Legend of the Female General

Chapter 223: Night Visit to the He Residence

For several consecutive days, heavy snow fell daily in Shuojing City, leaving the streets much quieter than usual.

At the Xu residence, He Xinying stood before the study door and knocked. A voice from inside said, “Come in.” He Xinying entered.

“The kitchen made some red bean sweet soup. It’s too cold outside,” He Xinying said with a smile as she took a small bowl from a basket and placed it on Xu Zhiheng’s desk. “Husband, have some to warm yourself up. Don’t catch a chill.”

Xu Zhiheng’s gaze fell on the small white porcelain bowl on the desk. Inside, the red bean sweet soup emitted a cloyingly sweet aroma, its brown broth suddenly reminding him of the tonic the He family had sent long ago.

It had been the same color, with the same sweet fragrance. That medicinal soup had been extremely effective—after He Yan drank it, she suffered a high fever for three days and then lost her sight forever.

Xu Zhiheng instinctively looked up. He Xinying was gazing at him gently, her eyes and brows bearing some resemblance to He Yan’s. Xu Zhiheng’s heart skipped a beat, and he stood up abruptly, his sleeve accidentally brushing against the bowl on the desk. The sweet soup spilled all over the floor, staining his clothes.

“Husband, are you all right?” He Xinying was startled and quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe the soup from Xu Zhiheng’s clothes, calling for a maid to clean up the mess.

“It’s fine.” Seeing the sweet soup spilled, Xu Zhiheng actually felt relieved. He took the handkerchief and wiped the stains from his clothes.

“This bowl is ruined. I’ll have someone bring another,” He Xinying said hurriedly.

“No need.” Xu Zhiheng took her hand and smiled, pulling her to sit beside him. “I wasn’t hungry anyway.”

The woman’s hand was warm and soft, easing some of the unease he had felt these past few days.

He Xinying obediently sat beside him. After a moment’s thought, she said to Xu Zhiheng, “I heard from Liu’er that my mother hasn’t been well lately and has been bedridden. I’d like to go back and see her. Do you have any free time these days? Why not come with me to the He residence?”

That military manual had been kept in her room all along, and He Xinying always felt uneasy about it. If Xu Zhiheng ever took it into his head to search the entire residence, it could easily be discovered. Moreover, the manual had appeared mysteriously, and she herself couldn’t figure out how it had gotten there. It would be better to return to the He residence and ask Lady He the Second about it. Her mother knew more about her elder sister than she did.

“You want to go back to the He residence?” Xu Zhiheng paused, then asked He Xinying.

His gaze held a hint of scrutiny as he looked at her. He Xinying’s heart skipped a beat, and she reached out to hold his arm. “I just want to visit and will return the next day. Husband, could you come with me? My mother hasn’t seen you in a long time either.”

He Xinying had never suffered much hardship growing up. When Xu Zhiheng married her, he knew she had been somewhat spoiled in the He family. However, after entering the Xu residence, she had always been obedient. This was different from He Yan’s temperament. Although He Yan had also never caused trouble and had always been well-behaved, it was impossible for her to cling to him and act coquettishly like He Xinying.

Xu Zhiheng said, “I’ve been very busy these days and likely won’t have time to accompany you back. How about this—I’ll have someone escort you back first. When I have some free time later, I’ll accompany you then.”

He Xinying put on a suitably aggrieved expression and said, “…Alright.”

Xu Zhiheng smiled and held her hand, his thoughts already drifting elsewhere.It was impossible for him to go to the He family now. Not to mention the two brothers He Yuansheng, who knew what schemes He Rufei was currently plotting? Planting spies in his own residence to try and catch him off guard... And then there was He Xinying. Xu Zhiheng thought to himself, although He Xinying was his wife, she was still a He by birth. Who knew whether He Rufei had communicated with her? This was just as well. Since He Rufei could plant spies in his residence, who was to say he wouldn’t turn the tables on him?

This time, he would let He Xinying return home first to test the waters.

...

