Legend of the Female General

Chapter 244: Night Meeting

Xu Jingfu escaped from prison at night and fled to a farmstead in the wilderness outside the city. He was pursued by his student Chu Zilan, who led a force to capture him. In a righteous act of severing personal ties, Chu Zilan confronted his teacher and was severely wounded in the struggle. He now lies on a sickbed, his fate uncertain.

Overnight, the winds in Shuojing shifted entirely.

Xu Jingfu’s escape confirmed his guilt of colluding with the enemy, betraying the nation, and framing and harming high-ranking officials in the Ming River case. The Dali Temple’s trial proceeded swiftly, and the entire Xu family was arrested. The only surprising figure was Chu Fourth Young Master from the Shi Jinbo estate. Some whispered behind his back, calling him disloyal—after all, Xu Jingfu had treated him so well, yet he had helped others turn against his own teacher. Others praised his clarity of judgment, arguing that the emperor’s favor ultimately outweighed a teacher’s kindness.

But now, lying on his sickbed with no certainty of when he might awaken, his plight evoked sighs of pity. It was said Xu Jingfu had stabbed him through the chest with a knife, leaving his survival in doubt.

In the ancestral hall of Xiao Manor, Xiao Jing and Xiao Jue stood side by side.

Xiao Jue rarely came to offer incense with Xiao Jing; most of the time, he came alone.

Two nights earlier, Bai Rongwei had felt unwell. A physician was summoned, and it was discovered she was pregnant. When Bai Rongwei had first married into the Xiao family half a year earlier, Xiao Zhongwu met with misfortune, and soon after, Madam Xiao followed him in death. At that time, Xu Jingfu had pressed relentlessly, leaving the entire Xiao family on the brink of collapse. Bai Rongwei, newly pregnant, had overexerted herself, suffered a miscarriage due to the strain, and had since been plagued by health issues, spending years recuperating.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Xu Jingfu’s case concluded, Bai Rongwei received this joyful news. It was as if fate had ordained it.

Xiao Jing gazed at the memorial tablets in the ancestral hall and sighed. “It’s been nearly seven years. We can finally set one matter to rest.”

All these years, no one had deliberately brought it up, but neither Xiao Jue nor Xiao Jing had ever forgotten the Battle of Ming River.

“You’ve endured much hardship all these years,” Xiao Jing said with a smile tinged with apology as he looked at Xiao Jue. “The burden of the Xiao family fell entirely on your shoulders.”

“The affairs of Shuojing have all been managed by you, Elder Brother,” Xiao Jue replied calmly. “How can it be said that I alone bore the hardship?”

“You’re just stubborn,” Xiao Jing chuckled, shaking his head. “Though I am your elder brother, it seems I’ve never done anything for you. You’ve never lived for yourself,” he added, his gaze drifting to the faint smoke rising from the incense. “Now, at last, you can rest for a while.”

Whether it was being sent to the mountains as a child, later entering the Virtuous Prosperity Academy, or finally taking command of the Southern Garrison Troops—all of it was for the sake of the Xiao family. Sometimes Xiao Jing felt he didn’t understand what his younger brother truly wanted. Perhaps it was because no one had ever asked him what he desired. By the time anyone thought to ask, Xiao Jue had already grown up, accustomed to keeping everything buried deep within.

As the elder brother, no matter how hard he tried, it seemed he could never truly enter Xiao Jue’s heart.

But perhaps… if someone else could, that would be good too.

“After the Xu family’s case, it’s time to think about your own matters,” Xiao Jing said.

“My matters?”

“Don’t forget your marriage. Now, this is the Xiao family’s most important affair. Your sister-in-law is pregnant, so I’ve asked her to set these matters aside for now. I’ll handle them.”

Xiao Jue was slightly taken aback. “There’s no need. I can manage it myself.”"Xu Jingfu's remaining faction is still rampant, so I'm afraid you don't have time to handle this personally." Xiao Jing smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have experience in this matter and won't make any mistakes. When I married your sister-in-law back then, I also personally oversaw and managed everything myself, and it turned out quite well in the end."

At that time, Madam Xiao was unwilling for Xiao Jing to marry a concubine-born daughter from a mismatched family background, but she couldn't persuade her son otherwise. In a fit of anger, she washed her hands of the matter entirely. From the bridal chamber and betrothal gifts down to the wedding invitations and pastries, Xiao Jing personally handled everything for the wedding.

