Legend of the Female General

Chapter 243: The Pupil Outshines the Master

In the prison cell, Xu Jingfu sat quietly.

When he first arrived, the jailers treated him with great respect, not daring to show the slightest neglect. Though inwardly shocked by Xiao Huaijin’s swift and decisive methods, he was not overly anxious. Chu Zhao was still outside, and Emperor Wenxuan was indecisive by nature. Before long, even if he couldn’t escape unscathed, he could at least slowly turn the situation around.

But recently, the jailers’ attitudes toward him had gradually changed.

What kind of person was Xu Jingfu? Having navigated the court for so many years, sometimes a single glance from someone was enough for him to sense a shift in circumstances. These past days, no one had come to visit him, leaving him with no way to learn about the situation outside. Xu Jingfu himself could endure it, but he didn’t know how Xu Pingting and Lady Xu were faring. Xu Pingting had been pampered since birth, never having faced any storms. Now, he had no idea how Emperor Wenxuan was dealing with them.

Xu Jingfu’s expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was growing anxious.

Crown Prince Guang Yan was of little use, and after the incident with the Wutuo People, a rift had formed between them. Guang Yan likely didn’t dare speak up now. Thinking of this, Xu Jingfu felt a flicker of disdain. If it weren’t for the lack of capable people in the court, he would never have supported a fool like Guang Yan. But after all this time, had Chu Zhao still not found a way? Or had Chu Zhao also encountered trouble?

Xu Jingfu grew increasingly restless. The longer he stayed in prison, the worse it was for him. He didn’t know how far Xiao Jue had progressed, and as for Emperor Wenxuan… no matter how benevolent he was, he was still an emperor. When Xu Jingfu was absent, other ministers would teach the emperor what to do.

There would always be people trying to drag him down. He had to think of another way, but the most urgent task was to see his people first.

As Xu Jingfu was lost in thought, his vision blurred, and he seemed to see someone flash past from the shadows of the prison cell. When he focused again, there was nothing.

Outside, snow was falling. The jailers huddled by the prison entrance, drinking wine. The alcohol temporarily dispelled the cold, and their laughter gradually faded. The torches on the walls burned quietly, emitting a faint glow. In the flickering light, there seemed to be tiny crackling sounds, like something burning. Gradually, these sounds grew indistinct. After a long while, no one knew when, a scream pierced the night sky.

“Fire! Fire! There’s a fire in the prison!”

“Quick, put it out!”

Smoke choked their throats, and a raging fire erupted in an instant. Amidst the chaos, some rushed to fetch water to douse the flames, while others shouted, accompanied by the clashing of swords: “Help! Someone’s breaking into the prison!”

“Prime Minister Xu has been taken!”

…

The carriage stopped at some point, and Xu Jingfu was pushed into a secluded courtyard. It looked like a farmhouse in the wilderness, with no other residences in sight. As soon as he entered, Xu Jingfu began to cough.

He was already old and couldn’t withstand such turmoil. Half his beard had been singed off by the fire, and his clothes were stained with soot, making him look utterly disheveled. There was no one else in the room. On the table were tea and food, seemingly quite refined, but he didn’t touch them.

It was always wise to be cautious at all times.Upon arrival, he had already asked those around him who exactly had broken him out of prison, but no one answered his question. Xu Jingfu felt uneasy as well. After sitting for a while longer, there was a noise at the door, and someone walked in.

Xu Jingfu looked up to see a man dressed in a pale green robe, gentle and refined as an orchid. Upon seeing him, the man softly called out, "Teacher."

"Zi Lan?" Xu Jingfu was first delighted, then frowned. "What is going on?"

Chu Zilan closed the door.

"Teacher, you may not know, but Xiao Huaijin has found the witnesses for the Singing Water case."

Xu Jingfu’s heart skipped a beat, though he wasn’t entirely surprised. His people had been searching for the whereabouts of the Luo brothers. They had already found leads, but suddenly, the brothers vanished without a trace. At that time, Xu Jingfu had begun to suspect that Xiao Jue was behind it. However, Xiao Jue acted discreetly, and Xu Jingfu had never been able to catch him red-handed. Now that he had been imprisoned due to the He Rufei incident, Xiao Huaijin would certainly not let this opportunity slip. The matter of the Singing Water case had never been forgotten by Xiao Jue, and it was only a matter of time before it was reopened.

