Legend of the Female General

Chapter 183: Yang Mingzhi

Ten days later, the group arrived in Jinling.

Unlike the warm simplicity of Jiyang, and different from the heavy desolation of Rundu, Jinling was gentle and sentimental, like a delicate and elegant lady tinged with a faint blush. Under the clear, radiant sunlight and the charming morning sun, the soft Wu dialect filled the air with the sound of music and song—a true paradise of wealth and luxury.

Lin Shuanghe could hardly move upon arriving here, gazing at the delicate ladies passing by on the streets and exclaiming, "This is truly a celestial haven. No wonder people always say that once you enter Jinling, you never want to leave."

He Yan: "...You said the same thing when we were in Jiyang."

Lin Shuanghe flicked open his fan. "Brother He, I was merely adapting to local customs."

He Yan: "..."

What a fine way to adapt to local customs.

Upon arriving in Jinling, it was only natural to pay respects to the governor of Jinling's Yingtian Prefecture. The troops Yan He had brought along could not roam freely within the city. The Yingtian Prefecture had already received news of Yan He's arrival, so Yan He went ahead to coordinate and arrange accommodations for the troops.

Outside Yingtian Prefecture, guards were already waiting. Some had been assigned to settle the troops, and He Yan should have followed Wang Ba and the others, standing among the ranks of the "troops." However, Lin Shuanghe patted her shoulder and said, "You are now a Wu Anlang personally appointed by His Majesty, no longer a commoner. You should come with us and learn a thing or two about the official world."

He Yan was speechless and was about to ask Xiao Jue when Yan He glanced at her and chimed in, "He’s right. Since you hold an official position, follow us."

Yan He, who was usually arrogant and difficult to get along with, treated He Yan with special favor, much to everyone's surprise. But He Yan knew perfectly well that this was thanks to her having thoroughly disparaged "He Rufei" in front of Yan He, making him feel she was a rare soulmate in the world.

As everyone stepped into the hall, a man was seated in the main room. Seeing them enter, he stood up. Dressed in the official robes of a governor, he was remarkably young, slender, with delicate yet resolute features. He looked less like a governor and more like a student studying at the Imperial Academy. He rose and first bowed to Yan He, "General Yan." Then his gaze fell on Xiao Jue, and his expression immediately turned to surprise, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a dazed look.

He Yan was equally astonished. She never expected to encounter Yang Mingzhi here.

What kind of coincidence was this? Xiao Jue, Lin Shuanghe, Yan He, and now Yang Mingzhi—four former classmates from the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, all gathered here! It was almost too incredible. However... He Yan glanced secretly at Xiao Jue beside her. Back in their school days, wasn’t Xiao Jue closest to Yang Mingzhi?

In her youth, He Yan had received Xiao Jue's covert assistance, but on the surface, they were far from close. At the time, Xiao Jue had his own circle of friends, with Lin Shuanghe being one and Yang Mingzhi another. Compared to Lin Shuanghe, a playboy who cared little for serious matters, Yang Mingzhi seemed far more earnest.Yang Mingzhi's father, Lord Yang, was an academician of the Guanwen Hall. Yang Mingzhi likely owed his early brilliance to his father's influence. However, his health was poor, frequently plagued by headaches and fevers, which also led to his dismal performance in martial studies. Yet, neither the instructors nor the other youths mocked him for it. In literary studies, Yang Mingzhi was truly exceptional. It was said that by the age of five, he could compose poetry effortlessly, and by eight, he could debate the classics with renowned scholars of Great Wei. By the time He Yan entered the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, Yang Mingzhi was already quite famous. His policy essays and poetry were outstanding, and he also possessed excellent calligraphy skills, which He Yan greatly admired. His temperament was gentle as well—neither as unrestrained as Lin Shuanghe nor as aloof as Xiao Jue—but perfectly balanced in its softness.

If Yan He was always competing with Xiao Jue in martial studies at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, then Yang Mingzhi was the one who could rival Xiao Jue in literary studies. Unlike his gentle nature, Yang Mingzhi's poetry and policy essays often carried a sharp and incisive edge, revealing the pride and fervor within him. He also enjoyed critiquing current affairs, and when inspired, his writings would even dare to criticize the imperial court. Though he was often reprimanded by the instructors, He Yan could tell that they secretly admired him.

In her youth, He Yan had always believed that a genius like Yang Mingzhi would inevitably enter officialdom and leave a profound mark in the annals of Great Wei's history. However, after she joined the military, she heard no more news of him. Never did she expect to see him here today, and even more surprisingly, to learn that Yang Mingzhi had become the governor of Jinling. Why hadn't he stayed in Shuojing? And why did Xiao Jue regard him with such indifference? It was strange.

