Chapter 241: Sisters
Although Emperor Wenxuan had permitted Xiao Jue to bury Lady He the Second, she remained a convicted criminal whose funeral could not be conducted with any fanfare.
Lady He the Second was laid to rest on the same day He Rufei and Xu Zhiheng were executed.
Her grave was situated in a tranquil grove on Donghuang Mountain outside the capital, surrounded by pear trees. When spring arrived, the pear blossoms would bloom, the wind would grow still, birds would perch, and the scenery would be splendid. Like all noblewomen from prestigious families in Shuojing City, she had obeyed her father at home and her husband after marriage, confined her entire life within the four walls of a courtyard, unable to determine her own fate.
Perhaps death was not necessarily a form of liberation for her.
The tombstone read: "Tomb of the Late Honored Mother, Virtuous and Kind Lady Yun."
Lady He the Second was originally surnamed Yun. Now that she had passed away, He Yan had ordered this tombstone to be carved, believing that even in the afterlife, Lady He the Second would no longer wish to have any entanglement with the He family.
She half-knelt before Lady He the Second's grave, gently tracing the characters on the tombstone, and whispered, "If there is a next life, Mother, you must not be born a woman. But if you must be a woman..." She smiled faintly, "Then let me be the mother, and you be the daughter."
In this life, the bond between mother and daughter had been fated yet unfulfilled—they had not even exchanged a single proper conversation. And from this day forward, aside from Xiao Jue, there would be no one else in this world who knew she was He Yan.
Xiao Jue stood a few steps away. Given Lady He the Second's sensitive status, Xiao Jue had already faced the criticism of countless censors for arranging her burial at this time.
A woman's voice sounded from behind: "You..."
He Yan turned and saw He Xinying dressed in plain mourning clothes.
He Xinying looked much more haggard. The once radiant and beautiful young woman was now emaciated, her bones protruding. She had likely cried for a long time, her eyes red and swollen. Recognizing He Yan and Xiao Jue, she froze, standing uneasily in place for a moment before finally speaking: "Commander Xiao, Miss He."
"Xu..." He Yan abruptly stopped herself. "Miss He." Xu Zhiheng was dead. There was no more Xu family, and no more Madam Xu.
He Xinying's gaze fell on the tombstone before the grave, and her voice choked with emotion. "Is this... my mother?"
He Yan nodded slightly.
He Xinying took two or three steps forward, knelt with a thud before the grave, and clung to the tombstone, unwilling to let go.
That day, an unfamiliar guard had taken her out of prison and brought her to the residence of Wei Xuanzhang, the head of Virtuous Prosperity Academy. Wei Xuanzhang often stayed at the academy for long periods, and his household consisted only of his wife and young granddaughter. Madam Wei treated her gently and sympathized with her plight. After settling in the Wei residence, He Xinying gradually pieced together the entire sequence of events from the servants' conversations.
It was not much different from what she had imagined.
All the inexplicable things from the past suddenly found answers. Why had the masked "elder brother" always been particularly cold toward her, while the unmasked "elder brother" had been exceptionally patient and gentle? It was because the masked elder brother was actually the deceased "elder sister." The "elder sister" she believed was recuperating in the manor was, in fact, the real elder brother.
No wonder the elder sister had gone blind shortly after marrying into the Xu family. Such coincidences did not exist in the world—it was all man-made. And after the elder sister's death, their mother had fallen seriously ill, depressed and sorrowful. The truth was so horrifying and repulsive.What about her then?
Her elder sister was already dead, her mother had also passed away, the He family was gone, the Xu family had scattered. Back then, she had been arranged by her own birth father to marry Xu Zhiheng, only to realize she was merely a substitute for her elder sister, ensuring that the marriage alliance between the He and Xu families would never be severed.
Now, all alone, where could she go? What could she do?
He Xinying clung to the tombstone and wept bitterly, wishing with all her heart that Lady He the Second were still alive—at least then she would have someone to rely on. But now, she truly had no one to turn to.
Suddenly, she remembered He Yan, who had once been alone in the Xu family. Had she felt the same way? Pushed into the abyss by her own family, with no comrades to rely on, unable to see the ugliness on people’s faces or guess at their malicious intentions—so lonely and pitiful.
Seeing her cry so sorrowfully, He Yan hesitated for a moment before finally walking over to He Xinying. She bent down and gently patted her back.
