Legend of the Female General

Chapter 202: Public

Even after boarding the carriage leaving the palace, He Yan still felt somewhat dazed.

Fei Nu was an honest man, silently driving the carriage, while the young man sat beside her. The jade pendant in her hand, originally cool to the touch, was now clenched so tightly it seemed to burn.

Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on her hand, and he raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to crush it?”

He Yan’s strength was honed daily on the Martial Arts Field by lifting stone locks. Crushing a walnut barehanded was no challenge, so it wasn’t impossible for her to shatter this piece of jade. She paused for a moment, instinctively opening her hand, unsure of what to do.

This was the two-colored jade bestowed by the Empress Dowager—one piece given to Xiao Jing, the other to Xiao Jue. It was said to be a family heirloom of the Xiao family. According to Lin Shuanghe, Xiao Jue never parted with this jade pendant. Once, when she was drunk at the Liangzhou Guard, she had snatched it from him. Knowing it was a rare treasure, she had returned it to him. Little did she expect that, after all the twists and turns, it would end up in her hands again.

He Yan had never received such a valuable gift. Hesitating for a moment, she said, “Commander… isn’t it inappropriate for me to have this?”

Xiao Jue took the snake-patterned Black Jade from her hand, bent down, removed the tassel from her waist, and replaced it with the Black Jade. His movements were gentle, his expression attentive, and his tone light and calm. “Elder Brother gave his piece to Sister-in-Law. Since you and I are engaged, it’s only right for you to have this.”

Engaged…

He Yan’s face flushed again.

The words Xiao Jue had spoken to her earlier in the abandoned palace were impossible to dwell on. Whenever she recalled them, it felt like the first time she secretly witnessed fireworks after the New Year’s Eve dinner as a child—a “boom” as they soared into the sky, transforming into countless dazzling and chaotic stars. Even lying in bed at night, she found it hard to sleep, always remembering that moment of breathtaking beauty.

Struggling to push the thoughts away, He Yan asked, “Are we returning to Xiao Manor now?”

Hearing the word “return,” Xiao Jue’s lips curved imperceptibly. “We’re going to your home.”

“My home?”

“You are a woman,” Xiao Jue lowered his gaze. “Before, no one knew you were staying at Xiao Manor. After today, someone will inevitably investigate the He family. If you stay at my manor, there will be gossip.”

He didn’t care about what others thought, but He Yan couldn’t afford to, nor could He Sui or He Yun Sheng. While the boundaries between men and women weren’t as strict as in previous dynasties, it would still be unseemly for He Yan to live in an unrelated man’s manor before marriage.

“Right,” He Yan nodded. Thinking about returning to the He family, she felt another headache coming on. He Yun Sheng had repeatedly urged her to resign from her post immediately. Not only had she not resigned, but she had also been ennobled. At least she didn’t have to worry about her identity as a woman being exposed, but for He Sui and He Yun Sheng, it must still be quite a shock.

“Don’t worry,” Xiao Jue said, as if sensing her concerns. “During the victory banquet, someone was already sent ahead to congratulate the He family. Your father and younger brother should already know.”

He Yan felt relieved.

He Sui and He Yun Sheng indeed already knew.

Not long before, He Yun Sheng had been reading in his room, while He Sui had just returned from his employer’s home and was drawing water for a bath. Qingmei had just finished washing their clothes when she heard a knock at the door.Their street was home to families engaged in small trades, none of them particularly wealthy. At this late hour, every household had already closed its doors. Qingmei was, after all, a young woman, so He Sui took an oil lamp to answer the door. Worried something might be amiss, He Yun Sheng closed his book, draped an outer robe over his shoulders, and followed his father.

To their surprise, as soon as the door opened, they were met with a long procession of people dressed as palace attendants. He Yun Sheng’s heart sank, fearing something had happened to He Yan. Her position as "Wu Anlang" had come easily, but it was hardly a long-term solution. If the truth came to light, disaster was sure to follow.

He Sui was equally bewildered. To spare his father worry, He Yun Sheng had not yet told him about He Yan’s promotion. He Sui’s first thought was that the Fan family had come to cause trouble again. He immediately asked, "What brings you here, esteemed officials?"