In the past, Xiao Jue's relationship with Yang Mingzhi was akin to his friendship with Lin Shuanghe. Yet now, their interaction was as distant as that between strangers.

He Yan wasn't the only one who noticed this; Yan He did as well. Yan He exclaimed, "Ah, isn't this Brother Mingzhi? How did you end up as the governor here?"

Even Yan He didn't know? It seemed Yang Mingzhi had lived quite discreetly over the years.

Yang Mingzhi snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at Yan He. "It was just a twist of fate."

"Xiao Huaijin, this is your old friend. Why are you so cold?" Yan He glanced between the two of them. "Did you two have a falling out?"

His question was lighthearted, as if they were still youths, but it caused Yang Mingzhi's expression to shift slightly.

"If you want to reminisce, do it later. Now isn't the time for that," Lin Shuanghe interjected, deftly steering the conversation away. "Governor Yang, we'll be staying in Jinling for two days. Please arrange accommodations for us. As for Yan He's troops, handle them as you see fit. We'll rest for two days before returning to the capital."

Lin Shuanghe's attitude was also peculiar. While Xiao Jue was someone who rarely showed his emotions, Lin Shuanghe was a shrewd observer. Yet, his current demeanor toward Yang Mingzhi seemed deliberately distant, lacking the warmth of their past interactions.

As for Chu Zhao, he had long sensed the underlying tension. Even Yan He, despite his usual carefree nature, finally realized something was amiss. This time, he wisely refrained from speaking further and fell silent.

Yang Mingzhi's smile stiffened slightly. "Of course. The rooms have already been prepared. I'll have someone take you there shortly."

Lin Shuanghe snapped his fan shut. "Thank you, Governor Yang."Before long, several maids arrived to lead He Yan and the others to their accommodations. The lodgings were not at the Governor’s residence but in a house near the Qinhuai River in Jinling, likely owned by Yang Mingzhi. The rooms had already been tidied up, and there were just enough—one for each person.

Chu Zhao also got a room.

Throughout the journey, he hadn’t spoken much to He Yan, appearing quiet and reserved, sometimes lost in thought. This saved He Yan some trouble. Xiao Jue hadn’t argued with him either, so for now, they coexisted peacefully.

He Yan’s room was originally the most remote one. Among the group, she held the lowest rank, so this arrangement was understandable. However, Lin Shuanghe suddenly jumped in and said to her, “Brother He! I just saw ants in my room, and I’m scared. Can we swap rooms?”

He Yan: “…”

She replied, “We’re all in the same place. If your room has ants, mine will too.”

“But I’m only afraid of the ants in my room,” he answered cleverly.

Yan He, who overheard their conversation, frowned. “Lin Shuanghe, are you insane?”

“Exactly,” Lin Shuanghe replied with a smile. “Do you have a cure?”

Yan He stormed off in a huff.

Nearby, Chu Zhao glanced thoughtfully at He Yan, shook his head with a smile, and followed Ying Xiang into his own room.

He Yan glared at Lin Shuanghe, who was grinning broadly. She could see right through his scheme. Lin Shuanghe’s room happened to be right next to Xiao Jue’s! He was clearly pushing her toward Xiao Jue, even though she had just resolved to keep her distance from him.

She looked up and happened to meet Xiao Jue’s cool, sidelong glance. For a moment, neither spoke.

Lin Shuanghe said, “It’s settled then, Brother He. I’m off.” He quickly grabbed his bundle and dashed into He Yan’s original room. Left with no choice, He Yan steeled herself and walked into Lin Shuanghe’s room.

Once the door closed, He Yan let out a sigh of relief. Even though she knew this wasn’t Liangzhou Guard, and there was no easily pried-open connecting door between the rooms, she still felt a bit tense. She silently scolded herself. Back in Jiyang City, at Cui Yuezhi’s residence, they had even shared a room. What was there to be nervous about now, with a wall between them? It wasn’t like anyone could fly over it.

With that thought, she relaxed a little.

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about Xiao Jue’s meeting with Yang Mingzhi earlier. After a while, she slipped out of her room and, seeing no one around, knocked on Lin Shuanghe’s door.

Lin Shuanghe answered the door yawning. When he saw it was He Yan, he immediately clutched the doorframe tightly. “Brother He, a promise is a promise. We’ve already swapped rooms, and we absolutely cannot swap back. I’d rather die than leave.”

