Legend of the Female General

Chapter 237: Chaos

When Xiao Jue carried He Yan back to the He residence, He Yun Sheng and He Sui were not home—only Qingmei was there. Seeing He Yan’s pale face in Xiao Jue’s arms, Qingmei was startled. “Heavens, what happened to the young lady?”

“It’s nothing, nothing,” Lin Shuanghe said, afraid she would worry. “She was just a bit exhausted from sword fighting with someone at Tianxing Terrace today.”

“You are…”

“I’m a physician,” Lin Shuanghe smiled. “Here to treat your young lady.”

Xiao Jue carried He Yan into the room and laid her on the bed. Lin Shuanghe wasted no time and immediately checked He Yan’s pulse. After a while, he said, “Sister He is suffering from pent-up emotions that have attacked her heart, which is why she coughed up blood in a moment of distress. I’ll prescribe two formulas later—have your servants fetch the medicine and brew it for her to drink. However…”

“However what?”

Lin Shuanghe sighed. “This is a matter of the heart. Medicine can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. What exactly is troubling Sister He? I’ve always thought she wasn’t the type to dwell on trivial matters, so how could she become so fixated that it led to coughing up blood?”

Xiao Jue remained silent.

“You two really frightened me today,” Lin Shuanghe glanced at the two longswords Xiao Jue had placed on the table. “Why did you suddenly take action? I haven’t fully sorted out the matter with He Rufei yet—I’ll ask you about it once I have. As for Xu Xiang… are you confident?”

After waiting all these years, Xiao Jue had always bided his time. Now that he had moved against Xu Xiang, it meant he was prepared to take serious action. A centipede dies but never falls—if they didn’t seize this opportunity to completely bring down Xu Xiang, there might not be another chance like this.

“No need to worry,” Xiao Jue’s gaze turned cold. “Once I send him in, I never intended to let him come out.”

“What do we do now?” Lin Shuanghe asked. “The palace must be in chaos right now. The bond between the Emperor and Xu Xiang, forged over years of loyalty between ruler and subject, is beyond what you or I can comprehend. Shouldn’t you go to the palace now? If Xu’s faction seizes the opportunity and the Emperor softens his heart, what then?”

“Wait a little longer,” Xiao Jue said.

“Wait for what?”

Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on He Yan lying on the bed. He walked over and sat down beside her. “Wait for He Yan to wake up.”

…

At the He residence in the capital, soldiers had surrounded the place, blocking all exits. He Yuansheng’s face was ashen, but he feigned composure. “How dare you! My son is the Flying Goose General, personally appointed by His Majesty. How dare you cause trouble here!”

“What Flying Goose General?” the leading soldier sneered. “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the world and steals fame! How dare you boast shamelessly here! If you want to be a general, go be one in prison! Take them!”

Madam He struggled desperately, crying out in panic, “What are you doing? Stop! Let me go!”

But He Yuansheng’s heart turned cold. A terrible thought rose in his mind, though he still clung to a sliver of hope as he looked at the soldier. “What is the meaning of this…”

“Today at Tianxing Terrace, your eldest son was exposed during a sword fight,” a soldier who was smashing the He family’s plaque kindly reminded him. “With both witnesses and evidence, His Majesty already knows about your family’s deception—switching identities and deceiving the Emperor. So, Master He, you might as well stop dreaming about being a general’s father.”The soldier kicked the door open and unexpectedly found He Yuanliang hiding under the bed, desperately trying to squeeze further in to avoid being discovered. However, his plump figure left half of him exposed despite his efforts. When he was dragged out, He Yuanliang pleaded for mercy, "Officer, spare me! I—I was forced by them!" He pointed at He Yuansheng. "How could I harm my own daughter? My daughter He Yan once fought on the battlefield to protect the people. Please spare me for her sake!"

The soldiers found this man rather amusing. They had initially thought that someone who raised a remarkable woman like He Yan, who disguised herself as a man to go to war, must be extraordinary. Earlier, when they saw Lady He the Second proving her innocence with death on the Tianxing Platform, she had shown some integrity. How could her own father be so pathetic? It was truly contemptible. They say a tiger father does not have a dog daughter, but this father and daughter shared not a single similarity.