By midnight, it had begun to snow again.

In the freezing cold, He Yan groped her way out of bed in the dark. The room was pitch black, without even an oil lamp lit. Fortunately, she had long grown accustomed to her days as a blind person, so even without a light, she could move around the room without stumbling. After dressing, she took a short sword from the drawer and slipped out the door.

The snow was falling heavily. To move more easily, she wore only a thin layer of cotton beneath her dark clothes. As soon as she stepped outside, her nose nearly froze off. In the stable, Xiangxiang’s charcoal fire glowed faintly. The courtyard was silent inside and out. He Sui and his son, along with Qingmei, were fast asleep, and there was no movement from Chi Wu’s room either. He Yan quietly pushed the door open and stepped out.

Snow covered everything, blanketing the long street in silver. Lanterns hung beneath the eaves on both sides of the street, glowing red and lively. In less than two months, it would be the New Year. The festive atmosphere was already in the air, though it was still bitterly cold.

He Yan exhaled, and a puff of white mist immediately appeared before her. Strangely enough, winters in Liangzhou Guard were much colder than in Shuojing, yet back then, with daily training that left her drenched in sweat, she had forgotten the cold. Now, here, she truly felt the chill, stamping her feet to keep warm.

She had only taken a few steps, nearing the end of the street, when she spotted a carriage parked ahead. He Yan paused. In the dead of night, on an empty street, the sudden appearance of a carriage in the middle of the road was almost ghostly. Squinting, she looked closer and saw a coachman seated at the front. When he spotted her, he removed his hat.

“Fei... Fei Nu?” He Yan exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

Fei Nu remained silent, but the carriage curtain was lifted, and a man stepped down. Dressed in dark gold brocade with cloud patterns, his figure was elegant and graceful. When he looked over, he resembled a painting in the snowy night—it was Xiao Jue.

He walked over, his boots crunching softly on the snow. As he drew near, He Yan asked, “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”

Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow, replying nonchalantly, “And you? What are you doing sneaking out at midnight?”

“I...” He Yan faltered for a moment. “I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a walk.”

Xiao Jue scoffed, eyeing her with amusement. “Young lady, do you usually wear dark clothes for a midnight stroll?”

He Yan scratched her head, knowing he was too clever to fool easily. Frowning, she said, “I came out to take care of something...” She glanced at Xiao Jue, then turned to scan the surroundings, suddenly realizing something. “You’ve been following me all day, and you won’t even let up at night? Xiao Jue, even if I’m your fiancée, you don’t have to keep such a close watch.”

Xiao Jue: “...”"What are you thinking about?" He seemed speechless. "You went out this morning and bought a dagger at the blacksmith's shop in the west of the city. Tell me," he said lazily, "going out so late—planning to kill someone or set a fire?"

"When I bought the dagger, didn’t I shake off Chi Wu?" He Yan was also puzzled. "How did you know?"

She had always been very cautious when doing these things, knowing full well that being discovered by Chi Wu would raise suspicion. Yet she had finally managed to shake off that big guy.

"It wasn’t Chi Wu," Xiao Jue said. "I just knew, that’s all." He glanced at the dagger tucked at He Yan’s waist with some disdain. "Didn’t I give you silver? Couldn’t you have bought a better blade?"

"What does that have to do with the blade?" He Yan retorted. "What matters is the person wielding it and their swordsmanship. My swordsmanship is excellent; I don’t need a fine blade to enhance my reputation."

Xiao Jue nodded. "Frugal and thrifty."

"...That sounds like a compliment," He Yan said, "but why does it feel like you’re mocking me?"

Outside, the snow fell incessantly, quickly covering her hair and clothes with a thin layer of frost. Xiao Jue pulled her under the eaves of a nearby building, standing on the outer side to block most of the wind and snow. He only asked, "You still haven’t said—why are you taking a blade out so late?"