The feeling of having no home to return to—she understood it better than anyone. She knew exactly how He Xinying felt at this moment.
He Xinying cried for a long while before finally turning her head. He Yan handed her a handkerchief, and she took it, saying, “Thank you.” Then, looking back at the tombstone, she murmured, “This epitaph…”
It seemed to have been carved in the name of a child for their mother…
“I had it carved,” Xiao Jue said calmly. “Your elder sister and I were once classmates. I carved the epitaph on her behalf.”
He Xinying was taken aback and whispered, “Thank you.” She turned her gaze back to the tombstone, her expression complicated. “She really… even after passing away, she still watches over me.”
She hadn’t spent much time with He Yan, this elder sister of hers. Even when she vaguely guessed the truth back then, shock had outweighed anger. But now, at a time when no one could help her, the warmth left behind by her elder sister after her death was enough to bring her a sliver of comfort. Whether it was Wei Xuanzhang or Xiao Huaijin, they had protected her largely because of He Yan.
If only He Yan were still alive. He Xinying suddenly wanted to know what kind of person He Yan really was.
Her only interactions with He Yan had been when she wore a mask in the past. Later, after returning to the mansion, He Yan had hurriedly married and left, leaving He Xinying no time or opportunity to truly understand her. He Xinying thought that someone who could make these people continue to help and remember her even after her death must have been a truly good person.
She probably wouldn’t have been as weak as herself, able to find a way forward even in despair.
“What are your plans for the future?” He Yan asked her.
He Xinying snapped back to reality and shook her head, speaking blankly, “I don’t know.”
She truly didn’t know how to move forward.
“No rush,” He Yan said softly. “You can take your time to think. Once you’ve figured it out, you can act.”
He Xinying let out a bitter laugh. “Do I even have a future?”
A woman who was once the wife of a disgraced official, a woman whose entire family was accused of treason—even if she managed to survive, what could she do? She had thought about following her family in death, but when it came down to it, she couldn’t muster the courage.
“Yes,” the woman before her said gently, looking at her. “You are Lady He the Second’s daughter, the Flying Goose General’s younger sister. What she could do, you can certainly do as well.”
He Xinying instinctively looked up and met He Yan’s gaze.This woman... she had seen her before at Jade Splendor Temple, but at that time her attention had been completely captured by Xiao Huaijin beside her, so she hadn't looked closely. Lady He the Second had even exchanged a few words with He Yan. Come to think of it, the Marquis of Wu'an before her had quite a connection with her elder sister—she too had disguised herself as a man to enter the military camp, and even shared the same name. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that heaven chose to use her hands to clear her elder sister's name.
In He Xinying's heart, she suddenly felt a sense of closeness toward the woman before her, even though they had barely met.
He Yan helped her up from the ground. "I know you're currently staying at Master Wei's residence. If you ever need help in the future, you can send someone to let me know."
"Why... are you so kind to me?" He Xinying couldn't help but ask.
He Yan smiled. "My fiancé was once a classmate of your elder sister. Both in terms of sentiment and reason, I should take care of you. Besides, I only have a younger brother at home, no sisters. From now on, you can think of me as your sister. Although I'm not as formidable as the Flying Goose General," she said, "I will take care of you on her behalf."
For no apparent reason, He Xinying felt a sense of reassurance in her heart. It was as if she had finally found a small boat amid the lonely, turbulent waves.
"Thank you," she murmured softly.
"Let's go pay respects to Lady He the Second first," He Yan said with a smile.
...
After offering incense and burning paper money for Lady He the Second, Xiao Jue and He Yan escorted He Xinying back to Wei Xuanzhang's residence. Watching He Xinying's retreating figure as she entered the gate, He Yan let out a soft sigh.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Jue asked her.
"I just feel a bit heartbroken," He Yan replied, turning to walk back home with Xiao Jue. "I remember when we were in the He family, she was very innocent and lively. He Yuanliang—" she refused to utter the word "father"—"always doted on her immensely. I secretly envied her back then, but in the end, she too became a sacrifice for the He family."
If He Yan had grown up lonely and had long seen through the coldness and ruthlessness of the He family, making the truth easier to accept when it came to light, then He Xinying had lived her entire life within a lie. A girl raised in pampered comfort, who one day discovers the ugly truth of the world, would likely find it especially devastating.
Xiao Jue comforted her, "She will find her way through this."
