Legend of the Female General

Chapter 186: Fleeing by Night

Tong Qiushi took a fancy to Hua Youxian at first sight and, with a grand gesture, offered a thousand taels of gold to make her his concubine. His own elder sister was the wife of the provincial governor at the time, so even Mother Ding dared not offend him.

Among the girls of Ruyun Tower, it was not uncommon for some to be taken as concubines by powerful officials and nobles. Mother Ding was also happy to do them a favor. On one hand, those girls themselves were willing, as it meant they could avoid the life of exposing themselves to the public and selling their smiles. On the other hand, for Ruyun Tower to stand firm in Jinling for many years, it also needed to navigate relationships through favors.

But Tong Qiushi had his eyes set on Hua Youxian.

Hua Youxian’s heart belonged entirely to Wang Sheng, and Mother Ding saw this clearly. She also understood that this daughter, though seemingly adept at socializing, was actually the most resolute. At this moment, she and Wang Sheng were deeply in love, as sweet as honey and as strong as gold. How could she possibly take a liking to Tong Qiushi? Mother Ding feared that Hua Youxian would rather shatter like jade than remain intact as a tile, risking everything in a desperate struggle.

Mother Ding tried to persuade Tong Qiushi, but this Young Master Tong turned out to be a tough nut to crack. That very night, he sent people to cause a scene, nearly setting Ruyun Tower on fire. The provincial governor, who feared his wife, naturally sided with his brother-in-law. Mother Ding was left with grievances she couldn’t voice, both angered by Tong Qiushi’s unreasonableness and helpless in the face of it. Although Ruyun Tower had connections with many officials and wealthy families, a powerful dragon could not suppress a local snake. No matter how beautiful Hua Youxian was, she was merely a courtesan. Offending the local provincial governor for a courtesan was hardly a worthwhile trade. Moreover, ever since Hua Youxian met Wang Sheng, she had only performed on stage as a qingguan, selling her talents without selling her body. Over time, fewer and fewer were willing to stand up for her.

Tong Qiushi took Hua Youxian’s deed of indenture and had her confined under house arrest. He even picked an auspicious day to have her carried into his mansion. But that wasn’t all—he also ordered Wang Sheng’s whereabouts to be investigated and had him imprisoned on a manor estate, where he was tortured and beaten daily.

These matters were only learned by Hua Youxian’s sisters in Ruyun Tower through hearsay, who secretly informed her. Hua Youxian worried about Wang Sheng’s injuries but was powerless to protect herself. Over time, just as Mother Ding had predicted, she fell seriously ill from excessive worry.

“If the young masters are willing to help, Youxian asks for nothing else,” Hua Youxian pleaded earnestly. “I have heard that Wang Gongzi is imprisoned at a manor estate north of the city. I beg the young masters to rescue him. Tong Qiushi is targeting me, and it is my fault that Wang Gongzi has been implicated. I cannot sleep at night.”

Wasn’t this a clichéd tale of a tyrant forcing a marriage, cruelly tearing apart a pair of lovers? The young men present all felt a surge of righteous heroism.

“This isn’t difficult—it’s just rescuing someone. Don’t worry, Miss. We’ll bring Wang Gongzi back to you safe and sound.”

Hua Youxian’s eyes lit up, and she bowed gratefully. “Thank you, young masters!”

Everyone quickly reached out to help her up.

Lin Shuanghe, however, looked at her thoughtfully and asked, “May I ask, Miss Youxian, what will happen after Wang Gongzi is rescued?”

Hua Youxian was taken aback, then smiled bitterly. “If the young masters can rescue Wang Gongzi, please convey a message for me: Youxian and Wang Gongzi were fated to meet but not to be together. I have implicated Wang Gongzi before, so I beg him to leave Jinling quickly and forget about Youxian in the future.”

“You don’t plan to see him?” He Yan, who had been sitting quietly, finally spoke up. “What do you plan to do yourself?”She had been hiding in the shadows all along. Hua Youxian, caught off guard, was startled at first glance by a masked figure speaking, but quickly regained her composure. Shaking her head, she said, "Since he is the brother of the governor's wife, I have no other choice. It's not something I can decide anyway. Better to face reality sooner rather than later."