Seeing that she couldn’t hide it any longer, He Yan sighed and told the truth. "I was thinking that He Rufei must have some other connection with the Wutuo People. He Rufei is cautious and careful, making it difficult to catch him. I want to go to the He residence to look for other evidence. If I can find proof of He Rufei’s ties to the Wutuo People, that would be even better."

"The He residence?" Xiao Jue frowned slightly. "You plan to go alone?"

"After all, I was a member of the He family in my past life," He Yan leaned closer and whispered. "I know the He residence inside and out. I even know secret passages that others aren’t aware of. Slipping in will be as easy as turning over my hand. Going alone is absolutely no problem."

"No," Xiao Jue interrupted without hesitation. "It’s too dangerous."

"What’s so dangerous about it?" He Yan argued. "I can take on ten of the He family’s guards by myself. At this hour, they’re already asleep. The room He Rufei is living in now is the one I used to occupy. I know exactly where the hidden compartments in the bookshelf are and the secret layers in the wooden drawers. I’ll leave as soon as I finish searching. It won’t cause any trouble. I’ve even raided the camps of tens of thousands of Wutuo enemies at night. A single He residence is nothing to fear."

"He Rufei is already suspicious of you now, so he’s likely increased the guards in the residence. Going to the He residence now isn’t a good time."

"If we wait too long, I’m afraid all the evidence will be destroyed."

Xiao Jue’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he said, "I’ll go with you."

"What?" He Yan immediately refused. "If you come with me, you’ll just be a burden. It’s easier for me to escape alone. Having you along will be very inconvenient."

"Then don’t go."

"Xiao Jue," He Yan said angrily, "you’re being unreasonable!"

"Hmm."

Was this person impervious to reason? But if she argued with him here, the neighbors would wake up, and neither of them would be able to escape. After a stalemate, He Yan finally gave in, gritting her teeth. "Fine. I just never expected that while others say Young Master Xiao is cold and aloof, in private, he’s actually this clingy.""Likewise," Xiao Jue crossed his arms, looking at her. "Who made Miss He Yan develop the habit of taking midnight strolls to other people's mansions?" He leaned slightly forward, gazing down at He Yan from above, his tone infuriatingly calm. "I'm afraid if something happens, the husband will have to pay for the wife's debts."

This man probably never lost an argument with anyone. He Yan, too, was left speechless, growling fiercely, "Fine, if you want to follow, then come along. But I'm warning you in advance—once we get to the He family, don't regret it."

Xiao Jue chuckled, reaching toward her waist. He Yan hurriedly clutched her belt. "What are you doing?"

He took a deep breath. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"In the dead of night, a man and a woman alone—there are plenty of things they could do," He Yan muttered quietly. "Who knows what you're up to?"

"He Yan," Xiao Jue said calmly.

"I was joking," He Yan replied with an ingratiating smile.

"Your sword is too shoddy. Switch to this one." He untied the sword from his own waist and handed it to He Yan.

"Isn't this Drink Autumn?" He Yan was taken aback. Xiao Jue had already thrust the Drink Autumn Sword into her hands. Knowing how precious Drink Autumn was, she tried to return it. "Why give it to me?"

Xiao Jue glanced at her, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Use this one, so no one can say the Xiao family is stingy and embarrass me."

"What 'no one'?" He Yan quickly retorted. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. We're going to the He family today, and we definitely won't alert anyone. Who else would see?"

Before He Yan could finish, Xiao Jue had already drawn the short sword from her waist and walked ahead on his own. "Just take it."

He Yan had no choice but to follow.

Fei Nu parked the carriage by the roadside, and the three of them set off together toward the He family's direction.

The He residence was located in the western part of the city. Its mansion, though not as elegant and refined as the Xu family's, was still quite imposing. Fei Nu stayed outside the compound to keep watch and provide support, while He Yan led Xiao Jue to the rear courtyard wall. When they reached a certain spot, she stopped and whispered, "See, this is my secret passage."

Xiao Jue stared at the hole in front of them, barely large enough for one person to crawl through, and asked calmly, "Your so-called secret passage is a dog hole?"

