Legend of the Female General

Chapter 187: Traveling Together

He Yan never expected the person who came would be Xiao Jue.

She had thought that Yan He and the others might realize she was missing much later and turn back to search for her. Although the possibility was slim, she truly hadn’t anticipated that Xiao Jue would rush over.

Didn’t he take the other person to the governor’s mansion to look for the deed of sale?

The leader, seeing Xiao Jue arrive, was also shaken. This youth was different from the masked boy earlier—his appearance and attire didn’t resemble those of an ordinary family. Hesitating, but thinking of Tong Qiushi, he disregarded everything else and roared, “This kid’s accomplice is here! Grab him!”

He Yan was startled and instinctively blurted out, “Brother Huaijin, there are too many of them! Run, quick!”

Even if Xiao Jue was exceptionally skilled, there were too many people here. How could he handle them alone? It seemed Yan He and the others hadn’t followed either. This was likely not good.

In her anxiety, she forgot her original intention. If Xiao Jue ran away now, what would happen to her?

Xiao Jue glanced at her, a faint smile curling his lips. Before He Yan could grasp the meaning of that smile, she heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching from not far away, distinct and clear in the night.

Had Yan He and the others arrived?

This time, however, He Yan guessed wrong. The newcomers weren’t Yan He but over a dozen guards. Before they came to Jinling, their families, worried about mishaps on the long journey, had each selected skilled guards from their households for close protection. Although these youths hadn’t hidden their visit to the brothel from the guards, they hadn’t dared to fully disclose the rescue mission. After all, it was too dangerous—telling the guards would have likely resulted in being stopped.

But… at this moment, the appearance of these guards was perfect.

Xiao Jue didn’t even bother drawing his sword. The guards behind him had already taken action without waiting for his orders. The men from the estate were nothing but thugs raised by Tong Qiushi—how could they compare to the elite guards selected through rigorous trials in Shuojing City? In an instant, cries of agony filled the air, and the scene descended into chaos.

No one paid attention to He Yan, who was still pinned to the ground.

He Yan pushed herself up with her hands, intending to stand, when a pair of boots stopped before her. She looked up to see the youth gazing down at her, extending a hand.

That hand was slender, fair, and clean, with distinct joints—it reminded one of fine jade carvings. Her own hands, however, were splattered with mud from the earlier fight. He Yan hesitated, not reaching out.

The youth seemed impatient. A moment later, he grabbed her elbow and pulled her up from the ground.

“…Thank you,” she whispered.

Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on the whip marks on her back but said nothing. In just a short while, the guards had subdued everyone here, tying them up haphazardly like pigs.

“Who whipped you just now?” he asked.

He Yan turned her head to look at him.

Before she could speak, the leader cried out, “Spare me, young master! Spare me! I didn’t mean it!”

“So it was you,” Xiao Jue said indifferently.

He bent down unhurriedly and picked up the whip that had been trampled into the mud—the very whip that had struck He Yan’s back earlier.

He handed the whip to He Yan. “Hit him.”

“…What?” He Yan didn’t understand.

“Do to him what he did to you.” Xiao Jue flicked the hem of his robe and lazily sat down in a chair facing the group, extending a hand to He Yan as if inviting her to a show. “Go ahead.”He Yan stared at the whip, lost in thought, and did not move for a long time.

The leader began wailing again, tears and snot streaming down his face as he begged for mercy.

"What's wrong?" The young man looked at her with amusement, raising an eyebrow. "Afraid?"

The leader’s heart leaped with hope, thinking that this masked boy looked frail and young—perhaps he was soft-hearted. So he pleaded even more desperately.

"No," He Yan heard her own voice, small but firm. "Can I hit him a few more times?"

The leader froze.

Xiao Jue was also taken aback. After a moment, he replied with interest, "As you wish."

He Yan raised the whip.