When speaking of her own future, she seemed far more detached than when talking about Wang Sheng, showing that she loved Wang Sheng more than she loved herself.

"Youxian, don't worry," said the young man who had climbed in through the window first. "Since we stumbled upon this, we will see it through to the end. Who would have thought that in broad daylight, there could be such vile scum? A corrupt official abusing his power—how could we stand by and do nothing? Whether it's Wang Gongzi or you, we will ensure your safety!"

His words were resolute and forceful, but the specifics of how to "ensure safety" required careful planning. As they were discussing, footsteps approached from outside. Hua Youxian stood up and said, "Someone is coming. I'll go out and stall them. You all should leave quickly." She then bowed deeply to the group. "I entrust Wang Gongzi's matter to you, young masters."

She pushed the door open and went out, finding an excuse to speak with the person outside. The remaining young men then climbed back out through the window, just as they had come.

Yang Mingzhi, who had been waiting anxiously downstairs, sighed in relief when he saw everyone return safely. Just as he was about to ask what had happened inside, he looked up and saw the grim expressions on the young men's faces. Puzzled, he asked, "What's wrong? Why do you all look so troubled?"

Lin Shuanghe sighed and shook his head. "Seeing others suffer makes one feel uneasy."

The companions explained the whole story to him, and Yang Mingzhi grew furious. "How could this be? Doesn't the government care?"

"The ones doing this are government officials," Yan He said dismissively. "Do you expect them to turn against their own?"

Everyone fell silent.

After a while, someone spoke up again. "Since we've already promised Youxian, let's first rescue Wang Gongzi. Then we can deal with that despicable Tong Qiushi. Youxian's contract is in his hands now. We'll make him sign it and return it to her. That way, Youxian can return to Yangzhou with Wang Gongzi and live happily ever after, right?"

"Rescuing Wang Gongzi is easy, and getting the contract back isn't difficult either," He Yan said cautiously. "But once the poetry gathering is over, we'll have to leave Jinling. What happens after we leave if Wang Gongzi faces trouble again? It's said that commoners shouldn't fight with officials. Wang Gongzi's family is just in business—the governor here could easily crush them. We might think we're helping them, but who knows if Tong Qiushi will take out all his anger on Wang Gongzi afterward."

The young men were acting on impulse, but she, being a girl, couldn't help but think more about Hua Youxian's situation. It was likely for this very reason that Hua Youxian had only asked them to rescue Wang Gongzi without mentioning herself. Tong Qiushi was after Hua Youxian in the first place—they could save her for a moment, but not for a lifetime.

"He Rufei, why are you dampening our spirits?" one of them complained.

"I think Brother He makes a good point," Lin Shuanghe said, gripping his fan. "We need to plan for what comes next before taking action. Huaijin," he asked Xiao Jue, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, "do you have any good ideas?"All the young men turned to look at him. After all, as the top student of Virtuous Prosperity Academy, exceptionally talented and brilliant, he might just come up with a perfect solution.

Xiao Jue glanced at them and scoffed, "There is one."

Lin Shuanghe's eyes lit up, praising, "You really have a plan! Tell us quickly, what should we do?"

"It's just a Yingtian Inspector," Xiao Jue said casually. "Reveal your identities, and he’ll naturally back down."

He Yan thought to herself, he certainly sees things clearly. All the roundabout methods were too troublesome. In the official world, rank was everything, and these young men all came from official families—many of them held higher positions than the Yingtian Inspector. Tong Qiushi was merely bullying others with his power; as long as someone with greater authority stepped in, he could be dealt with.

Bullies always prey on the weak and fear the strong.

As soon as he finished speaking, someone shook their head repeatedly. "No, no, if my family finds out I visited a brothel, they’ll break my legs. How can I reveal my identity?"

"I can’t either, Huaijin. This is like losing eight thousand troops to kill ten thousand enemies!"

"Too crude. We should be more subtle!"