"Second Master He, save your words for General He. Moreover, the crimes committed by your eldest son are not limited to this one."

"Not limited to this one?" Lady He the Eldest was stunned. "What else is there?"

"Colluding with the enemy and betraying the nation," the soldier replied with disdain. "To avoid exposing his identity, the eldest son personally conspired with the Wutuo People in secret. In the Battle of Huayuan, tens of thousands of soldiers became human shields to protect him. With such a grave crime, do you still dream of mercy? Take him away!"

Lady He the Eldest cried out, "Impossible, impossible... This absolutely cannot be true..." He Yuansheng was utterly despondent and remained silent. The crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the nation, once exposed, would lead to the extermination of nine generations of the family. No matter how benevolent Emperor Wenxuan might be, he would never pardon such a crime. Moreover, He Yan... was already dead.

After the truth came to light, even in death, He Yan would regain her clear reputation, but the He family would be condemned for eternity, even after death!

In the courtyard, only He Yuanliang's pleas for mercy echoed loudly, but they were of no use. The polished plaque of the He family was thrown to the ground by the soldiers and trampled into pieces. The commoners across the street watched from afar, pointing and whispering, their discussions blurred by the wind into dust.

The He family... had fallen.

...

He Xinying was sitting in her room embroidering a handkerchief. Xu Zhiheng had gone to the Tianxing Platform early in the morning. For some reason, since this morning, He Xinying's eyelids had been twitching incessantly, as if something was about to happen. Even as she sat there, her heart pounded wildly, distracting her. In a moment of carelessness, she felt a sharp pain in her fingertip. Looking down, she saw a small puncture wound from the needle on her finger.

Blood stained the handkerchief. She stared blankly, her sense of foreboding growing stronger. Just as she was about to stand up, Liu'er rushed in from outside, tears in her eyes, and cried out in fear, "Madam, something terrible has happened!"

"What happened?" He Xinying asked.

"Lady He the Second... Lady He the Second, she..."

"What happened to my mother?" He Xinying urged anxiously.

"Lady He the Second is gone!"

The handkerchief in her hand fell to the ground. He Xinying froze for a moment, then, ignoring her bleeding finger, grabbed Liu'er's arm, her voice trembling with tears. "What do you mean my mother is gone? How could she be gone? Explain clearly!""The servant girl heard people say that today, Madam also went to Tianxing Terrace. Madam was poisoned by the Grand Master, and Madam even said in front of the Emperor that the Second Young Miss is the true Flying Goose General... The officers, the officers have already brought people over! Mistress, what should we do!"

He Xinying felt her mind go completely blank in an instant. She understood every word Liu'er said, but how could they be so incomprehensible when strung together?

"Uncle... why would Uncle poison Mother? My sister... how could she be the Flying Goose General? Isn't that my elder brother? What on earth is going on?"

No one could answer He Xinying.

And just as Liu'er's words fell, noisy sounds erupted from outside. Old Madam Xu's furious roar echoed throughout the courtyard. He Xinying stared at the officers who had appeared at the entrance, surrounding the courtyard completely, and truly felt at a loss.

"Mistress..." Liu'er fearfully grabbed her hand, "What should we do..."

Yes, what should they do.

...

The events at Tianxing Terrace spread throughout the entire Shuojing City in just half a day.

Such a major incident could not be concealed. The fierce general on the battlefield, the Flying Goose General, was actually a woman. The person who later appeared before everyone, removing the mask, was originally her elder brother. The siblings swapping identities was already unbelievable. And when the He family ultimately turned around and killed He Yan, that bit of disbelief turned entirely into contempt for He Rufei's shamelessness and sympathy for He Yan.

If the common people focused more on the legend surrounding the Flying Goose General, within the imperial court, it was Xu Jingfu's imprisonment that truly caused chaos from top to bottom.

Xu Jingfu had dominated the court for so many years, with many officials being his disciples. With Xu Jingfu's downfall, many would follow suit. Therefore, the moment Xu Jingfu was taken in, the Xu faction gathered together, thinking of ways to rescue him.