To be honest, although she had been beaten, she had only been struck once. Asking to hit him a few more times was really just a way to vent. Coming to Jinling hadn’t been her choice in the first place—she had been dragged along by Lin Shuanghe and the others. And now that she was here, she had suffered such an undeserved disaster, which left her feeling deeply wronged. Since a punching bag had been delivered right to her, why not take advantage of it? Besides, this man was no good—a bully who relied on his master’s power. Hitting him a few more times could be considered revenge for Young Master Wang and Hua Youxian.

Crack!

The crisp sound of the whip echoed through the empty night. The noisy, weeping lackeys instantly fell silent, leaving only the leader’s screams to fill the air.

He Yan actually showed restraint, avoiding his bones. It hurt, but the injuries were only superficial.

She struck him ten times in total.

After ten lashes, the once-arrogant man was now covered in tears, barely breathing, and too weak to even scream. Yet the masked boy obediently placed the whip in front of him and even said gently, "My apologies."

This directly caused the leader to faint from anger.

He Yan walked over to Xiao Jue, who glanced at her. "Finished?"

"Finished."

He nodded, stood up, and turned to leave. "Then let’s go."

The leader had been beaten unconscious, and someone in the crowd mustered the courage to shout, "Who... who are you? How dare you act so arrogantly! Aren’t you afraid that the Governor will find out and come after you? The Governor won’t let you get away with this!"

Upon hearing this, the young man in white robes turned around. The silver serpent embroidered on the hem of his robe was beautiful yet sinister, and his eyes turned cold as he let out a mocking laugh. "I’m afraid he won’t come."

"Remember to come find me at Ruyun Tower. I’ll be waiting anytime."

After saying this, he ignored the others and walked ahead, following the guards back to where they had come from. He Yan stayed by his side. When they reached the horses, Xiao Jue asked her, "Can you get up?"

He Yan nodded and struggled to climb onto the horse. As soon as she steadied herself, she felt someone behind her. Startled, she hadn’t expected Xiao Jue to share the same horse with her, and her emotions were thrown into turmoil.

First, because Xiao Jue was usually extremely fastidious about cleanliness, and she was covered in mud, dirty and disheveled—yet he didn’t seem to mind. Second, due to her identity, He Yan hadn’t been in such close contact with anyone for a long time.

The guards rode out of the estate together, but Xiao Jue’s horse moved slowly, likely out of consideration for her injuries, as too much jostling would undoubtedly cause unbearable pain. He Yan felt a slight warmth in her heart. The guards didn’t wait for them, and before she knew it, only the two of them were left behind on a single horse.Seeing that no one was around now, He Yan lowered her voice and asked, "Brother Huaijin, why have you come?"

"Passing by."

Passing by? This wasn't even the same direction. What kind of passing by was that? Just as she was about to speak, she heard Xiao Jue ask, "If I hadn't shown up, what would you have done?"

"...Then I would have exposed all of you," He Yan replied without blinking. "Your father is General Guangwu. Even Tong Qiushi wouldn't dare act recklessly."

Xiao Jue was so angered by her words that he laughed. "You've thought this through quite well."

"We're all on the same boat anyway," He Yan said without changing her expression.

Xiao Jue scoffed but didn't continue the conversation.

He Yan pursed her lips and thought that if Xiao Jue hadn't come, she probably wouldn't have exposed them either. She would have held out as long as she could. But if she said that, wouldn't it make her seem too easy to bully? She had to let Yan He and the others know that she was fierce and that she was very angry and condemning of such acts of abandoning friends.

After who knows how long, the road ahead was no longer wilderness but became bustling and lively. They had arrived in the city. The guards, having likely received Xiao Jue's instructions, had already left on their own. Xiao Jue found an inn, dismounted with He Yan, and walked inside.

"Wait," He Yan grabbed his sleeve. "Brother Huaijin, aren't we going to meet up with Brother Nanguang and the others? What's this about? Staying at an inn?"

Xiao Jue glanced at her. "Are you sure you want to meet Yan Nanguang and the others looking like this?"

He Yan was taken aback, only then remembering that she had been beaten up at the farmhouse earlier. Never mind the injuries, her clothes were stained and in disarray. She mumbled, "Oh, I see. Thank you, Brother Huaijin."