Xiao Jue leaned against the wall, holding his sword, and lazily watched them. "Take your time thinking. I’m going back."

He turned to leave but was pulled back by Lin Shuanghe, who grabbed the hem of his robe. Turning around, he saw Lin Shuanghe looking as if he had made a heroic decision. Waving his fan, Lin Shuanghe declared, "Reveal it, then! If you’re afraid, I’m not. Even if my legs get broken later, I’ll still save Miss Youxian and Young Master Wang." He even goaded his hesitant classmates, "Are you even men? Will you just stand by and watch a young lady jump into a fire pit? I, Lin Shuanghe, disdain associating with cowards like you. Stay away from me! I’ll go rescue them alone and be the hero myself!"

The young men protested indignantly, "Who are you calling cowards? Who isn’t a man?"

"I’m not afraid either," Yan He said, playing with the end of his ponytail, his eyes shining brightly, even seeming somewhat excited. "A beating is just a beating. It’s worth it if it’s for saving someone!"

In matters like this, the more people involved, the livelier it became. With two taking the lead, the others, thinking "the law doesn’t punish the masses," quickly chimed in, vowing to rescue Young Master Wang and Miss Youxian safely no matter what.

Xiao Jue hadn’t participated much in their discussion but was still dragged along by the young men. They crowded around him, pleading, "Huaijin, come with us! With you watching, we won’t make any mistakes."

He Yan stood to the side, finding it amusing. Were they acting like fledglings, treating Xiao Jue as their father? Xiao Jue looked visibly impatient but eventually gave in to their persistent pleas and reluctantly agreed.

So, they all returned to the inn together to plan their next move.

"Since we’re going to reveal our identities, why not just go directly to the Inspector’s residence?" one of them suggested. "We can demand that they return Miss Youxian’s contract and release Young Master Wang. How about that?"

"No," Yang Mingzhi shook his head gently. "According to the law, the contract is in Tong Qiushi’s hands. If we force him, we’ll be in the wrong. He might even strike first and file a complaint against our families. Besides, Young Master Wang is in his hands. We shouldn’t alert him. What if Tong Qiushi decides to kill Young Master Wang outright?"

His reasoning made sense. Lin Shuanghe asked earnestly, "Mingzhi, do you have any ideas?"Yang Mingzhi pondered for a moment, "First, let's rescue Young Master Wang, then find a way to retrieve the deed of indenture. After that, if Tong Qiushi comes knocking, we can reveal our identities. By then, everything will be settled, and they'll only have themselves to blame."

"Brilliant!" Their companions' eyes lit up. "That way, Tong Qiushi will be like a mute eating bitter herbs—unable to voice his suffering."

Although they usually disliked throwing their weight around, in situations like this, using their status to crush others felt rather satisfying.

"When dealing with scoundrels, there's no need to adhere to gentlemanly conduct. It's all about who's more shameless." Yan He raised an eyebrow. "Then it's settled. We'll split into two groups: one to find the deed, the other to rescue the one surnamed Wang."

With Yan He's decisive command, everyone quickly divided into teams. Xiao Jue and Yan He each led a group. The governor's mansion was heavily guarded, but Xiao Jue was skilled in martial arts, so he took four people to search for the deed there. Yan He led the remaining few to rescue the person at the estate in the northern part of the city.

Once everything was arranged, He Yan timidly raised her hand from the corner and asked softly, "...Excuse me, what should I do?"

The Virtuous Prosperity Academy had selected ten young men to go to Jinling, and He Yan had only been dragged along by Lin Shuanghe. Ten people divided neatly into two groups, but eleven made it awkward.

"Maybe... just leave him at the inn? He'd only hold us back anyway."

"No," Yan He frowned. "Staying at the inn might not prevent him from causing trouble. If officials find him and he gives us away, the whole plan will fall apart. He Rufei, you come with me. Since your skills aren't great, you'll keep watch outside. Understood?"

He Yan replied, "Alright."

She had already mastered the art of being a mere decoration. She didn't mind at all, though inwardly she felt a bit nervous. While the young men from the Virtuous Prosperity Academy were among the best in martial arts in Shuojing, this was unfamiliar territory in Jinling. Even with their status as protection, before their identities were revealed, their opponents might not show any mercy.