"Why haven't we seen Chu Fourth Young Master?" one official asked, looking around but not spotting Chu Zhao.

"Chu Fourth Young Master is the one Xu Xiang trusts most. I think everyone should not act rashly to avoid being caught in Xiao Huaijin's schemes. Let's first see what Chu Fourth Young Master says. As the son-in-law of the Prime Minister, Chu Fourth Young Master will naturally spare no effort to rescue the Prime Minister from peril."

Everyone nodded repeatedly. At this critical moment, no one knew what other moves Xiao Huaijin might have. Though anxious, no one was willing to be the one to step forward.

The more at such times, the more the selfish side of those allied by interests would be exposed.

As soon as Chu Zhao returned to the mansion, Madam Chu saw him and was taken aback, asking, "Why have you come back?"

Chu Zhao smiled, "Why?"

"Xu Xiang has already..." Madam Chu paused, "Aren't you going to make arrangements and handle matters? Why come back?"

She had also learned of Xu Xiang's situation. No matter how much Madam Chu hated Chu Zhao, because of his connection, the entire Shi Jinbo Mansion had long been tied to Xu Xiang. If anything were to happen to the Xu family, how could the Shi Jinbo Mansion escape unscathed? The world saw Chu Zhao as Xu Jingfu's esteemed son-in-law, and naturally, they had long regarded the entire Chu family as Xu Jingfu's people.

"There's nothing to arrange," Chu Zhao said calmly.

"Aren't you worried...""Madam," Chu Zhao interrupted her, "the Shi Jinbo estate will not be affected. There is no need for you to worry."

Madam Chu looked at Chu Zhao, feeling increasingly unable to understand him. Regardless of anything else, Xu Jingfu was, after all, his teacher. Over the years, Xu Jingfu had hinted to her many times, both openly and discreetly. The stationery and writing materials sent to the Chu family for Chu Zhao every now and then—were they truly just simple gifts? They were nothing more than a show of support for Chu Zhao, a warning to her not to lay a hand on him.

For Chu Zhao, Xu Jingfu had indeed provided him with protection. Yet now, with Xu Jingfu in trouble, there was not a trace of concern on Chu Zhao's face, as if he cared nothing for his teacher's fate.

Madam Chu felt an inexplicable sense of fear.

Chu Zhao, however, merely glanced at Madam Chu with a faint smile before turning and continuing on his way. Madam Chu watched his retreating figure, unable to help but grit her teeth.

No matter what, she could only hope that the Shi Jinbo estate would not be implicated.

Once he entered his own quarters, a servant approached and said, "Fourth Young Master, there is news from Miss Ying Xiang. The Crown Prince has yet to make a move. What is your intention..."

"There is no need to rush," Chu Zhao replied. "Xiao Huaijin still holds evidence from the Battle of Ming River. Only then will Xu Xiang truly be unable to recover."

"And what about your marriage to Miss Xu..."

When a wall is about to collapse, everyone pushes it. Before Xu Jingfu's downfall, the marriage to Xu Pingting was enough to make countless people in Great Wei envious. But now that Xu Jingfu was truly in trouble, others would avoid this marriage at all costs, for the emperor's wrath would extend to anyone associated with him.

"Proceed as planned," Chu Zhao said.

The servant cautiously acknowledged the order and withdrew. Chu Zhao looked out the window. He was not surprised that Xiao Jue would act at this moment. The establishment of the Trade Market was imminent. Without sufficient leverage, Emperor Wenxuan would eventually agree to the Wutuo People's terms. Even if Xu Jingfu tried to obstruct it, he was merely trying to raise his own price.

Now, however, things were different. The Battle of Huayuan, Xu Jingfu's involvement in the Battle of Ming River, the matter of He Rufei, and the affair of Xu Zhiheng—each incident piled upon the other. The emperor's fury would completely destroy this deal.

Nevertheless, the matter of He Rufei and his cousin switching identities was beyond his expectations. Chu Zhao had never imagined that the He family harbored such a secret. No wonder He Rufei later secretly pledged allegiance to Xu Jingfu. He must have known that, with his own abilities, he could never follow the path of military achievements like his cousin.

