeable answer. Xiao Jue didn’t open his eyes, listening calmly."The world says Zhang Xun was a loyal and righteous man, and indeed that is true, but were those who were eaten not also innocent? I can understand his choice, but if it were me... I would never do such a thing."

The youth feigning sleep with closed eyes trembled slightly, his long lashes like butterfly wings resting on a flower, startled by a passing breeze.

"Oh? What would you do then?"

"I would lead the remaining soldiers and engage the rebels in a decisive battle outside the city. Those who wield a sword should understand where its blade points—whether toward the enemy before them or the weak behind them."

Such childish, naive, and righteous words. A trace of mockery curled at the corner of the youth's lips as he slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant, sunlight pierced through the window, shattering his sweet dream. Golden light bathed the thin, short figure ahead, and this once-unremarkable person now shone as brightly as a rainbow over a mountain stream.

"I would never draw my sword against the weak."

It seemed to be the first time he truly looked at He Rufei's appearance. The mask concealed the other's face, but no matter the circumstances or how foolish this person might seem, his posture remained upright and forward-facing.

The mockery at the youth's lips faded, gradually replaced by a slight smile. He lifted his gaze to the window, feeling the spring day was splendid and beautiful. Even the fool who was usually mocked and ridiculed now seemed worthy of respect.

Perhaps he was not a fool after all.

The deep forest came to an end, and Xiao Jue did not answer He Yan's words. Stopping here, he said only, "I have matters to discuss with Li Kuang. There's no need to follow me."

He Yan nodded, watching as Xiao Jue walked ahead and left.

Her relationship with Xiao Jue now was rather delicate. She could not be called his subordinate—from the emperor's conferment, her official rank was naturally lower than Xiao Jue's, but she was not part of his troops. Yet, if she were not his subordinate, the title of Wu Anlang held no real authority. Without following Xiao Jue, she had nothing to do.

Lin Shuanghe waved a hand in front of her. "Sister He?"

He Yan snapped back to attention. "Brother Lin."

"I've been too busy these past few days. There aren't enough physicians in Rundu, so I had to step up." At this, he complained a little, "My reputation as the 'White-robed Divine Hand' has become far too cheap—I hardly charge anything. People might think I'm just someone who loves doing good deeds. Sister, when we return to the capital, you mustn't tell anyone that I treated women outside Shuojing. Rules cannot be broken. If others find out, everyone will come to me for treatment, and the threshold of our Lin family home will be worn down."

Lin Shuanghe was someone who, no matter the situation, could worry about things that were none of his concern. He Yan fell silent for a moment before replying, "I'll remember."

Only then did Lin Shuanghe relax. He added, "I haven't asked you yet—how have you been here? You're truly impressive, coming to Rundu without even saying a word. The Liangzhou Guard nearly caused a major uproar. What were you thinking? Even if you want to achieve glory and success, we should take it easy. Why come to such a dangerous place? Even if fortune favors the bold, we must first preserve our lives before planning for the future."

Knowing he was teasing, He Yan simply smiled.

"Sister He," Lin Shuanghe looked at her, stopping the motion of his fan as he pondered, "Why do I feel that after not seeing you for so many days, you've changed quite a bit?"

"Have I?""Yes." Lin Shuanghe replied with certainty.

From the first time he saw He Yan at Liangzhou Guard, even when she was half-dead from serious injuries inflicted by Rida Muzi, this girl was always lively and energetic, radiating warmth and heat like the sun. Her eyes were forever bright, full of vitality. Yet now, barely over a month later, when he saw He Yan again, she seemed burdened with many worries, appearing unusually quiet and withdrawn. It was as if something had stripped away her joy overnight, giving rise to another version of herself.

A somewhat unfamiliar, somber version that isolated herself from others with an invisible barrier, making it impossible to approach.

"Did something happen?" he asked.

He Yan shook her head and smiled. "Nothing." Instead, she suddenly remembered another matter and asked Lin Shuanghe, "Brother Lin, during my time away from Liangzhou Guard, did anything happen there?"

"Why do you ask?" Lin Shuanghe stroked his chin. "Do you feel something is off?"

He Yan hesitated for a moment before speaking. "When I saw the Commander this time, he didn’t ask why I came to Rundu alone, nor did he reprimand me. He seemed very calm. Don’t you think that’s strange? The Commander wasn’t like this before."