This reminded Xiao Jue of the past, when Xiao Jing stood nervously and cautiously in the silk shop, personally selecting fabric for the wedding attire. He couldn't help but lower his head and chuckle.

Seeing him laugh, Xiao Jing also smiled, sighing with emotion, "When I married your sister-in-law, I kept wondering when I would see you get married. I had no idea what kind of girl you would marry in the future. Now, thinking back," he paused, "that Miss He is truly wonderful."

After a moment of silence, Xiao Jue said calmly, "I also think she's wonderful."

"Huaijin," Xiao Jing stood shoulder to shoulder with him, "you must cherish her well."

...

In the Chu residence, Chu Zhao, who had been unconscious for seven days, finally woke up.

The first thing he did upon waking was to drag his ailing body, despite his unhealed wounds, into the palace to see the emperor. At first, everyone thought that since he had turned against his own family for justice, he intended to seal the Chu family's fate, and this visit to the palace was to drop the final stone into the well. Unexpectedly, his purpose for entering the palace was to declare that he had an engagement with Xu Pingting. According to the timeline, Xu Pingting should have already married into the Chu family. Since she was already married, she could no longer be considered a member of the Xu family. He earnestly pleaded with Emperor Wenxuan, in light of Xu Jingfu's past contributions as an advisor, to spare Xu Pingting's life.

Such a young man, who was both righteous and discerning, was greatly admired by those in power. Moreover, Chu Zhao's pale and stubborn appearance, despite his unhealed illness, reminded Emperor Wenxuan of Xiao Huaijin from many years ago. Softening his heart, the emperor agreed to Chu Zhao's request. However, Xu Jingfu's crimes were heinous, and while Xu Pingting could avoid the death penalty, she could not escape punishment. From then on, she would be reduced to the daughter of a criminal official and, of course, could no longer be the young mistress of the Shi Jinbo residence.

At most, she could become a concubine.

When Xu Pingting was brought to the Chu family, she wept incessantly. In just a few short days, the Xu family had fallen, her parents were dead, and all those who had once been close to her avoided her. Now, the only person she could rely on was Chu Zhao.

"Brother Zi Lan!" As soon as Xu Pingting saw Chu Zhao, she grabbed his arm and cried, "Why did it take you so long to save me? What exactly is going on? Why are they treating me like this?"

The once high and mighty young lady had fallen from the clouds into the mud overnight. Besides being panicked and flustered, she refused to believe that everything before her eyes was real.

"Pingting," the man before her still looked at her gently, "you will live here from now on."

"What does that mean? Can't I go back to my own home?" Xu Pingting asked urgently, "They've all wronged my father. Brother Zi Lan, you must have a way, don't you? You have a way, right?"

Chu Zilan simply watched her quietly.Xu Pingting's hand gradually loosened from Chu Zhao's arm. She took two steps back, the panic in her eyes slowly receding a little, as if recalling an old matter. She asked, "Brother Zi Lan, on the way here, I heard people say... they said you turned against your own kin, that when my father tried to flee with his men, you were the one who stopped them... That can't be true, can it? They were lying, right?"

Chu Zhao sighed. "It's true."

Xu Pingting's expression froze. After a long while, she cried out, her voice choked with tears, "Then did you kill my father? Why would you do that? My father was so good to you—he was your teacher!"

Tears streamed down the delicate girl's face. She was always haughty, either laughing freely or throwing arrogant tantrums, rarely as fragile and disheveled as she was now. It was only at moments like this that she didn't seem like "the daughter of Minister Xu," but just like any ordinary girl.

Chu Zhao walked over to her, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped the tears from her face. In the past, if he had done this, Xu Pingting would have been overjoyed. But now, as she looked at the person before her—his features exactly the same as before, his expression gentle and patient—for some reason, a faint chill crept up her spine.

"I promised your father I would take good care of you," he slowly withdrew the handkerchief, his tone still exactly the same as before, yet somehow completely different. "And I will keep that promise. Pingting, don't be willful."

"Some things," he said softly, "should never be mentioned again. Be good, and everything will pass."

...

Night fell, and He Yan and He Yun Sheng sat in the room roasting sweet potatoes.