"Shh," He Yan pressed a finger to her lips. "Keep your voice down. This isn't just any dog hole. I dare say, no one in the entire He family knows about it."

"When I was a child, I disguised myself as a boy, but I wasn't very strong. When I was with other boys, I was always worried about giving myself away. My family was also afraid that I'd attract trouble by showing my face too much outside, so they kept me locked up in the mansion. Before I entered the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, every day before dawn, I would crawl out through this dog hole and climb to Donghuang Mountain in the capital to help the monks in the temple carry water and chop firewood. At first, my hands were rubbed raw, but after calluses formed, I could even practice martial arts with stones tied to my wrists."

"The young men at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy were all incredibly skilled, but if I hadn't secretly practiced climbing the mountain back then, I probably would have had an even harder time at the academy."

"Ah," she suddenly had a thought. "Could it be that because I did so much work for the temple monks back then, the Buddha saw my sincerity and gave me a chance to live another life? No wonder people always say to accumulate good karma. It really is true, don't you think?" She turned to look at Xiao Jue.

Xiao Jue pinched the bridge of his nose, restraining himself. "So, what you're saying is, you want me to crawl through a dog hole?""Right." He Yan said, "I told you earlier, if you insist on following me, don't regret it. I did warn you."

"I'm not crawling through that." Xiao Jue frowned slightly, turning his head away as if even a glance was distasteful. "I'll climb over the wall."

"Don't. The He family's walls are rigged with traps all over. He Rufei must have rearranged them by now, and I don't know exactly where they are. If you trigger one, all our efforts will be wasted." He Yan sized him up. "How about you wait outside with Fei Nu? I'll go in alone."

"No."

"Young master, please," He Yan sighed helplessly. "This won't do, that won't do. What exactly do you want?"

Xiao Jue stared expressionlessly at the dog hole for a moment, then suddenly lifted the hem of his robe and knelt down on one knee. Turning his head to He Yan, he said, "You go first."

This time, He Yan was genuinely shocked. "You're really going to crawl through?"

"Hurry up." Xiao Jue was at his limit.

He Yan had originally hoped to use the dog hole to make Xiao Jue back down, never expecting that he would actually go through with it. For a moment, she felt a surge of mixed emotions—Xiao Jue's sacrifice was truly immense. If the soldiers of the Nine Banners Battalion and Southern Garrison Troops found out their commander was crawling through a dog hole in the middle of the night instead of sleeping, they would surely kill her.

However, this wasn't He Yan deliberately making things difficult. This dog hole in the He residence was one she had dug herself back in the day. The He family didn't keep dogs, but He Yan had personally fed the stray dogs outside. This route was much safer than climbing the wall, as Xiao Jue had suggested.

"Then follow me," He Yan whispered. "Move quietly."

She herself didn't mind crawling through the dog hole in the slightest—after all, she had done it since childhood. It had been a while, and it felt oddly familiar. With a twist of her body, she slipped through like an eel. Xiao Jue gritted his teeth and followed.

The He family's walls were thick, and the hole had been dug by He Yan when she was young, so it wasn't very large. For their adult frames now, it felt rather cramped. Just as she emerged and hadn't yet steadied herself, she saw a blur of yellow dart toward her in the faint glow of a lantern.

Xiao Jue was about to strike when He Yan whispered in delight, "Er Mao!"

The one called "Er Mao" ran up to He Yan, rolled over, and pawed at her legs, showing great affection. It turned out to be a yellow dog.

Xiao Jue asked, "What is this?"

"My pet," He Yan whispered. "I thought after I died, Er Mao had been driven out too. I never expected it to still be here."

To be precise, when He Yan was young, she had picked up a stray dog and brought it home, naming it Da Mao. The He family disliked the dirty stray, but back then, He Yan had no friends. Having a yellow dog for company during lonely times wasn't so bad, so she begged Lady He to let Da Mao stay. Da Mao later gave birth to a litter of puppies, but the weather was too cold, and all except Er Mao died. The surviving Er Mao was also mute.