Lin Shuanghe’s eyes flickered, and he smiled. "This is actually quite obvious. You came to Rundu to save its people. Since it was to save lives, Huaijin naturally wouldn’t say anything. You’ve been busy and exhausted these days—Huaijin is too worried about you to reprimand you. Sister He, you might have some misunderstandings about Huaijin. He’s actually not that heartless. He’s quite gentle, especially toward those he cares about."

He Yan: "..."

Lin Shuanghe’s answer was so off-topic that He Yan was momentarily at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, she could only say, "Forget it. If he doesn’t bring it up, there’s no need for me to dwell on it." What mattered more now was He Rufei. He Rufei had committed such grave evils, and she didn’t have much time to take revenge slowly. As long as He Rufei held the title of "Flying Goose General" for even a day, it would be a disaster for the people of Great Wei.

"Don’t overthink it," Lin Shuanghe comforted her. "In a few days, we’ll return to Shuojing. Once we’re back, I’ll take you around to relax. By the way, your family is in Shuojing, right? Reuniting with your father and brother will be a good thing for you. Though your identity might be a bit troublesome... but it’s not a big deal. We’ll face whatever comes our way and find a solution together."

"Return to Shuojing?" He Yan was taken aback. She did want to return to Shuojing, but that was her own plan. From the sound of Lin Shuanghe’s words, did Xiao Jue also plan to return?

"Not long after you left Liangzhou Guard, Huaijin received an imperial decree from the capital, ordering him to bring some of the new recruits from Liangzhou Guard and the Southern Garrison Troops back to Shuojing. At the time, we were all worried about the situation in Rundu, so Huaijin and I came ahead while the troops followed behind. We’ll all have to return eventually. With the Wutuo People’s current aggression, the world can no longer remain as peaceful as before. It’s better to return sooner."

Lin Shuanghe looked at her curiously. "What, don’t you want to go back?"

He Yan shook her head. "No. It’s just a bit unexpected."If Xiao Jue was also returning, wouldn't that mean they would be traveling together again? She had already resolved to keep her distance from him to avoid causing trouble, yet it seemed fate was particularly stubborn. Unavoidably, they would have to spend time together again. However, her feelings toward Xiao Jue were now extremely complicated, as He Rufei's actions had forced her to confront certain issues.

Involving Xiao Jue in this was truly harmful and offered no benefits.

Well, what was done was done, and overthinking it was useless. As Lin Shuanghe had said, she could only deal with problems as they came, taking things one step at a time.

After exchanging a few more words with Lin Shuanghe, she left. Watching He Yan's retreating figure, Lin Shuanghe tapped his fan against his chin, pondered for a moment, and sighed to himself, "She didn't even scold him... It seems once Second Young Master Xiao opens up, he truly is formidable. Impressive, as expected of the top student of Virtuous Prosperity Academy."

He cheerfully followed after her.

...

After bidding farewell to Lin Shuanghe, He Yan planned to return to her room to write about the Wutuo People she had encountered in Rundu. Every battle offered clues, and knowing oneself and the enemy ensured victory in every fight. Before reaching her room, she happened to see someone practicing martial arts in the backyard. The practitioner's movements were vigorous, and since the vegetation in Rundu had already been stripped bare due to famine, his swordplay ended up breaking the branches, leaving only a bare trunk that looked particularly pitiful.

Hearing someone approach, the person stopped, rested the Square Sky Halberd at his side, and turned to look. With silver robes, a long halberd, and hair tied high, his demeanor was both arrogant and proud—who else could it be but Yan He?

"General Yan," He Yan greeted.

"Oh, it's that He Yan," Yan He walked to the side, where a subordinate handed him a damp cloth. He casually wiped his hands and tossed it aside before sitting down on the steps, motioning for He Yan to join him. "Sit."

He Yan thought for a moment and sat down beside him.

"Were you just spying on me practicing with the spear?" Yan He asked. "Well, how was it? Have you ever seen such masterful spear technique?"

He Yan fell silent for a moment before smiling slightly. "Truly masterful. Across all of Great Wei, aside from General Yan, there is no one else with such skill."

Hearing this, Yan He's lips curled into a smug smile, and his gaze toward He Yan softened considerably. "Hmph, at least you have good taste."

He Yan sighed inwardly. After all these years, Yan He's temperament hadn't changed at all. As long as you stroked his ego, it was easy to win his favor.

Back in the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, while Lin Shuanghe and He Yan competed for last place, Yan He and Xiao Jue vied for first. However, their rivalry was never in doubt—Yan He always came second, and Xiao Jue always first.

