Legend of the Female General

Chapter 225: Birthday

The military manual looked just as it had in the past, momentarily transporting He Yan back to the days when she had first married into the He family.

However, after she went blind, she had never taken out this manual again. She had thought it either remained undiscovered or had long been burned by Xu Zhiheng. She never expected it to return to her hands now. But how had it ended up in Lady He the Second’s possession?

“What do you think my mother meant by giving this to me?” He Yan looked at Xiao Jue. “Could she have recognized me?”

Before Xiao Jue could answer, He Yan immediately shook her head in denial. “Impossible. Even in my past life, I only met her a handful of times. My own mother probably couldn’t even remember what I looked like, let alone now.” She laughed self-deprecatingly. “How am I starting to indulge in wild fantasies now?”

Yet, when she recalled the moment Lady He the Second had pressed the military manual into her hands, she faintly sensed a trace of longing and reluctance in the other woman’s eyes.

How could that be?

Lady He the Second had another daughter. Compared to herself, He Xinying had grown up by her mother’s side, truly the apple of her eye. Not like her, who had never even called her “Mother.” He Yan had always believed that when facing the He family, she could remain as hard-hearted as iron. But when she had rushed into Lady He the Second’s room earlier and saw He Xinying sleeping in the same bed as her mother, she realized that even after marriage, returning home and sharing such intimate nighttime conversations with one’s mother could still stir envy.

Upon reflection, her familial bonds in her past life had always been shallow. Her parents were like that, her husband was like that. Though it was all in the past, and though she now had someone by her side, some regrets remained there, impossible to mend in a lifetime, like a hole buried under sand—when the wind blew, it still felt hollow and startling.

Not wanting Xiao Jue to notice her despondency, He Yan changed the subject. “But this military manual couldn’t have come at a better time. The notes I found earlier in the Virtuous Prosperity Academy were from too long ago, and He Rufei could easily claim his handwriting had changed over time. This manual, however, is from a more recent period. As long as we carefully compare it with He Rufei’s current handwriting, we’re bound to find clues. And… it’s a military manual, no less. Heaven is truly helping us.”

Xiao Jue nodded. “The correspondence with the Wutuo People will also come in handy when the time is right.”

“He Rufei kept those letters, probably because he feared the Wutuo People and Xu Xiang would abandon him after using him. He kept them as insurance, hidden in the exquisite box to ensure nothing went wrong.” He Yan pondered. “I don’t know whether to call him cunning or foolish.”

It was precisely his paranoia that left his weaknesses in others’ hands.

“Keeping this with me isn’t safe,” He Yan thought for a moment and said to Xiao Jue, “It’s better if you hold onto it. No matter how bold He Rufei is, he wouldn’t dare cause trouble at the Xiao residence.”

She glanced up at the sky. Dawn was approaching, and the entire night had been wasted. “I need to go back. Once it’s light, He Rufei will likely order a search across Shuojing. I’m worried something might happen.”

“I’ll escort you back.”He Yan nodded. Though she tried her best to appear normal, the matter of Lady He the Second still weighed heavily on her heart. While no one knew yet that she had threatened Lady He the Second into opening the door for her, who could say whether He Rufei might suspect Lady He the Second? Even if she was a member of the He family... He Rufei was so ruthless and cruel—if he could be so merciless toward her, what about Lady He the Second? He Yuanliang had already disregarded father-daughter affection, so how much marital affection could remain?

"Don’t worry, I’ll send someone to infiltrate the He residence and keep an eye on Lady He the Second," Xiao Jue said, as if sensing her worry. "She won’t come to harm."

He Yan looked up at him and breathed a slight sigh of relief. "In that case, thank you."

Even so, she still seemed somewhat downcast. Xiao Jue’s gaze swept over her lightly. "He Yan."

"What?"

"In two days, it’s my birthday."

He Yan let out an "oh," then suddenly realized and lifted her head. "...Then is there anything you want? I can buy it for you."

"Do you have money?" he asked.

"Didn’t you give me a stack of silver notes last time?" she replied smoothly. But when she saw his expression, she gave an awkward laugh. It did seem wrong to use someone else’s money to buy them a gift. "But... that’s the only money I have from you."