He Rufei had systematically erased all traces of He Yan. She had thought she would never see Er Mao again, never expecting to find it here. However, Er Mao usually lived in the backyard, catching mice to eat. It was likely not that He Rufei didn't want to get rid of it—he had probably just forgotten about the dog entirely."It seems to recognize me." He Yan looked at Er Mao, who was wagging its tail and frolicking excitedly toward her, and sighed, "I studied alongside you, Lin Shuanghe, and Yan He for so long, yet none of you recognized me. Your eyesight isn't even as good as Er Mao's."

Er Mao grinned foolishly at He Yan, tongue lolling out.

Xiao Jue closed his eyes, patiently saying, "Now is not the time for reunions and reminiscing."

"I know." He Yan gestured for Er Mao to "sit," and the yellow dog obediently settled in place. "Er Mao, stay here and keep watch for me." She turned to Xiao Jue and said, "Follow me."

The He residence was large, and He Yan moved cautiously, hiding in the shadows at every turn to check for any servants nearby. Although she hadn't entered the He residence in recent days, she had secretly circled the outside. The number of servants in the He household had increased significantly compared to when she was still there, undoubtedly He Rufei's doing.

Perhaps He Rufei believed that having more servants would better uphold the prestige of the "Flying Goose General," or perhaps it was a guilty conscience.

The courtyard where He Rufei lived, which was originally He Yan's courtyard, was located in the deepest and innermost part of the He residence. Xiao Jue asked softly, "Why is it so far away?"

"Because Young Master He was born ugly, reclusive, and eccentric," He Yan replied. "He disliked excessive contact with others."

Her courtyard had always had few attendants and was remote. If He Yan had been a quiet child by nature, it might have been fine, but children are full of imagination, and she was originally lively and curious about everything. Forced to stay alone in the courtyard due to the identity she bore, over time, even if she wasn't reclusive, she became so.

As a child, she couldn't do this or that, not even allowing maids or servants to attend to her closely, let alone play together. Over time, she had to find her own amusement. For example, she would draw pictures in the sand with branches. She could accurately sketch every room in the He residence because she had walked through them countless times in her mind.

He Yan once suspected that her later sensitivity to terrain after joining the army, her ability to remember a path after walking it only once, was actually honed by her childhood experiences.

"The layout of the residence has changed," He Yan whispered. "We must be careful."

The night was already deep, and the night watchmen were all in the outer courtyard. The residence was quiet, which offered some relief. As they approached He Rufei's courtyard, He Yan grew increasingly tense.

Turning a corner in the corridor, just as they were about to move forward, He Yan suddenly stopped. Silently, she pulled Xiao Jue into an empty tea room.

Just as Xiao Jue was about to speak, He Yan covered his mouth: "Shh, someone's coming."

Outside, the sound of dragging footsteps echoed—likely a servant heading to the latrine at night. The footsteps passed by the door and gradually faded away. Only when there was no more sound outside did He Yan relax. She turned her head and froze.The moon had risen at some point, its light seeping through the window to cast a sliver of brightness on the floor. Xiao Jue had been pushed against the wall by her, his back pressed against it. In her nervousness, He Yan had practically thrown herself onto him, while he remained motionless, his hands slightly drawn back as if deliberately maintaining a respectful distance. With her hand covering his mouth, He Yan looked every bit like a female ruffian harassing someone.

Startled, she instinctively withdrew her hand.

The young man gazed at her indifferently, then suddenly curved his lips, mouthing silently, "Taking advantage of me?"

He Yan nearly choked, shaking her head repeatedly. "No, no, I was just too flustered just now. It wasn't intentional."

The man nodded with a faint, ambiguous smile, his eyes clearly conveying disbelief.

He Yan was at a loss for words. Fine, it wasn't as if she had only harassed Xiao Jue once or twice—what difference would one more time make? She peeked through the crack in the door, and seeing no one outside, whispered, "Let's go."

(End of Chapter)