Xiao Jue booked a room and asked the inn's attendant to fetch hot water. He Yan grew nervous again and said to him, "Brother Huaijin, when I bathe, I don't like having others around. Could you step out for a bit?"

Xiao Jue looked at her incredulously. "Am I your servant?"

He Yan: "Huh?"

"Don't overthink it," he mocked. "You can bathe yourself, but what about applying medicine?"

"Those are just minor injuries. It's fine," He Yan said.

"You're strange," he stared into He Yan's eyes, taking a step forward. He Yan looked up, somewhat nervously meeting his gaze, as Xiao Jue said thoughtfully, "Your guards are also excessively indifferent toward you."

For this trip to Jinling, all the young men had guards arranged by their families. These young men were of noble status and valued by their families, so their guards were naturally always concerned. But along the way, only He Rufei's guards seemed particularly indifferent—not exactly indifferent, but not very close. For example, if it had been Lin Shuanghe's guards who found out he was injured, they would have immediately called for a physician and personally applied medicine for him.

But He Rufei's guards hadn't even inquired much.

If one were to say that He Rufei was neglected in the He family, he was, after all, He Yuansheng's legitimate eldest son. It shouldn't have been this way.

He Yan's heart tightened. She hadn't expected Xiao Jue to notice this. But how could she explain it? The fact that she was a woman was known by very few in the He family. Those guards had also received instructions from He Yuansheng not to get too close to her.

But this had become a fatal flaw.

He Yan tried her best to appear calm. "I have a cold and rigid temperament. I don't like getting too close to others. I told them not to approach me."

Even a child wouldn't believe such an excuse.Xiao Jue lowered his eyes to look at her, then after a moment, nodded and said, "Alright."

He instructed the shopkeeper to bring in clean clothes and wound medicine, then went out himself, leaving the room to He Yan. Only after Xiao Jue left did He Yan let out a sigh of relief.

Dealing with Xiao Jue always made people particularly nervous. Perhaps it was because he was inherently sharp, and his appearance was excessively handsome—like the silver-scaled giant serpent embroidered on the hem of his robe, beautiful yet dangerous, calm yet ruthless.

The hot water soaked her entire body, the warmth gradually soothing her earlier flustered emotions. Thinking about what had happened tonight, she slowly began to savor a hint of secret excitement.

After all, she was just a teenager. No matter how well-behaved she usually was, deep down, she always longed for an adventure. Although the beating had been miserable, she imagined Yan He and the others had already rescued Young Master Wang. Since Xiao Jue had appeared here, it meant the matter of the deed of sale was progressing smoothly as well.

The task entrusted by the Flower Fairy was nearly halfway to success.

Even many years later, recalling this event would still bring a sense of pride and delight.

After washing herself clean, she struggled to sprinkle some wound-healing powder on her back in front of the mirror, then changed into the clothes the shopkeeper had sent. Only then did she carefully remove her mask.

Earlier, when the people from the manor had tried to forcibly remove her mask, although they hadn’t succeeded, the mask had been pressed deeper into her skin, leaving marks on her face and faint bruises at the corners of her mouth.

He Yan sighed.

She wiped her face with a handkerchief and heard someone knocking at the door. Startled, she hurriedly put on her mask, called out, "Coming!" and went to open the door.

The door opened, and Xiao Jue walked in. He glanced at her and asked, "Done?"

He Yan nodded.

His gaze fell on He Yan, and he suddenly curled the corner of his mouth. "There’s something I’m curious about."

He Yan instinctively replied, "What is it?"

"Is it really because of your ugly appearance that you wear a mask?" he asked leisurely.

Under the bright lamplight, the young man’s features were exquisite, his eyes as captivating as autumn waters, yet with a clarity that seemed to see through everything. For a moment, He Yan almost cried out, but she immediately guarded her greatest secret.

"Of course," she even imitated Xiao Jue’s manner and sneered. "Not everyone is born as graceful and handsome as Brother Huaijin."