This was their first time taking charge and facing so-called "important figures."

Hopefully, everything would go smoothly.

...

As night fell, the two groups set out.

The Tong family had an estate in the northern part of the city, which was easy to find. It was a place where Tong family servants who had made mistakes were often sent, only to be tortured to death within days. Yan He had someone buy a few horses, and they rode to the estate under the cover of darkness.

By the time they arrived, the sky had turned completely dark. The location was desolate, surrounded by wilderness, making it difficult to hide. However, it seemed Tong Qiushi hadn't even considered the need to "hide." With a governor as his brother-in-law, he could act boldly and without fear of consequences. Yan He and the others dismounted and instructed He Yan to stand guard in the wild grass outside the estate entrance, saying, "Stay here. If anyone comes, blow the whistle. We'll leave as soon as we find the person. Understood?"

He Yan nodded.

She spoke very little. Before leaving, Madam He had warned her that speaking too much could lead to mistakes, so she should choose her words carefully.

Yan He and his group soon disappeared into the wilderness. He Yan crouched in the weeds of the field. Summer mosquitoes were abundant, and while her covered clothing offered some protection, her exposed neck and wrists were soon covered in red, swollen bites. She didn't dare scratch them, fearing the noise might attract attention and disrupt Yan He's plan. She could only endure it silently.A long time passed, and finally there seemed to be movement from inside. He Yan craned her neck and saw a group of people rushing out, led by Yan He. Tall and imposing, he carried someone on his back—likely the young master Wang.

He Yan’s heart leaped with joy—they had rescued him!

Just as she was about to wave to Yan He, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from outside: "Thieves! Catch the thieves!"

"The Wangs have called for reinforcements! Seize them!"

It was impossible to tell how many people lived in this estate. Earlier, in the pitch darkness, He Yan had thought it desolate, but with that shout, torches flared up from all directions. At a rough glance, there were at least a hundred.

Plans were always foolproof, but rescuing someone without a sound was incredibly difficult. While she had kept watch in silence without being noticed, Yan He and the others had caused a commotion during the rescue. Panic surged in He Yan’s heart—with so many people, fighting head-on was impossible. They had to flee. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and blew a whistle, signaling them to run.

Indeed, Yan He did run.

The sudden appearance of the crowd had thrown the young men into disarray, but their usual skills served them well. Without a word, they dashed to where the horses were tethered, mounted them, and charged straight out of the estate. The sound of hoofbeats faded into the distance as some of the pursuers gave chase, while others remained behind.

He Yan stared in disbelief.

They had left her behind.

She tried desperately to keep up with Yan He and the others, but two legs were no match for four. Despite her frantic cries of "Wait for me, Brother Yan—" her voice was quickly drowned out by the clamor of the crowd.

Exhausted and unable to run any further, she was suddenly struck by a whip from behind. A sharp pain shot through her back, and a thin line of blood instantly stained her flimsy clothing. Stumbling, she fell to the ground and looked back at the crowd closing in on her.

Someone from outside returned and cursed, "Boss, they got away."

"No matter," the leader said, glaring at He Yan with a vicious expression. "We’ve caught a little one. If Young Master Tong wants someone, we’ll hand this one over."

"Hey," the man lifted her chin and demanded, "Were those people your accomplices? Who are they? Tell us where they went, and I might spare your life."

He Yan pressed her lips together and remained silent.

It wasn’t time yet. She had to wait until the deed was done and the contract secured. Only then could she reveal her identity, leaving them powerless.

But… would Yan He and the others come back to rescue her?

Seeing her stubborn refusal to speak, the man grew furious and kicked at her. Unexpectedly, He Yan grabbed his knee and dragged him down. She rolled to her feet and turned to flee.

"Hah, this one knows how to fight," the man wiped blood from his mouth. "Seize him!"

After long hours of practice, her skills weren’t that bad anymore. But unarmed and outnumbered, she stood little chance. If only Yan He had given her a weapon for self-defense when they came, she wouldn’t be in this predicament.