"Congratulations, Master He! Congratulations!" The lead attendant beamed with joy and ordered the men behind him to carry boxes into the courtyard. "Master He has raised an exceptional daughter. The young lady of the He family has proven herself no less capable than any man. For her outstanding military achievements in the naval battle at Jiyang and the defense of Rundu, His Majesty has conferred upon her the title of Marquis of Wu’an. Furthermore, a marriage has been arranged for her. General Feng Yun will soon arrive to pay his respects, so I offer my congratulations in advance!"

He Yun Sheng gasped sharply.

The street was not particularly wide, and at night, even the sound of a child being scolded or a couple arguing could be heard clearly. The commotion caused by the attendants had already drawn the attention of the neighbors. Some peeked through cracks in their doors, while others simply opened them wide, eager to witness the spectacle. Though the attendant’s rapid-fire announcement left many details unclear, one thing became evident to everyone: the eldest daughter of the He family was not only alive but had been granted an official title and a marriage arrangement?!

He Sui only knew that He Yan had returned to the capital and was temporarily staying with a friend due to her inconvenient circumstances. He had assumed she had deserted the army and dared not speak of it. Now, with this sudden turn of events, he was utterly confused, unsure where to even begin asking questions.

He Yun Sheng, however, was quick-witted. Upon hearing the attendant mention "daughter," he realized He Yan’s true identity as a woman could no longer be concealed. Yet these people spoke of the emperor’s commendation—did this mean they did not intend to pursue the crime of deceiving the throne? This was astonishing, but He Yun Sheng had no time to rejoice. Instead, he pressed further, "Esteemed official, you said my sister has been granted a marriage arrangement? May I ask to whom she is to be wed?"

He Sui finally snapped back to reality. Whether it was "Wu Anlang" or "Marquis of Wu’an," none of it mattered as much as the fact that his daughter had been promised in marriage the moment she returned home. As her father, he had not even been consulted! How could they marry her off to someone of unknown background? He had heard of pies falling from the sky, but never of a son-in-law dropping from the heavens!

"Master He need not worry," the attendant said, clasping his hands with a smile. "As I said, General Feng Yun will arrive shortly."

"You mean…" He Yun Sheng spoke in disbelief, "General Feng Yun?"

"Exactly!"

Just then, the sound of a galloping carriage echoed from not far away. Everyone turned to look toward the end of the street and saw a splendid carriage emerging from the darkness. The driver was a tall, imposing guard, clearly distinguished from ordinary guards, with a notably handsome face.

The attendant smiled broadly and said, "And here he comes now."The carriage stopped in front of the He family's gate. By now, all the neighbors had gotten the news, throwing on clothes in the middle of the night and crawling out of bed to see the distinguished guests. From the carriage emerged a man and a woman—the woman was none other than He Yan. Having grown up on this street, all the neighbors had watched He Yan grow up. Today, she was dressed in men's clothing, but her hair was loosely draped, her face cleansed of any disguise, looking clean, beautiful, and with a newfound heroic air she hadn't had before. Some of the young men stared in a daze, thinking to themselves that while the He family's eldest daughter had always been pretty, she had never been this stunning—now she was truly dazzling.

As for the young man who helped her down from the carriage and stood by her side, he made all the young women and married ladies on the street blush. This young man was also dressed in official robes, handsome and dignified, clearly a distinguished guest from the palace. In this remote, run-down corner of the city, he shone like a precious gem.

Upon seeing Xiao Jue, the eunuch hurried forward to bow. "Commander Xiao, greetings from the Marquis of Wu'an."

Some tactless neighbor shouted, "Commander Xiao, this is Old He's son-in-law, Commander Xiao!"

"Commander Xiao, is he really that General Feng Yun?"

"Where? Where? I want to see too!"

He Yan: "..."