"I’m not good at embroidery or needlework either. Asking me to embroider a handkerchief in a day or two is impossible. Why didn’t you say so earlier? Now it’s too late for me to make anything. How about... I go find a stone and chop it into a shape you like?"

Back at the Liangzhou Guard, Chu Zhao had stayed up late at night just to collect stones. Perhaps wealthy young masters all had such strange hobbies.

Xiao Jue’s expression darkened, as if recalling unpleasant memories. "No need."

"Then what do you want?" He Yan leaned closer to ask. Distracted by Xiao Jue’s interruption, her earlier low spirits had eased considerably. At least for now, she was genuinely concerned about finding a birthday gift for Young Master Xiao.

"I want to visit the night market," Xiao Jue glanced at her. "Bring the silver notes. Whatever I take a liking to, you’ll buy for me."

Now He Yan understood. Young Master Xiao the Second wanted to enjoy the feeling of being pampered. But usually, it was men who accompanied women to night markets, buying them flowers, jade, or hairpins. How had it become the opposite in her case?

"I never imagined you’d have such a bizarre hobby," He Yan muttered under her breath, turning away.

"What did you say?" Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow.

He Yan turned back with a bright smile. "I said, since it’s our young master’s birthday wish, I’d go through fire and water to fulfill it. It’s just a night market, right? I’ll bring all the silver notes with me and buy you whatever you want. How’s that?"

The girl’s face was close at hand, completely unaware of how overly close she was to him. Xiao Jue tilted his head slightly, the corner of his mouth lifting in a faint smile. "Mm."

...

By the time Xiao Jue escorted He Yan back to her residence that night, it was already very late. He Yan simply went to bed and slept soundly to catch up on rest. When she woke, it was already noon. Qingmei had prepared lunch. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, He Yan sat at the table, picked up her chopsticks, and asked, "Qingmei, is there any news from outside today?"Qingmei was helping He Yan ladle soup when she exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, how did you know something happened outside? This morning, seeing you sleeping soundly, I didn’t dare wake you. When I went to the street to buy groceries, I heard that the Flying Goose General’s residence was burglarized last night. Precious items were stolen from the general’s room. The city gates have been sealed, and officials are searching everywhere for suspicious individuals." After saying this, she muttered to herself, "But how could there be such a bold thief in the world, daring to steal from the Flying Goose General’s residence? Isn’t that seeking death?"

She had no idea that the bold thief was sitting at the table, calmly drinking the hot soup from her bowl.

He Yan felt immensely pleased just thinking about how flustered and frantic He Rufei must be right now, like a headless fly. She could even drink a few extra bowls of soup. Given He Rufei’s suspicious nature, for a long time to come—no, as long as those letters remained unfound—He Rufei would be on pins and needles, unable to sleep at night.

Truly satisfying.

He Yan’s guess was correct. At this moment, the He residence was in complete disarray.

From last night until now, every suspicious person in Shuojing City had been investigated, yet there was still no trace. He Rufei’s expression was extremely grim, and none of the servants dared to provoke him at such a critical moment.

"Rufei, what should we do now?" He Yuansheng was extremely anxious. The missing item that He Rufei was going to such great lengths and sparing no expense to recover—he had already vaguely guessed what it might be. If this thing fell into someone else’s hands, it would be a deadly leverage, especially in the current situation.

"Don’t you find it strange, Father?" He Rufei spoke coldly. "The intruder moved through the residence as if it were unguarded, familiar with every corner. They even knew about the secret compartment in my study and could open the intricate box…"

"Are you saying there’s a traitor in the residence?" He Yuansheng asked.

"It’s not impossible," He Rufei replied.

"But all the servants in the residence now are from our own households. Besides, no servants can enter your study, let alone know about the secret compartment in the bookshelf. If there is a traitor… who could it be? Could it be…" He Yuansheng narrowed his eyes. "Do you suspect your second uncle?"

"He lacks the courage and the brains," He Rufei said with a hint of disdain. He Yuanliang was even more useless now, which was why He Rufei couldn’t be bothered to call him when there were important matters to discuss in the residence. He Yuanliang was happy to avoid the responsibility—he was never someone who could shoulder burdens. The only somewhat useful thing he had ever done in his life was raising He Yan as his daughter. Apart from that, he was utterly useless.