Suddenly being retorted by the usually quiet Young Master He, Second Young Master Xiao was momentarily speechless. Then, he raised an eyebrow slightly and said nonchalantly, "True."

He Yan: "..."

He turned around and called to He Yan, "If you’re done, let’s go."

He Yan asked, "Where to?"

"Ruyun Tower."

...

Ruyun Tower was brightly lit. Upstairs in the pavilion, Hua Youxian watched the door nervously.

In the room sat a group of young men, and on the couch lay a young man who looked like a scholar. This young man appeared frail and delicate, already changed into clean clothes, but his face still bore scars. At first glance, he looked rather disheveled. At the moment, his eyes were tightly closed as he lay unconscious."He has been roughly bandaged and medicated," Lin Shuanghe fanned himself gently. "They're all superficial wounds, but this Young Master Wang is too frail, which makes it look rather severe. After some rest, he'll be fine." Then he tilted his head and muttered quietly, "I promised to only treat women from now on, but I broke that rule even before finishing my apprenticeship. Ah."

Hua Youxian bowed to Lin Shuanghe. "Thank you, Young Master Lin."

"You're welcome, Miss Youxian. No need for such formalities," Lin Shuanghe smiled. He always had a good attitude toward young ladies.

Tong Qiushi had only intended to torment Wang Sheng, not to kill him outright. After all, he still wanted to keep Wang Sheng alive to threaten Hua Youxian, which was why Wang Sheng survived.

The door opened, and everyone's eyes lit up briefly before dimming again—it was Mother Ding who entered. Mother Ding also seemed flustered, twisting her handkerchief as she whispered, "Youxian, maybe you should take Wang Sheng and leave Jinling now before Young Master Tong finds out."

When this group arrived at Ruyun Tower with the badly injured Wang Sheng, Mother Ding had been startled. But turning them away at this point would mean certain death for Wang Sheng, so she had no choice but to let them in. Mother Ding wasn't clear about the identities of these young masters, assuming they were wealthy young men from Jinling City seeking amusement by playing the role of "righteous heroes."

Though such heroics seemed thrilling, the aftermath could be endless. Distractedly entertaining guests downstairs, she ultimately felt that the truth couldn't be hidden forever—this matter was too serious—so she came upstairs to speak.

Hua Youxian shook her head. "Hiding for a while won't solve the problem forever. Besides, if I and Young Master Wang leave, what will you do, Mother? Tong Qiushi will certainly not spare Ruyun Tower. Since he dared to set fire to Ruyun Tower once, he'll dare to do it again. Should we disregard the lives of the other sisters just for my sake?"

"Then what do you plan to do?" Mother Ding grew anxious.

"What Tong Qiushi wants is me," Hua Youxian glanced at Wang Sheng on the bed, her expression softening. "As long as I obey and beg him, Young Master Wang will be saved. At the very least, it would be good if he can leave Yangzhou safely."

"And..." Hua Youxian hesitated for a moment, "There's one young master who hasn't returned yet. If he falls into the hands of those villains, and if I and Young Master Wang run away, they might vent their anger on him. If I stay here, Tong Qiushi might spare them for my sake."

At these words, the young men in the room immediately changed expressions.

"That won't be necessary," a voice rang out, and then the door opened as two young men walked in. The white-robed youth in front looked languid. "It hasn't come to the point where your sacrifice is needed."

"Huai Jin!"

"Brother He!"

The room immediately erupted with overlapping voices as the young men swarmed forward.

"I knew Brother Huai Jin would definitely rescue Brother He!"

"Brother He is blessed by fortune—how could he be so easily captured by others?"

"Brother He, are you alright? Are you injured?"

He Yan was stunned. This was the first time she had received such star-like treatment and the first time someone had shown her such concern. For a moment, she was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, nearly forgetting about being left behind.

Yan He shuffled forward, scratching his head with an extremely awkward expression. He walked up to He Yan and said, "I'm sorry."