Among the young scholars at the academy, each came from a distinguished background, all outstanding individuals, so it was natural to be competitive. Yet Yan He's competitive spirit was particularly intense. He Yan still remembered how, during their academy days, Yan He would challenge Xiao Jue every few days, much like how Wang Ba challenged her in the Liangzhou Guard.Xiao Jue mostly couldn't be bothered with such challenges, only engaging Yan He in contests when truly pestered beyond endurance. Whether in scholarly arts or martial skills, archery or horsemanship, the outcome remained unchanged each time—Yan He fought on despite repeated defeats. In this regard, He Yan had always felt a certain kinship with Yan He. Unfortunately, while she harbored mutual admiration, Yan He showed no appreciation for it.

Yan He thoroughly disliked He Yan.

Proud and arrogant by nature, he likely deemed the worthless unworthy of even a glance. Someone like Lin Shuanghe, with specialized talents, might have been tolerable—but He Yan was utterly useless. At the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, incompetence was a crime. In his youth, Yan He exhausted every means to torment He Yan: humiliating her before crowds, setting subtle traps, deliberately colliding with her horse during archery and riding competitions—his methods were varied and relentless.

If asked whom He Yan disliked most during her studies at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, Yan He would unquestionably claim the top spot.

Later, she left the academy to join the army, followed by Xiao Jue, and soon after, Yan He as well—though Yan He’s enlistment could be seen as following his father’s footsteps, which was somewhat understandable. Now, still young, he had achieved considerable success. When Rundu faced crisis, He Yan wrote that plea for aid to him, believing Yan He’s temperament would compel him to come.

Though she hadn’t expected him to arrive alongside Xiao Jue.

A few years earlier, He Yan would never have imagined sitting peacefully beside Yan He, engaging in conversation. Truthfully, she never understood what she had done to offend him back then. Logically, they had barely exchanged words, and she had never obstructed him in any way. Why, then, no matter how carefully she tread, did Yan He persist in despising her?

This question ranked among the top ten unsolved mysteries of He Yan’s youth. Now, as Yan He sat beside her, traces of his youthful self lingered in his features, yet... he seemed considerably more composed. After all these years, his hatred for "He Rufei" persisted—what kind of force could sustain such animosity?

He Yan spoke as if casually, "Naturally, everyone says Great Wei has two renowned generals: the Flying Goose General and General Feng Yun. But I don’t entirely agree. Commander Xiao, of course, is truly formidable, but that Flying Goose General hardly lives up to the praise. Rundu and Huayuan are practically neighboring, yet he offered no aid. And during the Battle of Huayuan, it was barely a victory. How could he possibly compare to General Yan? I truly don’t understand how he gained such fame."

Generally speaking, vilifying He Rufei to the extreme was a surefire way to win Yan He’s favor—this tactic never failed.

Sure enough, Yan He’s eyes lit up at her words, and he chuckled, "You, Wu Anlang, are quite different from others. Your discernment alone surpasses many. Though I don’t agree with your praise for Xiao Huaijin, regarding He Rufei—you’re absolutely right! He truly can’t compare to me!"

He Yan rolled her eyes inwardly while outwardly concurring, "Indeed. But General Yan, do you also dislike the Flying Goose General? I thought all military commanders admired him."

"Dislike?" Yan He shook his head dismissively. "It’s not exactly that. I just think he’s unworthy and doesn’t live up to his reputation."He Yan’s heart leaped with joy—was this about to unravel one of the top ten unsolved mysteries of her youth? After all these years, could she finally learn why Yan He had always targeted her?

“What do you mean by ‘disappointing’?” He Yan tilted her head, her eyes filled with genuine confusion.

Because they both disliked He Rufei, Yan He found the young man before him much more agreeable. Without a second thought, he replied, “Of course he’s disappointing. He received Xiao Huaijin’s guidance in swordsmanship, yet he still ended up like that. If it were me, I could have done ten thousand times better. Xiao Huaijin is a strange one too—what kind of judgment is that? He ignores the talented scholars in the academy and spends his time teaching a fool instead. Yet he’s too stingy to spar with me even once. Tell me, how can such a person exist in this world?”

“Swordsmanship… guidance?”

"Yes," Yan He glanced at her, "unexpected, isn't it? The so-called unparalleled swordsmanship of the Flying Goose General was actually taught step by step by Xiao Huaijin. Does it seem absurd?"

(End of Chapter)