"Then who do you suspect…"

"Second Uncle may not have the courage, but Second Aunt might. Because of He Yan’s matter, she must have long held a grudge against us. Women are always driven by emotions. Who knows if she might harbor resentment and do something unexpected?"

He Yuansheng frowned. "In that case, this woman cannot be kept."

He Rufei shook his head. "We can’t act rashly now. If it really is her, that’s actually easier to handle. At least we can follow the clues to find the mastermind behind this. Moreover, having an extra hostage in our hands will make things more convenient in the future."

"But won’t keeping her cause trouble?""As long as she is kept within the estate and watched closely, it's fine if she stays alive." He Rufei said coldly, "But last night, He Xinying also returned to the estate. On the very day she returned, a thief broke in. I wonder if it's just a coincidence."

"He Xinying?" He Yuansheng's face darkened. "She is a member of the He family. How dare she..."

"It's just suspicion for now," He Rufei interrupted her. "Send someone to get close to the people around her and see if she truly knows nothing. If Second Aunt wants to protect He Xinying, she likely wouldn't tell her the truth. It's just that Xu Zhiheng has been acting strangely lately."

Thinking of Xu Zhiheng, He Rufei felt another wave of displeasure. Cooperating with such a fool was probably the most vexing thing imaginable.

"Leave this matter to me," He Yuansheng pondered for a moment. "You stay in the estate and wait for news." With that, she stood up and left the room.

After He Yuansheng left, He Rufei sat alone in the chair, his thoughts in turmoil. As He Yuansheng had said, the first suspicion was that there was a traitor within the estate, which would explain the thief's familiarity with the estate's layout. Yet he knew clearly that the hidden compartment on the bookshelf in the study was not something a traitor could have discovered—nor was the Linglong Box.

Back when He Yan had handed the Linglong Box to him, she had once said that in all the world, aside from the two of them, no one else could open it. After He Yan died, he became the only person in the world who could open it, which was why He Rufei had placed several confidential letters inside. For added peace of mind, he had added an extra layer of mechanism to the box.

He had thought he would never encounter this mechanism in his lifetime, but last night, he had actually heard the whistle. The Linglong Box had been opened.

Either He Yan had lied back then, and there was a third person in the world who knew how to open the box.

Or...

Before his eyes rose the image of Xu Zhiheng's terrified expression, his voice filled with unspeakable panic.

"It's... it's He Yan. She's back... she's back!"

With a sharp crack, the teacup on the table was swept to the floor by He Rufei. He stood up and looked at the long sword hanging on the wall. The blade, named Qinglang, gleamed with a faint, serene light. He curled his lips into a sneer.

If she had returned... he wasn't afraid.

...

Over the next day, news of the theft at the Flying Goose General's estate spread like wildfire, but the whereabouts of the thief remained unknown. The entire Shuojing City was thrown into chaos, bustling with activity. He Yan, however, enjoyed a rare day of relaxation, spending it drinking tea and sleeping at home, much to Qingmei's surprise.

Two days later, on this night, the sky darkened early. It wasn't snowing outside, making it a rare clear night. After washing up, He Yan prepared to go out with Xiao Jue.

After their nighttime exploration of the He estate, Xiao Jue had mentioned to her that today was his birthday and asked He Yan to accompany him to the night market. They had agreed to meet at the entrance of her home. Estimating that it was about time, He Yan decided to head out.

Qingmei picked out a silver-red embroidered vine-patterned blouse for her, paired with a matching soft smoke-gauze brocade long skirt. She also carefully styled He Yan's hair into a Hundred Flowers Braid, with the braid tails resting on her shoulders, giving her a somewhat adorable look. He Yan examined herself in the mirror, feeling rather uncomfortable. "This outfit is far too flashy. Today is Xiao Jue's birthday, not mine. Why go to such lengths?"Qingmei fastened a pair of coral earrings on her ears while smiling, "But Miss, you're going to the night market with Commander Xiao. With so many people there, you two are bound to be recognized. Of course, you need to dress up a bit more, since you'll be out for others to see."