"Witnesses alone are not enough to convict."

Chu Zilan sighed. "There are many court officials who are eager to kick a man when he’s down."

Xu Jingfu could only sneer.

Having been in this position for so many years, he understood well that sometimes victory or defeat could be decided in an instant. In the past, when he suppressed the old subordinates left behind by Xiao Zhongwu, he had also taken advantage of the Singing Water case. Now that the tables had turned and he was in trouble, his opponents would certainly not show mercy.

"Are you suggesting that the Xu family cannot recover?" Xu Jingfu looked at Chu Zhao, a hint of displeasure in his tone. "Is this the plan you came up with while I was in prison? Breaking me out while the fire is raging?" At this point, Xu Jingfu grew angry. "Do you not realize that this move will only make the Emperor lean more toward Xiao Huaijin? This is not helping at all."

"Teacher," Chu Zilan stood by his side, shaking his head. "Your student had no other choice."

Xu Jingfu took a deep breath. "You have always been clever. Why did you choose such a foolish method this time? What did you break me out of prison for? To save my life? My life may be saved, but the Xu family is lost. And Pingting and my wife… you…"

The more he thought about it, the more furious he became. Yet now he could not return on his own, and if he stayed, people outside would only say that Xu Jingfu had fled to escape punishment.

"Teacher," Chu Zilan said gently, "even if I hadn’t broken you out, the Xu family could not have been saved. Xiao Huaijin would not give the Xu family a chance to recover, and the Fourth Prince has already made his move."

"But you made a terrible move! Can you protect me for a moment, or can you protect me for a lifetime?" Xu Jingfu glared at the young man before him, exasperated. "You have always been steady and reliable. I have always trusted you completely. Why this time…" His words suddenly trailed off.

The man before him was his future son-in-law, his student, someone he had watched grow up. He had always been by his side, studying and entering officialdom. He was intelligent, gentle, and well-mannered—a truly talented scholar. In Xu Jingfu’s heart, he held great admiration for him. Having no son of his own, Xu Jingfu had raised Chu Zhao as his successor.

The room fell silent for a moment.

"Did you do this on purpose?" Xu Jingfu asked slowly, his gaze as venomous as a snake’s.Chu Zhao smiled faintly. "Teacher, we have already reached this point. Only by doing this can we achieve the best outcome."

Xu Jingfu's hands trembled slightly.

"I know you are unwilling, still thinking of making a comeback. But you are in prison and unaware of the situation outside—the world has already changed." Chu Zhao's voice remained gentle, unhurried as he continued, "I have met with the Crown Prince. This is also the Crown Prince's intention."

"That fool Guang Yan," Xu Jingfu sneered, "how could he possibly think of sacrificing the pawn to save the king? I think it was you," he stared at Chu Zhao's face, "who proposed it, wasn't it? Well done, Chu Zilan. You've been by my side for so long, and I never realized I had raised a venomous snake beside me."

"Isn't this all learned from you, Teacher?" Chu Zhao showed no anger, his tone calm. "You taught me well."

Xu Jingfu, having weathered the storms of officialdom for many years, experienced for the first time the feeling of being so enraged he could spit blood. Even during his tense confrontations with Xiao Zhongwu, he had never felt such fury.

Xu Jingfu understood Chu Zhao's meaning. It was likely that the prison break was a ruse, designed to create the illusion that he had secretly colluded with others and fled to escape punishment. Then, his student would step in, sacrificing his own kin for righteousness. This would not only demonstrate Chu Zhao's loyalty to the monarch and love for the country, clearing him of any suspicion of collusion, but also eliminate Xu Jingfu as a formidable threat—for in Xu Jingfu's hands were many pieces of evidence left behind by Chu Zhao, enough to destroy him.

More importantly, with Xu Jingfu dead, his former followers, seeking protection, would turn to Chu Zhao. If Chu Zhao could extricate himself from this case, all the connections Xu Jingfu had left behind would fall into Chu Zhao's hands.

Xu Jingfu had no sons, which was why he had taken a liking to Chu Zhao's temperament and talent, hoping to groom him as his own. He never expected Chu Zhao to hide his true nature so deeply—like... devouring the legacy of a family with no heirs?