Xiao Jue had become a rare spectacle here, something everyone wanted to see. The eunuch smiled and said, "Commander, this humble servant has delivered the message and will now return to the palace." He then glanced at He Sui, who was still in a state of shock and unable to regain his composure, feeling somewhat disdainful. How could they have chosen such a family? This father-in-law was nothing but a crude military man, not even inviting the messenger inside for a cup of tea—truly a country bumpkin.

The next moment, Fei Nu stepped forward on his own, saying, "You've worked hard," and handed each of the eunuchs present a small piece of silver. The lead eunuch weighed the unusually heavy pouch in his hand, feeling satisfied. Well, even if the country bumpkin didn't know any better, the son-in-law was generous and considerate. When he returned to the palace, he would put in a few good words before the emperor!

Meanwhile, He Sui finally snapped out of it and welcomed Xiao Jue and his party inside. He Yun Sheng pushed the neighbors who were trying to enter their home to continue gawking at Xiao Jue out the door. "It's too late today. Another day, another day. Aunties and uncles, come back another time. Go rest now." With that, he forcefully closed the door, leaned against it, and sighed in relief before hurrying into the main hall.

All the lamps in the house were lit, but aside from the one He Yun Sheng used for reading at night, which had plenty of oil, the other three lamps in the house were nearly empty, with one completely out of oil. Qingmei rummaged through cabinets for a long time before finding a few scraps of tea leaves, hastily brewing them and handing the cup to Xiao Jue.

He Sui still felt as though he were dreaming.

He looked at He Yan. "Yan Yan..." But he couldn't find the words.

"Yun Sheng, didn't you tell Father?" He Yan asked in surprise.

He Yun Sheng replied impatiently, "If I had told Father, how could he have stayed home peacefully all these days? He would have gone looking for you himself."

Tsk, he hadn't said anything. He Yan felt troubled. How was she supposed to explain this? She knew that the things she had done in Jiyang and Rundu would be hard for He Sui to accept, which was why she had left this hot potato for He Yun Sheng. Now that He Yun Sheng hadn't laid any groundwork, she was afraid to bring up the rest.Xiao Jue glanced at him. "Let me explain."

The two men of the He family both jolted.

Thanks to the money He Yan had given them earlier, the He family home no longer leaked or let in rain, and it now looked like a proper house. However, it could not escape being described as simple and crude. He Yan was used to it, having grown up in this house, but Xiao Jue sitting inside felt completely out of place. Even He Sui felt that their rough rattan chair, with its splinters not even properly smoothed, was staining the young master's fine robes.

Fortunately, this young master did not seem to have any opinions about their humble home. He did not disdain the weak tea brewed from leftover tea leaves, nor did he show any signs of impatience. Calmly, he recounted how He Yan had enlisted in the army and gone to Liang Province, and how she had become the Marquis of Wu'an and Wu Anlang.

He Sui listened with his heart pounding, lifting his teacup several times to gulp down tea to calm his nerves. He Yan thought to herself, There was no need to go into such detail.

Only after Xiao Jue finished explaining did He Yun Sheng and He Sui understand—so He Yan, through a series of coincidences, had become the first female marquis since the founding of Great Wei?

"But..." He Sui felt something was off, though with one shocking revelation after another today, he hadn't fully processed everything yet and couldn't quite put his finger on it. He could only glance at He Yan, then at Xiao Jue.

Whose daughter was like theirs? She went out, killed people, earned merits, became an official, and even brought back a man. Back when He Yan was infatuated with Fan Cheng, He Sui had looked down on him—a young master who only knew how to squander his family's wealth, clearly not someone who would settle down. His daughter, raised with such care, would likely suffer greatly if she married into the Fan family. Though Fan Cheng had never intended to marry He Yan as his principal wife anyway.

Later, when He Yan nearly lost her life for Fan Cheng and gradually forgot about him after waking up, He Sui was overjoyed. He had planned to ask a matchmaker to find suitable young men in Yanjing City for her after some time. Then, He Yan left Shuojing to join the army, and He Sui had already prepared himself for the possibility that she might never marry—or perhaps, like him, take in a live-in son-in-law. But now, before he, as her father, could even play his part, the Emperor himself had arranged her marriage.

It was the Emperor!