He Yan was taken aback."At that moment... I was too panicked," Yan He said with a look of remorse as he spoke of the matter. "I only thought of getting Young Master Wang out, assuming you would follow. I never expected..."

He couldn't even justify it to himself.

He Rufei was truly an insignificant figure at Virtuous Prosperity Academy. A prodigy like Yan He had never held him in any regard. During this trip to Jinling, He Rufei hadn't participated much in the young men's activities. Sometimes, if he didn't speak up, everyone would almost forget that there was still a He Rufei among them.

Thus, when the manor's men attacked, none of them remembered that there was still someone keeping watch.

It wasn't until they regrouped with the other team that Xiao Jue glanced over their group, frowned, and asked, "Where is He Rufei?"

Only then did Yan He and the others recall that they seemed to have forgotten He Rufei.

Yan He immediately turned to go find him but was stopped by Xiao Jue, who gave him a light, dismissive glance and said, "I'll go."

That look made Yan He feel utterly ashamed.

How could he abandon his classmate? Was that the act of a gentleman? Moreover, He Rufei's skills were exceptionally poor, and he was as timid as a mouse. Left among those people, he would surely fare poorly. The more Yan He thought about it, the more fearful he became. He was about to mount his horse when Xiao Jue pulled him down.

"I'll go," Yan He insisted. "You can't handle it alone—there are too many of them!"

"I'll take the guards," Xiao Jue said calmly. "You take the others to Ruyun Tower."

Yan He stared blankly as Xiao Jue rode off and disappeared down the street, his heart heavy with unbearable guilt. Upon arriving at Ruyun Tower, he remained distracted, his thoughts consumed by He Rufei. He feared that Xiao Jue might arrive too late to save him or fail to rescue him at all.

Until this moment.

Seeing He Rufei appear safe and sound, Yan He's heart finally settled, only to be followed by endless remorse and self-loathing.

"Hit me," the young man declared, his ponytail bouncing proudly. Even in apology, he carried an air of arrogance. "I'm sorry!"

He Yan stared at him in astonishment, almost laughing. She held back her laughter and said, "It's fine. Brother Huaijin came to rescue me. They didn't have time to beat me, and I suffered no losses."

Xiao Jue's eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled softly but didn't expose her lie.

Yan He, however, felt greatly relieved by He Yan's words, and his heart eased a little.

One of the young men asked, "Brother Huaijin, now that everyone is here, we have the deed, and Young Master Wang has been rescued, what should we do next?"

Mother Ding grew anxious. "Since everyone is here, we should quickly send Young Master Wang out of Jinling."

She also understood Hua Youxian's point—Hua Youxian was the most important. If Hua Youxian were to leave with them, the entire Ruyun Tower would suffer. Sending Wang Sheng away would at least ensure this rescue wasn't in vain.

Hua Youxian nodded and walked over to Wang Sheng, gazing at her lover's face with lingering affection, tears welling in her eyes.

This parting would be long and arduous, and they would likely never meet again in this lifetime.

Just as she was about to help Wang Sheng up, a sword suddenly blocked her path. Hua Youxian looked up and saw the most strikingly handsome young man in white robes sitting in a chair, not looking at her. The tip of his sword pointed toward himself, while the hilt barred her way.

"No need."

"Young Master..." Hua Youxian was puzzled.

The young man glanced at her indifferently, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips. "Why run? They'll be here soon.""What?" Mother Ding was horrified upon hearing this, her voice trembling as she spoke, "Who are 'they'?"

As if to confirm his words, the next moment, urgent knocking sounded at the door. It was pushed open, and the girl they had seen earlier, Cailian, rushed in, panicked as she spoke: "Mother, Youxian, it's terrible! Young Master Tong has brought soldiers from the governor's office and surrounded our Ruyun Tower. He claims we're harboring criminals and aiding evildoers, and now he's demanding we hand them over immediately! What do we do?"

Mother Ding turned to look at them, equally terrified: "What do we do?"

This instance must be cleared—this instance is crucial ╭(╯^╰)╮

(End of Chapter)