He Yan blocked her attempt to add more hairpins to her head, "Alright, this is enough. I think it's about time, I should get going." With that, she reached for the rabbit fur cloak placed on the chest.

This cloak originally belonged to the eldest Miss He. Among the young lady's clothes, this was the only one that looked plain and simple. The eldest Miss He probably didn't like this cloak much, so it had been buried at the bottom of the chest. But it was the warmest one He Yan could find. Come to think of it, when she first woke up, He Yan noticed that the young lady's body was delicate and frail, as if a gust of wind could knock her over. Yet in her chest, all the dresses were as thin as cicada wings, as if she never experienced winter.

He Yan picked up the cloak and was about to put it on when Qingmei snatched it away.

"What are you doing?" she asked, bewildered.

"Miss can just wear what you have on. It's better not to take this cloak," Qingmei said, examining the rabbit fur cloak in her hand. "This one is already old and looks a bit bulky when worn. Under the night lights, it won't flatter you."

He Yan fell silent for a moment. "But I'll be cold without it! If I go out wearing just this dress, I'll freeze to death. I can't sacrifice my health just for the sake of looking good."

Yet Qingmei, who was usually easygoing, was unusually insistent today. "No, Miss. Between looking good and being cold, looking good is definitely more important. Besides, if you dress too warmly, what will Commander Xiao do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it," Qingmei coaxed patiently. "Aren't you two going to the night market? Commander Xiao will surely be wearing an outer robe. The colder you are, the more delicate and in need of care you'll appear. When Commander Xiao sees this, he'll feel sorry for you and take off his own outer robe to give to you. That will definitely help improve your relationship."

He Yan listened, then spoke incredulously, "What kind of nonsense is that? If he gives me his robe, won't he be cold too? So one of us has to freeze? What kind of grudge is this?"

"How can this be nonsense?" Qingmei argued confidently. "Most men in the world pity delicate and fragile women. If you do everything yourself, Miss, how will Commander Xiao realize you need care? Don't doubt it—this is what Guard Chi Wu personally told me. He's both a man and Commander Xiao's close attendant, so he must understand Commander Xiao well. Just do as he says, and it won't go wrong."

He Yan: "..."

Is Chi Wu out of his mind? Instead of doing anything else, he spends his days pondering this? Qingmei, a perfectly good maid, has been led astray. Is Xiao Jue the kind of man who pities delicate women? Remember the hunting trip on the mountain back then—how many young ladies dressed thinly to watch, and at least eight or ten threw themselves at Xiao Jue, yet no one saw him give his sable fur robe to anyone.

"This is all baseless talk, utter nonsense!"

Qingmei pushed He Yan toward the door. "Anyway, Miss, you can't wear this rabbit fur cloak out today. Just listen to your maid this once."With a "bang," the door was shut, nearly hitting He Yan's nose. She was truly at a loss whether to laugh or cry at this door, but the hour was already late. If He Yun Sheng returned from school later and found out that He Yan had gone out at night with Xiao Jue, there would inevitably be another round of commotion. After a moment's thought, He Yan decided it was fine. Her body had endured wind and rain in Liangzhou Guard and was sturdy enough, not likely to collapse at the first gust of wind. Thus, one night should be no trouble.

With this in mind, she stepped out the door.

As luck would have it, just as she stepped outside, a carriage pulled up in front of the gate. Fei Nu had grown quite adept as a coachman, and Xiao Jue stepped down from the carriage.

Today, he wore a dark blue brocade robe embroidered with python patterns, draped over with a black fox-fur cloak. A sandalwood hairpin held his jet-black hair, which cascaded over his shoulders, exuding an air of extraordinary elegance and charm. When he looked over, the lamplight accentuated his straight nose, distinct thin lips, and eyes as captivating as autumn waters.

He Yan swallowed hard. In truth, given her own looks, standing here alongside Xiao Jue, she doubted anyone would be inclined to show her any tender affection.

Qingmei was truly overthinking things.

Birthday Theorem: Generally, when it's your birthday, you get candy.

(End of Chapter)