Fortunately, the man wasn't some unsightly fellow. He Sui stole a glance at Xiao Jue. Hmm... I've only seen him from afar before; this is the first time observing him up close. Putting everything else aside, how did his parents manage to give birth to someone so flawless? He Sui thought to himself, then glanced at He Yun Sheng and immediately shifted his gaze away in disappointment. Ah, comparing people really is disheartening.

He Yun Sheng was baffled.

Seeing He Sui staring intently at Xiao Jue, He Yan feared her father might ask some difficult questions and hurriedly said, "It's too late today. Let's talk about anything else another day." She turned to Xiao Jue. "Eldest Young Master Xiao and Madam Xiao must have returned home by now, with a bellyful of questions for you. By the time you explain everything to them, it'll be dawn." She gave Xiao Jue a meaningful look. "Let's go."

He Sui still wanted to ask more. "Yan Yan, your father still has questions..."

"I'll answer any questions." He Yan grew anxious, pulling Xiao Jue up from the chair and dragging him outside. Xiao Jue didn't resist and even turned his head to say to He Sui, "Uncle, I will visit again another day."He Sui was thoroughly shaken by that one "Uncle" and hadn't yet recovered when Xiao Jue was already dragged away by He Yan.

"What did he just call me?" the old father stood in the room, asking his "inferior" son.

He Yun Sheng replied disdainfully, "Definitely not 'Dad.'" Earlier at the equestrian field, when Xiao Jue had given him a horse, He Sui had scolded him for being useless. Now, look at his own state—just one "Uncle" had left him dizzy and disoriented.

He was indeed his biological son.

Xiao Jue was dragged all the way out the door by He Yan. The neighbors who had been watching the commotion earlier had already dispersed. After all, it was a late autumn night, and no matter how curious they were to catch a glimpse of the legendary "General Feng Yun," they couldn't possibly crouch in the cold wind by the corner of a wall for half the night.

The street was empty. Xiao Jue let himself be dragged without resistance. Once outside, He Yan, like a thief with a guilty conscience, glanced around to confirm it was safe before letting go.

Xiao Jue looked at her leisurely and reminded her, "Your actions make it seem like I'm someone to be hidden."

He Yan snapped back to reality and chuckled awkwardly a few times. "The people on our street love to watch the excitement. Commander, you surely don't like being stared at either."

Xiao Jue said, "I don't mind."

He Yan thought to herself, Who would believe that? This man usually keeps to himself, and now he says he doesn't mind? A man's words are as deceptive as a ghost's.

She glanced back at the gate. He Yun Sheng and He Sui hadn't chased after them, and Qingmei, being obedient, was quiet for now. He Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

Bringing Xiao Jue back felt strange, mainly because Emperor Wenxuan's decree had come so suddenly. He Yan herself wasn't prepared. Now that she had pushed Xiao Jue out, she knew it was time to say goodbye, but she didn't know what to say.

They had gotten along so naturally in Liangzhou Guard and in Jiyang. Why was it that now, in Shuojing, at this moment, she couldn't utter a single word? After spending years in the military, she was usually quite articulate, but now she could only squeeze out two words: "Take care."

Xiao Jue chuckled.

He Yan asked, "What are you laughing at?"

He bent slightly, bringing his gaze level with hers, and curled his lips in a teasing yet earnest manner. "Miss He, your skill at lying has deteriorated."

How mortifying.

He Yan mumbled vaguely, "I've never lied to you."

Xiao Jue straightened up and ruffled her hair. "The wind is strong here. You should go back."

He Yan nodded, then looked up at him. For some reason, she felt a bit reluctant. Perhaps ever since she joined the army, she had spent most of her time with Xiao Jue. Now that she was back in Shuojing and had resumed her identity as a woman, she couldn't possibly hang out with Xiao Jue as casually as before, let alone stay overnight.

As if reading her thoughts, Xiao Jue said, "Don't worry, I'll come to see you."

He Yan's face flushed again, and she instinctively replied, "Mm, I'll come to see you too." As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized what she had said and wished she could knock herself out to gloss over this awkward conversation. Knowing that staying any longer would only lead to more embarrassment, He Yan turned around. "Then I'll go, Commander. See you another day!"