He Yan... He recalled the scene in the square of Tianxingtai, where she, dressed in red, had sparred with He Rufei. Xiao Jue's plan—He Yan must have known about it, otherwise she would not have cooperated so seamlessly. A subtle sense of gloom rose within him. He Yan truly trusted Xiao Jue.

So much so that the two of them worked together in perfect harmony, step by step, bit by bit, uprooting the He and Xu families, along with the future Xu family.

The room was still decorated everywhere with red wedding fabrics, all prepared for his marriage to Xu Pingting. Chu Zhao casually picked up a piece of red silk lying on the table. The silk was soft, delicate like a woman's skin. He stared at it for a long while before letting go. The red silk drifted down and fell into the blazingly warm stove, instantly turning to ashes, leaving nothing behind.

...

As night fell, He Sui and He Yun Sheng returned to the estate and were equally startled to find He Yan lying on the couch."What's wrong with Yan Yan?" He Sui asked. "Did something happen?"

He had been working during the day and hadn't had the mind to chat with others, so he was unaware of the events. He Yun Sheng, who had been at the academy, also hadn't heard anything. Seeing He Yan with her eyes closed, they both thought something serious had happened.

"It's nothing, nothing," Lin Shuanghe, who was brewing medicine in the courtyard, walked out upon hearing the commotion. "Today at Tianxing Terrace, Sister He had a sword match with someone and accidentally suffered a minor injury. Huaijin brought her back and has been watching over her."

He Sui asked, "And you are..."

"Oh," Lin Shuanghe wiped his hands. "I'm Huaijin's friend, Lin Shuanghe. I met Sister He earlier at Liangzhou Guard. My father and grandfather are imperial physicians in the palace, so I know a bit of medicine."

"Lin Shuanghe..." He Yun Sheng was taken aback. "Could you be the 'White-robed Divine Hand' who only treats women?"

"That's right, that's right," Lin Shuanghe laughed.

Hearing he was a physician, He Sui felt somewhat relieved and asked Lin Shuanghe, "Is my daughter really all right?"

"Truly, it's nothing," Lin Shuanghe smiled. "She's just a bit exhausted, and the weather has been too cold lately. I've prescribed some tonics for her. These days, she shouldn't do any heavy work and should rest well."

He Sui looked at He Yan on the bed, seeing her breathing evenly and not appearing to be in any danger, then nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, Physician Lin."

Just then, Xiao Jue entered from outside. He Yun Sheng was surprised. "Why is Commander Xiao still here?"

"Huaijin never left," Lin Shuanghe shrugged. "He said he'd wait until Sister He wakes up before leaving."

"Won't this delay your affairs?" He Sui asked. "Huaijin, you're busy with official duties. Yun Sheng and I can take care of her here. You..."

"It's fine," Xiao Jue said. "I'll leave after she wakes up."

Hearing this, He Sui and He Yun Sheng could no longer persuade him. Lin Shuanghe said, "The medicine I brewed is almost ready and is cooling now. Huaijin, remember to feed it to Sister He later."

"Isn't Qingmei here?" He Sui said politely. "We shouldn't trouble Physician Lin to brew the medicine himself."

"Not everyone can brew medicine properly," Lin Shuanghe smiled. "My prescriptions are special. Others might not extract the full potency, so it's better if I do it myself. Besides, Sister He and I are friends, so there's no trouble at all. When we were at Liangzhou Guard, Sister He took good care of me too."

"In that case, thank you, Physician Lin," He Sui said gratefully.

Not wanting to disturb He Yan's rest, He Yun Sheng and He Sui left the room. Just outside the door, Qingmei ran over and whispered urgently, "There's a young master outside who says he's looking for... Commander Xiao."

Xiao Jue asked, "Who?"

"It's me." Before the words faded, someone's voice rang out. Turning around, they saw Yan He striding in with a fierce expression.

"Oh, Yan Nanguang, what are you doing here?" Lin Shuanghe asked curiously.

"I came to find him," Yan He looked at Xiao Jue. "I have something to ask you."

"Ask away."