He thought He Yan had come to switch rooms again.

He Yan sighed helplessly. “I’m not here to swap rooms. I have something to ask you.”

“Then that’s even more inappropriate,” Lin Shuanghe said seriously. “I’m a gentleman, and we’re alone together—two men, no less. If certain people saw us, wouldn’t that cause a huge scandal?”

What nonsense was he spouting? He Yan ignored him, pushed him into the room with one hand, followed him inside, and casually closed the door behind her.

Lin Shuanghe stumbled into a chair from the push and promptly covered his chest with both hands, declaring righteously, “Sister He, a friend’s wife is off-limits. I’m not that kind of person.”"I was asking about Yang Mingzhi," He Yan interrupted him.

Lin Shuanghe was taken aback, then exclaimed in shock, "You've taken a fancy to Yang Mingzhi?"

Why did this person only have romance on his mind? He Yan took a deep breath. "It's not that I've taken a fancy to him. I wanted to ask you whether something has happened between Lord Yang and the Governor. Earlier, I heard General Yan say that Lord Yang is a good friend of the Governor's, but from what I saw outside just now, the way they were with each other didn't seem like friends at all."

After hearing this all in one go, Lin Shuanghe finally understood He Yan's purpose. He was stunned for a moment, then slowly straightened up. His usually cheerful face showed a trace of worry as he sighed and said, "So you noticed."

He Yan asked, "Has something happened between them?"

"Actually, Yan Nanguang, Huaijin, Yang Mingzhi, and I were classmates." Lin Shuanghe put down the fan in his hand, picked up the teapot beside him, poured a cup of tea for He Yan, and then poured one for himself. Staring at the tea in the cup, as if recalling the past, his voice grew soft: "Yan Nanguang was like a fighting rooster, always competing with this one and that one, so he wasn't close with us. Back then, Huaijin, Yang Mingzhi, and I were the closest. Actually, Yang Mingzhi and Huaijin were probably even closer than Huaijin and I."

There was no trace of jealousy or dissatisfaction on his face as he smiled and said, "After all, I'm not accomplished in either literature or martial arts, so with Huaijin, I could only talk about which young lady was pretty or which restaurant had new dishes. Yang Mingzhi and Huaijin always had more to discuss. Yang Mingzhi had poor health, and when he was young, some people secretly called him effeminate. But after Huaijin started spending time with him, no one dared to say that anymore."

He Yan already knew all this. At the time, she had thought that talented people always had much in common. Xiao Jue and Yang Mingzhi were both outstanding, so it was no wonder they became close friends.

"What happened later?" she asked.

"Later..." Lin Shuanghe lowered his head, his gaze gradually turning melancholy.

The year the Xiao family fell into trouble, the political situation in the court was very tense. Xiao Zhongwu had died and was even burdened with the charge of poor command in the Battle of Ming River. The Xiao family was on the verge of collapse, while the influence of Xu Xiang in the court grew increasingly rampant. Although the students at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy all came from high-ranking officials and wealthy families, at such a critical moment, no one dared to speak up for the Xiao family.

Except for Lin Shuanghe.

His family practiced medicine in the court, and neither Lin Qingtan nor Lin Mu involved themselves in court affairs. Lin Shuanghe had no intention of entering politics either. Upon learning of the Xiao family's troubles, Lin Shuanghe begged his father and grandfather to put in a good word for Xiao Zhongwu before the Emperor. Lin Mu actually did so. His exceptional skills in women's medicine and his smooth-talking nature had earned him good relationships with many imperial consorts. Lin Mu persuaded several consorts to whisper in the Emperor's ear for a few days. They didn't mention Xiao Zhongwu's affairs directly but only spoke of how pitiable the two young masters of the Xiao family were—both talented youths, yet their household had met with misfortune.

The Emperor was a man who cherished talent and had a soft heart. After hearing these whispers, he truly began to feel sorry for Xiao Jing and Xiao Jue. The blame for the Battle of Ming River was placed solely on Xiao Zhongwu, without implicating the rest of the Xiao family.

But that alone was not enough.The military authority of the Southern Garrison Troops had not yet been reclaimed. Even though His Majesty still cherished past sentiments and had not punished the other members of the Xiao family, without military power, the Xiao family was like a piece of tender meat stripped of its protective weaponry—anyone could take a bite if they wished. They were no match for Xu Xiang. The Emperor's mercy would only fade further as time passed since Xiao Zhongwu's death. To reclaim military power, they had to act now; any delay would be too late.