She entered the house and closed the door.

Xiao Jue stood at the entrance, looking at the tightly shut door. After a while, he walked toward the carriage parked at the corner. Fei Nu skillfully picked up the reins, and the carriage left the alley.

...

The interrogation inside the house was not yet over.Earlier, with outsiders present, Qingmei didn't dare speak. Now that the room was empty, she hugged He Yan and sobbed, "Miss, it's wonderful that you're still alive! I thought I'd never see you again! Sob... You've lost so much weight. Have you suffered outside? You must have!"

This girl had also grown up quite a bit, standing tall and graceful like a flower in full bloom, though her tearful nature remained unchanged. He Yan found it both amusing and exasperating, and it took some effort to comfort her. Before He Sui could speak, He Yan said, "Father! I've been exhausted all day and I'm very sleepy. Can I wash up and rest first? I'll explain everything tomorrow."

He Sui adored this daughter of his—he would pluck stars from the sky for her if she asked. Hearing that she was tired, his heart ached for her, and he completely forgot his own questions. "Alright, alright, Yan Yan, go to sleep first. We can talk about everything tomorrow."

He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. If she had to answer questions one by one, she wouldn't get any sleep tonight. Besides, she hadn't yet figured out how to explain everything and needed a night to think it over.

After finally coaxing Qingmei into a smile and sending He Sui away, He Yan washed up briefly in the courtyard. When she returned to her room, she saw the young master of the He family sitting in a chair, looking as if he were there to demand answers.

He Yan closed the door behind her. "Yun Sheng, are you here to catch mice in my room?"

He Yun Sheng's face was cold. "I'm not as easy to fool as Father. He Yan, explain yourself clearly. How could you marry yourself off for no reason?"

His tone made him sound less like a younger brother and more like an older one.

"Don't talk nonsense. It was His Majesty who ordered me to marry," He Yan said as she walked to the bed and sat down. Though the He family's beds were hard, her mattress had been made soft by Qingmei.

He Yun Sheng sneered, "You said earlier that you were staying at a friend's house. Was it General Feng Yun's residence?"

He Yan: "..." The child had grown up and was harder to fool.

He Yun Sheng was furious. "He Yan!"

"When I stayed at his residence, I didn't know I would be granted a marriage," He Yan tried to soothe the agitated young master. "Besides, we didn't share a room. What does it matter?"

"You're a woman!"

"Yun Sheng, I was in the army before. Do you understand? When I was in Liangzhou Guard, my comrades and I all slept in shared bunks, with over a dozen people to a bed. The distinction between men and women seems too fussy to me, and it's impossible to maintain."

He Yun Sheng was so angry he nearly spat blood.

Other families' sisters all adhered to proper etiquette. It wasn't that He Yun Sheng was old-fashioned—if it were anyone else, it might be fine, but it was Xiao Jue. That kind of family, and someone so outstanding—to put it bluntly, anyone with eyes would think the He family was reaching beyond their station. He Yan thought too simply. What if Xiao Jue or his family looked down on her because of this?

This world was already difficult for women. Gossip was a fearful thing!

But looking at He Yan, who yawned carelessly in front of him, He Yun Sheng's heart softened again.

...Forget it. It was already a blessing that she had returned alive. According to what Xiao Jue said, every battle He Yan had fought was so perilous, and she had suffered so much. Why bother with other matters?

However, the young man still cared deeply about one other thing.

He asked, "Since it's a marriage by imperial decree, does that General Feng Yun actually like you or not?"

He Yan paused.The words Xiao Jue had spoken earlier in the palace resurfaced in her mind.

They were not false. What he had said in the hall was not false—the "beloved" was real. She lowered her head to look at the jade pendant at her waist. The serpent on it was both dangerous and gentle, coiled amidst the clouds and mist, like a magnificent, enchanting dream.

"The moon is yours."

After so long, these words still sound so heart-stirring. But...

He Yan's eyes widened abruptly.

How did Xiao Jue know that he himself was the "moon"?

(End of Chapter)