As they walked, passersby on the street seemed to be discussing the day's execution in the city. He Yan overheard someone say, "When Xu Zhiheng was pushed onto the execution platform, he was so scared he wet his pants, haha! How ridiculous!"
"He Rufei had it even worse—one hundred and twenty cuts. Just thinking about it makes me shudder."
"Serves them right! Who told them to commit such treacherous and disloyal acts? They were utterly heartless! It's just a pity about the Flying Goose General. How many years did it take for Great Wei to produce such a talented general, and a woman at that? Yet they killed her. His Majesty's actions can be considered avenging the Flying Goose General."
"This is what they call 'every grievance has its debtor, and every debt has its collector.' Retribution may be delayed, but it always comes."
Listening to the scattered discussions of the passersby, He Yan was momentarily lost in thought. She hadn't gone to witness the execution. For her, it was enough that the guilty had received their punishment. Watching the execution wouldn't bring her joy, nor was revenge the purpose of her life. One must learn to look forward—only by looking forward can there be a future."Xiao Jue," He Yan began, "what do you plan to do about Xu Xiang?"
Xiao Jue's gaze paused briefly. After a moment, he replied, "It's about time. Now is the moment."
...
The case of the Flying Goose General unfolded swiftly—from its exposure to the investigation of the truth and the punishment of the guilty. After all, He Rufei's crimes were heinous, and such swift justice was only fitting. However, the lingering trial of Xu Xiang made the situation somewhat awkward.
Xu Jingfu's disciples were scattered throughout the court. Although they dared not speak openly, many had been working tirelessly on his behalf these days. Most cited Xu Jingfu's contributions during Emperor Wenxuan's ascension to the throne, arguing that a few letters and He Rufei's confession alone were insufficient to convict him, claiming Xu Jingfu had been wronged.
But soon, General Feng Yun, Xiao Huaijin, personally brought two individuals to the Golden Hall—survivors of the Battle of Ming River, a pair of brothers surnamed Luo. In front of the assembled civil and military officials and Emperor Wenxuan, the Luo brothers revealed the truth of the Battle of Ming River: it had been orchestrated by Xu Jingfu, who secretly colluded with a traitor within the Xiao family's army to deliberately deliver military plans to the Southern Barbarians. Xiao Zhongwu's devastating defeat at Ming River was not due to poor command but to Xu Jingfu's men ambushing him from behind, leading to the annihilation of his entire army.
Upon hearing this, the entire court was shaken, and Emperor Wenxuan erupted in fury before his ministers.
Everyone knew how devastating Xiao Zhongwu's defeat at Ming River had been, nearly crippling the Xiao family. If not for Xiao Huaijin's desperate resolve to lead three thousand troops back into Southern Barbarian territory, Great Wei would never have the "General Feng Yun" it did today.
After the Battle of Ming River, civil officials openly and covertly criticized Xiao Zhongwu for his stubbornness and reckless bravery, with Xu Jingfu leading the charge. Emperor Wenxuan had also sidelined the Xiao family for a considerable time. Now that the truth was revealed—that Xu Jingfu had masterminded it all—it not only disillusioned Xiao Zhongwu's former followers but also made Emperor Wenxuan appear a ruler who could not distinguish loyalty from treachery, absurd and unjust.
Enraged, Emperor Wenxuan ordered the Dali Temple to thoroughly investigate the entire Xu family and reopen the old case of the Battle of Ming River, vowing not to rest until the truth was fully uncovered.
As a result, members of the former Xu faction grew fearful for their own safety. With the edifice collapsing, who still cared about Xu Xiang? They were eager to sever all past ties with Xu Jingfu. At the same time, everyone felt a deeper dread toward the legendary Jade-Faced Commander. Having lain low for so many years without ever abandoning his investigation, who knew what other evidence Xiao Huaijin might still hold?
Uprooting an old tree that had grown for years was no easy task, but judging by Xiao Huaijin's momentum, it was clear he intended to settle scores after the harvest, sparing no one.
In the Crown Prince's residence, Guang Yan paced restlessly through the hall.