They buried two sweet potatoes in the fine ashes beneath the warm stove. After a while, they dug them out—the sweet potatoes were thoroughly roasted, their fragrance wafting through the air even before peeling. Once peeled and tasted, they were sweet, warm, and so delicious one could almost swallow their tongue.

He Yan picked up a large sweet potato and tossed it into He Yun Sheng's lap. It was too hot, so He Yun Sheng juggled it in his hands before daring to take a bite.

"He Yan, you should eat less," he reminded the person across from him while munching away. "I heard Commander Xiao ordered your wedding dress made according to your old measurements. If you keep eating like this and the dress doesn't fit when the time comes, what will you do if there's no time to find a new one?"

He Yan threw a piece of sweet potato peel at his head, but He Yun Sheng ducked to avoid it. She retorted, "Your sister has a slender waist, so delicate it can be held in one hand. How could I possibly not fit into a dress? Stop worrying for nothing!"

"I've just never seen a bride-to-be eat as much as you," He Yun Sheng muttered. He had seen the sisters from neighboring families on their street prepare for marriage—other brides would start starving themselves months in advance to look light and lovely on their wedding day. Only his own sister seemed afraid of missing a single bite, with no awareness at all of her impending marriage.

What would happen if this continued? He Yun Sheng worried anxiously. Would people think the He family hadn't fed He Yan properly once she arrived at the Xiao household?

"Why do you worry so much at such a young age?" He Yan lectured him earnestly. "Even Father doesn't think as much as you do." He Yun Sheng had likely taken on responsibilities early, and sometimes He Yan felt he acted more like a father than He Sui himself. He was so serious and old-fashioned—much less adorable than when he was younger."The Xu family's case is already settled, and Commander Xiao has nothing else to do after this," He Yun Sheng muttered with his head down. "The next big event to handle is your wedding, isn't it? He Yan, how can you be so carefree?" The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "Aren't you nervous at all?"

The sweet potato was too hot. He Yan blew on it before taking a bite, replying vaguely, "Not nervous."

He Yun Sheng was speechless. Fine, it seemed he was the only one in the entire household who was anxious.

Seeing his troubled expression, He Yan smiled. "Why worry so much? The wedding isn't for a while yet. Yun Sheng, you're still young and don't understand how quickly things can change in this world. No one can predict what tomorrow will bring, so why trouble yourself unnecessarily? Take the Xu family, for example. Who could have imagined they would end up like this, given their past glory?"

At this, He Yun Sheng snapped back to reality and sighed. "You're right. At the victory banquet, you and the Xu family's daughter were both granted marriages by the Emperor. Now your wedding is approaching, but the Xu family's daughter will never be able to marry in this lifetime." He frowned. "Back then, everyone in Shuojing compared you to the Xu family's daughter, saying our family couldn't match theirs. It infuriated me, but I doubt anyone says that anymore."

After all, the Xu family had fallen, and the charges against them were deeply disgraceful.

He Yan paused mid-bite.

To be honest, Chu Zhao's act of "righteously turning against his own" had taken her by surprise. Something about it felt off. No matter how she thought about it, it seemed like a scheme orchestrated by Chu Zhao. He had wrapped it up neatly, leaving no evidence. On the surface, he had chosen loyalty to the Emperor over his mentor's favor, but upon closer inspection, he had suffered no real losses in the matter. On the contrary, he had cleanly severed ties with Xu Jingfu and temporarily won the Emperor's trust. The only cost was lying in bed for a long time.

But injuries could be exaggerated or downplayed—it all depended on what the doctor said. After all, no one would bring a physician to verify whether his condition was truly that critical.

He Yan didn't like to think ill of others, so whenever her thoughts drifted in this direction, she quickly brushed them aside, unwilling to dwell on it. What did Chu Zhao have to do with her, anyway? Why waste time on someone who wasn't important?

He Yun Sheng chatted with her a while longer before getting up to leave.

After he left, He Yan swept up the sweet potato peels from the floor, washed up, and went to bed. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Xiao Jue since the day Lady He the Second was buried. The Xu Xiang case had finally come to an end, but that didn't mean everything was resolved. Those connected to Xu Xiang and those implicated in the Battle of Ming River wouldn't be dealt with overnight.