Beaten and subdued, He Yan was dragged before the leader. He looked her over and clicked his tongue. "Why is he wearing a mask?"

"Maybe he’s too ugly and afraid of scaring people?" someone beside him sneered. "Why not take it off and see?"

"True, with this thing on, we can’t even see his face. Take it off."He Yan was horrified and struggled desperately. Before coming to Jinling, Madam He had repeatedly warned her not to let anyone discover her identity. If her mask was removed here, these people would never return it to her. Even if she met her classmates again in the future, all they would see would be "He Yan's" face. Then "He Yan" would be forced to live as "He Rufei" for the rest of her life.

Moreover… they might even discover she was a woman.

He Yan shuddered and tried to break free from the restraints.

"Huh? He's scared?" someone remarked. "This mute seems to care about his looks. He panics as soon as we mention removing the mask."

"The more you say that, the more I want to take it off," the leader said leisurely, watching He Yan's struggles with a sinister tone. "Take it off for me!"

He Yan was pinned to the ground. Someone grabbed her chin, forcing her to lift her head as they tried to pry off the mask on her face. However, the mask was equipped with a mechanism that only she could open. After fumbling with it for a long time, the mask remained firmly in place, and the person was left drenched in sweat. He turned to the leader and said, "Boss, something's wrong. I can't get this mask off."

"How is it possible that it won't come off?" the leader cursed. "Let me try!"

He grabbed He Yan by the neck and tried with all his might to remove the mask, but it was impossible for him to do so.

He Yan was also in agony. The mask had a mechanism—the more force applied to remove it, the more discomfort she felt. The people here held no goodwill toward her and paid no heed to whether she was in pain. He Yan felt as though her head was about to split open.

She wondered, why hadn’t Yan He arrived yet? Why hadn’t they noticed she was missing?

The leader pressed her face into the ground, the taste of mud filling her mouth. Perhaps because the mask covered her face, hiding her tears and panic, the man grew even more displeased. He ordered the two men beside him, "Hold him tight. If he doesn’t taste some suffering, he won’t know how formidable I am. I refuse to believe there’s a mouth in this world I can’t pry open."

A series of clattering sounds followed, as if they were searching for "instruments of torture." Even if she hadn’t experienced it firsthand, He Yan had heard plenty about such private punishments.

"You brat," the leader prodded her face with his shoe. "Still not talking? Don’t tell me you’re waiting for your accomplices to rescue you? Don’t bother. They won’t come back. You’d be wise to cooperate and confess who took Wang Sheng. That way, you’ll suffer less."

He Yan was pinned down, unable to move, and thought bitterly that Yan He and the others had truly forgotten her.

The wilderness was shrouded in deep night, endless and dark, with only the chirping of insects and birds echoing through the forest.

The sound of hoofbeats seemed to approach.

Her ear pressed to the ground, she heard it clearly. At first, she was stunned, but hope gradually kindled within her. With great effort, she tilted her head slightly to look toward the edge of the wilderness.

It seemed someone was riding toward them.

Had they come? They truly hadn’t abandoned her! He Yan’s heart swelled with wild joy.

The hoofbeats grew closer, and the people at the farmstead heard them too. They paused in surprise before raising their torches to see who was approaching. In the torchlight, a lone rider drew nearer and nearer, until finally, a youth like the wind appeared—clad in white robes and a silver crown, riding alone under the stars.

It wasn’t Yan He. It was Xiao Jue.

He Yan’s smile froze, her stunned expression hidden beneath the mask.Xiao Jue reined in his horse and dismounted about ten paces away from He Yan. With a long sword at his waist and a tall, straight posture, the silver serpent embroidered with silk threads on his white robe shimmered brilliantly. Emerging from the night, he resembled a warm sun or a radiant dawn, illuminating the entire sky with dazzling brightness.

The young man's gaze swept lightly over the fierce-looking crowd in the village, finally settling on He Yan, who was pinned to the ground.

"Sorry, I'm a step too late."

Yan He, come out and take your beating.

(End of Chapter)