Xu Jingfu suddenly felt a wave of nausea.

"Chu Zilan," Xu Jingfu called Chu Zhao by his name, "I ask myself, I have never treated you with anything less than kindness. If I hadn't saved you back then, you would have died in some courtyard of Shi Jinbo's residence. All these years, I have protected you, helped you enter officialdom, and arranged everything for you. And yet, you repay kindness with betrayal—you... ungrateful, treacherous villain!"

"Ungrateful? Repaying kindness with betrayal?" Chu Zhao laughed. He looked at Xu Jingfu and spoke softly, "Teacher, you have indeed treated me extremely well. But how much of that kindness was genuine, and how much was for your own use, you know in your heart as well. There's no need to speak so sincerely, or else, if you keep saying it, even I might start to believe it."

Back in the Xu residence, Xu Jingfu had given him a pair of boots, saving Chu Zhao from Madam Chu's clutches. After that, at least on the surface, his three elder brothers and Madam Chu dared not act too recklessly, and he was able to preserve his life. For a time, Chu Zhao had truly been grateful to Xu Jingfu.

It wasn't until he grew older and was arranged by Xu Jingfu to become an official that things seemed to take a turn for the better. A teacher meticulously planning his student's future—few in this world could claim to have done as much.

But from the very first day he took office, he truly became one of Xu Jingfu's pawns.Xu Jingfu's disciples were spread throughout Great Wei, each official among them serving as his pawn. Chu Zhao was no different from the other pawns. He killed for Xu Jingfu, framed the innocent, won over hearts... there was nothing he wouldn't do. Xu Jingfu operated from the shadows, while Chu Zhao stood in the light—a target exposed to countless hidden arrows.

Once, he overheard Xu Jingfu speaking with a servant.

"Chu Fourth Young Master's attendance at this banquet may carry risks. Should you, sir, perhaps..."

"Young people must grow through danger," his teacher replied with a smile. "If he is unwilling to risk his life, what purpose has there been in nurturing him all this time?"

Chu Zhao later understood—he was nothing but a dog raised by Xu Jingfu. Whomever Xu Jingfu commanded him to bite, he bit. Those bitten hated the dog, not the master who raised it.

Did Xu Jingfu not know that going to Jiyang would be dangerous? Of course he did. Even while in Rundu, Xu Jingfu remained wary of him. When Xu Pingting developed feelings for him, Xu Jingfu could casually arrange their marriage. Chu Zhao knew well that if one day Xu Pingting no longer liked him—or even despised him—Xu Jingfu would not hesitate to cast him aside.

"You play the benevolent teacher, I play the devoted student. After so long in these roles, even you have forgotten why you chose me as your student in the first place."

Xu Jingfu glared at him furiously. "...It was because I pitied you back then!"

"Is that truly the reason?" The young man laughed. "Was it not because I had nothing and was easy to control that you took me under your wing?"

A pitiful soul bullied by his stepmother and elder brother at home, never knowing when death might come; a person with nothing to his name, no one to rely on—such a person, once shown a shred of kindness, would repay it a hundredfold. Given an opportunity, he would claw his way upward with desperate determination.

He was perfectly suited to be a pawn.

And perfectly suited to be used, for he had no other choice.

That kind, gentle teacher was merely a facade—calculations and schemes hidden within those soft boots, waiting only for time to pass, for the nails within to slowly emerge, piercing flesh and drawing blood before anyone noticed.

But back then, had he not schemed as well?

He knew he was going to a banquet at Xu Xiang's residence. He knew the robes Madam Chu had made for him were thin as paper. Yet he still wore them.

When Chu Linfeng took him to socialize, was there truly no moment to change his boots, or at least remove the nails inside?

The Xu estate was so vast—how did he happen to run into Xu Jingfu?

He was a child raised in brothels, who had seen women employ every trick to win a man's favor. Pitying the weak is instinct for all who hold power. Exploiting sympathy and compassion was the skill he had learned in those years to protect himself.

Every opportunity was hard-won. Every opportunity had to be seized firmly.

He seized it, and thus finally changed his fate. Though the path of that fate was not brightly lit, it at least allowed him to cling to life all these years.

Xu Jingfu used him, and he used Xu Jingfu. In the end, they were the same kind of people from the very beginning.