Among all the civil and military officials in the court, aside from Xiao Zhongwu's former subordinates and Censor Shen, no one dared to speak up.

At the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, Xiao Jue had only two close friends: Lin Shuanghe and Yang Mingzhi. Lin Shuanghe had begged his father to speak up for Xiao Jue, while Yang Mingzhi's father, Academician Yang of the Guanwen Hall, had once been the top scholar personally selected by the Emperor. Emperor Wenxuan held him in high regard. If Academician Yang spoke, His Majesty might listen.

Xiao Jue asked Yang Mingzhi for help.

To this day, Lin Shuanghe still remembered Yang Mingzhi's words at the time. His eyes filled with urgency, he patted Xiao Jue on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely persuade my father to plead for General Xiao in court. I will ask His Majesty to thoroughly investigate the truth behind the Battle of Ming River. Huaijin, rest assured, Brother Lin and I will stand by you."

Though gentle and frail in appearance, his words carried weight. Lin Shuanghe never doubted Yang Mingzhi's sincerity in that moment. He believed Xiao Jue felt the same. And so, they waited for news from Yang Mingzhi.

One day, two days, three days passed... Yang Mingzhi did not come to the Virtuous Prosperity Academy. When they asked their teacher, they were told he had fallen ill.

Lin Shuanghe and Xiao Jue suspected that Yang Mingzhi was either unable to leave his residence or had been confined by his family, but they did not suspect anything else. After discussing it, the two disguised themselves as servants and sneaked into the Yang residence, where they found Yang Mingzhi.

At that time, Yang Mingzhi was practicing calligraphy in his room.

There were no locks on the door, no house arrest, and no sign of illness. He looked exactly as he always had, and perhaps because staying at home was less taxing than attending the academy, he even appeared healthier.

"Mingzhi," Lin Shuanghe exclaimed in surprise, "why haven't you come to the academy? Huaijin and I thought something had happened to you."

Yang Mingzhi stood up and looked at them—or rather, at Xiao Jue—without saying a word.

It was Xiao Jue who seemed to understand. He spoke first, "Your father..."

"I'm sorry," Yang Mingzhi interrupted before Xiao Jue could finish, "I have broken my promise to you. My father cannot speak up for General Xiao."

"Why?" Lin Shuanghe asked anxiously, "Didn't we agree?"

"It's fine," Xiao Jue said, lowering his gaze. "I was asking too much of you. There's no need to apologize."

Lin Shuanghe fell silent. He knew how difficult it was to ask for a word of support at such a critical moment. He shouldn't blame Yang Mingzhi, but the greater the hope, the more crushing the disappointment.

He Yan looked at the person before her and asked in confusion, "Because of this, did the Governor and Governor Yang part ways? But perhaps Governor Yang did try to help—it's just that Academician Yang refused to relent, so he couldn't succeed."

She found it hard to believe that Yang Mingzhi was a cold and heartless person. In fact, Yang Mingzhi had always been gentle and kind to others. During their time at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, He Yan had received little kindness from the young men there, but Yang Mingzhi was undoubtedly one of them. Moreover, someone whose poetry and essays were so passionate and stirring must have possessed a particularly righteous and warm heart.Lin Shuanghe did not immediately answer her question, but remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "That's what I thought at the time too. Perhaps Yang Mingzhi had his own difficulties."

"And then?"

"Then, just as we were about to leave, Yang Mingzhi said something." His voice carried a slight tremor as the shadows of the past resurfaced in his mind.

Yang Mingzhi called out to the two who were about to depart, saying, "Huai Jin, have you ever considered that perhaps there was no hidden truth behind the Battle of Ming River? Maybe it was simply General Xiao's fault?"

Xiao Jue had already reached the doorway when he turned back upon hearing these words. The young man's expression was calm, his handsome features resembling a painting. Without a word, he walked over to Yang Mingzhi and punched him.

"That punch was truly vicious," Lin Shuanghe hissed, a hint of schadenfreude in his tone. "Yang Mingzhi was frail and ended up bedridden for half a month. Lord Yang was furious and nearly submitted a formal complaint, but for some reason, he ultimately didn't. Perhaps he pitied Huai Jin."

"But it didn't matter much," Lin Shuanghe sighed softly. "Not long after that, Huai Jin personally requested an audience at the palace and led three thousand soldiers to Guo City, where he made a name for himself in a single battle."

A heartwarming little side story of a class reunion, relatively short, with old classmates all playing matchmakers (′?ω?)

(End of Chapter)