Yan He glanced around. He Sui quickly said, "Yun Sheng and I will go to the kitchen to help with dinner. You can talk freely." With that, he took He Yun Sheng and left, and Qingmei hurriedly followed.

Lin Shuanghe looked at Yan He. "What? Do I need to leave too?"

"You want to ask about He Rufei?" Xiao Jue said calmly."Exactly," Yan He raised an eyebrow. "I came to ask you—did you know from the beginning that the original 'He Rufei' was a woman? Is that why you took such good care of her back at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy and secretly taught her swordsmanship?"

"Wait, hold on," Lin Shuanghe interjected, puzzled. "We all found out today at Tianxing Terrace that He Rufei is a woman, but what's this about teaching swordsmanship? Did I miss something?"

Xiao Jue ignored Lin Shuanghe's question and replied, "No."

"Do you think I'd believe that?" Yan He said angrily. "If you knew she was a woman back then, why didn't you tell me? I'm a grown man, and now that I think about it, bullying a woman—what kind of behavior is that? If I had known she was a woman, how could I have picked on her all the time?"

Ever since learning that He Rufei was a woman, Yan He had returned home and felt increasingly uneasy. He prided himself on being an upright and honorable man. In the past, he disliked He Rufei simply because he thought the guy had no real skill yet still received Xiao Jue's guidance. But now, knowing the truth, he felt more and more like a bully who had been unreasonable and picked on someone weaker.

As for Xiao Jue, he was truly despicable. If he wanted to play the hero saving the beauty, fine, but why make everyone else look so vile and malicious in comparison?

"I said no," Xiao Jue frowned. "I only found out recently."

"How recently?"

"Jinling, Hua Youxian."

Yan He was taken aback. "Hua Youxian?"

Lin Shuanghe also caught on. "Huai Jin, are you saying that when we passed through Jinling on our way back last time, Hua Youxian told you?"

"She only said that the person wearing the mask back then was a woman. I became suspicious and started investigating," Xiao Jue said, omitting part of the truth and mixing fact with fiction. "I never expected it to end like this."

"Is her name He Yan?" Yan He asked. "For several years as classmates, she always used the name He Rufei. Later, when Xu Zhiheng got married, I didn’t even remember his wife’s name. If her mother hadn’t revealed it today, no one would have known."

Lin Shuanghe also asked, "Right, I almost forgot, Huai Jin... isn’t that the same name as Sister He?"

"My goodness," Lin Shuanghe gasped. "Look, Sister He also knows swordsmanship, also disguised herself as a man, and can also go to the battlefield. Could she be the reincarnation of our classmate He Yan?"

"What reincarnation?" Yan He impatiently cut off his fantasy. "Their ages don’t even match!"

"Even if it’s not reincarnation, maybe it’s a manifestation? Or a dream asking her to help seek revenge? Isn’t that how legends and stories often go? Otherwise, how do you explain such a coincidence? And for no reason, Huai Jin, why would you investigate the He family if not to avenge her?"

"Probably not just for revenge," Yan He said.

He looked at Xiao Jue, his gaze sharp. "He Rufei is just a lead. What you’re really after is probably Xu Xiang. But I’m curious—since you’re targeting Xu Xiang, why not present all the evidence you have? Aren’t you afraid Xu Xiang’s people will disrupt your plans?"

"You can wait and see," Xiao Jue replied expressionlessly.Yan He snorted, "I have no interest in your personal grudges, nor do I care to see how you plan to bring down Xu Xiang's faction. But you also know that Xu Xiang is the Crown Prince's man. Now that you've moved against Xu Xiang, the Crown Prince must already despise you deeply. Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future, I fear he will not tolerate you. Or perhaps... you never intended..."

"Yan Nanguang!" Before he could finish, Lin Shuanghe cut him off. "Watch your words."

Yan He fell silent, looking at Xiao Jue, who showed no change in expression in response to his words. After a moment of silence, he said, "Lin Shuanghe, do you think burying your head in the sand will make everything disappear? Let me tell you, what's coming will come sooner or later. Xiao Huaijin, since you've taken this step, from today onward, there will be no more peaceful days in Shuojing City."

"Take care of yourselves first!" he said.

(End of Chapter)