It was just a pity about those boots, he thought with regret. They had truly kept him warm for many years.The lamplight in the room swayed gently, while outside the wind howled fiercely. The windows strained against the gusts, as if muffling the wails of ghosts. The warm candlelight seemed only to make the room feel colder.

Xu Jingfu looked at him, gazing for a long while before suddenly letting out a low chuckle. He said, "Chu Zilan... Well done... You truly are formidable..."

"Teacher," Chu Zilan looked back at him, his eyes still gentle, "Just like you—your sympathy for me was genuine, and your desire to use me was also genuine. My gratitude toward you was genuine, and my desire to kill you is also genuine." He took a step back, his silhouette fully illuminated by the lamplight, revealing a face that was soft, refined, and seemingly untouched by worldly concerns, yet also as if it had tasted all the evils of the mortal world, carrying a cold, detached pity. "All the methods I have employed, I learned from you, Teacher. It is merely... the student surpassing the master."

"What a fine example of the student surpassing the master," Xu Jingfu laughed heartily, though his laughter was tinged with bitterness. He asked, "The men outside are all yours... When do you plan to kill me?"

Chu Zhao remained silent.

"This decisiveness and ruthlessness truly befit a student of Xu Jingfu!" he suddenly exclaimed. "And what of Pingting? What will you do with her?"

This old minister, who had spent a lifetime being ruthless in the political arena, finally revealed a trace of vulnerability befitting an elder. He looked at Chu Zhao, his eyes even pleading. "She genuinely cares for you... If you have even a shred of conscience left, do not harm her!"

"I will not harm her," Chu Zhao said after a long pause. "As long as she behaves obediently."

The lamplight in the room flared brightly, and voices could be heard from outside. "Fourth Young Master! The pursuers are almost here!"

Chu Zhao looked at Xu Jingfu.

Xu Jingfu met his gaze calmly, his eyes filled with resentment, anger, and hatred, all of which eventually sank into a sense of helplessness.

He was old. When he dealt with Xiao Zhongwu during the Battle of Ming River, he should have foreseen this day.

Chu Zhao slowly knelt before Xu Jingfu, bowing deeply in a formal gesture of respect.

"This student will carry on your legacy, Teacher. May you rest in peace."

He stood up and walked out the door without looking back. Several guards rushed into the room, followed by the sound of tables and chairs overturning and low, muffled cries of agony.

Chu Zhao stood quietly as the wind lifted the hem of his robe, making his figure appear exceptionally slender, as if he might vanish with the wind at any moment. In that instant, he recalled a memory from many years ago, when he was around eleven or twelve years old. He had gone to Xu Jingfu's residence to offer birthday congratulations. Xu Jingfu's other students were all older than him, many already serving as officials, and their gifts were all gold, jade, and jewels. Only he, after much hesitation, shyly produced a painting from behind his back.

It was a painting of a pine tree he had made, one he had spent several days and nights on, pouring all his effort into it. He had little money and was unwilling to ask Chu Linfeng for any, so after much thought, this was the only gift he could offer.

The pine tree stood tall and resilient, its branches like crane bones and pine sinews, its verdant foliage enduring through the seasons. In that moment, that was truly what he had felt.

But that was a very, very long time ago.

Before long, two guards emerged from the room. The blade at one guard's waist was already stained crimson with blood, dripping steadily onto the snow beneath his feet, blooming like plum blossoms.Chu Zhao took the blade from his hand. It was heavy; even a man would find it strenuous to wield, let alone how that seemingly frail and petite girl had managed to swing it with such ease.

He looked at the blade, gripped the hilt in a reverse hold, and suddenly thrust it toward his own chest.

"Thud—"

The tip pierced flesh, bringing a sharp pain that seemed to jolt him awake from his earlier daze. The guard beside him cried out in alarm, "Fourth Young Master!"

With great effort, he waved a hand dismissively, pulled the blade back out, and tossed it to the ground. One hand pressed against his wound, blood instantly soaking his palm and staining a large patch of his robe crimson.

In the next moment, the sound of troops and horses suddenly approached from outside. He staggered forward two steps before his strength finally gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.

"Fourth Young Master! Fourth Young Master!"

The last thing he saw was the glaring light of torches and a flood of soldiers surging forward.

(End of Chapter)