All the servants knelt to the side, not daring to utter a word. These days, the Crown Prince's temper had grown increasingly foul. Just a few days earlier, he had struck the Crown Princess. Everyone knew who he was angry about. The Crown Prince had been close to Xu Xiang for many years, and Xu Xiang had always supported him. Xu Xiang's downfall was akin to losing an arm, but that was not the worst of it. The old man was cunning and treacherous, and over the years, he had surely gathered evidence. If he were to drag the Crown Prince down with him... Guang Yan clenched his fists, his expression growing increasingly sinister. Guang Shuo would never let this opportunity slip by!Back at the Celestial Star Platform, Guang Shuo had already been fueling the case against He Rufei. Now that both the He and Xu families had fallen, if the Xu family was next, wouldn't he be the one after that?
Well, well. It seemed they had all long anticipated this day. If he allowed them to succeed now, wouldn't all his efforts be in vain? But Emperor Wenxuan was currently furious, and he couldn’t speak up for Xu Jingfu at this critical moment. Moreover, the evidence in the Singing Water case was solid, and Xiao Huaijin was now riding high on success. He could only avoid confronting him head-on, not daring to challenge him directly.
As he was lost in thought, a maid entered from outside and walked up to him, speaking softly, "Your Highness, are you troubled by the matter concerning Xu Xiang?"
At such a time, the only one who dared to approach and speak with him was Ying Xiang, his favored maid.
Guang Yan glanced at Ying Xiang. Today, he had no interest in flirting with beauties and simply replied, "Indeed."
"If I may say so, isn’t this a good thing?" Ying Xiang helped Guang Yan sit on the soft couch and gently massaged his shoulders. "Your Highness has always felt that Xu Xiang overstepped his bounds. Now that he’s in trouble, you should have fewer worries in the future."
"What do you know?" Guang Yan said impatiently. "Xu Jingfu is my man! If something happens to him, it would be like cutting off my own arm. All the plans I’ve made over the years would come to nothing!"
"Is Your Highness worried that there will be no one to replace Xu Xiang after he’s gone?" Ying Xiang smiled. "Doesn’t Xu Xiang have a son-in-law? Chu Fourth Young Master has followed Xu Xiang for so many years. If he can protect himself this time… he might just be able to take Xu Xiang’s place."
Chu Zilan? Guang Yan was momentarily taken aback.
He had intended to win Chu Zilan over, but with so many things happening one after another lately, he had pushed Chu Zilan to the back of his mind. Now, reminded by Ying Xiang, he suddenly recalled what Maningbu had said in his residence earlier.
"With the same methods and connections, a young eaglet is easier to train than a fully grown venomous snake, isn’t that right?"
Chu Zilan had been personally taught by Xu Jingfu. Compared to Xu Jingfu’s ruthlessness, he appeared gentler and more harmless, yet he had carried out every task Xu Jingfu assigned him over the years. No one underestimated him—if he were truly incompetent, why would Xu Jingfu have married his beloved daughter to Chu Zilan?
However… his gaze shifted to the beautiful face of the maid before him. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Ying Xiang’s wrist, pulling her into his embrace. "Chu Zilan is Xu Jingfu’s student. If Xu Jingfu falls, Chu Zilan won’t escape either. How do you know… he’ll manage to avoid disaster?"
"I was just speaking casually," Ying Xiang didn’t struggle, maintaining a respectful smile on her face as she nestled in his arms and whispered, "After all, he was my former master."
Guang Yan stared at her for a long moment, then sneered, pinching Ying Xiang’s chin and forcing her to look directly at him. "I despise betrayal the most, Ying Xiang. In this entire residence, you are my most favored maid. I hope you understand what you should and shouldn’t do. If I discover you’re secretly colluding with outsiders behind my back… you should know," his smile turned somewhat sinister, "there aren’t many women who have died in the Crown Prince’s residence, but one more wouldn’t make a difference."Ying Xiang cooed with a delicate laugh, "Your Highness is frightening this servant again. In life, I am Your Highness's person; in death, I am Your Highness's ghost. How could I ever engage in secret affairs with another? Rather, it is Your Highness who must not forget the old for the sake of the new."
The beauty appeared radiant and charming, her eyes filled with nothing but docility, showing no hint of suspicion.
"As long as you remain obedient," Guang Yan said, stroking her face with satisfaction, "this palace will continue to cherish you dearly."
Ying Xiang lowered her head with a smile. On her slender wrist, a distinct bruise had appeared from Guang Yan's earlier actions. Unobtrusively, she covered the mark with her sleeve, buried her head in Guang Yan's embrace, and concealed the profound meaning in her eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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