And then there was the Crown Prince... He Yan's mood grew heavy. The Crown Prince was far from a worthy heir, but as a subject—and one without real power at that—she couldn't influence the Emperor's decisions.

She gazed toward the window outside her bedchamber. In Shuojing City, a storm was brewing.

Lost in thought, a sudden flash of cold light shot toward her. He Yan's expression sharpened, and she instinctively reached out to catch it. The object grazed her palm, breaking the skin slightly. Looking down, she saw she had caught a long dart.A dart was tied with something. He Yan was taken aback, untied it, and her expression immediately changed upon seeing it. What she untied was half of a hairpin, shaped like a magnolia flower. He Yan was not unfamiliar with it—this was the hairpin she had given to He Xinying.

Ever since she last saw He Xinying, He Yan had been worried that the girl, in her despair, might take her own life. She had Chi Wu send things to the Wei family every now and then. The items were not many, nor were they particularly valuable, but they were tokens of He Yan’s heartfelt concern—sometimes a piece of jewelry, sometimes a bolt of fabric. She wasn’t very skilled at selecting such things for girls, so she took great care with each choice. This magnolia hairpin had been sent over by Chi Wu not long ago, and she heard that He Xinying liked it very much, wearing it in her hair right away.

How could it be here?

Wrapped around the hairpin was a small note. He Yan opened it and saw a location written on it, which appeared to be a tavern or teahouse.

Had someone captured He Xinying to threaten her?

But this tavern or teahouse was in a bustling area, and there had been no curfew lately. If someone intended to take action, why would they choose such a conspicuous place?

After pondering for a long time, He Yan’s worry for He Xinying ultimately prevailed. She picked out a set of men’s clothing from her chest and changed into it. Today, Chi Wu was not around—ever since Xu Xiang’s case came to light, Chi Wu had also become busy at night.

After preparing herself, she slipped out under the cover of darkness. Guessing and asking along the way, she finally found the place written on the note.

It was indeed a teahouse.

The teahouse was designed like a small courtyard, and from the outside, it looked more like a private residence. Not far away was the marketplace, with patrols of the city guard passing by from time to time. He Yan hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.

Outside the courtyard stood two plainly dressed young attendants. Seeing He Yan, they asked nothing and simply said, “Please come in, Miss.” It was as if they had been waiting for her all along.

He Yan paused. She had come dressed in men’s clothing, and while her disguise wasn’t foolproof, it was enough to deceive most people. Yet these two attendants directly addressed her as “Miss.” It couldn’t be because they had exceptionally sharp eyes and saw through her disguise at a glance. More likely, the person waiting for her inside was already well aware of her actions.

In her heart, He Yan vaguely guessed who it might be, but she couldn’t be certain, nor did she understand why the other party would do this.

The attendants led He Yan into the courtyard, past a garden, and into the teahouse. The main hall outside the teahouse was empty—whether it was naturally quiet or had been deliberately cleared out, she didn’t know. They walked along a corridor lined with smaller tea rooms until they reached the very last one.

The attendants said, “Please enter, Miss.” After saying this, they left without another word, leaving He Yan alone.

He Yan pushed the door open and walked in.

Inside the tea room, the light flickered, and the fragrance of tea filled the air. Behind a long table sat a handsome man in wide sleeves and a long robe, his smile gentle and refined. He spoke softly, “A He.”

“Chu Fourth Young Master,” He Yan heard her own voice, “what is the meaning of this?”

“It’s just that I feel as though I haven’t seen A He in a long time and wanted to speak with you.” He replied gently, showing no displeasure at He Yan’s coldness.

He Yan raised her hand, showing him the hairpin. “Where is Miss He?”

“At the Wei residence.”He Yan was taken aback. She looked at Chu Zhao again, thought for a moment, tossed the hairpin in her hand onto the table, and sat down opposite him. She gazed at Chu Zhao and spoke calmly, "You lied to me?"

"If not for that," Chu Zhao replied, "how would Ah He be willing to see me?"

In the past, she hadn’t noticed it, but now, hearing him call her "Ah He" over and over, He Yan felt deeply uncomfortable. After a pause, she asked, "So, what urgent matter does Chu Fourth Young Master have to see me about?"

Dudu: I’ve been cuckolded again.

(End of Chapter)